Managerial Economics and Its Application in Banking Sector a Case of NMB Essay

Is a branch of economics that applies microeconomic analysis to specific business decisions. It bridges economic theory and economics in practice. Managerial economics provides a set of tools, techniques, methodologies, guidance and insights that can help in making better and value-adding decisions in business and for analyzing decision problems and developing criteria for choosing the best possible solution to problems. Consumer Behavior Is the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants (Kottler, P; Keller, K. L. 2009) Consumer Behaviour Referred to as the study of when, why, how, where and what people do or do not buy products. It blends elements from psychology, sociology, social, and anthropology and economics. it attempts to understand the buyer decision making process, both individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics and behavioural variables in an attempt to understand people’s wants. It also tries to assess influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and society in general. Belch and Belch define Consumer Behaviour as the process and activities people engage in when searching for, selecting, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services so as to satisfy their needs and desires. Demand Is the willingness and ability to purchase a product. Consumer’s total demand for a product for a product is reflected in the demand curve Demand Curve Is a line showing the relationship between the price of a product or factor of production and the quantity demanded per time period. The demand curve is usually downward sloping, since consumers will want to buy more as price decreases. Shift in demand curve Is a movement of the demand curve from one position to another (left or right) as a result of some economic change other than price. A given demand curve is always drawn on the ceteris paribus assumption that all other factors affecting demand (income, taste, etc) are held constant. If any of these changes, however, then this will bring about a shift in the demand curve. For example if income increases, the demand curve will shift to the right, so that more is now demanded at each price than formerly. Application of managerial theory in the place of work a case of National Microfinance Bank Managerial Economics theories are also applicable in banking sectors, National Microfinance Bank as a case study. Some of the theories which are applicable to National Microfinance Bank are pricing theories, Demand Analysis and theory of consumer behavior. Pricing theory National Microfinance Bank has always maintained a pricing strategy for its products that keep them affordable to the general public. The bank’s aim is to remain at the same level or below the key competitors, mainly CRDB and NBC. This strategy has worked well and resulted in a significant growth of NMB Personal Accounts as well as NMB ATM Cards. For some products, price influences consumers’ perception of overall quality (Kerin R. A; et al 2004) Penetration Pricing National Microfinance Bank used penetration pricing in setting a low initial price on a new product to appeal immediately to the mass market, for example NMB Internet Banking, has started for Corporate Customers with free registration, compared to other Banks which have registration and transaction fees, this has caused many corporate customers to convinced to join this service and hence increase the deposits for the bank during this hard time of Economic Crisis. Also with launching of Mobile Banking which came with low initial pricing for money transfers services, balances and bank statement enquiries, has encouraged many customers to register for the service to its affordability, with now over 150,000 customers have registered for NMB Mobile Banking. There were also no charges for ATM’s in balances and bank statements enquiries while other Banks do have charges in balances and bank statement enquiries. From 1st February, 2010 National Microfinance Bank has introduced new tariff guide whereby for the first time NMB charges Tshs 50/= for Teller withdrawal fee and Tshs 100 for ATM mini statement. Demand Analysis Refer to the demand theory as want, need or desire for a product backed the money to purchase it. Due to high demand of consumers, the bank has been forced to add some products to meet the consumers’ demand. Up to 1st January, 2010 the bank has over 134 branches all over the country, 276 ATMs and different product and services. Some of the new products and services which introduced to meet the consumers demand were as follows. NMB Junior Account Is the account whereby a customer can get extra bonus above normal interest rate, no service fee, quarterly interest payment and it encourages savings for future use. NMB student Account As the bank seen the high demand of students to save their money they decided to open NMB student Account. By looking in their earnings they put affordable opening balance of Tshs 2,000/= only. Many students now opt for this type of account. Money Transfer Is the transfer of money through mobiles phone. As today world is more advanced in technology, bank decided to introduce this service to meet the customers demand. Customers can be able to view their balances, recharge their mobiles phone, transfer of money through ATM and Mobile Banking. This product is of high demand nowadays as many customers enrolled in this programme. Internet Banking Through this service the consumers can easily have the access to their bank account, National Microfinance Bank has introduced this service starting with Corporate Customers, where in next phase will be able to do transactions through this service. No registration fee at 1st phase where corporate customers can view their account transactions and print their bank statement online. Demand for NMB Internet Banking has been increasing due to many of the corporate customers has a lot of operations and vast network country wide, and many requires online statement to simplify their operations including selling of different products after making collections through NMB. Demand function As it is a form of notation that links the dependent variables, quantity demanded with various independent variables that determine quantity demanded such as price of a product, income, price of substitute products and advertising. Changes in any of these independent variables will affect quantity demanded differently. As to relate with our case study, this demand function will also apply. Price is an independent variable that determines quantity demanded of some product. In order to penetrate the market NMB offered free of charge in checking balance, mini statement and cash withdraw. It only charges Tshs 400 per month for personal accounts as service fee regardless of how many times someone use that service. NMB introduces charges for withdrawal of Tshs 500 through ATM per month previously it was Tshs 400, balance check cost Tsh 50, ATM mini statement cost Tshs 100. This rise in price charges affects the quantity demanded. This shows that price is an independent variable to quantity demand. As the price rises the quantity demand goes down. Advertisement is another independent variable that determines quantity demanded of some product. Advertisement is an art of keeping people aware with some product or service you need people to know. NMB Mobile Banking launched September, 2009, up to October, 2009 few customers were registered to this service and few were aware of this service, so NMB decided to engage in advertisement for this service through posters, Television, Radio, Brochures, Newsletters, promotions, the records shows high response of people to use NMB Mobile Banking from November till to date as over 150,000 customers have registered to this service compared to 100,000 registered in previous months. This shows that advertisement affects quantity demanded as many customers were able to use that service due to awareness of that service advertisement. Moreover, price of a substitute product is another Independent variable that determines quantity demanded of some product. NMB offers free charges in registration for Internet Banking for Corporate Customers compared to other banks such as NBC and CRDB which have registration fee, and due to its large network country wide, these caused many corporate customers to be convinced to join NMB Internet Banking services and hence quantity demanded of this service to be high due to the above factors. Determinant of Demand Demand for a good or service is determined by many different factors. In relation to our case study, they also applied as follows The price of the Commodity The amount one buys will depend on the price. The lower the price of the commodity the greater the quantity they will buy. In NMB there is no charge for opening account for government salaried workers, this plays a high demand for government employees to open account with NMB, after they enroll with NMB they enjoy using other products such as NMB Junior, NMB Bonus account and NMB mobile which have initial price, this tend to increase number of customers. As the lower the price of the commodity, the greater the quantity he will buy, this also cause many government employees to open account with NMB, this is where ceteris paribus and vice-versa will apply. Consumer Income As consumers Income change, the demand for goods and services will change. For most products, demand Increase when consumers have larger incomes. In relation to our case study, NMB main customers were from government salaried workers. This tends to increase the demand for them to save due to surplus they have. Price of Related goods When the prices of related goods change; demand may Increase or decrease, ceteris paribus. This also applies in NMB as many people were in belief that DECI SACCOS pays higher Interest, they withdraw their money from their accounts and transfer to DECI SACCOS accounts, and quantity demanded for NMB services decreased during that period. Taxation levels on goods Higher taxes on goods causes rise in their prices and hence cause the demand for the products to fall and vice versa. Due to high tax on the machines imported and experts operating those machines, NMB rises the ATM charges that causes a slightly fall in demand of that service due to those charges. Theory of consumer behavior and its applications in NMB Consumer behavior is how consumers allocate their money incomes among goods and services. A consumer is a unit of consumption and one of the agents in the commodity market. A consumer has a certain amount of income he can use to buy goods and services from the market. Given the fixed income and fixed prices of the goods, the consumer has to decide whether to buy a particular good and what amount of it to buy. So, the consumer faces the problem of choice of commodity. This problem can be solved on the basis of the economic theory of consumer behavior – consumers choose the best bundle of goods they can afford. This applies also in our case study as how people allocate their money in the different services offered by NMB example they choose to use ATM services, mobile banking services, internet services and different bank accounts offered. This theory helps bank to improve in their strategies by looking in the psychology of how consumers think, feel and select between different alternative products offered. They sometimes conduct a survey to know how customers perceive their services. Surveys can be in different groups users example to students, farmers, government employees, individual person and different organizations used NMB services. The results obtained help to improve some services and sometimes to know what they need and introduce new product according to their needs. They tried to compare their services offered with other banks they offer. Moreover the psychology of how consumer is influenced by his or her environment e. g. culture, family, signs, media etc. This also applies in our case study as NMB has many branches all over the country compared to other banks. When they win to get customers they tried to offer good services to them as being attracted to convince their families and other co-workers to join with their bank. They use also media to advertise their products as they have advertisement which shows the importance of mobile banking. When people saw that advertisement and compare with the really life they saw the importance of it and engaged in that mobile service. As they see they can buy LUKU even in late hours, they can transfer money at any time they wish using their mobile phones, check balance and mini statement without going counter.

Enron and Corporate Ethics Essay

On December 2, 2001, Enron Corporation, then the seventh largest publicly traded corporation in the United States, declared bankruptcy. That bankruptcy saw thousands of Enron employees and shareholders losing their jobs and their investments. Enron’s fall sent shockwaves to all corners of the business world. A Fortune 400 company with all the appearances of stability and corporate soundness, the company’s collapse was unthinkable. For here was a company who grew by leaps and bounds in so short a time – a company who came from obscurity to national prominence as the world’s largest in terms of revenue. But like anything else if it is too good to be true it probably is. Unlike most bankruptcies which are caused by poor management and stiff competition, Enron’s demise appears simple enough: individual and collective greed. It was shameless greed that motivated company officials to dupe thousands of honest individuals out of their hard earned money – money that ran up to billions (Nakayama, 2002). The scam was unearthed just like any other scam – when people start getting suspicious. Enron was generating a lot of revenues – it was a smokescreen that allowed the company to attract more investors. While revenue generation was at record highs, profit was scant and minimal – a fact many people overlooked until it was too late. Enron’s mirage was selling the same things over and over and over again. The illusion was the company was generating this much sales but the reality was there was barely any profit made. Like everything else in hindsight, it is now clear that tell tale signs were all over Enron’s 2000 Annual Report. Still questions remain as to how a company that paraded its own Code of Ethics be so shamelessly unethical, a corporation that prides itself as having a reputation for â€Å"fairness and honesty† be so downright ruthless, callous and arrogant. Beyond the dollars and cents, the Enron debacle offers a new textbook example of failed ethics in business (Berenbeim, 2002). ENRON’s 2000 Annual Report – Warning signs Most of the investigation on Enron’s finances has focused on its balance sheet—it reported an otherworldly increase in revenue: Between 1996 and 2000, Enron reported an increase in sales from $13. billion to $100. 8 billion – a 57% five-year sales growth rate. The company more than doubled its reported sales between 1999 and 2000. Looking back then, this was a sign that the company appeared too good to be true. Before it declared bankruptcy, Enron said it was on track to double revenue again the next year. Had it done so, it would have become the second-largest corporation in the world in terms of sales. According to Forbes. com, Enron’s reported revenue was based on its exploitation of a loophole in accounting rules – a tactic that may have been legal, but few investors understood it (Ackman, 2002). Forbes. com goes on to say that Enron earned more than 90% of its revenue from a business it calls â€Å"wholesale services,† Enron’s euphemism for trading. Here is how its 2000 annual report describes that activity: â€Å"Enron builds wholesale businesses through the creation of networks involving selective asset ownership, contractual access to third-party assets and market-making activities. † Yet again, another warning sign. Footnotes in the annual report for 2000, also show hints of the hidden debt that pushed the company into bankruptcy. According to Businessworld, a footnote on â€Å"preferred stock† indicates that if Enron’s share price were to fall below $48. 55–which first occurred on June 14–the company would be obliged to issue stock to a partnership called Whitewing Associates (Tergesen, A. 2002). Other footnotes reveal similar arrangements. True, Enron never put a dollar value on its potential obligations, and the footnotes did not divulge the extent of the partnerships. But enough was revealed to suggest that investors were not getting a full view of the company’s finances. Enron and its Code of Ethics Enron trumpeted its own Code of Ethics, but based upon investigation by the U. S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, it willfully and shamelessly violated the very code it promised to upheld (U. S Subcommittee on Investigations, 2002). In its decision, the Subcommittee cited, among others, the following: (1) Fiduciary Failure. The Enron Board of Directors failed to safeguard Enron shareholders and contributed to the collapse of the seventh largest public company in the United States, by allowing Enron to engage in high risk accounting, inappropriate conflict f interest transactions, extensive undisclosed off-the-books activities, and excessive executive compensation. The Board witnessed numerous indications of questionable practices by Enron management over several years, but chose to ignore them to the detriment of Enron shareholders, employees and business associates. (2) High Risk Accounting. The Enron Board of Directors knowingly allowed Enron to engage in high risk accounting practices (Thomas, 2002). (3) Inappropriate Conflicts of Interest. Despite clear conflicts of interest, the Enron Board of Directors approved an unprecedented arrangement allowing Enron’s Chief Financial Officer to establish and operate the LJM private equity funds which transacted business with Enron and profited at Enron’s expense. The Board exercised inadequate oversight of LJM transaction and compensation controls and failed to protect Enron shareholders from unfair dealing. (4) Extensive Undisclosed Off-The-Books Activity. The Enron Board of Directors knowingly allowed Enron to conduct billions of dollars in off-the-books activity to make its financial condition appear better than it was and failed to ensure adequate public disclosure of material off-the-books liabilities that contributed to Enron’s collapse. 5) Excessive Compensation. The Enron Board of Directors approved excessive compensation for company executives, failed to monitor the cumulative cash drain caused by Enron’s 2000 annual bonus and performance unit plans, and failed to monitor or halt abuse by Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Lay of a company-financed, multi-million dollar, personal credit line. (6) Lack of Independence. The independence of the Enron Board of Directors was compromised by financial ties between the company and certain Board members. The Board lso failed to ensure the independence of the company’s auditor, allowing Andersen to provide internal audit and consulting services while serving as Enron’s outside auditor. Conclusion While Enron’s officials were caught and brought before the bars of justice, many wonder how widespread the lack of corporate ethics is in the business world. Greed they say is universal. Who knows what will be the next Enron. As long as there are CEOs, CFOs who disregard the simplest form of business decorum there will always be an Enron story. Let’s hope that people will not forget that story and profit from it.

Many researches Essay

Many researches have been conducted with regards to the effect of a particular plant or animal in the environment. These organisms are also called invasive species and are considered as one major factor of ecological imbalance and the increased deterioration of the balance in natural resources. This variety of animals poses harm on other species which can lead to a gradual decrease in population and even extinction if the problem will not be addressed properly. As a response by scientists specializing in the field of biology and ecosystem, they have made in-depth studies to be able to come up with the possible solution for the problem. One clear example of this situation is the effect of a particular freshwater fish known as the black bullhead and its adverse effect in the biodiversity and ecological harmony in European freshwaters. Having a scientific name Ameiurus melas, this fish was not native in Europe but from North America. Previous studies were conducted and claimed considered the increase in population of this fish specie as an imminent threat against the local fish species in the said region. Moreover, further proliferation of this non-local fish can lead to imbalance in the ecological harmony among preys and local predators that can be found in European waters. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of black bullhead to the predatory performance of the local predator pike with a scientific name Esox Lucius L. The study was made in the year 2006 where the researchers set up individual containers with different experimental treatments. The study was made during the autumn season where the researchers chose equal weights and sizes of black bullheads and pikes. They prepared containers containing equal amounts of water and other parameters needed in setting up an artificial ecosystem. The researchers then acquired enough amounts of roach for each basin which is the prey of both the black bullhead and the pike and systematically treated each container. One container was placed with roach but no predators while another container was filled with the roach and black bullhead only. Another container was filled with roach and pike only and another basin was filled with the prey and both predators. Turbidity was also varied in each container, one with low and another basin with high turbidity. Afterwards, careful and thorough observations were made concerning the entire experimental set up. With the use of statistical and mathematical tools in analyzing the results of the experiments, the researchers prepared and came up with the result of the study. One of the results of the study is that the prey consumption on the containers with pike alone and both bullhead and pike has little discrepancies. This result suggests that pike’s consumption was less when mixed with bullhead compared when there is only pike in the area. Many factors were accounted with regards to the research output like the direct struggle between the two distinct predators and even behavioral intrusions of the bullhead on the pike predator. Another research finding is that turbidity has no significant effect on the efficiency of the pike, disproving the claims that water transparency has a major effect on the performance of the local predators. The study was conducted with finesse and used appropriate mathematical tools in interpreting data. However, more researches should still follow in a large-scale setting and in a natural habitat location to be able to come up with a more reliable research output. Though the research presented good and unbiased results, further study should pursue in the same objective to be able to support the claims of the study made with more research parameters to consider. References Kreutzenberger, K. , Leprieur, F. & Brosse, S. †The Influence of the invasive black bullhead Ameiurus melas on the predatory efficiency of pike Esox Lucius L. † Journal of Fish Biology (2008) 73, 196–205. Retrieved on April 22, 2009. Retrieved from http://fabienlep. free. fr/leprieur/Leprieur_JFishBiol_2008. pdf

TLMT313 WEEK 4 FORUM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

TLMT313 WEEK 4 FORUM - Assignment Example The intervention measure for removing oil spills was difficult for the government, as the treatment procedure i.e. ‘in-situ burning’ has negative impact on environment. Finally, skimmers are engaged into the task to remove the oil through the use of sorbents in order to trace the left spills. With regard to adverse effect of it in the ecosystem, it was noticed that the pelicans becomes black due to it, fish belly-up with brown sludge and the turtles were noticed to wash up on beaches. However, this spill does not have a major impact over the global oil pricing, as Mexico was not the key producer of oil. However, with an immediate impact of such an unexpected event, the government of the US was highly concerned regarding public health and significantly, adopted different preventive measures for mitigating such incident and loss in future. In this regard, ‘The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’ offered safety measures and advices to the Gulf Coast res idents including the workers involved in the relief program to take precautionary measure and physical examination of toxicity tests on dispersants (The Ocean Portal Team,

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth Essay

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Essay Example Their very presence offers a comparison between good and evil, natural & the supernatural, contrasting morality with Macbeth's ambition. It empowers Shakespeare to not only single out Macbeth's weak trait, but also stresses on these human flaws, which at certain times becomes a thin layer of difference between humanity and supernatural powers. Time element plays a dubious role because the "weird sisters" do not tell Macbeth what time he would become king; they predict such a happening in future but without specifying the time of his becoming the king. Therefore, their foretelling negates time. The impact of this negation of time element might indicate that the witches’ foretelling is a puzzle to be solved, and that the impact it has on Macbeth, leads him rather from listening to taking action. It derives then that the notion of the witches and their extra-ordinary abilities, are conspiring Macbeth's mind; he is instigated to fulfil his desires. It offers an evaluation of his p sychological state and feeling of humanity, knocking at Macbeth's human instinct. The presence of witches creates an element of uncertainty in the character of Macbeth. His state of mind remains unstable to the extent of further deterioration throughout the play. Audience reacts by studying Macbeth’s state of mind.... That’s the reason behind Shakespeare making extensive use of the â€Å"weird sisters†, bringing about a transformation in the character of Macbeth, as he murders King Duncan and his so-called best friend, Banquo. The clear purpose of Shakespeare's inclusion of the witches and their wicked ways was to create element of horror for his 17th century spectators (Aimee par. 5). Comparing present-day spectators of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Shakespeare’s audience, one does not feel that emotional reactions to the appearance of ghostly figures would be the same. Modern spectators have gone through different and varied experiences and do not relate themselves with fearful expressions; rather they may take such appearances funny way. Portrayal of witches in Shakespeare’s times was inhuman. â€Å"You should be women; and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so† indicates that the witches are neither masculine nor feminine. Shakespeare has given a totally distinct image of the witches. Perhaps, he wanted to give a message that human beings blamed for being witches were falsely implicated, as witches looked abnormal and inhuman in appearances (Aimee par. 6). Shakespeare has given a different colouring to his presentation of witches, alluding them to human desires, suggesting them to be the inside presence of evil in Macbeth and human beings. It is the personal decision of each human being to bend before the evil inside or not. It also indicates that witches are just representations of one’s own mind’s evil, as it is weaved in Macbeth’s mind; actually, these are the spiritual framings of his inner desires (Aimee par. 7). Witches succeed in instigating Macbeth to the extent that

Emergencey management paramedic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Emergencey management paramedic - Essay Example American’s long held assumptions of security were shaken to the core, superseded by widespread feelings of person vulnerability and ushered in the era of homeland security. In New York City, the attack resulted in the collapse of the Twin Towers and killed 2756 civilians (Hirschkorn, 2003). These events have also had significant social and economic consequences, to include extensive property damage as well as serious and extensive financial disruption. 146,000 jobs were lost in New York City due to the attacks (Westfeldt, 2002). From the perspective of national healthcare, the events of September 11th generated public health, including mental health consequences of unparalleled proportions. Catastrophic events have far-reaching effects on social infrastructure. Disruption of life ways, vital resources, and services cause significant change in social system operations and behavior. Community disaster response may be organized and effective or disorganized and in some cases, nonexistent. Human resources are diverted from routine work functions to disaster relief operations. Disaster recovery, the long-term process of community restoration is a problem-solving process that includes not only planning for reconstruction and return to economic solvency, but also sustaining community health (Gad-el-Hak, 2008). Inequities in the distribution of social and material resources can adversely affect disaster recovery and community health. The 9-11 disaster posed unprecedented and unique challenges to the U.S. emergency management infrastructure. However, unlike less developed nations, the U.S. has the social and economic capital as well as the technology to build a defensive infrastructure for mitigation of disaster threats and provision for relief and recovery operations to its citizenry. The scope of involvement of American social institutions includes such activities as emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation,

International Business Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Business Economics - Essay Example Thus, economic growth can be measured in nominal terms by taking into concern the factors like inflation and other economic indicators (Barro & Sala-i-Martin, 2004). Economic growth is usually calculated in real terms to eliminate the changing effect of inflation on the price of total goods produced. Whenever, one examines the modern economy and traditional development, the process of growth in an economy can also be identified at large. Identifiably, traditional economists have attempted to develop certain theories based on which the economic growth can be examined. This can be substantiated with reference to the fact that without the support of agriculture, industrialisation economic revolution cannot be made possible. The percent rate of increase in real Gross Domestic Product or GDP is measured as economic growth. The growth ratio of GDP is therefore called as per capita income. GDP growth indicates the increase rate in inputs such as capital, population or territory, which is known as extensive growth. On the other hand, an increase in growth caused by more efficient use of inputs is referred as intensive growth (Tahvonen, 2000). Based on the study of economics, one of the issues relating to international business economics i.e. â€Å"Economic Growth† typically refers to the growth of probable outputs like production at full employment in every field. Economic growth is generally eminent from the development in the sphere of economics. Meanwhile, economic growth is measured as the annual percent of GDP. Justifiably, GDP measures the market economy, which tends to exaggerate growth during the change from farming economy to household production. It is worth mentioning that the study of macro economics has a strong interrelation with economic growth, as it is fundamentally based on growth of agriculture and industrial production among others (Barro & Sala-i-Martin,

Islamic Banking Operations and Instruments Research Paper

Islamic Banking Operations and Instruments - Research Paper Example Indeed, culture has been traditionally related to society and its intervention in economic life has been rather unexpected. Islamic banks follow specific rules. These rules mostly reflect the Islamic law, also known as Sharia law. Following these rules is considered as obligatory for the Islamic financial institutions. However, it is possible for additions to be made, according to the needs of the local market and always within specific limits, as explained below. The differences of Islamic banks from conventional banks, meaning the Western banks are many. These differences are analyzed in the sections that follow. The paper focuses on all aspects of Islamic banking, including the principles and types of their daily operations but also the instruments that these financial institutions use for aligning their activities with the rules of the Islamic law. The review of the literature published in the particular field has led to the following assumptions: a) the operational rules of Isla mic banks are rather difficult to be implemented and monitored; it is possible for this reason that failures are not avoided but they are kept at rather low levels, if compared to the rate of failures of the western banks, b) the Islamic banking system has a significant advantage compared to the conventional banking system: it is not based on borrowing but rather on deposits. This fact makes Islamic banks more capable of facing strong financial crises. The lack of severe failures in Islamic banks worldwide during the recent recession of 2008 proved that the specific characteristic of Islamic banks is a key element of their competitiveness; c) the performance of Islamic banks may not reach the high levels of performance of western banks. However, this fact should not cause worries. More specifically, the high financial status of western banks is often the result of extensive borrowing by organizations operating at state level, meaning especially the Central Bank of each state. Securi ng funds for expanding their activities and for supporting their financial projects, western banks often give the impression of increased power towards financial institutions of different characteristics, such as Islamic banks or building societies. Still, if their financial statements are carefully reviewed then it is made clear that the level of their performance is actually low, even if their cash flow is high because the level of their liabilities can be significantly higher compared to their assets. The paper has been divided into three main sections. In the introductory section the key elements of the issue under discussion are presented. The various aspects of the paper’s subject are analyzed in the second section which has been divided in sub-sections so that each thematic unit is made clearer. A conclusion is provided aiming to summarize, as possible, the findings of the literature review, as presented analytically in section 2. It should be noted that the particular subject has been chosen mostly because of the significant expansion of Islamic banking as a mode of banking contributing in the stability of the economy and the avoidance of major economic turbulences. 2. Islamic banking –

Compilation of Online Resources on Language and Literacy Programs Research Paper

Compilation of Online Resources on Language and Literacy Programs - Research Paper Example These skills would help the child or the adult to become a more competent person in the society. There are certain disabilities which can also impair the learning and reading capabilities of the children. Measures have also been taken to address such needs. English literacy and its learning have evolved as an important aspect in modern day times. There are also instances where steps have been taken to improve the English learning capabilities of the immigrants and the families coming from the low economic back grounds. Special emphasis has been shown in some countries to develop the learning and literacy levels of the families of young children to help them learn the vocabulary and logical skills in a better and fast manner. Special trainings are given to the volunteers who conduct such trainings. Title- Teacher Education (School-based programs) URL- http://graduate.lclark.edu/departments/teacher_education/current_teachers/reading/ Annotation - Teacher Education is a school-based pro gram in language and literacy. Lewis & Clark’s Language and Literacy Program has been developed to provide an exhaustive view of the literacy for reading and writing programs in the schools. The course of the study emphasizes on the notion that language with its all richness consisting of the different forms and functions, forms the foundation from which a literacy program can evolve. The courses that are in the Language and Literacy Program leads to Reading Endorsement and allows the person to teach reading in all the four levels beginning with early childhood, the elementary level, the middle section and the high school. The program requires on an average 14-15 semester hours and approximate 18 months in part-time study. Title - Rural Language & Literacy Connections (Rural LLC) (School-based programs) URL - http://r2ed.unl.edu/research_programs/research_rural_literacy.shtml Annotation - Rural Language and Literacy Connections (Rural LLC) is learning and literacy program aim ed at the school levels. It is a unique method that has been designed in order to create an intensive form of literacy-based learning program targeting the rural, low-income based children living in Nebraska. The main aims of the Rural LLC are to enhance the oral language capacity of the young children, their phonological awareness, improving the efficiency of the early childhood professionals found in preschools and in the additional child care settings in order to support the future reading. The primary emphasis that is observed in the program is put on the preschool settings that are mostly center-based. Title - DOORWAY INTO PRACTICAL LITERACY (DIPL) (School-based programs) URL - http://www.dipl.com.au/ Annotation- DOORWAY INTO PRACTICAL LITERACY or DIPL is a language and literacy program that is aimed at the children in schools. It is a complex language technique that aims at making both teaching along with learning literacy more fun and thus effective. DIPL has been formed in a way that it can be used for daily classroom use. DIPL incorporates spelling, the reading skills, basic grammar, punctuation and auditory forms in a sequential program that would cater to all learners. DIPL has developed and uses different phonological skills in its areas of literacy. Title - Workplace English Language & Literacy (WELL) (Community-based programs) URL - http://www.ibsa.org.au/news-and-projects/workplace-english-language-and-literacy-well.aspx Annotation - Workplace Engli

Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Term Paper Example During the nation’s early years, this electoral process was effective under a Federalist government, however the need to revise the electoral process with regards to the instatement of the members of the Senate was borne out of the need to further expand democracy, eliminate corruption tied to the election of Senators, and to remove external control over the creation of state legislatures (Neale 3). Also, relying mostly on the votes of the state legislatures caused election deadlocks which prevented the appointment of Senators and subsequently, unfilled senate vacancies for considerable periods at a time (4). This created additional problems with regards to the creation of new laws since the Senate members have longer terms of service than the members of the House of Representatives. Thus, after 124 years of relying on state legislatives on electing Senate members or waiting for the governors to appointment a replacement should a senator leave office, the Seventeenth Amendment was finally ratified on April 8, 1913 which allowed the election of Senators through popular voting (6). ... James Madison is one of the strong proponents on the upkeep of the constitution as well as in preventing most of its amendments, especially since he believes that there is great difficulty in the process of men governing over other men (70). There must be an overall control to all members of the government in order to prevent the human inclination of following actions or decisions that came about due to vested interests, as well as to prevent the over-reliance on religion and virtue which are both subjective in nature. Also, Madison believes that a continuous process of amending the constitution would not only create problems such as the inability of most people to follow laws and regulations properly due to the inaccuracies that can be encountered after several changes were made in the original laws, thus rendering the laws much more ineffective (71). In addition, it is expected that the constitution was already a functional one since it was created by a wide variety of people, in s uch a way that there is a less probability that a majority of the people would be making motives that undermine the rights of the common people (73). Thus, if the constitution was made out of the various ideas and input by different individuals, it essentially governs all members of the nation, using the principles of justice and of the common good as applicable to all walks of life. In addition to the need to retain the constitution as close to the original as possible, the Founding Fathers aimed to prevent the rise of aristocracy through the ruling of only a few people and the establishment of true democracy by allowing more people to participate in the process of governance. This may

Effect of Cosmetic Marketing on Consumers individual self image Dissertation

Effect of Cosmetic Marketing on Consumers individual self image - Dissertation Example A review of the recent literature shows that the cosmetics industry is at the forefront of marketing innovations and this study explores exactly what effects this marketing activity is having on the self-image of consumers. 1.2 Body, Self and Image. It has long been recognised that the way people use certain products helps them to build a concept of self (Grubb, 1967; Sirgy, 1982; Malhotra, 2002). Psychologists have noted that people seek to maintain more than one version themselves. (Adler, 1930) This is very evident in choice of clothing, for example, which people use to align themselves to peer groups, work contexts and so on, and when they adapt to different situations. There are also many products which people use in private and no one else knows that this product is being used. These two situations may connect with what psychologists call â€Å"ideal self† and â€Å"real self† (Dolich, 1969 ) or â€Å"public self† and â€Å"private self.† (Baumeister , 1986) Studies show that what people buy has symbolic as well as literal meanings for them, and by choosing some products over others, consumers are choosing to bolster one or other aspect of their own personality. (Dittmar, 1992) For women especially there are extra pressures to maintain a positive body image because the patriarchal culture that still exists in Western societies values youthful and healthy appearance in women much more than in men. (Woolf, 1991; Gimlin, 2002) As women at the start of the twentieth century increasingly took part in the public world of work, the cosmetic industry played its part in building expectations of increasing artifice in the construction of a public image for women. (Peiss, 1990) Now, at the start of the twenty first century, in a less overtly sexist society, the process appears to be extending still further into the domain of masculinity, and the marketing of cosmetics for men is growing exponentially. (Mintel, 2008) 1.3 The Cosmetics Indus try and Self Image. The cosmetics industry is intimately connected with consumers’ idea of self. to modern approaches like â€Å"Guerrilla Marketing† (Levinson, 2007) which advocates low budget persistence before, during and after a sale. â€Å"Digital Marketing† or â€Å"emarketing† (Parkin, 2009) extols the advantages of new technologies. The concept of â€Å"sticky marketing† rejects old adages like the unique selling proposition or USP because of the proliferation of almost identical products in modern society, and requires instead that â€Å"the focus move from transactions to customer engagement.† (Leboff: . p. 92) All of these have relevance in the fashion-conscious area of cosmetics marketing. It is no coincidence that some of the most psychologically sophisticated campaigns in the history of marketing come from this branch. L’Oreal Group’s long running series of haircare advertisements, for example, which ran the sloga n â€Å"Because you’re worth it† successfully bound their product to the consumer’s feeling of self-worth, creating a memorable message that has become part of the English language. The focus in these advertisements is on the effect which the product has on the consumer’s mind, more than the body, and this is a clever twist that flatters the consumer and seems to sell the product incidentally. This campaign which ran at the start of

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Art Periods Essay Example for Free

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Art Periods Essay When seeking two art periods to compare and contrast, fewer artistic examples provide a starker depiction of radically changing ideas and mentality than the art of the Middle Ages against that of art from the Renaissance. First, art originating from the Middle Age will be thoroughly analyzed for context. Afterward, art from the Renaissance period art will be analyzed next to it for its departures on from Middle Age techniques and thinking, before the two are finally systematically compared and contrasted. First, art from the Middle Ages, also called art from the Medieval period, characterized a European period of little social change, general poverty, and few scientific advances. The Catholic Church remained an imposing force upon Midieval society, and dominated much of daily life. Art clearly served the role of worship above all else, and the Catholic Church actually commissioned much of the artwork of the period. Much of this art filled churches and monasteries, and took the form of sculptures, paintings and drawings, stained-glass windows, metalwork and mosaics, among other forms. The iconographical nature of the art is substantial, as it above all served the purpose of perpetuating the Catholicism of the early church. It was largely confined to Europe and areas that the Byzantine and Roman empires had once occupied, such as parts of northern Africa. It lasted almost a thousand years, from approximately around 500 C.E. to perhaps as late as 1400 C.E. The depictions within the art reflected its purpose – worship. Religious icons such as saints, the Virgin Mary, Jesus and his disciples, and other depictions provided clarity and images for believers. The images portrayed onto the media arguably reflect the times, lacking in brightness, movement, or attitude. The characters shown rarely appear upbeat. An excellent example that validates some of these generalities is Pietro Cavallini’s The Last Judgment. This painting in the Santa Cecilia in Rome uses drab colours to show what appears to be an angry Jesus overlooked by six angels, three on each side. While a beautiful work of art no doubt, the painting has little passion or movement and does not inspire anything more than fear from a fiery God. This Medieval Art from the Middle Ages contrasts sharply with the Renaissance-era works in many key ways. First, Renaissance Art, while not entirely secular to be sure, had certain overtones of the humanism sweeping Europe. Next, its style exuberates brightness, passion, and an appetite for life that cannot be found easily in Middle Age art. Renaissance Art effectively superseded and ended art period progressing during the Middle Ages, and this mirrored social trends of increasing wealth and prosperity, upward mobility, and technological advances of the time. While no doubt heavily influenced by the preceding art of the Middle Ages and often building off of some of its topic such as Christianity, Renaissance Art has a strong hint of humanism which afflicted its artists. This philosophy sought to change the nature of man’s relationship with God to exist outside the church’s realm, and the â€Å"Renaissance men† often meaning that these artists were not only artists but commonly philosophers and scientists as well. Michelangelo, who was a painter, architect, poet, engineer, and sculptor, exemplified these characteristics. His masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment, provides us a great comparison to Cavallini’s work on the same topic and contrasts the vastly different techniques and focuses of the two art periods. While Cavallini’s work lacks a variety of colours and could be described even as plain, Michelangelo’s work gives a clear view into his mind’s eye, filled with numerous angels and men moving through the heavens. While Jesus is still at the top and the Madonna next to him seems to cower in fear at his wrath, many nonetheless are lifted upward. The bright colours, quick movements, and in fact original nakedness of the characters (later covered up, at the church’s request) reflect the technique and thought process of Renaissance-era art. So taking the topic of the Last Judgment, the second coming of Christ as a comparison subject matter for extrapolation between Medieval and Renaissance art periods, the Renaissance’s brightness, liveliness and energy shine clearly. First, we saw that Middle Age art was dreary, using drab colours and little dynamism that reflected the harsh realities of life in Europe at the time. Second, Renaissance Art ended this period with the new opportunities and advances made during the Renaissance, reflected in art from the period. Multitalented Renaissance men of the period such as Michelangelo contributed simultaneously to multiple artistic fields at once. Their art reflected the optimism of the times, the great advances being made philosophically and technologically, and their work captured their excitement for mankind’s newfound humanist relationship with God. What was once seen as an angry God hell-bent on punishment was now an opportunity for a chance into the heavens, and often Renaissance Art was even entirely secular, such as masterpieces like the Mona Lisa. Therefore, the Renaissance period of art departed from the Middle Ages period of Medieval Art not simply in technique or media, but also in subject matter, philosophy, and use. The art periods correspondingly reflected their equivalent time frame as either bleak and dowdy or upbeat and energetic. References Finnan, V. (2013). The last judgement. Retrieved from http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Last-Judgement.html Gortais, B. (2003). Abstraction and art. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences , 358(14-135), 1241-1249 . Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3558216 The last judgement. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/8284-the-last-judgement-pietro-cavallini.html

Psychological Impact Of Disability On The Family

Psychological Impact Of Disability On The Family The birth of a child is usually anticipated with so much expectations and excitement of a very happy and successful future not only for the child but also for the family at large. However, this excited might be muted by the birth of an infant with any kind of disability. It does not matter whether the handicap is retardation, blindness or physical abnormality. Families with members with disabilities cannot live a similar style of life like that enjoyed by other families that have got normal individuals. In most cases these parents are more sensitive to the needs of the disabled individuals. According to Gillam (1999) caring for people with disabilities is not always an easy job because these are normally considered to be delicate people who need extra care. For this reason disability could have various physical and psychological impacts on the family. This paper provided a discussion of various psychological effects of disability on families. Some background information will first be provided to give an overview of what disability is all about. Background Information According to Marinelli Orto (1999) the rate of disabilities in families has relatively reduced compared to the situation 50 years ago. The introduction of immunizations and improved medical care has also helped a great deal. However, statistics has it that in regions such as the UK, a child is diagnosed with some kind of disability every 25 minutes. Over 95% of those diagnosed with disabilities either live with their family members of their children. Another country that faces the same problem is Australia. A persons body is a very important part of their identity and self perception and even extends to the identity of the family. In most of the time, a family with a disabled individual will always receive similar perceptions from the society like the ones given to the disabled person. The disability is therefore normally considered in terms of the larger family. Although some people could be borne normal but later become disabled either through sickness or accidents, most of the disabilities are normally realized at birth. Family members of disabled individuals normally have an extra burden of not only taking care of their individual needs but also for the needs of the disabled in the family (Gillam, 1999). Most people in such situation would tell you that it is not as easy as most people might think. It requires sacrifice and determination. Discussion Giving birth to a handicapped child and taking care of him to grow into adulthood is one of the most stressful things a family could endure. The first reaction by parents on realization that their child is disabled tells it all. According to Strnadova (2006) most parents are normally in shock and wish that they could reverse the whole process. It also creates a confused situation of guilt, anger, sadness, depression all in one that some parents begin lamenting to God what wrong they might have done. Depending on the conditions of the parents, they handle these issues differently and could stay in different stages of depression longer than others. Some parents feel like the handicapped children are their extension and may feel ashamed, ridicule, embarrassment or social rejection. The reactions by parents might be affected by economic status, marital stability and personality traits. Generally, the initial reaction of any parent would therefore be of psychological or emotional disintegration (Marinelli Orto, 1999). In instances where an individual was living normally and later becomes disabled, denial is normally the first psychological impact in the family. Some members refuse to accept that things have changed and their loved one is now disabled. This is very difficult especially when the person is the first one in the family to suffer from such a disability or when he is the sole bread winner and the family cannot comprehend how it will survive the next day. In situations where the family does not know much about the illness, they could also become very pessimistic about the future and act like the illness has control of their entire destiny. Although no one really checks on the parents to find out whether they get enough sleep or spent most of their time at night checking on their disabled children, research has it that families with disabled members also suffer from exhaustion and anguish. After denial there is usually a gradual acceptance of the fact that the family member is truly disabled. The family then tries to come up with better ways of dealing with the issue because there is nothing else they could do. The acceptance stage could taking varying durations does not necessarily lead to the acceptance of the disability. Marinelli Orto (1999) explains that sometimes members could just decide to minimize the psychological balance to an achievable degree and deal with the person. In cases where parents completely fail to accept this fact, they could even abandon the individual or give them for adoption. This is the reason why there have been cases of parents throwing their children in pits or abandoning them on the road side as demonstrated in some developing countries. There is the realization stage is where parents or family members fully accept the disability of their loved ones regardless of its consequences. However, not every family reaches this stage. Strnadova (2006) argues that many families consider taking care of an individual with disability in terms of the cost they will have to incur throughout the existence of the disabled individual. This process could sometimes be costly that if a family is not well prepared it could lead to debts and loans. For instance, if a family member suffers from down-syndrome or Cerebral Palsy, he will definitely require some medication, counseling, therapy, physiotherapy or rehabilitation. All these services need money which is not always easy to come around. This could therefore lead to the family making use of every single cent they have just to see their own survive. Some could even end up borrowing from family members or asking for loans from their banks but there is always a limit to where you can source money from. If a family faces the dilemma of not knowing where next to turn to and ask for money, its normally very frustrating and hurting to know that you could make life more comfortable to a family member if only you had the money but the reality is that you have none. Having gone through many dead ends to find assistance for their loved ones, family members often become worn out and might be discouraged to look for a different approach for assistance because they might be scared of facing yet another failure (Strnadova, 2006). This might create a feeling of hopelessness in the family in that they feel like they can no longer take care of their loved one and could even abandon him or offer him for adoption. Stress in families with disabled individuals normally starts way back even before the disability is diagnosed. In most occasions, parents would suspect that there might be something wrong with the life of their child or family member. This normally appears in cases where the family members become disabled later in life after leading a normal life. For this reason members would request for examination from a psychologist to fully understand what might be wrong. Sometimes families with disabled members are isolated from the society like and this makes them feel like they are less equal. This could also make some of parents to feel like it is their fault that they gave birth to disabled children. What parents also fear most is the likelihood of the heredity of the disability to their future siblings. According to Power Orto (2004) some might even get scared and feel like they do not want to have other children in future. They may also fear that they might have grand children with simil ar disabilities. They are also worried of what the future holds for their child with disability. The feeling of helplessness due to the fact that there is very little they can do to change the childs disability makes them hate themselves. The anxiety in family members stems from an attempt to strike a balance between their own life and that of the disabled individuals. A number of parents have talked of pain and anguish in their lives and their desire and hope to improve the lives of their loved ones even though sometimes it never possible. Single and unmarried mothers face more psychological problems than others. Considering that individuals with disabilities need extra care, it becomes cumbersome for one individual to keep watch of him and do his/her own duties. Disabled individuals could also be a huge burden to their own siblings especially because of the fact they require extra care (Power Orto, 2004). This means that their siblings will have to forgo some activities and duties in order to take care of them. Unlike other children who might go playing up and down, they will be forced to offer extra care to their disabled brother or sister. One thing most people dont understand is that its nobodys fault that they have disabled individuals in their families. However, most family members might not know how to react around such individuals and might decide to stay away. Sometimes the families might be reluctant to discuss with others about their members disability because they do really know how others would react. Fear of stigmatization from the society could make some families to hide these conditions for a long time (Warner, 2006). However, this is not always the best option because it implies that one is ashamed of a family member. A result of stigma is that the family ends up being withdrawn from the society because they are afraid of being hurt by comments or reaction from other people. Shaw (2009) laments that sad as it might be, most people with disability are still socially unacceptable. Its common to here whispers from all corners about families with disabled members as well as judgments being made behind closed door about how a disabled member might be behaving. Some even make comments that insinuate that the family is unable to take of their own blood and flesh. Some of these comments even come from close friends. Considering that every person might have his own opinion on how a family deals with the disability, its never an easy thing for a family that is trying so hard to remains brave and accept their member with his disability. When on outings, families with disabled individuals normally have to deal with stares, unpleasant gapes from both adults and kids. These annoying stares can inhibit the ability of family members especially the kids to freely interact disabled family members. Sometimes family members especially parents have to deal with feeling of jealously from other siblings. For instance, you here of a child wishing that he was sick like his sister so that he could also receive preferential treatment from the parents. This feeling also disturbs parents psychologically and makes them feel like they are discriminating their children. Of course as you would expect there is always a good side of disability where one is treated differently and carefully more than others (Shaw, 2009). If not carefully done, it could also lead to misunderstandings in the family that could add to psychological problems. Warner (2006) explains that some families with disabled children face so many difficulties that they even end up separating. In such a situation, kids are either split each of their parents or their custody could be awarded to one parent. Sometimes one parent in most cases the dad could run from the vicinity and disappear completely leaving the child in the hands of the other parent. Recommendations Families with disabled members need love and support from close friends and relatives. It is never their wish to give birth to disabled individuals. Its God will that everyone is the way he is and we should accept that and live with it. As the saying goes, disability is not inability. There are families whose brain winners are people with disabilities. As Gillam (1999) puts it these people could still be very useful to the family and the society at large unlike what people might expect. It is therefore important that families with disabilities are accepted as any other family so as to give them the moral to take care of their disabled members rather than isolating them. It is also advisable that families with healthy and normal kids should teach their children on how to deal with other members of the society that might be living with disabilities. This will make everyone grow up with a good attitude and caring feeling for unfortunate members of the society. With increase in technology and innovation, disabled members could still survive and lead a normal life like others. Children should therefore not abandon their loved ones just because of their disability. We should all be thankful to God to whatever child he gives unto us because there are so many parents would wish to have a child but they cant.

Should Forgiveness Be Conditional Philosophy Essay

Should Forgiveness Be Conditional Philosophy Essay The concept of forgiveness has been a central concern to individuals and communities throughout history. Present in theological ideas, the concept of forgiveness is widespread and has greatly influenced our moral attitudes towards one another and how we react when we have been offended . The standard definition in the Oxford English Dictionary for forgiveness states  ¿Ã‚ ½may be forgiven, pardonable, excusable ¿Ã‚ ½ (Hughes, 2010). However, by merely pardoning or excusing the offender, without them taking accountability for their action, can dismiss the moral significance and psychological emotions of the victim. I shall argue, with reference to Charles Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s book Forgiveness: A Philosophical Exploration, that the process of forgiveness is restorative. Forgiving has the ability to reunite a relationship disrupted by someone ¿Ã‚ ½s wrongdoing as well as aid in letting go ones negative feelings and hostility towards the offender. I will explore Bishop Butlers understanding of forgiveness, which is incompatible with my view of forgiveness. Thus I shall argue that forgiveness is only possible when conditional on repentance. I shall propose Professor Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s conditions which need to be fulfilled in order for forgiveness to be completely satisfied, whilst providing a counterexample in support of those who forgive unconditionally. Ultimately, I will conclude in support of conditional forgiveness as I would have demonstrated how unconditional forgiveness can understate the moral significance of the victim as well as the moral importance of the action. Bishop Joseph Butler understands forgiveness as the  ¿Ã‚ ½forswearing of resentment ¿Ã‚ ½ (Murphy, 1988, p.1). He treats resentment as indignation due to a moral wrong to oneself. According to Butler, forgiveness is compatible with some degree of continuous rage towards the wrongdoer for their action. Therefore, forswearing resentment does  ¿Ã‚ ½not require giving up every negative feeling associated with the injurious event ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold,2007,p.41) He argues instead, moderated resentment is necessary as it helps us to recognize the level of injury caused to us whilst also serving as a suitable response towards the wrongdoer for their action. For Butler, resentment is not inconsistent with goodwill and  ¿Ã‚ ½we may therefore love our enemy ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.36) despite their actions towards us. Thus it seems Bishop Butler does not require the offender to meet conditions to gain the victims forgiveness,  ¿Ã‚ ½Because we are in need of forgiveness, consistency de mands that we be forgiving of others. ¿Ã‚ ½(Griswold, 2007, p.36). However, claiming to have forgiven your wrongdoer whilst holding a proportionate amount of resentment towards them seems counter-intuitive. I feel that in order to fully forgive someone, resentment has to be overcome in order to rid any hostility, moral hatred, and negative feelings towards the offender. Forgiveness benefits the wrongdoers as well as the victim, helping them to alleviate guilt and blame, thereby helping them to move forward in their lives and not reoffend. If resentment is consistent with goodwill, as Butler argues it is, the process is compromised and forgiveness for neither persons cannot be achieved. Instead, the injurer should make a conscious effort to ensure forgiveness is fulfilled, which requires attempting to abolish any resentment the victim bears towards them. If not, the victim has to accept they have been wronged and begin to deal with the pain of their injury, psychologically and physically, without the satisfaction of knowing their offender has repente d for their action. Bishop Butler thus understates the importance of forgiveness as a process the victim must go through to overcome their resentment and psychological hostility. Forgiveness should require modifying and changing ones moral judgements about the offender, through a process which makes them deserving of the victim ¿Ã‚ ½s compassion. Without this process the emotional complexity of forgiveness is lost. Unlike Butler, Charles Griswold argues that forgiveness aims to relinquish resentment whilst ensuring the offender is held accountable. He believes that although forgiveness is generally good and admirable there are circumstances which prohibit giving forgiveness to the offender, especially when the offender is unrepentant of their sins. For Griswold, forgiveness is not meant as a  ¿Ã‚ ½therapeutic program ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.54) instead the conditions he outlines are  ¿Ã‚ ½conditions of a moral nature ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold,2007, p.54) meant to alter ones moral judgments of a person, and help to improve the victims view of the wrongdoer. Once these conditions have been met the offender is entitled to forgiveness from the victim (Griswold, 2007, p.47) On this view, forgiveness cannot be seen as a  ¿Ã‚ ½gift to the offender ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.67) which is given freely without having met certain criteria which repudiates ones wrong doing. Forgiveness is therefore condit ional on repentance otherwise it  ¿Ã‚ ½would collapse into forgetting, or excusing, or rationalisation. ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.46). Professor Griswold believes  ¿Ã‚ ½forgiveness requires reciprocity between injurer and injured ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p. xvi) which can be achieved through satisfying the six conditions he outlines.  ¿Ã‚ ½Firstly, it is important that the wrongdoer takes responsibility for their action, Secondly, ensure they repudiate the deed, Third, regret their action, Fourth, commit to being a better person, Fifth, show understanding from the injured person ¿Ã‚ ½s perspective, and lastly, offer a narrative of why they are worthy of the victims forgiveness by showing they are committed to changing their ways ,as well as committing to fully letting go of resentment ¿Ã‚ ½. (Griswold, 2007, pp.48 52) These conditions, when fulfilled, will reunite mutual respect and acknowledgment between the wrongdoer and aid in the return to the  ¿Ã‚ ½minimal state of civility before the injury was done ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griwold, 2007, p.49). However, Griswold argues forgiveness is only possible if the offender has become morally changed through meeting these conditions (Griswold, 2007, p.49). Conditional forgiveness is necessary as forgiving the offender without requiring anything from them conveys to them, and the rest of the public, they are not responsible for their action. If the offender is unrepentant of their sins, they have not been morally changed, and for that reason we would not know if the offender would recommit their wrongdoing in the future. Unconditional forgiveness denies all requirements for the offender to take responsibility for their action or try to repudiate their wrongdoing. Therefore I feel it downplays the moral significance of the event as it fails to endorse the extent of the offender ¿Ã‚ ½s moral wrongdoings. It also allows the offender to dismiss the harm to the victim which denies them respect for the wrongdoing against them. If the offender takes responsibility for their action and commi ts to becoming a better person, then they become worthy of the victims forgiveness. In agreement with Griswold, I feel forgiveness should only be given once the offender repents for their sins. Without doing so, it  ¿Ã‚ ½adds insult to the injury so far as the victim is concerned ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.49). In fulfilling the conditions of forgiveness, the offender comes to understand and accept what morality requires of him. If he does not, the wrongdoer may never understand the moral significance of the act, pretending the injustice upon the victim does not carry any importance. . The conditions Professor Griswold outlines aim to show that forgiveness should not be freely given as a gift. The conditions are important because a wrong should not be disregarded, and if forgiveness is unconditional, the offender carries no moral weight for their action. Overcoming resentment and being able to forgive the offender may end psychological discomfort the victim longed for, only achievable through the repentance of the offender. Katie Hutchinson from Victoria Island Canada finally found peace after her husband ¿Ã‚ ½s killer confessed to the murder 4 years later and apologised to her. Only then was she able to forgive him and begin her healing process which finally allowed her to let go of the moral hatred which grew inside her. Similarly, it allowed her husband ¿Ã‚ ½s killer to understand the extent of his crime as he had the opportunity to directly relate to his victims hurt and anger. Forgiveness was conditional on his apology and confession which due to this, bot h parties psychologically benefitted. Forgiveness said nothing less about her feelings towards her husband, or how profound his murder was, it  ¿Ã‚ ½became an opportunity to create a new and hopeful beginning ¿Ã‚ ½ (Hutchinson, 2011). The murderer was not let off the moral hook and the moral significance of the action remained a crucial feature in their lives. As the offender did not demand forgiveness or had been given it freely as a gift, the victims self-respect was maintained, which like Griswold, I feel is lost in unconditional forgiveness. On this account of forgiveness, the moral significance of the action was not downplayed, and the self respect of the victim was maintained. The offender takes responsibility for their actions but also begins to amend the harm caused. Giving up resentment through a process in which the perpetrator satisfy ¿Ã‚ ½s conditions seems a necessary requirement in achieving forgiveness as an end, especially if the offender is alive and willing to repent. Thus conditional forgiveness avoids the main objections which apply to unconditional forgiveness. But, what happens with the offender is deceased or unrepentant? Should forgiveness still be conditional? Professor Griswold argues that  ¿Ã‚ ½if the forgiveness is unconditional, the intrinsically interpersonal character of forgiveness is lost ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.64). I accept this assertion on the grounds that as there is no face to face interaction in the process, the victim may not gain full satisfaction from forgiving unconditionally. Yet Griswold allows forgiveness to be granted to the deceased without having carried out his six conditions. Forgiveness is possible if you are able to plausibly construct a scenario of what that person would do if you were to meet in the circumstances where they were repentant for their wrongdoing. Constructing a narrative on the reasons for forgiving the offender and why they deserve forgiveness may involve  ¿Ã‚ ½gathering data ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.120) of why that person acted as they had done or indicate issues in the offenders past which caused or influenced them to commit this offence. Once understood, the victim can come to feel respected and let go of any resentment they may have towards the offender (Griswold, 2007, p.121). Once the victim sees the forgiver in a new light, forgiveness can truly be fulfilled. Forgiveness, in this case, may be  ¿Ã‚ ½lacking or imperfect relative to the paradigm, ¿Ã‚ ½(Griswold, 2007, p. xvi) however, this does not rule out the central role forgiveness plays in letting go the negative feelings and resentment one may hold against the offender. On the contrary, there are several non-paradigmatic cases in which unconditional forgiveness is essential in the natural process of psychological recovery. A counter- example to Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s conditional forgiveness can be demonstrated through the unconditional forgiveness given by the Pennsylvanian community. On May 16th 2007, 32 students were shot dead by a former student whilst many others were severely wounded on the campus of Virginia Tech University, USA. Before committing suicide, the former Virginia tech student had sent a manifesto to NBC news which stated that he believed his injurious and merciless act was benefitting the community in some way. Shortly after the shooting ended, the hurt was felt universally. A candle lighting memorial ceremony was conducted and thousands of people flocked together in support of those who were killed. Shockingly, amongst the tears and sorrow, banners were held by parents and students stating  ¿Ã‚ ½we forgive you ¿Ã‚ ½. Surely this forgiveness would deny the self respect and moral dignity of the victims? I argue against Griswold, demonstrating that there are circumstances which unconditional forgiveness does not collapse into condemnation. Although not always desirable, it is possible to forgive someone whilst continuing to pronounce indignation towards the offender, especially if this gives them psychological tranquillity through doing so. The Pennsylvanian community should not be regarded as weak or mentally deficient for forgiving the killer, instead they should be appraised and admired for their love and ability to forgive in such difficult circumstances. Although Griswold suggests  ¿Ã‚ ½to forgive someone undeserving of the honour, under the banner of a  ¿Ã‚ ½gift, ¿Ã‚ ½ may condone the wrong-doer, and even provide encouragement to more offenses ¿Ã‚ ½ (Griswold, 2007, p.63) he fails to consider those who do not condone their actions and will continue to voice their anger towards such cr imes against humanity. Forgiving unconditionally may be a difficult thing to do, but letting go of psychological hatred whilst fighting for justice is possible. Unconditional forgiveness  ¿Ã‚ ½is compatible with outright condemnation of the wrongdoing and a determination to fight against it, and thus with maintaining self-respect ¿Ã‚ ½ (Gerrard and McNaughton, 2003, p.6) If the wrongdoing is not overlooked, and the full extent of the crime is widely understood and not downplayed, I feel no reason to contest against the satisfaction the injured party gains through forgiving unconditionally. It is a personal option, experienced by only the person giving it. Thus Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s argument is unsound. He cannot dictate to those who forgive unconditionally their forgiveness is flawed, as he does not know or understand their reasoning for forgiving. Whether someone  ¿Ã‚ ½deserves ¿Ã‚ ½ forgiveness is completely subjective and questionable. He makes a generalisation which is not n ecessarily true. If forgiving unconditionally allows the victim to overcome resentment and their negative emotions, then so be it. Forgiving the offender can sometimes only be possible if the forgiveness is given without requirements. In the previous example the killer thought he was doing good, so carrying out Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s six conditions in which a scenario with the killer is imagined, would in this case, lead to further anger, resentment and moral hatred, instead of abolishing these negative emotions. Unconditional forgiveness is needed for the same reasons Professor Griswold gives for reciprocal forgiveness. Without unconditional forgiveness how would we re-establish trust in man-kind, ensuring we do not lose hope or happiness for the future after such tragic losses? There are positive reasons for forgiving even the unrepentant. Vengefulness and moral hatred are minimised whilst a sense of human solidarity increases. Gerrard and McNaughton strongly endorse this view of unconditional forgiveness, arguing that as we are members of the same species, in a  ¿Ã‚ ½shared human community, like a shared membership of a family, provides reason alone for forgiveness ¿Ã‚ ½ (Gerrard and McNaughton, 2003, p.10). They defend their view by arguing that if we are to produce a sense of commonality, we have to realise that sometimes circumstances are difficult, and if  ¿Ã‚ ½circumstances would have been less favourableI might have become the kind of person who acted in this way ¿Ã‚ ½ (Gerrard and McNaughton, 2003, p.11) Monstrous as the perpetrators may be, they still share the same characteristics as us. The human condition is sometimes fragile, easily manipulated, or clouded by false information and judgments leading us to act in terrible ways. But in some cases it is possible to see how the offender came to be or act in that way. Griswold does, to some extent, endorse this view in his conditional forgive ness for the deceased. He suggests by constructing a narrative about the offender, it is possible to find an indication why they have committed the offence (Griswold, 2007, p.121). In the example of the University shootings, it was soon discovered that the student had several mental disorders which triggered him to act irrationally and violently. Although his actions should not be condoned, based on the presence of a mental disorder, it does somehow allow us to understand the killer, and alleviate some of the anger and resentment we have towards him. If we somehow put ourselves in his shoes, perhaps we can relate to his sorrow, misery and anger towards the world. We all have the capacity to morally wrong someone, and if circumstances were different we too would be in need of forgiveness. (Gerrard and McNaughton, 2003, 11) I do not deny the fact the killer was deceased played an important part in the community ¿Ã‚ ½s ability to forgive unconditionally. Had the killer been alive, I doubt they would have given their forgiveness so readily without his repentance. Nonetheless, unconditional forgiveness has allowed them to relieve hostile feelings, reconcile their trust in man-kind, maintain self-respect and ensure the moral significance of the action was maintained. If we take forgiveness to be a process which the injured party must go through in order to overcome negative emotions, then unconditional forgiveness has the ability to do so. To recall Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s argument, condoning the crimes of the unrepentant would demonstrate to others they are not accountable for their actions. By forswearing revenge and committing to let go of resentment, the Pennsylvanian community hardly demonstrated to others that by committing such crimes you will not be held responsible. They do not condone his actions and never will. If the killer were alive they would have demanded justice. Letting go of your anger does not let the offender off the moral hook. Thus, I have shown unconditional forgiveness does not necessarily collapse into condemnation. I shall note that Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s approach to the topic is secular. Although he focuses on secular forgiveness he does not deny the widespread role of forgiveness in Christian and Judaic narrative. For people who are religious, the process of forgiveness can be easier and less complicated as their religion requires they be forgiving no matter what. Religious forgiveness about believes, having faith in God, yourself and man-kind. It is difficult to interpret whether God ¿Ã‚ ½s forgiveness is conditional or unconditional as this view differs amongst spectators. I do however argue that whether forgiveness is conditional or unconditional, forgiveness is always good and admirable. The benefits one gains from forgiving are more important than the process one goes through in order to get to the desired end. Whether or not forgiveness should be conditional ultimately lies with the decision of the injured person. Both conditional forgiveness and unconditional forgiveness have benefits which help re-establish a relationship harmed by someone ¿Ã‚ ½s wrongdoing. However, I do support Professor Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s argument that when the offender is alive, and unrepentant, he is not worthy of your forgiveness. But, this does not mean that forgiveness should not be granted, if in doing so, allows you to let go of the psychological hatred which consumes you. Unconditional forgiveness certainly has the same benefits of reciprocal conditional forgiveness. It does however seem a common type of forgiveness given more readily when the perpetrator is deceased. Enmity and abomination are far worse than human solidarity and peacefulness. Generally speaking, if the offender is alive, forgiveness should be conditional on the offenders repentance otherwise it is possible the moral significance of the victi m and moral importance of the event is understated. If however, the perpetrator is deceased Professor Griswold ¿Ã‚ ½s argument no longer suffices. Everyone has their own reasons to forgive but if forgiveness is to be truly fulfilled and satisfied, the offender should, at the very minimum, take responsibility for their actions and try to repudiate their wrongdoing.

Coal Mining Essay -- Economy Economics Energy Resources Essays

Coal Mining Coal, a mineral I have discussed previously, is necessary to our everyday lives. Coal is an incredible source of energy; it heats our houses and buildings, and also fuels stoves. You may often wonder where this extremely useful mineral comes from. Coal does not just appear; it needs to be mined through a process which results in our being able to utilize it. Coal mining is fairly inexpensive, is carried out on a large scale and can be mined in either underground or surface mines. Surface mining is the coal mining process that accounts for around 60% of the United States’ coal. It tends to be very efficient, with a single worker recovering up to 30 to 40 tons of coal in a day. To begin surface mining coal, a drill must first probe the area to be mined in order to determine the depth of the coal as well as the overburden which lies on top of the coal. Bulldozers are then used to strip away the topsoil, which is then put into piles and later replace the stripped areas of earth. Next, large, even enormous equipment called draglines are used to remove more and more of the overburden, as the stripping becomes deeper and deeper. After this process, machines called track-dozers fracture the coal, making it possible for cranes or bulldozers to scoop out the coal and transport it to crushers. Now, the topsoil that was set aside at the beginning is replaced. This process is called reclamation. The mined areas can then be used for a variety of things: from parks t o f...

The American Dream as Portrayed by Various Authors :: Essays on the American Dream

The American Dream can be traced to the Declaration of Independence which states that â€Å"all men are created equal, that they are endowed†¦with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness† (Jefferson). These doctrines are the foundation of the rights of all citizens in the United States. For over a century these ideas have drawn people from foreign shores to America, the land of opportunity, a place where dreams can be achieved. The very concept of the American dream is built upon the idea that whatever you dream can be made to happen because there are few government barriers place upon the citizens. It is deceptive in its name the American Dream; for that implies that there is one dream for all. In fact, the American Dream is very personal. It means different things to different people, but it is always inspirational. It is the dream of its own citizens; some here for generations while some may be new citizens. The conce pt that this country offers opportunities that can be obtained by anyone provides people with the ability to dream their own dreams. The American Dream can be a motivational fire, but if ne wished to not be burned, one must focus on building a balanced life of family, honest work and love. lf had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace. (20.12) Although there is a stereotypical American Dream, people personalize it to make it their own. The attainability of the stereotypical goal cannot be evaluated because of the variations of this dream. For instance, the most common version is the idea of rags to riches. When Arnold Schwarzenegger came â€Å"here with empty pockets, but full of dreams, full of determination, full of desire" (Schwarzenegger 27), he was fulfilling the dream of an immigrant. While making the Keynote Address at the Republican National Convention in 2004, he stated that he wanted and achieved, success, a career and a family, which he owes to America (27). The traditional concept of rags to riches is not always the foundation of some people's dreams. In the novel The Great Gatsby, Gatsby’s dream is to relive his fantasy with his idealized former lover. He uses the rags to riches portion of the American Dream as a means to an end. He spends his life trying to gain Daisy’s love and subsequently a higher social status.

Environmental Degradation Essay

In 1987 The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) released a pioneering report concerning the environmental damage that is going on. Through the report, called â€Å"Our Common Future†, WCED passed a warning that soon the world would be facing intolerable levels of damage to the environment if we are not going to alter our way of living. It would also lead to the humans suffering due to it. The Commission explained that there is a pressing requirement of changing the speed as well as the trend of international economic growth so that it meets the capacity of the world. It said: â€Å"Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. † (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987: 8) After thoroughly analysing the situation it can be concluded that the environmental crisis has an impact on each of the nation in the world. However, the extent to which they are affected is different and depends on the way they consume and also their economic expansion. Just 25% of the global population consumes a very high percentage of the world’s fossil fuels and chemical goods; as high as 70% and 85% respectively. This unbalanced consumption also exists in the area of water. In the United States the per capita consumption of water goes as high as 2300m3 annually. In Canada the figure is at 1500m3 while in Britain it reaches up to 225m3. On the other hand, the developing countries have a much lower consumption, of between 20 and 40m3. The trends of usage for the forest goods plus several of the other goods comprise of a similar direct proportion to the figure of population of the 20% of the wealthiest communities. Due to such extravagant demands, a great burden is being placed on the national as well as the world’s natural resources. The other societies make up to about 80% of the population, and get less than 20% of the world capital. The consumption of these societies is much more humble. Environmental Challenge Presently, there is not enough attention, at least not in the degree that is required, being paid to the social concerns. Scientists are pointing out to the troubles that we are facing and which would make our survival difficult later on. Such troubles include warming globe, the earth’s ozone layer being depleted, the deserts consuming agricultural land. However, we are not responding to the warning in the appropriate manner; instead we ask them for further details. Initially it was thought that environmental degradation is primarily the concern of the richer countries and happens due to industrial affluence. However, now it is an issue for the developing countries as well. The very poor countries are caught in the descending coil of associated environmental and economic decline. Although there are hopes being expressed at every side, no pattern can be seen nor any kind of campaigns or rules which would console the poor and decrease the increasing gap between rich and poor countries. For the purpose of â€Å"development† we have collected weapons which can divert routes, which had been pursued since millions of years, and can form such a planet that our ancestors may not identify as being theirs. The biodiversity in the European continent is rapidly going down. Although Europe can be termed as wealthy and strong it does not seem that it has the practical ways for avoiding the decline. Birdlife International (Conservative Series 3) conducted a study and the results showed that 40% of the bird species are in an â€Å"unfavourable situation†. Since the past two decades the there has been a â€Å"substantial reduction† in one in four of Europe’s 514 bird species. It is ironic that such occurrences took place in the same years when there were the most conservative efforts made. A re-strengthening of the European legislation has taken place, there are now more nature reserves and parks, and certain species which had disappeared in the area have been reintroduced. Concerning this issue, in 2003 the European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin said: â€Å"The time has come for coordinated European action to turn the tide on environmental threats†¦ For too long, we have exploited the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas, without considering the eventual consequences of our actions. We must invest in integrated programmes of research to deliver sustainable development solutions and long-term environmental protection for the benefit of our future generations. † (Europa, 2003). In 2008, the European Commissioner for Environment Stavros Dimas publically addressed the audience at Harvard University and talked over this issue. Dimas related what the European Union’s â€Å"ambitious environmental agenda† is. This included targeting 20% decline in the consumption of energy by the year 2020. This was, internationally, the first plus the greatest emissions trading plan. According to Dimas the agenda also targeted at using more and more of sustainable and renewable resources. Along with this Dimas emphasized that it is vital for there to be global collaboration on matters like climate change, biodiversity loss, and deforestation. The western world takes Eastern Europe as the place where there are smog and toxic spills. The priority of the communist regimes had been to intensify industrialization. Even though certain environmental rules exist in many areas and they were similar to those in the Western Europe, these were hardly ever implemented. Polluted rivers, toxic waste dumps, and the terrains and cities being blackened by soot was the consequence. The environmental standards of the European Union are harsh and these have been pushing these nations for the cleaning up of their ecological destruction regions. 15 years of leniency has been given to the states that have recently joined the union. However, this leniency is only for those regions where much investment is required, for example the building of water purification schemes. Several of the areas are already showing the signs of the clean-up attempts. For instance, there is the Black Triangle in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. This area was once of the most polluted regions globally. It supplied energy to the heating and heavy industries through the power plants which worked on coal. Due to this whole forests were destroyed. However, by 2000 there had been such a significant change due to the efforts that emissions of sulphur dioxide and solid particles were lessened by greater than 90% (Habeck, 2004). Other Challenges At the time when the terms of reference of the Commission were is discussion in 1982, some of the individuals proposed limiting the concerns to only â€Å"environmental matters†. This would not have been feasible. In fact it would be considered a major fault. The environment is not separate from our actions, determinations and requirements, and efforts to save only that and not look at other concerns would make the word â€Å"environment† a nuance of gullibility in certain political spheres. Certain others have restricted the term â€Å"development† to quite an inadequate centre, along the lines of â€Å"what poor countries should do to become richer†. Therefore, those in the global scene mechanically dismiss it as being something that the experts are to worry about, and the ones concerned with queries regarding â€Å"development assistance†. European expansion (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2006) has formed a new â€Å"rural† Europe. Certain of the rural areas of Central plus the Eastern Europe are being structurally transformed (Fraser, 2005). Simultaneously, in Europe and the member nations social services are being subjected to modernisation and improvement (Kumar et al. , 2003). The researchers who are on the lookout for the construction of a dependable rural evidence base are facing confronts. They wish this to inform policy decisions and practice (European Commission [EC], 2006a; OECD, 2006). One of the challenges that they face happens to be the speed of transformation and the requirement for latest research (Commission for Rural Communities [CRC] 2006a). One more is the problem that they face to arrive at a mutual explanation of each of the two rural regions plus the social services so as to conduct a relative research in the European continent which is quite a varied region. Europe is also facing challenges in the area of labour. When the Europeans lose jobs they get upset. This may happen because of inside rivalry in the European Union or because of the international competition that they face from other continents like Asia, and also from Latin America and the United States. In those regions the European carmakers have initiated their plants. The private sector has not been forming any significant number of new jobs since as early as the 1970s, and about 20 million Europeans are not employed of which several may not be ever. Recently there was a survey held in Italy and the results showed that 38% of the participants though unemployment to be the most urgent challenge. This view was held by 58% of the respondents in France, whereas in Germany the figure was as high as 81%. The big nations that are at the centre of the euro region are languishing in the economic area but still they do not seem capable of coming to grips with the opening transformations which are required in such a planet of globalisation, spirited labour markets, and the portable capital pressures of our economies. In the situation when a European loses his job because of his firm setting up in India instead, it is probable that he would not get another job. Plus due to the reducing demographic base the liberal pension systems are being threatened. Several of the European nations are going down and are not being able to sustain their people. For example, by 2050 the population of the Italian nation would go down, from a 57 million to 45 million. By the same time greater than half of the population in Germany would be above 55 years of age. Europe requires that immigration takes place. But this happens to be a contentious means of raising the workforce, since there is a prevalent dread of a rising Muslim population. What is more important? The â€Å"environment† is the place where we live and for improving ourselves in the environment there has to be â€Å"development† taking place. That is to say that the two are indivisible. Additionally, the matters related to development should be perceived by the political chiefs as being important, as they think that their nations have achieved stability and the other countries should struggle at attaining that position. The routes that the industrialized countries take for the purpose of development are obviously indefensible. The decisions that such nations make for improvement, due to their large economic plus political authority, would greatly affect the capability of each person for the sustenance of human growth. This would not be just for them but also for the further generations ahead. Several of the important survival matters concern unbalanced expansion, poverty and population growth. All of these issues extraordinarily pressurize the world’s lands, waters, green areas, plus also other natural resources, not least in the developing nations. Chances and resources are wasted through the downward spiral of paucity and ecological deterioration. Especially it is wasting the human resources. Such associations between paucity, inequity, and ecological deterioration created a significant matter in the assessment and recommendations. There is a requirement of a new period of economic expansion. This expansion has to be powerful but also socially and environmentally sustainable. â€Å"The search for a demanding dynamic balance between economic prosperity, environmental responsibility and social safety is certainly the essential civilizational, and consequently also political, task of the first half of the 21st century† (Plut, 2000: 149). The geopolitical part and situation of Europe had been altered drastically since the past some decades. Being the backing for the European continent, the EU reacted in two methods to the market-, technology- and information-related confrontations of globalisation and the macro regional rivalry with the United States and Japan: with development and nearer interrelation. Nevertheless, the fact that whether the nonexistence of a wide-spread domestic marketplace had been the chief cause of a low level of rivalry of the international firms in the European continent is arguable. In the 1990s an even European Union market had been set up and this allowed for a more essential development of a shared policy also regarding the environment, transport, and communication network. In several ways the expansion of environment rules can possibly be recognized with a past of democratization of the European Union. The EU nations accepted the Amsterdam Treaty in the June of 1997 and its environment related content was influenced a lot due to the deepened political pressures plus also good structured agendas of non-governmental environmental groups and green political parties. Because of the several past environmental pressures in the AC10, the procedure of their modification to the environmental legislation of the EU15 may seem to be extremely challenging, enduring, and due to their reduced item quality and social disaster, in all probability also politically conflictnous. For the purpose of the incorporation into the European Union and also for the modification of the ecological legislation there would be a requirement of capital and this may turn out to be a great burden. The EU15 and the AC10 nations have similar environmental objectives. However, their initial situations, the time, and the means of change are far from identical. AC10 faced economic and social disasters in the beginning of transition and because of this there is no worry for the environment among them both; the people and the government. In 2000, the AC10 had just started developing environmental action programmes and also incorporating the European Union environmental principles into their legislations. Before the EU environmental policy and rules can be adopted completely, there is an anticipation of a longer modification era. There is an anticipation of this era especially in the area of transport, energy sector and agriculture (European Environment Agency, 1999). There are fears of AC10 repeating the mistakes, that the EU nations committed in the 1970s, in the probable era of heavy economic expansion between the years 2000 and 2010 (2015) (Plut, 2000). Conclusion Because of the deterioration of the environment the public health is being affected drastically and it is also leading to social inequity. For the meantime, the economically strong countries who are the causing it escape efficient management by the public. Under the new-liberal stick, environmental, communal and autonomous matters have previously not appeared to be so nearly connected. The effects happening due to the destruction of the environment have affected the developed nations along with the third world nations lately. Such effects have been in, for instance, the health. According to recent studies, hundreds of deaths taking place annually in the major European cities are due to the air pollution which happens because of the too much vehicle traffic. Several others have to undergo chronic asthma, this too for the same reason. Similarly, a large number the young people are suffering from leukaemia. These are the ones who live near waste recycling and storage centre near the Hague, Holland. Industrial pollution is also affecting the babies and infants and they are going to endure it throughout their lives, not only medically but also socially. Water resources are going down, so much so that there is a danger of scarcity. Whatever amount still is there has a poor quality. This is resulting in high prices of water and because of this an increasing number of people cannot get the municipal water supply since they cannot afford to pay the charges. Certain extremely poor Europeans even have to make use of mineral water due to the fact that they are not getting water in their taps. Such kinds of situations should provoke an environmental sense to be at the centre of attention. Concerning biodiversity, the environmental requirements of Europe, just like in other regions, challenge the fundamental judgement regarding the market system that is governed by great, private welfare. It has been frequently thought that environmental requirements are a mere â€Å"luxury†, or at the minimum not the most important issue to be worried about, in front the prevalent social crisis. Nevertheless, suggestions of environmental catastrophe are very well felt in the north and the south and they are reaching an increasing scope of views of our situations of life. Environmental matters have to be handled today, and not simply left for later years. This fact should have been taken into consideration previously; it should be considered even more now. References Anon. (2003). Turning the tide on environmental degradation: the EU examines ways to reverse damage in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Europa, [Online] 28 May 2003. Available at: http://europa. eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction. do? reference=IP/03/769&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en [Accessed 9 May 2009]. Commission for Rural Communities (CRC). (2006a). Rural Disadvantage – Reviewing the Evidence. Cheltenham: Commission for Rural Communities. European Environment Agency. (1999). Environment in the European Union at the Turn of the Century. Copenhagen: EEA. European Commission. (2006a). Rural Development in the European Union – Statistical and Economic information – Report 2006. [Online] September 2006. Available at: http://ec. europa. eu/agriculture/agrista/rurdev2006/RD_Report_2006. pdf [Accessed 9 May 2009].