Monday, December 30, 2019

Youth Gang Prevention Efforts A Two Pronged Prevention

Youth Gang Prevention Efforts A two-pronged prevention approach has proven effective, with primary prevention strategies aimed at the community s general population and secondary prevention strategies targeting youth between the ages of 7 and 14 who are at high risk of joining gangs. Prevention efforts undertaken by law enforcement departments around the country include: â€Å"Participating in community awareness campaigns (e.g. developing public service announcements and poster campaigns). Contacting the parents of peripheral gang members (through the mail or during personal visits) to alert them that their children are involved with a gang. Sponsoring gang hotlines to gather information and facilitate a quick response to gang-related issues. Organizing athletic events with teams of law enforcement officers and gang members. Establishing working relationships with local social service agencies. Making presentations about gangs to schools and community groups as a combined effort at prevention and information ga thering. Sponsoring school-based gang and drug prevention programs (e.g. DARE and GREAT)† (Hess, 2013 p.230). Another great example of a prevention effort to lessen gangs that has been widely used in the United States is mentoring. Mentoring promotes positive youth development and help rehabilitate youth involved with a gang(s) (Prevention Efforts).Mentoring works by fostering caring relationships between the youth and a caring adult. Police Response to Youth Crime andShow MoreRelatedHIDA Case Study1087 Words   |  5 Pagesinvestigative, interdiction and prosecution activities, drug use prevention and drug treatment initiatives, as well as many others. Treatment and prevention are a main focus of the HIDTA program and all twenty-eight HIDTAs support prevention initiatives around the country. HIDTA works with community-based coalitions and follow evidence-based prevention practices including community mobilization and organizational change. A few examples of these prevention initiatives include; the Safe and Sound Initiative, theRead MoreThe Niger Delta Struggles: Its Implications for Resource Control.17990 Words   |  72 Pagesof the national question through a conference of ethnic nationalities. The current and fourth stage of the transformation has seen the entrance of youths, youth militancy and youth militias with volatile demands and ultimatums that have accentuated the scale and intensity of confrontatio ns and violence with the multinationals and the state. The youths presently spearhead and constitute the vanguard of Niger-delta conflict nationalists. They chart the course of methods, tactics and strategies andRead MoreThe Censorship of Art Essay example14698 Words   |  59 PagesPMRC in 1985, a new, more organized and systematic attack to control popular music has been launched. 1. The Invasion of the Washington Wives The Parents Music Resource Center was founded in 1985 as the result of the unusually combined efforts of a few concerned parents (Coletti 1987:421-426; Gray 1989a:151-153, 1989b:6-8; Kaufman 1986:228-231; McDonald 1988a:302-106; Roldan 1987:222-231). Tipper Gore, wife of current Vice-President and then Senator of Tennessee Albert Gore, bought theRead 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 Pagesan Urban World †¢ Howard Spodek 53 3 Women in the Twentieth-Century World Bonnie G. Smith 83 4 The Gendering of Human Rights in the International Systems of Law in the Twentieth Century †¢ Jean H. Quataert 116 5 The Impact of the Two World Wars in a Century of Violence †¢ John H. Morrow Jr. 161 6 Locating the United States in Twentieth-Century World History †¢ Carl J. Guarneri 213 7 The Technopolitics of Cold War: Toward a Transregional Perspective †¢ Gabrielle HechtRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pages Strategic Marketing Management Dedication This book is dedicated to the authors’ wives – Gillian and Rosie – and to Ben Gilligan for their support while it was being written. Acknowledgements Our thanks go to Janice Nunn for all the effort that she put in to the preparation of the manuscript. Strategic Marketing Management Planning, implementation and control Third edition Richard M.S. Wilson Emeritus Professor of Business Administration The Business School Loughborough University

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Sir Isaac Newton Standing on the Shoulders of Galileo and...

The general and widespread acceptance of Sir Isaac Newton’s models and laws may often be taken for granted, but this has not always been so. Throughout history, scientists and philosophers have built on each other’s theories to create improved and often revolutionary models. Although Newton was neither the first nor the last to bring major innovations to society, he was one of the most notable ones; many of his contributions are still in use today. With the formulation of his laws of motion, Sir Isaac Newton contributed to the downfall of Aristotelianism and provided a universal quantitative system for approximating and explaining a wide range of phenomena of space and the physics of motion, revolutionizing the study and understanding†¦show more content†¦Aristotle’s model by today’s standards can easily be picked apart, but at the time, it was the best explanation that could be made with so little technology and insight. Although his theories have long since been replaced, they created a base for future scientists to work off of and challenge. Over time many great scientists began to question Aristotle’s theories. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), for example, contested the absolute significance of the earth, and he did not agree that it should be viewed as the center of the entire universe (Lizhi Youquan, 1987). He plotted the earth at the center of the universe and created a heliocentric system just as mathematically complicated as the Ptolemaic system (one that also improved on Aristotle’s), but it explained a number of anomalies, including resolving the issue of retrograde motion (Ede, A. Cormack, L., 2004). The problem was that Aristotle’s physics of ‘natural motion’ fell apart without the earth in the center of everything. Eventually Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) came to popularity, rejecting the Aristotelian notions of motion (OConnor, J.J., Robertson, E. F., 2002). He showed that speed does not increase continuously and that impetus does not exist, and argued that once motion starts it would remain forever, if not imparted. This idea is very similar to Isaac Newton’s later ideas of inertia and hisShow MoreRelatedIsaac Newton s Three Laws Of Motion Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction†¨ In 1686, Sir Isaac Newton penned his three laws of motion in his book, Principia Mathematica Philosophiae Naturalis. His first law states, â€Å"Every body perseveres in its state of rest†¦ unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed thereon† (Newton 1686, p. 83). As a result, his second law is built upon this principle, â€Å"The alteration of motion is ever proportional to the motive forces impressed† (Newton 1686, p. 83). Furthermore, Newton’s third law, perhaps the mostRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesback home is backed up by these reasons: (1) the consequences of getting giardia are pretty bad, and (2) the posted signs probably indicate that boiling wont work. Unfortunately, she is not sure about the boiling. So the burden falls on your shoulders. Can you back up her reasoning even if she cant? Or can you show that her reasoning isnt any good? One way to support a statement is to point out that the person making it is an expert. So you think about Juanitas and Emilios credentials.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

About Nobel Peace Prize 2010 Free Essays

Introduction: On October 8, The Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was named the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize by the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. An overwhelming majority of governments and organizations around the world appreciate the dedication of Liu for his long time pursuing of human-rights improvement in China. Be that as it may, China has blockaded the news which sounds ridiculous to the standpoint of almost all the Chinese people. We will write a custom essay sample on About Nobel Peace Prize 2010 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Recently, the comments of this controversial phenomenon, not exaggerative to say, as one falls another rises.In my point of view it’s not a problem of who is right or wrong, which importantly counts is the respect for China. Closely following behind are the statements and analyses. Development: ?diverse actions Chinese Foreign Ministry: It’s a complete violation of the principles of the prize and an insult to the Peace Prize itself for the Nobel committee to award the prize to such a person. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg Liu Xiaobo has been awarded the prize for defending freedom of expression and democracy in a way that deserves attention and respect. US President Barak Obama: This award reminds us that political reform has not kept pace, and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be respected. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s office: The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo of China is recognition of the growing international consensus for improving human rights practices and culture around the world. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner: This decision embodies the defense of human rights everywhere in the world.The Dalai Lama: Awarding the Peace Prize to him is the international community’s recognition of the increasing voices among the Chinese people in pushing China towards political, legal and constitutional reforms. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ As you can see, nearly all the foreign people support Liu, which to some extent shows no respect for the cultures and customs of China. The Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to people who â€Å"promote national harmony and international friends hip, who promote disarmament and peace†.It was against the Mr. Nobel’s wishes when the Nobel Committee gave the prize to Liu, a criminal violated Chinese law. To Chinese people, especially those in political positions, this kind of support is more a curse than a blessing. Though there is an element of plausibility in those arguments put forward by the advocates of Liu, I tend to agree that over the last dozens of years, China has been in an era of enlightenment and progress. The standard of living also reached the expectation of citizens.Not to mention the rules, laws and even details that put human being at the center, and that deter and minimize deception, corruption and scandals. ? asking for release The United States has called on China to end the apparent house arrest of the wife of Nobel Peace Prize winner and jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo. â€Å"His wife’s rights should be respected, and she should be allowed to move freely without harassment. † Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said the release by China of the detained Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo is â€Å"desirable†.The government of Norway, where the Nobel prize is based, said China’s reaction was â€Å"inappropriate†. The European Union has called for his release. The increasing number of people who ask for the release of Liu is really exerting a lot more pressure on the judicial system of China than it is designed to deal with. To make a clearer impression of Liu, he is known as an annoyance to the Chinese Communist Party and currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for â€Å"subverting state power†.To be honest, China may not do well enough in some parts. Nevertheless, no country is perfect in every aspect. In this case, I think we should bridge the cultural differences between China and other countries, which hopefully leading to understanding, tolerance and even appreciation of different cultures and customs, which is the very theme of â€Å"avatar†. Anyhow, China is not a queen who not only reign but also rain. None of the country leaders do not want to gain the peacefulness through their governance.People should be endowed with a global perspective to prevent their views and ideas from being too one-sided or suburban by listening to, comparing and even absorbing different opinions. Sometimes foreigner should stand at our side to rethink about the question in hand. Will you allow a non necessary reform appear along with disorders in public, while most of us live in happiness and satisfy with the measures country adopts now? ?the relationship between two countriesNorway has been left scrambling to contain damage to its relations with China after the award of the Nobel peace pr ize to a Chinese dissident caused anger in Beijing. â€Å"We wish to continue our fruitful co-operation in all fields with China,† Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Ragnhild Imerslund said. According to the statements of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu will bring damage to two-way relations. The Beijing government summoned the Norwegian ambassador in protest. It called Mr.Liu a â€Å"criminal†, saying the award violated Nobel principles and could damage relations with Norway. It is hard to say whether the event would disrupt the relations. However this is not the first time China has been offended by the committee’s choice. Past winners include the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, in 1989 for efforts to liberate the Chinese territory. What we just have known now is the cancellation of visits to Norway and from Norway. Conflicts are inevitable, yet Norway has to express esteem to China, as a basic manner to get along with.In recent years, the relationships between two countries have maintained sound development, which produces favorable effects in terms of commerce and trade. The disruption of the relations would be conductive to nobody. Neither of the countries is willing to end up the relationship with such an event. Norway is trying their best to diminish the impact, and the outcome is worth a further notice. Conclusion: From what has been analyzed above, we naturally come to the conclusion that China should be understood and showed respect to. Although there are a variety of thoughts throughout the world, they may be merged and intermingled to only one expectation. That is to say, all the people involved want to underscores the links between development, democracy and universal human rights. China has the competence to achieve the common goal, whereas. Foreign countries do not have to push China to release Liu. I think after a period time, China would solve the problem in a satisfactory approach, such as who to accept the award, how to handle the conditions of Liu, and how to reduce to influence of the relationship between China and Norway, and so forth. How to cite About Nobel Peace Prize 2010, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Reaching New Heights free essay sample

â€Å"Toddles, watch the gap. Toddles stay back on the ball. Toddles keep your hands down.† This is a term of endearment I hear countless times while on the baseball field. â€Å"Toddles† is strikingly close to my last name, Todd, as well as the word toddler. I am a mere 5’9†; the average major league baseball player is nearly 6’2†. Height has convoluted my athletic career, as I have always been one of the shorter kids on my teams. Although this genetic trait has complicated my dream of playing professional baseball, it has added a new dimension to my life. My height has taught me to appreciate the finer things in life, as well as made me who I am, and who I want to be. Last June, my high school baseball team competed in the New York State Section One Championship Game, which many critics counted us out of. I entered the game to pitch the final two innings, against some players nearly half a foot taller than me, and lead my team to victory. We will write a custom essay sample on Reaching New Heights or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was not a test of ability, but yet one of courage and determination. I worked harder than anyone else on the field and knew I was ready for this challenge. When I struck out the final batter and my team began to pile on top of me, I knew this was a moment I would never forget and that I had earned it. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, about 29,035 feet above sea level. The daunting task of climbing this mountain has left thousands at its base, but has this stopped the 2,700 individuals who have reached its peak? The ascent to the top is like my life. I face obstacles everyday that I must overcome, not with height or brute strength, but with the valor built up inside of me knowing I will succeed. Even when I was an adolescent, I would not accept anything but perfection. My mom always reminds me that when I was younger I proclaimed I would someday find the cure to cancer. This may never come true, but it reveals I believed in a greater purpose and was ready to accept any challenge no matter how feasible. I continue this mindset today as my high school days come to a close and my college career draws near. Life is about living every moment to its fullest and never looking back thinking you should have done something different. â€Å"Toddles† no longer haunts me, but it inspires me. It has taught me to never be afraid of the inevitable but continue dreaming the impossible. I know I am now ready to climb any mountain in my path. I am prepared to embark on a journey that I will not fail to remember and reach new heights that no one else has ever reached before.

Friday, November 29, 2019

August Wilsons Pittsburgh Cycle

August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle After writing his third play, August Wilson realized he was developing something quite monumental. He had created three different plays set in three different decades, detailing the hopes and struggles of African-Americans. In the early 1980s, he decided that he wanted to create a cycle of ten plays, one play for each decade. Collectively, they would become known as the Pittsburgh Cycle - all but one take place in the citys Hills District. August Wilsons 10 play series is arguably one of the finest literary achievements in contemporary drama. Although they were not created in chronological order, here is a brief synopsis of each play, organized by the decade each one represents. Note: Each of the links connects to an informative New York Times review. Gem Of the Ocean Set in 1904, a young African-American named Citizen Barlow, like many others traveling north in the years after the Civil War arrives in Pittsburgh in search of purpose, prosperity, and redemption. A woman named Aunt Ester, who is rumored to be 285 years old and possess healing powers, decides to help the young man on his life’s journey. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone The title warrants a bit of historical context - Joe Turner was the name of a plantation owner who, in spite of the emancipation proclamation, forced African-Americans to work in his fields. In contrast, Seth and Bertha Holly’s boarding house offers room and nourishment to wayward souls who have been mistreated, abused, and sometimes even kidnapped by members of white society. The play takes place in the year 1911. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom As four African-American blues musicians wait for Ma Rainey, the famous lead singer of their band, they exchange off-the-cuff jokes and cutting-edge barbs. When the blues diva does arrive, the tensions continue to mount, pushing the group towards its breaking point. The tone is a combination of bitterness, laughter, and the blues, an ideal representation of the black experience during the late 1920s. The Piano Lesson A piano that has been handed down for generations becomes the source of conflict for members of the Charles family. Set in 1936, the storyline reflects the significance of objects in relationship to the past. This play garnered August Wilson his second Pulitzer Prize. Seven Guitars Touching upon the theme of music once again, this drama begins with the death of guitarist Floyd Barton in 1948. Then, the narrative shifts to the past, and the audience witnesses the protagonist in his younger days, ultimately leading up to his demise. Fences Perhaps Wilson’s most renowned work, Fences explores the life and relationships of Troy Maxson, an activist-minded trash collector, and former baseball hero. The protagonist represents the struggle for justice and fair treatment during the 1950s. This moving drama earned Wilson his first Pulitzer Prize. Two Trains Running This multiple award-winning drama is set in Pittsburgh 1969, in the height of the battle for civil rights. In spite of the political and social change that sweeps through the nation, many of the characters of this play are too cynical, too down-trodden to experience hope for the future or rage for the ongoing tragedies. Jitney Set in a cab driver’s station during the boisterous late 1970s, this character-driven play features sharp-witted, hustling co-workers who gossip, argue, and dream in between jobs. King Hedley II Often thought of as the bitterest and most tragic of Wilson’s cycle, the play focuses on the downfall of the prideful ex-con protagonist, King Hedley II (the son of one of the characters from Seven Guitars). The mid-1980s setting finds Wilson’s beloved Hills District in a dismal, poverty-stricken neighborhood. Radio Golf With this 1990s setting, the final play in the cycle tells the story of affluent Harmond Wilks, a successful politician and real estate developer - who considers tearing down a historic old house that once belonged to none other than Aunt Ester. It all comes full circle!

Monday, November 25, 2019

Slow Walkers Essay Example

Slow Walkers Essay Example Slow Walkers Paper Slow Walkers Paper You might ask why it is such a problem well there are many reasons like it puts me in an aggravated and angry mood. Another reason is who wants to walk around people all the time causing the people the other way to slow down and get frustrated with you, and probably the most important is that it makes me hours late for my classes that I love so much like English class, and what excuses do I have Oh sorry Im late all the people walking were extremely slow like what teacher with believe that. Well I got some ideas that will stop you from getting cranky, having people yell at you, and being late for class. My first idea is to have designated spots for people to stop and talk if they please, is have wider halls with a fast and slow lanes, third idea is if you are caught stopping in the halls and causing people to slow down you will have a consequence and final is you are able to push them out of the way. Hopefully one day all these slow walking people will learn to walk faster or get out of my WAY!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Confucius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Confucius - Essay Example It is wrong to leave this path for instant since a path that you are free to leave can never be the true path (Waley & Allen, 2000). In this account, the superior man is cautious and careful with respect to where he focuses his attention and is regarded. Humankind must thus give their mind to what is worth listening to and is worth saying. That superior man should always be watchful even when alone (Wing-Tsit, 2005). He contends that, when there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind is in a state of equilibrium. On the other hand, when these feelings are stirred, and act in their due degree, the resultant is the state of harmony. That equilibrium is the root where acts of humanity grow. On the other hand, harmony is the path that guides them, such that when equilibrium and harmony exists in perfection, a happy order prevails throughout heaven and earth, and all things are nourished (Waley & Allen, 2000). Confucius contends that, the path of learning is to illuminate the goodness in man, to bring out what is best in people and to achieve the highest excellence. That once the true point of departure on this path is found thoughts becomes clear. Calmness yields peace needed for deliberations and such deliberations yield desired goals. He proceeds on this line of thought that to exhibit goodness in kingdoms, first order well, the states, which are for rulers. That it will follow to families, then the person rectifies their hearts. To do this, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts by first extending to the utmost of their knowledge, and this lay in investigation of things. With rounded knowledge, as he espouses, then sincere thoughts, and rectified hearts, persons rectified and cultivated, order is brought to their families, to states rightly governed, and the whole kingdom is tranquil and happy. Here, he contends that cultivation of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

An established founder of a therapeutic methodology or psychological Research Paper

An established founder of a therapeutic methodology or psychological researcher must be the author of the book - Research Paper Example The methods used by Freud in this investigation show a long and detailed relationship of increasing amounts of disclosure between the psychoanalyst and the patient. Freud notes almost as an afterthought that the patient became very dependent on him during this process. The patient would talk to the therapist about his childhood and his dreams as fair and even vital subjects for discussion and subsequent dissection by the therapist in terms of meaning and cause. As is usual in Freud, most of the causes found relate to some sort of incest fantasy involving the arrested development of the ways and through different frustrated relationships This case shows Freud’s treatment of â€Å"The Wolf Man,† an eighteen year old early adult with a fear of upright wolves and disturbing childhood dreams about wolves in trees. The patient’s sister used her knowledge of the patient’s fear of wolves to torment him during early childhood years. The patient was four years old when he had the dream about white wolves in a tree. Freud’s conclusions were ultimately that the adult’s obessional neurosis can be traced back to childhood experiences and desires during the patient’s early childhood stages, at which time he was anxious, hysterical, and had an animal phobia (Freud, 2009). I think that the case focuses on childhood and the patient’s dependent relationship to the therapist. The case was very long and drawn-out. Freud saw the patient’s childhood behavior in terms of relationships with his mother, his nanny, and his sister primarily, but also in terms of relationships with his father which started out positive and then changed when he became jealous of the attention his father paid to his sister. The aggression that the patient felt towards his nanny and sister are explained using Freud’s theory of the castration fear, as well as the patient’s remembered or fantasized portrayals of his

Monday, November 18, 2019

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example The explanation as to why people behave the way they do can be different according to the perspectives of different people because they are not from a single factor of the environment but various issues in the wider organisation. Organisational behaviour is a field of study that explains the impact the different things that a person undertakes in an organisation and how they affect the relationships between them and others. This explains why individuals, groups and structures within an organisation have a great impact on the on employees and employers and the impact on the performance of the organisation. Organisational behaviour explains the effectiveness of the organisation as effects of the conduct of any individual in the organisation in doing various things that are in accordance to their mandate. This concept is used in determining the different things into which an organisation can engage so that it can improve its performance and increase its productivity and profitability. T he analysis of different relationships, the organisational culture and organisational structure of Coca Cola and comparing them with those of the PepsiCo gives an insight into the importance of these aspects of an organisation to its performance. Organisations adopt different theories that help them to establish their businesses in various areas and with prediction that it will have profitability in the future. Methodology In explaining organisational culture and structure, there are various theories that explain the kind of systems that could exist in and organisation because these determine relationships that exists between different members of the society. To help to understand the relationship that exists in a company, using the Leavitt’s model will be necessary because it explains how different systems in the organisation relate and enhance productivity in it (Brooks, 2003, p. 133). This relates the technological, structural and individuals and their roles in developing the strategies that are likely to enhance development of the people (see appendix 1). Weisbord Six-Box Model is one of the common models that will enhance the understanding of the different factors that exist in Coca Cola Company and they interact to influence performance. The model will be helpful to analyse the various incentives, rewards, and plans that a company has that helps individuals to perform well in it (Mullins, 2005, p.508). The other model that will be important in analysis of organisational behaviour by focusing on organisational structure and culture is the McKinsey 7S framework. Robert H. Waterman, Jr. and Tom Peters developed the model to help in monitoring internal changes in an organisation to explain performance potentials of an organisation. This model of analysis provides seven factors that mutually interrelate to influence the performance of individuals in the organisation and therefore, affect the outcomes of a company’s investment in a venture. The 7 S that correlate to produce a properly performing organisation with motivated employees include strategy, skills, structure, style, staff, systems and subordinate goals, which are also known as shared goals (See appendix 2). This model will help to understand the various interrelationships that happen to Coca Cola Company as an operational company within the market. Burke-Litwin model of organisation performance and change relates either the internal and external factors that affect positively or negatively the performance of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Different Views To Non Equivalence English Language Essay

Different Views To Non Equivalence English Language Essay Equivalence does not mean the source text is the only significant factor. However, equivalence does make out the translation from writing. 2. Equivalence to a manuscript in another language entails more difficulties, linguistic, temporal and cultural, and therefore, more challenges than monolingual interpretation. 3. Similarity to the source texts is neither possible nor even preferred. 4. Text type is a vital issue in deciding how much a translation should be equivalent as well as other factors such as translation purposes, demands of the clients and expectations of the target readers. 5. Equivalence is never a static term, but is similar to that of value in economics. 6. Equivalence and the techniques to achieve it cannot be dismissed all together because they represent a translation reality. He stresses that equivalence it will remain central to the practice of translation even if it is marginalized by translation studies and translation theorists. Finally (Leonardi, 2002) sees the concept of equivalence as would known is one of the most problematic and complicated issues in the study of translation theory. The term has created, and it seems quite possible that it will keep on causing, heated issues in debates in the field of translation studies. This term has been classified, studies and widely discussed from various points of view and has been reached from several various perspectives. The first debate of the concepts of equivalence in translation was the additional explanation of the term by contemporary theorists. The complexity in defining equivalence as the consequence of the impossibility of having a widespread approach to this concept. The investigation of equivalence in translation reveals that how translators exactly transfer massage in translation from the source language into target language or vice versa. 2.4 Different views to non-equivalence at a word level especially culture- specific concepts One of the most challenging tasks for all translators is how to render culture- specific concepts in a foreign language. Indeed, we will see how much attention has been paid to this problem by translation theories. (Newmark, 1987) define culture as the manner of life and its appearance that relate to a community that uses exact language as its way of expression; he also said that culture is object , processes , institutions , customs, idea peculiar to one group. While (Deretti, 1980) define culture as the whole thing that individual have produced, discovered, constructed, changed, and progressed during life. (Demo, 1987) define culture as total of knowledge, a way of life, creative and moral, main beliefs, laws, habits, as well as the capability acquired by humans as members of a community. (Albà ³, 2005) defines culture as an idea connected to personality asserting that citizens have the tendency to distinguish themselves as parts of a group due to the common distinctiveness they share with its other members and also to the differences they develop in relation to others. While (Sapir, 1986) points out that no two languages are ever completely similar to be taken as indicating the same social reality in the worlds in which various societies exist are distinctive worlds, not simply the same world with different labels attached. The idea of equivalence has a lot of disparagements and challenges. If equivalence is taken as the heart of translation, the second issue will about cases of nonequivalence in translation. As (Baker, 1992) points out, the complicatedness and the difficulties in translating from one language into another is posed by the idea of nonequivalence, or lack of equivalence. This crisis can be seen at all language levels initially from the word level up till the textual level. She explores a variety of nonequivalence troubles and their achievable solutions at the word, above word, grammatical, textual, and pragmatic levels. She takes a bottom-up approach for educational reasons. She goes on with her nonequivalence debate from the word to more upward levels. She claims that translators must not miscalculate the increasing consequence of main idea options on the way we understand the text. She also acknowledges the reality that there are translation troubles created by nonequivalence. She classifies common difficulties of nonequivalence and gives suitable strategies in handling such cases. (Baker, 1992)cultural specific concepts are those SL words may state an idea that is entirely mysterious in the target culture. They possibly will cover something to do with a spiritual belief, community custom, or even a kind of food. For instance, in Arabic, we have Jihad, as a holy word which is unidentified in the majority of the other languages. The second group is SL idea is not found in the target language which reveals that the SL word can state an idea that is identified in the target culture but basically not lexicalized. She also gives an example of landslide has no accurate equivalence in various languages. She also points out that the SL word is semantically problematical and reveals that a particular word can occasionally state a difficult meaning than an entire sentence. The other is that the TL lacks a superordinate or a hyponym which means that the TL possibly will have an exact word (hyponym) but no general words (superordinate), and vice versa. For instance, under house, English has a diversity of hyponyms which have no equivalence in several languages such as Arabic, for example in English we have: bungalow, cottage, croft, chalet, hut, and manor, lodge and so on. Diversity in meaningful is an extra difficulty of nonequivalence at the word level shown by (Baker, 1992) which show that there may present a TL word which has the similar propositional meaning as the SL word, but possibly will have a dissimilar meaningful meaning. Terms like homosexuality offer fine examples homosexuality is not a naturally uncomplimentary word in English, although it is normally used in this way. On the other hand, the equivalence expression in numerous other languages is naturally more badly and would be reasonably not easy to employ in a neutral context without suggesting strong dissatisfaction. (Nida, 1945) holds out that almost all would identify that language is most excellent classified as a branch of culture when dealing with several kinds of semantic problems, mainly those in which the culture under consideration is quite different from his or her own, for instance, the English expressions the houses of Commons are culture-bound. Similarly, the expression brother-in-law loses its meaning when translated literally into Arabic akh fi al-qaanun a brother in the law. While English applies this expression to the brother of your husband, the brother of your wife, the husband of your sister, the husband of your husbands sister, and the husband of your wifes sister, so Arabic expresses itself differently. Most significantly, in Quran translation, schools of exegesis have considered as the major part in the translation. Therefore, intra-language translation plays a major function within the target text. Translating the Quran text is the difficult job due to the fact that the translation process is fraught with pragmalinguistic and cross-cultural limitations. The Quran translator, for example, must be aware of the cultural Muslim tradition that draws a difference between exegesis tafsiir and para-transfer opinion tail. (Nida, 1964) states that a person who is engaged in translating from one language into another must to be always conscious of the dissimilarity in the entire variety of culture shown by the two languages pragmatic and contextual divides among the source language and the target language. He also shows that the semantic associations between the words of various languages have no one-to-one sets of correspondences or even one-to-many sets. The associations are always many-to-many, with more of scope for ambiguities, unclear, and unseen boundaries. Furthermore he identifies two kinds of equivalence, formal and dynamic, where formal equivalence keeps its concentration on the message itself, in both type and content. In this kind of translation one is concerned with such correspondences as poetry to poetry, sentence to sentence, and concept to concept. He calls this kind of translation a gloss translation; which aims to let the reader to comprehend more of the SL context as possible. (larson, 1984) stress that there is rarely completely equivalent between languages. Because of this, it is often essential to translate one word of the source language by a number of words in the target language in order to give the similar meaning. The fact that the target language is spoken by people of a culture which is often very dissimilar from the culture of those who speak the source language will mechanically make it hard to find lexical equivalents. The lexical difference will make it necessary for the translator to make various adjustments in the process of translation. This shows that, in translating, we often encounter source language lexical items that do not correspond semantically and grammatically to target language expressions. (Schnorr, 1986) identifies the place where a lack of cultural specific of nonequivalence can be found: 1. Festivals and celebrations: Such as standing day in pilgrimage in the Islamic World, which is an extension for the example derived by Schnorr (the idea of Guy Fawkes Day in the United Kingdom) in the Islamic world? 2. Dressing and national traditions: Such as Sari in India and shal a type of head garments in the Arab World. Tools and objects: Like Mugwar a tool for fighting in Iraqi Arabic. 3. Historical facts: Such as the restoration in England and Al-twabeen in the Islamic history. 4. Spiritual terms such as minister, priest in Christianity and Ayatollah in Islam. 5. Educational and specialist knowledge. A number of scholars have accepted the importance of the problem that appears at a culturally specific terminology of translation for example, (Pistor-Hatam, 1996) argument of translations from Persian to Ottoman Turkish beginning of the fourteenth century, remarks that Arabic tarjama2 meant to interpret, to care for way of explanation, rather than to transfer from one language to another as take place in its recent practice. (Hagen, 2003) scripts of a related period and position _ Persian-Ottoman translations in the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries _ claims that the difficulty of translation into Anatolian Turkish starts with terminology, since translating the Arabic-Turkish term tercume as translation does not fully render the idea. In local usage tercume covered a much wider capacity, by transferring a text or parts of it into another language. (Jedamski, 2005) puts a variety of terms that appear to have been used almost synonymously for translation in Malay, for example, terkarang (written, composed), terkutip (quoted, copied) and dituturkan (arranged), indicating that no single term was sufficient to describe the multiple and creative activities. (Levy, 1984) states that any reduce or remove of complex expressions in translating were morally wrong. The translator, he supposed, had the responsibility of discovering an answer to the most discouraging of the problem, and he stated that the practical view must be selected taking into account all the aspects like appearance, style and sense. If the principle of sameness cannot exist between two languages is accepted, it becomes likely to come close to the issue of loss and get into the translation method. (Nida, 1964) found rich materials about the reasons of failure in translation, in particular regarding the complication with a translator when he or she found a term or ideas in the SL that cannot be found in the TL. He cites the case of Guaica, a language of southern Venezuela, where there is small trouble in finding suitable terms for the English murder, stealing, lying, etc., but where the terms of good, bad, ugly and beautiful cover a very different area of meaning. When such difficulties are faced by the translator, the whole issue of the translatability of the text is raised. (Catford, 1965a) identifies two types of untranslatability, which he calls the linguistic and cultural. On the linguistic rank, untranslatability take place when there is no lexical or syntactical alternate in the TL for an SL it Catfords class of linguistic untranslatability, which is also introduced by (Popovic, 1971). In linguistic untranslatability, he insists, because of variations in the SL and the TL, whereby cultural untranslatability is of the absence in the TL culture of a significant situational feature of the SL text. For instance, he combines the different concepts of the term bathroom in an English, Finnish or Japanese context, where both the object and the use made of that object are not at all alike. But (Catford, 1965b) also claims that more concrete lexical items such as the English term home or democracy cannot be said as untranslatable, and holds that the English phrases like Im going home, or Hes at home can readily be provided with translation equivalents in most languages while the term democracy is international. The English phrases can be translated into the major European languages and democracy is an internationally used term. But he ignores to take into consideration two significant factors, and this seems to symbolize and add a slight approach to the issue of untranslatability. If Im going home is transferred to as Je vais chez moi, the sense meaning of the SL sentence (positive self speech aims to carry on in place of residence and/or origin) is only insecurely produced. And if, for example, the phrase is spoken by an American stay for some time in London, it could either mean a return to the immediate home or and Beyond. (Kashgary, 2010) religious vocabulary are culture-specific they have taken as a symbol group of translation nonequivalence since they cannot be correctly translated by giving their dictionary equivalents. The lexicon equivalents of these terms may be measured within the framework of Nidas estimate in translation where equivalents are specified only to estimate the meaning in universal terms and not the details since the content of these terms is extremely dissimilar from the content of their equivalents. (Korzeniowska and Warszawa:, 1994) the entire culture-specific concepts which take place in the source language but are completely unknown in the target language are the most notorious for the making the problems with finding equivalents. There possibly will be also circumstances where the source culture and source language build different distinctions in meaning from the target culture and target language. The target language may also lack a more specific concept or term (hyponym) or a more general one (superordinate). Also a literal, word for word, translation would be completely difficult: the speakers of English would neither understand the nature of this establishment in reference to source language culture, nor associate it with any institution of a similar type present in their system. Translators are always under pressure to reproduce the exact meaning of the original in the translated text. (Davies., 2003) defines culture as the set of principles, way of thinking and behaviors shared by a group and accepted by learning. These culture specific items are different among cultures as a variety of countries have a dissimilar history and experience of life. When the source text expression is found as being strange to the target audience, the strategies for dealing with nonequivalence should be applied in translating. Different types of nonequivalence should be treated using different translation strategies .While he works in the field of translation with more consideration on the translation trouble of culture specific items such as different traditions, dress, or references to a variety of types of food. He identifies a number of measures that are used in translation of culture specific items:

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

social layering of victorian society :: essays research papers

Social classes have been around since the dawn of civilization where you were classified by the survival skills that you possess and your ability to use them. Unfortunately also since the dawn of civilization there has been the conflict between the upper classes looking down upon the people below them. The Victorian era was no different lifestyles were most commonly meager and those who had a more luxurious lifestyle avoided contact with the other class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main difference between these classes is their dress. During the day men usually wear a lounge suit. This suit resembles what is now the three-piece suit. The lounge suit first became popular in the 1850s, it was very large and baggy but developed in the 1860s to the more tailored version. This suit was most common because of its economical price. Most often men wore this suit in plaid with just the top one of the four buttoned. Though other suits of the time had buttons covered with fabric, collectively silk, the lounge suit buttons were not. These lounge suit were daily wear for the wealthier groups and those with a job did not require manual labor, for the lower class this suit was most likely their best. Evening wear, however, consisted of a black tail coat black pants and white vest or black vest. The shirt and bow tie were also white and heavily starched. A gentleman would also were white gloves coming in contact with a lady's bare hands was considered c rude not to mention the fact that the seat from a man's hands could stain a woman's dress. Another thing that separated the classes is the behavior when in the ballroom and in the company of a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When in the ballroom men and women where to be as well behaved as possible, as is today. Men had more controlling positions than ladies and were required to escort a lady anywhere in the ballroom. It was considered taboo to be seen wandering without an escort. Other rules include the ejection of loud talking and/or laughing and also a married couple should not dance together but if they do this is a display of a husband's abundance of care for his wife. A lady furthermore, cannot refuse to dance with one gentleman and then accept another gentleman in the same dance. Men would often help a lady over a bad crossing or down from a difficult coach without even know them and continue on like nothing had happened.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Gender Discrimination in the Workforce

Although there have been decades of hard won civil rights gains for women, we do not yet live in a gender blind society. Sexism perpetuates a cycle of unfulfilled aspirations among women. Public policies are being scrutinized under ever stricter legal microscopes, and an atmosphere of unease about the future pervades our national consciousness – â€Å"a future beset with economic challenges from abroad, technological innovation at home, a demographic revolution in our workforce, and a re-stratification of society. † Restrictions on women’s access to and participation in the workforce include the wage gap and the glass ceiling.We will discuss the following laws that have helped women make important strides in the workforce, cracking (but not breaking) the glass ceiling so they could climb up the corporate ladder: the 1963 Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Executive Orders 11246/11375, the 1968 Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act. In addition, we will provide reasons for the continuing network discrimination against females, a recent case study of pervasive gender discrimination resulting in a 152. 5 million dollar ettlement by one well known employer who was sued, and steps women can take to continue making strides toward an equal opportunity workforce. Legislation requiring equal pay for women was first introduced in 1945 in acknowledgement of women’s war work. Business owners and labor organizations succeeded in thwarting the effort, in part because of the perceived need for women to leave the labor force to create vacancies for returning servicemen. By the end of the 1950’s, policymakers were becoming concerned about insufficient use of â€Å"womanpower†.In 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require employers to pay equal wages to men and women doing â€Å"equal work on jobs†¦which [re quire] equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and are performed under similar working conditions†. The Equal Pay Act was the first federal effort to bar discrimination by private employers on the basis of gender. The Equal Pay Act has limitations in its enforcement of protecting women – for full-time, year- round workers, the 2009 American Community Survey median earnings for women were 78. 2 ercent of men’s earnings – $35,549 compared with $45,485. Furthermore, women’s earnings were lower than men’s in all of the 50 states. One year after passing the Equal Pay Act, Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which made it unlawful to discriminate based on a person’s race, religion, color, or sex. Title VII attacks sex discrimination more broadly than the Equal Pay Act extending not only to wages but to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.Thus with the Equal Pay Act and Title VII, an employer cannot deny women equal pay for equal work, deny women transfers, romotions, or wage increases, manipulate job evaluations to regulate women’s pay, or intentionally segregate men and women into jobs according to their gender. In 1971 Reed v. Reed became the first case that the Supreme Court would uphold Title VII to, thus protecting women from sex discrimination. One year following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 as a directive as to how the act should be interpreted and followed. Executive Order 11246 prohibited public and government sector employers from iscriminating based on race, color, religion, or national origin, but not sex. Executive Order 11246 was amended by Executive Order 11375 on October 13, 1967 after sexual harassment became an issue. Sex would now be included as a category that could not be discriminated against by an employer. Executive Order 11375 meant to ensure that women would not be exploited sexuall y to advance their careers. Women were to now be protected in the workplace from supervisors and coworkers who did not take into consideration the concept of personal space or offensive language and conduct.Legal regulations now banned these behaviors and legal action could be taken if they did occur. Executive Order 11375 meant women should no longer have to worry about being discriminated against in the workplace in terms of being hired or released. Executive Order 11375 meant that Affirmative Action (of Executive Order 11246) now applied to women as well. Affirmative Action is an organization’s active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group (in this instance, women). Affirmative Action plans must consist of an equal opportunity policy statement, an analysis of he current work force, identification of underrepresented areas, the establishment of reasonable, flexible goals and timetables for increasing employment opportunities, specific a ction-oriented programs to address problem areas, support for community action programs, and the establishment of an internal audit and reporting system. Contractors receiving more than $10,000 from the federal government must take affirmative action, and those exceeding $50,000 must develop a written affirmative action plan for each of their establishments. The plan must be in place within 120 days of the beginning of the contract.Employers whose contracts meet minimum size requirements must engage in affirmative action to ensure against discrimination. Employers must consider all qualified individuals for employment, must choose without regard to gender (now a protected category), and must engage in outreach to encourage the broadest possible group of qualified individuals to enter the supply or applicant pool. In 1967 Congress passed the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The ADEA branches from the debate on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimina tion on the asis of race, color, national origin, or sex, but not age. President Lyndon Johnson strongly believed that age was a growing issue among Americans. This law prohibits discrimination of men and women employees over the age of 40 and forbids companies to base employment decisions solely on an applicant’s age. The Equal Opportunity Commission enforces this act but there are still many complaints filed yearly from workers who are experiencing discrimination because of their age. For many years, elderly workers have felt that they are losing out to their younger coworkers.The Age Discrimination in Employment Act attempts to eliminate the gap between younger and older employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to businesses with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year including employees in state and local government, federal government, employment agencies, and labor organizations. The ADEA helps protect unlawful discrimination of older individuals that can occur when applying or interviewing for jobs. The Age Discrimination Act protects employees by prohibiting employers to include age preferences or limitations in job applications and advertisements.Under the ADEA it is not expressly forbidden to ask an applicant’s age, but it is closely examined to make sure the query was made for a legitimate purpose. Despite the Age Discrimination Act, The Supreme Court recently changed what qualifies as successfully proven age discrimination. Companies come up with multiple reasons why an employee is terminated without mentioning age, when in actuality the employee’s age is the only factor. Seniors are a growing population and many are planning to work past their retirement age. Discrimination against age is not only affecting individual employees but ociety as a whole. An employee now has to prove that their age was the sole reason for their employer’s actions, therefore older workers can barely fight or prosecute age discrimination. In 2007, 60-year-old Oklahoma City Teacher Judy Jones filed an age discrimination suit against the superintendant who eliminated her teaching position and reassigned her to an office job as a principal. Judy’s salary decreased and benefits were affected during her second year as principal, while school directors and the superintendant himself frequently commented on Judy’s age and retirement plans.The district court rejected her claim because she â€Å"could not show sufficient evidence† that her age was the sole reason for her relocated position and reduced pay. There have been successful outcomes to Age Discrimination lawsuits as the U. S. Equal Opportunity Commission recently charged two companies with age discrimination. A 70-year- old pharmacist at the Honolulu Kmart was awarded $120,000 after higher management habitually commented on, and wrote about, her elderly age, causing her humiliation and compelling her to retire. In a nother case, a 75-year-old qualified receptionist was fired based on ge after her second day at work at Red Rock Western Jeep Tours Inc. She filed a lawsuit and it was settled in a $35,000 payout. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 defines discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and childbirth or any other form of illegal sex discrimination. This act is meant to ensure that no woman will be subject to non-hire by an employer due to pregnancy. She is to be treated the same as any other individual and is to be guaranteed benefits and accommodations based on the same policies and procedures as any other employee with a disability.Pregnancy discrimination occurs when expectant mothers are fired, not hired, or otherwise discriminated against due to their pregnancy or intention to become pregnant. Common forms of pregnancy discrimination include not being hired due to visible pregnancy or likelihood of becoming pregnant, being fired after informing an employer of one’s pregn ancy, being fired during maternity leave, and receiving a pay dock due to one’s pregnancy. In 1978, the U. S. Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment to the sex discrimination section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Pregnancy DiscriminationAct states that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII. This clause covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. Title VII also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government. Women who are pregnant or affected by pregnancy-related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations. An employer may not single out pregnancy related conditions to determine an mployee’s ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor’s statement concerning their inability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements. If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job because of her pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same way as any other temporarily disabled employee. Pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs.If an employee has been absent from work as a result of a pregnancy-related condition nd recovers, her employer may not require her to remain on leave until the baby’s birth. An employer also may not have a rule that prohibits an employee from returning to work for a predetermined length of time after childbirth. Employers must hold open a position for a woman who has been absent due to pregnancy-related issues for the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave. Any health insurance provided by an employer must cover expenses for pregnancy- related conditions on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. An employer need ot provide health insurance for expenses arising from abortion, except when the life of the mother is endangered. Pregnancy-related expenses should be reimbursed exactly as those incurred for other medical conditions, whether payment is on a fixed basis or a percentage of a specific amount. The amounts payable by the insurance provider can be limited only to the same extent of amounts payable for other conditions. No additional, increased, or larger deductible can be imposed. Employers must provide the same level of health benefits for spouses of female employees as they do for spouses of male employees.Pregnancy-related benefits cannot be limited to married employees. Benefits must be provided for pregnancy-related conditions to unmarried women if benefits are provided to employees for other medical conditions. If an employer provides any be nefits to workers on leave, the employer must provide the same benefits for those on leave for pregnancy-related conditions. Employees on leave because of pregnancy-related conditions must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees for accumulation and crediting of seniority, vacation calculation, pay increases, and temporary disability benefits.A case that was important to the creation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was Muller v. Oregon (1908). The Supreme Court upheld a decision limiting women to 10 hour workdays based on the idea that â€Å"performance of maternal functions† made women inherently incapable of the same work that men did. In the 1950s and 1960s, laws in several states prohibited women from working and others banned their hiring for some length of time before and after birth. Reasons for the continuing network discrimination against women include myths about female workers, conscious and unconscious stereotyping and biasing applied by ma ny white en who are desperate to keep their competitive edge over women, and inadequate reporting and dissemination of information pertaining to glass-ceiling issues. The following myths about female employees, despite being disproved, still exist: women executives refuse to work long hours or relocate, and many women executives take leave of absences (and that those who go on federally and state protected maternity leave have suddenly lost professional credibility upon becoming pregnant or taking temporary leave). Statistics show women executives work 56 hours per week on average – the same as their ale counterparts. Only 14 percent refused to relocate as compared to 20 percent of the men.Only one-third of female executives surveyed had ever taken a leave of absence and 82 percent of these were for maternity leave or other family reasons protected under FMLA. Finally, there can be a twisted perception that women executives lose their professional credibility upon becoming pr egnant or taking maternity leave – an â€Å"out of sight, out of mind† mantra held by their bosses. Furthermore, a pregnant woman obviously has priorities outside of work and a selfish mployer may have the unreasonable expectation of work being a sole priority. Research suggests that an underlying cause of the glass ceiling is the perception of many white males â€Å"that they as a group are losing – losing competitive advantage, losing control, and losing opportunity as a direct consequence of inclusion of women. † There is also a â€Å"difference† barrier â€Å"manifested through conscious and unconscious stereotyping and bias. † People who do hiring feel most comfortable hiring people who look like them. Recruiters for high-status jobs are predominately white males who then hire other white males from the same socio- conomic status, which helps perpetuate their over-representation in the best jobs. Governmental barriers include the collec tion and disaggregation of employment related data which make it difficult to ascertain the status of various groups at the managerial level. There also continues to be inadequate reporting and dissemination of information pertaining to glass ceiling issues. Most importantly, there needs to be consistent monitoring and enforcement of laws and policies already on the books. The following case demonstrates how costly illegal gender discrimination can be to employers:In May 2010, a jury in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York awarded a record $250 million in punitive damages to 5,600 female sales employees in a sexual discrimination case after Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (â€Å"Novartis†) took the lawsuit filed against them to court – and lost. In July 2010, the parties reached a $152 million settlement agreement of the plaintiffs’ claims of gender discrimination in the terms and conditions of their employment, including compensat ion, promotion/promotional opportunities, reviews, and pregnancy leave. The terms of this greement allow for full compensation of former and current female employees dating from 2002-2010, ensuring that every woman who worked at Novartis over the past 8 years was compensated fairly.As part of the settlement, Novartis must also spend an additional $22. 5 million over the next three years on anti-discrimination policies, programs, and training, as well as on strengthening its employee complaint process. Novartis was ordered to increase its Human Resource and Employment Relations staff within nine months of the effective state of the settlement agreement – ensuring that there would be ne Employment Relations Investigator for every 1,000 Novartis employees. A Compliance Master would be appointed as an external specialist for the New York Federal Court to monitor Novartis’s compliance with the settlement agreement’s terms and conditions. Steps that women can take to continue making strides toward an equal opportunity workforce are to show themselves as decision makers, risk-takers, and players. Furthermore, a female manager should do her best to remove gender biases from her own business practices by not comparing her employees to men at the top.In Conclusion, women are just a few steps closer to being looked at as equal to men due to these legal acts. Women now have fewer restrictions and more rights within the workforce. The 1963 Equal Pay Act and 1964 Title VII brought women higher pay and more equal opportunity. Women are now seeing the benefits of Executive Order 11375 which included protection from any sexual harassment. In 1967 the Age Discrimination in Employment Act was put into place to include age from discrimination, and women benefited from the insistence that age should not prevent a capable and qualified person from working.In 1978 the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was implemented so that pregnancy did not determine a womanâ€℠¢s ability to work; it also ensured that she received the same benefits as anyone else with a disability. Furthermore, even today women are fighting to have fair rights within the workplace. Even with the legal clauses, women are faced with stereotypes and glass-ceiling barriers. In order for women to overcome the problems they are tackling, to truly be protected and to have the rights that they deserve, there must be constant reinforcement of the laws that are currently in place.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on History Of Sun River

About 20 miles from Great Falls lies the small town of Sun River. The population is about 200 people. The town only consists of a bar, cafà ©, store, middle school and post office. The town of Sun River is located on Highway 89, which is the fastest way to get to Missoula from Great Falls. Most people think that Sun River was once a large town because of the railroad that used to run through it but actually this town grew for several other reasons and the railroad began to cause its population decrease. There were settlers in Sun River even when Lewis and Clark made their expedition through Montana, and those were the tribes of the Blackfeet Indians. The Blackfeet used the Sun River for their wintering grounds because of the large herds of buffalo and elk that used it for wintering range. Sun River was named by the Piegan Indians, the name that they gave it was â€Å"Natoe-osucti† which means medicine river or Sun River. John Largent was the first settler to the town of Sun River. He came in 1862 to Montana to work for the American Fur Company, which had a post in Fort Benton. He settled in Sun River in 1867 after leaving the American Fur Company. He later started the general store and lodging house in Sun River. This was set up for the travelers who were in route to either Virginia City or Fort Benton. In 1865, there was a gold rush near Sun River, which brought hundreds of people to the area to find their riches. The winter of 1865 was very cold and many of the gold miners didn’t bring the proper supplies with them when they came, so they were forced to buy supplies in Sun River and began to settle in the area. Even though no large amount of gold was ever recorded as being found. This gold rush increased the population of Sun River and made businesses want to come there. John J Healy was a trade post owner and operator at the Sun River Crossing and was not satisfied with the military protection from the Indian ... Free Essays on History Of Sun River Free Essays on History Of Sun River About 20 miles from Great Falls lies the small town of Sun River. The population is about 200 people. The town only consists of a bar, cafà ©, store, middle school and post office. The town of Sun River is located on Highway 89, which is the fastest way to get to Missoula from Great Falls. Most people think that Sun River was once a large town because of the railroad that used to run through it but actually this town grew for several other reasons and the railroad began to cause its population decrease. There were settlers in Sun River even when Lewis and Clark made their expedition through Montana, and those were the tribes of the Blackfeet Indians. The Blackfeet used the Sun River for their wintering grounds because of the large herds of buffalo and elk that used it for wintering range. Sun River was named by the Piegan Indians, the name that they gave it was â€Å"Natoe-osucti† which means medicine river or Sun River. John Largent was the first settler to the town of Sun River. He came in 1862 to Montana to work for the American Fur Company, which had a post in Fort Benton. He settled in Sun River in 1867 after leaving the American Fur Company. He later started the general store and lodging house in Sun River. This was set up for the travelers who were in route to either Virginia City or Fort Benton. In 1865, there was a gold rush near Sun River, which brought hundreds of people to the area to find their riches. The winter of 1865 was very cold and many of the gold miners didn’t bring the proper supplies with them when they came, so they were forced to buy supplies in Sun River and began to settle in the area. Even though no large amount of gold was ever recorded as being found. This gold rush increased the population of Sun River and made businesses want to come there. John J Healy was a trade post owner and operator at the Sun River Crossing and was not satisfied with the military protection from the Indian ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

This is the History of the Drumset essays

This is the History of the Drumset essays In the beginning of this powerful instrument's creation, drums were used for forceful supernatural summons and the master control of ceremonies all over the world. Drums were beat to keep a steady stroke on water for smooth even sailing. Drums were beat to keep soldiers in line at an even pace. The modern drum set was not invented by just one individual. It wasnt even invented at one time or one certain place. It has shown most of its becoming in the early part of the 20th century, with the help of other musicians that have contributed for the making of this instrument. Many places, particularly New Orleans, were adapting the drums of the traditional military-style marching band to the stage. A snare drum and base drum were beginning to be played by one person at the same time, when usually on drum was played by one person, such as the cymbals, base and snare. At the same time, New Orleans musicians were developing a new style of playing where they would improvise, later to be known as jazz. In 1909, William F. Ludwig, musician and instrument maker produced the first base drum foot pedal. He spent years adjusting the pedal so it could be played faster and swifter with the foot, freeing the players hand to pay more attention to the snare drum and other instruments. Drummers started adding instrument around their set, such as woodblocks, Chinese cymbals, cowbells, little tom toms, Chinese tom toms, whistles, sirens and even birdcalls. These sounds added were mainly used in theatrical performance and circuses. These were commonly known as traps, a term generally derived from contraption. In 1925 drummers began adding sock cymbals or low boys which were a pair of low standing cymbals on a spring operated by the foot. In addition to low boys, high boys came out in 1927. This was the high hat where you may play with your foot or you hands, and also is th ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Managing and Leading People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Managing and Leading People - Essay Example The findings from the primary study have been compared with the existing theories of human resource management. The study shows that Fiat follows effective HR strategies that should be emulated by every organization in the globalised world. Fiat, a renowned brand, is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy and also holds considerable market share in the overseas market. Fiat is the abbreviation of ‘Fabrica Italiana Automobili Torino’. The firm manufactures cars that cater to almost all the segments of the market. The company was established in the early years of the industrial revolution, precisely in 1899. Its first production commenced in the year 1900, with employee strength of over one hundred fifty workers. The famous logo of the company was adopted in the year 1904. The logo gained gradual acceptance and is still recognised as a global brand. The company has grown by leaps and bounds and has a significant market share in the automobile segment (Fiat-a, 2010). In addition to cars, Fiat also manufactures tanks, railroad vehicles etc. In addition to Italy, the firm has its production units based in Brazil, Poland and Argentina. The company is also known for its innovations in the field of automobil es. An example in this regard is the â€Å"Centro Ricerche Fiat† (Fiat-b, 2010). This is a unit that has been developed by Fiat and is based in the Italian town of Orbassano. This division deals with research and development in the field of automobile engines and vehicle systems. Innovation is the buzzword in this unit. Some of its notable contributions in the field of research and development are â€Å"Legambiente 2000† (Common Rail Diesel engine Technology). The unit also received the Ferrari technology award for development of the hybrid methane engine. Some other notable achievements of this unit are the creation of multi jet engine and also the design of models like Idea, Punto, Panda and Stilo (Fiat-b,

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Why I want to be a nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I want to be a nurse - Essay Example Nurses were looked down upon but with the development of the human mind, it has been realized that it is a very noble profession where a person lives with a cause and purpose of serving other people. It is for this reason that I have actually been influenced by the fact that I should opt for this career and work towards improving the health status of the world by becoming an integral part of the healthcare system. I have always been interested in this field, particularly after my exposure to the hospitals when I came across nurses and realized the fact that how important they are for the field of medicine. My exposure to this field has made me aware of the fact that I would truly want to devote my life for the purpose of providing the best health for the patients. The example of Florence Nightingale serves as an inspiration to me. She was a woman who was devoted to her work despite of the difficulties that she had to face and the criticism that she received. She worked day and night to save precious human lives and worked in very difficult conditions. Seeing her example, I have realized that I would also want to dedicate my life to help people who will actually be able to live in a better way because of my work. The aim of this field is itself very inspiring to me.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Motives of and challenges for the corporate expansion and emergence Essay

Motives of and challenges for the corporate expansion and emergence - Essay Example For example, Starbucks is one of the big business tycoons in America which have thousands of outlets across the country. They have coffee shops in each and every corner of America and the competition from the competitors is increasing day by day. It is difficult for them to expand their business in America because of the saturation they have already attained and internationalization of the business seems to be the only option left for them. On the other hand the intrusion of the corporate companies has made the things worst for the small scale and medium scale business groups. Big business tycoons with their immense financial capabilities and innovative business strategies have conquered the markets of the small and medium business groups. It is difficult for the small and medium business entities to fight or compete with the multinational corporate companies and acquiring strength through mergers or acquisition is the only way ahead of them to stay in the market. welcoming Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to their country by liberalizing the rules for the foreign Corporate Company’s entry into their country. Moreover the cultural adaptation of the business in a foreign country seems to be difficult one for the international companies. Thus expansion and emergence is a difficult task both in domestic circuit and international circuit. This paper briefly explains the expansion and emergence of companies through mergers and acquisition and strategies and challenges for merger and acquisition process. Mergers and Acquisition is a common phenomenon in international business circuit at present because of the steep global economic recess. Even survival seems to be difficult irrespective of big or small companies. Financial institutions like Lehman Brothers and automobile manufacturers like GM have suffered severe setbacks and they have no other way, but to think in

Monday, October 28, 2019

Validating Hesss law Essay Example for Free

Validating Hesss law Essay Is the enthalpy change for a given chemical change the same whether the reaction takes place in a single stage or via several stages, provided the initial and final conditions are the same. Introduction: Hesss Law (1840) states that for a given chemical change the enthalpy change is the same whether the reaction takes place in a single stage or via several stages, provided the initial and final conditions are the same. We will test the validity of this law using the reaction between sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. The reaction between solid sodium hydroxide and dilute hydrochloric acid can be carried out in two ways. Method 1 NaOH(s) + HCl(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) ?H?1 Method 2 NaOH(s) NaOH(aq) ?H?2 then NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) ?H?3 According to Hesss Law ?H?1 = ?H?2 + ?H?3 In calculating the enthalpy of reaction values in each of the above and following cases, it is assumed that: a. The density of the solutions is 1 gcm-3 b. The specific heat capacity of the solutions is 4.2Jg-1K-1 c. The specific heat capacity of the polystyrene cup is negligible and may be ignored. Apparatus: * Polystyrene cup * Thermometer * HCl * NaOH pellets * H2O * Digital weight reader * Measuring cylinder Method: Measurement of ?H?1 Pour 50cm3 of 1M hydrochloric acid into the polystyrene cup and record its temperature as accurately as you possibly can. Weigh out 2g of sodium hydroxide pellets and quickly add these to the acid in your polystyrene cup. Stir and record the maximum temperature reached. Calculate the enthalpy change of this reaction in kJmol-1. Measurement of ?H?2 Pour 50cm3 of water into an empty polystyrene cup and record its temperature as accurately as you possibly can. Weigh out 2g of sodium hydroxide pellets and quickly add these to the water in your polystyrene cup. Stir and record the maximum temperature reached. Calculate the enthalpy change of this process in kJmol-1. Measurement of ?H?3 Pour 50cm3 of 1M sodium hydroxide into an empty polystyrene cup and record its temperature as accurately as you possibly can. Measure out 50cm3 of 1M hydrochloric acid into a measuring cylinder and record its temperature. Calculate the average initial temperature of the acid and the alkali. Add the acid to the alkali in your polystyrene cup and record the maximum temperature reached. Calculate the enthalpy change of this reaction inkJmol-1. Data Collection: Measurement of ?H?1 Measurement of ?H?2 Measurement of ?H?3 Initial Temperature/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C ? 0.1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C The enthalpy change ?H?1 is given by multiplying the mass of HCl (m) by its specific heat capacity (Cp) and the change in temperature (?T). Since this reaction takes place in solution, which we assume to be mostly water. Hence the mass of the solution will be 50g and the specific heat capacity is given as 4.2J/g/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. The calculation for the mass of the solution is as follows: % Error in ?T = The enthalpy change ?H?2 is given by multiplying the mass of NaOH (m) by its specific heat capacity (Cp) and the change in temperature (?T). Since this reaction takes place in solution, which we assume to be mostly water. Hence the mass of the solution will be 50g and the specific heat capacity is given as 4.2J/g/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. The calculation for the mass of the solution is as follows: % Error in ?T = The enthalpy change ?H?3 is given by multiplying the mass of HCl (m) by its specific heat capacity (Cp) and the change in temperature (?T). Since this reaction takes place in solution, which we assume to be mostly water. Hence the mass of the solution will be 100g and the specific heat capacity is given as 4.2J/g/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. The calculation for the mass of the solution is as follows: So using the results found above we see that: It can be seen that ?H?1 is almost equal to ?H?2 + ?H?3 but due to experimental errors such as heat being lost to the surroundings and not having exact readings they are not equal. Hesss law has therefore been validated but the results would have been much more accurate if there was an insulating capsule around the polystyrene cup so as to prevent any heat from being lost to the environment and by having more accurate apparatus in terms of measuring cylinders and thermometers.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Monetary And Fiscal Policies Of Portugal Economics Essay

The Monetary And Fiscal Policies Of Portugal Economics Essay I. Introduction: Portugal macroeconomic situation before the crisis. Despite economic and financial crises seem to be regarded as unusual and rare, in reality they are common events. Particularly, Portugal has already seen its worst financial crisis in 1891. This crisis led Portugal to abandon the gold standard and the country was banned from borrowing in international financial markets during 20 years (Lains, 2007, p. 485). Since then, Portugal has radically changed, however, its weakness in facing the crises has remained. During the last economic and financial crisis that started in August 2008, the Portuguese economy was caught in the middle of a period of adjustment during which was already facing up to the need to correct its fiscal and external imbalances within a phase of low growth with pro-cyclical policies (Torres, 2009, p.55). This period started in the second half of 1990s with the accession to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and was characterized by an economic boom which was followed by a slump. As a matter of fact, Blanchard (2007, p.1), two years before the crisis, stated that the Portuguese economy is in serious trouble: Productivity growth is anemic. Growth is very low. The budget deficit is large. The current account deficit is very large. Although, from 1995 to 2001, Portugal was in a catching-up phase benefiting from positive wealth effects of EMU (lower interest rates which supported the increase of the domestic demand), the current account deficit rose drastically and the unemployment rate fell to about 4% (figure 1). The reason behind the increase in the current account deficit was, indeed, the low level of unemployment which boosted the nominal wages to increase more than the labour productivity provoking a huge raise in unit labour cost and a decline in competitiveness. Moreover, the indebtedness of households and non-financial enterprises was increasing because of the elimination of the exchange rate risk, the access to the euro bond market, and the lower interest rates, both nominal and real, set by the European Central Bank (Blanchard, 2007). As result, from 2000 to 2003, savings dropped and investments increased, therefore the current account deficit slightly decreased. The Portuguese economy slowed down and then contracted in 2003. The subsequent slump was the result of the large imbalances built up during the phase of boom. For instance, the high levels of consumption were not counterbalanced by the supply which had to deal with low productivity growth and increasing unit labour costs. As a matter of fact, figure 1 shows a combined upward trend of unemployment and current account deficit between 2003 and 2005, and the attempt to reverse it through the budgetary consolidation process re-assumed by the socialist majority government elected in 2005 (Blanchard, 2007) (Torres, 2009). To sum up, table 1 and table 2 offer an overview of the macroeconomic imbalances during the phase of the boom 1995-2000 and the one of the slump 2001-2007. Table 1. Macroeconomic evolutions, 1995-2001. Source: Blanchard (2007) Table 2. Actual and projected Macroeconomic evolutions, 2001-2007. Source: Blanchard (2007) The growth rate was rather high in the timeframe 1995-2000, then, since 2001 it started falling in the subsequent years. The current account and the budget surplus were in deficit over the whole observed period and the productivity growth started to be very low since the year 2000 causing the raise of the unit labour cost. It was important to describe the macroeconomic situation of Portugal prior to the crisis in order to explain, in the next sections, how those problems have been aggravated since 2008. In fact, the phase of slump was prolonged by the financial crisis occurred in 2008. II. Policy Responses Prior to analyze the European and Portuguese policy responses to the major financial crisis that the whole world is facing since 1929, it is essential to point out what kind of crisis our society is dealing with. The main cause of the crisis may be ascribed to the crisis of derivative market in the United States. In particularly, it started from the so-called subprime mortgage crisis which was the result of a speculative bubble in the housing market in the United States. Starting from the United Stated, it has spread by causing ruptures across many other countries in the form of financial failures and a global credit crunch. The main (systemic) Portuguese banks seem not to be particularly exposed to the so-called financial toxic assets and, unlike in Ireland or Spain, there was no speculative bubble in the housing market in Portugal nor is there a subprime segment in the credit to the housing sector. (Banco do Portugal, 2008 as cited in Torres 2009) However, according to Torres (2009, p.56): Portugal, a small economy fully integrated in economic and financial terms, is particularly affected by the global financial crisis and economic recession. This is not so much due to the international exposure of the Portuguese banking sector (the Iceland syndrome) but primarily to the countrys long protracted correction of its fiscal and external imbalances, which worsen its creditworthiness and aggravate the costs of servicing the debt and the countrys perceived risk of insolvency (an Argentinean type of problem, without the risk of a currency crisis as long as the eurozone remains in place). One of the main consequences of the financial crisis was, indeed, the credit crunch. During the last decades, the European banking system has changed from a system where the bank was the intermediary for investments between families and factories, into a new system where there are large money-centre banks which play the role of the intermediary amongst regional banks, in other words, they distribute funds among regional banks. The banking crisis has occurred in Europe because of two related reasons. The large money-centre banks that provide the backbone of the inter-bank lending market are undercapitalised. With their low capitalisation, they are vulnerable to even small swings in market conditions. Any liquidity problem, thus, turns almost immediately into a solvency problem. Because of this vulnerability they did not trust each other, thus paralysing the inter-bank market. 2.1 European Policy Responses For the Euro-area countries, the monetary policy is unique and conducted by the European Central bank (ECB). Since the atmosphere of mistrust, caused by the crisis, was no longer confined to the interbank market, but it was also spreading among ordinary citizens and consumers, the European policy-makers figured out that one possible solution was to put into effect measures which contain two elements in order to restart the interbank lending: support for the liquidity management of banks and bank re-capitalisation. The first element concerns the extraordinary measures taken at European level and the second one the bank rescue measures adopted at national level. As a matter of fact, firstly, the ECB has been reducing the rate for its main refinancing operations from 4,25% to 1,5%, in the timeframe October 2008 March 2009, in order to prevent contagion by providing short-term liquidity support on the interbank markets. Such interest rate cuts have provided significant relief to the highly indebted Portuguese economy (Torres, 2009). However, if Portugal could have managed the monetary policy on its own, probably it would have set a lower interest rate which combined with the initiative for strengthening financial stability (discussed in detail in the next section) could have led to the reestablishment of bank lending standards at pre-crisis level. In other words, the upward trend of the credit diffusion index, starting in the last quarter of 2008, could have continued to increase instead of contracting in 2009 (figure 3). Moreover, a dramatic reduction in real interest rates is the main channel through which fiscal consolidation can increase demand in the short run. Since this is not the case for Portugal, as the nominal interest rate is determined for the eurozone as a whole, while a deficit reduction is needed, it would be unwise to expect it to lead, by itself, to higher demand and lower unemployment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to a boom in investment, and through capital accumulation, to a substantial improvement in competitiveness (Blanchard, 2007, p.8-9). Secondly, the ECB has promoted coordination and cooperation between national supervisors through the European System of Central Banks Banking Supervision Committee. As result, the promoted cooperation engaged both the Euro-area and the European Union (EU) in an expansionary coordinated anti-cyclical fiscal stance (Torres, 2009, pp. 56-59). To further improve the EU coordinated approach, the European Commissions response was to launch the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) whose strategic aims is to avoid a deep recession by promoting a counter-cyclical macro-economic response to the crisis in the form of an ambitious set of actions to support the real economy. The plan consisted of an immediate budgetary stimulus amounting to 1.5% of EU GDP, a number of priority actions, grounded in the Lisbon Strategy, and designed at the same time to adapt our economies to long-term challenges, continuing to implement structural reforms aimed at raising potential growth and a set of EU guidelines to be followed by the member States (European Commission, 2008). According to Bà ©nassy-Quà ©rà © et al. (2009, p.39), out-of-ordinary methods are used in a financial crisis because: the traditional transmission of policy rates to lending rates is hampered by the dysfunctional state of money markets. This happens at two levels: first, the interbank rate (the rate at which banks lend liquidity to each other) diverges from the central banks policy rate because banks fearing counterparty default price risk accordingly; second, the spread between the commercial banks lending rate and the interbank rate increases both because of higher risk premiums and because banks seek to increase their profits. According to Meier (2009, p. 6), a switch to unconventional policy may be motivated by the severe turmoil in credit markets. With the financial sector in crisis, policy rate cuts are not only constrained by the zero bound, but may also be less effective than during normal times. The reason is the sharp tightening of credit conditions, as lenders have curtailed loan supply and certain sources of capital market funding have all but disappeared. Indeed, such dislocations can provide a rationale for launching unconventional policies even before interest rates hit the lower bound. In sum, unconventional monetary policies serve both as a complement and as an extension of standard operations centered around the setting of short-term interest rates. One of the unconventional actions is the so-called outright asset purchase, a technique to decrease the discrepancy between interbank and lending rates. Furthermore, Meier (2009) provides a categorization of such operations, distinguishing between qualitative easing, as sterilized interventions that do not involve an increase in the central banks balance sheet, and quantitative easing, as unsterilized interventions implying an increase in base money. Unlike the US and the UK, in the Eurozone the direct purchase of government debt instruments is forbidden by art. 101 of the EC Treaty, therefore quantitative easing is not contemplated. Figure 2 shows how liquidity provisions and out-of-the-ordinary policies, adopted by ECB, Federal Reserve (FED) and Bank of England (BOE), increased the size of the central banks balance sheets. Assets hold by the ECB are about 50% lower than FED and BOE because they executes quantitative ease operations (Bà ©nassy-Quà ©rà © et al. 2009, pp. 42-44). 2.2 Portuguese Policy Responses With the financial crisis Portugal has re-focused its economic policy from budgetary consolidation to an anti-cyclical budgetary policy effort to support households, investment, employment and, last but not least, to strengthen financial stability (MFAP 2009 as cited in Torres 2009). At the end of 2008, to guarantee stability of the financial system and to safeguard the households deposits held by credit institutions, the Portuguese government, following the trend of the other member states, decided to save two banks: the Banco Portuguà ªs de Negà ²cios (BPN) and the Banco Privado Portuguà ªs (BPP). In particular, BPN was nationalized and BPP was granted a guarantee for a bank loan provided by a group of banks. Although the dimension of those banks was small, the government feared that the potential loss incurred by many small depositors could generate a run of bank depositors in general, putting at risk the stability of the financial system (Torres, 2009, p.61). The second measure to strengthen financial stability was taken in October 2008 when the Portuguese Ministry of finance and public administration announced the endorsement of the Initiative for strengthening financial stability (ISFS) in order to respond to the substantial external shock, to which it was being subject, due to severe liquidity restrictions in international financial and money markets. The ISFS was aim to enhance conditions for credit institutions access to liquidity in financial markets and was based on granting State guarantees for the financing of credit institutions. According to MFAP(2008), this Initiative: (i) Enhances the confidence in the domestic financial system; (ii) Permits timely intervention adapted to market conditions; (iii) Is temporary, remaining effective only while market conditions have not returned to normal; (iv) Safeguards the interest of depositors and taxpayers; (v) Allows the shareholders and managers of banks to be held accountable whenever necessary and fosters the adoption of good corporate governance principles, in accordance with best international practices; (vi) Safeguards the interests of the market in general and a level playing field among competitors, in particular. According to Torres (2009, p. 60), the aim of the coordinated guarantees on new issuance of bank debt was to address funding problems of liquidity-constrained but solvent banks. Thus, this initiative was a viable and less costly source of funding to allow banks to issue new debts. A third measure was to take advantage of the increased flexibility of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) to pay outstanding state debts under the form of a program for the extraordinary settlement of the states debts to suppliers (Council of Ministers Resolution no. 191-A/2008 of 27 November as cited in Torres 2009). However, in my opinion the results of those initiatives were rather limited. I can, indeed, argue that, in Portugal, bank lending standards are tightening. In support to my opinion, figure 3 provides an evidence: the largest observed swing occurred from the last quarter of 2007 to the last one of 2008 when the diffusion index dropped sharply to the minimum observed value, representing the credit crunch. To evaluate the effects of the ISFS it is sufficient to look at the trend starting from the last quarter of 2008, the upswing lasts for only a quarter to stabilize at the level of about minus 45% compared to the pre-crisis conditions. The 19th of January 2009, the Portuguese government updated the Stability and growth Program for 2008-11. Following the EU guidelines concerning EERP, the government incorporated in the SGP program the Investment and Employment Initiative Program (IEIP), as fully consistent with the National Reform Plan for 2008-2010 (within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy), as it also aimed at contributing to addressing the countrys structural weaknesses. The draft law creating the IEIP was composed of five structural measures including several projects or actions to support households and businesses next to those aimed at combating the rise in interest rates and in the price of raw materials and food products and credit restrictions, which had already been envisaged in the state budget for 2009.. The IEIP was expected to have a budgetary impact of about 0.8 per cent of GDP in 2009 (about 0.5 increase in expenditure and 0.3 reduction in revenue in percentage of GDP). The five measures were: modernization of schools; fostering renewable energies, energy efficiency and energy transmission infrastructure; modernization of technological infrastructure and new generation broadband networks; special support to economic activity, exports and SME; protecting employment and strengthening social protection (Torres, 2009). 1). Higher investment in human capital help to avoid the risk of depression of productivity performance. In Portugal the educational attainment of the working-age population is low and the intergenerational educational mobility has been sluggish. Furthermore, the international student performance survey (PISA) shows that Portuguese students are below the OECD average (figure 4). To increase efficiency, the smallest schools have been closed and changes to the teachers timetable are allowing a more efficient allocation of human resources. Moreover, upper-secondary education has been diversified to incorporate technical and vocational courses (OECD 2009). and 3). Portugal might take advantage of the temporary increase in spending under the recovery plan to promote a leap forward to new competitive green goods and technologies. There is a clear case for the world, and for the EU to maintain its leadership in the process, and even more so for a small country like Portugal, to address climate change and the financial crisis at the same time by building up a competitive basis for sustainable development (Torres, 2009, p.66). Activity collapsed at the end of 2008 under the weight of the global economic crisis. The huge decline in external demand was caused by the falling activity in a number of Portugals major export markets, particularly Spain which accounts for about 25% of portuguese total exports. Moreover, insufficient harmonization of regulations with major trading partners seem to have impeded trade, particularly in services. Despite the governments announcement of additional revenue measures the deterioration in economic activity without further reductions in government outlays, or a more rapid economic upturn, means that the budget deficit could rise above 4.5% in 2010 and to increase further in 2011. The deterioration in economic activity was partly caused by the administrative burdens on business. Starting, running, and closing a business have been hampered by onerous regulation, including a cumbersome licensing regime that has weakened competition and, thus, productivity growth throughout the economy (OECD, 2008, 2009a, 2009c; European Commission 2009). Figure 5 provides evidence that Portuguese burden on business in the form of regulation are higher than EU average. Productivity growth has been sluggish during the last decade, lagging behind the OECD average with a decreasing trend since 1990 (figure 6), partly on account of labour market rigidities such as high employment protection and insufficient human capital accumulation. Those weaknesses have led to a further widening of the large productivity gap with respect to the Eurozone. The protection of workers against individual dismissal has been the most restrictive in the OECD, with very cumbersome procedures, as clearly highlighted in figure 7. The new legislation put forward by the Portuguese government is aimed to significantly simplify dismissal procedures. However, protection of regular workers against dismissals will remain more restrictive than in the average OECD country. Therefore, it is essential to enforce the reform measures because tighter credit conditions, weak exports, and subdued internal demand depressed business investment in 2009 and led to a labour shedding and an increase in the unemployment rate which is projected to reach a double-digit rate in 2010 (OECD , 2008, 2009c; European Commission 2009). According to Blanchard (2007), Portugal is today in a scenario of Competitive disinflation, defined as a period of sustained high unemployment, leading to lower nominal wage growth until relative unit labor cost have decreased, competitiveness has improved, the current account deficit has decreased, and demand and output have recovered. If we look at the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) of a country, an instrument which can be used to assess price or cost competitiveness relative to the position of the countrys principal competitors, it is easy to notice that Portugal has substantially lost competitiveness against Germany since 1995 (figure 8). A rise in the index means a loss of competitiveness taking into account productivity changes via the movement in comparative unit costs (Hugh, 2009). Therefore, as this trend is going on since 15 years it is hard to invert it without huge efforts and structural reforms. In the context of the budgetary policy, in 2008, Portugal has also taken action to reduce taxes through the cut of one percentage point of the VAT rate, the creation of a general corporate income tax rate of 12,5% and the reduction of advance income tax payments for SME (State Budget, 2009). Nevertheless, the fiscal position has deteriorated significantly in 2009 reflecting weaker economic conditions, lower revenues and spending rises to support the economy. Fiscal stimulus measures focusing on public investment, support to companies and exports and social assistance will directly increase the budget deficit (OECD, 2009a, 2009b). Torres (2009, p. 65) argued that: In a small open economy like Portugal, fiscal policy has limited effectiveness with regard to influencing aggregate demand. This applies even more to the current environment of financial distress and uncertainty, where banks will try to de-leverage and households to save. Moreover, the Portuguese economy is already particularly exposed due to its fragile financial position, as reflected in its accumulated external imbalances, which puts at stake the markets confidence in the sustainability of public finances. Given the risks involved for the costs of servicing the debt and ultimately for its solvency and permanence in EMU, it seems essential for the government to credibly pre-commit to medium-term budgetary objectives. It thereby signals its determination to pursue fiscal consolidation in spite of the temporary stimulating measures adopted within the EERP and to ensure that those exceptional measures do not mark a departure from budgetary sustainability. Moreover, external debt has been high and rising (figure 9) and, thus, leading Portugal to become the third eurozone economy to undergo a long-term credit rating reduction, to AA minus, by Standard Poors because of its failure to tackle deteriorating public finances (Torres, 2009, p.64). Finally, last but not least, Portugal is undergoing a strong disinflation process which is highlighted by the fall of the Consumer Price Index to its minimum levels (figure 10). European Central Bank council member and Bank of Portugal Governor Vitor Constancio is aware of the danger and has indicated that the ECB is prepared to reduce borrowing costs further to prevent inflation slowing significantly below its 2 percent ceiling, even going so far, if necessary, as to introduce some variant of quantitative easing. He still thinks it wont happen, but he is well aware of the possibility, as indeed we all should be (Hugh, 2009, p. 21). To conclude, it is important to point out that the inflation is expected to be under the OECD average during the whole 2010 to catch-up with the OECD countries after 2011 (figure 11). Furthermore, the danger of the risk of disinflation is real as shown in figure 12, where the harmonized index of consumer prices is expected to remain below the ceiling of 2% during the whole projected period. Conclusions: What should be done? The policy responses analysis has highlighted serious structural problems for Portugal and, as a matter of fact, Portuguese growth is expected to lag behind the OECD average during the whole 2010 and 2011 (figure 13). SUM UP PROBLEMS In fact, despite Portugal has made significant progress in fiscal consolidation and has launched important structural reforms to modernize the economy and enhance growth, in my opinion, additional structural reforms, in order to find a way out from the crisis, are still necessary, notably, in the following areas: Education The secondary education attainment should be improved since human capital represents one of the main durable determinants of growth in the long run. Moreover, reforming the educational system might enhance productivity performance. According to OECD (2009c), the reform should increase the proportion of education spending on non-wage items, continue to strengthen teachers on the job-training and to develop vocational and technical education and, finally, Portugal should fully implement a performance-based evaluation and career-progression system for teachers. Employment One of the clearest examples of the problems highlighted by the crisis is to be found in the stagnation of the labour market. It is essential to reform employment protection legislation with proposals aimed at enhancing the adaptability of the labour force, to address rigidities in labour market regulations and improve the efficiency of active labour market programs; otherwise the strictness of the Portuguese employment protection will continue to have negative effects on growth and productivity (OECD 2009c). Moreover, the unemployment rate is expected to be higher than the OECD average during the next two years (figure 14). Concerning the slow productivity growth problem, Blanchard (2007, p.8-20) suggests a decrease in nominal wages. Even if it sounds exotic, it can substantially reduce the employment cost of the adjustment. However, in Portugal today, the labor law forbids unjustified wage decreases and in practice rules out decreases in nominal wages for economic reasons. Business A deepening of the reform process is required to create a dynamic business environment by reducing the administrative burdens on business. Despite the importance of the recent reforms, a full implementation of them is essential. Competition in the whole economy should also be strengthened through investment in key infrastructure sectors, such as telecommunications, electricity and transportation, to enhance the quality, efficiency and quantity of the services they provide. This would have a direct effect on the cost-competitiveness of firms in Portugal, facilitate trade flows, domestically and internationally and make Portugal a more attractive destination for FDI, which has the potential to boost productivity (). Finally, OECD (2009c) recommends to harmonize regulations with major trading partners, including service sector standards and qualification requirements. Tax system A reform is necessary to simplify the tax system, broaden the corporate tax base and decrease tax expenditures in order to reduce fiscal imbalances. Designing and implementing fiscal consolidation remains a priority for Portugal because the deficit needs to be reduced. Silva (2008) provides empirical evidence that, in Portugal, taxes negatively affect productivity because an increase in the taxes decreases consumption, capital, output and welfare. Moreover, he states that for Portugal taxes are able to predict the pattern of the labour supply over the years. Therefore, the government should take into consideration how a tax system reform might serve a double objective: raise the productivity and reduce fiscal imbalances. Nevertheless, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Table 3. Actual and projected Macroeconomic evolutions, 2001-2007. Source: OECD