Wildlife: Biodiversity and Net Deforestation Rates

Around the world, forests are being logged for timber and paper pulp and cleared to grow mono-crops like soy and palm oil while they are deteriorating from the impacts of global warming. Deforestation is a major driver of global warming, responsible for up to 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions–more than all the cars, trucks, planes, boats and trains in the world combined. Deforestation doesn’t just threaten our climate, it threatens the livelihoods of 1. 6 Billion people that rely on forests for food and economic activity.Forests also serve as habitats to rare and undiscovered animal and plant species and play a key role in providing water and preventing flooding and erosion. Ending deforestation and protecting forests will not only preserve biodiversity and defend the rights of forest communities, it is also one of the quickest and cost effective ways of curbing global warming. Greenpeace is campaigning for zero deforestation, globally, by 2020. Deforestati on,  clearance  or  clearing  is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use. 1]  Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. About half of the world's original forests had been destroyed by 2011, the majority during the previous 50 years. [citation needed]  Since 1990 half of the world's  rain forests  have been destroyed. [citation needed]  More than half of the animal and plant species in the world live in tropical forests. [2] The term  deforestation  is often misused to describe any activity where all trees in an area are removed. not in citation given][neutrality  is  disputed]  However in  temperate climates, the  removal of all trees in an area[not in citation given]—in conformance with  sustainable forestry  practices—is correctly described as  regeneration harvest. [3]  In  temperate mesic climates, natural regener ation of forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, whether natural or anthropogenic. [4]  Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring rainforest destruction. 5][6] Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes in the form of  charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as  pasture  for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient  reforestation  has resulted in damage to  habitat,  biodiversity  loss and  aridity. It has adverse impacts on  biosequestration  of atmospheric  carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used in  war  to deprive an enemy of cover for its forces and also vital resources.A modern example of this was the use of  Agent Orangeby the United States military in Vietnam during the  Vietnam W ar. Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse  soil erosion  and frequently degrade into  wasteland. Disregard or ignorance of intrinsic value, lack of ascribed value, lax forest management and deficient environmental laws are some of the factors that allow deforestation to occur on a large scale. In many countries, deforestation, both naturally occurring and human induced, is an ongoing issue.Deforestation causes  extinction, changes to climatic conditions,  desertification, and displacement of populations as observed by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record. [5] Among countries with a per capita  GDP  of at least US$4,600, net deforestation rates have ceased to increase. [when? ][7][8] ————————————————- Causes According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat, the overwhelming dir ect cause of deforestation is agriculture.Subsistence farming  is responsible for 48% of deforestation;  commercial agriculture  is responsible for 32% of deforestation;  logging  is responsible for 14% of deforestation and fuel wood removals make up 5% of deforestation. [9] Experts do not agree on whether industrial logging is an important contributor to global deforestation. [10][11]  Some argue that poor people are more likely to clear forest because they have no alternatives, others that the poor lack the ability to pay for the materials and labour needed to clear forest. 10]  One study found that population increases due to high fertility rates were a primary driver of tropical deforestation in only 8% of cases. [12] Other causes of contemporary deforestation may include  corruption  of government institutions,[13][14]  the  inequitable  distribution of wealth and power,[15]  population growth[16]  andoverpopulation,[17][18]  and  urbanization. [ 19]  Globalization  is often viewed as another root cause of deforestation,[20][21]  though there are cases in which the impacts of globalization (new ? ws of labor, capital, commodities, and ideas) have promoted localized forest recovery. [22] The last batch of sawnwood from thepeat forest  in Indragiri Hulu, Sumatra,Indonesia. Deforestation for  oil palmplantation. In 2000 the United Nations  Food and Agriculture Organization  (FAO) found that â€Å"the role of population dynamics in a local setting may vary from decisive to negligible,† and that deforestation can result from â€Å"a combination of population pressure and stagnating economic, social and technological conditions. [16] The degradation of forest ecosystems has also been traced to economic incentives that make forest conversion appear more profitable than forest conservation. [23]  Many important forest functions have no markets, and hence, no economic value that is readily apparent to the fore sts' owners or the communities that rely on forests for their well-being. [23]  From the perspective of the developing world, the benefits of forest as carbon sinks or biodiversity reserves go primarily to richer developed nations and there is insufficient compensation for these services.Developing countries feel that some countries in the developed world, such as the United States of America, cut down their forests centuries ago and benefited greatly from this deforestation, and that it is hypocritical to deny developing countries the same opportunities: that the poor shouldn't have to bear the cost of preservation when the rich created the problem. [24] Some commentators have noted a shift in the drivers of deforestation over the past 30 years. 25]  Whereas deforestation was primarily driven by subsistence activities and government-sponsored development projects like  transmigration  in countries like  Indonesia  and  colonization  in  Latin America,India,  Jav a, and so on, during late 19th century and the earlier half of the 20th century. By the 1990s the majority of deforestation was caused by industrial factors, including extractive industries, large-scale cattle ranching, and extensive agriculture. [26] [edit] Wildlife conservation  is the practice of protecting  endangered plant and animal species  and their  habitats.Among the goals of wildlife conservation are to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and to recognize the importance of  wildlife  and  wilderness  lands to humans. [1]Many nations are  government agencies  dedicated to wildlife conservation, which help to implement policies designed to protect wildlife. Numerous independent  nonprofit organizations  also promote various wildlife conservation causes. [2] Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of  human activity  on  wildlife. The science of extinction.An e ndangered species is defined as a population of a living being that is at the danger of becoming extinct because of several reasons. Either they are few in number or are threatened by the varying environmental or predation parameters. ————————————————- Government involvement The Wildlife Conservation Act was enacted by the Government of India in 1972. Soon after the trend of policy makers enacting regulations on conservation a strategy was developed to allow actors, both government and non-government, to follow a detailed â€Å"framework† to successful conservation.The World Conservation Strategy was developed in 1980 by the â€Å"International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources â€Å"(IUCN) with advice, cooperation and financial assistance of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wildlife Fund and in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco)†[9]  The strategy aims to â€Å"provide an intellectual framework and practical guidance for conservation actions. [9]  This thorough guidebook covers everything from the intended â€Å"users† of the strategy to its very priorities and even a map section containing areas that have large seafood consumption therefore endangering the area to over fishing. The main sections are as follows: * The objectives of conservation and requirements for their achievement: 1. Maintenance of essential ecological processes and life-support systems. 2. Preservation of genetic diversity. 3. Sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems. * Priorities for national action: 1. A framework for national and subnational conservation strategies. . Policy making and the integration of conservation and development. 3. Environmental planning and rational use allocation. * Priorities for international action: 1. International action: law and assistance. 2. Tropical forests and drylands. 3. A global programme for the protection of genetic resource areas. Map sections: 1. Tropical forests 2. Deserts and areas subject to desertification. Importance Of Wildlife 37  Ã‚  6  StumbleUpon4 If you were of the opinion that cultivated plants and domesticated animals is what wildlife consists of, you are mistaken.Wildlife, in fact, comprises of the innumerous varieties of wild plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms that exist on our planet earth, rather than just cultivated plants and domesticated animals. Knowingly or unknowingly, we largely depend on this wildlife for every elementary requirement in our life. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the medicines we consume, a variety of building materials used for construction, numerous chemicals used for manufacturing our necessities, all are extracted from the wildlife existing around us.A study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science indicates that as many as 40,000 species of plants, animals, fungi and microscopic animals benefit us in some way or the other. To know the various benefits that this wildlife provides us, read on further. Benefits Of Wildlife Benefits To People Wildlife and nature have largely been associated with humans for numerous emotional and social reasons. A simple stroll around the park amidst some birds provides a fresh breath of life and charges our batteries. Apart from bird feeder in the backyard, we can also take up other active pastimes, such as hiking, hunting, canoeing or wildlife photographing to relieve our parched nerves. Since prehistoric times, animals have been highly useful to us in providing food, clothing and source of income. Benefits To Natural Processes Wildlife plays an essential role in the ecological and biological processes that are yet again significant to life. The normal functioning of t he biosphere depends on endless interactions amongst animals, plants, and microorganisms. This, in turn, maintains and enhances human life further.To add on, these ecological processes are vital for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and other endeavors that support human life. Besides, there are several biological processes wherein wildlife plays a key role, such as pollinization, germination, seed dispersal, soil generation, nutrient cycling, predation, habitat maintenance, waste breakdown, and pest control. Benefits to Science, Agriculture, & Medicine Studies indicate that woodpeckers are capable of destroying 90% of codling moth larvae residing under the bark of trees. This shows the significance of wildlife and wildlife habitat for preserving genetic diversity.Hence, places where agriculture, forests, and fisheries depend on crops or stocks can ensure that such living resources are enough to withstand the ever-increasing list of threats. Further, in medicine, development of new d rugs and treatments are largely dependent on wildlife and wildlife habitat. Interestingly, most pharmaceutical products are a result of discovering or developing wildlife species and not discoveries through the traditional chemistry principles. Today, most medicinal remedies contain at least one ingredient derived from a wild plant or animal.

Hershey’s Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility means supporting and strengthening the communities we are a part of. XXX Ltd is committed to maintaining the highest standards of corporate social responsibility in our business activities and dealings with our external and internal customers and the public on a whole. We are guided by the highest of ethical standards in our business decisions and relationships with others by carefully guard our reputation for â€Å"honesty, integrity and trust†. Our business is committed to providing quality products and services for our customers, clients, and business partners who we will treat fairly and with respect. We believe in fair play. Our word is our bond. We respect the rights and dignity of every employee and treat them fairly and without discrimination. We are tolerant of each other’s differences regardless of their ethnicity. We believe in team work, the sharing of knowledge throughout our organization, and recognize the contribution of every team member. We will offer our employees clear and fair terms of employment and provide resources to enable their continued development. We promote our philosophy by providing a healthy and safe working environment conducive to the well-being of our staff, and fostering an atmosphere of cooperation and harmony in the workplace. XXX Ltd is committed being a good corporate citizen, mindful of our responsibility to give back to the community in which we live and operate our businesses. Successive leaders of our Company have built on this tradition and we encourage our employees to serve their community and country through individual effort and through our XXX Ltd Community Development Foundation, and other organizations. Through the Foundation we make contributions in the areas of education, health, community outreach and the environment through our flagship program â€Å"LEARNING NEVER STOP†. This program offers scholarships for GSAT students across the island and is a key feature of the company’s website in the XXX Ltd â€Å"LEARNING NEVER STOP† tab, which shows all our updates. We recognize that we have a responsibility to the communities and countries in which we operate and will ensure that, in all our activities, by contributing to the safety and protection of the environment. Our Labour Day project 2013 was a massive â€Å"clean up and beautification project† program in Spanish Town, round about where the company adapt (park ). The company also donated two hundred and fifty thousand dollars (250,000. 00) to three primary schools for renovation. The XXX staff donned red to show support the Heart Foundation of Jamaica’s annual â€Å"Wear Red Day†. Representatives from The Heart Foundation of Jamaica along with our loving caring staff educate people through issuing of pamphlets. The foundation wishes to get more women to become aware of their risk for heart disease and promoting a heart healthy lifestyle.

Case Study: Bruce /Brenda

Case Study Reflection: Bruce/Brenda Gabriel R. Boynton Abnormal Psychology Professor Wolfson September 24, 2012 Diagnostic Overview: Gender Identity Disorder (GID) is defined as: â€Å"strong and persistent cross gender identification† and â€Å"persistent discomfort with his or her sex or sense of inappropriateness in the gender of that sex (DSM-IV)†. Put simply: it is a painful inner conflict between a person’s physical gender, and the gender he or she identifies as. For example, a person who identifies as a boy may actually feel that he is, and act like a girl.In response to those feelings, people with GID may act and/or present themselves as members of the opposite sex. The disorder may affect things such as their choice of sexual partners, mannerisms, behavior, dress, as well as their own self-concept. Males with GID are often characterized by feminine behaviors such as: â€Å"wearing his mother’s clothing, displaying a great interest in girlsâ€℠¢ toys, playing with girls, and showing distress over having male genitalia (Gooran)†. Associated essay: Nature or Nurture: The Case of the Boy Who Became a GirlIn contrast biological females with GID will most likely exhibit typical masculine behaviors such as: â€Å"rough (masculine) games, refusing to wear dresses, becoming very athletic and strong, and identifying more with her father (Gooren)†. â€Å"True cases of GID are fairly rare and occur in only 3 to 5 percent of the U. S. population (Meyer)†. The exact cause of GID is unclear, however â€Å"hormones in the womb, genes, and social and environmental factors (such as parenting) may be involved (NLM)†. Observable symptoms almost always present in early childhood. Case History:David Reimer was born as a twin on August 22, 1969 to Ron and Janet Reimer. His given birth name was Bruce; his twin brother was named Brian. Both babies were born as healthy males. When the twins were about 7 months old, their mother noticed that â€Å"the skin on the tip of her sons’ penises was sealing over, making the act of urination particularly painful and difficult. On the advice of their doctor, Janet took the twins to the local hospital to be circumcised to correct the problem (Meyer)†. On April 27, 1966 a urologist performed the circumcision operation using the unconventional method of cauterization. The procedure did not go as doctors had planned, and Bruce’s penis was burned beyond surgical repair. The doctors chose not to operate on Brian, who’s phimosis soon cleared without surgical intervention (CBS)†. So botched was the surgical procedure that the sex organ resembled a burned piece of flesh, rendering it useless as well as lifeless. â€Å"Eventually Bruce’s penis dried up and flaked away until there was no sign that he had ever had any sort of genital appendage (Meyer)†. The original plan by doctors was to construct an artificial penis for Bruce-a procedure called a â€Å"phallic reconstruction† or â€Å"phalloplasty†. This reconstructed organ would only serve as a urine conductor, and never be capable of sexual function. Concerned about their sons prospects for future happiness and sexual function without with a penis, Ron and Janet agreed to meet with John Money M. D. , at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to discuss any and all options. Dr. Money suggested that Bruce be raised as though he had been born a female. â€Å"Won over by Dr. Money’s reputation, confidence, and charm the Reimers decided to follow his advice and raise their biological son Bruce- as their daughter, Brenda (Meyer)†.At the age of 22 months old, an orchiectomy was performed to remove Bruce’s’ testis. From that point on the main focus of the Reimer’s life was to try to raise Brenda as a girl. â€Å" She was clothed in dresses, given dolls and other feminine toys to play with, grew her hair long, and was encouraged to spend time and bond with her mother and play with other little girls at school (Meyer)†. This situation, however tragic†¦ seemed to make for a perfect case study. â€Å"What does gender mean if one male twin can be raised as a boy, while the other male twin becomes a girl (NOVA)†?However, it quickly became evident to everyone that Brenda was going to fight the forced femininity, desiring instead to â€Å"play with trucks and solders, getting into fights at school, and rejecting the dresses and ladylike attire. She even insisted un urinating in the standing position (Meyer)†. Years later Dr. Money published an article asserting that the experiment carried out with Brenda had been a resounding success. He wrote, â€Å"the child’s behavior is so distinctly feminine like that of a little girl her age, which differs completely from the behavior of her twin brother Brian (Money)†.The case became widely known in medical circles worldwide as: The John/Joan case†. At the age of 12, Brenda began a strict female hormone regimen. She began to develop breasts, hips, and an overall feminine shape. Eventually, her behavior began to conform to her physical appearance. However, this transformation did not help improve her psychological state. â€Å"Feelings persisted of being trapped in her own body, eventually she becoming socially isolated and depressed (Meyer)†. Brenda began seeing a psychologist named Dr.Mary McKenty who was successful in helping her face her anxiety, depression, and confusion. After seeing Dr. McKenty for a few months- at the age of 14, Brenda made the decision to stop living as a female, even though she was still unaware of the circumstances surrounding her gender identity issues. It was at this point that her parents â€Å"realized that Brenda was never going to embrace her surgically reassigned sexual identity, the finally decided the time had come for a troubling, yet inevitable confession (Meyer)†. After processing this revelation, Brenda’s decision to liv e as a male became concrete. She opted for testosterone treatments to masculinize her figure, and to undergo surgery to construct an artificial penis. She also changed her name from Brenda to David (Meyer)†. In no way did this mean David’s lifelong struggles were over. Multiple surgeries were needed to try and created a functioning penis. Psychological issues continued to plague him as well. During this time period, â€Å"he attempted suicide three times. The third- an overdose of pill- left him in a coma. He recovered and began the long climb towards living a normal life-as a man (CBS)†. David eventually met a woman, and the two fell in love. Due to the success of his surgery, he was able to have sex with her, and for the first time have a fulfilling sexual relationship. He married her in September 1990. Tragically, this happiness was short lived for David. He continued to suffer from severe depression, â€Å"which deepened markedly when his identical twin Bria n, killed himself in the spring of 2002 by an overdose of anti-depressants. David later became unemployed and was conned out of $65,000 by a scam artist. All of this contributed to marital problems, and on May 2, 2004, his wife suggested they separate (Meyer)†.David Reimer committed suicide on May 4, 2004. He was 38 years old. Analysis: The case of Bruce/Brenda is unique among GID cases in that its cause is not a mystery. David Reimer was born a male, in every sense of the word. â€Å"The origin of his disorder was in the environmental efforts to raise him as a female and not his true biological sex (Meyer)†. The damage done to him physically, mentally, and emotionally is almost uncomprehend able. Although his parents seemed to have had his best interest at heart, it is clear that the decisions made in his behalf were at times misguided, and certainly not the right ones for him.Stressors in his later life such as the suicide of his twin, the loss off income and money, a s well as the deterioration of his marriage, likely may have been enough to push many to their breaking point. It is tragic that David proved to be one of those many. From the Biological perspective- behavior, personality, and presumably gender are seen as products of genes and other biological processes. From this theory, a person is not born as a blank slate†¦ready to be molded by their parents, doctors, or surroundings.David Reimer seems to prove the validity to this perspective. The desire to live as a man was so strong, that he came to the conclusion he needed to as early on as age 14. I can only imagine the feelings he experienced when he learned the truth of his past. The validation must have been equal parts: relief and frustrating. Treatments: One might assume the preferred treatment for an â€Å"average† person with GID is psychological treatment. However, many transgender people as well as researchers support the declassification of GID as a mental disorder.Th ere are many reasons for this: â€Å"recent medical research on the brain structures of transgender individuals has shown that some have the physical brain structures that resemble their desired sex even before hormone treatment (Hamzelou)†. â€Å"Therefore, the most widely prescribed treatment option for the disorder is sex reassignment surgery (SRS) (Meyer)†. These are the surgical procedure s used to change a person’s physical appearance ,as well as the function of their existing sexual characteristics to resemble that of the other sex.Once a diagnosis of GID has been made, recommendation for SRS should be based on the following strict criteria: 1. The patient should show evidence of stable transsexual orientation 2. The patient should show insight into his/her condition and should not suffer from any serious psychiatric disorder 3. The patient should be able to pass successfully as a member of the opposite sex, and there should be clear evidence of cross gen der functioning 4. Improvement in personal and social functioning should be predicted for the individual prior to and after surgery (Benjamin, H) Personal Reflection:After reading about this man’s life, I am ashamed that I choose his case study because it, â€Å"sounded interesting†. Tragic- doesn’t begin to describe this poor man’s circumstances. Handled correctly by his doctors and parents, he may have had a fighting chance. I have come to appreciate that this disorder, like many others, should not be taken at face value. Be it because you had a bad urologist, or because you were born with this disorder†¦ more compassion for these people needs to be developed in our, as well as many other cultures. Bibliography 1. Meyer, R.G. , Weaver, C. M. : Case Studies in Abnormal Behavior 9th edition 2. DSM-IV-TR 3. Cohen-Kettenis &Gooran: Transexualism: A review of etiology, diagnosis, and treatment 1999 4. The U. S. Natinal Library of Medicine (NLM) 5. CBS N ews: David Reimer: The boy Who Lived as a Girl July 2002 6. Cohen, A. , Sweigart, S. : Sex Unknown; NOVA, PBS Airdate: October 30, 2001 7. John Money: Man Woman, Boy Girl: 1972 8. Hamzelou, J: Transexual differences caught on brain scan- January 26, 1011 9. The Harry Benjamin Internatinal gender Dysmorphia association- 1985

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Essay Example On the other hand, if the setting is changed to a penthouse in Los Angeles, the characters of the story would probably, exhibit much more blasà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ attitude towards life and relationship. The penthouse epitomizes wealth and thus the value system of the family would not be grounded to earth, displaying a careless attitude towards familial ties and genuine concern for each other. Their superficial lifestyle would dictate their actions and behaviour in public which might be totally at odds with their nature and general attitude towards things and people. In the new circumstances, the mother would appreciate and get along better with Dee as she is more inclined to climb social ladder with her ambitious nature and inherent tendencies for ruthlessness who would not hesitate in crushing the weak to reach her goal. The mother would be impatient with the timid and sensitive Maggie and would probably keep berating her for lack of confidence and other shortcomings. Despite her big built and manly disposition, the mother would be carelessly proud of her physical stature and make sure that it becomes recognized as her style statement. Dee would grow up to be highly fashion centric person who would also be extremely self-centered because of her good looks. She would show all the characteristics of a spoiled rich girl who would continuously desire what others have. Supported by a mother who promotes her shallow aims and objectives, Dee would symbolize the degenerating values of the rich for whom wealth dominates decent human values, including love and relationships. Her material goods and artificial lifestyle would bespeak of her shallow personality that depends on the fragile covering of the modern day Cinderella that can be shorn away with very little effort. Maggie would probably be the only character in the story that would not much change. Though still timid, she would show strong character traits by

On completing your HND, you are hired as a Trainee Manager by Assignment

On completing your HND, you are hired as a Trainee Manager by Excelsior PLC, an international hotel chain. The job offers business experience, management development and future opportunities - Assignment Example When disputes arise, it would be very difficult and sometimes impossible for the parties to enforce their legal rights due to lack of evidence. In written contracts parties sign to signify commitment. If disputes arise, signed document accordingly serves as a source of information to apportion liability (Treitel, 2003). Written contracts are preferable to oral contracts when the subject matter is complex necessitating constant reference to the agreement. Online contracts also form legally binding agreements. The main benefits of online contracts are convenience and cheaper as parties save time and resources needed to meet. A party can offer inaccurate information to induce the other into action. It may later lead to the contract being void or voidable (Furmston, 2003). A valid contract was not formed. When a seller advertises prices, it is not strictly treated as a unilateral offer that can be accepted by a specified action. Instead the advertisement is treated as an invitation to treat and the seller reserves the right to sell to whoever he prefers at a higher or lower price from the stated price. Cheltenham Hotel should be ready to compensate the guest as the courts will most likely find it liable for the loss of her fur coat. The contract is on sided. The hotel is guilty of concealing the information regarding the responsibility of the guest to take care of her property. It would not be reasonable for the guest to see the small print with the warning. Downtown hotel does have a claim under the contract. Similar to the case in 2.2 above, the term limiting liability to  £10000 renders the contract one sided. Enforcing this term gives the supplier the onus to be careless with the software knowing that they cannot be forced to pay more than  £10000. A contract without limits of liability is better than the current one as the supplier is obligated to make good of any shortcomings of the

Bad lending leading to the East Asian crisis in 1990s Essay

Bad lending leading to the East Asian crisis in 1990s - Essay Example 347). The basic diagnosis attributed the crisis to the financial chaos caused by the financial systems riddled by the insider dealings, weak corporate governance, and corruption that caused inefficient spending investment. This weakened stability in the banking system. The economies in East Asia were successful for generations, and the crisis in1997 was unanticipated despite Yung Chul Park (1996) warning against impending crisis. Many foreign investors invested a lot of funds even at the onset of the crisis (Choe and Chinmay 2007, p. 232-255). This paper investigates on the bad lending that led to the financial crisis in East Asia in 1990s. This is because of the success of economies  in East Asia that led to massive financial inflows in years leading to crisis, with few warning signs. Background to financial crisis Central to the full understanding of the cause of East Asian crisis is multifaceted evidence on the structure of the incentives used by financial and corporate sectors, which operated in the area. The moral problem magnified the financial vulnerability during the liberalization of the market in 1990s. This exposed fragility concerning the macroeconomic and the financial shocks that occurred between 1995 and 1997. This problem exhibited the three different, yet interrelated dimensions at corporate, the financial and the international level (Choe and Chinmay 2007, p. 232-255). The political pressures at the corporate level maintained high economic growth rates that guaranteed the private projects under government control. Even in the absence of the explicit bail-out promises, strategies and production plans of the corporate sector overlooked the riskiness and the costs of the investment projects. The industrial and financial policy enmeshed in the widespread business sector of political and personal favouritism and markets operated under the impression of their investment returns being insured from the adverse shocks. This represented underpinnings of the sustained process of accumulation of capital leading to account deficits. The investment rate remained high because of the fall in interest rates of neighbouring countries like Japan. As a result, banks borrowed excessively from abroad as well as lending excessively at home (Ichikawa 1998, p. 155-179). Extensive liberalization of the capital markets consistently provided large supply of funds at minimized costs to the domestic, corporate sector and national financial institutions. This motivated the exchange rate policies that reduced volatility of domestic currency in US dollars lowering the risk premium on the dollar-denominated debt. Internationally, moral hazard hinged on behaviour of the international banks. Over the period that led to crisis, international bands rented a lot of funds to the domestic intermediaries in the region neglecting the risk assessment standards. They presumed the direct government guarantee to the short-term interbank liabilities through bailout using the IMF support programs (Ichikawa 1998, p. 155-179). The stagnation of economy in Japan in 1990s lowered the exports from Asian countries. Few months before the crisis in East Asia, economy of Japan declined significantly, thus shattering the recovery process. The fall in ‘semi-conductors’ demand in 1996, and the adverse fluctuations in trade worsened the trade balances between 1996 and

Macroeconomics - Quantitative Easing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Macroeconomics - Quantitative Easing - Essay Example Expansionary policies involve the purchase of short term monetary government bonds by the central bank in order to lower the market interest rate. However, when the interest rates are minimal or at zero, traditional monetary policies cannot lower the interest rate any further. In quantitative easing, the economy is boosted by other methods. Short-term as well as long-term bonds are purchased and the yield has a high probability of increasing. (Krishnamurthy and Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011) Quantitative easing is supposed to keep the inflation in check. However, the goods in the market to be sold have a fixed quantity and therefore, even a flooding of capital will not lead to an increase in the amount of goods and thus, it could actually lead to more inflation (Trefgarne, 2009). The interest rate of the economy is targeted by open market operations, which are the buying and selling of bonds (short-term government bonds) from banks and other financial institutions. The central bank gives o ut the bonds and collects money from this process, and this in turn also affects the money supply and the interbank interest rate (Wieland, 2009). When a central bank cannot change the interest rate, they face a liquidity trap, and quantitative easing changes the economy’s scenario without affecting the interest rate. It is only related to the money supply when the interest rate cannot be further lowered. Therefore, it is also a policy that is used as a last resort measure rather than as a first resort one (Wieland, 2009). Also, even though central banks cannot affect the interest rate further, they are the ones who carry out quantitative easing because their money is the one which is acceptable by everyone. However, in some cases, central banks cannot carry out their own quantitative easing and are dependent on other central banks to carry it out for them (Wieland, 2009). b) UK has a unique method of employing quantitative easing in order to spur growth in the economy and ch ange the money supply and keep the inflation rate in check at about 2%. Their first policy was to buy gilt-edged securities from institutions that are not banks. These also include bonds that are issued by national governments, also referred to as debt securities. Secondly, they conduct Open Market Operations, which were open to their gilt counterparts as well (Congdon, 2009). The lowest bids started being acceptable by banks, the standard of comparison being the market prices. Lastly, the HM treasury condemned APF (Asset Purchase Facility) which was initiated in 2009, when the commercial paper was financed primarily by T-bills and gilts. There are not only short-term gilts that are used, but also long-term gilts in this process of quantitative easing. They also borrow money from insurance companies and pension funds. People can also keep more money in their bank accounts than they did before, as one of the ways to boost money in the economy. This way banks, apart from the central b ank, will have more money in order to lend more (Congdon, 2009). The two main outcomes of assessing the situation were assessing the portfolios and the events that occurred. Portfolio rebalancing may cause UK investor to demand to go on a hike and gilt’s yield has decreased by a hundred points since this policy has been implemented. However, it is hard to tell the

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective Essay

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective - Essay Example Terrorism has over the years become one of the most pressing and complex issues facing various governments. Despite the attempts made to solve the problem, terrorism still remains a crucial threat to national and global security. The objectives of counterterrorism are to neutralize terrorist cells and operatives and minimize the probability of a terrorist attack. The analysis of the threat of exposure and response to terrorism acts is a collaboration between different institutions of the state such as investigative, prosecutorial, and law enforcement institutions (Setty 2010, p.152). This paper puts UK’s and Spain’s counterterrorism policies into perspective. The comparative analysis spotlights controversial aspects in counterterrorism such as detention devoid of trial, excessive surveillance, and deportation of suspected terrorists. The analysis borrows from intertwining axes of legal norms (emanating from international as well as national perspectives) and the associa ted political tenets. However, the success of counterterrorism efforts is not clear cut as they can thrive in a certain country and fail in another. Amnesty, conciliation, repression, legal reform, and restriction, are some of the counterterrorism strategies that states can adopt. United Kingdom Counterterrorism Strategy The UK has a long and chaotic history of fighting domestic and foreign terrorization such as conflicts between Irish Republican Army (IRA), which had escalated in the 1970’s, but largely resolved in 1998. However, the UK has recently been grappling with home grown Islamist extremists. UK counterterrorism strategy can be traced back to the legislation of the Prevention of Violence Act 1939. The Terrorism Act 2000 substituted the earlier counter terrorism policies with a bold policy (Sidel 2007, p. 170). This policy was followed by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which featured after 9/11 attacks. The prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 was drafte d post 7 July 2005 London bombings. The Terrorist Act handed the government enhanced powers for suppressing terrorists and their sympathisers. It also instilled coherence in the country’s anti-terrorist legislation (Orttung & Makarychev 2006, p. 4). Counterterrorism laws in UK elevate the rule of law, as well as the call for preservation of civil rights and liberties for terrorist detainees pursuant to criminal prosecution. The judicial scrutiny encompasses whether reasonable grounds exist to charge the detainee with a terrorist offense. The terrorism Act 2000 initially instituted a seven-day period but subsequent amendment accommodated a maximum of 14-day detention without trial in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Sidel 2007, p. 166). In 2006, the UK government sought to extend the pre-charge detention to 90 days but was scaled down to 28-day limit as established in the Terrorism Act 2006. The UK government has continued to register its preference to extend the pre-charge peri od. Nevertheless, the constitutionality and the efficacy of the extension have come under heavy attack from human rights activists. The pre-charge detention has produced mixed results with lingering questions on efficacy, safeguarding of rights and contribution to national security, observance of rule of law, and institutional legitimacy. Ever since the July 2005 terrorist attacks, the

INDEPENDENT STUDY RESEARCH ON THE PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF BUDGETTING Paper

INDEPENDENT STUDY ON THE PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF BUDGETTING TO AN ORGANISATION - Research Paper Example 22 4 Study Methodology 22 5 Analysis & Findings 23 6 Conclusions, limitations of the study and recommendations for further study 24 7 Bibliography 27 List of Table S.NO Heading Page No 1 Capital Expenditure Spent by Various Companies 15 2 Alternatives to Traditional Budgeting 18 2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT A lot of effort has been made in the theoretical area of budgeting and its concept but little has been done to show the applicability and the importance of the budgeting process to organisations. It is no wonder the truth that many students in the field of finance, accounting, strategic management and other related fields have a lot of theory and little practicability about the theories. This study was aimed at linking theory with practical applications of the theory of management accounting. This was done by looking at how organisations apply the various theoretical aspects of strategic managerial accounting. 2.1 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY This study is important since it was carried out t o reinforce the theory of budgeting and its application in real life situations. The study also gives advice on how businesses can go about budgeting and this will go a long way to provide information on the same to organisations. 2.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of the study were: To appreciate the managerial accounting theory. Appraise the importance of budgeting to the success of an organisation and discuss the available budgeting methods. Discuss the budgeting process. Analyse the assumptions of budgeting. To link managerial accounting theory with practical application. 2.3 Learning outcomes Appreciate the purpose of traditional budgets Appraise the conventional process of budgeting, including variance analysis Critically assess alternative methods of budgeting, including ‘beyond budgeting’ Analyse budget assumptions and critically review budget outputs To under the significance of capital budgeting To comprehend about the purpose and the nature of a marke ting budget. To know whether the company is functioning within its means. To help both management and employees to strive hard on common goals. Though a budget is a useful tool, it may not always drive the financial activity of a business organisation. To illustrate how budgets can be employed and amended for control and planning.(Open University 2006 :10) 3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW Management accounting is a specialisation of accounting that deals with provision of information to managers for use in planning, decision making and control functions (Bragg 2009). It involves collection, analysis and interpretation of accounting information for managers of an organisation to help the managers to make plans, make decisions and control to ensure that the organisation goals are being achieved. Management accounting extends to cover strategic management, performance management and risk management which are key issues in management. The tools used in management accounting are costing techniques, budgets and control charts among other tools (Waygandt, Kimmel and Kieso 2009). According to UK

Pharmacology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pharmacology - Coursework Example Decline in GH levels is rapid; assessment suppression can be made at the outset to identify the patient’s responsiveness to octreotide. Patients whose GH levels return s to the baseline before the end of the dosing period, administration frequency can be further increased. Addressing some of the short comings, formulation of Somatostatin analogs extends duration of action has been developed. It is administered in a single intramuscular injection; they result in similar sustained than those of subcutaneous preparations. The GH inhibitory effects are also significantly better to patients who harbor densely granulated somatotroph. Sparsely granulated GH should be suspected in patients who prevent at an older age with a minimal elevation of non suppressible GH levels. The main adverse events are associated with the use of Somatostatin which includes transient abdominal cramps and mal absorptive diarrhea. Increases in the gall bladder sludge and stone formation, these are typically clinical significant. Long acting Somatostatin is expensive and requires a reconstruction technique before injection, compared with subcutaneous preparations. It is anticipated, newer Somatostatin receptor selective analogs will prove to be more useful and easier to administer. It is relatively recent that consensus has begun to emerge on the definition of a safe and acceptable degree of acromegaly control. Prospective examination of the impact of medical management on the rate of acromegaly associated has just started. The results of retrospective studies support the role of adjunctive medical therapy in normalizing the level of IGF-1 and mortality rates inpatient with postoperative persistent diseases (Gabriel, 2006). The work of a brochure is to explain deeply the course of certain aliments, mode of cure and how to prevent the spread. Brochures’ with bright colors tend to attract attention; they are spearheaded for marketing

Magic Toyshop Essay Example for Free

Magic Toyshop Essay The Magic Toyshop is the second novel of the feminist writer Angela Carter. It is one of the most popular of her early books. In Carter’s works mythological and Biblical themes often appear, and The Magic Toyshop is a good example of that. This essay is intended to discuss the introductory chapter of The Magic Toyshop, in which Carter rewrites a major Biblical story. The Magic Toyshop follows the story of a teenage girl, Melanie. She is one of three children, her younger brother is Jonathon and her five year old sister is Victoria. They live in the English countryside in a middle class family. Their house is spacious; they all have their own bedrooms. Their parents are rich, successful and the children have everything they need. The children have a middle aged governess Mrs. Rundle. She is overweight, was never married, only added the Mrs. title to her name a few years ago as a present to herself. Melanie has a fear of becoming someone like Mrs. Rundle. She does not believe in God but she prays that she would marry and have sex in her life. She is worried about her weight because she thinks she is too thin, but she would not eat too much either because then she might become fat and never marry. She already sees herself as someone’s wife; she looks at herself as a male would do. (Gamble 69) The novel tells the story of the children becoming orphans and having to leave their home. Their parents are killed in a plane crash and the three children must leave the countryside to live with their uncle in London. Uncle Phillip owns a toyshop and is a toymaker himself. The orphans do not know anything about him; Melanie’s only memory of him is that when she was a little girl he made her a jack in the box which was very scary. They do not know that the world they are about to enter is radically different from the one they lived in until now. At the beginning of the novel Melanie is a happy fifteen year old girl who is starting to discover herself. She explores her body, discovers it as a colonizer discovers the unknown land. She likes to pose in front of her mirror; she plays the roles of the characters of paintings (by male painters naturally). The novel uses the terminologies of explorers thus making us believe there is a male voice behind the words. Melanie’s only wish is to marry well. She is already getting ready for married life, she is making herself ready for a husband. She believes that marriage is the only way to have inancial and emotional security, the only way to be a respectable woman and to have a happy life. This is the only way she knows. This is what the culture, the social background of the age indoctrinated her to believe. She is dreaming of a perfect husband who is handsome, gentle, amiable, who has a good job and adequate financial background. Although she is a little worried about not getting this perfect life, not having sex, she genuinely believes that things are going to work out for the best. Melanie is planning to spend her adolescence preparing for the life that comes after. However soon enough she will realize that life is not a fairytale. She will meet and fall in love with a boy that does not fit in the image of the perfect husband she pictured for herself, a boy that she would have never thought to fell for under normal circumstances. She will realize how these circumstances can make her grow up in a few days or even a few hours as on the train ride to London she realizes she has to be the mother of her little brother and sister , and how they can suddenly take away all of her dreams and principles. However there is another way to interpret the beginning of the first chapter, the scene where she is exploring her body. Melanie is not only preparing herself for her future groom, but she is exploring her own sexuality too. She is in the age when she realizes that she is a woman, that she has not only grown mentally but physically too. â€Å"In Carter’s own words, Melanie ‘is very conscious of desire, she is filled with it. And that gives her power’. † (Gamble 69-70) One night Melanie decides to go further then posing in her own bedroom. Her parents are not home, they are in America. In the darkness of the night, when everyone in the house is asleep, she goes to her parent’s bedroom. She looks at their wedding photograph and starts thinking about her parents. How she cannot imagine her mother naked, as she never saw her that way she even jokes about her mother being born with clothes on -, and how her father always wears the same suit. She wonders if her parents had sex before their wedding – this makes her believe she really is growing up if thoughts like this occur in her mind. She notices Uncle Phillip in the picture and thinks about the old jack in the box she was so afraid of. Then she goes over to her mother’s dressing table and looks into the mirror. She starts posing there too and feels that she looks different in her mother’s mirror. This moment can be understood again as a flesh of transition between childhood and becoming a woman. Being in her parent’s room is like pretending to be an adult just like they are. Posing in her mother’s mirror Melanie is trying to imagine how she will look like and feel as an adult, married woman. This moonlit night is the one when the fall happens†¦ Looking at her parent’s wedding picture Melanie decides to try on her mother’s wedding dress. She finds the dress and puts it on but it is too big. She is a little disappointed but still thinks she looks beautiful in it. She feels like a bride. â€Å"A bride. Whose bride? But she was, tonight, sufficient for herself in her own glory and did nor need a groom. † (Carter 16) Melanie decides to go out to the garden. She first feels free and excited; the night was so different from the one she imagined. The moonlit garden was like the Garden of Eden. â€Å"She was alone. In her carapace of white satin, she was the last, the only woman. † (Carter 17) This realization of loneliness soon turns into panic. She truly feels alone and feels what happening is too much. Crying she runs back to the front door but it is closed†¦ She forgot her keys. Suddenly the sweet, dark night turns into a scary land. Melanie realizes what she did was forbidden. She is frightened, she thinks there is something in the dark. After Mrs. Rundle’s cat appears in the garden, Melanie feels a little more comfortable. She starts to pull herself together and decides she will climb up the apple tree to her window. (The apple tree can be a symbol of Eden again). But she cannot do that in the wedding dress. The cat gives her so much comfort that she can take the dress off. Then something happens: she realizes her own nakedness as never before. â€Å"She was horribly conscious of her own exposed nakedness. She felt a new and final kind of nakedness, as if she had taken even her own skin off and now stood clothed in nothing, nude in the ultimate nudity of the skeleton. (Carter 21) This scene might be interpreted as the happenings in the Bible right after the Fall. The serpent deceives Eve so she and Adam both eat from the forbidden tree. â€Å"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. † (New International Bible, Genesis 3:7) The naked Melanie puts down the dress and the cat climbs on it. It scratches the dress. Melanie starts climbing up the tree, she does not know how long it takes but she finally gets to her room. She bleeds form â€Å"hundreds of cuts† but does not mind the pain. She honestly regrets what she had done that night, but cannot take it back. She ate from the forbidden fruit and knows that she deserves the consequences. Right now pain seems to be the punishment. The morning has come and when Mrs. Rundle, Jonathon and Victoria leave the house Melanie is alone in the house with her sin. Somebody is knocking on the door. It is a messenger boy with a telegram in his hand. â€Å"As soon as she saw him, she knew what the telegram contained, as if the words were printed on his forehead. (Carter 24) She runs to the bathroom and vomits. She reads the telegram and realizes what she already guessed was true. Her parents were dead. Melanie’s childhood, her fairytale life ended in this moment. She committed a sin last night and now was expelled from Eden. â€Å"This ‘wedding dress night when she married the shadows’ (Carter 77) exiles her and her younger brother and sister from their comfortable, liberal, middle-class home in the country to live in a dark, narrow house above Uncle Phillip’s toyshop in south London. (Sage 15) And what was Melanie’s fault really? As Lorna Sage says it was the â€Å"stepping over the boundary between reality and fantasy† (Sage 15) Melanie, Jonathon and Victoria are taken to their Uncle Phillip’s house. Melanie soon realizes she will have to live there in terror, in constant fear of her uncle. She has to say good bye to the magical life she had in the countryside and has to grow up sooner then expected. We can understand Uncle Phillip’s house as Purgatory. She goes through a grueling rite of passage into the state of being a woman. Whatever way she might once have grown up is simply cancelled after she arrived at Uncle Phillip’s. † (Day 25) Melanie goes through hell until one day Uncle Phillips ends this story. When he learns that his wife has a sexual relationship with her own brother, he sets the house on fire. â€Å"In the end only Melanie and Finn are left standing amongst the wreckage staring at one another in wild surmise, Adam and Eve at the beginning of a new world. †

Environmental Issues In Real Estate Essay Example for Free

Environmental Issues In Real Estate Essay Real estate transactions involve the purchase of land properties and generally, environmental issues are frequently considered before a sale is completed. Environmental issues are usually taken into account, be it a residential real estate property, or a huge industrial piece of land. Should environmental risks be associated in a particular real estate property, these are frequently manageable, but the more critical issue regarding environmental issues is the efficient identification and reaction to these environmental issues (Goeters, 1996). Most problems arise after a real estate property sale because the environmental issues were not detected as early as possible. The most common environmental issue that is associated with real estate is land contamination. Such environmental issues generally come from the activities of the present or past owners, or better categorized as on-site contamination. Another source of land contamination could be off-site, which involves the physical location of the real property to outside sources of contamination. It is important that the source of the contamination of the land be identified so that the amount of risk may be determined. In addition, knowledge of the contamination source allows sanctions for property responsibility. Issues are considered severe when the water reservoir and its connecting waterways for drinking water are already affected or positioned near the real estate property. Another environmental issue that is considered as a major concern in real estate is mold contamination. The spread of pathogenic fungi and its spores frequently originate from buildings that are erected using low-quality standards and currently have poor ventilation. Such fungi often generate spores that are usually air-borne and may be transmitted through wind and any air circulating system. These spores may also stick to the walls of an existing building that is situated on the real estate property. Not only do fungal spores cause future deterioration to a building, these spores may even cause upper respiratory tract infections, allergies and immune reactions in the individuals that frequent the area involved. Several lawsuits have accumulated in connection to personal injuries or diseases causes by exposure to these pathogenic fungi. In addition, the insurance industry has lately been involved in cases that involve exposure to building-related real estate properties. Furthermore, fungal contamination involves all types of real estate properties, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, and the effect of such contamination is doubly felt because the building’s structure itself will continuously deteriorate unless treated, and the residents of the home or the employees of a commercial or industrial company make succumb to fungi-caused illnesses. It has been strongly suggested that owners of real estate properties be cautious of the insurance coverage they procure for their employees should such untoward incident occurs in their company or industry. Asbestos is also an environmental issue that should be carefully considered in real estate. Asbestos is generally a component of pipes and boiler rooms, as well as in flooring materials and in roofs. Asbestos exposure cases are often higher in number in commercial and industrial companies, yet these cases may also occur in residential real estate properties. The amount of money require to solve any presence of asbestos in a building is usually huge, hence it should always be kept in mind that any possible cause for asbestos exposure be pointed out as early as possible, before any exposure is determined to be chronic, which is turn results in more severe health problems among individuals associated with the real estate property. Individuals practicing in the real estate business should be sincere enough to advise the client about any information that may be associated with asbestos presence or exposure within a real estate property he is showing and selling. Another element that has been identified as an environmental issue in real estate is radon. Radon gas shows no color or odor, and is very diffusible through water and air. This gas has been frequently reported in residential real estate properties, hence it is important that the water and air of a real estate property be tested for radon gas before any further step is taken towards the purchase or sale of a real estate property. Unfortunately, the safe or tolerable level of radon gas has not been established to date, hence any tests for the presence of radon gas in the water or in the air is just to satisfy the need to know where radon gas is indeed present in a real estate property. Real estate properties such as buildings and houses are often presented to potential buyers as painted structures that are ready for occupancy. Hence, the environmental concern for lead in the paint used to coat the walls of the rooms of the real estate property is also an issue. Individuals most affected by the presence of lead in the paint used to coat the walls are the young children who often play on the floor of the rooms of a residential establishment. Young toddlers often crawl around the house and unfortunately, ingest any little thing they find interesting in front of them. These little things may be lead paint chips that fall off from the wall and ceiling and land on the carpet, floor, or even the soil in the backyard. Other families enjoy gardening and planting their own vegetables, hence the presence of lead in the soil may pose a bioaccumulation of lead in the people living in this contaminated real estate property. It is therefore important that pre-erected real estate structures be evaluated for the presence of lead before any further step in done towards the purchase of the real estate property. Should lead be detected in a real estate property, an abatement procedure may be performed before any family or individuals move into the real estate property. Currently, there are several assays that may be employed in the identification and management of environmental issues associated with real estate properties (Spada, 1997). Hence, it is imperative that these environmental factors be tested before any purchase is done on a real estate property, because it these factors go undetected, the consequences on the personal health of the individuals that will live or frequently spend time within the real estate property will be affected. Such undisclosed environmental issues often end up in lawsuits, as well as tarnished reputations in the real estate business. Hence, for those in the real estate business, it is of prime importance that reliable and specific information be obtained about the real estate property they are advertising and selling. Such caution regarding the collection of information will serve as a good method is preserving the real estate business of a company. Certain real estate companies have established their own customized procedure in reviewing properties before they release these properties to the public and announce that this property is for sale. These customized procedures should be foolproof, robust and efficient in identifying environmental issues in a real estate property. Should this be kept in mind, there would probably be lesser cases of lawsuits and health illnesses in the future.

Effects of Technical Education on India

Effects of Technical Education on India India is well known for its large pool of technical manpower, a fair proportion of which finds employment in developed countries, especially in the West. As a happy sequel to the story, India has recently witnessed a big boom in the BPO/KPO sector. In order to sustain this trend, and to ensure that India does not throw away this key advantage, it is imperative that we continue to produce a critical mass of highly skilled manpower at an accelerated pace. An enabling academic and economic setting is a key factor determining the fate of our nation in the wake of the knowledge sector boom. Indias growth in recent years has been led by the services sector. The most noticeable aspect has been the recent big boom in the BPO/KPO sector. This off-shoring trend is certain to continue and India faces the challenge of generating an appropriate supply response to retain its existing advantage. It should be noted that Indians spend nearly $4 billion annually to send their children abroad for higher studies and technical training while there is no reason for India not emerging as a global hub for higher education and technical training. The real challenge therefore, is to expand capacities in higher education to keep ahead of the curve of rising domestic and global demand. UN Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commended that the technical education in India as the best in the world, and she also suggested her country and India should work together in the field to help bridge the gap between talent and opportunities. Technical education in India was the best in the world. We need to work together in the field of educational opportunities, she said at an interactive discussion on education organized by Teach India, a NGO on 19th July 2009. GLOBALISATION The term globalization means integration of economies and societies through cross country flows of information, ideas, technologies, goods, services, capital, finance and people. Cross border integration can have several dimensions cultural, social, political and economic. In fact, some people fear cultural and social integration even more than economic integration. Nothing is permanent, only change is permanent. Globalization is a feature of changing world. It is no more a recent phenomenon in the world and since India is major player of twenty first ** Lecturer, Department of Commerce, Loyola College, Chennai 34. century we are facing its socio economic impacts. Initial enthusiasm for globalization as a beneficial set of processes has yielded to an understanding that the phenomenon is largely associated with increasing social inequality within and between countries as well as instability and conflict. Globalization is impacting the institutional framework in both developing and industrial countries. It is changing the way in which governments perceive their role in the society. It has also far reaching implications for socio economic development and educational systems of countries all over the World. With abundance of natural resources India has huge young and skilled man power to excel in every walk of life. Globalization is a contemporary term that has attracted considerable attention of educators throughout most of the world. It is a set of processes to integrate the world into one economic space through increased international trade, the internationalization of production, and telecommunication system (Stromquist Monkman, 2000). Although this definition is made from an economic view, globalization is increasingly connected to political, cultural, and educational influences. Recently, its relationship to education and culture has become important issues because information and innovation are the basic momentum of globalization. GLOBALISATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION According to the results of a special survey Higher Education: Free degrees to fly , higher education is already a global business. The days when higher education was a matter of national policy and government regulation are rapidly fading. Higher Education provisioning is now globalised and in many ways, a commercialized affair and the way that the State had in the goings on is vastly diminished. According to Andreas Schleicher of OECD, a Paris based Think Tank the numbers studying abroad were statistically negligible two decades ago. (Cited in the same survey in the Economist). According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the growth is now soaring: 2 million university students-approaching 2% of the worlds total of around 100 million studying outside their home country in 2003 (cited in Higher Education in the same article in Economist). Since the late 1990s the higher education market is growing by 7 per cent a year. The Economist Survey on higher education further in dicates that annual fee income alone is estimated at $ 30 billion. While private profit seeking companies have entered the education business, even government-controlled universities are seeking independence from governmental authority. However, many countries including India, continue to control the fee structure of their universities causing financial stress to foreign students, who are generally made to pay much higher fees than local students. This has resulted in many universities openly soliciting entry of foreign students. To facilitate this process they have even tailored their courses to international requirements besides appointing agents abroad and publicizing the offers widely in the media. TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN INDIA The history of imparting formal technical education in India can be traced back to mid 19th century, although it got momentum in 20th century with the set up of Constitution of Technical Education Committee of the Central University Board of Education (CABE) in 1943; Preparation of Sergeant Report in 1944 and Formation of All India Council of technical Education (AICTE) in 1945. With the country gaining independence in 1947, the development of technical education had become a major concern for the government of India to face the new challenges and move the country forward. The set up of Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and Indian Institutes of Science was a major step in the development of technical education in the country. The quality of education of these institutes have managed to change the outlook of India so much that this ancient country which was earlier known for yoga and mediation is now known for computer engineers. However, it does not mean that the challenge of making technical education accessible to the rural populace and other under developed sections of the society has been overcome. In order to maintain the standard of technical education, a statutory authority- The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)- was set up in 1945. AICTE is responsible for planning, formulation and maintenance of norms and standards, quality assurance through accreditation, funding in priority areas, monitoring and evaluation, maintaining parity of certification and awards and ensuring coordinated and integrated development and management of technical education in the country. GLOBALIZATION EDUCATION AND HR DEVELOPMENT Knowledge is the driving force in the rapidly changing globalised economy and society. Quantity and quality of specialized human resources determine their competence in the global market. Emergence of knowledge as driving factor results in both challenges and opportunities. It is well known that the growth of the global economy has increased opportunities for those countries with good levels of education. Globalization has a multi-dimensional impact on the system of education. It promotes new tools techniques in this area like E-learning, Flexible learning, Distance Education Programs and Overseas training. Globalization will mean many different things for education. In the near future, it will mean a more competitive and deregulated educational system modeled after free market but with more pressure on it to assure that the next generation of workers are prepared for some amorphous job market of 21st century. Since Life long jobs have been converted in to yearly contracts there is still possibility of even short duration jobs. Our education system should deliver such education and training so that professionals can adjust themselves as per market expectations. It has underlined the need for reforms in the educational system with particular reference to the wider utilization of information technology, giving productivity dimension to education and emphasis on its research and development activities. The benefits of globalization accrue to the countries with highly skilled human capital and it is a curse for the countries without such specialized human capital. Developing and transition countries are further challenged in a highly competitive world economy because their higher education systems are not adequately developed for the creation and use of knowledge. Converting the challenges into opportunities depend on the rapidity at which they adapt to the changing environment. India is also following the global phenomenon. As part of globalization, the economic reform packages were introduced in India in the beginning of 1991. These reform packages imposed a heavy compression on the public budgets on education sector, more specifically so on higher education. This has trickled down to public expenditure on education in general, and higher education in particular. Indian government and Indian corporate sector has recognized the importance of management education in the changing global scenario. Today under the reforming economic conditions, integration of the Indian economy with world economy presupposes efficiency and competitiveness in the domestic front as well as in the international arena. As the process of globalization is technology-driven, and knowledge-driven, the very success of economic reform policies critically depends upon the competence of human capital. But, what is observed is the reverse. Even within the education sector, relative priority assigned to higher education has been on the decline (Table 1 and Chart 1). It is to be realized that higher education institutions play an important role in setting the academic standard for primary and secondary education. They are also responsible for not only providing the specialized human capital in order to corner the gains from globalisation, but also for training inside the country, provide policy advice, etc. Globalization is expected to have a positive influence on the volume, quality and spread of knowledge through increased interaction among the various states. Today our educational system is strong enough but Central and state governments should change their roles within the education system, re-inventing themselves as facilitating and supervisory organizations. Teacher training, infrastructure and syllabuses need to be urgently upgraded. Industry should come forward to share experience with students and to offer more opportunities for live Projects. The free market philosophy has already entered the educational world in a big way. Commercialization of education is the order of the day. Commercial institutions offering specialized education have come up everywhere. In view of globalization, many corporate universities, both foreign and Indian, are encroaching upon our government institutions. Our Institutes like IIMS and IITS have produced world class professionals. These institutes imparts quality education as per industry expectations and give due importance to Institute Industry Interface. Under the new scenario, Government Private partnership is becoming important in Management Education. Now India is a transforming country. We are near to achieve status of developed nation. The demand for higher education has been growing rapidly with comparatively faster growth in enrolment in higher educational institutions than the growth in number of higher educational institutions . The growth rates are doubled among the students enrolled in post-graduate and research, while the number of institutions for post-graduate and research studies has grown at a slower rate in 1990s than in 1980s. CHALLENGES Globalization leads to challenges and threats also. The major concern is to deliver world class education with updated curriculum and practical exposure. This is possible only by attracting talented experienced persons in to academics. At present it is difficult to assess not only the nature and dimensions of globalization, but also what it means to the field of education. A few educational researchers have attempted to make connections between the several dimensions of globalization and the policies of education. India is witnessing new era in the field of Management Education. Many Corporate groups like Reliance, Nirma, Tata, Sterlite etc. have promoted Management Institutes. Some reputed foreign universities are also coming to India. But Government should issue some guidelines so that fees structure remains with in certain limit and those who are from economically poor background have same opportunity. RECENT TRENDS In the wake of globalization process and to cope up with the changing priorities of the people, the planners are bound to revise their strategies in the education sector. Thus, several specialist committees, involving the elites and captains of industry and education, constituted by the Union ministry are engaged in the process. Whereas, the public interest demands a wider domain for the national debate on syllabus and curriculum reform among other related aspects. As usual there are several viewpoints of conflicting nature expressed by the captains of industry and education like Azim Premji, Prof.N.S.Ramaswamy, Kabir Mustafa and others. While there is a broad consensus on some points, some are almost at variance with each other. The common educational reforms that were endorsed by some of the eminent industrialists and academics include: Liberalize and deregulate the education system to encourage promotion of new schools, colleges, vocational and other institutions of higher education. Diligence higher education, confer institutional autonomy and decentralize syllabus design. Central and state governments should change their roles within the education system, re-inventing themselves as facilitating and supervisory organisations. Teacher training, infrastructure and syllabuses need to be urgently upgraded. The rapid growth of the software development and electronic communications industries is one of the few achievements of Indian industry in post-independence India. Further, because of strong hold of the English language in MNCs and corporate circles, the divide between rural and urban is almost complete in the field of education. In consequence, this great reservoir of skills and expertise offers the opportunity to utilize them for the spread of quality education through several technologies. Obviously, F.C. Kohli, the vice chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recommended, Through the wider use of computers and technology, curriculums and faculties can be shared by schools and colleges across the country. Again the pace is set by a variety of private educational entrepreneurs, otherwise known as, Edupreneurs, who have promoted internationally recognized institutions of higher education such as the S.P. Jain Institute of Management in Mumbai; Amity University, Delhi; Indian Sch ool of Business and ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad; Mahavir Academy of Technical Sciences and Presidency College, Bangalore and the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, among others. Besides, some Indian Edupreneur are venturing overseas. These are all certain recent trends that undermine the very social obligations of our governments. OUTCOME OF GLOBALISATION The ramifications of globalization in India have been uneven. Education, as a service industry, is a part of the globalization process under the umbrella of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).Thus it is of now wonder that like in any other sector, globalization has bred inequality and dependence in the education system of the nation, especially higher education. Thus while a section of the population has benefited from globalization in their academic pursuits, the under privileged section has struggled to receive proper higher education due to excessive corporatization of education ,increasing fees and unavailability of opportunities in the lower strata of the society. India has some very bright spots of excellence in its technical education sector. The IITs and their alumni command great respect in the global market. Globalization has created a market based educational system in India. Thus there has been incredible growth of the number of technical colleges and universit ies providing technical education especially in fields like IT, Computer Science, electronics, architecture. As the job market in these sectors is flourishing, students after getting mere Bachelors degree hardly opt for higher education. Thus India over the years has produced some brilliant technicians but hardly any excellent educationist or a genius teacher. Moreover, as the cost of receiving such technical education is sky high, poor students have been out of the competition to receive higher education. CONCLUSION Given the importance of technical education in the further development of the nation, the Government of India is keen on developing some more institutes in the line of IITs, IIMs and IISCs. The Prime Minister of India has unleashed a plan to establish 8 IITs, 7 IIMs and 5 IISCs to improve the spread and quality of technical education in the country. These institutes along with various private institutes and foreign technical colleges have the potential of making technical education accessible to all sections of society in India without compromising on the quality of education. Education is an important investment in building human capital that is a driver for technological innovation and economic growth. It is only through improving the educational status of a society that the multi-faceted development of its people can be ensured. In the post-industrialized world, the advanced countries used to derive the major proportion of their national income not from agriculture and industry but from the service sector. Since the service sector is based on imparting skills or training to the students and youth, the education sector is the most sought after. It must provide gainful employment so that the sector is developed in a big way. It has also given rise to controversies relating to introducing changes in the inter-sectoral priorities in the allocation of resources leading to the misconceived policy of downsizing of higher education. It has also advocated privatization of higher education without realizing the danger of making the system a commercial enterprise.

A Feminist Analysis of Othello Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Critic

A Feminist Analysis of Othello  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello there are numerous instances of obvious sexism aimed at the three women in the drama -- Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca – and aimed at womankind generally. Let us delve into this subject in this paper. In the essay â€Å"Wit and Witchcraft: an Approach to Othello† Robert B. Heilman discusses a scene which occurs late in the play and which is sexist: When Othello summons Desdemona and dismisses Emilia, â€Å"Leave procreants alone . . .; / Cough or cry hem if anybody come. / Your mystery, your mystery! . . .† (IV.2.28-30), he not only dismisses Emilia, accuses Desdemona of infidelity, and betrays his own insane bitterness, but he converts the marriage into a brothel arrangement in which all three are involved, and by so doing establishes imaginative lines of connection with the role of Bianca and particularly with the Iago philosophy of sexual conduct. (331) In the opening scene, while Iago is expressing his hatred for the general Othello for his having chosen Michael Cassio for the lieutenancy, he contrives a plan to partially avenge himself (â€Å"I follow him to serve my turn upon him†), with Roderigo’s assistance, by alerting Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, to the fact of his daughter’s elopement with Othello: â€Å"Call up her father, / Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight [. . .].† Implied in this move is the fact of a father’s assumed control over the daughter’s choice of a marriage partner. Brabantio’s admonition to Roderigo implicitly expresses the same message: The worser welcome:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In honest plainness thou hast heard me say   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My daughter is not for thee [. . .]... ... Review, LXIV, 1 (Winter 1956), 1-4, 8-10; and Arizona Quarterly (Spring 1956), pp.5-16. Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985. Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. Pitt, Angela. â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos. Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.   

A Comparison between To His Coy Mistress and Sonnet 116 Essays -- Andr

A Comparison between To His Coy Mistress and Sonnet 116 The poem "To His Coy Mistress" was written in the mid 17th century by Andrew Marvell, being written in this time Marvell's poem was unable to be published as its taboo content was unfavoured by the puritans in power at the time. Whereas "Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare was written in the late 16th century, a time of liberation and freedom for the stage and literature. Both poems are similar in theme and yet different in approach, they both pursue the theme of love although Marvell in a satirical Carpe Diem love style whereas Shakespeare in a traditional sonnet style. "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell is about a young mans attempts to lure a woman into bed the true theme of the poem being more lust than love, the poem is in fact a parody of Carpe Diem love poetry and critiques the approach of an over eager young lover. "Sonnet 116" takes a more serious approach to the theme of love addressing the concept of eternal love "love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom". The voice of the two poems also changes dramatically with Marvell there is an eager young lover willing to change tactics often in order achieve his goal. The voice is fickle and immature it evokes little sympathy from the reader and has rather a comic tone to it, this comic tone is highlighted by the fact that the poem is written in an iambic rhythm with four heavy stresses generally a rhythm used for comic value as it short and snappy allowing just the right amount of time for punnery and wit this effect is backed up by the poems rhyming couplets generally a rhythm used for comic value as it has a light tone to it. Shakes... ...imself merely a victim in a constant struggle to keep righteousness alive and if winning is impossible then better to lose a lot than a little "Thus, though we cannot make our Sun Stand still, yet we will make him run.". Shakespeare also ends on a rhyming couplet though this modest couplet is to lighten the serious tone "If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved." though Shakespeare stresses that unless love is timeless and priceless and infallible it is nonexistent for Shakespeare believes there are no half measures in love. I personally enjoyed both poems though I preferred William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116" as I feel the more serious classic approach to love makes more enjoyable reading, although the comic approach of Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" was entertaining it did become quite tedious after a while.

Virginity In Chronicle Of A Death by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel :: Virginity Chronicle Marquez Chocolate Essays

Virginity In Chronicle Of A Death by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Latin American society has placed a very high value on women being virgins when they marry. This value is one of the primary themes in Chronicle of a Death foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In contrast, virginity does not appear to hold significance in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. However this is only on the surface but as one delves into the deeper meanings of each book it almost seems as if the authors view this social doctrine as childish. Throughout the stories contained within both books, a mockery is made out of the idea that celibacy is for those not yet married. The plot of Chronicle of a Death Foretold is totally based on the understanding that maintaining a woman’s virginity is important enough to kill for and conversely that anyone violating this social moray was risking death. Virginity is viewed as synonymous with honor. This aspect is what Garcia Marquez challenges with the use of irony. Throughout the book, he inserts aspects that speak directly to the importance of this theme and reinforces this concept by use of several devices, of which irony is the most prominent. â€Å"No one would have thought, nor did anyone say, that Angela Vicario wasn’t a virgin. She hadn’t known any previous fiancà © and she’d grown up along with her sisters under the rigor of a mother of iron. Even when it was less than two months before she would be married, Pura Vicario wouldn’t let her go out alone with Bayardo San Roman to see the house where they were going to live, but she and the blind father accompanied her to watch over her honor.† The idea of protecting her virginity is so important as to have a blind father as a chaperone. This is absurd, to make a blind man to â€Å"watch† over Angela Vicario, and is how Gabriel Garcia Marquez ridicules the preconception of pre-marital virginity. The societal value placed on these preconception is also demonstrated in small ways like the name of the mother, â€Å"Pura.† Pura in spanish means pure; virginity and pure in this society were one and the same. Pura’s sole purpose throughout the book is to keep Angela’s virginity safe from those who would puncture it, and to punish Angela for making the mistake of losing her virginity before marriage.

Body Language

Body language means communication with the movement or position of the human body. It can be conscious – or unconscious. It is something that is noticed by everybody but is not always given enough attention. A way to learn the secrets of body language is to watch television with the sound turned off and try to interpret what is being said simply from reading body language. You will experience that humans say a lot with their mouth which is contradicted by their body, gestures and other channels of communication.This makes it easier to tell whether a person you are talking to is happy, sad, sullen or irritated. Or whether he or she is lying to you, or is impatient, or bored. You should also be able to register whether the person appears to like you, agrees or disagrees with you, is aggressive to you, or is suspicious, angry or worried. Body language is the movements of arms and legs, body posture, the manner in which you sit, facial expressions, gait, eye movements and regular gestures such as stroking your hair, touching your nose, etc.Tilting your head signals that you are not dangerous. Perhaps you hold your hands close to your face when you talk – generally, this is a sign of insecurity. The same is true if you roll a beard or moustache with your hands or fix your hair, perhaps pushing or curling it behind an ear. The way that people sit in chairs is not coincidental. If you are lounging with arms and legs dangling, it is probably a sign that you are relaxed and feeling comfortable.If you are positioned on the edge of the chair with you legs stretched before you and your feet crossed it can signal indifference. Someone going to the dentist or waiting for a job interview might be seated on the edge of the chair with his or her feet together. If it's a woman she'll probably be hugging her handbag, or clutching a hanky. Body tension spreads to the respiratory system, forcing your breathing and making you sound short of breath. When you are in such a position it is easy to lose your head and simply run away if things take a turn for the worse.We do not believe that you can teach people to control their body language completely; they will lose control at some point or other – when they become too eager or too angry. When you try to interpret body language, you must interpret in relation to what is being said with words In order to reach your conclusion you must also pay attention to facial expression, the mouth's position, eye movements and pupil dilation and retraction. Research has shown that the speaker's face is the most reliable source of information about the mood of a person.Eyebrows that rise up and down rapidly signal acceptance of social contact. If you raise your eyebrows and keep them raised for a while it signals surprise and astonishment – perhaps even indignation. When the raised eyebrows are used along with a wink you are flirting. This can cause problems. For example, in Japan where it is conside red very inappropriate, practically improper, to use eyebrow raising at all. Tears and laughter are forms of expression that we think are fairly easy to interpret. Body Language Body language means communication with the movement or position of the human body. It can be conscious – or unconscious. It is something that is noticed by everybody but is not always given enough attention. A way to learn the secrets of body language is to watch television with the sound turned off and try to interpret what is being said simply from reading body language. You will experience that humans say a lot with their mouth which is contradicted by their body, gestures and other channels of communication.This makes it easier to tell whether a person you are talking to is happy, sad, sullen or irritated. Or whether he or she is lying to you, or is impatient, or bored. You should also be able to register whether the person appears to like you, agrees or disagrees with you, is aggressive to you, or is suspicious, angry or worried. Body language is the movements of arms and legs, body posture, the manner in which you sit, facial expressions, gait, eye movements and regular gestures such as stroking your hair, touching your nose, etc.Tilting your head signals that you are not dangerous. Perhaps you hold your hands close to your face when you talk – generally, this is a sign of insecurity. The same is true if you roll a beard or moustache with your hands or fix your hair, perhaps pushing or curling it behind an ear. The way that people sit in chairs is not coincidental. If you are lounging with arms and legs dangling, it is probably a sign that you are relaxed and feeling comfortable.If you are positioned on the edge of the chair with you legs stretched before you and your feet crossed it can signal indifference. Someone going to the dentist or waiting for a job interview might be seated on the edge of the chair with his or her feet together. If it's a woman she'll probably be hugging her handbag, or clutching a hanky. Body tension spreads to the respiratory system, forcing your breathing and making you sound short of breath. When you are in such a position it is easy to lose your head and simply run away if things take a turn for the worse.We do not believe that you can teach people to control their body language completely; they will lose control at some point or other – when they become too eager or too angry. When you try to interpret body language, you must interpret in relation to what is being said with words In order to reach your conclusion you must also pay attention to facial expression, the mouth's position, eye movements and pupil dilation and retraction. Research has shown that the speaker's face is the most reliable source of information about the mood of a person.Eyebrows that rise up and down rapidly signal acceptance of social contact. If you raise your eyebrows and keep them raised for a while it signals surprise and astonishment – perhaps even indignation. When the raised eyebrows are used along with a wink you are flirting. This can cause problems. For example, in Japan where it is conside red very inappropriate, practically improper, to use eyebrow raising at all. Tears and laughter are forms of expression that we think are fairly easy to interpret.

A Comparison between Eastern and Western Philosophy Essay

Have you thought about the question—â€Å"Is the world around us knowable?† For most Westerners, the answer is positive. But if you ask a Chinese the same question, you would get the reply like: â€Å"I don’t know.† or â€Å"Does it matter?† The reason behind it is the difference between Eastern and Western philosophy. A variety of philosophy schools around the world have pondered these kinds of philosophical problems for thousands years and some of them are highly representative (like Confucianism for Eastern and Platonism for Western). Though they are confronted with the same questions, the focal points are usually different from each other, which is caused by the disparity of their opinions toward the importance of philosophical problems. Western philosophy can be divided into Ancient Greek philosophy, medieval philosophy, modern philosophy and contemporary philosophy, while Eastern philosophy includes Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy, Japan ese philosophy etc. There is no doubt that the similarities between them are obvious, yet the focus of Eastern philosophy is in society whereas Western’s is in universe. Because the understanding from a single side is always partial, the purpose of this paper is to illustrate the major differences between the focus and methodology of Eastern and Western philosophy traditions and explain the possible causes behind it. When it comes to philosophy, Eastern philosophers take an individual inner world as starting point and put the principles of social life at the first place while Westerners will speculate on it from a universal perspective and try to figure out the principles behind the world. As Fung (1984) states that from a philosophical perspective, the highest achievement a man could realize is to be a sage and the daily task of dealing with social affairs in human relations is a part of the process of being a sage. However, for Western philosophers, they are inclined to put the origin of all things in the universe at first place, and then analyze how the world works. As Windelband (1956) illustrates, the history of Western philosophy is â€Å"an i nsight into the origin of European science in general†, which shows the reason behind Western philosophers’ preference. This difference also appears in Eastern and Western philosophy’s attitudes toward politics. In the ancient period, both Eastern and Western philosophers played the role of policy maker. Dong Zhongshu, who is one of the most successful Confucian in political area in  Chinese history (as his theories had been taken as the general embodiment of the policy of running the country), put forward the â€Å"Three cardinal guides (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife)† and â€Å"Five constant virtues (benevolence righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity)† to help emperor Wu to strengthen his domination (Queen, 1996). All of these principles are highly related to social life since Dong believes the core of philosophy is humanity and the society needs to be ordered by regulating people’s social life. Similarly, Plato, who is a representative figure of ancient Greek philosophy, also offered his political opinions, which is highly relat ed to his theory of forms. As for Plato, the structure of a state is similar to a human body. The workers represent the abdomen; the warriors represent the chest and the philosopher kings represent the head, which are corresponding to productive, protective and governing respectively (Gaarder, 1996). It is noticeable to point out that while the Confucians’ political view is based on human nature since they take individual citizen as the basic unit of society, Platonism tries to analyze the structure of a state from a general perspective, which is focus on a general perspective. The difference between the methodology of Eastern and Western philosophy is also a big concern. As Spirkin concluded that â€Å"Methodology is a system of principles and general ways of organizing and structuring theoretical and practical activity, and also the theory of this system.† Nonetheless, there is no concept like methodology that appears in most Eastern philosophy classics. There are famous Chinese philosophical classics like the Analects of Confucius and Tao Te Ching, which are not monumental masterpieces but express their ideas through a philosopher’s sayings and behaviors. Does that mean there is no methodology in Eastern philosophy? The fact is the methodology of Eastern a nd Western philosophy is extremely different from each other and we cannot use the definition of Western philosophy to judge Eastern philosophy. As Easterners do not have a system of principles and methods to solve problems, they take the principles of social life as methodology, which can be summarized as doctrine of the mean. In contras, Western philosophy has a set of theories of reasoning (like syllogism and deductive reasoning), which can form people’s decisive mind habit. As Hamilton and Webster (2009) states in their book about culture difference â€Å"Difference in approach can also be seen in negotiations.Ð ¸Westerners expect to focus on contentious issues and try to achieve the most beneficial outcomes for themselves. In contrast, the Japanese prefer to discuss areas of agreement, with the expectation that harmony will lead to the resolution of details.† In other words, as a result of putting high value on social relationship, the methodology of Eastern philosophy comes from predecessors’ experiences and people chronically take other’s feeling into consideration, whereas Westerners usual ly take themselves as starting points, advocate independent and rational thoughts as well. For another instance, both Eastern and Western world had experienced a lot of reforms, but the leader of the reform would take totally different approaches. During the period of hundred day’s reform, which happened in China in 1898, Kang YouWei, who is the leader of this reform, spread his ideas of reform by annotating Confucius classics (Karl and Zarrow, 2002). Likewise, there is also a famous reform that happened in France in 1800s—the Age of enlightenment. The leaders of this reform set up their own theories of society and pointed their arrows toward feudal class directly (Dora, 1979), which is extremely different from Kang’s approach. One of the greatest reasons for the difference between Eastern and Western philosophy is geography. As Windelband (1956) notes, the history of the philosophy of the Greeks, like the history of their political development, requires a larger conception of its political relations would imply. This shows that geography plays a significantly important role in the development of philosophy. Generally speaking, the two main sources of Eastern philosophy—China and India—are ag riculture countries. â€Å"There are two expressions in the Chinese language which can both be translated as the world. One is ‘all beneath the sky’ and the other is ‘all within the four seas’.† (Fung, 1948). As agriculture activities are regular and predicable, Easterners prefer to believe past experience rather than abstract principles. That’s why the sayings and behaviors of a sage can be the best philosophy lesson for Easterners—because they are specific and comprehendible. And yet, Western countries are very close to ocean. As Windelband (1956) cites homer â€Å"The natural link of the three great continents was this sea, with its islands and coasts occupied by the most gifted of people, which from the earliest historical times had settled all its coasts.† As a result, most Western countries are highly commercialized and industrialized. Innovation and  breakthrough are always greatly required, which means only the theories based on logic and reasoning can be valued. As Confucius once said, â€Å"The wise move; the good stay still. The wise are happy; the good endure† (Confucius and James, 2010). Though it is not his original meaning, this saying shows th e difference between the personality of the ancient Chinese and Greeks from a geographical perspective. Let’s move back to the question at the beginning—â€Å"Is the world around us knowable?† The different answers toward it imply the real reasons behind the differences between Eastern and Western philosophy and that is the ways they look the world. While Easterners pay attention to the balance of the inner world, Westerners are trying to conquer the outside world. This is why Westerners will say â€Å"Yes† to this question because they have achieved a lot of accomplishments in discovering the secrets of the world already. But for most Easterners they pay more attention to their daily life and relationships with others, which make them cannot respond to this question with a certain answer. Both the differences of emphasis and methodology can be explained from this perspective. To a great extent, geographical factors contributed enormously to this process and sometimes make the gap grow. Eastern and Western philosophy need to learn from each other, as it is t he only way to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of themselves. We all have a belief that he different philosophy will melt with each other rather than against in the future.