Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India Essay

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India - Essay Example The violence that broke out was patterned on the themes of political/religious intolerance and ethnic cleansing. Pertinent issues of concern include the lack of proper police response, as well as organized perpetration of crime that went unabated by concerned security agencies (in Delhi). The involvement of government officials will be discussed, as well the Indian Army’s role-play. The massacre of the Sikhs in Punjab, India was an organized crime that was supported by the government following the assassination of Indira Gandhi who was Prime Minister at the time of her death, having had a massive influence on India’s political landscape because of her relation to Mahatma Gandhi, India’s most revered personality. The massacre led to the death of many people and destruction of a lot of property following the effective organization of the massacre. It is during her administration that the Indian Emergency (the 1970s) was imposed with this subsequently resulting in the detention of thousands of Sikhs who were politically agitating for some form of autonomy (Deol 78). During this era, sporadic violence was present, resulting from the increased armed activity of an armed Sikh separatist group. The Indian government’s apt designation of this separatist group as a terrorist entity further worsened the already tense political atmosphere (Deol 75). This culminated in the commencement of Operation Blue Star, where Prime Minister Indira ordered an attack on the Golden Temple by the Indian Army. This was in response to the violent occupation of the Temple by Sikh separatists, who being viewed as insurgents, were reported to have been stockpiling weapons (Singh). Her tough stance towards the group resulted in this direct order that was to focus on eliminating any insurgents founds, with later armed operations initiated in the larger Punjab state’s countryside.Indian paramilitary forces were commanded to clear any separatists that were hosted in the countryside with no option of negotiation (Rana).

Interactive Simulation Paper Essay Example for Free

Interactive Simulation Paper Essay Workplace discrimination can be reflected in many ways, gender, age group, race, nationality or disability and can have legal and fiscal consequence for a company (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are some of the laws and regulations that make discrimination unlawful in the conditions and terms of job, for example hiring, evaluation, and promotion. Its important for administrators to identify different types of discrimination and defend against employees in the place of work (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). The measures a company may have the appropriate adjustments for employees with disabilities, or those with a known drug abuse problem, the employees with a known drug abuse problem, the companies must have an arrangement on announcing a pre-employment in addition to a post-employment alcohol and drug test. An employee with a drug abuse issue may be in the company code of breach. The company can offer technique to re-employ the employee in matters of rehabilitation status is complete. Alternatively if the employee has an alcohol abuse the company should inform the employee of internal or external counseling aid or treatment (UOP, 2014). The alternatives for the employee are termination, counseling or therapy, or warning. These solutions can benefit the employee and employer. As for disable persons applying for a job, there is The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) employment agencies, labor unions, and joint labor-management committees (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). Executive agencies of the United States government are exempt from the ADA, but these agencies are covered instead by similar nondiscrimination requirements and additional affirmative employment requirements under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). The challenges may include inaccessible equipment or amenities or perhaps a procedures or regulations should meet the criteria. Good accommodating dismisses these challenges for a disabled employee. This where the ADA brings in companies to establish accommodations for their disabled employees, . Therefore, they appreciate the privileges and benefits of the  employment. Factors according to perso nality, attitude toward work, and future upward mobility should be considered when hiring. A candidates goal-settings, work attitudes, and, are considered elements that justify the process of employment. These characteristics are essential and effective to the companies modern office environments. In addition, applicants may believe a possible discrimination towards themselves regarding the company but it is not the case in the hiring process. The two applicants selected were a female and Judaic. The female employee made accusations of sexual harassment regarding two co-workers in her work group and had assumptions of her manager behavior was unjust when evaluating her work performance concerning the reported accusations. The issue should examine thoroughly, and companies indeed react with the professional manner in this sort of conduct to remain clear of any sexual harassment. The Judaic employee reported of his religious beliefs on the project given to him by a manager regarding the advertisement of a meat product. This was altered for the employee regarding religious af filiation but costly. This cases that have arisen with the two candidates selected had legal advice from the company Legal Counselor for HHP. Her choices include credentials and abilities for the workplace; not sex, impairment of faith, and not race. The company president concerns with a female employee working in the surroundings of a white male environment and Manager, the Executive Director uncertainty of employees support of African-American rights in addition to feminist status. These characteristics should not be an interest of concern in the hiring process (UOP, 2014). Title VII is a federal government law and a work contract, verbal or written and should comply with the laws and regulations of the job. Title VII may bypass the job atmosphere and conditions specified in a written job agreement between a company and worker. The job contract wont bypass Title VII; but, Title VII will bypass the contract. Before Title VII, the company could employ and terminate an employee for any given reason. Title VII forbids discrimination in employing, firing, coaching, promotion, discipline or any other office decisions. (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cover all private employers, state and local governments, and education institutions which use fifteen or over persons (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). A work agreement doesnt permit or  legalize any action of discrimination t hat is covered by Title VII. Title VII overrode the job atmosphere and office conditions (Bennett-Alexander Hartman, 2007). Religious values should be accommodated with a good faith effort by the company (UOP, 2014). Moreover, the Executive Director was worried about the employee having the ability to travel to deal with customers; however he is a protected under the rules of ADA. With the introduction of the latest technology could allow the specific employee to able to teleconferences or net conferences with customers and still meet his job conditions (UOP, 2014). Reference Bennett- Alexander, D. D., Hartman, L. P. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. UOP. (2014). Simulations: Preventing Workplace Discrimination [Multimedia]. Retrieved from UOP, MGT/434 website.

The UK Property Market

The UK Property Market Residential Property The United Kingdom enjoyed serious property boom for over a decade. The property boom slowed down when the economic meltdown commenced in 2008. During the boom years the value of property in the United Kingdom soared, and in some cases the value of properties rose by over 200 percent (Cameron, 2005:5). One of the main factors for the boom was that the economy had a long period of sustained growth, furthermore the interest rates were regulated by the government and kept low. Added to these factors was an upsurge in property investments fuelled by both local and foreign investors. Finally the government kept a tight control on the number of new houses built during that period, so that effectively demand outstripped supply (Cameron, 2005:5). Currently, the bubble in the property market in the United Kingdom has burst and the market is currently undergoing some reforms. Prices are no longer rising as fast as they were some years ago and there is now an oversupply of houses in the property market as home owners are reluctant to sell in this current state. The effect of this is that supply of properties out stripes demand in residential property (Ruddick and Moore, 2010:1). The economic slowdown affected all sectors of the property market, however the price of houses in London are slowly picking up and this is due to the weak pound that has made a lot of foreign investors to come in to the UK and invest in properties (Evening Standard, March 30, 2010). Stake holders are arguing that the Carlsberg review of residential properties should be the bench mark for carrying out reforms in the residential sector as well as all the other sectors of the property market. Furthermore, the reforms currently going on is aimed at producing better and more information to customers, this lead to the introduction of the Home Owners Information Package (HIPs). The government plans to regulate the property market, especially the estate agents so that it will no longer be an all comers affairs. Finally, there is now a standards board in the property industry, although they have limited powers. On the other hand, the residential property market in Europe is different from the property market in the UK. The residential property market in the UK encourages people to buy their own homes, unlike in Europe, where the emphasis is more on long term renting (Oswald, 1999:10). Credit is readily available in the UK in order to assist home owners to buy properties, unlike in Europe where it was not easily available (Oswald, 1999:10). However all this has changed as the residential property market in Europe is undergoing some reforms that has had a great effect on the residential, commercial and industrial properties all over Europe. It appears that most European nations are copying the UK model and are now encouraging its citizens to be home owners instead of renting. Spain is a good example (Oswald, 1999:7). Furthermore, with the opening up of the EU, Europeans can now move to any EU country and acquire property, this factor has greatly affected the property market in the EU, because capital can now be moved easily and investors in one part of the EU can take advantage of cheap properties in any other part of the EU. Finally, it appears that for eight years starting from 1990, the reforms and gains of the real estate market in the United Kingdom were modelled on the system of the United States; however for six years starting from 1998, the property market in the United Kingdom appeared to be harmonized with that of its European neighbours (Lee, 2009:32). Commercial Property and Industrial Property Commercial properties are scarce in the UK and demand exceeds supply. This among other factors led to a boom in the commercial property sector. However there appears to be a slump at the moment as Commercial property in UK was also affected by the global economic down turn. However current reports indicate that the commercial property sector in the UK is picking up and investors are starting to snatch up prime commercial properties (Evening Standard, March 30, 2010). The commercial property yield in the UK is quite impressive and high compared to its European neighbours. On the other hand, commercial properties in Europe also appear to be booming. The European economy is recovering and a lot of foreign investors are investing in commercial properties in Europe (Oswald, 1999:7). The economic meltdown has also affected the growth of commercial property in Europe and the sector is also undergoing reforms just like the market is undergoing in the UK. Most EU countries have put legislation in place in order to allow real estate investment trusts (Oswald, 1999:27). This legislation will make it easier for foreign investors to invest in the commercial property sector and inject the much need funds in order to keep the commercial property sector booming. Finally the demand for industrial property is low in the UK. This is due to the fact that a lot of industries are closing down due to high cost of labour and the strong Pound Sterling. Companies are moving their operations to Europe and other areas where it will be cheaper for them to operate. While in Euro pe the demand for industrial property is booming, due to the stability of the Euro as well as the economic prosperity in the Euro Zone. Furthermore due to some recent EU Directives, setting an industry in some EU countries is now a lot cheaper and easier than it used to be. (B) The five major skills that I acquired in the university are as follows: communication skills, multi-tasking, organizing skills and time management skills, IT skills and interpersonal abilities. The main purpose of communication is to convey ones message to recipients. Good communication takes many forms such as speaking, writing and listening (Heller, 1998:6). I gained my communication skills in the university through course work presentations, seminar discussions, formal training sessions and face to face meeting with my course leader. These range of activities helped me to acquire my verbal and communication skills in the university. I improved my verbal and communications skills in the university by devoting time to the three key elements of effective communication, which are, effective initial preparation, effective structuring of my material and effective delivery of my material (King, 1992: 14). Finally, the art of getting ones message across effectively is a vital part of being a good manager (Heller, 1998:1). Communication skill will help me in future because no matter my status within an organization I will be giving instructions to my colleagues, superiors or juniors and these instructions can range from simple instructions or requests to complex instructions. I also gained IT skills and interpersonal abilities while studying in the university. We had a specialized IT unit in the university that offered training and support to students. I went for many lectures and training that the IT unit organized on campus. We had a large IT laboratory on campus and each student had a password that allowed the student access to any of the personal computers in the IT laboratory and there was always an IT specialist to offer technical support to any student that was experiencing difficulties. Inter personal abilities is basically about getting on well with your colleagues. I was in a university with people from different cultures and backgrounds. I also lived in the hostel and I had three flat mates all from different cultures and backgrounds and we to share the same living room and kitchen. These are the factors that helped me gain inter personal skills while studying in the university. The explosive growth of information technology in recent years highlights the need and importance of IT skills (Pearlson Saunders, 2006:7). In future if I work in an organisation I could be asked to take on any tasks that require different skills at different times. Finally, most organisations are now a mix of people from different cultures and backgrounds, therefore my interpersonal skills as well as communications will benefit me, if I find myself working in such multinational organisations in the future. One other skill that I gained while studying was multi-tasking and organizing skills. These two skills are essential skill (Crenshaw, 2007:15). I gained this skill by taking part in different activities in the university. As an undergraduate you are introduced to many different activities and some of them have no relationship with one another. I was introduced to so many different activities that involved different tasks to accomplish. I gained organising skills by been involved in many societies on campus. The effect of this was that I had to organise my time effectively and efficiently between my course work and my other activities on campus. This skill will help me in future due to the fact that I can cope in a busy working environment. Furthermore, I can be versatile and engage in different activities that are not related. Finally, I will be able to organize and balance my personal life and my working life. The last key skill that I acquired while in the university was time management skills. Time management is all about determining ones priorities. There is usually a lot to accomplish in the university. When you acquire this skill you can then be able to determine your priorities. I gained this skill my making a daily ‘to do list the day before and I usually organized my list in accordance with three criteria: the importance/urgency of the task, the amount of time available and the quality of time available (Morris, 1996:73). This skill enabled me to be in control of my personal life and academic life. This skill will help me function well under pressure and make me be in control of my work load in any organisation I find myself working for in future. Bibliography Cameron, G (2005) The UK Housing Market, Economic Review, University of Oxford Journal, Oxford Crenshaw, D (2007) The Myth of Multi-tasking, Key Organisations System, London Heller, R (1998) Communicate Clearly, Dorling Kindersley, London King, A.G (1992) Effective Communication, Blackstone Press, London Lee, S (2009) Is the UK real estate market converging with the rest of Europe? Journal of European Real Estate Research, Vol.2, Issue 1, 18-32 Morris, B (1996) First Steps in Management, Library Association Publishing, London Oswald, A.J (1999) The Housing market and Europes Unemployment: A Non-Technical Paper, Economic Department, University of Warwick, Warwick Ruddick, G and Moore, M (2010) UK Housing Market: Double Dip Fears, Telegraph on line can be assessed at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/houseprices/7539267/UK-housing-market-double-dip-fears-subside-slightly.html > Scott, P (1996) The property Masters: a History of the British Commercial Property Sector, Spon E FN, London

Christians And Non-christian Culture Essay -- Cultural Identity Essays

In the world today there are believers and non-believers. There are those who devote themselves whole-heartedly to God and those who choose the lukewarm approach to Christianity. Regardless, humans are all from God and God is in all of them. It is the duty of the human race to unite as one under God and rise up against the evil forces of the world. In order to do this everyone, both religious and the not religious, need to be aware of and recognize the lifestyles of each other. Non Christians should at least study the Philosophy of Christianity, as Christians should explore the philosophy of infidelity. Justin Martyr found discussion with Tryphno very stimulating because the two ended up sharing similar viewpoints on important religious philosophies. (Justin, Dialogue with Tryphno, Ch.1,2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, as in any intelligent discussion or argument, each opponent can use the knowledge of the other to put their own claim in understandable terms and analogies. (Tertullian, Apology, ch.21) By gathering facts about the non-Christian culture such as social interactions and entertainment sources, Christians can understand what kind of mind set the non-Christians are in and better explain how Christianity can improve their life. While Christians should build up relationships with other Christians, they should not limit themselves from the entire non-Christian culture because they can use it to understand the world and why God is needed. Looking into ...

Analisys Short Film Signs Essay

A. PLOT 1. Setting- In the actuality, Australia in their work office, train or public bus, room in his house, public road and a park. 2. Mood- humurous 3. Protagonist- Jason * Physical attributes- 25-30 years, white an Australian race, good looking and elegant man. * Social attributes- educated, professional, single 4. Conflict- One person against himself. 5. Rising Action- The moment when Jason glances at Tracey through the window of his office 6. Turning point- There are many turning points. * When she confesses the secret that she is watching first. * Climax- When he wants to meet with her, but he have fear to invite her to the first date. 7. Resolution- When they first meet. B. Symbolism C. Obviously all the short film is a symbolism because they express their feelings by signs Irony * Situational Irony ‘’So close and so far’’. The venue is the space between the two buildings. There is a discrepancy because he is suffering for her and he can cross the street, go to the building and ask for her. D. Poetic Justice * No found in this short film. E. Foreshadowing * Musical – The film has no dialog between the two main characters, just a soundtrack. Changes in the melody line and great track at the end of movie; in this case the music shows us the emotions of the protagonists. F. Thesis  Where do you find love? If we knew, we would all know where to look.  Sometimes all you need is a sign G. Improving the story and the movie  * What scenes would you add? A scene with the life of her for knows what kind of people she is. * What scenes you leave out? Modify? I will not modify any scene. * How would you modify the setting, the protagonist, the other characters, the dialogue? No modify * How would you change camera angles in different scenes? Yes, in a part to see what she sees. * Other changes?  I would change all the final part. The scene would be a perfect romantic encounter.

Should You Drop A Class Does It Look Bad Why

Should You Drop A Class Does It Look Bad Why SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you struggling in a class or simply not enjoying it and wondering if you should drop it?Are you worried about how this might look to colleges and future employers? Should you drop a class? Read this guide to learn about the benefits and drawbacks to dropping and how to decide whether or not you should drop a class. What Does It Mean to Drop a Class? Dropping a class means that you have chosen to unenroll in that course. In order toofficially drop a class, you often have to visit your academic counselor or the school office and fill out a form thatmay need to be signed by the teacher of that class. Many high schools only allow students to drop a class before a certain deadline. This deadline varies by high school and can sometimes be a month into the semester, halfway through the semester, or a different cutoff date.If you’re thinking about dropping a class, first make sure it’s still an available option. Ask your academic counselor or look at your school’s student handbook to find information on drop deadlines. Once you have dropped a class, you no longer have to attend it, and you will no longer receive a grade in that course. Instead, there will usually be a â€Å"W† (for â€Å"Withdrawn†) next to the course’s name, instead of a letter grade, on your transcript.This â€Å"W† will not affect your GPA.If you drop the class early enough, usually within the first few weeks, your transcript may not even show the dropped class. However, if you miss this deadline, your transcript will show that you withdrew from the course, even if you sign up for a new course in its place. If you drop a class and later decide to retake it, you will have to retake the entire course, no matter how far along the course was when you dropped it.Also, your transcript will usually show that this wasn’t your first time enrolling in the class and that you retook it (sometimes with an â€Å"R† next to the letter grade received). After you drop a class, you may need to enroll in a new course to take the place of the one you droppedin order to have enough credits to graduate on time, but this isn't always required. Your advisor will explain if this is something you need to do. Why Might You Want to Drop a Class? There are a number of reasons a student may want to drop a class, including: You signed up for too many honors or AP courses and don't have enough time to devote to all of them. The course you signed up for is not what you expected it to be, and you no longer find it interesting or useful. You signed up for too many classes above the normal high school course load and need to drop one. You don't like the way the class is being taught and feel you won't learn much from it. The class you signed up for is too challenging, and you don't think you'll be able to pass it or get a good grade in it. Your interests or future college major changed, and you decided to take classes in a different field. The class you're in is too easy, so you are dropping it and changing to a more advanced version of the class or the next course in the sequence. Why Might Dropping a Class Be Bad? Students often worry that dropping a class will hurt their chances of getting into their top colleges. They may think that colleges will see them as quitters or not intelligent if their transcript shows that they dropped a class or classes. Students may also worry that dropping a class will prevent them from graduating high school on time because they won't be taking enough credits that semester. Why Might Dropping a Class Be Good? Dropping a class is much better for your GPA than failing a class or getting a C or D in it isbecause a dropped class does not affect your grade point average. Dropping a class may also raise your GPA because itcan allow you to spend more time on other classes and raise your grades in them. If you are really struggling with a class, dropping it can also significantly reduce your stress and anxiety. Should You Drop a Class? Clearly thereare positives and negatives to dropping a class. So when does it look bad to drop a high school class?Read through the next section, asking yourself the seven questions listed below, to help you decide whether it would be best to drop a class or stick with it. Consideration 1: What Grade Are You Getting in the Class? If you believe you will fail the class or get a low grade no matter what you do, it is usually better to drop it, because getting a C, D or F can significantly hurt your GPA and usually looks worse to colleges than dropping a class does.If you just happened to get a low score on one test or project, you may want to talk to the teacher about the probability of improving your grade before dropping the class. It could have been just an exceptionally difficult assignment, and there will be chances to raise your grade in the future. If you are trying to get a perfect or close to perfect GPA and are worried that one somewhat low grade on your GPA will hurt your chances of getting into top colleges, it is generally OK to drop one class for that reason, but colleges would prefer to see a few B’s on your transcript rather than a lot of dropped classesbecause the latter may cause them to think you have difficulties completing things. Consideration 2:How Have You Tried to Raise Your Grade? If you are thinking about dropping a class because you are not getting a good grade, first ask yourself if you have tried to improve your grade.This can include studying more, setting aside more time to work on the class, and speaking to the teacher about ways to improve your grade.If you have already tried to raise your grade but are still close to failing, it is usually better to drop the class. If you think there are ways you can raise your grade, you may want to try those methods and see if they improve your grade before dropping the class.However, be aware of how much time is left in the semester. It’s much easier to raise your grade three weeks into a class than when the class is more than halfway over. Consideration 3:Is the Class Affecting Other Areas of Your Life? If the class you are considering dropping is so challenging or time-consuming that it is causing your grades in other classes to suffer, it’s better to drop the class.This will strengthen your transcript in the long run because, after dropping the class, you’ll have a better chance of getting good grades in the rest of your classes. The same is also true if you find a class so overwhelming that it causes you a lot of stress, anxiety, or worry. Feeling this way can cause other areas of your life to suffer, and that isn’t worth it just to stick with one class. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Consideration 4:Do You Need to Know the Material the Class Covers for Future Classes? Will the information you learn in this class be used for future high school or college classes?Not understanding the material well now, even if you pass the class, could hurt your future grades. If you are taking a class that is important to your academic and professional future but feel like you don'tunderstand the material, it may be better to drop the class and take it again in the future if you think things will be better the next time.This is a key consideration. Don’t expect to retake a class again and get a higher grade or understand the material better if the only change is the semester you took it. Potential changes that could justify retaking the class a different semester include: having the class taught by a different teacher, having more time to focus on the class because your other classes or extracurriculars will be less time-consumingthan they are now, or knowing thatyou’ll study the subject between now and the time you retake the classso that you start the class with an introductory knowledge of the material. Consideration 5:What Other Class Options Are There? Are there other similar options for the class, such as taking it at a regular level instead of honors or AP?If so, this may make it easier to drop the class and switch to a less demanding variation of it. This is an especially good option if you need the class in order to graduate because it allows you to complete the requirement, but usually with a higher grade than you would have received if you’d stayed in the original class.Colleges also prefer that you take a lower level course and get a good grade than take an advanced level with a very low grade. Consideration 6:Will Your Transcript Show That You Dropped a Class? Many high schools offer a period (often up to the first two weeks or month of class) when students can drop a class without it showing up on their transcript at all.This allows students to try out classes in a low-risk way. If this is the case for you, and you find yourself in a class you either don’t like or can’t manage during this add/drop period, you should feel free to drop the class.There will be no mark on your transcript, so colleges won’t ever see or know that you dropped the class.If you drop a class early on in the semester, try to add another class in its place so you still have a full schedule and can be sure of meeting the number of credits required for graduation. If this is a class you are required to take but found too challenging, be sure to be more prepared the next time you take it.Talk to the teacher about materials you can review before you retake the class so that the information is more familiar and you have a head start. Consideration 7:Have You Dropped Other Classes Before? Is this the first class you have dropped? If so, it is usually fine to drop the class if you find it overwhelming or not what you thought it would be, even if the dropped course shows up on your transcript.Having one dropped class on your transcript will almost never have an effect on your chances of getting accepted to colleges. College admissions officers are generally very understanding, and they know that if a student dropped one class in high school, they may have simply taken on too much or misjudged what a class would cover. However, if you have dropped more than two classes, this may be concerning to colleges because it may show a habit of giving up or not seeing things through.If you have dropped multiple classes before, try to figure out if there’s an underlying reason. Do you sign up for too many classes and find yourself overwhelmed? Do sign up for honors or AP classes but find them too challenging? Figure out why you have dropped multiple classes and work to end the cycle, whether it’s by taking fewer classes, taking more introductory classes before moving on to advanced levels, or another method. If you are worried about multiple dropped classes on your transcript affecting your college applications, you can attach a note to your application, explaining the situation and the work you’ve done to stop the pattern and improve since then.If you are an underclassman thinking about dropping a class, be aware that students often find the classes they take their junior and senior years to be more difficult, so if you drop a class or two as an underclassman, it may make deciding whether to drop an additional class later on a more challenging decision because your transcript will already show that you have dropped classes before. Summary: Should You Drop a Class? So, if you're struggling with a class or just really not enjoying it, is it OK to drop it? As mentioned above, in most cases it's OK to drop a class, especially if you haven't dropped a class before. Colleges understand that sometimes circumstances change, and having one dropped class on your transcript won't hurt your college applications. However, there are still some considerations to keep in mind. First, if you drop your class too late, you may get a low or failing grade for it, which could really hurt your GPA. Second, dropping a required class could mean you need to retake it during the summer or risk not graduating on time. And, finally, if you've dropped multiple classes already, that could negatively impact your college applications since schools may think you're not capable of following through with things you started. If you're still struggling to decide whether to drop a class, set up an appointment with your guidance counselor or academic advisor. They'll be able to look at your complete situation and help you make the best decision. What's Next? Wondering what colleges look for on high school transcripts and how strong yours is? Read our guide to learn what a transcript includes and why it’s often the most important part of your college application. Trying to decide how strong your GPA is? Learn what a good GPA is, what a bad GPA is, and where yours stands. Wondering which classes you should take in high school?We have a guide that lays out the high school classes you should take in every major subject area,as well as electives, in order to impress colleges. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Stay a While and Learn About Sojourn

Stay a While and Learn About Sojourn Stay a While and Learn About â€Å"Sojourn† Stay a While and Learn About â€Å"Sojourn† By Mark Nichol After I posted a list of synonyms for trip, a couple of readers offered sojourn as an additional alternative. Unfortunately, however, they are victims of a common misunderstanding. Sojourn is actually a near antonym of trip. It means â€Å"a brief stay.† The confusion undoubtedly arises from the presence of the syllable journ, which is cognate with the first syllable of journey and journal (as well as the last element of du jour, French and restaurantese for â€Å"of the day†). What do all these words have in common? Jour is a descendant, through the Anglo-French word jur, of the Latin term diurnum, meaning â€Å"day,† which is also the source of diurnal (the opposite of nocturnal). Journey originally referred to a day’s travel but now denotes travel of any significant duration. (Tour, though it rhymes with jour, is unrelated; it comes from the Latin word tornare, meaning â€Å"to turn.†) Journal, meanwhile, was originally a reference to a book used in church services. The meaning then shifted to any book for keeping personal or business records, and later also to daily publications. (The synonym for a personal journal, diary, is ultimately from dies, a Latin word for â€Å"day.†) Another related word is journeyman, which acquired the meaning â€Å"a craftsman more skilled than an apprentice but not yet experienced enough to earn status as a master,† came from the association of such workers with short-term projects they were (and sometimes still are) literally â€Å"day men.† So, where does sojourn come in? Perhaps the misunderstanding about its meaning stems from the connective grammatical function of the word so: â€Å"I want to travel, ‘so’ I ‘journ.’† However, it derives from subdiurnare, meaning â€Å"part of a day† (with the usual meaning of the prefix sub-) and referring to a resting period during a daylong journey. Therefore, Sojourner Truth, the nineteenth-century slave turned abolitionist and activist for women’s rights, presumably selected that name for herself because she wished not to travel toward truth, but to abide in it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)The Parts of a WordThe Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

Practical Magick and the Theme of Love essays

Practical Magick and the Theme of Love essays Practical Magic Practical Magic is a movie that was released in 1998. It is loosely based on the novel of the same title, written by Alice Hoffman. The director of the film is Griffen Dunn. Akiva Goldsmen, Robin Salicord, and Adams Brooks wrote the screenplay. The setting is New England, late 21st century. Practical Magic is the story of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, descendents of Maria Owens, a Puritan New England witch. Though very different, the two share a centuries old bloodline of magic that weaves its spells and a curse throughout their lives. The overwhelming theme of the movie is the magical power of love. The opening scene begins with a flashback to Puritan New England. Maria Owens is almost hanged for being a witch but is saved by her magic. The hanging committee consists mainly of the wives of her many lovers. Marie, heavy with child, is banished to a remote Island. Her lover does not come to rescue her. In her despair and loneliness, she casts a spell upon herself that she will never again know the agony of love. This spell becomes a curse on the legacy of all Owens women. Any man who falls in love with an Owens woman will be doomed to an untimely death. For Sally and Gillian, this was the fate bestowed upon their father. While vacationing at the beach, their father is killed (though we dont see how). Their mother heard the Death watch beetle ticking for him all day (The sound of the Death watch beetle foretells the imminent death of the unfortunate mate). She was powerless to stop it. Believing her love for him had doomed him with the Owens curse, she grieves herself to death. It was said that she died of a broken heart. The sisters are adopted by their ...

Product Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Product Innovation - Essay Example Ideation capabilities relate to organizational and managerial processes for the implementation, selection, identification and stimulation of innovation ideas. According to the results of this study, organizations adapt to distinct approaches to ideation. On the other hand, Sylvie Laforet writes an article by name â€Å"A framework of organizational innovation and outcomes in SMEs† to address innovation and its consequences in small and medium-sized enterprises (Stamm, 2005). Sylvie develops a detailed theoretical structure of the innovation’s end results, how it occurs, as well as, its effects on the financial performance of an industry. She focuses on three distinct innovations in addressing the topic of market product innovation. Sylvie states several drivers to innovation in small and middle businesses (Siddike, Amna & Kohda). For instance, quality, business, environment, a desire to succeed and improve working conditions in SMEs drive innovation. As Jennie et al des cribes the negative consequences of a resultant formalization, Sylvie focuses on the positive impacts of innovation. The positive consequences of innovation entail: improvement of SMEs’ image, reputation, cost benefits, increased financial performance, recruitment of additional labor and increase in outfitted efficiency among others. Consequently, just like Jennie et al, Sylvie states the negative outcomes of innovation. For instance, operational issues, management and financial risks: inclusive of industry’s reputation and image loss, customer and employees issues, safety, environmental and health impacts, uncontrollable industry growth and costs. Such negative outcomes of innovation are outrageous and require the large-scale, medium and small organizations to take action to manage them immediately. There are several approaches on how to overcome organizational barriers to creativity and innovation. According to Jennie et al, a firm with an explicit focus on developin g ideation practices realise that there are negative outcomes of the resultant formalization. Employees develop significant ideas for innovation and creativity. However, the extent to which an organization can involve employees in ideation is a challenging aspect, even though additional technologies make the practice realistic. Nevertheless, the management requires to identify all creative employees within the business to curb the barriers to innovation and ideation. Surprisingly, creativity within the organization might emerge from people or teams that the management least expects. It is essential for the organization to steer employees and inform them the expectations of the ideation process. When the organization identifies the creative employees and innovative ideas, the next step involves removing the confusion and create a business environment where people can utilize maximum creativity. For instance, the management can use scenarios and visualize ideas (Schottler, 2007). It i s essential to ensure that every employee and subordinate member in the business is comfortable. More so, the management should discuss the changes in the management while at the same time, work on all permissions. The SMEs or large organizations must avoid performing an act that might jeopardize the process of

Health issues(snoking) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health issues(snoking) - Essay Example They can make big changes in the body and can terribly affect the health of a person. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 poisonous chemicals including nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, tar, ammonia, metals, and various radio active compounds. Smoking increases the heart rate of the smoker and can increase the blood pressure also (Gould 2000). Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide which will block the necessary oxygen to the body tissues. Tobacco companies add ammonia into cigarettes which makes the brain absorb nicotine more vigorously than how it normally absorbs. Additives in the cigarettes increase the ‘free’ nicotine level of the cigarette which will enhance the addictive nature of the nicotine (Eysenck 1999). Smoking tobacco, whatever form it may appear (cigarettes, pipes or cigars), invites emphysema, lung cancers and similar respiratory sicknesses. The reason for almost 90 percent of lung cancer cases is nothing but smoking. Emphysema is a lung disease which is caused by chronic smoking. Stomach ulcers as well as acid reflux can also appear in smokers. Smoking will decay and stain teeth also. Tobacco also makes mouth and gum cancers. Smoking can be a reason for bad breath also. Smoking habit can make the charm of the face diminish and will invite wrinkles in the skin. Lips can turn black by chronic smoking habits. Chronic smoking habit also brings money and time loss. Smokers will have poor athletic ability compared to others. Smoking by pregnant women causes terrible consequences in newborn ladies (Oaks 2001). Babies born from smoking ladies will have various health problems including insufficient weight and asthma problems (Hoeger & Hoeger  2005). Smoking also results in heart dise ases (Bennett 1993). One of the most common problems associated with smokers is respiratory problem. Passive smokers also experience similar health problems as smokers do. Kids who are exposed to smoking will have ear infections and are

MHE514 Module 5 Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MHE514 Module 5 Case - Essay Example There is a need to utilize very defensive responses to diminish new terror threats. The only effective response is a dynamic system that can assess and monitor the threat and our vulnerabilities and respond convincingly. The main aim to restore the sense of safety and security available to the public before the September 11 debates. There is a need to monitor potential hotbeds of terrorism. The ubiquitous and continuous, the persistent observation of terrorist locations, combined with precision interdiction of terrorist cells is important. There is a need to neutralize the threat. The governments can invest in small gadgets that have a global positioning locator, sensor, communicator, and a computer. These devices can be distributed by the military to its different outposts throughout the country in order to give a comprehensive picture of enemy movements. Government borders must be highly friendly to trade, yet opaque to enemy transmission of goods or personnel. The tricky action is how to increase the trade flow and legitimate visitors while diminishing the number of harmful gadgets and illegal visitors. The countries can invest in better gadgets and adopt a different way of looking at things - instead of a border, a zone. This global system will track the flow of goods, with cooperation from other friendly countries. A smarter way to minimize damage from future ter

Country essay 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Country 6 - Essay Example exico, other sources of pollution that affect Mexico due to the activities of US includes pollution generated through automotive vehicles and pollution generated by residences. According to Chow, the pollution that is created and transferred by US onto Mexico is more than the amount of cross border pollution created by Mexico (Chow 1840). United States has shown rigidity towards export of waste to other nations, but the cost of dumping the waste produced within US is very high, due to this US based companies export their waste to developing nations. For example Intercon Solutions was held responsible for transporting electronic waste to other nations which results in pollution of heavy metal (BAN, 2011). United States have implemented strict rules and regulations regarding the issue of pollution, for example: the Pollution Prevention Act which states that the producers of pollutions are liable to seize the creation of pollution at their factories and organizations (US EPA, 2012). US believe that if pollution is controlled at the source, the organizations can enjoy several benefits such as low cost of dumping of waste. Basel Action Network (BAN) : Toxic E-Waste Exports by Chicago Electronics Recycler Uncovered." Basel Action Network (BAN). N.p., 5 July 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2012.

Automobile Brake Disc and Pad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Automobile Brake Disc and Pad - Essay Example However, in special cases such as in racing cars or for people with disability, hands may be used as a means of enhancing efficiency, according to Owen (2010). It is very interesting that many people still wonders how a small peddle, in the form of a car brake is able to stop a huge car in motion with just a slight press of the brake. Similarly, it is still a mystery to many people, how it happens, though people increasingly understand the working system of a car brake. Basically, when a driver presses the brakes with the help of the legs, a force is transmitted from the driver’s foot to the brakes via a fluid. However, since the car needs a much greater force than applied by the leg to stop, the car normally multiplies the force applied by the foot. The braking system then transmits the force to the car tires and consequently the tires transmit the force to the road where the friction law applies and the car stops (Erjavec, 2008). Car brakes are of two types, namely drum and disc brakes. Drum brakes is a type of breaking system that stops a car in motion by friction, when brake shoes are pressed against the drum. Drum brakes have many components that are important for its operation. These include drum, piston, wheel cylinder, return spring, brake shoe, stud, brake pads, wheel hub, and brake lining. The existence of these components makes it easy for drivers to stop vehicles easily by applying just a little pressure on the brake pedal (Gilles, 2005). Disc brakes, on the other hand, are a round, flat metallic pieces that spin together with the wheel. When brakes are applied against the wheel, a caliper squeezes the brake pads against the disc (rotor) thereby causing friction that makes the wheel to slow down and eventually stop. Disc brakes consist of different components such as brake pads, the caliper that has a piston and the rotor usually mounted to the hub. Research indicates that most modern cars are increasingly adopting the use of disc brakes fixe d in front of the wheels while others have disc brakes on all the four wheels (Erjavec, 2003). An example of a disc brake (brake rotor) commonly used on modern cars is the single-piston floating caliper. The most striking feature of this rotor is that it is both self-centering and self-adjusting. The caliper here is capable of sliding from side to side thereby making it move to the center every time the brakes are applied. In addition, since this type of disc lacks the spring to pull the pads away from the disc, the pads normally stay intact with the rotor. This is crucial since the pistons in the brakes have a larger diameter than those in the master cylinder. In case the pistons retract into their cylinders, the brake pedal might require several applications to be able to pump enough fluid into the brake cylinder so as to engage the brake pads (Gilles, 2005). The type of brake rotor one buys depends greatly on the type of vehicle that one drives, as well as the type of driving one does. For instance, carbon reinforced rotors were the most commonly used discs in racing cars such as in Formula One racing cars. This is based on its ability to get heated up to high temperatures needed for proper braking. However, this is no longer the case as it has been replaced by the carbon-fiber reinforced ceramic brake rotor, which is the most preferred for use currently in racing cars. This is attributed to its high performance on the road. For example, high performance cars such as the latest Porsche Carrera GT, Corvette ZR1, and Ferrari Enzo use ceramic

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and the Film Cast Away Assignment - 12

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and the Film Cast Away - Assignment Example Because of the storms, something happens when the plane is airborne and the plane crashes. He finds a life raft and drifts towards an island where he is later discovered and rescued. The events in this film affect Chuck’s hierarchy of needs (McDonough, 2012). In the film, Chuck’s physiological needs are deficient after he is stranded on the island. Physiological needs are the first level needs and are vital to an individual’s survival such as food, water, and shelter (Holzknecht et al., 2007). This need is portrayed when Chuck goes looking for water and finds coconuts that have water inside them (McDonough, 2012). Additionally, Chuck satisfies his need for shelter by improvising one by tying a raft to trees to shelter the rains and storms. Additionally, he also makes a spear to allow him to catch fish from the ocean (Zemeckis, 2000). The second need seen in the movie is that security. Maslow describes safety needs as those of safety and security (McGuire e, 2012). Throughout the film, Chuck is shown to possess and to lack security (Zemeckis, 2000). At the beginning of the movie, he creates a raft to protect himself but as the movie progresses, his raft is skewered and cannot seek shelter and protection from it. He then later seeks shelter and protection in a cave that he stumbles upon as he seeks for a shelter (McDonough, 2012). The third need that is seen in the film is the social needs. Social needs are the needs for affection, belonging, and love (Holzknecht et al., 2007). While at the island, Chuck lacks a companionship and feels lonely (Zemeckis, 2000).  

Country essay 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Country 6 - Essay Example exico, other sources of pollution that affect Mexico due to the activities of US includes pollution generated through automotive vehicles and pollution generated by residences. According to Chow, the pollution that is created and transferred by US onto Mexico is more than the amount of cross border pollution created by Mexico (Chow 1840). United States has shown rigidity towards export of waste to other nations, but the cost of dumping the waste produced within US is very high, due to this US based companies export their waste to developing nations. For example Intercon Solutions was held responsible for transporting electronic waste to other nations which results in pollution of heavy metal (BAN, 2011). United States have implemented strict rules and regulations regarding the issue of pollution, for example: the Pollution Prevention Act which states that the producers of pollutions are liable to seize the creation of pollution at their factories and organizations (US EPA, 2012). US believe that if pollution is controlled at the source, the organizations can enjoy several benefits such as low cost of dumping of waste. Basel Action Network (BAN) : Toxic E-Waste Exports by Chicago Electronics Recycler Uncovered." Basel Action Network (BAN). N.p., 5 July 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2012.

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and the Film Cast Away Assignment - 12

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and the Film Cast Away - Assignment Example Because of the storms, something happens when the plane is airborne and the plane crashes. He finds a life raft and drifts towards an island where he is later discovered and rescued. The events in this film affect Chuck’s hierarchy of needs (McDonough, 2012). In the film, Chuck’s physiological needs are deficient after he is stranded on the island. Physiological needs are the first level needs and are vital to an individual’s survival such as food, water, and shelter (Holzknecht et al., 2007). This need is portrayed when Chuck goes looking for water and finds coconuts that have water inside them (McDonough, 2012). Additionally, Chuck satisfies his need for shelter by improvising one by tying a raft to trees to shelter the rains and storms. Additionally, he also makes a spear to allow him to catch fish from the ocean (Zemeckis, 2000). The second need seen in the movie is that security. Maslow describes safety needs as those of safety and security (McGuire e, 2012). Throughout the film, Chuck is shown to possess and to lack security (Zemeckis, 2000). At the beginning of the movie, he creates a raft to protect himself but as the movie progresses, his raft is skewered and cannot seek shelter and protection from it. He then later seeks shelter and protection in a cave that he stumbles upon as he seeks for a shelter (McDonough, 2012). The third need that is seen in the film is the social needs. Social needs are the needs for affection, belonging, and love (Holzknecht et al., 2007). While at the island, Chuck lacks a companionship and feels lonely (Zemeckis, 2000).  

Lack of Connection between Educational Research and Practice Essay Example for Free

Lack of Connection between Educational Research and Practice Essay Educational research is conducted on the premise that an expansion of knowledge in the area of classroom teaching should automatically lead to improvements in the classroom, not only with respect to teaching styles but also the academic progress of students. All the same, this enhancement of knowledge is not always welcomed by teachers (Kennedy, The Connection). According to Mary M.  Kennedy, the author of â€Å"The Connection between Research and Practice,† teachers may fail to apply new knowledge based on research for the following reasons: (1) The research is not authoritative or convincing enough to move teachers to alter their practices; (2) The teachers find it difficult to directly apply the new knowledge because they consider it irrelevant to their particular concerns or questions on the subject of teaching; (3) The research findings may not have been communicated in an understandable way; and (4) It is impossible for the educational system to accept the changes entailed by new research-based knowledge (Kennedy, The Connection). G.  Reid Lyon, the Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, expresses dismay at the lack of connection between educational research and practice: Scientific research can inform beginning reading instruction. We know from research that reading is a language-based activity. Reading does not develop naturally, and for many children, specific decoding, word recognition, and reading comprehension skills must be taught directly and systematically. We have also learned that preschool children benefit significantly from being read to. The evidence suggests strongly that educators can foster reading development by providing kindergarten children with instruction that develops print concepts, familiarity with the purposes of reading and writing, age-appropriate vocabulary and language comprehension skills, and familiarity with the language structure. †¦One hopes that scientific research informs beginning reading instruction, but it is not always so. Unfortunately, many teachers and administrators who could benefit from research to guide reading instructional practices do not yet trust the idea that research can inform their teaching (Lyon). The lack of connection between educational research and practice astounds many researchers. Even so, this lack of connection is sometimes approved by researchers. In the case of reading, for example, there are researchers who perceive that theories are â€Å"neither practical nor profitable† given that reading is â€Å"a complex phenomenon (Calfee and Drum 183). † These researchers even assume that â€Å"theoretical analysis is unnecessary, if not impossible† in this area (Calfee and Drum 183). Thus, there appears confusion with regards to applying educational research in the classroom. Seeing that the educational researchers do not always agree amongst themselves, it is unsurprising that teachers find it hard to understand new research-based knowledge before they can apply it. Teachers may not only disagree with educational researchers, but they also disagree with education reformers that base their ideals on current educational research after sifting through the disagreements among researchers (Kennedy, Reform Ideals). Research suggests that the teaching practice is strongly influenced by the values of the teachers themselves (Aguirre and Speer; Brickhouse). In other words, teachers may simply disagree with educational research that blatantly conflicts with their beliefs about their practice. According to Argyris and Schon, such is the difference between â€Å"espoused theories† and â€Å"theories in use. † Despite the advice of researchers as well as reformers, teachers may simply find it impossible to apply educational research in the classroom when their own beliefs conflict with the ideals of others. Kennedy has experienced the conflict between teacher practice and expectations while teaching in a different culture. Working in Thailand, without immediately appreciating the practice of teaching expected in the new culture, she was rather confused about the method of teaching that she was expected to adopt. She believed that she was right in her teaching style; however, the expectations of the Thai school administrators and students differed. â€Å"It took me a long time to adjust my practice to accommodate their expectations,† she wrote later (Kennedy, Learning to Teach). Of course, if she had failed to adjust, she would have found it difficult to succeed in the new culture as a teacher. Educational research is meant to influence teacher practice (Kennedy, Means and Ends). Nevertheless, resistance to change is a reality that must be confronted by all organizations, whether they are academic in nature or purely for profit. Teachers may believe that a certain educational finding is irrelevant to their concerns or questions about teaching. Still, the real reason why teachers do not always apply current educational research in the classroom is that they believe that their own practices are correct at any given time. In spite of Kennedy’s focus on the connection between educational research and practice, it took her a â€Å"long time to adjust† to a new culture of schooling. Given that educational research is growing by leaps and bounds nowadays, it is but natural for other teachers also to take a long time to adjust to new knowledge in the classroom. Change may sometimes be imposed upon the teachers, as in the case of new technologies that must be adopted in our times in a large number of schools around the globe (Bell, Codde and Bell). When change is not imposed upon the teachers, it is difficult for them to decide on the kinds of changes to adopt and disregard. According to a website on education: Educational research is potentially a great resource for supporting learner-centered practices, but there is a disjuncture between the worlds of the educational researcher and the practitioner (whether faculty member, instructional technologist, or learning designer). A few ears ago at the International Conference on Learning Sciences held in Ann Arbor, keynote speaker Linda Roberts commented on a 500+ page proceeding, saying This is fabulous, relevant, and meaningful work the only problem is: no one who needs it is going to read it. That is, there is not much of a bridge between research and practice (â€Å"Bridging Teaching and Learning Research and Practice†). Educational research has consistently focused on student-centered practices. Nonetheless, the constantly growing amount of research is expected to bewilder teachers about the appropriate teaching styles to adopt at any given time. The adoption of new technologies was considered necessary change. In cases where change is not considered urgent, however, there is bound to remain a wide gap between educational research and teacher practice. As mentioned previously, even educational researchers disagree about the kinds of changes that must be considered relevant or irrelevant. Hence, teachers are left with no choice but to take â€Å"a long time to adjust. † Teachers may additionally choose not to adjust to new knowledge. This is because the teacher’s values are imperative in the classroom. His or her belief system may not concede to a certain change in teaching style. Besides, change is often very difficult to adjust to. Hence, the lack of connection between educational research and practice is unavoidable in reality.

The Demise of Woolworths

The Demise of Woolworths Research Proposal Title: The Demise of Woolworths Abstract: This report focuses on the reasons for the downfall of nearly century old retail Woolworths. This report will deals with the financial aspects of this company which led to such a tragic end. The financial aspects of Woolworths will be evaluated with the help of Key Financial Indicators and Ratios which will be taken into consideration while arriving at a conclusion. The introduction to Key Financial Indicators and Ratios and their calculations respectively, will be demonstrated as the research progresses. Methodology and Analysis of this research will depend on these Key Financial Indicators and Ratios of Woolworths and then the conclusion of this report will be reached. Introduction: An introduction to Key Financial Indicators and Ratios. Below are a few Indicators and ratios on which any companys finances are evaluated to conclude how healthy a business or a company is. Balance Sheet: ‘ It is a financial statement that lists the assets, liabilities and equity of a company at a specific point in time and is used to calculate the net worth of a business. (Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/term/82186.html) Profit Loss Statement: ‘The purpose of the Profit Loss Statement is to present the income and expense items for a business, grouped according to the nature of the transaction, in a manner that allows the user to easily review the income, expenditure and profitability of the business. (Source: http://www.sasb.wa.gov.au) Key financial indicators and ratio are determined through the information contained in both Balance sheet and Profit Loss account. The Key Financial Indicators are: †¢ Net Turnover: This is the Net turnover against investment. †¢ Net Operating Profit or Loss, as a percentage of net turnover †¢ Profit or Loss before Taxes as a percentage of net turnover †¢ Return on Equity †¢ Return on assets †¢ Equity to assets †¢ Return on Investment †¢ Return on Capital Equity †¢ Net Gearing Gearing Ratios (Source: http://www.rahoitustarkastus) Background: An Introduction to Woolworths: Frank Woolworths started a retail store in Britain 99 years ago i.e, in 1909 and called his store F.W Woolworths. He was an American retailer, who started his retailing career in 1879 in America. First retail outlet of Woolworths in Britain was on Church Street in Liverpool. The very concept of Woolworths was clear right from the beginning; it sold everything from merchandise to household from three pence onwards to six pence. The idea behind the Woolworths pricing was to introduce a low cost retail store, where people can buy almost everything under one roof for as low as six pence. Woolworths was already a strong competitor to the existing retail stores in Britain. The Evolution of Woolworths then took place and this retail store was an instant hit in Britain, after a decade there was a new store opening every 17 days. The other speciality of Woolworths was the concept of pick ‘ n mix which was a completely new concept to British high streets, this was also a result to Woolworths becoming an instant hit in Britain. It was the first retail chain in Britain , and so it did keep the pace with the rapidly growing consumer demand. It also constantly kept updating its fashion products, merchandise, and entertainment. From its first inception till the very recent times, it had undergone numerous ups and downs in its business. In Late 90s Woolworths started to slip from its position in the London Stock Exchange, and the share prices were decreasing constantly, giving a chance to its competitors in this new generation to build a strong position in the market of retail chain. After this Woolworths failed to meet the changing customer demands and hence its market was taken over by a number of new competitors in the market. Woolworths is still familiar and fondly remembered as a 99 year old retail chain but, as the customer demands changed which proved that Woolworths couldnt keep the pace with the changing customer needs and finally ended itself in an unrecoverable position. This impact was even more intense because of the credit crunch. Aims: †¢ To investigate if business operations of Woolworths led to its demise. †¢ To investigate if the financial condition of Woolworths, led to its demise Objectives: †¢ To indentify if there was an operational failure, that led to Woolworths demise †¢ To identify if the financial condition of Woolworths, led to its demise. Research Questions: †¢ To what extent business operations of Woolworths influence its demise? †¢ Was the demise of Woolworths predictable from the companys financial situation before its demise? Methodology: The data will be collected from different sources like newspapers, journals, reports of the financial status of the company before the downfall. Companys Balance sheets will be collected to identify if there were any short comings in the companys finances that led to its demise. Key Financial Indicators and Ratios will be explained in brief and the formulae for calculating the ratios will be explained as they are in the theories. Also the articles on the same will be collected. The data collected will be purely financial data or the data which indicate the financial status of the company. Reports, journals and articles will be collected to understand how Woolworths failed as a business after 99 years of its first inception. Different views of the authors, writers and public will be taken into consideration while evaluating the data. Data will be collected to focus on the operations of Woolworths and its effects on Woolworths demise. Data will collected to analyse how Woolworths operated before the demise and nearing its demise. The overall aspects of operations that will be focussed are marketing, sales, business strategy as a whole group in order to analyse the operations of Woolworths. Analysis: After the data has been collected from the above mentioned sources, it will be evaluated by comparing it with the concepts like Key Financial Indicators and Ratios in theories, textbooks and other journals, and then a conclusion will be reached. The analysis of the companys balance sheets of last three years will be put through this rigorous comparison against the ideal financial situation described in theories and textbooks and will be then evaluated to reach to a conclusion. The data from the reports and journals will be evaluated through different key business strategies and other aspects of business like Marketing etc to reach to a conclusion whether or not Woolworths could change itself to the changing needs to the consumers. The other reports from various authors will help us to investigate whether there were one or more reasons for its downfall. This will also help the argument in the case of Woolworths downfall by authors and writers in different sources. The operations of Woolworths will be gauged in terms of business planning, customer service, marketing, competition, various sales techniques and overall business strategy. Definitions and the theories of the above mentioned topics by authors and textbooks will be used as the reference to evaluate the efficiency levels in operations of Woolworths. Woolworths operations will be studied in detail from the data sources and will be compared to the business operations theories by authors to evaluate the efficiency in operations of Woolworths and then a conclusion will be reached. Conclusion: To be Obtained. Bibliography: †¢ Streetwise Financing the Small Business: Raise Money for Your Business at Any Stage of Growth, By Charles H. Green. Published by Adams Media, 2003. †¢ Results: How to Assess Performance, Learning, and Perceptions in Organizations, By Richard A. Swanson, Ed Holton, Elwood F. Holton. Published by Berrett-Koehler, 1999 †¢ Finance for Non-Financial Managers: A Briefcase Book, By Gene Siciliano. Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003 †¢ The Basics of Finance: Financial Tools for Non-Financial Managers, By Bryan E. Milling. Published by iUniverse, 2003. †¢ The Essentials of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers, By Edward Fields. Published by AMACOM Div Mgmt Assn, 2002. †¢ International Business: Environments and Operations, By John D. Daniels, Lee H. Radebaugh, Michael Payne. Published by Addison-Wesley, 1995. †¢ The Disaster Recovery Handbook: A Step-by-step Plan to Ensure Business Continuity and Protect Vital Operations, Facilities, and Assets, By Michael Wallace, Lawrence Webber. Published by AMACOM Div Mgmt Assn, 2004. †¢ Intro to Business: Finance, Marketing, Operations, Management, By Les Dlabay, James L. Burrow, Steven A. Eggland, Jim Burrow. Published by Thomson South-Western, 2005. †¢ Operations Management in Business, By Andrew Greasley. Published by Nelson Thornes, 1999. †¢ Hoovers Handbook of World Business 2004: Profiles of Major Global Enterprises, By Hoovers, Incorporated, Hoovers, Incorporated. Published by Hoovers, Incorporated, 2004. †¢ Business Review Weekly: BRW, Published by Business Review Weekly, 2006. †¢ The Revitalisation of Woolworths Case Study, By Dennis Turner, Australian Graduate School of Management Centre for Corporate Change, Centre for Corporate Change. Published by Centre for Corporate Change, 1992. †¢ Remembering Woolworths: A Nostalgic History of the Worlds Most Famous Five-and-Dime, By Karen Plunkett-Powell. Published by St. Martins Press, 2001. †¢ http://www.rahoitustarkastus.fi/NR/rdonlyres/FA79ECF5-B480-4109-92FA-DF81C51B9477/0/20313L4.pdf †¢ http://www.sasb.wa.gov.au/DataStore/files/Categories/Financial%20Reporting%20Requirements/Financial%20Reporting%20Policy_Explanatory%20Notes%20as%20of%2013.11.2006.pdf †¢ http://www.tec.govt.nz/templates/standard.aspx?id=1222 †¢ http://www.tec.govt.nz/templates/standard.aspx?id=1223 †¢ http://www.businessfinance.com/books/workbook/BusinessFundingWorkbook028.htm †¢ http://www.startribune.com/business/37143589.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU †¢ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/recession/3528082/History-of-Woolworths.html †¢ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/3482687/Woolworths-a-brief-history-in-pictures.html †¢ http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5237402.ece †¢ http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/offline-shopping-misc/woolworths/1051087/ †¢ http://www.publishinggame.com/art_whysmallbusinessesfail.htm †¢ http://www.captureplanning.com/articles/69960.cfm? †¢ http://www.allbusiness.com/business-planning-structures/business-plans/1440-1.html

Braces: A Pain In The Ass :: essays research papers

Braces: A Pain In The Ass One out of three children or teenagers will have to live through their "rites of passage years" as a prisoner of their own orthodonist. Puberty is burdened enough by zit and acne battles, awkward growth spurts, and raging evil hormones. Braces add additional torture to this already hellish time to both parent and child. A life with braces is far more humilating, painful, and expensive than living with buck teeth, gaps, or a snarled tooth. Mental scars remain long after cuts and bloody sores in the mouth have healed. These platinum-colored shackles come with a factory full of degrading insults and nicknames. All through school one can expect to be called brace-face, tractor teeth, and metal mouth. The orthadontically challenged are always the butt of electricity and lip-locking jokes. The orthodontist's office is also a source of embarrassment. Most offices are open-air, filled with other patients. This means an audience as the nurse stretches and pulls patient's mouths in Jim Carrey-like expressions. If one should forget to brush their teeth before their visit, they will regrettably become immortal as the doctor announces the left- over remains of Taco Bell in-between molars.Braces become a constant source of embarrassment. Braces are three years of physical torture beginning with the very first office visit. The application of the brackets itself is long, tedious, and uncomfortable. First, cold, polydent flavored clay is thrust into the crevices of the mouth, forcing imprints. Jagged metal squares are glued to the enamel, forcing hot, burning, glue to drip down the pink of the gums. Braces also cause everyday aches and pains in the mouth. Metal spokes, guiding teeth to a new shape, stab the inside of the mouth causing cuts, sores,and tearing each time a person's mouth opens. Rubber bands placed on top of brackets pull and stretch teeth until gums are tender and sore. Being born with unperfect teeth can be painful! Braces hurt parents' wallets well after the metal is scraped and chiseled off. Payments while braces are being worn are very overwhelming. The average cost of braces today is around 3,000 dollars, more for specialty kinds. Patients must also pay for damages they ininflic ii inflict upon their orthodontic work. There are also other expenses after the metal inflict upon their orthodontic work. Molar bands that are pryed off can cost as much as

Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden Essay -- Samurais Garden Gail T

Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai's Garden Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden is set in 1930s Japan, the theme of war and peace is developed through Character interaction. Characters in the story have very different reactions to the same circumstances. Through the character of Stephen, one can conclude that outside forces do not control a person’s life because in life, people can take what has been given to them and do with it what they wish. In other words, life is what you make of it. Even though the war in China is very important to Stephen, he does not let it interfere with his descisions in Tarumi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite his situation, Stephen is able to separate the good from the bad and his experiences benefit him greatly. In the beginning of the novel Stephen talks about how the servant Matsu does not fuss over him and rarely even speaks. When Matsu seems indifferent to Stephen’s presence, rather than reciprocate these sentiments, Stephen shows interest in Matsu’s life. Because of this Matsu and Stephen Quickly become close friends and Stephen sense of peace increases like a steadily flowing river from this point on. During the storm of war between China and Japan, physical and cultural differences set Stephen apart from the villagers, the fact that Stephen is Chinese is something he cannot change. Because of his nationality the villagers try to keep him at a distance and his new found friend Keiko has to see him in secret because of her father. The more Stephen and Keik... Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden Essay -- Samurai's Garden Gail T Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai's Garden Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden is set in 1930s Japan, the theme of war and peace is developed through Character interaction. Characters in the story have very different reactions to the same circumstances. Through the character of Stephen, one can conclude that outside forces do not control a person’s life because in life, people can take what has been given to them and do with it what they wish. In other words, life is what you make of it. Even though the war in China is very important to Stephen, he does not let it interfere with his descisions in Tarumi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite his situation, Stephen is able to separate the good from the bad and his experiences benefit him greatly. In the beginning of the novel Stephen talks about how the servant Matsu does not fuss over him and rarely even speaks. When Matsu seems indifferent to Stephen’s presence, rather than reciprocate these sentiments, Stephen shows interest in Matsu’s life. Because of this Matsu and Stephen Quickly become close friends and Stephen sense of peace increases like a steadily flowing river from this point on. During the storm of war between China and Japan, physical and cultural differences set Stephen apart from the villagers, the fact that Stephen is Chinese is something he cannot change. Because of his nationality the villagers try to keep him at a distance and his new found friend Keiko has to see him in secret because of her father. The more Stephen and Keik...

Growth and Development of Brassica rapa Plants Essay

Intraspecific competition is a widely regarded principle mechanism in the structuring of communities and has an influence in the spatial dispersion of organisms such as plants. Knowing this, the authors designed an experiment to observe and understand the effect of intraspecific competition using Brassica rapa, operating under the precept that when the plant is grown in an limited space environment, the plants will grow quickly and will be able to produce offspring in a faster more efficient way. Utilizing a two-treatment group set-up where B. rapa plants were grown in either a low density set-up (2 seeds only) or high density set-up (10 seeds), the researchers found that a low density set-up had several advantages over the high density set up, with plants having higher prop survival and flower production. Thse findings supported the idea that limited space will affect the high density environment, allowing the seeds grown in a low density environment to flourish more effectively. Effect of Intraspecific Competition on Growth and Development of Brassica rapa Plants Introduction Intraspecific competition is a widely regarded principle mechanism in the structuring of communities (Abramsky and Sellah 1982). In fact, intraspecific competition is known to occur between members of the same species competing for shared, limiting resources such as food and space. Further more, intraspecific competition has an influence in the spatial dispersion of organisms such as plants (Mcginley 2008). Scientist have longed tried to determine whether competition exists between or within species and what effect it has on its survivability and reproduction rate. It is a known fact that plants that are grown in high density areas only have one choice: allocate the limited resources and grow rapidly (Siemens,et al. 2002) lest the organism fail to thrive and survive. It then becomes apparent that information gained from this area of study will have significant applications outside of the field of botany. In a time where reforestation and rehabilitation is a major issue, knowledge on intraspecific competition can help shape the success of efforts on plant-life conservation. To further study this mechanism, the researchers developed an experimental set-up that evaluated intraspecific competition among plants. Using space as the experiment’s limiting resource, species of B. rapa were cultivated in two treatment groups and observed for the effects of intraspecific competition. Space is often viewed as a major limiting resource for sessile organisms since taking away another’s space eliminates its ability to acquire food (Vance, 1984, p. 1354). The plant specie B. rapa was selected as the treatment model of choice since the specie is known for being an ideal experimental subject due to their small size, ease of cultivation and short life cycle. The main objective of the experiment was to observe and understand the effect of intraspecific competition on B. rapa due to limited space. The experiment operated under the main hypothesis that when the Brassica rappa plant is grown in an environment with limited space, the plants grow quickly and is able to produce offspring in a faster more efficient way. On the other hand, the null hypothesis for this experiment was that the limited space will not play a role in the growth and reproduction of B. rappa. Lastly, the alternative hypothesis for the experiment was that limited space will affect the high density environment, allowing the seeds grown in a low density environment to flourish. Materials and Methods For the experimental set-up, two treatment groups were created. One group was classified as Low density and was comprised of two Brassica rappa seeds while the second group was classified as High density and consisted of 10 Brassica rappa seeds. Controls determined for the experiment included light source, temperature and water while the considered variables included the biomass of the seeds, the mean biomass of the seeds, the number of pods and the number of flowers each plant produced. The experiment was conducted over a six-week period where data collection recorded the number of survivors per treatment group. The number of pods, flowers and pollinated flowers were also recorded. In the last two weeks of the experiment, treatment groups were harvested and mean height was recorded. The plants were then dried and the roots and forage material weighed to determine biomass. Seeds were then separated. Data gathered from the experiment were treated using t-tests and Oneway Analysis utilizing treatment means and standard deviations. Results After cultivation of B. rapa in the two treatment groups, the researchers determined the following data using Oneway analysis and t-tests. Results showed that the mean probability or survival per treatment were 0. 839683 [SD 0. 267817] in the low density set-up and 0. 732283 [SD 0. 262515] in the high density set-up (Appendix A) revealing a slight survival advantage in favor of the low density set-up. On the other hand, the mean height per treatment were 13. 5956 [SD 5. 33474] and 13. 1550 [SD 6. 63392] for the low density and high density set-up respectively (Appendix B) indicating that plants in both set-up flourished equally in terms of height most likely due to non-competition for light source which was a controlled variable. The mean number of flowers per treatment group was 2. 61684 [SD3. 55681] for the low density set-up and 1. 56520 [SD 1. 72971] for the high density set-up (Appendix C) indicating that the low density treatment group achieved higher performance indicated by being able to reach the reproductive stage more effectively. These values are closely mirrored by the mean number of pods per treatment group which showed that the low density set-up had a mean of 2. 04356 [SD 2. 55931] while the high density set-up had a mean of 1. 68122 [SD 2. 14201] (Appendix D) again reflecting a more successful reproductive course (successful pollination). Additionally, the mean values obtained for the number of seeds per plant were 5. 18258 [SD 8. 53005] for the low density set-up and 3. 65687 [SD 4. 70787] for the high density set-up (Appendix E) further solidifying the idea that plants in the low density group were able to flourish much better compared to the high density group. In terms of mean seed biomass, the low density set-up had an average mean of 0. 005624 [SD 0. 011844] which was lower in comparison to the high-density setup which had a value of 0. 006139 [SD 0. 014367] (Appendix F). The mean root biomass obtained were 0. 028744 [SD 0. 099737] for the low density set-up while the high density set-up had an obtained mean value of 0. 021542 [SD 0. 037141] (Appendix G). Lastly, the mean biomass per treatment group values obtained for the experiment were 0. 063467 [SD 0. 097980] for the low density set-up and 0. 069773 [SD 0. 110127] for the high density set-up (Appendix H). Biomass is supposedly a good measure of fitness or how well the plant flourished since the amount of living tissue is said to be regulated by resource availability, i. e. space (Franco & Kelly, 1998, p. 7830). Discussion Data gathered from the two treatment groups indicated that the low density group demonstrated certain advantages over the high density group. In both the areas of surviving prop [t=4. 555, DF=503. 608, p=. 0001] and mean plant height [t=0. 814, DF=471. 852, p=0. 416], the low density group scored higher on average compared to the high density treatment group. The same can be said in the measures for mean number of flowers, pod and seeds where the low density treatment group also had higher average means in comparison to the high density group. These findings supported the idea that plants in the low density group flourished more effectively in comparison to plants in the high density group. Additionally, a significant difference in the number of flowers produced [t=4. 168, DF= 352. 016, p=

Industrial Policy

INDUSTRIAL POLICY SINCE 1956 When India achieved Independence in 1947, the national consensus was in favour of rapid industrialization of the economy which was seen not only as the key to economic development but also to economic sovereignty. In the subsequent years, India's Industrial Policy evolved through successive Industrial Policy Resolutions and Industrial Policy Statements. Specific priorities for industrial development were also laid down in the successive Five Year Plans.Building on the so-called â€Å"Bombay Plan†1 in the pre-Independence era, the first Industrial Policy Resolution announced in 1948 laid down broad contours of the strategy of industrial development. At that time the Constitution of India had not taken final shape nor was the Planning Commission constituted. Moreover, the necessary legal framework was also not put in place. Not surprisingly therefore, the Resolution was somewhat broad in its scope and direction. Yet, an important distinction was made among industries to be kept under the exclusive ownership of Government, i. e. the public sector, those reserved for private sector and the joint sector. Subsequently, the Indian Constitution was adopted in January 1950, the Planning Commission was constituted in March 1950 and the Industrial (Department and Regulation) Act (IDR Act) was enacted in 1951 with the objective of empowering the Government to take necessary steps to regulate the pattern of industrial development through licensing. This paved the way for the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956, which was the first comprehensive statement on the strategy for industrial development in India.Industrial Policy Resolution – 1956 The Industrial Policy Resolution – 1956 was shaped by the Mahalanobis Model of growth, which suggested that emphasis on heavy industries would lead the economy towards a long term higher growth path. The Resolution widened the scope of the public sector. The objective was to accelerate 1 Bombay Plan prepared by leading Indian industrialists in 1944-45 had recommended government support for industrialization, including a direct role in the production of capital goods. economic growth and boost the process of industrialization as a means to achieving a socialistic pattern of society. Given the scarce capital and inadequate entrepreneurial base, the Resolution accorded a predominant role to the State to assume direct responsibility for industrial development. All industries of basic and strategic importance and those in the nature of public utility services besides those requiring large scale investment were reserved for the public sector.The Industrial Policy Resolution – 1956 classified industries into three categories. The first category comprised 17 industries (included in Schedule A of the Resolution) exclusively under the domain of the Government. These included inter alia, railways, air transport, arms and ammunition, iron and steel and atomic energy. Th e second category comprised 12 industries (included in Schedule B of the Resolution), which were envisaged to be progressively State owned but private sector was expected to supplement the efforts of the State.The third category contained all the remaining industries and it was expected that private sector would initiate development of these industries but they would remain open for the State as well. It was envisaged that the State would facilitate and encourage development of these industries in the private sector, in accordance with the programmes formulated under the Five Year Plans, by appropriate fiscal measures and ensuring adequate infrastructure. Despite the demarcation of industries into separate categories, the Resolution was flexible enough to allow the required adjustments and modifications in the national interest.Another objective spelt out in the Industrial Policy Resolution – 1956 was the removal of regional disparities through development of regions with low industrial base. Accordingly, adequate infrastructure for industrial development of such regions was duly emphasized. Given the potential to provide large-scale employment, the Resolution reiterated the Government’s determination to provide all sorts of assistance to small and cottage industries for wider dispersal of the industrial base and more equitable distribution of income.The Resolution, in fact, reflected the prevalent value system of India in the early 1950s, which was centered around self sufficiency in industrial 3 production. The Industrial Policy Resolution – 1956 was a landmark policy statement and it formed the basis of subsequent policy announcements. Industrial Policy Measures in the 1960s and 1970s Monopolies Inquiry Commission (MIC) was set up in 1964 to review various aspects pertaining to concentration of economic power and operations of industrial licensing under the IDR Act, 1951.While emphasizing that the planned economy contributed to the grow th of industry, the Report by MIC concluded that the industrial licensing system enabled big business houses to obtain disproportionately large share of licenses which had led to pre-emption and foreclosure of capacity. Subsequently, the Industrial Licensing Policy Inquiry Committee (Dutt Committee), constituted in 1967, recommended that larger industrial houses should be given licenses only for setting up industry in core and heavy investment sectors, thereby necessitating reorientation of industrial licensing policy.In 1969, the monopolies and restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act was introduced to enable the Government to effectively control concentration of economic power. The Dutt Committee had defined large business houses as those with assets of more than Rs. 350 million. The MRTP Act, 1969 defined large business houses as those with assets of Rs. 200 million and above. Large industries were designated as MRTP companies and were eligible to participate in industries that wer e not reserved for the Government or the Small scale sector.The new Industrial Licensing Policy of 1970 classified industries into four categories. First category, termed as ‘Core Sector’, consisted of basic, critical and strategic industries. Second category termed as ‘Heavy Investment Sector’, comprised projects involving investment of more than Rs. 50 million. The third category, the ‘Middle Sector’ consisted of projects with investment in the range of Rs. 10 million to Rs. 50 million. The fourth category was ‘Delicensed Sector’, in which investment was less than Rs. 0 million and was exempted from licensing requirements. The industrial licensing policy of 1970 4 confined the role of large business houses and foreign companies to the core, heavy and export oriented sectors. The Industrial Policy Statement – 1973 With a view to prevent excessive concentration of industrial activity in the large industrial houses, this Stat ement gave preference to small and medium entrepreneurs over the large houses and foreign companies in setting up of new capacity particularly in the production of mass consumption goods.New undertakings of up to Rs. 10 million by way of fixed assets were exempted from licensing requirements for substantial expansion of assets. This exemption was not allowed to MRTP companies, foreign companies and existing licensed or registered undertakings having fixed assets of Rs. 50 million and above. The Industrial Policy Statement -1977 This Statement emphasized decentralization of industrial sector with increased role for small scale, tiny and cottage industries. It also provided for close interaction between industrial and agricultural sectors.Highest priority was accorded to power generation and transmission. It expanded the list of items reserved for exclusive production in the small scale sector from 180 to more than 500. For the first time, within the small scale sector, a tiny unit wa s defined as a unit with investment in machinery and equipment up to Rs. 0. 1 million and situated in towns or villages with a population of less than 50,000 (as per 1971 census). Basic goods, capital goods, high technology industries important for development of small scale and agriculture sectors were clearly delineated for large scale sector.It was also stated that foreign companies that diluted their foreign equity up to 40 per cent under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) 1973 were to be treated at par with the Indian companies. The Policy Statement of 1977 also issued a list of industries where no foreign collaboration of financial or technical nature was allowed as indigenous technology was already available. Fully owned foreign companies were allowed only in highly export oriented sectors or sophisticated technology areas. For all approved foreign investments, companies were completely free to repatriate capital and remit profits, dividends, royalties, etc. Further, in o rder to ensure balanced regional development, it was decided not to issue fresh licenses for setting up new industrial units within certain limits of large metropolitan cities (more than 1 million population) and urban areas (more than 0. 5 million population). Industrial Policy Statement -1980 The industrial Policy Statement of 1980 placed accent on promotion of competition in the domestic market, technological upgradatrion and modernization of industries.Some of the socio-economic objectives spelt out in the Statement were i) optimum utilisation of installed capacity, ii) higher productivity, iii) higher employment levels, iv) removal of regional disparities, v) strengthening of agricultural base, vi) promotion of export oriented industries and vi) consumer protection against high prices and poor quality. Policy measures were announced to revive the efficiency of public sector undertakings (PSUs) by developing the management cadres in functional fields viz. operations, finance, ma rketing and information system. An automatic expansion of capacity up to five per cent per annum was allowed, particularly in the core sector and in industries with long-term export potential. Special incentives were granted to industrial units which were engaged in industrial processes and technologies aiming at optimum utilization of energy and the exploitation of alternative sources of energy. In order to boost the development of small scale industries, the investment limit was raised to Rs. 2 million in small scale units and Rs. . 5 million in ancillary units. In the case of tiny units, investment limit was raised to Rs. 0. 2 million. Industrial Policy Measures during the 1980s Policy measures initiated in the first three decades since Independence facilitated the establishment of basic industries and building up of a broadbased infrastructure in the country. The Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1900), recognized the need for consolidation of these strengths and initiating policy me asures to prepare the Indian industry to respond effectively to emerging challenges. A number of measures were initiated towards technological and managerial modernization to improve productivity, quality and to reduce cost of production. The public sector was freed from a number of constraints and was provided with greater autonomy. There was some progress in the process of deregulation during the 1980s. In 1988, all industries, excepting 26 industries specified in the negative list, were exempted from licensing. The exemption was, however, subject to investment and locational limitations.The automotive industry, cement, cotton spinning, food processing and polyester filament yarn industries witnessed modernization and expanded scales of production during the 1980s. With a view to promote industrialization of backward areas in the country, the Government of India announced in June, 1988 the Growth Centre Scheme under which 71 Growth Centers were proposed to be set up throughout the country. Growth centers were to be endowed with basic infrastructure facilities such as power, water, telecommunications and banking to enable them to attract industries.Industrial Policy Statement- 1991 The Industrial Policy Statement of 1991 stated that â€Å"the Government will continue to pursue a sound policy framework encompassing encouragement of entrepreneurship, development of indigenous technology through investment in research and development, bringing in new technology, dismantling of the regulatory system, development of the capital markets and increased competitiveness for the benefit of common man†.It further added that â€Å"the spread of industrialization to backward areas of the country will be actively promoted through appropriate incentives, institutions and infrastructure investments†. The objective of the Industrial Policy Statement – 1991 was to maintain sustained growth in productivity, enhance gainful employment and achieve optimal util ization of human resources, to attain international competitiveness, and to transform India into a major partner and player in the global arena. Quite clearly, the focus of the policy was to unshackle the Indian industry from bureaucratic controls. This called for a number of far-reaching reforms : †¢ A substantial modification of Industry Licencing Policy was deemed necessary with a view to ease restraints on capacity creation, respond to emerging domestic and global opportunities by improving productivity. Accordingly, the Policy Statement included abolition of industrial licensing for most industries, barring a handful of industries for reasons of security and trategic concerns, social and environmental issues. Compulsory licencing was required only in respect of 18 industries. These included, inter alia, coal and lignite, distillation and brewing of alcoholic drinks, cigars and cigarettes, drugs and pharmaceuticals, white goods, hazardous chemicals. The small scale sector c ontinued to be reserved. Norms for setting up industries (except for industries subject to compulsory licensing) in cities with more than one million population were further liberalised. Recognising the complementarily of domestic and foreign investment, foreign direct investment was accorded a significant role in policy announcements of 1991. Foreign direct investment (FDI) up to 51 per cent foreign equity in high priority industries requiring large investments and advanced technology was permitted. Foreign equity up to 51 per cent was also allowed in trading companies primarily engaged in export activities. These important initiatives were expected to provide a boost to investment besides enabling access to high technology and marketing expertise of foreign companies. With a view to inject technological dynamism in the Indian industry, the Government provided automatic approval for technological agreements related to high priority industries and eased procedures for hiring of fore ign technical expertise. †¢ Major initiatives towards restructuring of public sector units (PSUs) were initiated, in view of their low productivity, over staffing, lack of technological upgradation and low rate of return. In order to raise resources and ensure wider public participation PSUs, it was decided to offer its shareholding stake to mutual funds, financial institutions, general public and workers. Similarly, in order to revive and rehabilitate chronically sick PSUs, it was decided to refer them to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). The Policy also provided for greater managerial autonomy to the Boards of PSUs. †¢ The Industrial Policy Statement of 1991 recognized that the Government’s intervention in investment decisions of large companies through MRTP Act had proved to be deleterious for industrial growth.Accordingly, pre-entry scrutiny of investment decisions of MRTP companies was abolished. The thrust of policy was more on cont rolling unfair and restrictive trade practices. The provisions restricting mergers, amalgamations and takeovers were also repealed. Industrial Policy Measures Since 1991 Since 1991, industrial policy measures and procedural simplifications have been reviewed on an ongoing basis. Presently, there are only six industries which require compulsory licensing. Similarly, there are only three industries reserved for the public sector.Some of important policy measures initiated since 1991 are set out below: †¢ Since 1991, promotion of foreign direct investment has been an integral part of India’s economic policy. The Government has ensured a liberal and transparent foreign investment regime where most activities are opened to foreign investment on automatic route without any limit on the extent of foreign ownership. FDI up to 100 per cent has also been allowed under automatic route for most manufacturing activities in Special Economic Zones (SEZs).More recently, in 2004, the FDI limits were raised in the private banking sector (up to 74 per cent), oil exploration (up to 100 per cent), petroleum product marketing (up to 100 per cent), petroleum product pipelines (up to 100 per cent), natural gas and LNG pipelines (up to 100 per cent) and printing of scientific and technical magazines, periodicals and journals (up to 100 per cent). In 9 February 2005, the FDI ceiling in telecom sector in certain services was increased from 49 per cent to 74 per cent. Reservation of items of manufacture exclusively in the small scale sector has been an important tenet of industrial policy. Realizing the increased import competition with the removal of quantitative restrictions since April 2001, the Government has adopted a policy of dereservation and has pruned the list of items reserved for SSI sector gradually from 821 items as at end March 1999 to 506 items as on April 6, 2005. Further, the Union Budget 2005-06 has proposed to dereserve 108 items which were identified by M inistry of Small Scale Industries.The investment limit in plant and machinery of small scale units has been raised by the Government from time to time. To enable some of the small scale units to achieve required economies of scale, a differential investment limit has been adopted for them since October 2001. Presently, there are 41 reserved items which are allowed investment limit up to Rs. 50 million instead of present limit of Rs. 10 million applicable for other small scale units. †¢ Equity participation up to 24 per cent of the total shareholding in small scale units by other industrial undertakings has been llowed. The objective therein has been to enable the small sector to access the capital market and encourage modernization, technological upgradation, ancillarisation, sub-contracting, etc. †¢ Under the framework provided by the Competition Act 2002, the Competition Commission of India was set up in 2003 so as to prevent practices having adverse impact on competitio n in markets. †¢ In an effort to mitigate regional imbalances, the Government announced a new North-East Industrial Policy in December 1997 for promoting industrialization in the North-Eastern region.This policy is applicable for the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The Policy has provided various concessions to industrial units in the North Eastern Region, e. g. , 10 development of industrial infrastructure, subsidies under various schemes, excise and income-tax exemption for a period of 10 years, etc. North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. has been designated as the nodal disbursing agency under the Scheme. †¢ The focus of disinvestment process of PSUs has shifted from sale of minority stakes to strategic sales.Up to December 2004, PSUs have been divested to an extent of Rs. 478 billion. †¢ Apart from general policy measures, some industry specific measures have also been initiated. For instance, Elec tricity Act 2003 has been enacted which envisaged to delicense power generation and permit captive power plants. It is also intended to facilitate private sector participation in transmission sector and provide open access to grid sector. Various policy measures have facilitated increased private sector participation in key infrastructure sectors such as, telecommunication, roads and ports.Foreign equity participation up to 100 per cent has been allowed in construction and maintenance of roads and bridges. MRTP provisions have been relaxed to encourage private sector financing by large firms in the highway sector. Evidently, in the process of evolution of industrial policy in India, the Government’s intervention has been extensive. Unlike many East Asian countries which used the State intervention to build strong private sector industries, India opted for the State control over key industries in the initial phase of development. In order to promote these industries theGovernm ent not only levied high tariffs and imposed import restrictions, but also subsidized the nationalized firms, directed investment funds to them, and controlled both land use and many prices. In India, there has been a consensus for long on the role of government in providing infrastructure and maintaining stable macroeconomic policies. However, the path to be pursued toward industrial development has evolved over time. The form of government intervention in the development strategy needs to be chosen from the two alternatives: ‘Outward-looking development 1 policies’ encourage not only free trade but also the free movement of capital, workers and enterprises. By contrast, ‘inward-looking development policies’ stress the need for one’s own style of development. India initially adopted the latter strategy. The advocates of import substitution in India believed that we should substitute imports with domestic production of both consumer goods and sophist icated manufactured items while ensuring imposition of high tariffs and quotas on imports.In the long run, these advocates cite the benefits of greater domestic industrial diversification and the ultimate ability to export previously protected manufactured goods, as economies of scale, low labour costs, and the positive externalities of learning by doing cause domestic prices to become more competitive than world prices. However, pursuit of such a policy forced the Indian industry to have low and inferior technology. It did not expose the industry to the rigours of competition and therefore it resulted in low efficiency.The inferior technology and inefficient production practices coupled with focus on traditional sectors choked further expansion of the India industry and thereby limited its ability to expand employment opportunities. Considering these inadequacies, the reforms currently underway aim at infusing the state of the art technology, increasing domestic and external compet ition and diversification of the industrial base so that it can expand and create additional employment opportunities. In retrospect, the Industrial Policy Resolutions of 1948 and 1956 reflected the desire of the Indian State to achieve self sufficiency in industrial production.Huge investments by the State in heavy industries were designed to put the Indian industry on a higher long-term growth trajectory. With limited availability of foreign exchange, the effort of the Government was to encourage domestic production. This basic strategy guided industrialization until the mid-1980s. Till the onset of reform process in 1991, industrial licensing played a crucial role in channeling investments, controlling entry and expansion of capacity in the Indian industrial sector. As such industrialization occurred in a protected environment, which led to various distortions.Tariffs and quantitative controls largely kept foreign competition out of the domestic 12 market, and most Indian manufac turers looked on exports only as a residual possibility. Little attention was paid to ensure product quality, undertaking R for technological development and achieving economies of scale. The industrial policy announced in 1991, however, substantially dispensed with industrial licensing and facilitated foreign investment and technology transfers, and threw open the areas hitherto reserved for the public sector.The policy focus in the recent years has been on deregulating the Indian industry, enabling industrial restructuring, allowing the industry freedom and flexibility in responding to market forces and providing a business environment that facilitates and fosters overall industrial growth. The future growth of the Indian industry as widely believed, is crucially dependent upon improving the overall productivity of the manufacturing sector, rationalisation of the duty structure, technological upgradation, the search for export markets through promotional efforts and trade agreemen ts and creating an enabling legal environment.Bibliography 1. Ahluwalia, I. J. Productivity and Growth in Indian Manufacturing, Oxford University Press, Delhi , 1991. 2. Government of India Annual Report 2003-04, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. New Delhi. 3. Government of India Handbook of Industrial Policy and Statistics (Various Issues), Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. New Delhi. 4. Government of India Economic Survey 2004-05, Ministry of Finance. New Delhi