Canadian Economy, Labor, And The Global World Essay

The Federal Open Market Committee report indicates a decline in output and employment. Household spending has been increasing gradually though there have been several constraints such as high unemployment rates, tight credit, and slight income growth. The United States is the biggest trading partner to Canada and economic slumps within the American economy affect the Canadian economy negatively as well. Such a decline in output will affect the Canadian economy since a decline in goods that Canada obtains from the United States will mean the country will lack them and have to find other countries to trade with. In addition, the low output will result in American businesses importing less goods from Canada that they use in the process of producing their goods. The high unemployment will affect Canadian labor based on the large number of Canadians who work in the United States. During an economic recession as this one most foreign workers lack unemployment in other countries as governments give first priority to their domestic workers first. As such, American nationals would be considered first during employment exercises while the Canadians will be left out and stay unemployed until the economy is seen to have recovered. The role of the state in a global world The worlds today is a global one with people from different countries, social backgrounds and cultures interacting on a daily basis. States are part of these interactions as well as they encompass the geographical boundaries that divide our continents into smaller units. States exist as a result of a host of reasons such as political, historical, economic, social, cultural and militaristic. States form different corners of the world are carrying out trade with one another as a result of the growth of the idea of competitive advantage that allows countries to export what they have in abundance and import what they lack. Apart from trade, there are numerous organizations and agreements around the world that have brought numerous countries together in pursuit of common goals so as to create a modern world that is safe and productive to live in. As such, a state has to find a way to effectively take part in such a global world despite having its own independent political, social, cultural, and corporate way of doing things. This requires states to come up with policies that will enable them to actively take part within the global world without compromising their independence (Plattner, 2002). This creates the need for due attention to the theoretical rationales of the state’s formation that ensure that the state remains pertinent in the global world. This is in line with the fact that domestic policies can not be made to treat the economy as a closed entity but need to consider the implications and counterbalancing effects that arise from globalization. The state has a role in the global world that is aimed at legislating its policies that protect its domestic market as well as give opportunity for its country’s participation in globalization. Labor unions in a global world Globalization has grown over the years and has now become an important part of our corporate and social lives. Labor is one of the institutions that have been greatly affected by globalization as businesses and institutions are now able to employ individuals from anywhere in the world as far as they have the required skills and knowledge needed for the job. With the growth of capitalism and international trade, most companies realized the only way to stay in business and continue making huge profits was to cut down on overall expenses and labor costs were one of the expenses cut. The growth of globalization has also lead to the development of outsourcing where businesses have some of the operations carried out by other institutions that are specialized in that field and therefore do not have to employ people to carry out those jobs internally. Most businesses are opening factories in foreign markets that have cheaper labor such as China and Indonesia. As such, labor unions have responded in order to protect their domestic workers from the increasing amount of unemployment that could result from the employment of foreign workers who could be asking for lower wages and salaries as compared to the domestic workers. Labor unions have responded to globalization by engaging in several strategies that limit the negative effects of globalization on labor. One such strategy has been the opposition towards free trade initiatives and agreements involving several countries. One such agreement has been the North American Free Trade Agreement by asking for there to be provisions within the agreement for the inclusion of a charter that would entail a number of labor principles that would be put into effect and enforced by both domestic and international courts. Secondly, labor unions have began to organize regional as well as international organizations that seek to harmonize the labor needs of their members. This is the case especially for multinational companies that operate in several countries where unions facilitate workers from the different factories in the various countries to be able to have collective bargaining of their needs (Herod, 2002). Thirdly, labor unions have been involved in the process of developing labor regulations that are incorporated in most business codes of conduct. Due to the possibility of business including legally correct phrases that could be detrimental to workers when effected and which would affect workers negatively. By have access to the policy formulation stage, unions are able to prevent the inclusion of such codes and policies that would end up leaving workers at a disadvantaged position. How the federal government responded to growing labor militancy The onset of the depression found the provincial as well as municipal governments in debt following expansion in infrastructure. This was at a time when Mackenzie was the prime minister and he held the belief that the crisis would pass thus failed to provide aid to the provinces. The federal government was reluctant in making efforts of reviving the economy that followed the depression (Robert, 2009). After the depression the government started a relief plan faced with mounting pressure from World War 1 veterans who demanded to be protected from poverty that was known as the New Deal The federal government under R. B Bennett campaigned on high tariffs as well as large scale spending. The federal government also increased welfare and assistance programs as well as programs intended to increase work opportunities. This was a move that led the federal government to more deficit (Neatby, 1963). This worsened the situation based on the fact that it caused a great number of government employees to loose their jobs as well as the cancelation of many public works projects that were underway. The federal government had a burden of the Canadian National Railway that had been highly affected by the depression. The government has as well taken over a number of railways that were bankrupt and out-of-date over the period of the world war. This increased the debt that the government had to a massive sum that was hard to be repaid at the time based on the hard financial time that the nation faced. The decrease in trade had made the Canadian National Railway to loose substantial amounts of funds a crisis that had been worsened by the depression. This created a burden for the federal government on the basis that it had to bail out the CNR baring in mind that the government was as well facing other debts. The failure of the federal government to revive the economy led to its defeat by the liberal party. The future for Keynesian economics Keynesian economics is struggling as it seems to have a dimming future. Since the 1970s when Keynesian economics faced a significant decline due to its failure as a result of the resultant high inflation rates and economic recessions, there has been an emergence of monetarism. In the 1980s, classical as well as supply-side economics have increasingly challenged the appropriateness of Keynesian economics further (Rousseas, 1986). As a result, Keynesian economists have responded to this decline and have created new schools of thought based on early Keynesian economics. These are †¢ The neoclassical Keynesianism †¢ The post-Keynesianism †¢ The new Keynesianism All these school of thoughts have emerged mainly as a response to the criticisms that new classical economists have raised against Keynesian economics (Gordon, 1990). Due to the focus on the demand side, Keynesian economics has proved to be important especially during economic revival after recessions as was witnessed after the recent 2008-2009 global recession where most affected countries engaged in Keynesian economics by providing economic stimulus packages aimed at reviving the economy again. This is based on the Keynesian view that markets usually lack a mechanism to self correct themselves and therefore government interventions are required to restore the economy once again. References Gordon, R. J. (1990). â€Å"What Is New-Keynesian Economics? † Journal of Economic Literature 28, no. 3 1115–1171. Herod, A. (2002). â€Å"Organizing globally, organizing locally: union spatial strategy in a global economy. † In Harrod, J. & Robert, O. Global Unions? Theory and Strategies of organized labor in the global political economy. London: Routledge. Neatby, H. B. (1963). William Lyon Mackenzie King, 1924-1932: The Lonely Heights. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Plattner, M. (2002). â€Å"Globalization and Self-Government†, Journal of Democracy 13(3): 54-67. Robert, L. (2009). â€Å"The Workplace and Economic Crisis: Canadian Textile Firms, 1929-1935,† Enterprise and Society, Vol. 10 Issue 3, pp 498-528. Rousseas, S. (1986). Post-Keynesian Monetary Economics. London: Macmillan.

Cultural object Essay

The object is an illustration present in a rectangle paper. The paper itself is glossy, thin and fine meshed. In the object, the words â€Å"SUPERMAN† can be found illustrated at the top of the paper in a block, all caps font, colored yellow with red lining. Below it and slightly to the right can be found the words â€Å"SUPERMAN ON EARTH† set in yellow all caps block font. At the center of the rectangular paper is a depiction of a male Caucasian garbed in a blue colored fitting suit, with a red triangular cloth covering the genitalia and a red cape flowing from the shoulders. Situated at the center of the man’s chest is a symbol, an â€Å"S† painted in red inside a red outlined pentagon filled with yellow. The illustration of the male Caucasian is seen standing over a depiction of the horizon of the world. On the left side of the male is an illustration of an explosion, with rocks being scattered. At the center of the explosion is an illustration of an elderly man and a woman garbed in a grey suit. The elderly man has the same symbol on his chest as that of the male in the center, although the elder man’s symbol is outlined in black. To the right of the male Caucasian in the center is a depiction of a star, pale white in color, with spires arising from the four primary and four secondary directions. The background is set in a black sky dotted by stars. A circular emblem colored blue and white and containing four stars set around the letters â€Å"DC† can be found on the upper left corner. Slightly below it is the words â€Å"No. 1, May ‘02† inside a yellow star like object. From the treatment of the paper to make it glossy, it is probable that this superman figure is of some importance to their (American) culture. The words â€Å"Superman on Earth† denotes his origin as extraterrestrial, as seen when accounting for the stellar background. The couple to his right is probably his parents since the elder man has the same symbol emblazoned on his chest. Deriving meaning from the name, superman means a man above the rest or a man better than the rest, giving a clue that the man is no ordinary human and may be imbued with special powers. His bearing whilst sanding over the world is more of as a guardian that as a creator giving a hint that as someone with extraordinary powers, he may have used those powers to guide or guard the world. In considering all of this, the figure could be a mythical hero of their culture whose exploits are recorded or told in a series of manuscripts using detailed illustrations and words to convey the story. The â€Å"no1, May 02 may refer to the date this illustration was created or made available. Biological Context of the Object Humanity’s interest in mythical heroes can be seen throughout history. These heroes usually have above average traits that set them apart from the normal persons of the times. This drive can be a result of humanity’s recognition of evolution and the principle that those with particular traits like incredible strength or stamina survived much longer and are better equipped to accomplish more than their ordinary counterparts. This veneration for those with extraordinary powers probably arose upon man’s recognition of his own physical limitations. When compared upon his prey, animals, man saw that there are some traits that would be useful. Flight in birds, speed in cheetahs, strength in bears, endurance of mammoths, and these traits made man wish that they had them. These wishes translated to mythical accounts of what it would be like to have those kinds of powers, accounts that are now perceived as myths and legends. Humans are the only species to be found capable of abstract thought. This allows us to manipulate resources in order to derive enjoyment. Literature, arts, these things enable us to derive enjoyment from our current society. Throughout history, civilizations have tried, after realizing their basic needs, to indulge in pleasure. Curiosity in man has also led to advancement. Myths and legends are byproducts of mans inquiry as to the nature of the world and philosophy as to the nature of the self. The object is a product of man’s persistent question, what if? Cultural/historical context: Depictions of individual with powers greater than that of mortal men can be found throughout history, in various cultures. These can be found in depictions of supernatural beings with extraordinary powers. Usually, myths stem from established cultures whose basic needs like food, shelter and security are ensured. It is then that the society turns to explaining the world around them. These are the foundation of first the creation myths, found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Greek, Babylonian and Nordic myths, as well as the Bible. Levi Strauss argues that myths stem from people’s intellectual inquiry, from the desire to explain self, surroundings and society. Various cultures around the world have provided objects by which beings with powers are depicted. These includes clay tablets where the epic of Gilgamesh is written,, the bible, ceramics depicting Hercules, Aztec pottery depicting Quetzalcoatl, among others. In these, it is evident that the heroic figures play a much important role to society than merely stories. Myths are closely tied with religion, as with the Norse, The Babylonians, the Greeks and the Romans. The concept of myths in early civilizations is most often a reflection on the prevalent culture, society, politics and beliefs of the people. Not all heroic stories stem from myths however. Most often, heroes in folklore have also superhuman powers. And most often, the stories portray the hero not just in one setting or one plot. Instead multiple stories abound, yet the protagonist remains the same. This is evident in Beowulf, the labors of Hercules and in American folklore, Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan. In American culture, folk heroes usually offer a glimpse of the culture of the times. The spectacular deeds of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan reflect upon what was considered the ideal American of those times, strong rugged, humorous and witty. They reflect a culture that is wild, that sees itself as being capable of great things. Looking at the object, we see that it gives a hint on the culture. From the object itself, one may deduce that the protagonist, Superman, was not of this Earth ( the stellar background, Earth’s view from a space perspective and the phrase Superman on Earth). The belief in an extraterrestrial coming to earth is not unknown of in world cultures. The Mayans, Aztec, and Egyptians all had beliefs in extraterrestrial life. This belief could be said to stem from a sense of terrestrial achievement. A sense that the culture is at its peak and that progress or destruction comes not from itself or from other cultures but from extraterrestrial sources. The object can be perceived as a story telling device of a mythical hero, not unlike clay tablets or parchment. This may be for amusement or inspiration. However, the use of graphics and words as means of expression, just like that of Egyptian pictograms and hieroglyphics shows that the object is intended for a wide audience based those who can intellectually understand as well as those who can appreciate the aesthetic value of the story. In standing over the world, it may be seen that their culture not only values their nation’s advancement, but may also see themselves as responsible for the welfare of other cultures, much like the Roman, Persian and Muslim empires. This may again stem from a sense of cultural supremacy, as well as from advancement in the various aspects of civilization. Much like oral tradition was used in the past, and later on the written word, for storytelling, so this object may be the means of telling the stories of this culture. Its use of graphics provides a starting point by which the imagination, conjured up by words, can take off into the realm of the supernatural. Just like myths and folklore of the past, the object provides a reflection not only on different aspects of the culture but also on its intended destination for the future. Economic Context Looking at the object, it really has no material value in the simplistic context. It is not edible, is not made of precious metals or gems, nor can it be used as a weapon. A society that produces these kinds of objects with only their aesthetic value and meaning and not that of necessity has presumably moved past the barter system of trade where only goods of necessity has any value. The object then can be either religious or secular in origin. The object could be religious as a representation of a believed and worshipped deity or secular as a means of entertainment. In observing the material by which the object is imprinted upon, the use of a higher quality paper denotes a higher value for the object, as well as the apparent detail in its production. Only a society with an advanced economic system is capable of allocating so much resource into a single representation, more so that the object is presumably for entertainment purposes. Most cultures that give priority to the arts are those whose economies are capable of allocating value to something that does not satisfy man’s basic needs but its wants. These civilizations, like that of the Italian Renaissance, the Aztec civilization, Egypt and Rome, use graphical representation to please a society satisfied with life. The same could be said of the economy and society that produced this object. It could be deduced that economically and socially, a majority of those living in the culture whence the object came from have their basic needs, food, water, shelter and security satisfied. Hence, they can allocate more in the pursuit of entertainment, education and other abstract needs. It could be seen that the culture is first technologically advanced, and second, is economically capable of obtaining materials for production. First, the paper in which the object consists of is glossy, not easily tearable, and water resistant and fine wired. This could only be a result of technological processing. The colors used in the paper can only come from pigments. In various cultures, it is only those with advanced economies which could lead to the middle and lower classes, and small objects, being painted with such detail. Ecological Context Ecology has at its maxim that the strongest population has the greater chance of passing on its traits to its off springs and thus enduring. The stronger population can secure resources, protect against attacks and obtain more space. Thus, rooted in ecology is the desire to be above others. In a sense, the appearance of a Superman would signify complete ecological dominance. That a culture would idealize a concept like this signifies that that culture, in terms of ecological population, has secured food, space and security from other neighboring populations. That the logical next step for this culture would be provided by an outside, or extraterrestrial source since all terrestrial aspects can be deemed fulfilled. The materials of which the object is composed of also give a clue that the civilization it belongs to is capable of producing synthetic material. Production of synthetic material is primarily a result of two things, scarcity of natural resources, or economic superiority by which materials can be obtained without touching one’s natural resources. Summary/Closure: The object can be said to be a means of entertainment and storytelling. It portrays a being with superhuman powers coming into Earth and protecting it. This object is a result of and shows different anthropological aspects of the culture that produced it. Biologically, the object can be perceived as the product of man’s desire to improve himself, and also his awareness of his limitations. The object also shows man’s capabilities throughout history to utilize its abstract thought to derive pleasure and ideas from the surroundings. Man’s innate curiosity has lead to the production of myths, featuring beings with supernatural powers, which serve as both answers regarding questions about the natural world and representations of the civilization itself. Throughout history myths have propagated, portraying the general psyche of a civilization. Methods of passing stories from one person to another includes oral, which became written, which as evidenced by this object became a combination of both. The depiction of men with supernatural powers have in history, generally been a representation of the strength and power of a civilization. The depictions of heroes that are larger than life exhibit a culture’s greatness. The wide spread indulgence of this can only come if all basic needs of the people within the culture are satisfied. Then the culture can indulge in other fields. The object signifies that in the culture that produced it, the basic needs are supplied, that help will come from others, not from other nations. The use of this object means that the society is willing and capable of allocating resources to personal entertainment. By looking at the object, one may be able to make deductions regarding its use and the culture that produced it. However, these deductions may or may not hold true, and requires much more evidence to be able to get a thorough knowledge of the culture. REFERENCES Harris, M. Culture. People, Nature: An Introduction to General Anthropology. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1975. Keesing, Roger M. Cultural Anthropology. Sidney: Holt, Rinehart and Wilson, 1976.

Implications of Information Technology in Developing Countries Essay

The survival and growth of organizations in an increasingly turbulent environment would depend upon effective utilization of information technology for aligning the organizational structure with environmental preferences and for creating symbiotic interorganizational structures. How can IT help the organizations in responding to the challenges of an increasingly complex and uncertain environment? How can IT help the organizations achieve the flexible organization structure? These are the topics that remains to be a matter of question for many developing countries. Although Information technology is still a .black box . technology for developing countries, it is largely applied in industrialised countries to the disadvantage of the majority of developing countries. This paper will try to illuminate the aspects and the impact of Information Technology in managing organizational change and its implications for developing countries. 1. Introduction The rate and magnitude of change are rapidly outpacing the complex of theories. economic, social, and philosophical on which public and private decisions are based. To the extent that we continue to view the world from the perspective of an earlier, vanishing age, we will continue to misunderstand the developments surrounding the transition to an information society, be unable to realize the full economic and social potential of this revolutionary technology, and risk making some very serious mistakes as reality and the theories we use to interpret it continue to diverge..-Arthur Cordell(1987). We have modified our environment so radically that we must modify ourselves in order to exist in this new environment..Norbert Wiener(1957) The survival and growth of organizations in an increasingly turbulent environment would depend upon effective utilization of information technology for aligning the organizational structure with environmental preferences and for creating symbiotic interorganizational structures. How can IT help the organizations in responding to the challenges of an increasingly complex and uncertain environment? How can IT help the organizations achieve the .flexible. organization structure? These are the topics that remains to be a matter of question for many developing countries. This study will try to illuminate the aspects and the impact of Information Technology in managing organizational change and its implications for developing countries. 2. Aspects of Information Technology Information technology (IT) may be defined as the convergence of electronics, computing, and telecommunications. It has unleashed a tidal wave of technological innovation in the collecting, storing, processing, transmission, and presentation of information that has not only transformed the information technology sector itself into a highly dynamic and expanding field of activity – creating new markets and generating new investment, income, and jobs- but also provided other sectors with more rapid and efficient mechanisms for responding to shifts in demand patterns and changes in international comparative advantages, through more efficient production processes and new and improved products and services (e.g. replacing mechanical and electromechanical components, upgrading traditional products by creating new product functions, incorporating skills and functions into equipment, automating routine work, making technical, professional, or finan cial services more transportable). The development of IT is intimately associated with the overwhelming advances recently accomplished in microelectronics. Based on scientific and technological breakthroughs in transistors, semiconductors, and integrated circuits (â€Å"chips†), micro-electronics is affecting every other branch of the economy, in terms of both its present and future employment and skill requirements and its future market prospects. Its introduction has resulted in a drastic fall in costs as well as dramatically improved technical performance both within the electronics industry and outside it (Malone and Rockart, 1993). The continuous rise in the number of features on a single micro-electronic chip has permitted lower assembly costs for electronic equipment (each chip replacing many discrete components), faster switching speeds (thus faster and more powerful computers), and more reliable, smaller, and lighter equipment (fewer interconnections, less power and material). Similar dramatic falls in costs occurred in the transport and steel industries in the nineteenth century and in energy in the twentieth, associated with the emergence of the third and fourth Kondratiev cycles, respectively. The potential effects of microelectronics are thus very far-reaching, for its use in production saves on virtually all inputs, ranging from skilled and unskilled labor to energy, materials, andcapital. All sectors of the economy have been influenced by the development of IT applications: information technology opens up greater opportunities for the exploitation of economies of scale and scope, allows the more flexible production and use of labor and equipment, promotes the internationalization of production and markets, offers greater mobility and flexibility in capital and financial flows and services, and is frequently the precondition for the creation of innovative financial instruments. Information system developments are constantly being applied to increase the productivity, quality, and efficiency of finance, banking, business management, and public administration. In manufacturing, and to some extent in agriculture, many processes have been automated, some requiring highly flexible, self-regulating machines, or robots. The engineering industry has been transformed by computer-aided design and three-dimensional computerized screen displays. The pace of technological change in IT will most likely accelerate the already observable growth in the interdependence of international relations not just economic or financial, but also political and cultural. National economies have become more susceptible to the effects of policy decisions taken at the international level, and domestic economic measures are having increased impacts on economic policies of other countries. World markets for the consumption of similar goods are growing, and so are common lifestyles across national borders. The advance of telecommunications and computerization has recently enabled large companies to use information systems to transmit technical and economic information among numerous computer systems at different geographical locations, subjecting widely dispersed industrial plants to direct managerial control from a central location; this affects the international division of labor and production and international trade, changing the patterns of industrial ownership and control, altering the competitive standing of individual countries, and creating new trading partners. It is the integration of functions that confers on information technology its real economic and social significance. More than just a gradual and incremental technological evolution leading to improved ways of carrying out traditional manufacturing processes (i.e. simply the substitution of new technologies for existing systems and the rationalization of standard activities), IT offers the opportunity for completely new ways of working through systems integration. Rather than applying one item of new technology to each of the production functions now performed at distinct stages of the production process, i.e. design, production, marketing, and distribution (in what could be called â€Å"stand-alone† improvements or â€Å"island automation†), having evolved in to new technologies, i.e. Enterprise Resource Planning systems, IT offers the possibility of linking design to production (e.g. through programmable manufacturing, measuring, and testing equipment responding to the codification of design), planning and design to marketing and distribution (e.g. through a variety of computer aids and databases that sense and collect changing market trends), production to distribution (e.g. by automatically incorporating orders and commissions by customers and suppliers into the production process), etc. The complete integration of all these production subsystems in a synergistic ensemble is still more a long-term trend than a reality, but use of automated equipment to link together individual items of equipment belonging to hitherto discrete manufacturing operations has already made IT a strategic issue for industry. More technical advances are expected soon in the automation of telecommunications and the linkage of computers by data transmission that will enhance the possibilities of systems integration. Such â€Å"programmable automation,† or computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), has the capability of integrating information processing with physical tasks performed by programmable machine tools or robots. CIM offers radical improvements in traditional problem areas confronting manufacturers, such as: – reduced lead time for existing and new products; – reduced inventories; – more accurate control over production and better quality production management information; – increased utilization of expensive equipment; – reduced overhead costs; – improved and consistent quality; – more accurate forecasting; – improved delivery performance (Miles et al., 1988). These features characterize information technology as a new technological system, in which far-reaching changes in the trajectories of electronic, computer, and telecommunication technologies converge and offer a range of new technological options to virtually all branches of the economy. Moreover, IT forms the basis for a reorganization of industrial society and the core of the emerging techno-economic paradigm. The reason for the pre-eminence of the new technological system clustered around information technology over the equally new technological systems clustered around new materials and biotechnology is the fact that information activities of one kind or another are a part of every activity within an industrial or commercial sector, as well as in our working and domestic lives. Almost all productive activities have high information intensity (some involve little else, such as banking or education). Further more, along with the premier of internet technology and e-business architectures; powerful concepts like inventory control, supply chain management, customer relationship/service management, and management resource planning through the internet under the name of Enterprise Resource Planning have enabled IT to be capable of offering â€Å"strategic† improvements in the productivity and competitiveness of virtually any socio-economic activity. Other than industrial or commercial sectors, information technology is also applicable in education sector and in public institutions. Thus, Information Technology is universally applicable. Probably only a fraction of the benefits derived from information technology-based innovations have so far been reaped and the rest remain to be acquired in the next decades. The shift towards systems integration to capitalize the full potential benefits of IT requires considerable adaptations, learning processes, and structural changes in exis ting socioeconomic institutions and organizational systems. The tradition in most current organizations is still to operate in a largely â€Å"disintegrated† fashion, reminiscent of the Ford-Taylorist management approaches that dominated the fourth Kondratiev cycle: high division of labor, increasing functional specialization/differentiation and de-skilling of many tasks, rigid manufacturing procedures and controls, long management hierarchies with bureaucratic decision-making procedures and a â€Å"mechanistic† approach to performance. Under these conditions, use of IT is restricted to piecemeal technology improvements. By contrast, information technology-based systems offer organizations the opportunity of functional integration, multi-skilled staff, rapid and flexible decision-making structures with greater delegation of responsibilities and greater autonomy of operating units, a more flexible and â€Å"organic† approach enabling a quick adjustment to changing environmental conditions. (Piore and Sabel, 1984.) But this means that information management skills require the ability to make choices about the optimal arrangements for particular situations: unlike earlier generations of technology, IT offers not a single â€Å"best† way of organization but a set of more or less appropriate alternative organizing, staffing, and managing options that may be adopted in different organizational contexts. There is no â€Å"determinism† in the way information technology influences the socioinstitutional framework. Therefore, organizational innovation is a crucial part of the requirement for firms to adapt to survive (Miles, 1988). Unfortunately, this is true for all the institutions as well. Further, it is even more dramatic for the organizations in developing countries because of not being able to properly adapt to this so-called .black-box. technology. No matter how frustrating it is interpreted for these countries, IT still has significant impact on their development. Although socio-economic structure of these countries resists organizational or institutional changes, the complex interrelations between these changes and information technologies have significant implications for the way IT does and will affect the societies and economies of developing countries. As a matter of fact, the negative and positive potential impacts of IT on these countries are a matter of great controversy among economists and politicians. The main short term issues usually discussed are the potential erosion of the comparative advantages of low labor costs, particularly in relation to assembly facilities, and the effects of automation, particularly on internal markets and international competitiveness. Implications of information technology for those countries hold great importance. 3. Implications for Developing Countries The first direct effect of the â€Å"micro-electronics revolution† was the location of production for export in third world countries. While production of mainframe computers continued to be located largely in industrialized countries, production of smaller computers and of microelectronic devices, more subject to price competition, was shifted to low-wage locations, mainly in East Asia, where countries presented low wage costs as well as political stability, a docile labor force, and government incentives. Location of production for local and regional consumption followed, but the countries concerned were mainly middle income: three quarters of US investment in third world micro-electronic industries was concentrated in 11 countries, namely the four Asian â€Å"dragons,† India, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia (Steward, 1991). Export-oriented investments in these countries were associated more with direct foreign investment from larger firms in industrialized countries than with firms producing for the local market; on the other hand, licensing was more associated with smaller firms (Tigre, 1995). The automation of production decreases the relative importance of labor-intensive manufacturing and cost of labor, thereby eroding the competitiveness of low labor costs. For instance, automation led to a sharp decrease in the difference between manufacturing costs of electronic devices between the United States and Hong Kong: in manual processes, manufacturing costs were three times higher in the United States, and the introduction of semi-automatic processes made the difference practically disappear (Sagasti, 1994). Equally, the expansion of automation in Japan has contributed to a reduction of Japanese investments in the Asia/Pacific region involving firms in electronics, assembly parts, and textiles (Sagasti, 1994). The trend to increasing systems optimization and integration is most likely to induce large producers in industrialized countries to bring back a significant share of their production located in developing countries (offshore production). This movement has been called â€Å"comparative advantage reversal.† As integration increases, with functions previously obtained by assembling pieces being incorporated in the electronic components, value-added is pushed out of assembly processes into the components themselves and upwards towards servicing. In addition, the growing technological complexity of electronic devices increases the value of the parts manufactured by firms located in industrialized countries The amount of value-added obtained in offshore assembly has thus been constantly decreasing (Sagasti,1994). Global factories constructed in locations of least cost, often at a considerable distance from final markets, were economically worthwhile because labor was one of the major determinants of costs. Technology and rapid responsiveness to volatile local markets are becoming more important components of competitiveness. The reduction of product cycles due to the growing resistance to obsolescence of programmable machines and equipment has led to a concentration of manufacturing investment in capital-intensive flexible manufacturing, further adding to the erosion of the comparative advantages of developing countries. The assembly of systems will probably continue in some developing countries that have adopted protective legislation for local production targeted at particular market segments (e.g. Brazil), although this is changing very rapidly (Steward, 1991). The types of equipment produced under these circumstances are used largely in internal markets and are hardly competitive on the international level; they tend to be far more expensive than comparable equipment available abroad, and often their installation and use are also more costly because of expensive auxiliary installations, under-use, and lack of management skills. Nevertheless, they may at least provide the country with the capacity to follow the development of information technologies more closely. In other countries, assembly of equipment is taking place from components bought practically off the shelf, but as the level of hardware integration and the amount of software incorporated into the chips (firmware) grow, valueadded will be taken away from the assembly process, reducing or eliminating its economic advantages. The introduction of microelectronics requires certain new skills of design, maintenance, and management, as well as complementary infrastructural facilities such as reliable telephone systems and power supplies. Deficiencies in these factors prevent the widespread adoption of information technology in developing countries (Munasinghe et al., 1985). The more advanced developing countries, with a wider basis of skills and infrastructure and a more flexible labor force, may be in a better position to adopt IT and to increase their productivity and their international competitiveness. But the less developed countries, with inadequate skills and infrastructure, low labor productivity, and lack of capital resources, will find it difficult to adopt the new technologies; they are likely to suffer a deterioration in international competitiveness vis-à  -vis both industrialized and the more advanced developing countries (Stewart et al., 1991). Quality, too, requires an adequate level of skills, infrastructure, and managerial know-how that is generally lacking in developing countries. This greatly reduces the synergies, number of options, faster responses, and more informed decisions that can be implemented in the firm by the optimization of the systems performance. In turn, the composition of the labor force existing within firms located in industrialized countries will further improve their systems performance and further reinforce the advantages derived from automation. The proportion of the labor force employed in production is constantly decreasing in the industrialized countries, implying that performances at the systems level and innovation, not manufacturing, are becoming the key to profit, growth, and survival (Sagasti, 1994). Like biotechnology, information technology is a proprietary technology, vital technical information regarding design engineering specification, process know-how, testing procedures, etc., being covered by patents or copyrights or closely held as trade secrets within various electronic firms from industrialized countries. Many companies in the software area do not patent or copyright their products because it entails disclosing valuable information, and firms are generally reluctant to license the more recent and advanced technologies. Therefore, technology transfer takes place mainly among established or important producers, hindering the access to developing countries. Moreover, the main issue facing developing countries is not so much the access to a particular technology but to the process of technological change, because of the dynamism of this process. Sagasti implies this issue in the book The Uncertain Guest: science, technology and development (1994) that recent trends in int er-firm relationships seem to indicate that this access takes place essentially through the participation in the equity of the company holding the technology.

Communication and Problem Solving Research Paper

Communication and Problem Solving - Research Paper Example gh team satisfaction have resulted from creativity in conflict resolution by dedicated team members seeking to create a culture of mutual respect combined with effective communication. In the article by Ken Pierce (p.60), the conflict arose as a result of building tension between an office scheduler and one of the physicians regarding a perceived negligence on the part of the physician to adequately carry his workload of patients. Lack of effective communication between them led to a breakdown of working cooperation which eventually involved management. There are actually several components to this particular conflict. The staff scheduler has made assumptions regarding the physician, â€Å"since the weather is nice, Jones is taking off with a couple of colleagues to go sailing or play a round of golf. After all, he always sports a dark tan, comes to clinic late and leaves early.† She sounds resentful at feeling forced to assume an extra workload as the result of his choice not to see patients, â€Å"having cancelled clinic twice this month already†. She also has internal filters that judge his level of commitment to the team. She appears to be operating from a position of intolerance and micromanagement. The scheduler, feeling manipulated and disrespected on several levels, opts not to show him the professional courtesy of discussing the situation with him by involving management to resolve the issue. The physician appears to act from a position of insensitivity and disrespect. He is insensitive to the needs of his patients, the seemingly unnecessary workload for the scheduler, and disregards what is involved in rescheduling the patients more than one time in a month. He exhibits disrespect for her position in asking her to breach trust with the patients and lie to them about why he can’t see them, and, possibly disrespect for his fellow team members, as well as the business, in not honoring his commitment to see patients. This is evident in his

Most Wanted Transportation Improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Most Wanted Transportation Improvement - Essay Example Board saw the need to alert the public about the different safety regulations which have to be imposed and which have to be complied with in the transportation sector. The safety of Emergency Medical Services flights, more particularly the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) flights were recently added to the list. The NTSB accurately pointed out that the mission of the EMS is to save lives; therefore, operating an EMS flight in an unsafe environment â€Å"just makes no sense† (Rosenker, as quoted by Air Safety Week, 2008). This most wanted improvement identified by the NTSB involves the â€Å"conduct of flights with medical personnel on board in accordance with commuter aircraft regulations† (NTSB, 2009). This improvement is also being described in terms of developing and implementing flight risk evaluation programs; requiring formalized dispatch and flight-following procedures plus up-to-date weather information; and installing terrain awareness and warning systems on aircrafts (NTSB, 2009). In 2006, the NTSB adopted the NTSB Special Investigation Report where they sought out to establish the importance of the EMS and of guaranteeing the safety of these flights. This report assessed EMS accidents from January 2002 to January 2005 and they were able to uncover about 55 EMS accidents during said time with 29 of these accidents preventable through corrective measures (SafeMedFlight, n.d). Most of these flights involved helicopters deployed by the EMS where, most recent figures registered a total of 35 casualties. The preventable nature of these accidents is an important indicator of the need to implement changes and improvements in EMS flights. The report above prompted the NTSB to seek the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in order for the latter to adopt measures in order to improve the safety of EMS flights. The NTSB was able to establish, during its investigation and assessments, that there seem to be less stringent

Martin Heidegger Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Martin Heidegger - Article Example He practiced phenomenological analysis of human existence in an attempt to access being, with reference to the temporal and historical character. He also discussed the nihilism of modern technology, and its generated society and tried to correlate the thoughts and perspectives of the western philosophical tradition with the question of being. He employed methods of phenomenology to pursue metaphysical goals. The perspective of phenomenology was established by the German thinker Edmund Husserl. Phenomenology is the science of consciousness and the related objects. Husserl tried to analyze the human consciousness. He proposed that consciousness is an intentional act. "Intentional" means that it is directed towards an object. Heidegger tried to analyze the phenomenon of "being" in a different way from which Husserl tried to interpret it. Heidegger's philosophy has much in similar with the philosophy proposed by Edmund Husserl. Husserl's basic idea was that the mind is directed towards objects under aspects. One orients or directs ones emotions towards an object. Thereby directness becomes a unique feature of the mind. The suggestion was that the mind responds to what is before it in a direct and spontaneous manner. 'Heidegger himself who is supposed to have broken with Husserl bases his hermeneutics on an account of time that not only parallels Husserl's account in many ways but seems to have been arrived at through the same phenomenological method as was used by Husserl' (R Dostal 1993).The Cartesian tradition has been foundation for phenomenology. Husserl is of the opinion that one can reach the phenomenological attitude, based on the detailed analysis of the content of consciousness, from natural attitude, based on actual world and related affairs by the application of methodological procedure. Freedom from preju dice and achievement of purity is possible through phenomenological reduction. Heidegger believes that phenomenology is based on separate analysis of consciousness. The Cartesian tradition of depicting reality was something against which Heidegger reacted. Heidegger's equation of subjects and objects was quite different. He suggested that when a subject is totally engrossed in something his mind need not be focused on every action that is going on in the process. S/he can carry on two or three mental activities at the same time. 'Heidegger calls this kind of every day skillful coping 'primordial understanding' and the entities 'ready to hand' (B Magee 1987). But if there is a problem with the routine we will consciously think about it. This is what Heidegger defines as "unready to hand". When we are in the action of closing a door or washing clothes we will do this activity while letting our mind wander in other areas. But if the door becomes suddenly heavy or if a cloth gets torn we will start thinking about the action in which we are involved. So according to Heidegger there is a different equation between subjects and objects at different ti mes. Perception is not a direct, neutral activity. It is embedded in the situations which are an inevitable part of it. When we are in a contemplative mood we are able to perceive objects in a different manner. We see that object not in terms of its use but we see it in terms of its components. The structure of the object becomes apparent to us. This state can be termed 'present at hand'. We see the objects as separate from its function. The hammer we use

Components of Quantitative Approach Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Components of Quantitative Approach - Assignment Example Findings from this research proved that there were many diverse understandings of differentiation, even for the educators who undertook professional growth in this area (Koeze, 2007). This finding confirmed that employing a mixed approach to data gathering and understanding the quantitative data through the interpretive orientation of symbolic interactionism was the suitable methodology for this research. Miller’s research, on the other hand, was meant to study the quantitative research literature concerning the effects or consequences multi-grade classroom organizations have on student cognitive, as well as affective outcomes. Miller’s study found out that being a learner in a multi-grade class neither does not unenthusiastically influence academic performance nor learner social attitudes and relationships (Miller, 1990). Finally, Maleyko’s research studies the impact of No Child Left behind Act on school achievement and accountability. According to the research er, States have the skill of statistically manipulating their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) implementation. This may give a fake impression to people that AYP is a reliable measure of a school’s success (Maleyko, 2011). The findings from this research proved that the exploitation of the NAEP evaluation is an efficient technique to examine the reliability of AYP among states. Evaluation of the Approach In Patricia’s study, quantitative data gathering was carried as a way or means to draw broad relationships from the information. Findings from the quantitative data collected guided the researcher on the way to organize the qualitative study (Koeze, 2007). From the wide relationships revealed through quantitative findings, qualitative methods were utilized in exploring these wide relationships further and hunt for explanations, which could only be revealed by classroom interviews and observations. Such methods of collecting data make the research extremely accurate, and the findings from the research could be used to enhance elementary education. Miller’s research, unlike Patricia’s, strictly maintained a quantitative approach to come up with the findings (Miller, 1990). The researcher provided a summary of quantitative studies, which were intended to determine the distinctions in student achievement between learners registered in multi-grade and single classrooms. According to the researcher’s findings, there is minute or no distinctions in the achievements of learners enrolled in multi-grade or single classrooms. However, it is risky to follow such findings as only depending on numbers to come up with your conclusion can be dangerous. Finally, Maleyko’s research, The Impact of No Child Left behind Act on School Achievement and Accountability, uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to come up with its findings. The literature review of the research recognizes the measurement worries with the execution of AYP, th e advantages of AYP, the unintentional upshots, along with the hardships involved with setting up school accountability and the efficient and unproductive provisions of the NCLB change (Maleyko, 2011). The findings could be considered valid since the research incorporated both numerical and empirical techniques to come up

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Research Paper Example Often, online reviews and responses are invaluable promotional resources for most companies. Streitfeld, 2013, addresses serious questions on the credibility of promotional strategies applied by companies based on online review rankings. The article addresses most pertinent issues to online marketing and promotions based on review ratings. First, it addresses challenges of an increase in online retail purchases prompted by increase in cases of industry of fibbers and promoters focused on buying and selling raves for a pittance. Streitfeld, 2013, maintains that there increasing instances of falsified online reviews to help companies promote their goods and services. High necessity for positive reviews by businesses and companies rendered the review system a struggle of superiority because no corporation accepts low ratings. The article highlights challenges of a high demand for positive reviews by businesses and companies as a struggle of supremacy in which every enterprise intends to ensure favorable competition. Streitfeld, 2013, uses an example of Sandra Parker, who served under contract by a company to fabricate Amazon reviews for $10 each. Parker’s role was to neutralize the effects of insincere reviews posted by customers for various companies to with favor and expand market dominance. According to Streitfeld, 2013, reviews lose meaning if illegitimate reviews get the same prevalence similar to those that are honest. The algorithm was successful because it was possible to distinguish honest reviews and fake reviews. According to the algorithm, false reviews are narratives addressing their experience at the firm using many superlatives without a vivid description of the facts. There is a high prevalence in the use of illegitimate and misleading reviews on company or business websites. Consequently, it is misleading for consumers and influences their product choice. Relevant regulations should be in place to regulate misleading reviews set

I will upload the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I will upload the topic - Essay Example The first Patrick Farrell image does not distort the loss of lives in the wake of the earthquakes, instead, it ethically represent a human tragedy. There is a human tragedy in Haiti and the images work well in describing depth of the tragedy to the readers. The photographs gave the depth of the strategy and mobilized support for rebuilding Haiti. Perhaps there could be no other way of making the image more touchy and real. The images are both equally timely because they tend to depict the events following an earthquake in Haiti and the rescue operations taking place. Because Farrell did not face any threat while taking the photos, he did them in a timely manner. All the photographers went all out to publish graphic images and justified their actions by loading what they could bear at the catastrophic scene. It was necessary for Farrell to tell the world, in black and white, how horrible the situation in Haiti. Although some Haitians disagreed with the act of airing insensitive and dehumanizing images, the images successfully passed the message to the world that the earthquake was intense and has consumed lives of many. The disaster was immense and it required intervention from the international community who could only be successfully drawn by understanding the depth of the disaster. The photojournalists aim was to mobilize massive humanitarian action and was deemed an essential aspect of covering the disaster. The images worked well in ensuring that the photojournalists deliver what readers need to see by creating complete and accurate visual report. Farrell made his images real and passed an information that the damage was continuous and that the situation was cruel. It is worth noting that the more the Haiti’s horrific loss was shown in the media the rate of international aid increased. Since the disaster did not involve war casualties, it was necessary to emphasize on the graveness of the natural disaster. The culture that censors visuals

Logistic Trend in Asean Countries Essay Example for Free

Logistic Trend in Asean Countries Essay ASEAN logistic Trend and Preferences ASEAN logistic trend and preferences have been dramatically changing since the world’s economy and production growth have been shifting toward ASEAN countries. However, the high logistic costs among these countries are unable to promote high quality and wide range of logistic service to international customers. Still, these countries acquire to eliminate the high costs to provide customer satisfaction and being cost efficiency. The inefficiency of logistic in ASEAN countries, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, is mainly due to lack of skilled and professional personnel, insufficient support of facilities and infrastructure which can raise defect the movement of cargos and distribution goods. For example, in Singapore has professional skilled workforce, high quality and wide range of logistic services, highly efficient logistics operations and excellent infrastructure and information system had lead to more sustainable supply chains and cost effectiveness. Unlike Singapore, some of the Asian countries must build the requirements to meet supply chains efficiency. Especially Thailand wants to become a regional transport center; Thailand must improve its infrastructure linkages to connect with neighboring countries. On the other hand, these countries must be proactive to take advantage of its location because this is a golden opportunity. To provide cost saving and flexible value added services, these countries must take initiative changes and improvement to proof that they are capable of offering logistic efficiency. Meanwhile, these counties must increase the quality of its reliability of inventory management and order fulfillment . i. e they must keep up with the effective and efficient logistic service. To fulfill the customer’s order, the logistic service in these countries must know the right product, right quantity, right condition, right place, right time, and right customer at the right cost. Focusing on existing network coverage is also a key to success in logistic management for these countries because it is a very important criterion where company can attract international trade customers. It is most likely that transportation is the most outsourcing logistic activity at inbound and outbound supply chain. Other out bound logistic activities are warehousing which is value added service, packaging, and labeling. Transportation, warehousing, freight forwarding must be managed well in order to provide cost effectiveness and high quality logistic service which can achieve high customer satisfaction. Finding Supply Chain Solutions Technology can help individual to improve their supply chains, cost efficient, high productivity, and customer satisfaction. Technologies nowadays are so advanced that they can provide any possible solution for supply chains and productions. The latest software offers to promote demand planning, advanced planning and advanced scheduling. They can also minimize the wastage and maximize productivity level at lower long term operation costs with high quality. Nowadays, many of the manufacturer and enterprise use technology to increase their revenue. When comes to warehousing, technology can improve performance efficiency by calculating the right storage at the right space, minimizing defective or expired product, delay and maximizing efficiency. In considering the huge quantity and diverse categories of products, holding costs and production costs must be managed with the right method. Implying low cost and random selection of inefficient storage could cause delay delivery, cost of lost of sales, the transportation of goods, and high incidence of missing stock. To avoid these barriers, the most up to dated computer software is available to assist the logistic manager to track delivery, freight forwarding, order fulfillment and ultimately customer service. When the company decided to set up a plan, he must take into account of transportation cost. It must meet customer’s needs and cost effective, and order fulfillment at any situation. So it requites to consider locations of plants and market place, actual distance of linkages, frequency of delivery, number of routes, volume of goods, product categories, and on time delivery. Supplier Development When it comes to business, all managers must be proactive and innovative. They also need to build and keep loyal and close relationship with their supplier. On the other hands, in the market economy system, everyone is supplier in one way or another. So having single supplier is not smart choice to play the game in the free market. Having one or few suppliers can cause not only limited control but also threats to the business. Thus, the best ways to be proactive and cost effective is having multiple sources or supplier which provides lowers costs, and innovation. But need inspection to monitor the quality. In order to do so, the companies should be able to outsource its production. In outsourcing, it is most likely to reduce the fixed cost and other costs. So developing alternative sources for raw material, manufacturing, or transpiration is likely to account for value chain. A smart business man would construct the strategic sources of supplier to avoid risks. Then they are willing to keep closed relationship with major suppliers by partnership to share costing, investment, and long term agreements. It is true that building loyal supplier relationship is competitive advantage in logistic management. Targeting New Potential Market Muslims world is becoming next target for logistic services considering the estimated 1. 7 billion consumers across the world. Now, it is time for the manufacturer and logistic service provider to shine among the Muslims. The consumer needs and wants Halal that they can trust and rely on. Thus, the Halal compliance should be addressed to the sourcing and distribution because this is a potential opportunity for the logistic to accumulate as a new mega trend. As the opportunity and benefits seem to be huge, the investment is also a large one. To provide perfect logistic service, it is require understanding the market, culture, religion, way of consumption point and behavior in Muslims societies. The new standardization is compulsory in inters of supply chain which is material and information flows through manufacturing, transportation, storage, warehousing, distribution. So, the companies must select the targeted location of production and distribution, imply and conduct the new standards, control high quality and safety of food to gain huge potential growth of market.

Chinas Take Over Of Hong Kong History Essay

Chinas Take Over Of Hong Kong History Essay The peoples of Republic of china took over Hong Kong in 1997.China had promised to keep a capitalist economy in Hong Kong for 50 years. Still, many Hong Kong business people (and their families) have migrated to other nation such as Canada and Australia. Discuss the impact of this situation on Chinas Political and Social environment. Introduction Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and maintains a high degree of autonomy except in matters of defense and foreign affairs. It has well-established institutions that support the rule of law and a vigorous civil society. The Basic Law, the SARs constitution, was approved by the PRC in 1990. It provides for the protection of fundamental rights and calls for progress toward universal suffrage and further democratization after a 10-year period, starting with Hong Kongs July 1, 1997, reversion to Chinese sovereignty. The Chief Executive is chosen by an 800-person selection committee composed of individuals who are either directly elected, indirectly elected, or appointed. The Chief Executive supervises a cabinet of principal officers whom he appoints. The power of the Legislative Council (legislature) is significantly circumscribed by the Basic Law. The legislature is composed of 24 directly elected members representing geographic districts, 30 indirectly elected members representing functional (occupational) constituencies, and 6 members elected indirectly by an election committee. It was the economic and social forces unleashed in 1979 in Chinas open door policy and Hong Kongs response to them that may ultimately determine their fate. Given the disparity in the level of economic development and the differences in the economic system between Hong Kong and the mainland, there are obvious benefits to greater integration and this entails making the border more permeable. Managing the permeability of the border has to become an integral part of all economic and social policies within Hong Kong as the two matters will have implications for each other. The period prior to 1949 was one where there was perfect permeability and standards of living were similar between Hong Kong and the mainland. The period between 1949 and 1979 was one where there was essentially no or very limited permeability and standards of living were therefore permitted to diverge between the mainland and Hong Kong. In both periods the government was able to pursue a laissez faire system without any fundamental inconsistency. This is no longer the case with the opening of China. Summary China Take over in a Hong Kong in 1997, there was a carnival atmosphere. In another, a somber rally and March followed by a candlelight vigil. Its clear that one year before China takes control; the people of Hong Kong are divided in their feelings. A period of more than 150 years of British colonial rule ends at midnight on June 30, 1997 when Hong Kong and its 6,000,000 people will be handed over to China. Despite a warning that they will not be allowed to enter China, seven elected Hong Kong officials vowed to go ahead with a trip to Beijing. They will be carrying a 50,000 signature petition protesting Chinas plans to replace the legislature with an appointed body. We are afraid that our free lifestyles, the rule of law, will not be preserved after 1997, pro democracy legislator Emily Lau told the cheering, clapping crowd. Governor Chris Patten urged Hong Kong residents to standup for their freedoms. . Nominal GDP, Per Capita GDP and Foreign exchange rates were all on the increasing side. Due to high exports between 1994-1997 and imports their trade balance has been at a surplus causing their nominal GDP to increase through out the years. Nominal GDP million US$ 1994 130,808, in 1995 139,238 and in 1997 173,045. From 1994-1997 Hong Kongs foreign currency reserves increased exponentially from $49.3 billion in 1994 to $92.8 billion in 1997. The reason for this increase is primarily due to a very well managed trade balance. The interest rate environment in Hong Kong provided an excellent backdrop for the equity markets. MIGRATION IN HONGKONG The peoples of Republic of china took over Hong Kong in 1997 and promised to keep a capitalist economy in Hong Kong for 50 years. However, many Hong Kong people have migrated to other countries. From 1984 to 1997, due to the uncertainty of the transition back to China, thousands of well-educated and wealthy Hong Kong citizens moved to countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States, where they obtained permanent residency status or citizenship. 1 CAUSE OF MIGRATION .Difference in economy system in china and hong kong China is a communist country where socialist economy system holds while the people of hong kong followed capitalist economy . Fear in the stability of government People of Hong kong where worried regarding stability of government so they migrated to other nations. Competition in market Due to the implementation of capitalist economy in Hong kong many big and reputed companies headed towards hong kong and thus the competition of the market became tough. Thus it was very difficult for some business people to continue their business effectively. Corruption is a major problem:- Corruption in Chinese government was one of the major cause that people of hong kong was afraid of. They were not satisfied with the policy of Chinese government where corruption exists. Unsecure future The business people thought that their future was not secure as the government had implemented the law for only for 50 years and so it might happened that their next generation might have to struggle and face the socialist economy. The working class worried that 1997 might usher in chaos and the middle class fears the loss of property and freedom. Freedom of migration Hong Kong residents being free to move in and out of the territory, and they do not have to declare the purpose of their movements to the authorities. This freedom of movement, much valued by the local population, has been enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration about the future of Hong Kong beyond 1997.There was no rule of giving any reasons for the migration to any authority PEST Analysis: . 1. POLITICAL ANALYSIS Prior to July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was a British dependent territory. A British-appointed governor, representing the British crown, headed the Hong Kong government and exercised authority over civil and military matters. An Executive Council advised the governor on all important matters and a 60-member Legislative Council (known as Legco) enacted laws and oversaw the budget. With the territorys transfer to China in 1997, leadership passed from the last British governor, Chris Patten, to a Chinese chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa A The British control of Hong Kong began in 1842, when China was forced to cede Hong Kong Island to Britain after the First Opium War. In 1984 Britain and China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which stipulated that Hong Kong return to Chinese rule in 1997 as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China . China is in a state of transition now. Being a socialist country, it has carefully changed its political system in recent years, while dramatic changes have taken place in its economic system. In 1979, China started its open policy and economic reform. The Chinese government persisted on carrying out the political guideline of developing economy and enriching Chinese The Joint Declaration and a Chinese law called the Basic Law, which followed in 1990, provide for the SAR to operate with a high degree of economic autonomy for 50 years beyond 1997 B people. Legal System The governments efforts to promote rule of law are significant and ongoing. After the Cultural Revolution, Chinas leaders aimed to develop a legal system to restrain abuses of official authority and revolutionary excesses. In 1982, the National Peoples Congress adopted a new state constitution that emphasized the rule of law under which even party leaders are theoretically held accountable C. 2. ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS Hong Kongs prosperous economy is reflected in the lifestyle of its people. They have one of the highest standards of living in all of Asia, and it is more than 30 times higher than Chinas average standard of living. In 2006 Hong Kongs per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was $27,679.20, although much of the wealth is concentrated into relatively few hands D. Foreign Investment Chinas investment climate has changed dramatically in a quarter-century of reform. In the early 1980s, China restricted foreign investments to export-oriented operations and required foreign investors to form joint-venture partnerships with Chinese firms. Foreign direct investment (FDI) grew quickly during the 1980s, but slowed in late 1989 in the aftermath of Tiananmen. However, the Chinese Governments emphasis on guiding FDI into manufacturing has led to market saturation in some industries, while leaving Chinas services sectors underdeveloped. China is now one of the leading FDI recipients in the world, receiving over $80 billion in 2007 according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce E. FOREIGN RELATIONS Since its establishment, the Peoples Republic has worked vigorously to win international support for its position that it is the sole legitimate government of all China, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. In the early 1970s, Beijing was recognized diplomatically by most world powers. Beijing assumed the China seat in the United Nations in 1971 and has since become increasingly active in multilateral organizations. Japan established diplomatic relations with China in 1972, and the United States did so in 1979. As of March 2008, the number of countries that had diplomatic relations with Beijing had risen to 171, while 23 maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan F. Hong Kongs greatest growth and development occurred after the Communist takeover of China in 1949, when the commercial and shipping functions of Guangzhou and Shanghai shifted to Hong Kong.. Hong Kong served as Chinas window to the world during the Chinese administration of Mao Zedong. After Maos death in 1976, Hong Kongs role as a banker to China, and as its supplier of information, technology, and capital, intensified G. The Impact of Chinas Entry into WTO on Car Industry China is successful in attracting foreign investment. of income tax. On the other hand, the Chinese car industry has been protected by special policies that limit foreign investment. According to the current Chinese policy on motor industry, Ford will establish a joint venture with 50% share with Chang An Automobile Company in Sichuan Province. Chang An Automobile Company is the 3rd largest car manufacturer in China, which has the experience of car-making for more than 20 years. 3. SOCIAL CULTURAL ANALYSIS China is a multinational country, with a population composed of a large number of ethnic and linguistic groups. The Han (Chinese), the largest group, outnumber the minority groups or minority nationalities in every province or autonomous region except Tibet and Xinjiang. The Han, therefore, form the great homogeneous mass of the Chinese people, sharing the same culture, the same traditions, and the same written language. For this reason, the general basis for classifying the countrys population is largely linguistic rather than ethnic. Some 55 minority groups are spread over approximately three-fifths of the countrys total area. Where these minority groups are found in large numbers, they have been given some semblance of autonomy and self-government; autonomous regions of several types have been established on the basis of the geographic distribution of nationalities. H Education is free and compulsory for all children from the age of 6 to 15, and adult literacy is over 90 percent.. The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts offers courses in dance, music, theater, and technical arts. There are also more than a dozen technical institutes, technical colleges, and teacher-training colleges, which have large numbers of part-time students I. RECOMMENDATIONS China has experienced a stable political system (which is considered totalitarian) with rapid economic growth for more than 10 years, but some political risks still exist. The Chinese government is still insisting on its communist and totalitarian policy, there is no guarantee that China will continue to its open policy and maintain the rapid GNP increase. China also has an unsatisfied human right record; corruption exists in some economical activities in China, all these will be obstacles to foreign investment. Although the legal system of China is adequate to protect foreign investment, the violation of laws by some local authorities will be a potential risk to our investment. Entry Time and procedure Although the car industry is declining in the US and Europe, it is still a suitable time for Ford Motor Company to invest in China. As the 2nd largest car manufacturer in the world, Ford had been waiting patiently to enter the Chinese Market for more than 20 year. Some other world-famous car manufacturers (such as Volkswagen, General Motor, Toyota, etc.) had already started their business years ago, but we do not consider that it is too late to enter the Chinese family car market. Ford has been producing its Transit van in China for many years. The productivity and sales are not as good as expected because of the high cost (price) and limited production. . CONCLUSION Its my first pleasure to do something special kind of project related to Business Environment. With the help of this project I able to learn few special things that was really fantastic and completely unknowing before completion of this project. This experience was really outstanding . This essay applies a historical-institution approach to assess the impact of this situation on Chinas legal and political institutions. In each case historical and institutional trends are described, and the effects of legality on these trends are examined. The topics include changes in economic structure and the rate of growth of GDP, formal legal institutions and legal behavior of the Chinese people, and the forces toward the development of democratic political institutions.

Tajikistan labour migration and its implications

Tajikistan labour migration and its implications Introduction Background Labour migration and remittances are one of the most evident globalisation phenomena in Tajikistan. According to UNDP Human Development Report (2005) and World Bank (2008) from 600,000 to 1,500,000 Tajik citizens migrated overseas for work in 2005 and remittances being sent by them constitute staggering 36% of national GDP of Tajikistan. Remittances are proven to be large source of external finance stimulating consumption which in turn has a very positive effect on economy, especially on services sector. According to World Bank (2005) remittances are considered as the second biggest source of development finance after foreign direct investment. While remittances serve as an important social stabilising factor, they can also act as means of internal investment and boosting in this manner local development. My analysis will focus on the role of remittance savings either in leveraging to borrow from banking systems to invest in activities such as small businesses, or in directly financing them, which as the result improve the economic welfare of migrant households in both rural and urban areas. This dissertation will be based on analysis of data sources coming from various researches conducted by international organisations and research centres about Tajikistan labour migration and its implications. I will also examine the dynamic strategic aspects of interaction between the migrant and the remittance-receiving relatives and asses the benefits of particular types of motives under remitting. Furthermore, I would like to model hypothetical usage of savings out of remittances to business opportunities and asses the implications. The Republic of Tajikistan Tajikistan is the smallest country in the Central Asia and situated in south-east part of that region. 93% of Tajikistan consists of mountains, and more than half of the country lies on an altitude higher than 3000 meters above sea level. This leaves the countrys population of approximately 7 million people to reside and produce mainly in the remaining 6.52% of arable land, struggling with landslides, earth quakes, mudslides and unreliable access to clean water.. What is more, the countrys mountainous areas not only challenging for agriculture, but also contributing to a regionalisation and division of the country as the mountain ranges separate east from west, and north from south. These regional complications became particularly pertinent during the 1992-97 Civil War where, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG), between 60,000 and 100,000 people died, approximately 600,000 were internally displaced and 80,000 left the country, including a significant amount of the Slav population. The ICG estimates the cost of the war to U.S. $7 billion, and in this way significantly slowing the countrys modest attempts for post-Soviet recovery. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the devastating Civil War, the country has experienced a significant decline in living standards through a rise in unemployment and poverty, and a deterioration of infrastructure, health care and education. Furthermore, the country lost its previously established export markets, sources of supplies and subsidies from Moscow (accounted to almost 40 percent of government revenue) (European Observatory on Health Care Systems, 2000). According to Trade and Investment Division (2001), â€Å"Between 1991 and 1997, the level of GDP diminished by more than 60 percent which significantly reduced the living standards of the less protected part of the population.† (p. 252). All these above mentioned factors urged Tajikistan to accumulate foreign debt, which reached $880 million US dollar by 1998. It is worth state that Tajikistan has comparative advantage in growing of cotton, which is considered as cash crop and main source of foreign exchange (World Bank Poverty Assessment Tajikistan Update). Namely the export of cotton coupled with aluminum helped the country to restore external balance. Although cotton is strategically important, the growing of that crop entails difficulties with extensive irrigation and profitability nowadays. FAO (2008) claimed cotton growers in Tajikistan were indebted about 100 million US dollars due to dramatic drop in prices for raw cotton in 2000. All these difficult situations have encouraged considerable labour emigration and a return to a more patriarchal society based on religious beliefs and old traditions as survival strategy when the traditional mans role as the main bread winner of the family is being challenged. Poverty and Migration Tajikistan was the poorest among the Soviet Union republics and nowadays, it remains the poorest country in Europe and Central Asia region. According to World Bank Poverty Assessment Tajikistan Update, Tajikistans mean per capita income by 1989 was less than half of that in Russia. Its national income per capita was less than 200 US dollars. After gaining of independence, figures were even deplorable; 81 percent of population lived under poverty line in 1999 (less than 2.15 US dollars per day at purchasing power parity). (Source TLSS 2003 and TLSS 2009). The unofficial unemployment rate was around 30%. After the end of civil war and some years of stability and peace Tajikistan experienced substantial improvements in poverty rates, which dropped to 64 percent in 2003. However, still, this is the highest rate of poverty when compared to that of poor countries in Commonwealth of Independent States, like Kyrgyzstan (54 percent in 2001) and Moldova (45 percent in 2002). (Source: Poverty A ssessments for respective countries.) Poverty rates in rural areas are higher than in urban areas. In 2003, the proportion of poor people was 65 percent in rural areas against 59 percent in urban. (World Bank Poverty Assessment Update). Provided that 73 percent of the population of Tajikistan lives in rural areas the poverty can be considered overwhelmingly rural. (World Bank Poverty Assessment Update). Given that Tajikistan has the youngest population structure of the former Soviet countries with 70 percent aged under 30, poverty is overwhelmingly among young and economically active part of the population. Lack of income means lack of opportunities: not only loss of access to food, health care and education, but also the loss of the ability to choose and control ones own life. Poverty destroys human capital and has an adverse impact on social relations, leading to violence and instability. (Saodat Olimova) Furthermore, in 2007, Tajikistan experienced the hard consequences of strong rise in international food and fuel prices; especially it is felt by people of Tajikistan. While the impact of the higher fuel and food prices and misguided market interventions of the government have been felt by everyone, many households in rural and mountainous areas seemingly are on the verge of destitution. While many vegetable prices have increased between 20-30% in the last 11 months, wheat flour has increased 81-131%, and cooking oils from 118-139%. All the while, real wages for unskilled laborers (which are too low to cover household costs to begin with) have increased by a mere of 20% (by 6% in KT). In short, wages are not keeping pace with the dramatic increases in food and fuel prices. Traditional lepeshka now cost 1 somoni of the 44.61 somoni an average teacher or nurse earns a month. Clearly, people have to find ways to survive and migration seems the only plausible way to do so. Thus, it is hard to improve ones living conditions in Tajikistan, and many find themselves forced to seek employment abroad. Furthermore comparatively improved economies of Russian Federation and other CIS countries create an appropriate environment for migration from Tajikistan. According to a year 2006 International Organization for Migration (IOM) survey on trafficking from Tajikistan, 96.9% of the approximately 1 million migrants from Tajikistan go to Russia in search of work. 1.4% of the migrants work in Kyrgyzstan, 0.7% in Kazakhstan, and another 0.7% in Ukraine. Also, according to an IOM report conducted amongst 2000 migrants in 2002, with follow-up amongst 4000 migrants in 2003, these migrants were 85% men and 15% women in 2002. Amongst men, the age groups 18-29, 30-39 and 40-49 all make up approximately one third of the migrant mass each. Olimova and Bosc divide these age groups into two, corresponding to the traditional life cycle in Tajikistan: â€Å"sons† of 18-29 years, and â€Å"fathers† of 40-49 years. The first group migrates mainly to make money to establish his own family, whereas the second group goes abroad to be able to feed his family and organize the traditional ceremonies for his children. In average, 68.5% of the migrant s are married, and 22.6% live together as in marriage in Tajikistan, but without official registration. The last group consists mainly of youth between 15 and 19 years of age. Theoretical Background GREGORIAN, D. MELKONYAN, T. (January 2008) Microeconomic Implications of Remittances in an Overlapping Generations Model with Altruism and Self-Interest, IMF Working Paper, WP/08/19. This publication illustrates the dynamic strategic aspects of interaction between the migrant and remittance receiving relatives and shows the various microeconomic implications under each particular circumstance of interaction. Gregorian and Melkonyan analyse the plethora of motives for remit in terms of altruistic and self interest behavior of the remitter. In addition, they consider the scenario where two parties could work out self-enforcing contracts to implement choices that maximise their total surplus. They also discuss both the migration and the remittance patterns in Armenia with a particular focus on push and pull factors. The main part of the paper contended an empirical estimation of the microeconomic impact of migration and remittance in Armenia on hours supplied to the market, education spending, savings and borrowing behaviour from commercial banks. In the words of Gregorian and Melkonyan, â€Å"this evidence [of the paper] suggests that the benefits of remittances might be overstated and emphasises the importance of measuring their impact in a general rather than a partial equilibrium context†. In conclusion, the authors suggest that there is a need for either direct or indirect policy measures in shaping the remittance flows and their impact on the behaviour of remittance receiving households. This article inspired me to deepen my research of the dissertation topic in terms of analysis of not only the quantitative pattern of remittances but also the behavioral aspects of this phenomenon. That is, whether the remitter has altruistic or self-interest motives while sending money back home and what the possible outcomes are under each circumstance. I will also consider models and regression methods used in the paper to estimate possible impacts of remittance on labour supply, education spending and saving/borrowing behaviour in Tajikistan. Furthermore, the above paper put forward a vague, but at the same time, ambitious notion of potential policy measures that should be taken in order to promote remittance saving for the creation of small business and entrepreneurial activities in households, which I believe will be a crucial part of my dissertation. GIULIANO, P. RUIZ-ARRANZ, M. (March 2006) Remittances, Financial Development, and Growth, Journal of Development Economics, doi: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2008.10.005 This paper examines the relationship between remittances and growth, and in particular the influence of local financial sector development on a countrys capacity to take advantage of remittances. Giuliano and Ruiz-Arranz underline the importance of remittances in promoting economic growth whilst looking specifically at the interaction between remittances and the financial sector. This publication is considered to be the first paper to provide evidence for both complementarity and substitutability between remittances and financial development in promoting economic growth. The authors make use of newly constructed data for remittances covering 100 developing countries and illustrate that remittances boost growth in countries with less developed financial systems by providing an alternative way to finance investment and helping to overcome liquidity constraint. They also suggest that there could be an investment channel through which remittances could promote growth especially when the financial sector does not meet the credit needs of the population, where remittances act as a substitute for financial services. I plan to make substantial use of the concept of interaction between remittances and the financial sector in growth in my dissertation, as the issue of leveraging and borrowing from banking systems by remittance-receiving households is central to my dissertation topic. In particular, I want to look at the possibility of commercial banks opening lines of credit for remittance-receiving households, based on the earning of the migrant. Additionally, I will consider this papers analysis of cyclical properties of remittances to assess whether they are procyclical and predominantly profit-driven or countercyclical. Accordingly, I aim to analyse the relationship of Tajikistan GDP and capital flows and see if they are correlated. PALEI, L.V. KOROBKOV, A.V. (2007) Migrant Remittances in the CIS: The Financial and the Socio-Economic Impact, Paper presented at the International Studies Association 48th annual meeting, Chicago, IL. This paper studies the current labour migration trends in the countries of the CIS and analyses the role of remittances as a means of socio-economic stabilisation in labour migrant source countries. It also provides the core causes of migration and its aspects in the context of a globalising world. Moreover, the authors examine how remittances could play an important role in the development of the country and what policies governments should adopt in order to better utilise the development potential of remittances. The paper is valuable as a source of background information on the causes and nature of migration processes in countries of the CIS. It also provides figures on the total number of migrants and remittances sent by them. Moreover, the authors identify remittances as one of the major stabilising factors of an economy and justify this by presenting statistics on remittances as a percentage of national GDPs. The important thing about this paper was that it focused very much on Tajikistan as one the major labour migration source countries. UNDP (2005) Central Asia Human Development Report, UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. This report studies the level of human development in Central Asian Republics. Throughout the report, the importance of increased regional cooperation in economic and other spheres of activities is repeatedly underlined. While mentioning some of the significant vulnerabilities of the region as being, for example, largely landlocked- the report also highlights the newly emerging opportunities availability of natural resource and being surrounded by fast developing countries. In conclusion, the report stresses the necessity to continue the process of reform in different sectors of economy. This report is a good source of so called country â€Å"baseline data†. It provided statistics on economic, demographic, social, and environmental aspects of a countrys development. Additionally, it looks specifically at the issue of labour migration and its economic, social, and cultural aspect. Being prepared by UNDP an organization, particularly active in Tajikistan- the report gains additional reliability and accuracy. AMUEDO-DORANTES, C. (2006) Remittances and Their Microeconomic Impacts: Evidence from Latin America, Journal of Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 187-197. Amuedo-Dorantes provides an overview of the remitting patterns of migrants, from Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru, working and residing in the United States. She summarizes the microeconomic impacts of remittances, particularly on spheres of employment, business ownership, education and health care investments. Furthermore she emphasises the importance of remittances as a resource for the accumulation of human capital investments in education and health and as a determinant of employment patterns in remittance-receiving households in developing economies. This publication gave me the idea concerning the appropriate categorisation of purposes of remitting into two broad groups; consumption, which consists of food/maintenance, purchase of a vehicle, recreation/entertainment expenses and debt payment; and asset accumulation/investment, which consists of construction, repair or purchase of a house, purchase of tools, livestock, agriculture inputs, start/expand of business, education and health expenses and savings. BORJAS, G.L. (1999) The Economic Analysis of Immigration, in the Handbook of Labor Economics, Vol 3a, 1698-1757. This particular paper investigates labour market affects of immigration in both the host and home country. Borjas emphasises the measuring of relative skills of immigrants and evaluation of implications of relative skill differentials on economic outcomes. The author focuses on different environments and premises where the human capital of the source country influences the labour market of the host country. That is, an analysis of the factors that determine the skills of immigrants; a discussion of the implications of the income-maximization hypothesis for the skill composition of the self-selected immigrant flow, an estimation of how the skills of immigrants compare to those of natives -both at the time of entry and over time as immigrants adapt to the host countrys labor market, an examination of the concept of economic adaptation with analysis of the relationship nature of an immigrants â€Å"pre-existing† skills and the skills that the immigrant acquires in the host countr y, and finally, an evalution of the impact of immigration on the wage structure in the host country. This paper provides an important and basic understanding of the affect that immigration has on the economy of a host country. I will use the models and generalisations found in Borjas paper to analyse the migration pattern between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation. Furthermore I will use them for policy recommendation and measures in my dissertation. LEE-NAH, H. (2007) Outcome evaluation of HIV program in Tajikistan, Final report, Retrieved July 12, 2008 from http://www.undp.tj/files/ev/ev_report.pdf. The evaluation study outlined in the report was commissioned by UNDP, Tajikistan and is aimed at assessing the impact of two HIV related programs which were implemented in the country. These programs dealt with working on HIV prevention and mitigation in the following target groups: labour migrants and their families, prisoners, habitual drug users, sex workers, school youth, etc. The evaluation methods used included the thorough review of relevant documents and statistics, interviews, and site visits. The report provided an in depth analysis of the current situation with AIDS/HIV in Tajikistan and an indication of the success rate of the implemented programs, concluding with a set of recommendations on different levels of intervention and target groups. The report presented a very good source as a synthesized analysis of different documents and statistics available on HIV in Tajikistan. Specifically, it provided statistical data on the overall official number of people infected in the population (while also citing unofficial estimates), prevalence figures, and broke down the infected persons into different groups (including labour migrants). It also outlined the efforts which are being made to prevent the proliferation of HIV among labour migrants and recommendations to improve this process. The report, however, did not specifically feature any future projections of HIV infection spreading due to increasing number of labour migrants and their exposure to countries with much higher prevalence figures than those in Tajikistan. Remittances and Financial Sector in Tajikistan â€Å"Migration from Tajikistan and the consequent remittances have been unprecedented in their magnitude and economic impact.† IMF, Alexei Kiriyev, page 4-5 The measuring of remittances magnitude is still not definite: