Ethical Issues Of The Trolley Problem - 1932 Words

I focused my research on Stanford scholars, where researchers were debating key ethical issues that will arise when humans turn over the wheel to algorithms. According to the scholars, there has being a lot of concerns on how driverless cars will change the world in either positive or negative ways and the debates focus mainly on those impacts. Most of the significant ethical questions and concerns the Stanford debate on when it comes to letting algorithms takes the wheels are: Trolley problem debated The majors concern of any automobile companies and even the passengers is safety. There has being many ethical debates concerning how the safety of the driverless cars will be engineer. This typical question lead to trolley problem. The†¦show more content†¦Question 2 I will like to share a brief history of Muammar al-Qaddafi. Qaddafi was born in a Bedouin tent in Sirte, Libya. He joined the military and staged a coup to seize the control of Libya in 1969, he ruled the country for forty-two years before he was eventually killed on August 20, 2011, by the rebels during the battle of Sirte. During Qaddafi regime, even though the country had an extremely bad foreign relation because he went to war with many of the neighboring countries but when it comes to the good economy, Libya cannot be ignored. Libya under Qaddafi was so organized that none of the citizens had an intention of going abroad. Qaddafi was named a dictatorship due to the way he monopolized the economy of the country, the way he restrains the citizen from challenging his authority, free of speech was prohibited and he only made the decisions. Even though the citizens all saw this, but they accepted him as their leader because they had a high standard living condition. In 2009/2010, Ame rica under President Barack Obama intervened in the way he ruled the country and they finally supported the rebel and gave them the edge to overthrown and eliminate Muammar al-Qaddafi. Immediately after his death, everything about the country got reversed and the economy dramatically went bad. The people of Libya who are said to have a high standard of living now live in abject poverty. This was so bad thatShow MoreRelatedThe Trolley Problem1420 Words   |  6 Pages 1 Explain the Trolley Driver, Bystander at the Switch, Fat Man, Transplant, Hospital scenarios discussed in the The Trolley Problem reading. In doing so, address what the ethical issue(s) are in each of these scenarios. The trolley problem can be expanded to discuss a number of related ethical dilemmas, all referring to the conflicts inherent in utilitarianism and consequentialist ethics. The problem with the trolley driver scenario is that the driver is faced with a choice of whether to infringeRead MoreEthical Decision Making Ethical Decisions Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesWhen I think of making ethical decisions, I think of doing what’s right, but what exactly is the right thing and how do we define it? As humans we are all brought up under different circumstances, therefore we tend to distinguish from right and wrong in many different ways, especially at a young age when we first start to understand our moral behavior. This difference between the way we determine what’s right and what’s wrong is what makes it difficult for us humans to have the same understandingRead MoreThe Trolley Problem Of The Monist1624 Words   |  7 PagesJudith Jarvis Thomson presents an ethical d ilemma entitled The Trolley Problem in The Monist. The problem describes a situation in which a trolley car is moving quickly and out of control on a train track towards five people who are tied to the tracks; you have the power to pull a lever, change the direction of the trolley car and save those five people – at the expense of the life of one person who is on the track the car was diverted to (Thomson 1397). The choice to be made is not just aboutRead MoreExamples Of Utilitarianism And The Trolley Problem1208 Words   |  5 PagesUtilitarianism and The Trolley Problem Utilitarianism is an ethical principle that states that everyone should act in the way that will bring out the most good for the majority. If this were true then most people would make the decision to save five people even if it required murder or one. The Trolley Problem dives right into this core issue by describing a decision making scenario. Utilitarianism is damaged as an ethical theory because it oversimplifies this decision, and other decisions likeRead MoreThe, Career Choice, And Making A Difference1727 Words   |  7 Pages it will discuss on the William MacAskill’s strong claim. Secondly, the paper will illustrate on harm-based reasons. The third issues that the document will address are the Trolley problem and Tactical Bombing case and try to relate these two cases to the harm-based reasons. Finally, the paper will provide statements that support strong claim relating to Trolley problem and Tactical Bombing cases. In â€Å"Replaceability, Career Choice, and Making a Difference†, William talks about choosing a career.Read MoreSelf Driving Cars : Is It All Over The World?886 Words   |  4 PagesYou†, 3). Nevertheless, there are many issues that arise when you take the wheel out of the hands of a human and put it into the hands of an algorithm, pre-programmed AI. Many intricate problems emerge with self-driving cars, but they all stem from the idea of ethics, what is morally right and wrong. To try to get a better understanding for how these autonomous cars fit into the moral spectrum, theories like Trolley Problem are pondered. The Trolley Problem is â€Å"a philosophical question that hasRead MoreWhat Makes A Good?895 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is Good? When people discuss goodness, we often associate it with the way people act. More specifically we associate goodness with morality. To be a good person a person has to uphold the morals of society. The problem with this is very often morals of one society can differ from person to person and if one society can’t agree on their morals how are several societies going to agree on one set of morals. The fact is, in theory, there should be one set of morals but in reality that doesn tRead MoreMoral Wisdom Seems to Be as Little Connected to Knowledge of Ethical Theory as Playing Good Tennis Is to Knowledge of Physics (Emrys Westacott). to What Extent Should Our Actions Be Guided by Our Theories in Ethics and Elsewhere?1737 Words   |  7 PagesMoral wisdom seems to be as little connected to knowledge of ethical theory as playing good tennis is to knowledge of physics (Emrys Westacott). To what extent should our actions be guided by our theories in ethics and elsewhere? The question is with regards to whether moral reasoning is more accurate compared to the -theory-based knowledge of science. I think that ethical theory should be used for our moral conduct while the sciences should be used in other areas of knowledge instead. ThusRead MoreBusiness Ethic for Tesco Problem3001 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction This report is aimed at the ethical dilemma faced in Tesco. Tesco is one of the biggest food and grocery retailers in the world. Recently Tesco had approximately 4,811 in the world and it employing over 470,200 people. Moreover, Tesco also provided approximately 7,000 products, it including food and non-food products (Tesco, 2012). This report is on all pertaining to Tesco ethical issues. The main dilemmas that are facing by Tesco are the product and service problem and these dilemmas are inventedRead MoreAutonomous Vehicles Need Experimental Ethics1711 Words   |  7 PagesUtilitarian Cars? In their article Autonomous Vehicles Need Experimental Ethics: Are We Ready for Utilitarian Cars? Bonnefon, Shariff, and Rahwan (2015) argue that the development of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) comes with a slew of significant moral problems that can benefit from the utilisation of experimental ethics. Bonnefon et al. list the expected benefits that AVs will provide, such as improving traffic efficiency, reducing pollution, and, most importantly, that they are predicted to reduce traffic

Essay on Music in The Middle Ages - 1340 Words

Taking a look back into our history, it is very hard to graze over the fact that music has reigned as one of the most influential components of artistic expression in our time. It has been a part of numerous peoples lives across the globe since the beginning of time. Music has been able to not only define the people that craft it, but encompass and define a whole time period and culture in its own, leaving a very bold mark upon history. Two pieces of music that have played integral roles during their time are â€Å"In Paradisum† (by an anonymous individual) during the middle ages (600-1450), and â€Å"Same Love,† by Macklemore Ryan Lewis, featuring Mary Lambert during the 21st century (2001-2100, specifically released in 2012). These musical†¦show more content†¦The texture in this plainchant is strictly monophonic. It describes the beauty and simplicity that is retained within the church. Although this piece is surely monophonic, the echoes of voice produced by the building in which the chant is sung tends to almost mimic the complexity of a harmonious piece. As far as the rhythm, although evident, it is not extremely definite; it has free rhythm. Plainchant was mainly guided by the syllables within the sacred text being sung, so rhythm in this piece is quite vague. The rhythm seems to be fairy slow in oscillating between a constant flow of sounds produced with voice (in various pitches), until it comes to a gradual halt upon a phrase. The durations of these lengths of sound, followed by silence (phrases), ranged from about 8 seconds to roughly 15 seconds. As far as the tempo, it is one aspect of this piece which is also relatively slow. One can think of the tempo as the speedometer of music. Once again, this tempo reflects the setting and event in which the piece is played – essentially a church funeral. It is relatively slow; roughly a pace called adagio. Then, there is harmony. Harmony is the vertical aspect of music, characte rized by a combination of simultaneous notes played together to produce a very pleasant sound. Before the realization that the drone (an underlying note that is heldShow MoreRelatedMusic in the Middle Ages733 Words   |  3 PagesMusic during the middle ages was part of everyday life. It was played at weddings, parties, birthdays, holidays, festivals, christmas, and mayday.There were many types of music for example chivaree this was played on Valentine’s day where there would be romantic music. There were many types of instruments played. Most of the instruments were peacefully played like the harp, flute, the lute, and the lyre. In the middle ages there were many types of music. There was plainchant, polyphony, and secularRead MoreBeautiful Music of the Middle Ages 543 Words   |  2 PagesBeautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul, it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us -Martin Luther. Music was a part of life then and it is a part of life today. Without music, life itself would be a mistake. Seeing the changes over the years is a great way to follow the patterns and differences this way of communicating has shown us. Some of the more popular music was the Gregorian Chant, Organum, Motet and Madrigal. InRead MoreMiddle Ages Art and Music Pertinence to Literature Essay example602 Words   |  3 Pages Middle Ages Art and Music Pertinence to Literature Medieval Times directly follow the period of the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages are recalled as unwieldy times. After the Dark Ages, the Middle Ages raised themselves up against odds to be a time of elegance and class. Not only was the sophistication of the age can be seen being altered in the specific expressions of music and art. The art and music within the Middle Ages brought sophistication, elegance, refinement, and new ideas into the world throughRead More Music History thru the Middle Ages, Rennisance, Baroque, etc...1983 Words   |  8 Pages Music has evolved too many different forms that we recognize today. We trace this development throughout time. Beginning in the middle ages, we have seen advancement from the Gregorian chant all the way to the Jazz of the 20th century. The current events, politics, religion, technology and composers can shape musical eras during time. Here I will look at the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and twentieth century periods. I hope that a better understanding can be reached toRead MoreMusic History Through the Middle Ages, Rennisance, Baroque, Etc...2017 Words   |  9 PagesMusic has evolved too many different forms that we recognize today. We trace this development throughout time. Beginning in the middle ages, we have seen advancement from the Gregorian chant all the way to the Jazz of the 20th century. The current events, politics, religion, technology and composers can shape musical eras during time. Here I will look at the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and twentieth century periods. I hope that a better understanding can be reachedRead MoreHow Did Music From the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Reflect Core Values?674 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿How Did Middle Age/Renaissance Music Reflect Core Values? The Renaissance was an influential period in developing humanistic inquiry. The age is characterized by a deep commitment to education and the arts. People began studying science and creating art for its own sake; it was believed that engaging in such endeavors allowed one to lead a life of morality, and Renaissance artwork was devoted to core values concerning early Christian morality and learning. This paper discusses Joaquin des PrezsRead MoreMiddle Ages And Renaissance Era1081 Words   |  5 PagesMiddle Ages and Renaissance Era The Middle Ages were not known for their choice in government, ways of living, or their views on the Church. Rather, they were known for making the best of what was given to the, which was music. During the early Middle Ages, peasants stayed bound to the land they were given, but had to depend on landlords for protection. Also, many social bonds were ties of kinship, which lead to the emergence of feudalism among the warrior aristocracy (The Middle Ages: Feudal LifeRead MoreHistory Of Music Has Been Around For Many Years1272 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 10 March 2017 History of Music Music has been around for many years. I, for one, have been listening to music for my entire life and I know many people who grew up listening to music. Music influences people and people shape their life around music. Music can brighten anyone’s day. The great thing about music is that it comes in many different styles: Pop, Jazz, Classical, Country, Blues, Rock and Roll, Rap, Hip Hop and Techno, to name a few. How did music originate? Well, keep reading, becauseRead MoreGutenberg s Printing Press And Its Impact On The Advancement Of Printing Technology1506 Words   |  7 PagesDue to the advancement of printing technology, specifically Gutenberg s printing press around 1450, notated music could be produced at a much higher capacity. The printing of liturgical books, however, did not commence until 1473, but it rapidly increased until Ottaviano Petrucci had printed 59 volumes of sheet music by 1523.1 Nevertheless, the process was slow and tedious. Grout and Palisca note: â€Å"each sheet went through the press three times: once to print the staff lines, another time to printRead MoreClassical Music Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesMusic is such an amazing and wonderful thing. There are so many different possibilities when it comes to music. One of the fascinating things about music is that there is always room for improvement. Composers are making better and better music everyday. Music is always changing and composers are creating new never before heard pieces constantly. There is such a wide range of music that it is almost impossible for someone to not like at least one kind of music. The combination of keys and instruments

Richard the Third Free Essays

Kameron Lopez Analysis Paper #2 Richard the Third February, 15tth Analyze the use of Christian allusions â€Å"Two drops of virtue for a Christian prince†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A prince of what exactly? That is a line said of Richard as he enters in Act 3 Scene 7. It was of course as Richard was standing in between two bishops pretending to be pious. He is more like a Christian prince of darkness, and he refers to himself as devil to state his mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Richard the Third or any similar topic only for you Order Now It can be said of Christian allusions in this text that Richard plays the part of the devil, the son, who fell from God’s grace and presence. He spends all of his time using others for his own gain and corrupting mankind. Queen Margaret has it right when she called him â€Å"Hell’s black intelligencer. † And he lives up to that title, more so that he ever lived up to the title of king. In his opening speech Richard is â€Å"determined to prove a villain. † Richard seems to be announcing that he has made a decision and is committed to being bad. That may be true but there is another way to look at it. Richard could also be seen as being predetermined to be a villain. At that time, Christian people believed that God determines everything that’s going to happen to a person and whether he or she will be saved from damnation. This idea was important in context of Shakespeare’s England. Richard’s use of the word â€Å"determined† is interesting because it implies two different possible meanings at once. First, Richard has decided of his own free will to be a villain or, second God has predetermined that Richard is going to be a villain and Richard has no control over the outcome. How we read this will determine on how we think about Richard and if he is a villain and evil by choice or if he has no control over the lengths he will go to get what he wants. We can then see how Richmond can be seen as the savior of this play. He is the only one that can defeat the evil Richard and take his rightful place on the throne and begin to right all of the wrongs that happened by the hands of Richard. He puts an end to a war, he is forgiving to those whose fought against him and fled. That perfect, forgiving love can be seen as a savior, especially when compared to Richard’s villain There is a sense of revelation going on throughout this play with the women characters, Queen Margaret especially. She hurls many curses at Richard throughout the play. â€Å"Cancel his bond of life, dear God, I plead. / That I may live and to say, ‘The dog is dead’ When Margaret prays for Richard to be punished for his treachery, she asks God to intervene and cut Richard down. Later, when Richard is killed in battle, we get the sense that God has answered Margaret’s plea and that Richard’s death has come to pass because of God’s will. Lady Anne curses Richard over her husband’s grave and also curses the woman that would ever become his wife. She fulfills her own prophecy, her own revelation. â€Å"And when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As soon as she utters those words and allows herself to be woed in nearly the same breath, she succumbs to her own prophecy. As an audience, we know to take the curses, the prophecies seriously, because they all come to pass. Some of the characters seem to take them seriously, as in Christian traditions, and some do not and see them simply as mutterings from mad people, women specifically. Another allusion that can be seen in the text is how characters have a major part in their own destruction. They seem to be choosing the evil, the wrong despite the outcome, which will inevitably lead to their demise. Lady Anne and others are taken in by Richard’s charm and charisma and wit and choose not to see the evil and overlook the violence. In Christian religion, that is exactly how the devil works. â€Å"O that cunning plan of the evil one. O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! How quick the characters are to recognize evil when they see it but are unable to resist being caught up in that same evil. That same relationship can almost be seen with the audience. We are so taken in my Richard’s presence that we find ourselves almost rooting for him, despite being shocked by him. That is how temptation seems to work. We are repulsed by something at first, can’t even imagine being involved in any way, and over time that same thing can become less repulsive and more intriguing. That fine line between falling into temptation and standing strong is even finer in this play, which rings true in real life. Good and evil, right and wrong, these are universal Christian ideals. And when evil looks so good, sounds so convincing, it is hard to say no even when we know it is wrong. That eternal struggle runs throughout this play and into everyday life, which is why it was so popular when it was first performed and why it is still popular today. How to cite Richard the Third, Papers

Accounting Research and Organization Theory †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Accounting Research and Organization Theory. Answer: Introduction Conceptual framework for the general purpose financial reporting by the public sector companies delivers the International public sector accounting standards board with concepts that will strengthen development of IPSASs (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) and the practice guidelines for future years. it deals with the concepts those are applicable to the general purpose financial reporting as per accrual basis of the accounting. It provides the guidelines for dealing with the issues related to financial reporting that are dealt by the IPSASs. Under the circumstance, the preparers and others may consider and refer to the applicability of definition, measurement principles, recognition criteria and various other concepts recognized under the conceptual framework. Flight centre Travel Group is biggest retail outlet for travel in Australia. It was established in the year 1982 and its headquarter is in Brisbane (Fctgl.com 2018). From the financial statement of the company it is found that the general purpose financial report of the company has been prepared in accordance with the AAS (Australian Accounting Standards) and interpretations released by AASB (Australian Accounting Standards Board) and Corporation Act 2001. The company is a for-profit company for preparing financial statements (Noon, Blyton and Morrell 2013). Further, the consolidated financial statement of entity is complied with the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) released by IASB (International Accounting Standard Board). Main objectives of the financial reporting by the public companies are to deliver useful information regarding the company to the users of GPFRs for the purpose of accountability and making decisions (Bebbington and Larrinaga 2014). As per the requirement of conceptual framework the financial statement shall be presented in such a manner that the amount for each item can be analysed on timely manner. it is observed from the financial statement of the company that the statements are prepared for the period of 1 year and which is closing on 30th June 2017 (Francis, Hasan and Wu 2013). Further, the amount for all the items are separately mentioned in the financial reports and the associated notes disclosed with the statements. As per the requirement of conceptual framework the information presented in financial report must be presented in such manner that will be useful to the users. It is observed that the company presented all the necessary information through the financial statements, graphs, tables and ratio presentation. The users can use this information for analysing the performance of the company for the purpose of decision making (Griffith, Hammersley and Kadous 2015). Therefore, the information is provided in useful manner and can be used by the users for making decisions. Resource of the organization The conceptual framework requires that the financial statement shall clearly provide the information regarding the resources available to the company and the sources through which the resources are obtained (Li 2013). It has been observed from the financial report of the company that all the resources and their sources are properly mentioned in the financial report of the company. Therefore, the financial statement of Flight Centre Travel Group Limited is complying with all the requirements as per conceptual framework regarding the general purpose reporting standard. Recognition of the item is key driver for determining whether information is stated on face of financial statement or is disclosed through notes or anywhere in the GPFRs. Further, the notes for the financial statements disclose the information that supports the achievements of financial reporting objectives (Frias?Aceituno, Rodriguez?Ariza and Garcia?Sanchez 2013). Any item is identified in the financial statement if the cost or value of the item can be measured reliably and it is probable that upcoming economic benefit from the item will be inflow for the company. When it is apparent that the upcoming economic benefits associated with asset will be inflow to the company then the asset is recognized in the companys balance sheet. From the balance sheet of the company for the year ended 30th June 2017 it is observed that the assets are divided as current and non-current assets (Miller and Power 2013.). The assets of the company like building, plant and equipment are transacted at historical cost less depreciation provided on straight line method. Further, the assets carrying amount is immediately impaired to the recoverable amount if the carrying value is more than the expected recoverable amount. Liabilities recognition When it is probable that the company will require the outflow of economic resources to settle down the underlying obligation then the liabilities are recognized in balance sheet. Further, to recognize the liability the amount for the item shall be reliably measured. The company divides their liabilities as current and non-current based on their time period for payment. The company presented the trade and other payables as current asset. These payables are recognized at fair values initially and thereafter are measured at the amortised cost using the method of effective interest. Provisions for the make good obligations and legal claims are recognized when the company has present constructive or legal obligation that will required outflow of economic resources. Further, the borrowings are recognized at the fair value initially after deducting the transaction cost and are measured at the amortised cost subsequently. The equity of the company includes the contributed equity and treasury shares. Movements in the contributed equity are related to the shares that are issues under ESP. Further, the the company presented the details regarding the opening balances, closing balances and purchase details of the shares through the disclosure notes. When increase in the upcoming economic benefits related with the item taken place in the financial year for which the amount can be measured reliable, the item is recognized as revenue in the income statement of company. It is observed that Flight centre Travel Group Limited recognizes the revenues when amount of revenue can be reliably measured and particular requirement met for each activity. The company recognizes its expenses if the company has to spend the economic resources for obtaining economic benefits and that are associated with the reduction in assets or increase in the liability and can be reliably measured. It is observed that the company segregated its expenses under various heads like finance costs, other expenses. Further, the heads are subdivided under various other heads. Therefore, the company is complying with all the requirements of conceptual framework for recognising the items under the financial statement of the company. Qualitative characteristics Qualitative characteristics of the useful financial reporting recognizes the information types, that are expected as most crucial to the users for making decisions regarding the reporting company based on the financial statement information The financial information shall be presented in such a way that the information shall be relevant to the users for making useful decisions. It is observed that the financial information of the company reported in such a way that it is relevant to the users for the purpose of decision making. The items are properly segregated under appropriate head with their respective amounts. Information presented in the financial statement will be regarded as material if the omission or misstatement can have an impact on the decision of the users. It is observed that the company has included all the material information in the disclosure notes associated with the financial report of the company. Further, as per the report of the auditors there were no material misstatement found in the financial report of the company. As per the qualitative characteristics of the conceptual framework the report shall allow the users to compare the financial performances of the company with the previous years as well as with the industry peers (Deegan 2013). It is observed that the company presents the information for previous year also along with the current year. Further, the key information is presented for last 5 years. Moreover the data are presented through graphs, table and ratio to enable the users to compare the performances. Finance related information shall be presented with the time to which it relates so that the users can evaluate the performances for the particular period of time. It is observed that the company issue their reports annually as well as for half-year period. Further, the annual report is presented for the period ended 30th June 2017 (Cheng et al. 2014). The requirement of conceptual framework is that the items presented under the financial statements shall verifiable with the supporting notes. It can be observed that the companys financial information are segregated under appropriate heads and can be verified with the disclosed notes (Chen et al. 2013). Conclusion From the above analysis it can be concluded that Flight Centre Travel Group Limited is complying with all the requirements stated under the conceptual framework for GPRSs. The company presented its financial information in such a way that it can be used by the users effectively for decision making purpose. Further all the items like expenses, revenues, assets, equities and liabilities have been recognized as per the requirement of recognition criteria mentioned in conceptual framework. Moreover, all the fundamental qualitative characteristics requirements are fulfilled by the company while prepared the financial statement. References Bebbington, J. and Larrinaga, C., 2014. Accounting and sustainable development: An exploration.Accounting, Organizations and Society,39(6), pp.395-413. Chen, L.H., Folsom, D.M., Paek, W. and Sami, H., 2013. Accounting conservatism, earnings persistence, and pricing multiples on earnings.Accounting Horizons,28(2), pp.233-260. Cheng, M., Green, W., Conradie, P., Konishi, N. and Romi, A., 2014. The international integrated reporting framework: key issues and future research opportunities.Journal of International Financial Management Accounting,25(1), pp.90-119. Deegan, C., 2013.Financial accounting theory. McGraw-Hill Education Australia. Fctgl.com., 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.fctgl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Flight-Centre-Travel-Group-Annual-Report-2017.pdf [Accessed 17 Apr. 2018]. Francis, B., Hasan, I. and Wu, Q., 2013. The benefits of conservative accounting to shareholders: Evidence from the financial crisis.Accounting Horizons,27(2), pp.319-346. Frias?Aceituno, J.V., Rodriguez?Ariza, L. and Garcia?Sanchez, I.M., 2013. The role of the board in the dissemination of integrated corporate social reporting.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,20(4), pp.219-233. Griffith, E.E., Hammersley, J.S. and Kadous, K., 2015. Audits of complex estimates as verification of management numbers: How institutional pressures shape practice.Contemporary Accounting Research,32(3), pp.833-863. Li, J., 2013. Accounting conservatism and debt contracts: Efficient liquidation and covenant renegotiation.Contemporary Accounting Research,30(3), pp.1082-1098. Miller, P. and Power, M., 2013. Accounting, organizing, and economizing: Connecting accounting research and organization theory.Academy of Management Annals,7(1), pp.557-605. Noon, M., Blyton, P. and Morrell, K., 2013.The realities of work: Experiencing work and employment in contemporary society. Palgrave Macmillan.

Minority and Women Entrepreneurs

Introduction In the bid to enhance collective growth for all industries by encouraging the development of entrepreneurship culture, governments develop policies that ensure equitable access and evaluation of contract bids that are placed by different firms irrespective of their size or ownership.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Minority and Women Entrepreneurs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main criterion for selection of the firm or business enterprise that wins federal government contract in the US principally rests on the capacity of the firm or enterprise to deliver on the scope of a given contract as postulated in the terms and conditions of a contract. The United States government leads across the globe in terms of purchasing of various goods and services. According to American Express (2010), it spends an average of 500 billion US dollars annually. 23-percent (US $115) of contracts for suppl y of the goods and services are allocated to small firms. This observation suggests that federal contracting encompasses an essential avenue that is utilizable by small firms to grow. Five percent of the total US government’s spending is on small firms owned by minority and women. This makes these two groups of people important for consideration in the discussion of challenges and opportunities in the US federal procurement. This paper seeks to answer the question of whether minority-owned and women-owned small businesses work harder than their peers do to get the same amount of contracts. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section discusses equality in terms of the effort of minority-owned and women–owned small businesses to successfully bid for a contract from federal governments. The second section discusses how minority-owned business strategies differ from the strategies for majority owners. The third section reflects on these differences to exami ne whether minority-owned and women-owned firms and enterprises that engage in federal contracting encounter more hardships, hence requiring working harder in successful contracting. Equality in Success for Minority-owned and Women-owned Business The 2008-2009 global financial crisis produced negative impacts in the employment sector in the US. Estimations for employment forecasts conducted by Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) (2009) indicated that the global recession led to the loss of about 25 million jobs.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Failure of economic recovery to pick momentum made unemployment rise to 57 million (Ernst Young, 2011). This situation revealed the significance of creating more employment through small businesses as part of the US government’s agenda to prevent and manage higher unemployment rates as the economy struggled to recover from the crisis. In the context of the minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses, the two have an incredible share for the provision of employment in the US. In 2007, women owned 7.8 million small businesses, which accounted for 30 percent of all small businesses (Blank, 2010). The businesses reported sales and/or receipts of US$ 1.2 trillion. Those with paid workers employed 7.6 million people in total (Blank, 2010). According to American Express (2010), about 65 percent of small businesses engaged in federal contracting and secured their first contract, reporting sales of over $ 1 million each. This figure includes 63 percent of all prime small business contractors owned by women and 63 percent of prime small business contractors owned by people of color (American Express, 2010). Organizations such as a division of minority and women’s business development (DMWBD) are established in response to the challenge of enhancing the capacity of the women-owned and the mi nority-owned small businesses to offer solutions to the challenge of unemployment. The organization aims at promoting â€Å"equality of economic opportunities for MWBEs and to eliminate barriers to their participation in state contracts† (DMWBD, 2013, Para. 1). This suggests that DMWBD fosters fair allocation of contracts to women-owned and minority -owned small businesses. Amid this effort, equality in the success for minority-owned and women-owned businesses requires working harder to secure the first contract. Minority and women-owned small businesses acquire equal achievements in business growth, which is driven by procurement market place variables that come at equal levels to that of their peers after securing their first contract. American Express (2010, p. 2) supports this affirmation by asserting â€Å"once they become active prime contractors, women and minority-owned small businesses match the average small business contractors both in terms of business size and w ith respect to the total value for federal contracts†. However, the research organization partly agrees and partly disagrees with this assertion. It posits that even though minority and women contractors have acquired similar levels of contracting in comparison with their peers, persons of color (who also constitute the minority) who win their first contract have to pay an extra price. Small businesses owned by people of color invest 35 percent more in comparison with an average minority business to seek a contract with the federal government (American Express, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Minority and Women Entrepreneurs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Statistical evidence indicates that small businesses owned by men dominate in federal contracting. For instance, American Express (2010) confirms that even though small businesses owned by women and engaging in contracting for supply of goods and services to federal agencies are successful, they have not attained similar levels of success compared to men-owned small businesses. This observation is evidenced by 42 percent of women who are actively engaged in federal contracting reporting $1 million in sales compared to 47 percent small businesses owned by men reporting equal amounts of sales (American Express, 2010). This inequality creates the necessity for investigating the differences between small businesses owned by women and minority groups compared with their peers in a bid to establish the points of disparity or parity in awarding of federal contracts in the US. Differences between Women and Minority-owned and Majority-owned Businesses Data derived from the US Census Bureau in 2009 depicted a close relationship between small business populations’ racial and gender characteristic. According to the data, women represented 28 percent of all active contractors. This figure corresponded to 28 percent in th eir total share for population of people engaged in small business prime contracting or subcontracting with federal governments (American Express, 2010). From the context of minority groups, the data from the same organization showed that persons of color accounted for 24 percent of all active small business contractors against their population of 20 percent in the small businesses’ overall population. This data indicated that small business owners have equal opportunities of winning a federal contract irrespective of gender or racial demographic characteristics. However, considering the characteristics of the population of those who have applied for federal contract without success, inequalities in successful federal contracting are evident. Data from the US Census Bureau in 2009 shows that about half (48 percent) of the business population that applied for contract with the federal agencies without winning a prime contract (non-contractors) were minority-owned small busines ses while 39 percent were owned by women (American Express, 2010). This finding shows that minority and women-owned small businesses constitute the largest proportion of small businesses seeking to secure the first contract with federal agencies. A skeptical explanation for this difference may require claiming out that more minority and women-owned small businesses seek opportunities in contracting with Federal agencies.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, while noting that 10% of the federal agencies’ contracts are reserved for women and minority-owned business, higher inequalities in winning contract among these two groups of small business under normal market dynamics would even be higher. This assertion invalidates a claim that setting 10% stake in contracting for women and minority-owned business (each 5%) encourages more minority and women-owned businesses to seek contracting opportunities with federal states so that they constitute the highest population for non-contractors in comparison with their peers. Ernst and Young (2011) contend there are inequalities between small businesses owned by women and those owned by men. The organization reckons that by 2011, women-owned businesses’ revenues accounted for only 9 percent of the total US economy in comparisons with the 36 percent contribution from the revenues generated by men-owned small business enterprises. This suggests that in case women would rai se their revenue objectives to equalize with small businesses that are owned by men, they are likely to make a bigger economic impact. However, a scholarly question emerges on how exactly this mission can be accomplished. Trechiel and Scott (2006, p. 52) suggest that women owning small businesses lack adequate â€Å"negotiating, assertiveness, and decision-making skills†. Considering that these skills are important during contracting negotiations, a possible mechanism of reducing the number of women non-contractors is through the creation of programs for their empowerment. In support of this claim, Ernst and Young (2011, p. 22) insist, â€Å"treating women entrepreneurs as a homogeneous group is unlikely to yield positive results, as women’s experiences in cultural backgrounds, education, and life circumstances vary widely†. Therefore, normalization of the incapability of women to manage and execute a contract to deliver its objectives as prescribed by contractu al terms and conditions may reveal the prevalence of women small businesses in the non-contracting category of small businesses in the US. Minority-owned businesses face the challenge of negative representation of their ability to deliver the deliverables of a contract similar to the women-owned small businesses. Indeed, according to Samuels, Joshi, and Demory (2008), they encounter challenges that are articulated to business formation together with equal engagement in government contracting with their peers. In the effort to ensure the businesses overcome the challenge of formation, the US government has created policies such as affirmative action to increase the number of small business firms owned by minorities applying for government contracts. For instance, the government has established a policy requiring reservation of 5% of all contracts awarded by federal governments to minority-owned small businesses (Trechiel Scott, 2006). Nevertheless, such policies do not necessary tra nslate into increasing the number of small businesses owned by minority and engaging in government contracting. Minority-owned small businesses engage in government contracting in the effort to offset limitations that the private sector imposes on them. This does not imply that minority-owned small businesses have a better play in government contracting compared to their peers. Coleman (2005, p. 154) state, â€Å"barriers embedded in the contracting process itself can impede minority firms from winning government contracts†. For instance, the government may not view as appropriate breaking down various contracts into small fragment to allow minority-owned small businesses to bid competitively. Challenges of ineffective screening to eliminate false minority disguise together with bid shopping also constitute important impediments to equality in the participation of minority-owned small businesses in government contracting. This suggests that for minority-owned and women-owned small business to engage competitively in government contracting in comparison with their peers, they have to work extra harder as discussed in the following section. Hardships in Contracting Ability of Minority-owned and Majority-owned Business Winning federal government contracts is significant to both minority and women-owned small business. A research conducted using a sample of 1,508 participants by American Express (2010) found out that women and minority small business owners work harder to win federal contracts for three main important reasons. 70-percent of the sample claimed that winning a prime federal contract was essential for growth of the businesses. Indeed, 37 percent of the sample contended that seeking business growth opportunities was the prime reason for engagement in federal contracting (American Express, 2010). In all minority and women small business owners, 74 percent cited growth as the main reason they pursue federal contracts. The research by American Expr ess (2010) also indicated that women have higher probabilities of engaging in government contracting in the quest to acquire personal leadership together with management skills. Women of color cited the development of the ability to increase their contributions to wellness of the communities as another major driver into engaging in federal contracting (American Express, 2010). The results of the study provide evidence of the willingness of women and minority small business owners to invest more in making bids for contracts and even in ensuring compliance with their businesses to statutory requirements that are essential for successful bids. The main question is, ‘how hard do they work and at what cost?’ Seeking a response to the above query formed the basis for the American Express (2012) study that deployed a sample size of 740 participants who were drawn from small business owners’ population in the US. The organization’s findings indicated that 35 perce nt of all active small businesses owned by women won contracts worth US $1 and above in 2011. 15-percent reported having won contracts worth US$10 million and above. 37-percent and 20 percent of minority-owned small businesses reported having won contracts with the federal government worth US $1 million and above and 10 million and above respectively. These findings evidence that women-owned and minority-owned small business were fairing equally in terms of achievement in federal contracting. However, equality only occurs when equal achievements correspond to equal inputs in terms of the effort required to successfully bid for a federal contract. Different amounts of efforts to win federal governments’ contracts nullify equality in contracting achievements for different small businesses in the US. Samuels, Joshi, and Demory (2008) further claim that women and minority small business invest both energy and time seeking federal governments’ certifications together with a dditional designations for them to qualify either as a prime contractor or subcontractor. Some of these certifications include women-owned small business certification, registration with GSA, minority-owned small business certification, designation for acceptability in the 8(a) program category of businesses, and veteran-owned small businesses among others. While it is important for small businesses owned by minority and women to seek more than one designations, such an endeavor is non-beneficial to the enterprise when it does not increase the probability for successful bidding for a contract. This suggests that increased successful contracting opportunities as discussed by American Express (2012) have an extra effort attached to them in comparison with their peers. Putting extra energy in seeking a designation of 8(a) business category or acquiring the designation for ‘service-disabled veteran-owned business’ proves effective in enhancing contracting abilities of minor ity-owned small businesses. American Express (2012) agrees with this postulation by reporting that 64 percent of the sample studied embraced ‘service-disabled veteran-owned business’ designation as an important extra effort incorporated by minority-owned small businesses in the bid to enhance their competitiveness in winning federal contracts. Similarly, women-owned businesses benefit from seeking registration with GSA. 41-percent of the sample of women-owned small businesses studied by American Express (2012) held that GSA registration was ‘very important.’ Consequently, it is sound to infer that compared to the peers, small businesses owned by women and minority in the US require an additional mechanism of enhancing their competitiveness in winning bids for the federal government contracts. Although this effort does not require financial inputs, winning contracts in some isolated cases requires higher monetary investments compared to their peers. The cont racting process involves expenditure of business financial resources. In 2010, the expenditure for small businesses that were actively seeking federal contracts averaged at US $103,827 (American Express, 2012). However, minority-owned small businesses had to invest more than the industry’s average contracting investment. They invested US$139,709 (American Express, 2012). This figure was about 35 percent higher than the industry’s average. Compared to women-owned businesses who only invested an average of US$86,643 (17-percent less than the industry’s average), this high commitment of business financial resources meant that minority owned-small businesses were the ones required to work harder to secure a federal contract. Thus, equal achievement in contracting for women-owned small businesses and minority-owned small businesses do not necessarily reflect equality in the overall benefits accruing from contracting. A similar comparative analysis may also apply to b oth women and minority-owned business when compared to their peers. Considering the time required to bid successfully for a federal government contract, women and minority-owned small businesses require working harder to secure the first contract. Average small business contractors take lesser time than women and minority-owned small businesses to secure their first contact. According to Ernst and Young (2011, p. 43), â€Å"it took minority business owners an average of 1.7 years (20 months) and 6.1 unsuccessful bids before they notched their first victory in procurement in 2011† (p.43). Comparably, a small business average contractor took only 16 months (1.3 years) to secure the first contract. This was accompanied by 4.4 failures for successful bidding. Women-owned businesses did not require working harder than average small businesses to a win a bid successfully. They only used 1.2 years with only four failures in successful bidding (Ernst and Young, 2011). However, the sa ved amount of energy may have been utilized elsewhere, for instance, in seeking registration with GSA to increase probabilities for success in contracting. Although women and the minority-owned small businesses face several challenges requiring them to work harder than their peers do, it does not imply that the peers do not also face higher expenditure in securing contracts with federal governments. The costs of living in many nations across the globe have been on the rise since the end of the global financial crisis experienced in 2008-2009 (Ernst and Young, 2011). This situation has resulted in the general increase in costs of doing business including contracting. Amid this challenge, minority-owned small businesses increased their investments in seeking contracting opportunities in federal governments by 29 percent between 2009 and 2010 compared to 21 percent industry average and 23 percent of the investments made by women-owned small businesses (American Express, 2012). Therefor e, despite the rise in investments in financial resources together with the time required for securing the first contract across all small business enterprises, this growth was more pronounced amongst women and minority-owned small businesses in comparison with their peers. Conclusion A government has a noble mandate to ensure equitable distribution of resources and business opportunities with a nation. This concern resulted in the establishment of policies for ensuring that particular disadvantaged groups of small business in the US acquire a share in accessing federal governments’ contracts. One of such policies was the allocation of 5% of total contracts awarded by the federal government to women-owned small businesses and an equal share to minority-owned small businesses. These two groups of businesses also possess the freedom to engage in bidding for the remaining 90% stake of contracts awarded to small businesses. To win a contract in this stake, especially where a smal l business seeks to bid successfully for the first contract, the paper revealed that women-owned and minority-owned small businesses have to worker harder than their peers do. Working harder encompasses commitment of more financial and time resources in the contracting process. It also entails spending time and other resources in seeking multiple designations or certifications to enhance the competitiveness of a women-owned business enterprise or minority-owned business enterprises to win the first bid. After winning the bid, such firms acquire an equal ability to contract similar to their peers without necessarily having to work harder. Reference List American Express. (2010). Women and Minority Federal Small Business Contractors: Greater Challenges, Deeper Motivations, Different Strategies, and Equal Success. New York, NY: American Express. American Express. (2012). Women and Minority Small Business Contracts: Divergent Paths to Equal Success. New York, NY: American Express. Blank , R. (2010). Women-Owned Business in the 21st Century. New York, NY: US Department of Commerce, Economic and Statistics Administration for White House Council on Women and Girls. Coleman, S. (2005). Constraints Faced by Women Small Business Owners: Evidence from the Data. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 7(2), 151-174. DMWBD. (2013). Minority and Women Business Development. Retrieved from https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/mwbe Ernst, J., Young, H. (2011). Scaling Up: Why Women-Owned Business can recharge the Global Economy. New York, NY: Ernst Young. OECD. (2009). Policy Responses to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Innovation for Long-Term Growth. Paris, France: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Samuels, L., Joshi, M., Demory, Y. (2008). Entrepreneurial Failure and Discrimination: Lessons for Small Firms. Service Industries Journal, 28(7), 883-897. Trechiel, M., Scott, J. (2006). Women-Owned Businesses and Access to Bank Credit: Evidence from Three Surveys since 1987. Venture Capital, 8(1), 51-67. This research paper on Minority and Women Entrepreneurs was written and submitted by user Jaycob H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The eNotes Blog First Known Jane Austen Manuscript Sells for $1.6Million

First Known Jane Austen Manuscript Sells for $1.6Million This week, the English auction house Sothebys sold the earliest known work of novelist Jane Austen for a stunning $1.6 million dollars ( £993,250 after taxes). The work fetched three times more than what Sothebys had anticipated. The manuscript is titled The Watsons. The sixty-eight pages are written in Austens minuscule hand and   it clearly shows her attempts at revisions throughout. It is estimated that Austen wrote The Watsons in 1804, when she was twenty-nine years old. The novel centers on protagonist Emma Watson, the youngest of four sisters, who is being raised by a wealthy aunt. Emma must return to her family and wait while her two elder sisters search for husbands. It may be disappointing to some that the work was only a quarter completed, but critics such as Margaret Drabble are thrilled nonetheless. Drabble calls The Watsons  a tantalizing, delightful and highly accomplished fragment, which must surely have proved the equal of her other six novels, had she finished it. Like her other work, this novel contains Austens quintessential wit, displayed in lines such as Female economy will do a great deal, my Lord, but it cannot turn a small income into a large one. Had the work been completed, it would have made a seventh novel in the authors oeuvre. The other six titles are Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, Emma, and Northanger Abbey. The buyer of the manuscript made his winning bid via telephone and remains anonymous.

Union-Management Relationships in Perspective Essay

Union-Management Relationships in Perspective - Essay Example The main people involved in the labor relationships are management and the union. There are other groups of people who are affected but not to a great extent. Labor relationships in the United States involve the following three assumptions. First, there is a conflict of interest between employees and employers. Employees aim at increasing their personal wealth through higher wages and safer working environments whereas the main of a goal of the management is to increase the returns. This results in a conflict of interest between the two parties. The second assumption that is made is that employees have a right to pursue their employment interests within the parameters of the law in a free society. This is usually not the case since employees usually face some constraints which deter them from fully pursuing their rights. Finally, employees are not required to join a labor union but if the majority of the employee group wants to join a union they should be permitted but in most cases, employees belong to a union. The performance of the economy affects the bargaining item. The focus when the economy is doing well will be different from when the economy is downsizing. International forces also influence bargaining in one way or another since no single economy operates in isolation. In the past few years, union membership has decreased. There have been various labor organizations, the earliest ones dating to early 1900. Prior to World War I there were three major national labor organizations. They were the Knights of Labor (KOL), the American Federation of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World. The KOL opposed spreading of technology in a bid to protect its members from being replaced by machines. The American Federation of Labor major goal was to improve the material conditions of its members through the existing capitalistic system.

Protein structure and function Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Protein structure and function - Essay Example nce is responsible for the activities of the different subunits, for example, the exonuclease and excision activities in DNA polymerase I of prokaryotes (Gilbert 2000). The alpha helices in DNA polymerase organize themselves in the form of coiled coils, which are bundles of alpha helices that form superhelices. Hydrogen bonds and Van der Waal forces of attraction play a significant role in the tertiary structure of DNA polymerase. This gives a 3-D appearance of a clamp. For example in Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, DNA polymerases sustain nearness with nucleic acid templates by means of contact with sliding clamps, which enclose DNA thus connecting the polymerase and the substrate of the DNA (Argiriadi et al. 2006). DNA polymerase has several non-identical subunits depending on the type of organism in question. In eukaryotes, there are five different subunits namely alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon (Gilbert 2000). These subunits interact in the process of DNA replication with each subunit playing a distinct role. DNA polymerase also has several domains such as the zinc finger domain and the DNA binding domains. The zinc fingers comprise of interactions between sulphide, nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the neighbouring peptides with a zinc ion. These regions influence the function of DNA polymerase by enabling the binding of the enzyme to the template strand of DNA at the replication fork before the process of replication can commence (Styrer et al. 2002). Argiriadi, M. A., Goedken, E. R., Bruck, I., ODonnell, M., & Kuriyan, J 2006, â€Å"Crystal structure of a DNA polymerase sliding clamp from a Gram-positive bacterium,† BMC Structural Biology, vol.6 no. 2, pp.

PACKAGING FUNCTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

PACKAGING FUNCTIONS - Essay Example Some packages exist in metallic containers but the label is visible for attraction and is different from that of the major competitor, coca cola (Amazon 1). The plastic pack also identifies take away consumers, especially people on journeys, who wish to consume the product as they travel and portability as well as inclusive container charges suggests this. The label also has important information to consumers such as ingredients. Even though the product label is not explicit on environmental issues, it indicates recyclability and the producer has taken measures to reduce amount of solid waste from the package by reducing mass of each container. This extends to ease of disposal and ozone friendliness, though the package does not communicate the information. Additional package usage is also identifiable but the package is devoid of joint promotion. Innovation is however evident as the package has undergone changes towards reduced mass (Pepsico 1; Vieceli & Valos 93-

Analysis of Russias Financial and Labour Crisis

Analysis of Russias Financial and Labour Crisis INTRODUCTION In 2003, major economic organisations and key economists predicted that within a decade, the Russian Economy will face a human capital and labour crisis that will be unable to meet the growing demands of the country. This prediction came true and Russia slowly witnessed diminishing labour market performance following the Global Financial Crisis starting in 2009. The Russian Federation has a very flexible labour market. Cutting wages, reducing working hours and minimising non-wage labour costs are some of the policies adopted by most of the companies to adjust to the economic scenario. The workers respond to this by changing jobs. Hence, there exists a high and stable overall employment rate, but also high wage inequality, informality and labour turnover, due to which firms do not have the incentive to invest in human capital and productivity improvements. Hence, the growth figures of the Russian Economy rarely indicate how the economic performance is impacting the average man. Problems in the labour market of Russia slowly became noticeable following the Global Financial Crisis that started in 2008. The global financial crisis had a significant impact on the Russian economy and its labour market. According to OECD Database, in 2009, the decline in the GDP was −7.9% (World Bank Economic Outlook, 2009). However, since the latter half of 2009, Russia showed economic recovery. There was 4.5% growth rate in 2010 (World Bank Economic Outlook, 2010), and 4.3% in 2011 (World Bank Economic Outlook, 2011). The graph above indicates the changes in the unemployment rate and GDP of Russia during 2008-09. Russia was the third country along with Slovenia in the list with highest downfall in the GDP after Estonia and Finland. The unemployment rate increased, although it was stable as compared to other countries This period saw a fall in the output generation of goods. Working hours and wages were reduced to adjust to the scenario. The Youth of the country were the most affected by the sudden increase in unemployment. As shown in the diagram, from 2009 to 2012, unemployment rate was the highest for people aged 15-24. The labour market strengthened a little in early 2013. Unemployment in the months of January, February, and March lowered by 0.4% than the rate prevalent in 2012. But the second quarter of 2013 again saw a reversal of this trend, with unemployment again growing up by 0.1% compared to 2012 (OECD Economic Survey- Russian Federation, 2013) This marked the advent of an Economic Slump in the Russian Economy that is discussed in the succeeding chapter. Russian Economic Slump: How and Why? Russia suffered from major economic slump in 2012 and tried to make efforts to recover from it using the oil and gas revenues. However the living standards and productivity was below those of advanced BRIICS countries. Growth in 2012 slowed not only because of cyclical factors but also due to slow down of potential output growth. The Ministry of Economic Development, in November 2013, projected long-term average growth to 2.5% (OECD Survey 2013) down from 4.3% (ibid) projected in April, warning that Russian growth until 2030 would lag behind the global average. The reason that led to the emergence of slump is the heavy dependence on natural resources and the challenge lies in reduction of dependence on exhaustible natural resources, strengthen sustainable, productivity-driven, regionally balanced and broad-based growth. The abovementioned Economic slump emerged in late 2012 and into 2013, resulting in the recent Russian Economic crisis triggered by stagnant terms of trade due to inefficient labour market reforms. The temporary factors that earlier boosted growth slowed down, reducing investment mostly driven by natural resource related sectors and public expenditures. The employment and capacity utilization rates are near their pre-crisis records. The unemployment rate has fallen because of employment gains, a fall in labour force, high wage flexibility and extremely low unemployment benefits. Inflation rose above the central bank target range of 5-6% (Ibid). Although this rapid rise was driven mostly by high food prices due to the poor 2012 harvest and headline inflation, the second half of 2013 was on a downward trend and inflation expectations are sticky. These factors structurally limited growth , slowing potential growth below 3% (ibid) This Russian economic slowdown led to several changes in the society and some significant trends were seen: Partial employment increase No demand for radical life changes or political changes Dormant discontent against crisis situation unique adjustment function of the Russian labor market suppressed the impact of the economic crisis on the workers and they did not express their discontent in the form of strikes The policies and reforms for this slump are given in further chapters as discussed by the OECD report on Russian Economic Crisis. OECD ECONOMIC REPORT: REFORMS AND POLICIES Previously we studied the background of Russia and the possible reasons that triggered the current Russian economic slump. OECD is a world organisation that has come up with a report about the changes required for the current economic slump. The Organization of economic cooperation and development (OECD) is a forum founded in 1961 that discusses economic growth and world trade of its 34 member countries. It provides answers to common problems, identify practices in favour of these countries and also provide coordination between the domestic and international policies. It gives assistance in economic, environmental and social issues. Objectives of the OECD- To promote sustainable development in economic growth and employment, giving a rise in standard of living along with the maintenance of financial sector. To provide economic expansion to member countries in order to promote development in world economies. To carry out this expansion on a non-discriminatory basis. OECD: Russian Labour Market The Russian Labour market is in segments even though the global financial crisis ended the long period economic growth .The labour market faces a number of problems like unequal earnings, lack of enforcement of effective labour laws and underdeveloped collective bargaining. To improve this imbalance between labour market flexibility and the protection of workers the Russian federation needs to impose favourable labour market institutions. This imbalance can be improved by shifting to a more sustainable based growth from dependence on revenues from natural resources such as oil (main relying natural resource) by making it attractive place to invest, study and work. Russia should ensure growth beyond natural endowment. BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY Stronger and more sustainable growth is not possible without better use of skills and stronger innovation. Considerable resources are employed in lowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœproductivity activities. Lifelong learning, activation programmes and temporary income support remain underdeveloped. Key Recommendations: Better market oriented training. Strengthening the quality of the education system Improve the governance of higher education. IMPROVING THE BUSINESS CLIMATE The business climate in Russia is turning out to be risky as rule of law is weak and widespread corruption along with widespread state involvement. The implications are widespread such as low level of entrepreneurship and investment. Thus a stronger policy initiative along with stronger financial sector is required to match the skills of labour. Key Recommendations- Identify risks to integrity for particular jobs, work and project. Strengthening the rule of law by enhancing the quality of law instead of increasing the number of laws and regulations thus giving rise to judicial independence. Incorporating accountability and transparency of public institutions through promotion of media freedom. COMPETITION FRAMEWORK IN RUSSIA Russia has the highest barriers to competition when compared with any OECD country or emerging country. This halts the diffusion of technology and hampers the speed with which the labour productivity catch up with best performers. As suggested by OECD product market regulation (PMR) indicator, it suggests that Russia’s PMR is very restrictive as compared to any other OECD country. A PMR indicator tells the state involvement extent and administrative barrier to developing new enterprises. This high rate is reflected in Small and Medium sized enterprises sector in Russia. Key Recommendations- Lowering administrative burden on firms by cutting ‘red tape’, introducing deemed clearance regime and carrying out systematic Regulatory Impact Analysis and Stake Holder consultations. Strengthen the competition by eliminating subsidies to large firms, prioritize resources only to important cases and liberalization of foreign trade and investment policy. Widening scope of competition by taking WTO accession as an opportunity and supporting the concerned firms with framework measures rather than imposing entry barriers. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The basic problem in the Russian Economy is that it is still heavily dependent on the communist age infrastructure and economic mechanisms. No innovations or new methods of economic development have significantly evolved after the communist era collapsed. The economy still uses capitalist management styles that were used in the erstwhile USSR. The economy is heavily dependent on gas reservoirs and their rising prices. This leaves the domestic market open to major jolts due to the fluctuating world market prices of gas and other natural resources. Growth in 2013 slowed to 1.3 percent, the lowest in a decade other than during the global recession in 2009 (OECD Economic Indicators Report 2013). As mentioned in the previous chapter, the economic resilience of the economy can be raised through structural reforms. Making the economy more balanced, and less dependent on the volatile revenue from the energy market is one of the main challenges. This challenge can only be met by higher productivity of labour and energy efficiency which further, can by increasing competition in the market and investment in the structural economy. The improvement of the political economy and implementation of structural reforms is crucial to revive the Russian Economy. The society and not natural resources needs to partake in Russia’s transformation. And so there is need for investments in infrastructure, innovation and human resources. Russia needs to step up its governance and address the increasing inter-regional disparity. The OECD survey indicates that the Federation is doing well in numerous areas but future growth and development is being retarded by poor governance and laws. Russia faces major transport bottlenecks that hinder the infrastructural growth in many potential regions. The irony is that a majority of the Russian population- about a million, are engaged in the railways with most of them being disguisedly unemployed in the process. The Russian Federation has one of the highest shares of tertiary educated population in the world, but the education system has had difficulties in providing the education according to the needs of the market and the firms. The education system of the country is outdated. It needs to be revamped to suit the modern sensibilities and economic conditions. Education will have to target higher paying and more intellectual jobs (white collar jobs). Public spending on education is low and the high inequality of educational opportunities adds to the problem. Major public and private sector investments in the education sector, especially in backward areas should be a national priority. Better quality of market oriented vocational training and an improved technical curriculum is also the need of the hour. Another good way to increase the labour force of the nation is to decrease the gender gap in the labour market. Education and training focused solely on women would be beneficial. The Government should also increase the retirement age of women to equal to that of men. A boost in education and skill in turn will increase opportunities and investments in Research and Development that will bring the much needed innovation and further enhance the business climate. Flexibility in the Russian labour market has helped the economy achieve very low levels of unemployment. However, firms lose the incentive to invest in human resource due to the high labour turnover. This causes high wage inequality. The OECD encourages better communication between employers and labour, encouragement to engage in long term training programmes and temporary income support from the Government. One industry that has a lot of potential in the Russian economy and will benefit out of the recommended labour changes by OECD is the automobile industry. This will not only give a much required push to the economy but also solve the transportation bottleneck that the nation is facing. The Russian Federation will also benefit by strengthening its Immigration policies. There is a large influx of unskilled labour from countries that were part of the former Soviet Union, who come in the search for better employment opportunities and standards of living. They are seen to be putting additional burden on the Government’s diminished welfare schemes such as free education and healthcare systems. This is happening due to the easy immigration policy of the state. Hence the welfare labour policies that are already functional in the State cannot give quality output due to this additional burden put on them. CONCLUSION It can be asserted that the economic slump in Russia is a temporary bottleneck in its path of growth and development and can the removed by focusing on the improvement of the labour market performance by implementing the measures given in the OECD Economic Report on the Russian Federation 2013. As suggested by the OECD, encouraging lifelong learning among skilled workers, training and targeting the youth for inculcating better skills, developing advanced Information Technology in this arena, reducing the gender gap in the work force, reforms in the education system and promoting innovation and technology can take the nation a long way. However other measures such as State support in welfare schemes that boost labour performance and privatisation of firms can be beneficial. Encouraging better Human Resource policies in Russian Firms and stronger collective bargaining power of the workers can also help promote the right balance between wages and productivity. Russia also needs to look into its immigration policy to stop the rapid rise in immigrants who are unskilled and ultimately become a burden on the state.

The Love Story in James Cains Mildred Pierce :: Mildred Pierce Essays

The Love Story in James Cain's Mildred Pierce In Mildred Pierce, by James Cain, the novel revolves around some very interesting and universal concepts that seem to be themes in many of his novels. â€Å"As in his previous work, the novel revolves around love, money, and sex, but though success is perverse and wish fulfillment destructive, there is no murder† (Gale Group Biography) One most interesting theme is the theme of love and lust, and what drove the characters to their actions, and what motivated them. For some it was love, for some it was lust. So is Mildred Pierce a love story? Or is it just a tale of sex and scandals? In Cain’s works, love appears in almost a forbidden appearance, though it is obviously an important aspect. â€Å"Cain said he had only one story to tell: a love story. ’I write of the wish that comes true for some reason a terrifying concept ... I think my stories have some quality of the opening of a forbidden box.’ The act of forcing the wish to come true isolates Cain’s obsesses lovers from society and places them on what he calls a ’love-rack’† (Madden, journal) This forbidden box is very apparent in Mildred Pierce, as seen through the eyes of Mildred. Mildred appears to be a normal working mother, loving her children, and providing everything for them that she can, meanwhile struggling with her finances and problems with society’s expectations, and even her daughter, Veda’s expectations, which are quite a few. But underneath, there’s this very forbidden concept. Mildred loves her daughter, Veda, almost too much. â€Å"James T. Farell refers to Mildred’s ‘almost unnatural love for her daughter’† (Madden James M. Cain, 79) It is never exactly said in so many words, but the idea of Mildred loving her daughter more than what is natural is there, lurking underneath, like a forbidden box, on the verge of opening. Yet, even though we see signs of it, we don’t seem to lose respect for Mildred, because of her character, and the way it is drawn out, because Mildred herself never even realiz es it. This is something that would seem to be very hard to accomplish as a writer, and Cain does a fantastic job of it, illustrating the forbidden and the not forbidden love Mildred feels for Veda.