The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange is one of the most significant results of the Age of Exploration and the First Global Age. Food products, livestock and diseases are but three elements of the Columbian Exchange. As Columbus â€Å"discovered America† and Western Europe discovered the various economic opportunities available in the New World, agricultural exchanges between the two regions led to exchanges of other items. Within decades of Columbus' voyages, the trans Atlantic slave trade had begun and hundreds of thousands of native Americans died of diseases brought to America by Europeans and Africans. The early Spanish conquistadors brought gunpowder and the horse to America as well as the Catholic Christian Church. Indeed, the conquistadors brought priests with them and established missions such as St. Augustine, San Diego and San Antonio. The Spanish also brought African slaves to work on sugar plantations. New foods for both Europe and the Americas was a major part of the Columbian Exchange. The Americas provided such new foods as corn, the potato, the tomato, peppers, pumpkins, squash, pineapples, cacao beans (for chocolate) and the sweet potato. Also, such animals as turkeys, provided a new food source for Europeans. Tobacco, an American product, was also carried to Europe. From Europe, the Americas were introduced to such livestock as cattle, pig and sheep as well as grains such as wheat. African products introduced to the Americas included items originally from Asia were brought to the west by European traders and African slaves. These items included the onion, citrus fruits, bananas, coffee beans, olives, grapes, rice and sugar cane. The â€Å"Columbian Exchange†Ã¢â‚¬â€a phrase coined by historian Alfred Crosby—describes the interchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the Americas following Columbus's arrival in the Caribbean in 1492. For reasons beyond human control, rooted deep in the divergent evolutionary histories of the continents, the Columbian Exchange massively benefited the people of Europe and its colonies while bringing catastrophe to Native Americans. Psst†¦ Check Out These Resources The Columbian Exchange Statistics The Columbian Exchange Quotes The Columbian Exchange Photos The Columbian Exchange Trivia The Columbian Exchange Primary Sources Why Should I Care? The Columbian Exchange: It's a relatively obscure concept, developed by a relatively obscure historian. Most people have never even heard of it. Its definition—the transmission of non-native plants, animals, and diseases from Europe to the Americas, and vice versa, after 1492—doesn't sound very sexy. And yet the Columbian Exchange just may be the single most important event in the modern history of the world. The Columbian Exchange explains why Indian nations collapsed and European colonies thrived after Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The Columbian Exchange explains why European nations quickly became the wealthiest and most powerful in the world. The Columbian Exchange explains why Africans were sold into slavery on the far side of the ocean to toil in fields of tobacco, sugar, and cotton. The Columbian Exchange even explains why pasta marinara has tomato sauce. If you don't understand the Columbian Exchange, you cannot truly understand the forces that shape the world we live in today. You cannot understand why you speak the language you speak, why you live in the nation you live in, or even why you eat the food you eat. If you don't understand the Columbian Exchange, much of what you think you know about the history of the Americas may be wrong. Spanish soldiers did less to defeat the Incas and Aztecs than smallpox did. Divine Providence did less to bless the Puritan settlers of the Mayflower with good health and fortune than the Pilgrims' own immune systems did. In the Columbian Exchange, ecology became destiny. Powerful environmental forces, understood by no one alive at the time and by very few people even today, determined who would thrive and who would die. And that may be the most shocking truth revealed to those who take the time to understand the Columbian Exchange: we, as humans, cannot always control our own destinies. The most important historical actors in this story are not Christopher Columbus or Moctezuma or Hernan Cortes. They are the smallpox virus, the pig, the potato, and the kernel of corn. The Columbian Exchange Summary & Analysis The Big Picture: Who, What, When, Where & (Especially) Why Columbus: Discovery, Ecology and Conquest Unequal Exchange: Food for Disease History as Demography The drawback of Old World civilizations' reliance upon domesticated animals came in increased incidence of disease. Many of the world's nastiest illnesses derive from bugs that have leapt back and forth between people and their animals. Humans caught smallpox from their cows, influenza from their fowl, bubonic plague from the rats who lived in their houses. By the time of Columbus, the Old World was wracked by endemic contagions of dozens of deadly diseases, which kept life expectancies low and infant mortality rates high. Largely due to the ravages of disease (especially bubonic plague), the population of Europe in 1492 was lower than it had been 200 years earlier. Jared Diamond, best-selling author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, popularized the notion that European imperialism succeeded due to European advantages over other people in the areas of, well†¦ guns, germs, and steel. As far as colonization of the Americas is concerned, though, guns and steel were all but immaterial. The germs alone were enough. The word â€Å"conquistador† evokes memories of Cortes and Pizarro, but in truth the greatest conquistadors of the New World were smallpox and influenza—not to mention typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, measles, scarlet fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Every one of these diseases, endemic to the Old World, spread to the Americas after 1492 with catastrophic effects for indigenous people there. (In return, the Americas afflicted the Old World with only one major affliction—syphilis. And even that is in dispute; scientists and historians remain divided on whether the disease truly originated in the New World. Old World diseases—lethal enough already on their continents of origin—became exponentially more dangerous in America, where they spread as virgin-soil epidemics among native populations totally lacking in immunities to them. (In Europe and Africa, countless children died from diseases like smallpox and malaria; those w ho survived, however, built up antibodies that inoculated them against adult infection. Since no Native Americans had ever encountered these diseases, none built up any immunity, leaving entire populations as â€Å"virgin soil† for infection. When the diseases struck, entire communities could be felled in a matter of days. ) Virgin-soil epidemics are among the deadliest phenomena ever experienced by humankind, and the death toll of the pandemics unleashed in the Americas by the Columbian Exchange far exceeded that of history's most famous virgin-soil epidemic, Europe's Black Death (an outbreak of bubonic plague in the 1340s). The cataclysmic effects of virgin-soil epidemics struck Native American societies just as they faced the threat of European invasion, decisively reducing the natives' capability to resist colonization. It is worth noting that devastating smallpox pandemics struck both the Aztecs and Incas just before their respective disastrous encounters with Cortes and Pizarro. ) Mississippian Mystery: De Soto and La Salle Perhaps the most arresting evidence of the consequences of virgin-soil epidemics came from the entrada** of Hernando *de* Soto, who led an army of conquistadors deep into the North American mainl and in 1539. De Soto hoped to find gold in the country that today comprises the southeastern United States; he ended up leading more than 600 men and hundreds of livestock on a four-year wild goose chase. In the end, his mission proved to be a fiasco—two-thirds of the men, including De Soto himself, died without ever finding a trace of gold—but De Soto's expedition powerfully illustrated the destructive force of smallpox, which apparently spread from his pigs to the people of the Mississippi Valley. Before leaving, De Soto's men recorded their impressions of the Mississippian people—they found dense settlements, with large villages and cities often sited within view of each other, separated by carefully tended fields of corn. After De Soto left the country, no European returned for more than 100 years. When the French explorer La Salle canoed down the Mississippi Valley in 1682, he found very few villages, no cities, and no fields of corn, but instead a landscape almost devoid of people and overrun by buffalo* (which De Soto had apparently never encountered). * In the 140 years that passed between the explorations of De Soto and La Salle, something transformed the Mississippi Valley from a densely populated Indian heartland into a virtually deserted wilderness. That something was almost certainly smallpox. The landscape encountered by La Salle was not, as he believed, a primeval wilderness, but rather an ecosystem that had recently experienced the sudden destruction of its keystone species—Indians. The buffalo wandered in because few Indians survived to hunt them. * * From Canada to the Tierra del Fuego, the indige*Epidemic* Disease and Manifest Destiny Neither Europeans nor Indians had any scientific understanding of the ecological processes that had so profoundly shaped their encounter. Both groups understood phenomena like agricultural abundance or epidemic disease in spiritual terms, as the respective blessings or punishments of their gods. Thus, the undeniable facts of the European-American encounter—that Indians seemed to be wasting away, opening bounteous lands to the newcomers from across the Atlantic—acquired deep cultural and ideological meanings in the minds of the colonists who eventually founded the United States. Not understanding the scientific processes at work, Anglo-Americans interpreted their ongoing good fortune as proof of God's special endorsement of their nation. For example, John Winthrop—Puritan elder and first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony—perceived divine blessing of the colonists' venture in the Indians' Great Dying: â€Å"For the natives,† Winthrop wrote, â€Å"they are neere all dead of Small poxe, so as the Lord hathe cleared our title to what we possess. 3 A Frenchman on La Salle's voyage down the Mississippi captured the idea even more bluntly: â€Å"Touching these savages, there is a thing I cannot omit to remark to you, it is that it appears visibly that God wishes that they yield their place to new peoples. â€Å"4 Through generations of successful colonization—in which the descendents of Europe built some of the world's healthiest and wealthiest societies in the lands vacated by the Indians—white Americans' conviction tha t their presence in America had received a special blessing from God only grew stronger. The cultural and ideological origins of â€Å"manifest destiny† and â€Å"American exceptionalism† can be found in the exceptionally uneven terms of the Columbian Exchange. Only recently have we become fully aware that the special advantages enjoyed by Europeans in their encounter with Indians were bestowed less by God than by ecology. nous inhabitants of the Americas suffered similar calamities, the Columbian Exchange of diseases ravaging Indian communities and facilitating the European takeover of the hemisphere. Top of Form The Columbian Exchange The Columbian Exchange is one of the most significant results of the Age of Exploration and the First Global Age. Food products, livestock and diseases are but three elements of the Columbian Exchange. As Columbus â€Å"discovered America† and Western Europe discovered the various economic opportunities available in the New World, agricultural exchanges between the two regions led to exchanges of other items. Within decades of Columbus' voyages, the trans Atlantic slave trade had begun and hundreds of thousands of native Americans died of diseases brought to America by Europeans and Africans. The early Spanish conquistadors brought gunpowder and the horse to America as well as the Catholic Christian Church. Indeed, the conquistadors brought priests with them and established missions such as St. Augustine, San Diego and San Antonio. The Spanish also brought African slaves to work on sugar plantations. New foods for both Europe and the Americas was a major part of the Columbian Exchange. The Americas provided such new foods as corn, the potato, the tomato, peppers, pumpkins, squash, pineapples, cacao beans (for chocolate) and the sweet potato. Also, such animals as turkeys, provided a new food source for Europeans. Tobacco, an American product, was also carried to Europe. From Europe, the Americas were introduced to such livestock as cattle, pig and sheep as well as grains such as wheat. African products introduced to the Americas included items originally from Asia were brought to the west by European traders and African slaves. These items included the onion, citrus fruits, bananas, coffee beans, olives, grapes, rice and sugar cane. The â€Å"Columbian Exchange†Ã¢â‚¬â€a phrase coined by historian Alfred Crosby—describes the interchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the Americas following Columbus's arrival in the Caribbean in 1492. For reasons beyond human control, rooted deep in the divergent evolutionary histories of the continents, the Columbian Exchange massively benefited the people of Europe and its colonies while bringing catastrophe to Native Americans. Psst†¦ Check Out These Resources The Columbian Exchange Statistics The Columbian Exchange Quotes The Columbian Exchange Photos The Columbian Exchange Trivia The Columbian Exchange Primary Sources Why Should I Care? The Columbian Exchange: It's a relatively obscure concept, developed by a relatively obscure historian. Most people have never even heard of it. Its definition—the transmission of non-native plants, animals, and diseases from Europe to the Americas, and vice versa, after 1492—doesn't sound very sexy. And yet the Columbian Exchange just may be the single most important event in the modern history of the world. The Columbian Exchange explains why Indian nations collapsed and European colonies thrived after Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The Columbian Exchange explains why European nations quickly became the wealthiest and most powerful in the world. The Columbian Exchange explains why Africans were sold into slavery on the far side of the ocean to toil in fields of tobacco, sugar, and cotton. The Columbian Exchange even explains why pasta marinara has tomato sauce. If you don't understand the Columbian Exchange, you cannot truly understand the forces that shape the world we live in today. You cannot understand why you speak the language you speak, why you live in the nation you live in, or even why you eat the food you eat. If you don't understand the Columbian Exchange, much of what you think you know about the history of the Americas may be wrong. Spanish soldiers did less to defeat the Incas and Aztecs than smallpox did. Divine Providence did less to bless the Puritan settlers of the Mayflower with good health and fortune than the Pilgrims' own immune systems did. In the Columbian Exchange, ecology became destiny. Powerful environmental forces, understood by no one alive at the time and by very few people even today, determined who would thrive and who would die. And that may be the most shocking truth revealed to those who take the time to understand the Columbian Exchange: we, as humans, cannot always control our own destinies. The most important historical actors in this story are not Christopher Columbus or Moctezuma or Hernan Cortes. They are the smallpox virus, the pig, the potato, and the kernel of corn. The Columbian Exchange Summary & Analysis The Big Picture: Who, What, When, Where & (Especially) Why Columbus: Discovery, Ecology and Conquest Unequal Exchange: Food for Disease History as Demography The drawback of Old World civilizations' reliance upon domesticated animals came in increased incidence of disease. Many of the world's nastiest illnesses derive from bugs that have leapt back and forth between people and their animals. Humans caught smallpox from their cows, influenza from their fowl, bubonic plague from the rats who lived in their houses. By the time of Columbus, the Old World was wracked by endemic contagions of dozens of deadly diseases, which kept life expectancies low and infant mortality rates high. Largely due to the ravages of disease (especially bubonic plague), the population of Europe in 1492 was lower than it had been 200 years earlier. Jared Diamond, best-selling author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, popularized the notion that European imperialism succeeded due to European advantages over other people in the areas of, well†¦ guns, germs, and steel. As far as colonization of the Americas is concerned, though, guns and steel were all but immaterial. The germs alone were enough. The word â€Å"conquistador† evokes memories of Cortes and Pizarro, but in truth the greatest conquistadors of the New World were smallpox and influenza—not to mention typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, measles, scarlet fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Every one of these diseases, endemic to the Old World, spread to the Americas after 1492 with catastrophic effects for indigenous people there. (In return, the Americas afflicted the Old World with only one major affliction—syphilis. And even that is in dispute; scientists and historians remain divided on whether the disease truly originated in the New World. Old World diseases—lethal enough already on their continents of origin—became exponentially more dangerous in America, where they spread as virgin-soil epidemics among native populations totally lacking in immunities to them. (In Europe and Africa, countless children died from diseases like smallpox and malaria; those w ho survived, however, built up antibodies that inoculated them against adult infection. Since no Native Americans had ever encountered these diseases, none built up any immunity, leaving entire populations as â€Å"virgin soil† for infection. When the diseases struck, entire communities could be felled in a matter of days. ) Virgin-soil epidemics are among the deadliest phenomena ever experienced by humankind, and the death toll of the pandemics unleashed in the Americas by the Columbian Exchange far exceeded that of history's most famous virgin-soil epidemic, Europe's Black Death (an outbreak of bubonic plague in the 1340s). The cataclysmic effects of virgin-soil epidemics struck Native American societies just as they faced the threat of European invasion, decisively reducing the natives' capability to resist colonization. It is worth noting that devastating smallpox pandemics struck both the Aztecs and Incas just before their respective disastrous encounters with Cortes and Pizarro. ) Mississippian Mystery: De Soto and La Salle Perhaps the most arresting evidence of the consequences of virgin-soil epidemics came from the entrada** of Hernando *de* Soto, who led an army of conquistadors deep into the North American mainl and in 1539. De Soto hoped to find gold in the country that today comprises the southeastern United States; he ended up leading more than 600 men and hundreds of livestock on a four-year wild goose chase. In the end, his mission proved to be a fiasco—two-thirds of the men, including De Soto himself, died without ever finding a trace of gold—but De Soto's expedition powerfully illustrated the destructive force of smallpox, which apparently spread from his pigs to the people of the Mississippi Valley. Before leaving, De Soto's men recorded their impressions of the Mississippian people—they found dense settlements, with large villages and cities often sited within view of each other, separated by carefully tended fields of corn. After De Soto left the country, no European returned for more than 100 years. When the French explorer La Salle canoed down the Mississippi Valley in 1682, he found very few villages, no cities, and no fields of corn, but instead a landscape almost devoid of people and overrun by buffalo* (which De Soto had apparently never encountered). * In the 140 years that passed between the explorations of De Soto and La Salle, something transformed the Mississippi Valley from a densely populated Indian heartland into a virtually deserted wilderness. That something was almost certainly smallpox. The landscape encountered by La Salle was not, as he believed, a primeval wilderness, but rather an ecosystem that had recently experienced the sudden destruction of its keystone species—Indians. The buffalo wandered in because few Indians survived to hunt them. * * From Canada to the Tierra del Fuego, the indige*Epidemic* Disease and Manifest Destiny Neither Europeans nor Indians had any scientific understanding of the ecological processes that had so profoundly shaped their encounter. Both groups understood phenomena like agricultural abundance or epidemic disease in spiritual terms, as the respective blessings or punishments of their gods. Thus, the undeniable facts of the European-American encounter—that Indians seemed to be wasting away, opening bounteous lands to the newcomers from across the Atlantic—acquired deep cultural and ideological meanings in the minds of the colonists who eventually founded the United States. Not understanding the scientific processes at work, Anglo-Americans interpreted their ongoing good fortune as proof of God's special endorsement of their nation. For example, John Winthrop—Puritan elder and first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony—perceived divine blessing of the colonists' venture in the Indians' Great Dying: â€Å"For the natives,† Winthrop wrote, â€Å"they are neere all dead of Small poxe, so as the Lord hathe cleared our title to what we possess. 3 A Frenchman on La Salle's voyage down the Mississippi captured the idea even more bluntly: â€Å"Touching these savages, there is a thing I cannot omit to remark to you, it is that it appears visibly that God wishes that they yield their place to new peoples. â€Å"4 Through generations of successful colonization—in which the descendents of Europe built some of the world's healthiest and wealthiest societies in the lands vacated by the Indians—white Americans' conviction tha t their presence in America had received a special blessing from God only grew stronger. The cultural and ideological origins of â€Å"manifest destiny† and â€Å"American exceptionalism† can be found in the exceptionally uneven terms of the Columbian Exchange. Only recently have we become fully aware that the special advantages enjoyed by Europeans in their encounter with Indians were bestowed less by God than by ecology. nous inhabitants of the Americas suffered similar calamities, the Columbian Exchange of diseases ravaging Indian communities and facilitating the European takeover of the hemisphere. Top of Form

E †Marketing of the Music Products Essay

The success of music marketing traditionally has been determined by the power of the musicians artists and the consumers. However there had been a quantum change in the power recently thanks to the increased use of information and communication technology. The music industry had long held the power to control the development of the marketing, but the advent of the internet and the technological advancement in the information and communication technology has allowed the artistes and consumers to take power of their own. There were initial apprehensions about the impact of the internet on the marketing of the music industry due to the presence of file-sharing and peer-to-peer networks that might hinder the growth of sales of the music products. However it so happened that the internet has opened up a sea of chances for the growth of the marketing of the music products through the development of new retail channels for consumers as well as for the artistes to take advantage of the increased customer net work. This marketing channel has made much more music available to a much wider and larger set of audience and consumers. Punjabi music and songs have been estimated to originate between the 14th and 15th century, as folklore with the farmers composing songs in their own dialects and tunes. There are different varieties of Punjabi music that enthrall the music lovers. The Punjabi music market had grown with the time by selling the products through recorded cassette tapes and then through the medium of compact discs. With the passage of time the internet marketing has taken over the reins and the industry developed with newer and improved technological means of marketing the ancient cultural treasure. The internet marketing has proved to be an effective platform for the Punjabi music to gain popularity not only in India but throughout the world. There is a huge difference in the marketing strategy and approaches of the Punjabi music industry before and after the introduction of internet as a marketing medium. Internet marketing has made the industry to constantly work on finding new strategies to develop the marketing efforts. While originally it was apprehended that features like file sharing and peer-to-peer networks will hamper the growth of the sale of Punjabi music products, there were no such hindrances in reality and the industry is growing day by day with the introduction of new and improved music themes. With the help of internet marketing the purchasing of music products has improved considerably and this has increased the customer needs and preferences. In this context this study looks at the contribution of internet marketing to the growth of sale of Punjabi music products and how internet has helped the music industry to introduce new and improved methods of marketing. The scope of the study is to review the development of the Punjabi music industry over the period of time along with the development of the internet marketing concept. The study also analyses the problems in the music industry associated with the development of the internet market. 1. 1 Research Objectives While looking at the overall development of the internet marketing of the Indian Punjabi music the study has other objectives like 1. Comparing the differences in the marketing approaches prior to the introduction and development of the internet marketing and the present day approaches backed by internet marketing. 2. Exploring the available present and future technologies that can help the music industry grow 3. Analysing the impact of these technologies on the conduct of business and development of marketing for the music industry in general 4. Reviewing the response of the music industry to the technological developments 5. Assessing the impact the internet marketing had on the consumer preferences and tastes in the context of the music industry in general and Punjabi music in particular 6. Assessing the impact of file sharing and peer-to-peer networks on the internet marketing of the music products. 7. Assessing the possibility of turning the illegitimate music routes to legitimate saleable propositions. 1. 2 Research Scope The study intends to review the development of the marketing concept of the music industry in general and the Punjabi music in particular over the period of time till the introduction of the concept of internet marketing and how the marketing concepts have changed over time. This can be seen from the changes in consumer preferences over the time in them asking new and more improved ways of listening to the music without losing the quality of the music. Examples in this connection are the I-pods and MP3 concepts. The findings of this study will greatly interest the music lovers as well as the music industry because some interesting information on the E-marketing strategies would be evolved which can help them to adapt to the latest developments in the technology. The study will also extend to the analysis of the reasons and extent of piracy prevalent in the music industry and the scope for converting such piracies to saleable propositions. Overall the study aims at reviewing the growth of the music industry over the period of technological improvements. 1. 3 Research Questions This study attempts to answer the following research questions among other things: 1. What is the impact of technological developments in the marketing growth of the music industry in general and Indian Punjabi music in particular? 2. What are the changes in the consumer preferences in respect of the music products with the development of internet marketing in the music industry? 3. What are the chances that piracy in the E-marketing can be contained with respect to the music products? 1. 4 Structure of the Dissertation In order to make a cohesive presentation this dissertation has been divided in to different chapters. Chapter 1 makes a brief introduction to the readers about the background of the Punjabi music and the internet marketing being the subject the thesis is going to deal. This chapter also outlines the objectives of the research and sets the questions that the research intends to find answers. Chapter 2 makes a detailed review of the available literature on the internet marketing of the music products and the associated issues with a view to familiarize the readers to the discussions on the core subject of the paper ‘Impact of Internet on Indian Punjabi Music Industry: An overview on the Internet Marketing of the Music Products’ . Chapter 3 presents an account of the research methodology that was adopted to gather the information and data needed for the completion of the research along with a justification for the chosen method of research. The findings of the research and an analysis there of constitutes Chapter 4. Some concluding remarks recapitulating the issues discussed forming the content of the text is presented in the final chapter 5. There were certain limitations of this research which are mentioned in the concluding chapter. Chapter 2 Literature Review The scope of this chapter extends to the presentation of a review of the available literature on the subject of the impact of the internet marketing on the Indian Punjabi music industry. While reviewing the literature on this particular subject the study also extends to an analysis of the impact of E-marketing on the music industry and its products. 2. 1 Indian Punjabi Music – a Background As observed earlier the origin of the Indian Punjabi music dates back to the 14th or 15 the century. Developed as folklore the music had the exquisite character of instilling energy and rhythm in to the lives of those who sing these songs. There are a number of varieties of Punjabi songs like â€Å"bhangara, jhumar, luddi, giddha, julli† and so on. The music had a vibrant style which made it popular in the world and with the migration of the people the music also travelled westwards. With the fascination for this kind of music the Punjabi music and songs have acquired a greater significance in the international world of music. Music charts are being prepared with the flavor of this Asian culture. The Punjabi music has developed to such an extent that it is compared with other popular music like rock and reggae. Even European songs are infused with the mixture of the Punjabi music and songs and have attracted music lovers all over the world. (Indian Child) 2. 1. 1 Development of Indian Punjabi Music ‘Bhangra’ one of the traditional forms of Indian Punjabi music has become increasingly popular in the Western music cultures over the period. With a tradition of more than 500 years old ‘bhangra’ which was performed during harvest festivals was increasingly being performed in weddings and other joyous occasions like New Year celebrations. According to Asia Today though the Indian Punjabi music ‘bhangra’ is still performed in its traditional form, in recent years the music has taken new versions in the form of ‘remixes, film songs, hip-hop, reggae and house music’ and through these new forms has developed a growing Western audience in the regions of Europe and North America. The music has seen its developments in the UK during the 1970s when it started influencing the British club scenes. The development of the music has been accelerated due to the presence of a large section of South Asian Diaspora especially belonging to the second generation youngsters in the whole of Europe and more specifically in the UK. In the recent past ‘bhangra’ has reverted back to its original drum beats and it is sure that this music will enthrall more audience world wide in the years to come (Asia Today)

Special Interests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Special Interests - Essay Example They need to have a control mechanism which is helped in terms of influence with the public policy which has already been developed for a state or a country. However, the members do not wish to have any political control which suggests much within the relevant scheme of things. These interest groups lobby with the assistance of their members who form a vital ingredient of the various legislative bodies. Their roles are taken care of regularly by the political parties for which these interest groups have an aim to serve from a strategic perspective. It would not be wrong to suggest here that these interest groups have been playing their due role within electing the politicians who have a fair idea as per the cause at hand and the right kind of attention that the subject raised by these interest groups exists. It is a given that these interest groups hire people who have some form of secretive instincts in terms of propaganda movements (Loomis, 2011). On other occasions, they are asked to do it more openly. There are a number of interest groups which are related to one another yet exist separately due to different reasons. These comprise of the economic interest groups, which include within them the trade unions, the religious groups and chambers of commerce. Then there are the professional interest groups which take into account the various doctors, business individuals, architects and lawyers to name a few. These people are usually the skilled workers that exist within any society at any given point in time. Also there is the public interest group which relates itself with the environment and takes care of the concerns which surround the lives of the people (Nownes, 2000). These public interest groups benefit the individuals more than anything else. The fourth interest group is remarked as the special interest group which is a part of the subgroups that usually come about within large groups and have a very precise approach to them. Once a clear cut understandi ng of these interest groups is attained, the next step is to differentiate them from the pressure groups which exist within any society in the present times. The interest groups have very accurate intentions and a focused mission, which it complies to at all times. A number of supporters exist for these interest groups which is a positive sign if seen within the broader contexts. These supporters are of the view that these interest groups highlight what other individuals feel about their own entireties as well as the community at large. A good amount of people opine that these interest groups have a hidden program attached to each and every step of theirs which may be based on fallacies alone. However, people keep raising suspicions every now and then to spark off a controversy surrounding these interest groups. Some interest groups have been able to make a name for their own selves. Two of these are the NCH which advances the economic justice cause which is there for the families w ho are having a tough time as they have low incomes; and the NCPSSM which encourages for the renowned federal programs in terms of social security and Medicare for all Americans who wish to have a healthy, useful and secure retirement plan. 2. Discuss the relationship between interest groups and political parties. The association that exists between the interest groups and the political parties is based on the premise of significance. The reason for this is that these intere

Different writing systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Different writing systems - Research Paper Example This data analysis evolves around the number of words, spellings, and other developments. Moreover, the writing development of both languages is analyzed by using the composition component of the Two-way Immersion Narrative Writing Rubric Assessment. This confirms whether the students have acquired writing skills in both their native language and English concurrently. It depicts also an example of successful development of bilingualism and bi-literacy. Majority of educators in America find it hard to connect bilingual students with their writing system due to the code-switching technique used by those students. This refers to relating of an object in the current environment with the one that the student was used to in their previous environment. Bi-literacy has many positive effects, from facilitating the acquisition of an additional written language to allowing creative uses of writing systems. While it is, noticeable those bi-literates can outperform mono-literate native speakers o f their first language in L1 reading and writing. It is even more interesting that bi-literacy’s effects extend beyond written language, to include analyses of the spoken language and non-linguistic cognition. Sometimes things can go wrong, for instance, when the L2 orthographic input is misinterpreted and affects L2 pronunciation, which turns out to have positive effects. Bi-literates are also qualitatively different from mono-literates. This difference is evident in meta-linguistic awareness, but perhaps the most dramatic evidence comes from brain-imaging studies that show different activation patterns in bi-literates and mono-literates reading the same language, and from evidence that bi-literacy reduces biases in perception and thinking. Researchers need to look  at bi-literates with other language combinations to enhance fairness in their decision-making and problem solving. This

Violence in Philadelphia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Violence in Philadelphia - Research Paper Example Several organizations and centers have come into action to improve the conditions of the city by improving the morale and anger-management in the youth. These intend to improve the upcoming generations and simultaneously control the violence in Philadelphia. Apart from this, numerous pointers have also been identified by the local residents of Philadelphia through a community forum. These include law enforcement and severe penalties for those in defiance of the law. It also encourages the parental involvement in children’s lives in order to exercise control over them. Some have recognized the publicity of horrors the families of the unfortunate victims go through in order to make them realize the extent of these activities. An opinion has also arrived about controlling unwanted pregnancies by teenagers. The unwanted children have also become a factor of breeding hatred in the generations. Lastly, despite such negativity, it should not be forgotten that Philadelphia is indeed a beautiful tourist spot worth seeing and experiencing. Violence in Philadelphia: Philadelphia is a one of the largest and most populous cities of Northeastern United States, lying in the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania. It was once the capital of United States before the capital was shifted to Washington. Philadelphia is said to be enriched with cultural and traditional background, historical occurrences and symbolism. Philadelphia is known by other names as well like â€Å"Philly† and â€Å"City of Brotherly Love†. According to a source, â€Å"(Philadelphia) is the sixth most populous city in the US, fifth largest city area by population in the US, and the US’s fourth largest consumer media market† (Pennsylvania). It is believed that 1.5 million people reside in the city alone. Philadelphia has contributed immensely to the American history, serving as the grounds for American Revolution and American Independence efforts initiated by Benjamin Franklin back in the 18th century. It was once the geographic center for the thirteen American colonies. Hence Philadelphia has a rich historical background, loaded with culture, education and economic competency. Philadelphia is exclusively blessed in cases of heritage, education and business. Due to its strategic location and its historical use for revolutionary assembling, it reveals a rich and exotic heritage. The presence of technical colleges and study centers provide students with excellent learning and academic opportunities. Also, Philadelphia is known to be the most business-friendly city of the US. Tourism has recently sprung to light after the development of tourist attractions like series of hotels and preserved landmarks. However, the biggest drawback of this city of wonders is the presence of high violence activities in the city. Along with the bright elements found in the city is the presence of darker side in the form of high crime rates in the region. According to a report, Phil adelphia rates at 9th on the crime index, implying Philadelphia is safer than only 9% states if the US (Pennsylvania). The scale is measured from one to hundred, hundred being the safest region.

Health care marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Health care marketing - Essay Example The approach is the third step in which, the salesperson’s focus is the customers’ benefits. This is achieved using the FAB technique in which the product’s features are used. Presentation of the sales is the fourth step in which the presentation of sales is delivered after the grasp of the prospects interest. The presentation involves a persuasive explanation of the proposition of the business both visually and verbally. The trial close is the fifth step of the personal selling process. This step is also called the temperature question and is essentially a method of establishing the prospect’s behavior toward the product as well as its presentation. The sixth step is about the handling objections. They indicate the prospect’s interest and the salespeople should not see it with misgiving. In this step, the prospect requests additional information as a guide in the buying decision. This step helps the salesperson establish what the prospects have in their mind. The seventh step in the personal selling process is closing the sale which is essentially an understanding’s confirmation. If the salesperson really believes that the product’s purchase would benefit the prospect, his/her fear of closing the sale diminishes. The follow-up is the eighth step. The follow-up activities are meant to establish business relationships between the prospects and the salesperson in the long-term. The personal sales process is a crucial component of marketing because it enables the companies to collect data from the consumers so that they can modify the design of their product according to their needs and develop long-term relationship with the consumers by satisfying them with their products. This is absolutely beyond doubt that marketers’ efforts should not cause any harm to the society and they must make all conscious efforts to avoid doing any harm. These days, unfortunately, marketers do cause a lot of harm to the society. This is evident from the ads in which

Read the document I send you carefully Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Read the document I send you carefully - Essay Example This paper tries to understand how the market for clothes/ textiles has changed over the years to adopt technology and gain competitive advantage. The past and present trends in clothes business will be studied to understand the impact of e-business initiatives in the sector. How value chain has emerged to impact the marketers of clothes will be discussed and recommendations for increasing online purchasing of clothes will be given. e-Marketing and clothing trade Noting Corral (2000), â€Å"The apparel industry has started using the Internet in an attempt to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing, provide customers access to information about products and their availability, build brand value, and to offer customers a convenient medium to make purchases online. The most valuable aspects of Internet shopping, as compared to store-based ad catalog shopping, are typically perceived to be competitive pricing, one-source shopping, convenience and time-savings (Tuunainen an d Rossi, 2002). Rapidly changing consumer preferences and distribution requirements in the increasingly globalized world where trade is liberalized and need innovation is also strong, textile and clothing sector has undergone a sea change as did the other sectors. Businesses in the sector are vying for differentiation on price as there is a high concentration on manufacturing and distribution. Companies that have tried to adopt change are increasingly focusing on reducing operational costs in the supply chain while reducing time to market and lead time. There is an increased use of information technology to integrate the supply chain to control quality, time and operational costs. The European Union is the largest trader and exporter of textile and clothing with a large portion of exports considered temporary as they are re-imported for final production and distribution (e-business watch, 2004). Although there are different opinions as to the impact of ecommerce on retailing in the clothing industry, one fact is true, that those that do not adopt technology will lose their competitive advantage. Ecommerce is set to make a significant and permanent impact on retailing as it is set to increase revenue flow phenomenally. In the US, it is seen that a significant portion of the economy is contributed by internet-influenced revenue with a seven percent sales on internet can reduce profits of brick-and-mortar businesses by almost 50 percent. While e-retailers deliver well on product, price and place, traditional retailers manage to deliver well on margin flexibility, location, selection and delivering physical products at the right time (Taylor and Cosenza, 2013, pp 46, 47). Businesses can transform into electronic enterprises to reduce operational costs and improve process productivity. The speed at which businesses transform to adopt electronic transactions determines the capacity with which they implement processes. Greater the speed of adoption and transformation , higher the number of processes they can execute and the more rapid their expansion since it reduces transactional costs. This also gives enterprises strategic competitive advantage. A business can have a website and the extent to which it is open to customers determines its adoption of ecommerce (Figure 1): Figure 1: Ecommerce industry transformation. Source: (Rollyson,

Science, Genetics, and human identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Science, Genetics, and human identity - Essay Example Some of the claims that can be evaluated and assessed with the use of scientific literacy include environmental degradation such as global warming, as well as the introduction of genetically modified organization. Scientific literacy should be studied since it affects numerous aspects of human life as will be discussed in the paper. It can be studied, as well as acquired through experiences. This paper will respond to the issue of scientific literacy and provide an argument as to what the concept entails. The question that the paper will primarily focus on is; Why is scientific literacy an issue that warrants scientific inquiry and what can be learned from this concept? In my opinion, there are numerous changes in the natural world that are taking place on a daily basis and these changes should be understood scientifically. Such an understanding can only be gained through scientific literacy, which helps people to interpret natural phenomenon and make sense of what is taking place in the world. Literacy in science encourages curiosity, and as a result, people are able to learn many things and make predictions of natural concepts and events. Moreover, scientifically literate persons have the ability to make points of view and come up with ideas that can be said to be scientific. Scientific literacy enables people to assess whether information is of good quality by evaluating where the information came from and the strategies employed while generating this information. Various publications have been made about science. From these publications, it is evident that science matters a lot and scientific literacy entails the knowledge that helps a person to understand issues that affect the public. In addition, scientific literature is essential in enabling a person to put new developments that have been experienced in the world into action and categorize them to the context they belong. It is true that the exposure of Americans to science is minimal and they

Workplace Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Workplace Law - Assignment Example Independent contractors have no minimum wage and must submit an invoice for work completed before a company honors payment. Jim had a minimum wage that Lou paid him on a daily basis. He did not submit any form of the invoice before payment, proof that indeed Jim was Lou's employee.According to the Minister of Social Security vs. Market Investigations Limited (1969) 2 QB 173 a taxpayer is an employee. An employee earns a salary as a reward for his or her labor in terms of services delivery. From the case study, Jim was to pay his taxes, a proof that indeed he was Lou's employee. Jim worked for eight a hours as the week like the other employees and casual workers in Australia. The compliance to working eight hours a week without the day off proves that Jim was an employee to Lou.Jim, therefore, regards as Lou's employee despite the terms written in their agreement terms indicating that he approved working as an independent contractor. Lou has an obligation to ensure a safe and conduciv e working environment for Jim who is his employee. The legal case presented and the provisions of the Acts cited to prove that Jim was an employee to Lou.Second IssueLou as the employer has an obligation to follow contractually the Employee Handbook procedure in relation to the bullying complaint comprehensively. Australian Federal law on anti bullying covers all employees, interns, independents contractors and every kind of worker offering their services to an organization under an employer.

Gay perspectives in Arab communities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gay perspectives in Arab communities - Essay Example Gay perspectives in Arab communities This type of belief could lead a man to be uncomfortable with other men, because he is sexually attracted to men, which it is weird in Arab communities. The narrator Rickel in the story â€Å"pass† didn’t show directly that he is gay. He is unwilling to express it openly. A person has to think deeply to understand that the narrator is gay. A person can realize that the narrator is gay through phallic symbols and the situation in which he is trying to pass. The text reveals how the narrator was structured as a gay from his childhood; however he wants the audience to experience the difficulties he was trying to pass through the town he lived in, people that was the main affects, and challenging of hiding his homosexuality. There is an Arabic saying that from the black duck comes a white duck. This means that whatever was the color or the culture that a man is from, he can be just the opposite. For example, the narrator lives in a town called Tempe; it is a small town and all the people know each other. There is only one barbershop and one drug store. From their description, it is likely that the people in the city are close-minded, and they have their own culture and traditions. They don’t have tourists. The small community is like the black duck the somehow produces the strange, white duck, the narrator, he lived in a community where it was believed that no man would think of being gay, however, he did.

Jacksonian Democracy Essay Example for Free

Jacksonian Democracy Essay The Jacksonian democrats saw themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. However, were they really all they claimed to be? They did attempt to increase the power of lower classes while decreasing the influence of the rich and powerful. Economically, they benefited from governing during a time of huge advances in transportation, which boosted commerce and helped the common man. The Jacksonian democrats portrayed themselves as saviors of the common people, but this is a controversial subject. They were unusually wealthy, supported equality between white men only, enacted devastating economic policies, and disregarded the capability of the federal government. The Jacksonians saw themselves as guardians but as for the people, only a select few may have seen that. During the Jacksonian reign, numerous advancements sped up the growth of the United States. A market revolution occurred as cash-crop agriculture and capitalist manufacturing replaced artisan economy. Despite the prosperity, a split was emerging between the industrializing, urban north, agrarian, rural South, and the expanding West. The Jacksonians passed the Tariff of 1828, which opened opportunity for western agriculture and New England manufacturing, but was damaging to the South. Andrew Jackson believed that the US bank placed too much control into the hands of a wealthy few (Document B). Therefore, Jackson vetoed the banks re-charter in 1832. In attempt to benefit the lower, working classes, he placed the federal money in pet state banks. This attempt weakened the national currency. Like most Jacksonian economic policies, it failed. Jacksonians tried to assist only the whites through economic policies but failed in that also. Foreign visitors viewed that in America, every man is free and independent (Document D), but there was great division in American attitude. Disturbances and riots broke out across the country by minorities (Document E), because they were not included in the equality efforts of the Jacksonians, which were focused on white males. Jacksons hypocrisy and brutality in his Indian removal practices showed the non-universal  principles held by the democrats. The unconstitutional, uneven power in the three branches of government was revealed when Jackson violated chief justice Marshalls decision on the Cherokee when he forced them out. Resulting in the Trail of Tears(Document G) Fearful of angering Southern voters, Jacksonians veered away from extending equality policies to slaves. Women as well received little betterment during the Jacksonian era. Although viewed as defenders of all common men, Jacksonian democrats shunned minorities and only assisted white men. Andrew Jackson was the first president to fully use the powers of the executive branch and establish it as an equal if not superior branch. Henry Clay viewed Jackson as dictatorial and unconstitutional and tried to make others see that, but Jacksonian propaganda continued to portray Jackson as a common man. Jacksonian democrats did not keep the three branches of government separate and equal, like it says in the constitution. Jacksonians were strict constitutionalists, vetoing things that did not benefit the whole country and eliminating the bank. However, they also participated in the burning nationalism existing at the time. Jacksonians believed in a firm union. In the compromise Tariff of 1832, they reduced the previous tariffs, but also included a Force Bill, which authorized the President to use arms to collect dues in South Carolina, which goes against the Jacksonian belief in states rights and their disbelief in a strong military. Jacksonian democrats were above all outstanding propagandists. They were able to portray themselves as defenders of the common man, while they usually tended to be anything but common. They were wealthy and often thought that common man officials were inefficient and corrupt. They also tried to further reform movements but ended up hurting the economic opportunity. Although often supporters of states rights and individuality, they also were strong nationalists. Jacksonians strived to preserve the unifying principles that the Constitution contained, but acted in opposition of it when they asserted the overwhelming power of the executive branch. Jacksonian democracy did allow more people to vote than ever before and made government more directly responsible to the people. Finally, they established a strong executive, directly responsible to the people, and  increased faith in government. Overall, Jacksonians honestly attempted to help common Americans.

Impact of Economic Competitiveness on Wages

Impact of Economic Competitiveness on Wages The growth of low wage jobs is inevitable as national governments seek to promote economic competitiveness. Discuss. Introduction This essay discusses the hypothesis that governmental policies aimed at improving a nation’s relative performance in the global economy must lead to an increase in the low paid jobs. If considered in a global context the subject covers a wide spectrum. So the essay considers the United Kingdom’s (UK) economic experiences from the late 1970’s, with particular emphasis on the Thatcher era from 1979-1990 when the foundations for the UK’s economic reforms were laid. The profound change in economic management coupled with the rapid advances in communications and information technology has accelerated the effects of â€Å"globalisation† and led to severe disruption in the UK labour market. Evidence exists that the erosion of the bargaining power of employees due to the twin effects of government policy and globalisation has exacerbated the decrease in real earnings amongst the less skilled workforce. However this vulnerability can be partially off-set by some of the benefits due to improvements in the UK’s international economic competitiveness and an effective mix of domestic labour market policies. Economic Competitiveness: A Definition For centuries, international trade has been the bedrock of the UK’s prosperity. Economists have long debated the effect of government policies on trade and national prosperity. In 1817 during the first stirrings of the industrial revolution David Ricardo developed an argument which can be summarised as: â€Å"The classical theory of international trade and its role in economic development is based on the principle of comparative advantage. The comparative advantage paradigm states that a country performs better by concentrating on the production of those goods and services for which it possesses a comparative advantage over others, and then trade those goods for those of other countries.†[1] Modern economic theory still supports the basic tenets of Ricardo’s argument, which was primarily developed as an attack on government’s protectionist agricultural policies at the time. Recent research, however, goes a step further. Michael Porter devised the concept of National Advantage [2] which argues that governments have a significant role to play in enhancing a nation’s comparative advantage when competing in the global economy. His â€Å"Diamond of National Advantage† (below) suggests that perusing policies that enhance company performance by, say, strict product standards, stimulating demand for advanced products, focusing on factor creation, with improved worker skills and stimulating rivalry by enforcing antitrust legislation will support the development of a strong and internationally competitive trading economy. The UK Experience After the Second World War the UK government pursued policies to reduce unemployment through subsidies, direct support for industry, including nationalisation of some economically challenged sectors such as coal-mining, railways and a major automotive manufacturer, limiting external competition through protectionism. Trade policy was largely governed by favouring Commonwealth countries, through the â€Å"Commonwealth Preference† arrangements. This approach was largely self-defeating as suggested by the Economist as early as 1960. â€Å"A comprehensive system involving the granting of large margins of preference might be expected to have results of two kinds: it should ensure to exporters a larger share of the market than they would otherwise obtain, or enable them to charge higher prices for their goods than in non-preferential markets. An examination of Commonwealth Preference suggests that its effects in both directions are more limited than is implied by the support which it commands in the Commonwealth and the hostility it sometimes arouses in non-Commonwealth countries.† [3] In particular, it was in conflict with some of the concepts of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, (GATT) formed in 1947 to promote economic recovery after the war by reducing barriers in international trade, particularly the reduction in tariff barriers. The UK economy prospered under this regime particularly in the late 50’s and early 60’s but by the 70’s the cracks were beginning to show. By the mid 70’s it was obvious this economic model was not in tune with the needs of a modern nation in a rapidly changing world. Some of the old tenets were under scrutiny and the entrenched bastions of economic power were at loggerheads. In particular, the power of the union movement and the entrenched conservatism and resistance to change of management in the traditional industries such as coal, rail and manufacturing led to conflict and industrial disputation which were ruinous to the economic health of the nation. Successive governments failed to address the underlying economic causes of the problems, until Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979 with a new approach to economic governance. Her philosophy was not necessarily based on economic theory, although some of her advisors and ministers were well versed in Keynesian economics. Her government embarked on a series of structural economic reforms including the privatisation of government-owned industries, deregulation of large swathes of UK economic activity, particularly financial services and the pursuance of an aggressive free trade agenda. â€Å"What became known as Thatcherism may have been an agenda which benefited corporate capital, as left critiques emphasize, but its ideological formulation was populist and it employed the petty bourgeois values of thrift, hard work, and family solidarity as the central justifications for privatization, tax cuts, reduction of state expenditure, and hostility to trade unions.†[4] Since that period it is true to say that â€Å"Thatcherism†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦was†¦. to become the ruling consensus of the British government . soon established and exported around the world[5] It is interesting to note that Thatcher’s economic policies predated Porter’s research outlined in section 2, as Hood and Young observed: â€Å"While what has occurred falls short of a systemic approach to counteract market-distorting behavior or to build up created assets, there is little doubt that there have been consistent themes pursued since the Conservative government came to power in 1979. Deregulation, privatization, the restructuring of the handling of labour disputes, and so on have been driven by a clear philosophy concerning the role of the market and the negative economic and social effects of certain types of market distortions†[6] Effect on Employment and Wages As the Thatcher reforms began to bite, the short-term results reverberated around the UK. For example the industrial midlands in the late 70’s was the heart of the automotive and machine tool manufacturing industries. By the mid 80’s it was an industrial wasteland with acres of empty and derelict factory space with many thousands of workers displaced or redundant. This picture was repeated in many communities previously reliant on â€Å"smokestack† industries in the north and west of the UK. Anecdotal evidence suggested many of those displaced from manufacturing jobs had joined the informal self-employed workforce and those still in full-time employment had migrated to low-wage jobs in service industries such as retailing. This is backed up by comments from Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which reports: â€Å"The labour market plays a crucial role in reaping potential gain from globalisation by facilitating a shift of jobs from decli ning sectors or occupations to expanding ones, in line with the changes in comparative advantage. However, this labour market adjustment is not always smooth because many workers displaced from declining sectors are poorly positioned to move into newly-created jobs in export sectors, which may be located in different regions or require different qualifications†[7] The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also echoes a similar theme: â€Å"Policies aimed at increasing competitiveness by lowering unit labour costs should consider the potential consequences on either workers (via wages) or firms and economic growth (via productivity). For example, on the one hand, an excessive and long-run emphasis on wage moderation may threaten a country’s productivity growth rate as it might discourage innovation and investment in human capital†[8] In the longer term, however the overall benefits to the UK economy were substantial. The shift from a manufacturing to serviced based economy has brought significant benefits to the nation. â€Å"The UK, a leading trading power and financial centre, is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. Since emerging from recession in 1992, Britains economy has enjoyed the longest period of expansion on record; growth has remained in the 2-3% range since 2004, outpacing most of Europe.†[9] Not everyone has benefited from this development. In relative terms the rich have got richer whereas the lower-paid workers have seen their relative position decline. â€Å"The UKs growth in wealth equality has been the fastest among the worlds 30 richest and most developed countries. But in 2005, when the organisation compiled its latest data, the UK remained a more unequal society than three-quarters of OECD countries, with the richest 10% earning nine times more than the poorest 10%.†[10] Striking the Balance Based on the UK government’s experience, seeking to promote economic competitiveness can be beneficial for the national economy overall. â€Å"Open trade and investment policies can be a powerful force for raising living standards. Economists have long emphasised this point and it is confirmed by much research. For example, the OECD’s Growth Study estimated that a 10 percentage point increase in trade openness translates over time into an increase of around 4% in per capita income in the OECD area.†[11] However to mitigate the disruptive effects of such aggressive economic policies, suitable social policies should go hand in hand. For example policies to enhance labour mobility and relocation, income security packages linked to retraining to increase re-employment options, skill-development programs and minimum wage policies to limit low-pay traps. A balanced policy approach can help offset the growth and pervasiveness of low wage jobs. Bibliography Fidelis Ezeala-Harrison, Theory and Policy of International Competitiveness, page 4 Greenwood Publishing Group Michael E. Porter The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Free Press, 1998 Economist Intelligence Unit, The Commonwealth and Europe (London: Economist Intelligence Unit, 1960.) Philip Abbott, Leadership by Exemplar: Reagans FDR and Thatchers Churchill, Presidential Studies Quarterly 27.2 (1997) Simon Jenkins, Thatcher and Sons, page 1, Allen Lane 2006 Neil Hood, and Stephen Young, 8 The United Kingdom, Governments, Globalization, and International Business, ed. John H. Dunning (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999) Globalisation, Jobs and Wages, Policy Brief, OECD, June 2007 ILO Key Indicators of the Labour Market KILM 4th Edition 2005 Central Intelligence Agency Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20505 The Guardian, Wednesday October 22 2008 Globalisation, Jobs and Wages, Policy Brief, OECD, June 2007 Footnotes [1] Fidelis Ezeala-Harrison, Theory and Policy of International Competitiveness, page 4 Greenwood Publishing Group [2] Michael E. Porter The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Free Press, 1998 [3] Economist Intelligence Unit, The Commonwealth and Europe (London: Economist Intelligence Unit, 1960.) [4] Philip Abbott, Leadership by Exemplar: Reagans FDR and Thatchers Churchill, Presidential Studies Quarterly 27.2 (1997) [5] Simon Jenkins, Thatcher and Sons, page 1, Allen Lane 2006 [6] Neil Hood, and Stephen Young, 8 The United Kingdom, Governments, Globalization, and International Business, ed. John H. Dunning (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999) [7] Globalisation, Jobs and Wages, Policy Brief, OECD, June 2007 [8] ILO Key Indicators of the Labour Market KILM 4th Edition 2005 [9] Central Intelligence Agency Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20505 [10] The Guardian, Wednesday October 22 2008 [11] Globalisation, Jobs and Wages, Policy Brief, OECD, June 2007

Collaborative Working Policies Analysis

Collaborative Working Policies Analysis Introduction Q1. In this assignment, I will investigate and research policy and legislation surrounding collaborative working and the positives and negatives. Collaborative working is the term used when two or more organizations, agencies or government bodies come together and share knowledge and information to obtain positive outcomes. The focus is to address specific areas or achieve certain goals for positive results. Its how we contribute and interrelate with others to deliver a positive and well-managed service. It is person-cantered and not service cantered which was done in the past when people had to fit around a service, whereas now its the service that needs to fit the individual. Collaborative working can be achieved in small groups or larger groups such as health services working alongside education, social care. a smaller group can be local voluntary groups and community health. The scope of collaborative working is a way of improving and identifying the need for change where it is m ost needed. Over the years, interest in collaborative working has been growing, driven by the sectors drive for effectiveness and efficiency, public opinion and government policy [www. knowhownonprofit.org] The Scottish government has recognized that more must be done to tackle health and social care and working with the NHS and local council care services, in particular, the elderly, to enable them to remain in their own homes and receiving treatment without having to go into hospital. The Scottish government will transfer  £107 million from the NHS into health and social care partnerships as well as £100million to the integrated care fund, this will allow more money to be spent in community and primary services. [www.scot.gov] Q2. Legislation. Public Bodies [Joint Working] [Scotland]Act 2014: This act came into effect on April 1st, 2014.The main purpose was to strengthen the roles of care workers and clinicians to deliver a service that is person-cantered and to ensure that every individual is treated with respect and dignity and improve the wellbeing of the service user. All the Partnerships will be jointly accountable to Local Authorities, Ministers, NHS Board Chairs and the public for delivering the nationally agreed outcomes set out by the act. [www.scot.gov] Policy: Health and Wellbeing outcomes policy framework is set out to improving the quality of services that are integrated in health and social care ,ensuring that the all local authorities and local health boards have a very transparent understanding on each ones reasonability when working as part of an integrated service across Scotland and to implement positive improvements so that every individual that uses the health or care setting are given top quality service ensuring their experiences on using these services are positive ones for them and their families. There are nine outcomes that apply to integrated health and social care at present some of these are: 1. That people are able to improve their own wellbeing and health, live for longer. 2. health and social care services aim to improve the life and quality of people who use these services. 3. Health and social care services contribute to reducing health inequalities 4. People who use health and social care services have positive experiences of those services, and have their dignity respected [www.scot.gov]] This is only half of what the government proposes to implement to integrated services in health and social care across Scotland. In Scotland when there is a sudden death or accidental death there is usually further investigation to determine the exact cause and if the death could have been prevented in line with the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976, for the purpose of this assignment I have chosen the death of Declan Hainey Fatal accident inquiry into the death of Declan Hainey Declan died between 1st July 2009/31st august 2009.he was only 15months old when he was last seen alive, it was another 8 months before his body was discovered in Kimberly Hainey home march 2010 His mother Kimberly Hainey was found guilty of his murder, she was charged with murder and neglect, these charges were quashed in April 2013, and Kimberly Hainey was free. [www.bbc.uk.news] Kimberly was known to several agencies before and after the birth of Declan, as she had a history of drug and alcohol misuse. Declans cause of death is unascertained. However, the prolonged neglect of Declan by his mother and sole carer Kimberley Hainey was at least a contributory factor in his death. There was no collaborative working where there should have been, there was no consistency with health visitors/social workers Sherriff Anderson identified the following factors where the death of Declan might have been avoided à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If all agencies involved in the information gathering process pre-birth/post-birth had all information and medical records available to them, then child protection measures could have been put in place which would have resulted in close monitoring and assessment over a longer period and under closer scrutiny of social work and health visitors then the case would not have been closed without a formal inter-agency review. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If medical information relating to Kimberlys long history of alcohol and drug abuse and her psychiatric history had been passed to social work and health staff who had continuing responsibility for Declan, would have contributed to a more realistic assessment of the risks which existed in relation to Kimberlys ability to care for her son. [ www.scot-judiciary.org] Sherriff Anderson set out four factors and recommendations that are relevant to prevent a breakdown in communication and collaborative working in future, as he identified in Declans case Action to be taken when a notification of concern in relation to an unseen child is received by a social work department. Mandatory training of general practitioners in the guidance and protocols relating to child protection. Improve staffing levels in social work and health services The distribution of medical information to those working in cases where there are children of substance misusing parents or care. [ www.scot-judiciary.org] Sadly, it was too late for Declan, but hopefully, lessons and recommendations set out by Sherriff Anderson will be adhered in their full capacity. There have been improvements across the health and social care sector, but sadly it was too late for some. Q3. For collaborative working to be effective there are national and local organizations that promote collaborative working. These are the National care standards which were set up by Scottish ministers under Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001and formed the national care standards committee who had the help of several groups of people and families that used care services as well as professionals, local authorities, which resulted in the standards that were set to meet their needs, and services to create the standards and everyone working in the care setting is held accountable to.[www.gov.scot] Another national organisation promoting collaborative working is the JIT[The Joint Improvement Team] also the JIT action team who is governed by the Joint Improvement partnership board and is in partnership with NHS Scotland, the Scottish government and COSLA[Convention of Scottish Local Authorities]They provide a range of support to local care services and housing associations their missi on is for continues improvement creativity, effective collaboration with a wide range of services across Scotland.[www. Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.org.uk] One local organization I have identified is a community group called FAIR [Family Action in Rogerfield Easterhouse] who work with people of all ages and live in disadvantaged areas to bring them together and built positive relationships. They offer social, education and practical support to enhance their skills to gain employment, have healthier lifes, to achieve this they run different workshops daily to meet the needs of every individual such as SVQ classes, cooking clubs and an employability programme . These can only be achieved by the collaborative working of local businesses and health boards[fare-scotland.org] Another local organization is social work services who work with health professionals such as CAMHS, care providers, and families. These organizations are involved in collaborative working as this promot es the wellbeing and safeguarding of everyone who needs care, by identifying their needs, giving people receiving care a voice and be heard. By working together, it meets the needs of the individual and ensures the best quality of care that will fit around the individual and not the individual fitting around the service. It allows services to be able to share information that has a person-centred approach enabling a better outcome for the individual as each will have a shared knowledge and understanding of that individual. By working with all these agencies ensures that the persons needs can be met. Q.4.There is advantages and disadvantages when working collaboratively with other organizations. The advantages are everyone involved has one focus and thats to deliver the best possible care requirements for every person receiving or requiring a care service. By working together, it brings together a wide selection of skills and builds teams relationships enabling everyone to work better together and having more resources available to work with that will deliver a service that allows the individual to feel empowered in the service they receive. It works with individuals with a wide range of needs whether it be physical or mental, before people would have to go to lots of different agencies to meet their support needs, now that services have come together it enables more people not to feel overwhelmed by the number of agencies they would have had to go to, to seek the right support .There can also be disadvantages such as conflicts of interest as everyone has their own agendas and po licies to adhere to that may not coincide with a neighbouring organization and has financial restraints and who decides to make the final decisions as each has different values and beliefs this causing conflict amongst the employees. when delivering care regardless of your position, its not whats best for us but what will empower the individual to have a fulfilling life with barriers down and given opportunities for positive outcomes, regardless of their sex, gender, culture, religion or age Conclusion Q.5.Doing this assignment I have learned that collaborative working is a positive approach to providing services to people that work for them and with the organisations working together and sharing information it allows if any the risks and dangers that a person may endeavour to be recognised as early as possible and allowing the relevant agencies to act on the dangers and risks if the appropriate care is not sourced to accommodate a person needs and requirements it can have a detrimental effect on that individual and others. On researching the Declan Hainey case was a prime example of why its important that all the agencies involved with an individual who is at risk to themselves or others, be acted on immediately. Lessons are learned by mistakes that are made, even horrific ones such as Declan Haneys. What needs to be taken into consideration is its not about who has the most power and resources but to work equally to provide a service to individuals and remembering that every indi vidual is unique and require different services to meet their specific needs. Social care has been highlighted in the media on a negative perspective showing how some social care services dont work with other agencies and can lead to neglect and abuse to service users who may have no advocacy working on their behalf. There is also the good care settings that very rarely get the recognition in media showing how services can work together collaboratively to deliver a service with positive outcomes for everyone seeking help or advice .in the service I work with ,we work with a number of different agencies that have all the same scope to delivering a service that meets the needs of every young person we cater for, from CAHMS[Child Adolescent Mental Health Services]to local schools/colleges/dentists/skills development Scotland/drugs alcohol workers ,this is just a few of the services that every young person has access to on a daily basis. By working together effectively we are also learn ing from each other enhancing our knowledge in different areas we may not have access to if there was no collaborative working. REEFRENCE BBC (2013) Kimberley Hainey murder conviction quashed on appeal. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22183497 (Accessed: 6 March 2017). Connor, A., Maclennan, E. and Price, S. (eds.) (2009) Higher national certificate in social care student book. Oxford: Heinemann. Garfinkel, J. (2016) Working together to achieve your mission knowhow nonprofit. Available at: https://knowhownonprofit.org/organisation/collaboration/working-collaboratively/working-together-to-achieve-your-mission-ncvo# (Accessed: 20 February 2017). Government, S., House, S.A., Road, R. (2017) The Scottish government home page. Available at: http://www.gov.scot (Accessed: 25 February 2017). Home (2016) Moodle. Available at: http://moodle.westcollegescotland.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2237 (Accessed: 26 February 2017). Office, J. and Scotland (2017) Fatal accident inquiry into the death of Declan Hainey judgments sentences judiciary of Scotland. Available at: http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/10/1308/Fatal-Accident-Inquiry-into-the-death-of-Declan-Hainey (Accessed: 21 February 2017). Scotland, J. (2006a) Background joint improvement team (JIT). Available at: http://www.jitscotland.org.uk/about-jit/background/ (Accessed: 25 February 2017). Scotland, J. (2006b) JIT joint improvement team. Available at: http://www.jitscotland.org.uk/ (Accessed: 25 February 2017). User, S. (2001) Our history Scottish social services council. Available at: http://www.sssc.uk.com/about-the-sssc/what-is-the-sssc/our-history (Accessed: 25 February 2017).  £107m for health and social care integration (no date) Available at: https://beta.gov.scot/news/107m-for-health-and-social-care-integration/ (Accessed: 20 February 2017). Welcome

Bruner and Wittgenstein: Language Learning :: Psychology Children Communication Papers

Bruner and Wittgenstein: Language Learning A crucial phase in the child's development comes with its acquisition of language, but before we can engage in any pedagogical efforts to further infant development or to aid atypical cases, we need to understand methodologically what occurs during language learning. Jerome Bruner, in a methodological adaptation of Ludwig Wittgenstein's middle and later work in an extension of Noam Chomsky's LAD, has put forth one influential proposal (Bruner 1983). Ludwig Wittgenstein's own remarks on the topic also furnish an interesting story independent of Bruner's selective use of his corpus, especially insofar as his approach results in an irreducible riddle and a hypothesis by his own account (Wittgenstein 1953 and 1958). The two views are explored, contrasted and critiqued. In the end, neither will do to resolve problems in our methodological understanding of language acquisition, for which the most important reasons are given. Most children learn language with remarkable ease, but how are we to account for this extraordinary fact? The problem plaguing our understanding of language and language acquisition can be described as. How can one learn anything genuinely new and become linguistically creative and how this learning is possible at all, unless one already has some path into language, for example, a suitable framework in which language learning takes place? It is this framework that interests us here. One possible picture is provided by St. Augustine, who likens the child's learning of language to a stranger coming into a foreign land, unable to understand what is said, yet already in possession of some language, only not the one spoken 'here.' To Wittgenstein, the picture painted in St. Augustine's Confessions is not representative of the scenery encountered by the first-time language learner, for this stranger who slowly decodes the puzzle of the strange surrounding sounds already has a framework. St. Augustine alters the character of the learner so that the issue of a suitable framework does not arise. Philosophers like Chomsky or Fodor, although historically distant from Augustine, try to provide a new answer to the same question. Their solution differs only in the sense that it shifts the problem onto a 'universal grammar' or a 'language acquisition device', which thus provides the entry point into language. In his effort to dissolve philosophical issues, Wittgenstein makes a great many methodological suggestions in his later work, criss-crossing language, meaning, thought, and so forth. We also find

Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers

Buddhism Buddhism is a religion founded by an ex-Prince Siddhartha Gaumata. Gaumata was a prince who was brought up in a perfect surrounding. When the prince left the palace he saw all the poverty. At the age of twenty nine, the prince left his wife and his infant son to meditate and practice Yoga to find peace and enlightenment. Gaumata was meditating for a long time when finally while he was sitting under a Bo tree he had attained the enlightenment he was looking for. It is for this reason he got the name Buddha, meaning the enlightened one. Buddha became a traveling teacher and taught everyone his discovery. Buddha did not write any of his lessons down. He taught about the Four Noble Truths, (1) life is suffering, (2) all suffering is caused by ignorance, (3) Ending ignorance will end suffering, and (4) The path to the destruction of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path consists of (1) Knowledge of the truth, (2) the intention to resist evil, (3) not saying anything that will hurt someone else, (4) respecting life, (5) having a job that doesn't injure anyone, (6) striving free one's mind of evil, (7) controlling one's feelings, and (8) concentrating properly. Buddha preached that the life was a continuing cycle of death and rebirth. The well-being of oneself was determined on your behavior in your previous life. Buddha said that by ridding oneself of worldly things he would be in nirvana, peace and happiness. After Buddha's death, his followers coll... Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers Buddhism Buddhism is a religion founded by an ex-Prince Siddhartha Gaumata. Gaumata was a prince who was brought up in a perfect surrounding. When the prince left the palace he saw all the poverty. At the age of twenty nine, the prince left his wife and his infant son to meditate and practice Yoga to find peace and enlightenment. Gaumata was meditating for a long time when finally while he was sitting under a Bo tree he had attained the enlightenment he was looking for. It is for this reason he got the name Buddha, meaning the enlightened one. Buddha became a traveling teacher and taught everyone his discovery. Buddha did not write any of his lessons down. He taught about the Four Noble Truths, (1) life is suffering, (2) all suffering is caused by ignorance, (3) Ending ignorance will end suffering, and (4) The path to the destruction of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path consists of (1) Knowledge of the truth, (2) the intention to resist evil, (3) not saying anything that will hurt someone else, (4) respecting life, (5) having a job that doesn't injure anyone, (6) striving free one's mind of evil, (7) controlling one's feelings, and (8) concentrating properly. Buddha preached that the life was a continuing cycle of death and rebirth. The well-being of oneself was determined on your behavior in your previous life. Buddha said that by ridding oneself of worldly things he would be in nirvana, peace and happiness. After Buddha's death, his followers coll...

Same-Sex Marriages :: social issues

Same-Sex Marriages Same-Sex Marriages (Should it be allowed? Should it involve children?) â€Å"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their heads.†- Leviticus 20:13. â€Å"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: ......homosexual offenders.....will not inherit the kingdom of God.†- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. â€Å"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.†-Leviticus 18:22. According to the Bible same-sex marriages would be immoral and sinful. Being gay and loving another person is certainly not illegal, but uniting that couple in marriage is not only rejected by most of society but also by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. As a Christian I find same-sex marriages unacceptable, but I know that not all people believe in the Bible and we do have freedom of religion in the US . Courts in Hawaii would not allow same -sex marriages and that is now being looked at as unconstitutional. Not allowing the marriages discriminates against certain groups that are United States citizens and that is unconstitutional. Even though I don’t approve of same-sex marriages, according to our laws there is really no reason why the marriages shouldn’t take place. But I do think there should be limitations. Marriages of the same-sex should not involve children. There is no natural way that two people of the same-sex could possibly have children of their own and should not be given custody of a child or the ability to adopted a child. Governor Wilson, California republican is proposing to ban â€Å"Second-parent adoptions, which in the past have been approved. These regulations would require marital status to be given to the Department of Social Services. I don't believe that gay parents will cause such a child to be gay. But all things being equal, I do believe that child is being deprived of crucial, necessary two-sex ingredients essential in parenting. That it takes a man and a woman to produce that third person is the most basic proof that a child needs both a mommy and a daddy. Children who have parents of the same-sex would be unbearable harassed by other children and considered an outcast. An innocent child put in a situation that would be emotionally stressful for most of their youth-there is no need. Same-Sex Marriages :: social issues Same-Sex Marriages Same-Sex Marriages (Should it be allowed? Should it involve children?) â€Å"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their heads.†- Leviticus 20:13. â€Å"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: ......homosexual offenders.....will not inherit the kingdom of God.†- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. â€Å"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.†-Leviticus 18:22. According to the Bible same-sex marriages would be immoral and sinful. Being gay and loving another person is certainly not illegal, but uniting that couple in marriage is not only rejected by most of society but also by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. As a Christian I find same-sex marriages unacceptable, but I know that not all people believe in the Bible and we do have freedom of religion in the US . Courts in Hawaii would not allow same -sex marriages and that is now being looked at as unconstitutional. Not allowing the marriages discriminates against certain groups that are United States citizens and that is unconstitutional. Even though I don’t approve of same-sex marriages, according to our laws there is really no reason why the marriages shouldn’t take place. But I do think there should be limitations. Marriages of the same-sex should not involve children. There is no natural way that two people of the same-sex could possibly have children of their own and should not be given custody of a child or the ability to adopted a child. Governor Wilson, California republican is proposing to ban â€Å"Second-parent adoptions, which in the past have been approved. These regulations would require marital status to be given to the Department of Social Services. I don't believe that gay parents will cause such a child to be gay. But all things being equal, I do believe that child is being deprived of crucial, necessary two-sex ingredients essential in parenting. That it takes a man and a woman to produce that third person is the most basic proof that a child needs both a mommy and a daddy. Children who have parents of the same-sex would be unbearable harassed by other children and considered an outcast. An innocent child put in a situation that would be emotionally stressful for most of their youth-there is no need.

International Finance Corporation

Financing the Mozal Project Executive summary We have assessed the various risks involved in the Mozal project. The construction risk, operating risk and financing risk are relatively small but the political risk is very high. Creeping expropriation and moral hazard are realistic threats to the project. The high sovereign risk is reflected in the hurdle rate. The hurdle rate amounts to a much higher value than the internal rate of return. Therefore, it is not feasible for the sponsors to undertake the proposed investment in the project.Regarding the financing gap of $250m; participation of the IFC is quintessential as commercial bankers refuse to provide funding without its involvement. IFC involvement could be very beneficial for the project but the IFC's board should not go through with the recommended investment of $120m as the high sovereign risk does not justify making the IFC’s largest investment yet. Summary of facts The Mozal project, a $1. 4b aluminum smelter in Mozam bique, is a joint venture between Alusaf, the aluminum subsidiary of the Gencor group, and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South-Africa, a government owned development bank.Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world and only recently emerged from a 17-year civil war that had destroyed the country’s infrastructure. Both parties would each own 25% of Mozal by an equity investment of $125m. Ownership of the remaining equity stake of $250m is still to be determined. To be able to attract additional funding, the sponsors require needed to involve the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The IFC has a good reputation and solid experience in structuring deals in emerging markets.The IFC board has received a recommendation by its team to participate in the project with a $55m senior debt and $65m subordinated debt investment. http://www. slideshare. net/prafful16/financing-the-mozal-project http://www. scribd. com/doc /105379331/The-Mozal-Project | Financing the Mozal Project Benjamin Esty Harvard Business School – Finance Unit February 18, 2000 Case No. : 200-005; Teaching Note: 5-200-025 Abstract: SUBJECT AREAS: project finance, emerging markets, sovereign risk, valuation analysis, Africa, International Finance Corporation, multi-lateral agencyCASE SETTING: June 1997, Mozambique, aluminum smelter, $1. billion investment, $700 million revenue, 750 employees In June 1997, a project team from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) was recommending that the board approve a $120 million investment in the Mozal project, a $1. 4 billion aluminum smelter in Mozambique. Four factors made this recommendation controversial. First, it would be the IFC's largest investment in the world and by far its largest investment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, the project was enormous by Mozambican standards–it was not much smaller than the country's 1996 gross domestic project (GDP).Third, Mozambiq ue was a very poor country at the time (per capita GDP of $90) and had only recently emerged from 20 years of civil war. Fourth, many aspects of the deal remain undetermined such as who was going to provide half the equity needed to finance the project. Despite these concerns, the sponsors, Alusaf (the aluminum subsidiary of the South African minerals company, Gencor) and Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC is a development bank), want to structure a limited-recourse deal to finance the smelter; it will be non-recourse to the sponsors after completion.Commercial bankers have refused to participate unless the International Finance Corporation gets involved in the deal and so the sponsors have approached the IFC about participation. After reviewing the project's commercial viability and development impact, the IFC team is recommending the investment. The board must decide whether it is the right time and the right project to make such a large investment. The case h as four pedagogical objectives. ) It presents an extreme example of political risk in a developing country setting and shows how organizations like Institutional Investor, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and The PRS Group attempt to analyze it for prospective investors.2) It illustrates the modern form of political risk management through project selection, structuring, and insurance, and contrasts this approach with the older, financial style of political risk management whereby sponsors simply increased hurdle rates to ensure sufficient project returns. ) It highlights the various roles multilateral development institutions, in general, and the IFC, in particular, can play in financing major projects. 4) It analyzes IFC's involvement in appraising, structuring, monitoring, and financing projects, and shows how these activities create value by resolving costly market imperfections including information, distress, agency, and transactions costs. It also explores the IFC's performan ce in these various activities. Given these objectives, the case is appropriate for business/government, strategy, international business, and finance courses. Case and Teaching Paper Series