Brief Biography of Mary, Queen of Scotts - 2671 Words

We have all heard of Mary, Queen of Scots on at least one occasion throughout our lives, regardless of if we recall hearing about her or not. Mary, not to be confused with the notorious Bloody Mary, became one of the most notable queens in history thanks to her eventful life that was filled with love, death, and plenty of conspiracy. Mary, Queen of Scots may not be a queen that stays in your memory, but it is undeniable that she is one of the most interesting queens in history. Mary was born in Scotland at Linlithgow Palace on December 8, 1542. Her father was the king of Scotland, and her mother was from a very well known French family known as the Guise. During the time that Mary was born her father was engaged in a war away from Scotland with the king of England, who had invaded Scotland at the time. In the fights, Mary’s father was defeated, and he felt that the nobles and generals who led his army, allowed the English to win in order to betray him. The thought of this bet rayal was too much for Mary’s father, and as a result his frustration and suffering started to overwhelm him. Under the severity of his suffering he slowly started to decline, and finally, right after the news of Mary’s birth reached him, he passed away. Mary never got the chance to meet her father, and her father never got the chance to meet her, and since her father only produced one child before his death, Mary automatically became queen of Scotland at just six days old. Seeing as she was tooShow MoreRelatedVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesof everyday life such as scientific discovery, religious debate, politics or colonial settlement. Though there are many arguments among critics which dates frame the period of Victorian literature, it is commonly accepted that it was the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) that saw the novel emerge and flourish, all the more that the 1937 was the year when Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the first major work of fiction. The first readers of both, Dickens and Eliot were not conscious they lived in the ‘VictorianRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesrequired—interaction between the colonial rulers and the local, colonized people in offices, shops, industries, and schools, although not as much in recreation. The results of this interaction were unpredictable. In addition to the social science literature, biographies, autobiographies, fiction, drama, and films are filled with the stories of indigenous people and colonial rulers who were transformed in one way or another through their interactions with the diverse residents and the institutions of the European

Teaching Problems and Solutions Free Essays

Perhaps he was afraid that he didn’t finish his emperor so he missed class hoping he’d get it finished in time. But his lack of knowledge made him give up and resulted in him not trying at all. This all resulting to the teacher seeing Jason not trying at all. We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching: Problems and Solutions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Which could result in failing the class. 2. ) Apply the problem-solving heuristic to come up with a list of suggestions for ways to improve or resolve the situation. He thinks the teacher isn’t good at teaching and yet he leaves early on Friday nights for lab class. If Jason was really determined to pass the class, he would stay for lab mime and attend class more often. If he had done this, staying for lab would allow him to go over things with other class mates. Using this time could help him compare his answers and questions to resolve anything he had trouble with. Or he could even ask the teacher himself and go over what he didn’t understand. If so, he’d obtain more knowledge in this computer class, which allowed him to finish his lab homework and make him confident to attend class without worrying if he had finish him assignments or not. How to cite Teaching: Problems and Solutions, Papers

Drawings of Animal and Plant Cells Essay Example For Students

Drawings of Animal and Plant Cells Essay Lab Drawings of Animal and Plant Cells Instructions: 1. Set up light microscope for use. Handle with care. 2. Obtain a slide of animal cells and observe first under low-power (XX), then under medium power (OX), then finally switch to high-power (XX). 3. Make careful observations Of the Structure Of the cells. 4. Draw what you see under high power on a sheet of paper. Place your drawing in a circle measuring 10-15 Else only pencil, draw neat lines, do not shade. The title of the drawing should be beneath it, underlined, in ALL CAPS and must e fully informative. S. Repeat for a slide of plant cells. 6. For your final drawing: research a specific cell type that appears in your drawing and clearly label it with a neat line in pencil. Additionally, research the actual size of that cell and use the size of the cell in your drawing to calculate the magnification. Include the magnification at the end of the title. Making biological drawings of microscopic specimens Mark Scheme (Drawing) Clarity and Accuracy: Clear, accurate representation of specimen No shading, no unnecessary detail Clean, continuous lines of even thickness Looks like specimen at magnification Annotations/Labels: Lines drawn with ruler in pencil, not crossing Lines touching labeled Structure, no arrowheads Accurate labels and annotations Acceptable Title: Accurate description of specimen, below drawing, in caps, underlined (11 Calculate accurate magnification To work out the magnification of youre final drawing read peg. 52 in your textbook. If you do not understand do further research.

RG LeTourneau Essay Example

RG LeTourneau Paper Impact on this earth. R. G. Literature was born in Rockford, Vermont during the winter of 1 888, the son of Caleb and Elizabeth Literature. At the age of 14, he decided that a traditional education was not for him. At the disappointment of his parents, R. G. Literature dropped out of school, and quickly moved in to the working world. His first Job, working as an apprentice molder for East Portland Iron Works, proved to be a stepping stone to what would one day produce an inventor of grand proportions. He is most famously known for his innovative earth moving equipment that evolutionist the Industry In more ways than one, but Is also known as one of the few businessmen that gave credit to the Lord for all that he was given. And although there were many ups and downs, Literature continuously strives to keep his partnership with God at the forefront of every venture he approached. Literature was an innovator without realizing that he was innovative. In fact, when described as being a man whose visions were years ahead of his time, he would often scratch his head in dismay. We will write a custom essay sample on RG LeTourneau specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on RG LeTourneau specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on RG LeTourneau specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He felt that his invention were very much in he present, coming up with most of his ideas In his bath tub or on the seat of a tractor, and creating what he needed at the time to get him past one problem or another. The items that he invented are too numerous to list, but the most widely known for his development and invention of earthmoving machines. One of the most recognizable creations was the runner tire bulldozer. By adding runner tires, this machine could now work through terrain in which it was not previously capable. He also made numerous improvements to scrapers, even creating a two wheeled tracker named the Turnaround, which would allow scrapers to be more efficiently maneuvered. Approximately 80 inventions were patented while working on government contracts. Literature factories were responsible for supplying seventy percent of heavy equipment used during WI. Also, while working on projects In Liberia and Peru, he invented what became known as the Jungle Crusher, a machine that could push through and destroy massive trees of the Jungle. In later years, Literature invented the first known mobile drilling platform used for offshore drilling. These platforms ere first created for Capita Oil, Inc. , then owned by George H. W. Bush. In 1937, he married Evelyn Peterson of Minnesota. Their family would eventually grow in size with the addition of seven children. Unfortunately, his first born passed away at a very young age from a flu epidemic, and another son passed away later in life in a plane crash. His living children are his only surviving daughter, Louis, and four sons Richard, Ray, Ted and Ben. All of his children were raised knowing that God comes first and everything else comes after. Each of them lived to work with heir father, helping to develop projects in Liberia in Peru and by managing and overseeing the company, the foundation, and the college. Not only did Literature instill Christian values in his home, but also in his business. He was one of the only businessmen to insist that a chaplain be available to all of his employees. He also helped develop and publish a monthly newsletter about faith and Christianity that was distributed to all of his employees and multiple fellow businessmen. This publication is named NOW, and is still in publication as Now Magazine, distributed ND maintained at Literature University. Literature was always loyal and appreciative of his employees. When working through a serious problem on one particular Job, he wasnt sure how he would meet a deadline that was required in order to keep the Job. He turned to his employees, and asked for their guidance and support. Although they werent sure that they could achieve the goal in front of them, they promised to do whatever means necessary to try. Literature (1972) commented on this in his auto biography saying, l had a mighty loyal bunch of men. If all Christians could unite like that in their loyalty of the Lord, this world wouldnt be in the mess its in. (Literature, 1972, p. 180). Whether they thought of as crazy or inspiring, there was never a doubt in his peers minds that R. G. Literature was a man of faith that built his business on the grounds of Christianity. To him, working with God as a partner was essential in order to be successful in this earthly life. He was known to say, Not how much of my money I give to God, but how much of His money I keep for myself. (Literature, 1972, p. 90). This quote seems to epitomize the doctrine in which Literature stood. He believed that R. G. Literature His Faith Share information in this section describing his Christian Faith Share his life scripture verse Share information in this section on any specific quotes mentioned as it relates to his faith Conclusion Share your thoughts on learning about the founder of Literature University and how this impacts earning your degree at Literature University Share information in this section on any specific quotes mentioned that has impacted your life References Cliffs, N. J. : Prentice-Hall.

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry A delocalized electron is an electron in an  atom, ion or molecule not associated with any single atom or a single covalent bond. In a ring structure, delocalized electrons are indicated by drawing a circle rather than single and double bonds. This means the electrons are equally likely to be anywhere along the chemical bond.Delocalized electrons contribute to the conductivity of the atom, ion, or molecule. Materials with many delocalized electrons tend to be highly conductive. Delocalized Electron Examples In a benzene molecule, for example, the electrical forces on the electrons are uniform across the molecule. The delocalization produces what is called a resonance structure. Delocalized electrons are also commonly seen in solid metals, where they form a sea of electrons that are free to move throughout the material. This is why metals are typically excellent electrical conductors. In the crystal structure of a diamond, the four outer electrons of each carbon atom participate in covalent bonding (are localized). Contrast this with bonding in graphite, another form of pure carbon. In graphite, only three of the four outer electrons are covalently bonded to other carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has a delocalized electron that participates in chemical bonding  but is free to move throughout the plane of the molecule. While the electrons are delocalized, graphite is a planar shape, so the molecule conducts electricity along the plane, but not perpendicular to it.

How Sequestration and Mandatory Federal Spending Cuts Work

How Sequestration and Mandatory Federal Spending Cuts Work Sequestration is the federal governments way of applying mandatory spending cuts across most programs and agencies during the budgeting process. Members of Congress use sequestration to reduce spending across the board when the governments annual deficit reaches a point that is unacceptable to them. Congress imposed spending caps on discretionary portions of federal spending through 2021, a move that was designed to save taxpayers about $1.2 trillion over nearly a decade. Sequestration  Definition The Congressional Research Service defines sequestration  this way: In general, sequestration entails the permanent cancellation of budgetary resources by a uniform percentage. Moreover, this uniform percentage reduction is applied to all programs, projects, and activities within a budget account. However, the current sequestration procedures, as in previous iterations of such procedures, provide for exemptions and special rules. That is, certain programs and activities are exempt from sequestration, and certain other programs are governed by special rules regarding the application of a sequester. Whats Affected By Sequestration When Congress uses sequestration, spending cuts happen to to both military and non-military spending, including important social programs such as Medicare. Most of the mandatory spending cuts come from non-military agencies and programs in the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Environmental Protection, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, NASA and Transportation. Whats Not Affected by Sequestration Several programs - most notable those for senior citizens, veterans and the poor - are exempt from sequestration cuts. They include Social Security, Veterans Affairs, Medicaid, food stamps and Supplemental Security Income. Medicare, however, is subject to automatic cuts under sequestration. Its spending cannot be reduced by more than 2 percent, however. Also exempt from sequestration are congressional salaries. So even though federal works are furloughed or laid off to save money, elected officials still get paid. Sequestration  History The idea of imposing automatic spending cuts in the federal budget was first put in place by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. Sequestration is rarely used, however, because of the negative consequences severe spending cuts have on programs and services for citizens. Even when Congress uses sequestration, it does so as a political tool to force voluntarily spending reductions and often doesnt allow the full cuts to take effect. Modern Examples of Sequestration The most recent sequester was used in the Budget Control Act of 2011 to encourage Congress to reduce the annual deficit by $1.2 trillion by the end of 2012. When lawmakers failed to do so, the law triggered automatic budget cuts to the 2013 national security budget. A super Congress made up of a select group of 12 members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate was chosen in 2011 to identify ways to reduce the national debt by $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The super Congress failed to reach an agreement, however. The sequestration cuts imposed in the 2011 legislation took effect in 2013 and continue through 2021. Opposition to Sequestration Critics of sequestration say spending cuts threaten national security through Defense Department reductions and harm the economy because federal works are often furloughed or laid off. These cuts will make it harder to grow our economy and create jobs by affecting our ability to invest in important priorities like education, research and innovation, public safety, and military readiness, said President Barack Obama, who was in office when the sequestration cuts of 2013 took effect.

Contract law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contract law - Assignment Example The language of the contract is suffice to identify the mutual intent of the parties in a case where the language used is definite and clear. Courts always consider the course of the parties’ dealings if the language of the contract is unclear. The course of dealings refers to the initial contract and transactions the parties might have had in the past to interpret their conduct and expressions. When determining the clarity and definiteness of the language of a contract, the court views the terms in their common and ordinary construct of meaning unless it is apparent that the parties constructed the language in some technical or special sense (Gillies 71). If the words are used in a technical sense, the courts will apply a concept known as trade usage, which is the court’s consideration of constructing the meaning as per how it is used by a person in the same profession or business and formulate interpretation from that context unless the parties had not intended to use them as such. Generally, courts one of the two problematic rules governing admissions of evidence that is extrinsic to interpret a contract. One of the rules is the Plain Meaning Rule, which connects contract terms interpretation to the subjective notions of a Judge of the meaning of the words and deter parties from issuing evidence to change the meanings that are publically used are unanimously acknowledge. The Context Rule on the other side looks at the parties’ evidence subjective intention exclusive of the public meaning of the terms, which also, undermines the function of contract predictability (Gillies 63). The third rule, which is The Public Meaning Rule, only admits the extrinsic evidence produced by the public and constructs the meaning of the language as interpreted by the public. It considers the public domain while making assumptions on the extrinsic evidence of the subjective intent of the parties. This rule has epistemological element that relies on the fact

Understanding of a conventional family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Understanding of a conventional family - Essay Example The Christian understanding of values is also very interesting. When to look deeply into the context of this issue we can see that a major part of Christians is looking for a brief, understandable, straightforward, intelligent, faithful presentation of the Bible. When to look deeply into Bible we can see that this book has its own ideas about marriage, family, divorce, remarriage, homosexuality, abortion, birth control, infertility, adoption, and singleness. This foundation is presented in the form of timely, well-informed, balanced, and pastorally wise prescriptions. The given ideas make the book something like a solid instruction that presents additional information to teachers, preachers, and other congregations involved in the case. The given book also has its ideas about popular treatments of marriage and the family. With his extensive background, the researcher provided people with an extensive background related to how people should treat such issues as gender and sexuality. T he same thing can be told about sensitivity issue. This issue is also combined with keen biblical insight. Finally, I would say that marriage and family are good gifts from a great God. These gifts are very important when we want to get a deep understanding of family and its role in our present society. Unfortunately, many of family issues are being neglected. Definition of a family was not a problem a few decades ago because the notion was stable and almost the same in any culture or nationality.

Business enterprise Essay Example for Free

Business enterprise Essay Design a website for a business enterprise, meeting user requirements I have designed my own website and my aim was to meet the requirements that my users need and desire from a health and beauty business. The specific purpose for my site is to promote my ethical made produce while keeping people happy and giving them what they want and expect. Furthermore, the purpose for my site is to give my customers a sense of my brands personality and to hopefully retain them my users and continue to grow though e-commerce. Its purpose is to inform people of â€Å"who I am† and â€Å"what we do† and provide my customers with efficiency while saving time on my part and increasing my customer base. I am defining my website to 14 – 35 year olds who have an interest in keeping healthy and looking nice while still being ethical and beneficial to the environment. My products range from hair, skin, nails, make-up, music, candles and many more, so whoever is interested in these, I will be defining my website to them. On my website I have six webpages (with links to others) and these include a homepage, transaction page, enquiry/chat help page, review/customer feedback page, our story page, our products page and an additional â€Å"find us† page and â€Å"our philosophy† page. I have thought about how I am going about retaining customer and encouraging repeat visits by inserting certain aspects, for example, a product on sale. I have thought about how I will build trust from my site and I have added a chat help page so customers can ask questions and present enquiries. I also have thought about celebrity promotion and how someone who people trust, trusting a brand can help users to build trust and confidence. P5 Describe how the design meets user needs My website design is designed to be simplistic but interesting to look at while providing users with all the appropriate information to guide them and also keep them safe and feeling protected. The layout is designed to be simple to read with all the appropriate pages aligned so they are easy to pinpoint. There isn’t a lot on each page itself which means that customers avoid getting confused and can navigate around my site without stress. One of the functions of my site is to encourage interaction with particular sites that shows my business in a good light such as â€Å"sure2amaze.com† which I have copied and paste a link so users can view professional/customer feedback compared to other health and beauty products. I also have linked my  Facebook page and Twitter which enables off-site conversation, allowing users to create a circle of interaction that extends from on-site conversations to off-site conversations. In regards to my market segmentation, my user needs is to be efficient, up to date and engaging. In relation to the website in general, my website needs to be speedy, accessibility, good navigation and provide information. My website is modern yet has a vintage twist via the product bottles being the original brown pipet glass bottles that people might have used a while back. I engage my customer with marketing strategies such as celebrity promotions, and my website server is quick meaning the users experience doesn’t experience any turbulence. Furthermore, all my website pages are aligned at the top of the page which never disappears. In addition to all this, I have pages such as â€Å"our philosophy† or â€Å"our story† which presents users with appropriate information to establish personal connections with the customer to engage them. I feel all these features are appropriate because not only to the engage the user and encourage them to remain on my website, information about our story and celebrity recognition can enable the user to build trust and confidence when navigating around the site or making a purchase. Feeling protected can also build trust with the user and my security padlock image gives the user reassurance that when they are on the site they are safe which makes it appropriate because the user will not continue to shop with you if they experience any problems and feel they are taking a risk. My domain name is â€Å"www.aesthetic-cosmetics.co.uk† and this briefly means, a unique name that identifies an â€Å"internet resource† such as my website. The hosting option I chose is â€Å"wix.com† where I pay monthly fees to keep my website active on the internet. Hosting options basically means where a website reside in order to be ready to be viewed by online visitors. The security settings I chose is â€Å"comoo authentic padlock† which protects my users from any dangerous website additions and informs them that their personal information will be safe. Security setting basically protects the users information by safely storing this in the sites system and reassuring them that it will not be used for unapproved purposes. M2 Assess how the website design meets user requirements My market segmentation is 14 – 35 year olds who have an interest in keeping  healthy and looking nice. The attributes my target market has is being cautious about their image, being on trend including all different ethnicities, backgrounds and sexual natures. Other attributes of the younger generation might include being active online and more aware of what companies should deliver via being ethical and providing security for users. I believe my target group want something engaging so therefore colourful and interesting to look at while being individual and unique. The type of typography that my market segmentation will be attracted too are writing techniques which has explosive words of colour while still being professional and easily readable. The typography of young adults/teens are to have â€Å"friendly round corners† and that the mojority of teenagers prefered either the font â€Å"bambo† or â€Å"comic sans† accourding the this website; â€Å"http://issuu.com/anna_magombe/docs/research_into_typographic_design_for_young_people_†. The data was easy to find and I found this on a website which displayed an easy to read booklet on the â€Å"typography design for young people†. My website portrays the overall organisational objectives for my site by adopting an easy-to-use column of pages in the header which means users can easily navigate around the website. Another reason why my website portrays organisation is the features included such as a chat link, safety settings, customer feedback, information all come together to define an organised website with all the relevant features to meet user needs. Without these features, my website would appear to be disorganised and lacking in relation to customer satisfaction standards. D2 Evaluate the extent to which the website design meets user requirements, making recommendations for improvements In my opinion, I believe my website to have been designed well, but due to the lack of efficiency through Wix, I feel my design layout could have been improved if I used a more user-friendly hosting option. I feel the pictures and colour screen are engaging and simplistic. However because of the lack of features via Wix, I believe my website look crowded and I understand that some of the information designed to improve my users experience might be looked over and missed out in relation to the positioning and font size (chosen from the lack of space). Some improvements I could have made would be choosing a different hosting option other than Wix. The reason for this is because there is room for improvement in the user friendly side of things in relation to this hosting option.

Tibetan Meditative Transformation Essay -- Buddhism Religion Papers

Tibetan Meditative Transformation When one hears the word "Tibet," several pop-culture images come to mind; these might include the often seen "Free Tibet!" bumper sticker, the perpetual smile of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, or the mental image of orange clad monks with shaved heads, chanting in unison. American culture has embraced many aspects of Tibetan culture in a rather superficial manner, but upon further inspection, it becomes apparent that these particular aspects have been embraced because they represent what is most important to Tibetans: their seemingly endless struggle for political freedom from an oppressive Chinese rule, the religious and political role of their charismatic leader, Tenzin Gyatso, and the role of religion in everyday life. One particular Tibetan practice which Americans seem to have latched onto is the idea of meditation. Many Westerners see it as a way to improve their lives; and yet meditation, while helpful, may not be all that unique in terms of its effects on occasional practitioners . Meditation is an essential part of Buddhism, the religion which pervades every aspect of the traditional Tibetan life; it was in part this central, unifying ideology that allowed the Tibetans to be almost completely self-contained, with little or no contact to the outside world, for most of their history prior to the twentieth century. The Dalai Lama and other religious figures lead the country; Buddhism is an inseparable part of Tibetan culture, to the extent that traditional Tibetans sometimes find themselves unable to relate to outsiders, and for this reason strove in the past to sustain themselves without trade or contact with other cultures. Prior to Chinese occupation, an extremely large percent of the ... ... Rehabilitation, 12, 117-125. Piburn, S. (1993). The Dalai Lama, a policy of kindness: An anthology of writings by and about the Dalai Lama. Ithaca, NY, USA: Snow Lion Publications. Stoyva, J., & Anderson, C. (1982). A coping-rest model of relaxation and stress management. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 745-763). London: Collier Macmillan Publishers. Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V. A., Soulsby, J. M., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 68, 615-623. West, M. A. (1987). Traditional and psychological perspectives on meditation. In M. West (Ed.), The psychology of meditation (pp. 5-22). New York: Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press. Tibetan Meditative Transformation Essay -- Buddhism Religion Papers Tibetan Meditative Transformation When one hears the word "Tibet," several pop-culture images come to mind; these might include the often seen "Free Tibet!" bumper sticker, the perpetual smile of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, or the mental image of orange clad monks with shaved heads, chanting in unison. American culture has embraced many aspects of Tibetan culture in a rather superficial manner, but upon further inspection, it becomes apparent that these particular aspects have been embraced because they represent what is most important to Tibetans: their seemingly endless struggle for political freedom from an oppressive Chinese rule, the religious and political role of their charismatic leader, Tenzin Gyatso, and the role of religion in everyday life. One particular Tibetan practice which Americans seem to have latched onto is the idea of meditation. Many Westerners see it as a way to improve their lives; and yet meditation, while helpful, may not be all that unique in terms of its effects on occasional practitioners . Meditation is an essential part of Buddhism, the religion which pervades every aspect of the traditional Tibetan life; it was in part this central, unifying ideology that allowed the Tibetans to be almost completely self-contained, with little or no contact to the outside world, for most of their history prior to the twentieth century. The Dalai Lama and other religious figures lead the country; Buddhism is an inseparable part of Tibetan culture, to the extent that traditional Tibetans sometimes find themselves unable to relate to outsiders, and for this reason strove in the past to sustain themselves without trade or contact with other cultures. Prior to Chinese occupation, an extremely large percent of the ... ... Rehabilitation, 12, 117-125. Piburn, S. (1993). The Dalai Lama, a policy of kindness: An anthology of writings by and about the Dalai Lama. Ithaca, NY, USA: Snow Lion Publications. Stoyva, J., & Anderson, C. (1982). A coping-rest model of relaxation and stress management. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 745-763). London: Collier Macmillan Publishers. Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V. A., Soulsby, J. M., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 68, 615-623. West, M. A. (1987). Traditional and psychological perspectives on meditation. In M. West (Ed.), The psychology of meditation (pp. 5-22). New York: Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press.

morality of capital punishment Essay

1) How would Kant reason with the morality of capital punishment? Describe how deontological ethics would determine whether it is morally permissible Kant is an advocate of the idea that the morality of an action is to be determined not by the extent of the pleasure or pain an act produces. Consider for example the imposition of capital punishment. According to Kant, if the utility of imposing capital punishment will be our guide then we will be doing a serious crime against humanity. Justice will not be served if we will subject to capital punishment a convict simply because we aim to deter crime, incapacitate the criminal and protect the society. Instead, capital punishment should be imposed because the person is guilty. It must be stressed that Kant upheld the right of the state to impose capital punishment against those proven guilty of committing heinous crimes. He however argued that the sole criterion and standard should be his guilt and that the punishment should be proportionate to the crime committed. That reason for this is that when a person commits a crime against another it is as if he is telling the whole world that he wants to be treated the same way. According to Kant, â€Å"If you slander another, you slander yourself; if you steal from another, you steal from yourself; if you strike another, you strike yourself; if you kill another, you kill yourself. † (Immanuel Kant, the Right of Punishing) This is the principle otherwise known as the right of retaliation or Jus Talionis. This is actually a restatement of Kant’s Deontological Ethics known as the Categorical Imperative. This is the principle that morality is based on pure reason which is in the nature of an absolute command. Kant states that: â€Å"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. † (Garth Kemerling) If a person decides to do something to another then he does this thinking that the same should be a universal law. In effect murderers are saying that this is how people should be treated, including himself. Thus, if a person commits murder then he must also die. There is no other substitute for such a heinous crime except capital punishment. It is only by taking away the life of the person who committed the crime of murder that justice will be restored. 2. How would Mill determine if capitol punishment is morally justified? Describe how Utilitarian Ethics would determine whether capitol punishment is morally permissible Mill, on the other hand, argued that state-sanctioned punishment is justified because of its utility. There is only one standard in determining the morality for the imposition of capital punishment – that is its consequence. If capital punishment will most likely produce the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness then the punishment is justified. But if there are other options that would produce a greater balance of happiness over unhappiness, then that option should be chosen and the imposition of capital punishment is unjustified. In simpler terms, the idea is that if we weigh the positive effects of capital punishment as against its negative effects and the positive effects outweighs the negative ones then it has to be imposed. This theory somewhat looks forward and determines the positive impact of the act to the society. According to Mill, capital punishment is the most humane punishment possible for someone who has committed a heinous crime. A quick and painless death is always better than working in hard labor while in prison for the rest of the life of the convict, to wit: â€Å"What comparison can there really be, in point of severity, between consigning a man to the short pang of a rapid death, and immuring him in a living tomb, there to linger out what may be a long life in the hardest and most monotonous toil, without any of its alleviations or rewards–debarred from all pleasant sights and sounds, and cut off from all earthly hope, except a slight mitigation of bodily restraint, or a small improvement of diet. (John Stuart Mill) Capital Punishment is also beneficial for the society because it deters the commission of the crime not only by the convict himself but by other persons as well. It sends a clear message to would-be murderers that the state has a strong policy against crime. Although it may not be able to deter all hardened criminals, but it is capable of preventing persons other than criminals from committing crimes. Capital punishment will also provide a closure to the agony of the relatives of the victims and satisfy their grievance for their relative. Conclusion Both philosophers argue in favor of the morality of capital punishment. Their conclusions are the same only that their premises start from different end. For Kant, capital punishment should be allowed against those who commit heinous crimes simply because they are guilty. For Mill, capital punishment should be imposed because it is better for the convict and the society as well.

International Finance

The nomenclature of the global economic arena Is the saying that the world Is flat and that It comes In a full circle; but where corporate power has transcended barriers and territorial borders, Terrorism remains as the bane of existence. Terrorism Is that plague that reeks In every corporate dominated land. It wasn't Just the twin WET towers plummeting at the darted vision of terror but it was the networked failure of man's economic progress.The global news of today is resplendent of the clatter of bullets, the tyranny of armed tanks and most importantly, the breakthrough of man's bestial brutality. Truncated calls, crashing stock markets, wary economists; the economic world witnessed the horror on 9/1 1, 26/11 etc. Brokers lay crestfallen, investors chose survivals over super profits; above all, the business of man failed. The first question that can be gawked on is how does the economy of the world suffer after the aftermath of a terrorist activity?In the advent of superior global ization, countries favor entry Into the markets by relying on exporting goods and services, which leads to the feasibility of rapid and broad outlook of global markets; It will also reduce the heavy dependence on high remissive physical faceless, which can offer much understandability, flexibility for reacting to unforeseeable market changes and rapid adjustments. Foreign direct Investment or FDA remains one of the key backstabbers for an aspiring global economy.Major investments in major countries of the world stand on shaky ground when such events happen in the light of the economy. When it comes to global economics, transaction costs and economies of scale, Foreign Direct Investment is a priority among financial planners, but the risky affair of dwindling between what is to e injected in the economy and what is to be exported are deemed to be worrisome. Global Markets have the trend to reprimand failure more severely than rewarding success, which have made risk minimizing strateg ies a pathway for business promoters and planners.The yester years before the first fatal blow of terrorism to the global business arena saw a stupendous growth of International ventures; but after the wrath experienced by the international markets: it took into concentrating of domestic affiliations and concentrations. This was evident by the fall of international monetary saving and faith. Money laundering has led to the modern day malaise of terrorism financing. Tightening money laundering laws in the United states still remain ineffective at the gawking reality of a global banking giant- HASH having fallen prey to such accusations.Hash's banking activities in Saudi Arabia, specifically activities pertaining to referencing banking with AY Rajah Bank were brought under the radar. An investigation claimed that the Saudi bank had financed terrorist activities In purview of the September 11 investigations. In fact, it is now Infamously known as the- â€Å"Early Financial benefactor of the al- Qaeda†. Although, there was a hiatus In the banking transactions of HASH and AY Rajah bank; but both the banks have resumed their dealings. Two Bangladesh banks have been accused on salary grounds.Tighter norms and stringent Basel laws could be the trump card but the Course structures pertaining to international business have witnessed a setback in lieu of worsening international ties; it is well evident by the declining education of international studies in the United States, as per the stats relating to enrollments in International Business Courses and Foreign language courses. During the past few ears, managers have moved from the focus of proactive exploration concerning international opportunities in the global arena to a rather defensive posture that emphasizes on the vulnerability of foreign operations and global threats.The September 11 attack alone caused around 40 billion of insurance losses in USA. There was an liquidity need addressed by the federal rese rve along with the delay of major global stock markets like NYSE, FETES etc. The nightmares of the Ells (Foreign institutional Investors has Just begun with the sharp shoot ups of the gold and other commodities prices. As the dollar recovered, it rather showed how the economy could have a domino effect in Just a moment of a terror attack.Although stocks recovered from the short bearish phase of the 26/11 attack in Iambi; it can't offer a solution for the momentary involuntary losses in the global economy. The worst part is that how can a manager appropriate against such costs? The cost of human labor, wealth and resources? It is not Just the infrastructure being marred or the sabbatical day being a black day but it is the vulnerability of corporate giants in front of the tryst with terrorism. The cost born for provisioning against such losses cannot be anticipated.They can seep through any advent of the business; whether it's the hijacked plane or the bakery which gets bombarded; th e vivid imagination of terror cripples the masculinity of business. The real question that looms on every single business maker is that who is supposed to bear this impossible to inappropriate cost? The government or the various international bodies? Yes, there is indeed something scarier than the sublime crisis, and it is the sublime crisis of human empathy and brotherhood. What might seem as the biggest looming threat to the business of the world can actually be a way to fight this common malaise forever.It is the world cooperation of various international bodies and government bodies including multinational corporations to bring an end to this plaguing condition. In the face of such a terror; the rescue can only be the pooled efforts of every individual who dreams of international cooperation and benefit. Rather than basking on the indifference curve, it might be the time of our corporate lives to pull our socks even higher; so that each individual with its own competence forms t he army of seamless unity and strength. International Finance Chapter 4 Practice Problems Percentage Depreciation †¢ Assume the spot rate of the British pound is $1. 73. The expected spot rate one year from now is assumed to be $1. 66. What percentage depreciation does this reflect? †¢ ($1 66 – $1 73)/$1 73 = –4. 05% ($1. 66 $1. 73)/$1. 73 4 05% Expected depreciation of 4. 05% percent Inflation Effects on Exchange Rates †¢ Assume that the U. S. inflation rate becomes high relative to Canadian inflation. Other things being equal, how should this affect the (a) U. S. demand for Canadian dollars, (b) supply of Canadian dollars for sale, and (c) equilibrium value of the Canadian dollar? Demand for Canadian dollars should increase, ? Supply of Canadian dollars for sale should decrease, and ? The Canadian dollar’s value should increase. 1 Interest Rate Effects on Exchange Rates †¢ Assume U. S. interest rates fall relative to British interest rates. Other things being equal, how should this affect the (a) U. S. demand for British pounds, (b) supply of pounds for sale, and (c) equilibrium value of the pound? ? Demand for pounds should increase, ? Supply of pounds for sale should decrease, and ? The pound’s value should increase. Income Effects on Exchange Rates †¢ Assume that the U.S. income level rises at a much higher rate than does the Canadian income level. Other things being equal, how should this affect the (a) U. S. demand for Canadian dollars, (b) supply of Canadian dollars for sale, and (c) equilibrium value of th Canadian dollar? f the C di d ll ? ? Assuming no effect on U. S. interest rates, demand for dollars should increase, ? Supply of dollars for sale may not be affected, and ? The dollar’s value should increase. Trade Restriction Effects on Exchange Rates †¢ Assume that the Japanese government relaxes its controls on imports by Japanese companies.Other things being equal, how should this affect the (a) U. S. demand for Japanese yen, (b) supply of yen for sale, and (c) equilibrium value of the yen? ? Demand for yen should not be affected, ? Supply of yen for sale should increase, and ? The value of yen should decrease. 2 Effects of Real Interest Rates †¢ What is the expected relationship between the relative real interest rates of two countries and the exchange rate of their currencies? ? The higher the real interest rate of a country relative to another country, the stronger will be its home currency, other things equal. Speculative Effects on Exchange Rates Explain why a public forecast about future interest rates could affect the value of the dollar today. Why do some forecasts by well-respected economists have no impact on today’s value of the dollar? ? Speculators can use anticipated interest rate movements to forecast exchange rate movements. ? Th may purchase f i securities b They h foreign iti because of their f th i expectations about currency movements, since their yield will be affected by changes in a cur rency’s value. ? These purchases of securities require an exchange of currencies, which can immediately affect the equilibrium value of exchange rates. It was already anticipated by market participants or is not different from investors’ original expectations. Interaction of Exchange Rates †¢ Assume that there are substantial capital flows among Canada, the U. S. , and Japan. If interest rates in Canada decline to a level below the U. S. interest rate, and inflationary expectations remain unchanged, how could this affect the value of the Canadian dollar against the U. S. dollar? ? If interest rates in Canada decline, there may be an increase in capital flows from Canada to the U. S. ? In addition, U. S. investors may attempt to capitalize on higher U.S. interest rates, while U. S. investors reduce their investments in Canada’s securities. ? This places downward pressure on the Canadian dollar’s value. 3 Interaction of Exchange Rates †¢ How might this affect the value of the Canadian dollar against the Japanese yen? ? Japanese investors that previously invested in Canada may , p shift to the U. S. Thus, the reduced flow of funds from Japan would place downward pressure on the Canadian dollar against the Japanese yen. Relative Importance of Factors Affecting Exchange Rate Risk †¢ Assume that the level of capital flows between the U.S. and the country of Krendo is negligible and will continue to be. But there is a substantial amount of trade between the U. S. and the country of Krendo. Which affect, high inflation or high interest rates will be seen in the value of the Krendo’s currency? Krendo s †¢ The inflation effect will be stronger than the interest rate effect because inflation affects trade flows. ? The high inflation should cause downward pressure on the kren. Speculation †¢ Blue Demon Bank expects that the Mexican peso will depreciate against the dollar from its spot rate of $. 5 to $. 14 in 10 days. The following interbank lending and borrowing rates exist: U. S. dollar Mexican peso Lending Rate Borrowing Rate 8. 0% 8. 3% 8. 5% 8. 7% Assume that Blue Demon Bank has a borrowing capacity of either $10 million or 70 million pesos in the interbank market, depending on which currency it wants to borrow. How could Blue Demon Bank attempt to capitalize on its expectations without using deposited funds? Estimate the profits that could be generated from this strategy. 4 Speculation 1. Borrow MXP70 million 2.Convert the MXP70 million to dollars: MXP70,000,000 ? $. 15 = $10,500,000 3. Lend the dollars through the interbank market at 8. 0% annualized over a 10-day period. The amount accumulated in 10 days is: $10,500,000 ? [1 + (8% ? 10/360)] [ ] = $10,500,000 ? [1. 002222] = $10,523,333 4. Repay the peso loan. The repayment amount on the peso loan is: MXP70,000,000 ? [1 + (8. 7% ? 10/360)] = 70,000,000 ? [1. 002417] = MXP70,169,167 5. Based on the expected spot rate of $. 14, the am ount of dollars needed to repay the peso loan is: MXP70,169,167 ? $. 14 = $9,823,683 6.After repaying the loan, Blue Demon Bank will have a speculative profit of: $10,523,333 – $9,823,683 = $699,650 Speculation †¢ Assume all the preceding information with this exception: Blue Demon Bank expects the peso to appreciate from its present spot rate of $. 15 to $. 17 in 30 days. How could it attempt to capitalize on its expectations without using deposited funds? Estimate the profits that could be generated from this strategy. Speculation 1. Borrow $10 million 2. Convert the $10 million to pesos (MXP): $10,000,000/$. 15 = MXP66,666,667 3. Lend the pesos through the interbank market at 8. % annualized over a 30-day period. The amount accumulated in 30 days is: MXP66,666,667 ? [1 + (8. 5% ? 30/360)] [ ] = 66,666,667 ? [1. 007083] = MXP67,138,889 4. Repay the dollar loan. The repayment amount on the dollar loan is: $10,000,000 ? [1 + (8. 3% ? 30/360)] = $10,000,000 ? [1. 006917] = $10,069,170 5. Convert the pesos to dollars to repay the loan. The amount of dollars to be received in 30 days (based on the expected spot rate of $. 17) is: MXP67,138,889 ? $. 17 = $11,413,611 6. The profits are (could be): $11,413,611 – $10,069,170 = $1,344,441 5 International Finance The nomenclature of the global economic arena Is the saying that the world Is flat and that It comes In a full circle; but where corporate power has transcended barriers and territorial borders, Terrorism remains as the bane of existence. Terrorism Is that plague that reeks In every corporate dominated land. It wasn't Just the twin WET towers plummeting at the darted vision of terror but it was the networked failure of man's economic progress.The global news of today is resplendent of the clatter of bullets, the tyranny of armed tanks and most importantly, the breakthrough of man's bestial brutality. Truncated calls, crashing stock markets, wary economists; the economic world witnessed the horror on 9/1 1, 26/11 etc. Brokers lay crestfallen, investors chose survivals over super profits; above all, the business of man failed. The first question that can be gawked on is how does the economy of the world suffer after the aftermath of a terrorist activity?In the advent of superior global ization, countries favor entry Into the markets by relying on exporting goods and services, which leads to the feasibility of rapid and broad outlook of global markets; It will also reduce the heavy dependence on high remissive physical faceless, which can offer much understandability, flexibility for reacting to unforeseeable market changes and rapid adjustments. Foreign direct Investment or FDA remains one of the key backstabbers for an aspiring global economy.Major investments in major countries of the world stand on shaky ground when such events happen in the light of the economy. When it comes to global economics, transaction costs and economies of scale, Foreign Direct Investment is a priority among financial planners, but the risky affair of dwindling between what is to e injected in the economy and what is to be exported are deemed to be worrisome. Global Markets have the trend to reprimand failure more severely than rewarding success, which have made risk minimizing strateg ies a pathway for business promoters and planners.The yester years before the first fatal blow of terrorism to the global business arena saw a stupendous growth of International ventures; but after the wrath experienced by the international markets: it took into concentrating of domestic affiliations and concentrations. This was evident by the fall of international monetary saving and faith. Money laundering has led to the modern day malaise of terrorism financing. Tightening money laundering laws in the United states still remain ineffective at the gawking reality of a global banking giant- HASH having fallen prey to such accusations.Hash's banking activities in Saudi Arabia, specifically activities pertaining to referencing banking with AY Rajah Bank were brought under the radar. An investigation claimed that the Saudi bank had financed terrorist activities In purview of the September 11 investigations. In fact, it is now Infamously known as the- â€Å"Early Financial benefactor of the al- Qaeda†. Although, there was a hiatus In the banking transactions of HASH and AY Rajah bank; but both the banks have resumed their dealings. Two Bangladesh banks have been accused on salary grounds.Tighter norms and stringent Basel laws could be the trump card but the Course structures pertaining to international business have witnessed a setback in lieu of worsening international ties; it is well evident by the declining education of international studies in the United States, as per the stats relating to enrollments in International Business Courses and Foreign language courses. During the past few ears, managers have moved from the focus of proactive exploration concerning international opportunities in the global arena to a rather defensive posture that emphasizes on the vulnerability of foreign operations and global threats.The September 11 attack alone caused around 40 billion of insurance losses in USA. There was an liquidity need addressed by the federal rese rve along with the delay of major global stock markets like NYSE, FETES etc. The nightmares of the Ells (Foreign institutional Investors has Just begun with the sharp shoot ups of the gold and other commodities prices. As the dollar recovered, it rather showed how the economy could have a domino effect in Just a moment of a terror attack.Although stocks recovered from the short bearish phase of the 26/11 attack in Iambi; it can't offer a solution for the momentary involuntary losses in the global economy. The worst part is that how can a manager appropriate against such costs? The cost of human labor, wealth and resources? It is not Just the infrastructure being marred or the sabbatical day being a black day but it is the vulnerability of corporate giants in front of the tryst with terrorism. The cost born for provisioning against such losses cannot be anticipated.They can seep through any advent of the business; whether it's the hijacked plane or the bakery which gets bombarded; th e vivid imagination of terror cripples the masculinity of business. The real question that looms on every single business maker is that who is supposed to bear this impossible to inappropriate cost? The government or the various international bodies? Yes, there is indeed something scarier than the sublime crisis, and it is the sublime crisis of human empathy and brotherhood. What might seem as the biggest looming threat to the business of the world can actually be a way to fight this common malaise forever.It is the world cooperation of various international bodies and government bodies including multinational corporations to bring an end to this plaguing condition. In the face of such a terror; the rescue can only be the pooled efforts of every individual who dreams of international cooperation and benefit. Rather than basking on the indifference curve, it might be the time of our corporate lives to pull our socks even higher; so that each individual with its own competence forms t he army of seamless unity and strength. International Finance Abstract: The assignment requires one to select one major economic sector in Tanzania and †¢Evaluate the FDI’S flow and †¢the importance of FDI’s in that sector during the past 4 years. †¢Identify the likely impairing factors to FDI’s in that sector. †¢Recommend what the government should do to attract more FDI’S Method After selecting the one major economic sector which is Agricultural sector, data were requested which will provide the end results of this assignment. ? Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Tanzania’s Economy4 2. Evaluation of Tanzania’s FDI’s flow5 . Importance of FDI in Agriculture in the past 4 years7 †¢Capital:7 †¢Technology:8 †¢Market Access:8 4. Factors Impairing FDI’s in Tanzania8 †¢Poor Infrastructure8 †¢Capacity8 †¢Bureaucracy8 †¢Corruption9 †¢Seasonality9 †¢Access to finance9 †¢Regulatory framework9 5. Recommendation to attract more FDI ’s10 6. Conclusion10 References. 12 1. Introduction: Tanzania’s Economy Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita income, with GDP growth of average 7% per year between 2000 and 2008 on strong gold production and tourism.However, the economy heavily depends on agriculture, which accounts for more than one-fourth of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs about 60% of the work force. Tanzania also depends on the World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors to provide funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging economic infrastructure, including rail and port infrastructure that are important trade links for inland countries. With the recent banking reforms that have helped increase private-sector growth and investment, and the government has increased spending on agriculture to 7% of its budget.Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported a positive growth rate, despite the world recession. Also, in 2008, Tanzania receive d the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact grant, worth $698 million. Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus and loosened monetary policy to ease the impact of the global recession. GDP growth in 2009-10 was a respectable 6% per year due to high gold prices and increased production. Tanzania's economy was forecast to grow by 7. 2 percent in 2012, up from an estimated 6. 0 percent this year, provided weather conditions improve as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).However, Tanzania's economy will grow by a median 6. 7 percent this year from 7. 0 percent last year, weighed down by chronic energy shortages, as reported by a Reuter’s poll. The median forecast by a poll of 11 analysts showed gross domestic product would rebound to 7. 1 percent next year in east Africa's second-largest economy. The downside risks to the growth outlook emanate mostly from the power rationing that has been going on in the country. It has compelled firms to resort to less productive sources of power. The Washington-based body earlier this year cut its 2011 growth projection for Tanzania from 7. percent because of widespread power outages triggered by drought in the predominantly hydropower producing country. Africa's fourth biggest gold producer, Tanzania mainly depends on tourism, mining and agriculture and is increasingly attracting higher investor interest in telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, financial services and transport. 2. Evaluation of Tanzania’s FDI’s flow The Government of Tanzania (GOT) generally has a favorable attitude toward foreign direct investment (FDI) and has made significant efforts to encourage foreign investment.After several years of growing FDI, new FDI declined sharply from USD 6. 68 billion in 2008 to USD 2. 3 billion in 2009. The number of new foreign projects registered at TIC dropped to 503 last year from 768 in 2008. There is no restriction in foreign exchange. Foreign investors generally receive national treatment; however, the Tourism Act of 2007 bars foreigners from engaging in some tourism-related businesses. The Dar Es Salaam Stock Exchange forbids companies with more than 60 percent foreign ownership from listing.There are no laws or regulations authorizing private firms to limit or prohibit foreign investment, participation, or control, and firms generally do not restrict foreign participation in practice. The global economic crisis had minimal impact on the Tanzanian financial sector due to its relatively low global integration, however tourist arrivals dropped up to 20 percent, new tourist projects fell by 50 percent, and FDI dropped within the natural resource sector, resulting in layoffs at gold mining firms and stalled mineral and gas exploration and development projects.The Tanzanian Investment Center (TIC), established by the Tanzanian Investment Act of 1997, is the focal point for all investors’ inquiries, screens foreign investments, and facilitates project sta rt-ups. Filing with TIC is not mandatory, but offers incentives for joint ventures with Tanzanians and wholly owned foreign projects above USD 300,000. The review process takes up to 10 days, and involves multiple GOT agencies, which are required by law to cooperate fully with TIC in facilitating foreign investment, but in practice can create bureaucratic delays.TIC continues to improve investment facilitation services, provide joint venture opportunities between local and foreign investors, and disseminate investment information. TIC does not have specific criteria for screening or approving projects, but considers factors such as: foreign exchange generation and savings, import substitution, employment creation, linkages to the local economy, technology transfer, and expansion of production of goods and services. Among investment and trade opportunities promoted by the TIC are agriculture, mining, tourism, telecommunications, financial services, and energy and transportation infra structure.The Economic Processing Zones Act 2006 authorized the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to augment investments in the light industry, agro-processing industry and agriculture sectors. Greenfield foreign direct investments are allowed through this legislation. The Export Processing Zones Authority continues to promote Export Processing Zones (EPZ) to attract investments in agribusiness, textiles and electronics and Spatial Development Initiatives (SDI). Investors in EPZs are eligible for tax exemptions. Investments on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) are open to foreign investors, but capped at 60 percent.Foreign investors are barred from participating in government securities. The financial sector has continued to expand, with an increase in foreign-affiliated financial institutions and banks operating in Tanzania. As of December 2009, the Bank of Tanzania listed a total of 27 commercial banks licensed and operating in Tanzania, over half of which are fo reign-affiliated banks. Competition among these foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvement in the efficiency and quality of financial services.Tanzania expected to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) by 16 percent in 2010 from $645 million last year as the global economy recovers. Foreign direct investment in 2009 dropped from $679 million the year before as a result of the global financial crisis. The FDI inflows into east Africa's second largest economy were expected to surge to $800 million in 2011. Tanzania's economy mainly depends on tourism, mining and agriculture. Its telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, financial services and transport sectors are attracting rising investor interest.It is expected that most of the investments in 2010/11 will focus on tourism, agriculture and telecoms. The government is implementing investment reforms to woo foreign capital. According to the World Bank's Doing Business in the East African Community 2010 report , Tanzania fares poorly in key areas such as closing and starting a business, protecting investors, access to credit, cross border trade and issuance of construction permits. 3. Importance of FDI in Agriculture in the past 4 years Tanzania has more than 44 million hectares of arable land, and a wide variety of ecological zones, climates and water resources.The country could feed most of the East, Central and Southern African countries with food deficits. 80% of the population in Tanzania lives in rural areas and are in some way or another depending on agriculture. The agricultural sector is vital to Tanzania’s economy and therefore also to the reduction and eradication of poverty. Other advantages of FDIs in agricultural sector in Tanzania are as follows: †¢Capital: First and foremost FDI brings much needed capital to Tanzania. This helps the country to achieve rates of domestic investment higher than their domestic savings.Besides, the financial resources that FDI bring s in are in long term and non-debt creating. †¢Technology: There are a number of ways in which FDI through TNCs can help develop indigenous technology. Firstly TNCs usually bring in modern technology in agriculture and practices to Tanzania and help it upgrade its existing technology. †¢Market Access: TNCs in the agricultural sector has enabled Tanzania to better exploit its comparative advantage in international trade and thus gain access to global markets. 4. Factors Impairing FDI’s in Tanzania †¢Poor Infrastructure Lack of stable power has led to power outages throughout the country.It has compelled firms to resort to less productive sources of power. These power outages triggered by drought due to high reliance in the predominantly hydropower. Another significant constraint to improving FDI in Tanzania through agriculture is poor infrastructure within Tanzania. Insufficient investment in the road network has resulted in just 4,000 kilometers of Tanzaniaâ₠¬â„¢s 85,000 km road network being paved. Most of these unpaved roads are feeder roads in rural areas, and many routes become impassable after heavy rains. The country’s two railway systems are also unreliable, with dilapidated infrastructure and outdated rolling stock. Capacity TIC currently lacks the capacity to address the complicated and non-transparent investment clearance processes, to collect comprehensive and timely data for the research needed to facilitate both policy making and investment decision-making. †¢Bureaucracy Bureaucratic intransigence continues to pose a severe obstacle to doing business in Tanzania as in the rest of East Africa. Investors looking to startup businesses in Tanzania often complain about the level of red tape associated with issues such as the issuance of business licenses, company registration, building permits, land certificates and taxation. Corruption Corruption is an endemic problem in Tanzania and is often cited as one of the big gest hindrances to doing business. The World Bank 2006 Enterprise Survey indicates that 49. 5% of the surveyed companies reports that they expect to make informal payments to achieve specific goals. According to the 2006 IFC-World Bank Enterprise Survey, 20% of the companies surveyed expect to give gifts or make informal payments to get an operating license, and 32% to get a construction permit. †¢SeasonalityMore than 75% of Tanzanian enterprises are heavily affected by seasonality, whereby farmers sell their produce when prices are lowest and buy inputs for the next cropping season when prices are highest. †¢Access to finance Most enterprises in the rural areas are small scale and engage in or rely on agriculture. Bearing the above constraint, these small enterprises have a comparatively high risk, high transaction costs and low volumes, limiting access to capital. †¢Regulatory framework The economic growth potential of investments in agricultural land is questionabl e due to an inadequate regulatory framework governing (FDI) in the sector.FDI in agricultural sector in Tanzania can even jeopardize local resource users land rights. In such that farmers are giving away their most valuable assets to profit-seeking entities, based on information asymmetries and persuasion. 5. Recommendation to attract more FDI’s Including the ongoing reforms to woo investments, TIC continues to improve investment facilitation services, provide joint venture opportunities between local and foreign investors, and disseminate investment information.In order to attract more FDIs in the agricultural sector and to increase productivity and high quality output, effort is needed to understand and eliminate the barriers to smallholders that inhibit the growth of productivity. The structural problems facing smallholders such as limited access to information, to input and output and financial markets need rethinking that will attract more FDI to the sector. Such an arra ngement would involve smallholders being better organized in producer associations.Producer associations can improve productivity, reduce costs through supply chain linkages and improve competitiveness. They manage to do so by improving access to necessary and affordable input (technologies and credit). The second challenge is to build integration of production, transport, processing and marketing to take advantage of supply and demand value addition. Third is to ensure the introduction of innovation and knowledge on a continuing basis without subjecting members to high consultancy fees given the socio-economic conditions of smallholders. 6. ConclusionApart from general determinants such as macroeconomic stability, efficient institutions, political stability and a good regulatory framework, the smallholder institutional setup has positive impact on FDI flow into the sector. It has been observed that crops whose smallholders are well organized attracted more FDI. An important implica tion of the result is that FDI to the agricultural sector is not solely driven by policies and incentives to foreign investment and that the institutional setup of smallholder farmers can play an important role in promoting investments to the sector.In the short and medium term, efforts to foster integration and creation of strong bonds between smallholders and investors through integrated producer schemes can increase FDI to the sector and thus increase productivity. Other determinants such as investment regulatory frameworks, policies that promote macroeconomic economic stability, and improved physical infrastructure also have a role to play both in the short and long run. In the long run, more FDI can be attained by developing strong institutions in all sectors. ?

Cars of today compared to cars of the 1970s essays

Cars of today compared to cars of the 1970's essays CARS OF TODAY COMPARED TO THOSE OF THE 1970S New cars are completely different than the cars that came off the production line during the 1970s. First , 1970s model cars were very large in size and newer model cars are relatively small. Second , those big old cars had to have bigger and stronger motors to make them efficient while driving and newer cars concentrate on smaller motors for better gas mileage. Last , while 1970s cars had very few extras (such as power steering , anti-lock brakes , power windows and locks) but they were more The enormous cars of thirty years ago were large inside and out and were built for large families. The cars were built to have a lot of interior space and were built large on outside for a comfortable and controllable driving experience. Meanwhile todays cars are on average 75 cubic inches smaller on the interior and considerably smaller on the outside. The new cars are just as comfortable and controllable as the 1970s due to better technology and design. They also are built out of strong but light weight materials Since the new cars are smaller and lighter than the older ones they dont need as much power from their motors. Newer cars generally have smaller less powerful engines such as a V-6 or 4-cylinders . Since the 1970 model cars were big and heavy they had to Page Two have bigger engines . The big old tanks of the 1970s usually had the larger motors like a V-8. They were very powerful but very costly for operation because of the poor fuel efficiency. Because of poor technology in the 1970s , the manufactories had to over ...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Essay ? Charles Dickens wrote this novel because he was keenly touched by the lot of poor children in the middle decades of the 19th century. This is the reason which motivated Dickens in doing this, before writing this novel. Before he decided to this he thought of publishing leaflets instead. On the other hand some critics have suggested that Scrooge’s redemption underscores what they see as the conservative individualistic and patriarchal of Dickens Carol Philosophy. Dickens own experiences influenced him a lot in why he wrote this novel and how he cares so much for the children, who were forced to hard labour in the workhouses from such young age as 12. Before the â€Å"New Poor Law† was introduced in 1834, a high percentage of young children were forced t work to make sure that them and their families did not die of starvation. There was a well known prison called the â€Å"The Marshelsea†, it became know in the 19th century around the world through the writing of the English novelist Charles Dickens. His father which was there in 1824 for a debt of ? 40 and 10 shillings however Dickens most traumatic experience was when he was forced to leave school at the young age of 12 to work in a factory instead. Dickens already had ideas of how to use these types of experiences in a novel. Some of the social conditions such as the new poor law have been shown in the â€Å"Christmas Carol† in this particular quote: â€Å"The Treadmill and the the poor law in full vigour then? † â€Å"Both very busy sir†` This quote proves to us that Dickens used his novel to express the social conditions through it. Dickens used Scrooge as the main character to show that wealthy people always have a responsibility to help those less fortunate. He clearly shows this view at the end of the novel where he gives a young boy money to buy a turkey for the Crachit family. The family isn’t the richest but has a really warm heart. Crachit tries showing Scrooge that life is not all about money and also that he should try to move on and forget about Bella. Scrooge had a really bad experience when Bella marries someone else because she told him that he cares about money more than her. Scrooge somehow had to overcome this tragic event in his life and since then he has not been able to celebrate a successful eve without thinking of her for even a moment. In much earlier in the novel 3 old men come up to Scrooge asking for money to donate to people for Christmas, however Scrooge is a cold hearted person so instead of donating a few shillings he says â€Å"Bah Humbug. † The main character of â€Å"A Christmas Carol† is Ebenezer Scrooge. He is an elderly man who lives in London, his sister died leaving a son whose name is Fred. In addition to this Ebenezer has no family. He is a very rich banker. Scrooges clerk Bob Crachit is a middle–aged man who has six children. Ebenezer is thin and has a slight hunchback, coal grey hair and a wrinkled old face, on which he has reddish eyes, a long pointed nose and thin blue lips as cold as ice. Like his employee Bob is very well dressed. Let’s take a look at Scrooge first, before he got visited by the spirits he was a very stingy person and only cared about his own interests. He couldn’t manage to share his money and was not sensitive to the suffering of others. Ebenezer was even harsh to his employee who never cheated, is reliable, hardworking and had to endure the bad behaviour on him. Bob is satisfied with not owning anything and having no money at all. Bob is satisfied with not owning anything and having no money at all, however the only things that matter for him and make him happy are the small but the most important things in life which is his family. After Scrooge got visited by the ghosts he changed positively and you could even say that was similar to Crachit. Just like he likes Christmas, is a good and open to others, joyous and happy. He even started to share money with the poor and expressed his feelings by helping others. In my opinion Scrooge turned into a better character and I admire his sudden transformation into a better human being. Bob Crachit’s characteristics are that he is poor, has a big family, young and takes care of his close ones, joyful and nice. The crachit family live in a small cosy home but they don’t have enough money to decorate it with luxuries because the most important thing for them is too have enough money for coal/fire so that they would be warm, however most importantly all they want to happen is for Tiny Tim to be a healthy again. The miraculous transformation that Scrooge has made makes us aware that good change is never too late. Also that money cannot buy happiness you just have to share it with other people to make something good of it. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. (2017, Feb 22).

Walt Disney Co. V. Beijing Publishing Press Essay

Walt Disney Co. V. Beijing Publishing Press - Essay Example Although Beijing Publishing Press had entered into contract with and paid Maxwell which has intellectual property rights from Disney, it violated Disney IPR. The contract details form Disney did not give Maxwell the right to subcontract its intellectual properties to third parties, which means that the contract between Maxwell and Beijing was void. The fact that the contract was illegal makes it void. Disney enjoys copyright protection of its products from the Chinese law. Therefore, any third parties who wish to utilize its intellectual properties must enter into a contract with Disney. In this case, there existed no contract between Disney and Beijing Publishing. Before paying IPR, a party should conduct careful due diligence to assure that it is paying for enforceable IPR. This case illustrates concept in that Beijing Publishing Company had an obligation to carry out proper investigations to ascertain the legality of the contract with Maxwell Company and Children Press. The department of state copyright administration requires companies to conduct an inquiry and implement registration procedures with the relevant authorities before actual use of IPR. Although Beijing Publishing Company had exempted itself in the working agreement with the Children press, where it stated that Children press would bear any responsibilities arising because of non-registration with the copyright authority; it failed to ascertain that Children Press is not an independent legal person and thus had to bear the responsibility. Beijing Company has a lawsuit against Maxwell. The contract between Disney and Maxwell stated, â€Å"Disney Company licenses to Maxwell Comp any exclusive rights to publish and sell within China its publications based on Disney world characters.† The contract expressly states that the license given should not be granted to third parties (Shaffer, Agusti, and Earle 574). Beijing Publishing can sue Maxwell on the ground that it breached the initial contract, which led to it incurring damages. Champagne V. Wines Worth Group Ltd This case involves an Australian company by name Wines Worth Group against French Department of Champagne that sought an injunction to prevent Australians from â€Å"passing off† their wine as produced from France. French Department of Champagne filed on the basis that they own the trademark. A trademark is a distinctive sign used by businesses to speak a message to their consumers to specify the origin of the product and henceforth dictate the target markets. It is a name, word, phrase, logo, or symbol and the owners of

Vaccines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vaccines - Essay Example Vaccines stimulate the immune system of the body and helps it recognize the agent as a pathogen or foreign, hence destroying it (Bona and Bonilla, 1996). Vaccines do not offer complete protection of the body against a certain disease; therefore, it is important to choose the most adequate type of vaccine in order to make it more responsive. To develop an effective immune against a dangerous virus, one must consider important aspects, which include the rate of maintaining high immunizations even when the disease is rare. Other factors to be considered include the impact of the immunization campaign on the epidemiology of the disease in the long term and the continuous surveillance of the disease due to the introduction of the new vaccine. An inactivated whole organism vaccine is produced by the killing or destruction of a disease causing organism by use of radiation, heat or chemicals (Reiss, 2005). It has several advantages since it is very stable and safe, which is an advantage over live vaccines, since the inactivated vaccines are killed and cannot mutate back to form the disease causing agent. They are advantageous since they do not require refrigeration hence their storage and transportation is easy, which makes it accessible for people in developing countries. Inactivated vaccines also have the main disadvantage of triggering a weak immune system response; hence several boosters are needed where as live vaccines stimulate a stronger one. This is a major set back to people in areas that are inaccessible to healthcare due to lack of boosters. Another set back is that the nonantigenic portions of the vaccines microbe may cause an inflammatory response to some people. Attenuated whole organism vaccines are live vaccines that contain the living microbe or the modified live viruses which are only weakened in laboratories in order to prevent diseases (Goldsby et al 2000). Viruses are attenuated by growth of generations in cells where they do not reproduce so well , the unsuitable environment makes them repel the viruses. As they grow they become weak due to the new environment and their natural host. They are the closest thing to natural infections hence they are good to the immune system. They stimulate strong antibody and cellular responses, and give lifelong protection with one or two doses. They are easy to create for given diseases like chickenpox. There are several setbacks to this immune system, for example the attenuated vaccines are live so they may revert and cause disease, and people with weakened immune systems for example HIV-positive people cannot use attenuated vaccines for their own protection. Attenuated vaccines need to be refrigerated therefore it is hard to store and transport them to under developed areas. They are difficult to create for bacteria, since bacteria have so many genes, therefore, it is hard to control them. Recombinant vector vaccines are also known as sub-unit vaccines, and are comprised of antigens which elicit the immune system best combined with the DNA of another (Murphy, Walport and Travers, 2008). They are mainly used for complex infections, are experimental and are similar to DNA vaccines though they use bacteria to bring out DNA to the cells in the body. Vector means the virus or a bacterium that is used as the carrier virus latches on to the cell and injects genetic material into the cell. Scientists take the genomes of harmless viruses and insert the genetic material in portions into the cells. The viruses ferry the microbial DNA to the cells. The recombinant vector vaccines cause a natural infection and, therefore, stimulate the immune system. Attenuated bacteria also play the role of vectors, where the genetic mater

Venerable Pierre Toussaint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Venerable Pierre Toussaint - Essay Example Pierre on the other hand, obtained basic education where he was able to read and write. Secondly, he was not expected to work in the fields where there was hard labor, and also he was not subjected to punishments. During his stay on the Haiti, the sound of drums in the field offended him. The thought of the bloodbath that happened in the fields was too harsh for him to comprehend. Pierre relocated to New York with his master. Soon after the death of Jean Berard, Pierre took the initiative to look after his ailing wife, who had just learnt about his husbands demise (Malley 89). Pierres elevation to sainthood came as a result of his charity, which was easily deduced from his act of adopting Euphemia. During his burial, Pierre was eulogized as one who had "remarkable qualities of mind and heart and on his incredible charity". Secondly, he was also branded as "Gods reflection in ebony". He was greatly loved, which is exhibited by the enormous number of people from both races who attended his

Banking Industry Analysis: Zimbabwe And India

Banking Industry Analysis: Zimbabwe And India Banking industry is the major player in every countrys economy, and it influences the growth and prosperity of a nation. The following environmental analysis seeks to look at the banking Industry in Zimbabwe and India especially with regard to the PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) factors and how they have a bearing on the industry. It will further look at Porters five forces namely: New entrants, Threat of Substitutes, Power of Suppliers, Power of buyers and Competitive rivalry. In doing so, a brief history is important as it gives a mile view of the origins and development of the industry. . Based on these factors a comparative analysis is done between the two countries 1: Zimbabwe Banking Industry Analysis. Background When Zimbabwe attained its independence in 1980, the majority of banks were foreign owned. It was not until 1981 when the government acquired stakes in two banks namely Nedbank and Bank of Credit and Commerce of 62% and 49% respectively. Apart from stakes in these two individual banks, the government wholly owned and directed the operations of the central bank, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). The Reserve Bank is the policing authority for the industry formulating policy direction through periodic monetary policy statements. Indigenous ownership and new entrants into the industry was not until mid to late 90s when a number of banks were registered (Makoni, 2010). Until mid to late 90s, Zimbabwe was regarded as a model developing African country with a small but strong banking industry. Agriculture was the backbone of economic growth with mining, manufacturing and tourism complementing it. The industry therefore benefited from a strong economy until things changed in the late 90s as a result of negative economic and political policies adopted by the government. Political Factors Since independence from Britain in 1980, Zimbabwe has been under the leadership of President Robert Mugabe through his political party ZANU PF. The country was virtually under a one party state system with no credible opposition until 1999 when a new political party entered the political field. The political environment was however stable with the international community having confidence in the way the country was governed. As a result Zimbabwe was experiencing strong economic growth due to the international support and such growth was reflected positively upon the banking sector, as it was working effectively. International lines of credit from international financiers such as the World Bank and IMF were made available benefiting the banking industry immensely. There was however a sudden change of fortune in the industry when Zimbabwe embarked upon a controversial land reform program around year 2000. The process was chaotic and often violent with the international community condem ning it. That resulted in Zimbabwes isolation from the international community. Some countries such as the U.S.A and the E.U introduced sanctions against President Mugabes government as a way of protesting against his policies (U.S Department of Treasury, 2010). Zimbabwes banking industry reeled under sanctions. Some banks especially foreign owned such as Barclays Bank had to downscale their operations as the conditions were no longer conducive to support a complete banking portfolio (The Independent, 2010). The country is still under sanctions, arguably targeted to President Mugabes inner circle members. Because of that, banks do not have access to foreign sources of capital and cannot enter into strategic alliances with most western banks who fear the political situation in Zimbabwe. A new government of national unity was recently formed to dilute President Mugabe era. The change has not had a significant positive impact on the industry as it is still new with vague views about ec onomic development. Moreover the government recently launched a short term recovery program in 2009, in order to stabilize the economy with a focus on multi currency due to the inflated exchange rate of the US dollar against the local currency. That left the industry without a long term view of economic direction (The World Bank, 2010). Economic Factors Zimbabwes economy is characterised by negative economic growth, high unemployment, high interest rates and absence of foreign investment. The economic situation started to deteriorate in the early 90s when Zimbabwe embarked on an Economic Structural Adjustment Program, ESAP supported by IMF and the World Bank. Although the intended benefits were to grow the economy and create jobs, the opposite actually happened (The World Bank, 2010). The economy started to shrink. It was further exacerbated by the sanctions imposed after a chaotic land reform program earlier mentioned together with mismanagement by the government. Banks were not and still do not have access to cheap sources of capital as a result. The population is poor and characterised by high unemployment levels. According to an AFP report (2009), such negative economic factors have been haunting the banking industry particularly in the last 10 years. Poor people are likely not to save, a situation that is negative for the banking industry. On the other hand, the rise in inflation coupled with the devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar meant banks could not cope with depositors need for daily cash withdrawals. Around 2003 and 2004, some banks collapsed while others were put under curatorship (Africa Monitor: Southern Africa, 2008). Those which survived had to limit their exposure to risks (Marawanyika, 2010). Although the situation has improved as a result of a power sharing government, banks still do not enjoy the benefits of a wide product portfolio as some products are still non-implementable. Good examples are lack of long term mortgages and credit cards. Banks remain uncertain as to the economic future and therefore are concentrating on products which are short term. Another factor which badly affected the banking system was the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe forcing private banks to acquire quantity of its related papers, and also to lend it free the compulsory statutory reserve of 40%, which is considered the highest in the world. Moreover, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe also forced financial institutions to use the excess surplus cash to invest in securities. Such influence significantly affected the performance of the banking sector (Africa Monitor: Southern Africa, 2008) Social Factors Zimbabwe has a population of around 13 million. There has been a steady outflow of people to other countries as a result of economic difficulties. Estimates put the number of Zimbabweans living outside the country to 4.5 million (Sunday Mail, 2010). That is a very significant percentage of the population. The end result is a population that is too small to sustain a vibrant banking industry. People who migrated to other countries are the middle age group, the very core of middle class society. In addition, emigration has starved the industry of essential expertise needed to run the banking industry efficiently as the educated and qualified left for greener pastures. Before the recession, Zimbabwes banking industry was already under stress and some of it is attributed to lack of proper management and lack of innovativeness. To compound the emigration problem, the country has been beset by HIV/AIDS epidemic which seem to affect the productive ages. It is estimated that 14.3 % of the po pulation was infected with the virus as of 2007, (UN report, 2009). Although the problem is not uniquely a banking industry problem, it has affected the way the industry operates by taking away both potential customers and the expertise needed to run the industry. Technological Factors Although Zimbabwe is a third world country, it is generally doing well in terms of technology. The country has seen an early introduction of ATMs in almost all cities and tourist destinations. ATM technology was first adopted around 1990 when two of the industry players Standard Chartered Bank and CABS introduced ATMs. Since then, telephone banking and online banking have been introduced as well. The industry is also linked to international big brands such as Visa and Mastercard. Travellers to Zimbabwe will have access to their cash on all ATMs so long they have Visa cards (Barclays Bank Zimbabwe, 2010). ATMs have greatly enhanced the capacity of the industry to reach a wider population and cover geographic areas which would have been costly Although most banks have adopted internet banking, the usage numbers are still very low (Thulani et al. 2009) Legal Factors Although the Zimbabwean government had little interference in the banking industry prior to 2003, the situation has since changed significantly. Government enacted various legislations meant to police the operations of the industry. This was necessitated by the collapse of some banks resulting in loss of depositors funds. As a way of protecting the public from such incidences, the government raised the minimum capital requirements needed to open and operate banks, both commercial and discount houses. The minimum is currently set at $12.5 million. This new capital requirement has not been easy due to the industrys inability to access cheap sources of capital. Further affecting the industrys ability to raise more capital and funds is the new government legislation requiring all companies to have a minimum local majority shareholding of 51%. Foreign investors with an interest in the industry can only take up the remaining 49%. (Zimbabwe Mail, 2010) This has not gone down well with foreign investors who feel the legislation strips them of their ability to manage and have an influence on their investments. As a way of trying to fight the AIDS epidemic, the government introduced a levy on banking profits towards an AIDS fund administered by the National Social Security Authority, NSSA. The rate is 3% across all income levels with banks however levied at a much higher rate of 5 % compared to other industries and individuals. This has the effect of reducing the amount available to shareholders. Environmental Factors. Zimbabwe does not have legislation compelling companies and businesses to direct their resources towards the environment and corporate social responsibility activities outside of the Aids levy earlier mentioned. It is truly lagging behind in this area. The banking industry, like any other industry has instead concentrated on its own survival with little regard to environmental issues. Industry Analysis by Porters forces. Porter explains and argues that there are five forces which determine the industrys profitability and attractiveness. These are threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers and the degree of rivalry between existing competitors. Some of the forces mentioned above have limited applicability to banking because of the nature of the industry. An example is the substitute factor. The banking industry in general has limited room for substitutes. Looking at the banking history in Zimbabwe, there was a time soon after independence when suppliers had the power in the market because competition was very low. There were few players in the industry and customers were even lucky to be accepted to open a bank account. As the government liberalised the industry, more indigenous players came in making competition very stiff. Currently, there is little differentiation which banks can apply to have an urge over others. Rivalry is very high and the areas of differentiation come from good customer service and degree of risk expected. The collapse of some banks around 2003 and 2004 has left the market and customers jittery about which banks to be entrusted with their deposits. Banks with adequate capital such as Standard Bank and Barclays Bank have a competitive advantage over others due to their history of stability. They can use their foreign component of their shareholding structure to mobilise resources. 2.0 India Banking Industry Analysis 2.1 Introduction: The Banking Sector in India is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The banking sector comprises of Nationalised, Private and Public Sector, Cooperative and Foreign banks. A brief history tells us that the nationalisation of 14 largest commercial banks in 1969, and further nationalisation of 6 major private banks in 1980 has completely reformed the banking sector in India (Das and Ghosh, 2006). According to 2010 survey more than 80% of banks in India are nationalised, 15% are private and cooperative sector banks and the remaining 5% are foreign banks, serving a population of more than 1.1 billion. Political factors: The ruling government and the Ministry of Finance play a decisive role in contributing to the rules and regulations of the industry. A huge turning point came in 1991, when the Finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh under the Narsimha Committee opened the doors for the Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the country thus boosting the economy and uplifting the banking industry (Das and Ghosh, 2006). This served as a platform for the future decision making of the rules and regulations and law enforcement for RBI and other financial regulatory bodies. The relaxation of some regulations allowed the major foreign banking corporations to enter the developing Indian economy through mergers or independent setup. Economic factors Nationalisation of the banking sector helped farmers and small industries in India to directly access credit facilities, efficient short and long term loan sanctions and has helped reduce the unemployment rate and further increase the profitability of the money lenders. Interest rates for certain loans are lower than the market rates. For example food and agriculture related business and services. This has led to many nationalised banks giving more importance to social priorities than profit maximisation. Reduction in Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has helped the banking sector to increase efficiency. Liberalisation has encouraged competition in the interest rate and services provided by many banks and financial regulatory bodies (J. Sengupta; C. Neogi) Social factors In spite of the recent downturn in the global economy India was able to attain a growth rate of 8.8 % in the first quarter 2010 (RBI Bulletin, 2010). That means the industry and the agriculture sectors that form the majority of the working population are supplying huge amount of their disposable incomes to banking and investment corporations to further increase their profits. This change is much obvious in the Cooperative banks and domestic banks regulated by RBI where deposits, repayment of loans, sanction of new loans improved significantly, enhancing industry profitability. Since 1991, due to the outburst of multiple opportunities in national and international industrial and service sectors, the urban and the semi-urban cities have witnessed an increase in educated, high earning individuals who are well associated with their income and investments. Since 2001 the changes in banking norms, stable and long term understanding between the commercial and cooperative banks have helped t he banking sector achieve 51% of compounded annual rate based on growth, asset quality and profitability (McKinsey and Company, 2010). Technological factors Technology is always seen as a building block for any industry or economy. With the arrival of the foreign banks and financial corporations, the public, private and cooperative sectors have witnessed a revolutionary support and competition in its technology. As a result of this many banks such as Housing and Finance Corporation (HDFC), ICICI, State Bank of India, Central bank, Union Bank, JK bank, and all major cooperative banks have revolutionized their various banking products and services. Services like internet and telephone banking, online investment and loan proposals, personalized and premium banking services are available 24 hours a day. Large numbers of ATM outlets have all helped increase the profitability and efficiency of their service providers. As a result the year 2001-02 saw 20.83% private sector banks achieving efficiency of more than 100%, and year 2003-04 saw 26.92% private sector banks having productivity of more than 100% (Bodla and Verma Bajaj, 2010). The growth in industrial and outsourcing sectors have boosted foreign exchanges and remittances. This has produced a fluent and rich source of income for the banking industry. Legal factors Banking Regulations Act in 1949 and the Reserve Bank of India Act in 1934 are the major regulations in Indian banking industry. All Indian banks trade and work in accordance to the guidelines of RBI. Due to liberalisation and influence of World Trade Organisation, Indian banking industry adapted to the global banking standards. Indian banks and finance corporations follow the regulations of the Basel Committee, International Monitory Fund (IMF) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). (2008) 2.7 Environmental factors The finance and banking sector is one of the most advanced and rapidly growing sectors in Indian economy. The concentration in banking industry is due to certain core principles, standardization, regulating and supervising of the sector. This has created a frantic race to stay at the top. To overcome their competitors almost all banks and finance corporations have adopted social responsibility measures or environmental concerns (Zuberbà ¼hler, 2000). Banks like SBI, HDFC, ICICI etc have undertaken various public and corporate issues seriously and have allocated a sizeable amount of their income on public and environment issues. Recently, the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs in India have set out core elements of CSR for companies and corporations to address. The president speaking at India Corporate Week has urged finance and industrial corporations to assist the government in various programmes designed for rural economic development (SRI, 2010). Analysis by Porters Five Forces 2.8 Bargaining power of buyers: Bargaining power of buyers is high in Indian banking system because of many reasons. There are lots of alternatives for each customer. Due to the technological advances, buyers know about the market status and position of each bank. Switching cost to shift the bank is very low, so the customer changes the bank frequently. Almost all banks give the same service and products, so they cannot charge for extra service and differentiation. Banks try to be customer friendly to attract as many clients as possible. 2.9 Bargaining power of suppliers: Bargaining power of suppliers is less in India due to the strict rules and regulation of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Interest rate and degree of differentiation are determined by the RBI, so supplier power is very low. But at the time of tight liquidity the negotiation capacity of suppliers increase. 2.10 New entrants: New entrants with added services and benefits always pose a threat to the well established older and somewhat government owned banks. In India since majority of the banks are nationalized or state owned as seen above, a new foreign bank, always has to come up with some better ideas to attract a specific group of population which is ready to deviate or change its banking environment. In addition, few of them have tried to blend with the Indian market either by partnering or merging with some Indian nationalized banks, or by exchanging services like use of ATM networks. As a result, foreign and new private banks have realised growth rates of up to 50% while the public sector banks have grown at steady 15% (India Banking, 2010). After the post liberalisation period the banking sector has increased average deposit efficiency especially for State Bank of India and Associates. As for nationalised banks its almost stable and for foreign banks it has declined sharply. The reason for the fall in the foreign banks is due to their attention to cater to only some of the multinational corporations which lured them for starting their services in India (Services Research, 2009). 2.11 Threat of substitutes: Substitutes do not pose a greater threat to the banks. However the fact that they still have influence in some of the major rural areas in the form of non-governmental and unregulated co-operative societies always leaves banks watching their backs. (Das and Ghosh, 2006). 2.12 Competitive rivalry: The concentration of nationalised banks and their efforts to be the policy maker have given rise to three major concerns: Competition, Systemic Stability and difficulty in regulating them (Zuberbà ¼hler, 2000). It is believed that competition always fuels growth. The commitment shown by banks in terms of employee training programs and technological upgrades have resulted in improved skills and services (Arora and Khanna, 2009). For effective regulation many banks have applied customer centric approach rather than profit oriented approach. This has significantly improved the internal service quality of the banking sector. 3.0 Comparison and conclusion: Banking industry in India is more diverse as it includes many nationalised public sector banks, foreign banks, private sector banks, co-operative banks and many approved small and medium money lending institutions well serving a population of 1.1 billion. In Zimbabwe the banking industry comprises of government banks, private banks and a few foreign banks serving a comparatively small population of 13 million. The banking industry market is therefore huge in India when considering the population and all related demographics. Considering the fact that agriculture is the backbone in both countries, most of the government policies and initiatives are in favour of agriculture and its related sectors. A best example is Indian governments approval of $12.5 billion Farmers debt relief fund in 2008, which allows banks and other approved money lending institutions to waive a farmers loan after signing an agreement of debt relief. (banknetindia. nd). Indian government is politically more stable than the Zimbabwean government. This has created certainty in the Indian industry compared to its Zimbabwean counterpart. In India all the financial regulatory bodies have formed a supportive environment for the banking and economic industry, and have setup stringent rules and regulations in accordance with the international banking guidelines. Foreign exchange and remittance is an important factor which acts as a bridge between a countrys banking sector and its ability to attract investments from other countries, which provides rich nourishment for the banks. Foreign remittances from industrial activities are practically not present in Zimbabwe whereas in India outsourcing and flourishing economy is maintaining a steady supply of foreign exchange. Though banks in Zimbabwe are earning huge individual foreign remittances from the migrant population, the entire banking sector cannot completely sustain itself on that. Global economic instability and recent financial downturns were more felt in Zimbabwe, as compared to India which is relatively more insulated to the effects. Since 2007 Zimbabwe was facing huge hyper-inflationary problems until recently when the country achieved some measure of stability through dollarization of its economy. The inflation at some point reached monstrous levels affecting the Zimbabwean dollar exchange rate and banks found it extremely difficult to maintain a supply of the dollar. That led to government introducing foreign multi-currency since 2009, especially the US dollar, (Hanke, 2010). Inflation in India has been steady compared to its growth rate and is handled carefully by the Reserve Bank and the finance ministry. This has helped maintain currency supply and is conducive for the banking environment. Technology is one of the major drivers for banking industry not just in India and Zimbabwe but across globe. Technology has helped many foreign banks gain an advantage over government banks in India and also in Zimbabwe. Some of the banking areas revolutionised by technology are ATMs, online banking, phone banking, customer service, foreign exchange etc. Indian banks are highly competitive and have strengthened themselves due to information and technology. They are providing many services and provide value addition which has enabled them to successfully compete with many global, well established and technically sound banking corporations. Zimbabwean banks are comparatively at a preliminary stage and are incorporating value addition and services at a slower rate. Unemployment is a negative driver for banking environment in Zimbabwe. Population migration and AIDS are further deal breakers. Corruption in the government and finance sector is further affecting the banking industry in both countries. Social responsibility is not well adopted in Zimbabwean, whereas almost all major nationalised, private and foreign banks are making huge efforts to be socially responsible in India.