Fact-Finding Techniques for Requirements Discovery of Business Systems Essay

Fact-Finding Techniques for Requirements Discovery of Business Systems Analysis and Design - Essay Example Denscombe (2007) observes that for success to be registered in any project there is a need for an accurate data collection through specific methods that are to be used. The methods used in finding this information are referred to as fact finding techniques. There are various fact finding techniques including use of interviews, observation, and use of questionnaires among other techniques. Using interviews The interview is one of the fact finding techniques whereby the analysis is done through the collection of information from different persons in an interactive way. In an interview, the research always needs to find the desired facts through talking with the respondents. The facts found are supposed to be verified and clarified. In conduction interviews, enthusiasm should always be generated and the end user is always involved in the process. The identification of the requirements has been often very important before the conduction of interviews. Interviews do involve soliciting of ideas and opinions from the respondents. In interviews as a fact finding technique, there can be the use of unstructured interview. The interviewee id depended on in the provision of a framework and the direction of the discussion. It is generally not done for a specific goal. Structured interviews are done with an aim of getting answers to specific questions that are put down by the interviewer. In interviewing, open and closed ended queries are often used. The open ended questions do allow the interviewee to offer answers as he or she deems while the closed ended questions do have restrictions. Reasons for selecting interviews By using interviews to find the facts, the analyst is always presented with an opportunity of motivating the interviewee to be able to respond to the questions openly and freely. This is because the interviewer and the analyst are always in touch on a one on one basis. The analyst can probe the interviewee for more answers that are thought to be relevant and useful. Due to the physical contact between the analyst and the interviewee, there can always be a re-wording of the questions suppose the interviewee does not understand or get the required concepts. This is an advantage that all the other fact finding techniques does lack. Throughout the interview process, the analyst is in a position to analyze the interviewee’s non verbal communication and body language. This is a vital aspect in the whole analysis of the facts obtained from the interview. (Shelly, Cashman & Rosenblatt, 2009). Implementation of the method In order to carry out a successful interview and obtain the needed data, it is important to have a systematic and a well organized interview. This involves a lot of processes. For instance, selection of interviewees is an important aspect. Those going to be interviewed need to be selected carefully to ensure that the one chosen will offer the desired responses and data. It is important to have end users that are reliabl e. The analyst should have prior knowledge about the interviewees to avoid a lot of conflicts and inconveniences during the actual interviewing process. Preparation for the interview is a major aspect. This can be done through an interview guide. During the actual interview process, the problem that has mooted the interview process should be summarized. The interviewee is also offered some incentive for participating in the interview process. This is to encourage honest response. The analyst’

Interview with Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Interview with Teenagers Essay Interviewing teenagers turned out to be rather interesting. Its very relevant the difference in my time of growing up a teen, to now. Teens these days have way more issues to worry about being that drugs, sex, and pregnancy are more tangible then the past. With media using tv, radio, magazines and music to tell teens how they need to be, its not hard to believe all the increase in teen violence, depression, and suicide. During the course of this paper I will be discussing the interview that I gave too four teen girls. Each of them came from different backgrounds and had very different, but yet the same answers to being a teen in today’s society. Jasmine Small, Ashley Leivas, Shavon McCorvey, and Emily Morales were the four teens that I chose to interview. Each of these girls comes from different backgrounds. Jasmine grew up without a father, Ashley grew up in foster care, Shavon had both parents present in her household, and Emily was taken from her mother as a child and was raised by her aunt. Just off of me knowing their background it was prevalent that the answers were going to be different and interesting in the same. In the beginning I made sure to discuss the purpose of this interview and notified them that they could stop me at any time for questions, or if the interview becomes too personal. After having done that all of the girls seemed to be relieved, and at that moment my interview began. What do you like about being a teenager was the first question asked all the girls. All of the girls agreed that having friends and having fun, and hanging out were the highlights of their youth. They all had their group of friends and all liked to go to the mall, movies, and â€Å"kick-backs† (parties). When I asked if school was significant to them they all laughed and said that they like school but it wasn’t too important to them. When asked about their dislikes they all had different answers. Jasmine answered that her dislike was going to school. She felt as if she didn’t learn anything, as if school was useless. Ashley disliked the fact that there is a lot of drama as far as people gossiping inside of school. She explained how many people perceived her as a person that likes to fight, and is promiscuous, when she is the exact opposite. She has issues that she’s dealing with and doesn’t seem to get along with other girl which is why she finds herself in a lot of altercations. Shavon’s dislike was growing up in Lancaster, she was born and raised in Los Angeles and was recently brought out here two years ago. She just wished that she had control over where she lived. Emily didn’t have an answer to this question she was having a difficult time with trying to determine what was a huge dislike. She couldn’t think of any so we moved on. Who is the most important thing in your life right now was an interesting question that I couldn’t wait to ask. Each answer was unique and heartwarming. Jasmines was her mother, she was very happy about having such a good mother who did all she could for children. She had not one bad thing to say about her mother. Ashley’s was her brother; her brother was the only biological family member that she had. She had seven other family members but all were split up in foster care in different states. Shavon’s was her sister; she was very close to her sister and shared everything with her. Emily’s was her cousin, whom she considered as a sister, she was close with her, and like Shavon, shared everything with her. They all had their individual stories on how close they were with their important person, and how they couldn’t imagine life without them. Of all the questions I believe that the question, if you could change one thing about your life what would it be and why, was the most important question. It showed that the girls all seemed to have some issues with growing up whether it be peer pressure or living without certain family members. Jasmine said that she would have her father in her life. She felt as if she had her father she would be a different person. She really wanted to have a relationship with her father. Ashley main thing she would change is to have a mother that cared and wasn’t on drugs. She said that she is very appreciative of her foster mother, but she would love to have known her real mother. Shavon’s change would be for her to move back to Los Angeles. She said that since she has moved to Lancaster everything has changed and that she is being mistreated at school. She began to explain that she left behind a lot of friends and didn’t seem to fit in. Emily, like Ashley, wanted her biological mother back. Unlike Ashley, Emily lived with her mother god enough to remember her before she was taken out her home. She remembered her mother for the good things that she did and not the drugs, like everyone else portrayed her mother as. During this interview it was very evident the issues that teens these days face. Later on in the interview we talked about peer pressure and if it affected them. They all stressed that peer pressure is hard not to fall into and that do have plenty of friends who are weak minded and whom have become pregnant or is having unprotected sex. They all are very smart and know how to say no when peer pressure arises. Being that I’m not that far in age many other the issues that they face, I did to growing up. There aren’t many differences except that everything is more prevalent as far as sex and pregnancy.

Life and Health Plan Essay -- Personal Narrative Health

I am in pretty good health right now where I am at in life. My family does not have a history of anything that can be described that could be foreseen as a problem. What I can talk about is a generalized health maintenance and plan for staying healthy that should be easy to follow and quite rewarding. I will talk about eating disorders specifically so as to adhere to the instruction of the assignment. Eating disorders are some of the top concerns with any person that has health concerns regarding food. To make sure that someone can be successful in achieving a healthy body it is important to set goals that you can adhere to. One goal that is very important to me is easily to live a long and productive life. This can be considered a physical exercise goal in the sense that without exercise you can not really expect the same rewarding health as you would with regular exercise. As another goal that would help in maintaining health I would like to set monthly targets for weight and physical fitness that are realistic and obtainable. By setting a personal target weight you can compare your weight once a week and see an accurate model of what is happening with your diet and exercise plan. Developing an exercise plan that keeps you motivated and makes the time spent fun and rewarding is important to ensure the best results from any plan. On the nutritional side of a goal oriented approach to health the best idea is the simplest. By watching your caloric intake and serving sizes you can c ut out a large amount of the fat causing nutrients as well as high sodium and other things that could potentially jeopardize your health plan. In order to achieve your goals you must keep to your plan easy to follow and keep it fun and motivated ... ..., December 31). Dripping With Sweat . Retrieved June 8, 2008, from Firstpath.com Web site: http://www.firstpath.com/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=firstpath/story.html?article=1219 Lawlor, Debbie (2001, March 31). The effectiveness of exercise as an intervention in the management of depression: systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomised controlled trials. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from BMJ Web site: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/322/7289/763 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, (2007, Dec 7). Food and Nutrition. Retrieved May 13, 2008, from Mayo Clinic Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/NU99999 Swenson, Jim (2006 October). Ask a Scientist. Retrieved May 13, 2008, from Argonne National Labrotory Web site: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/aas.htm med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_fluids_sma.htm

Conflict Assessment of an Ongoing Sibling Rivalry Using the Wilmot-Hocker Conflict Essay

It’s very common for siblings to fight and it’s not uncommon for sibling to throw a punch or two, but what happens when the fighting becomes hate and aggression towards each other. This form of tension between brothers and sisters is called sibling rivalry. Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among brothers and sisters, blood-related or not. This type of competition or animosity can cause a rift in the sibling’s relationship with one another, which can result in a multitude of fight (sometimes physical) and many verbal altercations as well. Sibling rivalry can also cause various problems within a household, including favoritism, divorce, and a house that is emotionally divided. Stress within the parent’s lives and children’s lives can create more conflict and increase sibling rivalry. Eighty two percent of people in Western countries have at least one sibling, and siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality, and people experiences outside the family. Sibling rivalry is not unique to Western culture and can involve aggression towards one another. Often, sibling rivalry starts before the second child is born and continues as the children mature and compete for everything from toys to attention. Each child in a family competes to define who they are as an individual and wants to show the world that they are separate from their siblings. Children may often feel they are getting unequal amounts of their parents’ attention, discipline, and responsiveness. Children tend to fight more in families where there is no understanding or boundary set that shows that fighting is not an acceptable way to resolve conflicts, and no alternative ways of handling such conflicting situations. In this conflict assessment we will assess the sibling rivalry of a brother and sister who have had an ongoing issue of animosity towards each other for over fifteen years. Using Wilmot-Hocker’s conflict assessment guide, we will be able to understand  each aspect of the conflict and possibly come to a common ground in which they (the siblings) will be able to get along in a more long-term manner. Through this conflict assessment the siblings will be able to explore the possible solutions to assist in resolving this issue in a sensible manner. The two subjects that will be assessed today are DeMarcus (33 years old) and Danett (25 years old). They are blood related siblings and share the same parents. They’ve been living in consistent animosity of each other for over fifteen years and they continue to fight (physically) and argue. Their parents are tired of this frequent quarrel between them, and the parents feel like the conflict is driving a wedge into their household. The two siblings, now that they are adults, can see the toll their quarrel has caused, within their relationships with others (personal and intimate) outside of their family and also within the frame of their intermediate family. Nature of the Conflict From prior questions asked to the subjects, there are a various number of triggering events that have cause this particular conflict. Numerous acts of belittlement, hatred, physical violence, neglect, bullying, abuse, and threats over the years have escalated this conflict out of control. DeMarcus states that the conflict began when Danett was born and he expressed his dyer need, want and concern for a younger brother. DeMarcus states that Danett has always been an over achiever that has always captured the attention, no matter if the attention was good or bad, of their parents. Danett’s personal concerns and issues became more alarming when she expressed her feelings on why her issue or animosity towards her brother was so strong: â€Å"When I was younger, I lived in the shadow of my older brother. Any activity that my brother was in, I wanted to participate in as well. I was basically the tag-a-long little sister, until I turned the age of ten, then things began to change a bit. One day DeMarcus and his best friend where playing a game and I was in another room. When my brother finished the game with his friend he left to go use the bathroom, leaving his friend unattended. His friend, at that time, got up and came into the room that I was in and began to fondle me. My brother came back to the room to see his friend was gone and decided to search around the house for him. When  DeMarcus came into the room I was screaming, â€Å"Stop! Stop it!† But instead of DeMarcus trying to get his so-called best friend off of me, he sat and watched as I fought to get away from his teenage friend.† â€Å"Later that night when our mother picked us up, I whispered to her that I needed to talk to her about something important and my mother told her that we would discuss it when they got home in private. As soon as we arrived home, I began to tell her mother what happened and immediately she called DeMarcus into the room to question him about the events that took place. DeMarcus stood in my mother’s face and called me a liar and said that it never happened. I was crushed and didn’t know if my mother believed me and I felt abandoned in a sense.† Danett continued to express her concerns of hurt, worthlessness, embarrassment and betrayal, and that her relationship with her brother became a downward spiral of abuse and deceit. When asking DeMarcus about the events that took place, he claimed that he had no recollection of this ever happening, but quickly interject with the comment, â€Å"If she was a boy then that wouldn’t have happened to her!† Danett explains that this is always DeMarcus’ negative attitude towards her, and that these comments always are the heated beginning of a fist fight between them. Argument is â€Å"reason giving† (Benoit 1992; Rowland and Barge 1991) one makes claims and backs them up (Keough 1992). DeMarcus, in order to maintain innocence from accusation, begins to belittle Danett in order to get his innocence across to whoever is listening. The arguer tries to get others to â€Å"recognize the rightness† of his or her beliefs or actions (Benoit 1983, 550). Interpersonal argumentation, then, has a place in our everyday conflicts and negotiations (Trapp 1981, 1989). Orientation to the Conflict The attitudes expressed in the conflict are ones of deceit, regret, close mindedness, unhappiness and a loss of self-esteem. In many ethnic household certain issues are swept under the rug and never discussed causing suppressed feelings and hidden issues. Danett explains: â€Å"I would try to discuss the issues I had with my mother. I felt that since she was once a young girl, like me, she would understand where I was coming from with my  concerns. My mother was very good at trying to make my problems go away through the acts of prayer and faith. My mother tried to make me a firm believer in the motto: Let go and let God. Which in translation means: Let your burdens go and let the Lord handle them; no need to stress. My family was very good about trying not to stress over things and trying to sweep problems under the rug or resolve an issue in a timely and quiet manner. Even though the issue was never discussed again, the emotional and mental scars were there and I felt like I could never trust my brother again and I could never come to anyone in my family with any of my problems. My biggest fear was that the acts of faith I was taking through my cultural and religious beliefs were going to make the situation worse and my fear came true.† A person is supposed to say what he or she means to resolve disagreements through the use of power (as in competition) or by working things out together (collaboration) (Wilson 1992). The problem is that when we are angry, we may exaggerate an offense, seek revenge, and then lead ourselves and others into unproductive and wasteful conflict (Planalp 1999). DeMarcus expressed: â€Å"Danett has always been an over achiever (in sports and academics) and has always captivated the attention of the family. I admit, I always wanted a brother and I say that every day because I don’t understand what others see in her that draws them to her. She makes me feel worthless to others in the family and I treat her how I feel. Thus is why I belittle her and allow things to happen to her because I feel she deserves the treatment I give her.† DeMarcus, aside for the feelings he bestowed above, made it clear that he wanted to make this situation better with his sister. â€Å"I love my sister, don’t get me wrong! At the time, I could understand why I wasn’t treated more like her. I felt unwanted and when I failed in certain areas, she would succeed. This is one of the main problems I have with her. Her ongoing success was acquired during birth and when I was unable to succeed, I started to resent her. When my plans of â€Å"trying to bring her down† didn’t work, I think that when I became more physical and wanted her to be in physical pain as well as emotional.† The noted interest to resolve this  issue between the siblings is very evident. They (the siblings) keep maintaining the fact that they not only want to resolve this issue, but they want to better their relationship with one another. Interest and Goals The role of each person has in the interaction with others is a form of identity goals, and how one wants to resolve the conflict is process goals. I believe that when you open the lines of communication with your colleagues or relatives, everyone is able to approach the problem respectively, than the parties involved will receive a positive outcome that will allow the parties to further their relationship. The main interest and goals of these two siblings, is to come to an understanding of one another’s feelings in order to function as a family and to decrease the rift between them. Both of the parties want to accomplish the same goal, in order to alleviate the consistent arguing. Danett and DeMarcus, though they are both adult and live in separate locations of the United States, believe that the alleviation of this conflict between them will bring them closer together and allow their parents a form of relief from the added stress this conflict has caused. Power According to (Kritek 1994;90) People using dominance (power or control) for their own needs do so out of fear or insecurity. The ability to control one’s environment, including the behavior of others is power. The siblings are exhibiting a balance of power between each other. Danett’s power over DeMarcus comes from her achievements and her existence on this earth, while DeMarcus’ power comes from his insults, his nonchalant attitude towards his family, and his inability to act like an older brother and allow others to take advantage of his sister mentally and sexually, when she was younger. Styles Hearing both sides of the situation and understanding the tactics used in each altercation of conflict, the styles exhibited in this conflict are varied. There are threats, which is a commonly used competitive tactic. We rush to use threats because we believe they are effective (Johnson and Ford  1996; Rubin, Pruitt, and Kim 1994). DeMarcus would threaten Danett and in return a fight would escalate, inflicting both a negative cast of physical and mental pain within one another. This act is also a form of verbal aggressiveness; which is a broader category of communication than threats. Rather than just telling someone what might happen to them, when you use verbal aggression you â€Å"attack the self concepts† of other people (Infante and Wigley 1986). These aggressive tactics overlap and become known as bullying. Bullying is â€Å"ongoing, persistent badgering, harassment and psychological terrorizing†¦ that demoralizes, dehumanizes and isolates those targeted† (Tracy, Lutgen-Sandvik, and Alberts 2004, 3; Lutgen-Sandvik, Tracy, and Alberts 2005). After the massive verbal assaults between the siblings, violence would soon occur between them. Violence is when conflict interactions move beyond threats and verbal aggressiveness, often involving a multitude of physical pain and or danger. These styles are very collective and evolve into one another. Assessment Given all the facts of the conflict, I feel that a third-party intervention should be available for mediation. Meditation is an act of resolving conflict positively between parties using a mediator or third party help. Mediation is defined as a process in which a third-party helps (mediator) to assist in resolving a dispute between two or more parties. A mediator’s role is to facilitate and assist with the communication efforts of the parties involved and to further their focus on tackling real issues and to help generate a positive or neutral outcome. Mediation in this situation will hopefully bring about a positive change with the attitudes of the siblings. Being able to voice opinions, emotions/ feelings to one another will bridge the gap of the sibling’s ongoing rift. Coming to a solution is the main focus of a mediator. The mediator is to create a positive yet productive discussion that will allow the parties to express their concerns amongst each other without criticizing either party’s opinion. Sometimes mediation is used to improve relationship amongst parties that have to consistently work with each other or be around each other. There are many ways to stop the growth of sibling rivalry. Many times it starts at birth with the parents. As a parent, being able to express equal amounts of affection to your children is needed to eliminate this future dilemma. Also being able to listen to a child’s issues and assist them in any form of conflict, weather in school or at home, will make their conflict resolution skills better. DeMarcus and Danett understand that this issue will not disappear after a few sessions with a mediator and are fully dedicated to resolve this problem. The conflict, which has been occurring for several years, has not only called for assistance from a mediator, but also a psychiatrist will be needed to assess the permanent mental damage it has caused throughout their lives. The parents should also be involved in these assessments to decrease the stress and tension amongst the entire family. The parents might be able to give further insight into why this bickering has been an ongoing process amongst the two siblings. Personal Intervention Being able to see and address an ongoing issue is a major step within the lives of these siblings. The fact that they understand that this issue has gone too far and has taken a major toll on their lives as individuals, is a break though that should be applauded. Forgiveness and reconciliation are just the first steps needed to carry the torch in this intervention. Forgiveness allows us to restore ourselves and through forgiveness DeMarcus and Danett can begin to bridge the gap that has been a gaping hole in their lives. Reconciliation will follow as they continue to progress in the resolution of their conflict. Reconciliation will restore them to one another as a result of time; the human desire to transcend injury; the courage to place violation, betrayal, deception, or some other wound in the larger context of additional experience; and perhaps the mysterious effect of what some may call â€Å"grace† will assist in the accomplishing of their goal to become civil towards one another. Attempted Solutions The parities have generated a wide variety of possible solutions. Further research methods and deep considerable thought into this form of conflict may be needed to further understand the deep rooted nature of this relationship between these two siblings. It is very important to develop and  explore as many options as possible when coming to a reasonable solution to a conflict of this magnitude. An approach to apology and reconciliation has been attempted many times but still the two siblings are back to square one in their conflict. Being able to make authentic apologizes through forgiveness is important in this particular conflict. Through apology, reconciliation can be accomplished in order for each party within this conflict to further a relationship with one another. Through mediation and other acts of mental therapy, these issues can be resolved, but it will take time, full cooperation, and commitment of the parties involved. References Benoit, P.J. 1983. Characteristics of arguing from a naive social actor’s perspective. In Argument in transition: Proceedings of the third summer conference on argumentation, edited by D. Zarefsky, M. O. Sillars, and J.Rhodes, 544-559. Annandale, VA: Speech Communication Association. Benoit, P.J. 1992. Introduction, special issue: Interpersonal argumentation. Argumentation and Advocacy 29: 39-40. Infante, D.A., and C. J. Wigley III. 1986. Verbal aggressiveness: An interpersonal model and measure. Communication Monographs 53: 61-69. Johnson, C., and Ford. 1996. Dependence power, legitimacy, and tactical choice. Social Psychology Quarterly 59, no. 2: 126-141. Keough, C.M. 1992. Bargaining arguments and argumentative bargainers. In Communication and negotiation, edited by L.L. Putnam and M.E. Roloff, 109-127. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Kritek, P. B. 1994. Negotiating at an uneven table: A practical approach to working with difference and diversity. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.  Lutgen-Sandvik, P., S. Tracy, and J. Alberts. 2005. Burned by bullying in the American workplace: A first time study of U.S. prevalence and delineation of bullying â€Å"degree.† Presented at the Western States Communication Convention, February, San Francisco, California. Planalp, S. 1999. Communicating emotion: Social, moral and cultural process. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rowland, R.C., and J.K. Barge. 1991. On interactional argument. Argumentation and Advocacy 28: 24-34. Rubin, J.Z.,  D.G. Pruitt, and S.H. Kim. 1994. Social conflict: Escalation, stalemate and settlement. 2d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Tracy, S.J., P. Lutgen-Sandvik, and J.K. Alberts. 2004. Is it really bad? Exploring the emotional pain of the workplace bullying through narratives, drawings and metaphors. Paper presented at the annual convention of the National Communication Association, Chicago, Illinois (November). Trapp, R. 1981. Special report on argumentation: Introduction. Western Journal of Speech Communication 45: 111-117. Trapp, R. 1989. Interpersonal argumentation: Conflict and reason-giving. Communication Reports 2: 105-109. Wilson, S. R. 1992. Face and framework in negotiation. In Communication and negotiation, edited by L.L. Putnam and M.E. Roloff, 176-205. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Imf -Role for Developing Countries

Introduction: International Monetary Fund (IMF),is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945. It was planned at the Bretton Woods Conference (1944), and its headquarters are in Washington, D. C. There is close collaboration between it and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Its primary mission is to ensure stability in the international monetary system. The IMF provides policy advice and financing to member countries with economic problems.The organization, using a fund subscribed by the member nations, purchases foreign currencies on application from its members so as to discharge international indebtedness and stabilize exchange rates. The IMF currency reserve units are called Special Drawing Rights (SDRs); from 1974 to 1980 the value of SDRs was based on the currencies of 16 leading trading nations. Since 1980 it has been reevaluated every five years and based on the relative international economic importance of the British pound sterli ng, the European Union euro (formerly the French franc and German mark), the Japanese yen, and the U.S. dollar. To facilitate international trade and reduce inequities in exchange, the fund has limited power to set the par value of currencies. Members are provided with technical assistance in making monetary transactions. In 1995 the fund moved to increase disclosure requirements of countries borrowing money and at the same time created an emergency bailout fund for countries in financial crisis. IMF was criticized in 1998 for exacerbating the Asian financial crisis, through the fund's decision to require Asian nations to raise their interest rates to record levels.During the international financial crisis of the early 21st century the IMF provided loans and access to credit of more than $100 billion to developing countries that were affected by falling demand for their exports and other financial problems. Instead of increasing government expenditure and boosting domestic demand, l ocal employment and economic activity to overcome the recession, the IMF is cutting spending and increasing tariffs and taxes in already contracting economies for the express purpose of maintaining low inflation and fiscal deficit rates, flexible exchange rates, and trade and financial liberalization.In this paper we try to analyze effect of reduced government expenditure for developing countries that sought aid on dealing with currency crisis. We also analyze the reasons behind strict monetary policy prescribed by IMF. Our analysis provides a framework that would help improve IMF’s approach in future. Reasons behind strict monetary policy: IMF claims upon maintaining transparency in setting up operation, but it is actually extremely secretive. In recent years, as criticism about this policy has grown, IMF has made certain parameters of structural adjustment of various developing countries public.Although IMF assumes a dominating role in structuring policies for affected nati ons, it imposes its policies on them rather than involving them in the decision making process. Key structural adjustment measures include: †¢ Privatizing government-owned enterprises and government-provided services, †¢ Slashing government spending, †¢ Orienting economies to promote exports, †¢ Trade and investment liberalization, †¢ Higher interest rates, eliminating subsidies on consumer items such as foods, fuel and medicines and tax increasesThe basic idea of these policies is to shrink the size and role of government, rely on market forces to distribute resources and services and integrate poor countries into the global economy. Also, despite pledges to address the crisis in flexible and innovative ways, the IMF's key objective in crisis loans remained ‘macroeconomic stability' through the ‘tightening of monetary and fiscal policies' with below objectives: †¢   Lowering fiscal deficits and inflation levels †¢   Buffering inter national reserves †¢ Reducing or restraining public spending   Increasing official interest rates or restraining the growth of the money supply †¢   Preventing currency depreciation Structural Adjustments in IMF policy: Structural adjustments have been successful at its intended efforts to diminish the scope of government and to integrate developing countries into the global economy. But they have failed by many other measures. By and large, countries undergoing structural adjustment have not experienced economic growth, even in the medium term. Main Reasons include: †¢ The IMF caters to wealthy countries and Wall Street:Dominating decision power and voting power has made US a largest shareholder of IMF of rich countries. Disproportional amount of power held by wealthy countries translates into decisions that benefit wealthy bankers, investors and corporations from industrialized countries at the expense of sustainable development. †¢ The IMF is imposing a fu ndamentally flawed development model IMF forces countries from the Global South to prioritize export production over the development of a diversified domestic economy. i. e. hift from food production for local consumption to the production of crops for export to the industrialized countries. Small businesses and farmers can't compete with large multinational corporations. Thus the cycle of poverty is perpetuated, not eliminated. †¢ IMF Policies hurt the environment The IMF does not consider environmental impacts of lending policies; and environmental ministries and groups are not included in policy making. The focus on export growth to earn hard currency to pay back loans means unsustainable liquidation of natural resources.This happened with the bailouts of Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia–countries that are renowned for their great biodiversity The IMF bails out rich bankers, creating a moral hazard and greater instability in the global economy The IMF pushes countries to dismantle trade and investment rules, as well as raise interest rates in order to lower inflation. The removal of regulations that might limit speculation has greatly increased capital investment in developing country financial markets. More than $1. 5 trillion crosses borders every day.This capital is short-term, unstable, and puts countries at the whim of financial speculators. The Mexican 1995 peso crisis was partly a result of these IMF policies. Impact of Structural reforms on developing countries and its evaluation: Those developing countries that have experienced the greatest economic successes in recent decades have violated many of the central precepts of structural adjustment. They have protected certain parts of their economy, and they have maintained an active governmental role in economic planning.A review of policies sponsored by the IMF illustrated the basic failure of structural adjustment. Countries undergoing such structural adjustment experienced stagnating growt h rates and saw their foreign debt nearly double-dramatic evidence of failure, since reducing foreign debt is one of ESAF's ostensible purposes. As per reports, the two regions with the most structural adjustment experience, per capital income has stagnated (Latin America) or collapsed (Africa, where per capita income dropped more than 20 percent between 1980 and 1997). The emphasis on exports tends to be socially disruptive, especially in rural areas.Poor subsistence farmers frequently find their economic activity described as nonproductive, and experience land pressures from expanding agribusinesses, timber companies and mines. Pushed off their land, they frequently join the ranks of the urban unemployed, or move onto previously unsettled, and frequently environmentally fragile, lands. Structural adjustment has generally contributed to rising income and wealth inequality in the developing countries, a fact tacitly acknowledged by both recently retired IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus and World Bank President James Wolfensohn.Consider the Asian meltdown caused in large part by South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, which was caused by heavy reliance on short-term foreign loans. When it became apparent that private enterprises in those nations would not be able to meet their payment obligations, international currency markets panicked. Currency traders sought to convert their Asian money into dollars, and the Asian currencies plummeted. That made it harder for the Asian countries to pay their loans, and it made imports suddenly very expensive.The IMF’s usual policy of countries not meeting their balance of payments due to increased value imports and reduced exports was reapplied here. Treating the Asian Financial crisis like other situations, IMF made arrangements for loans to enable these countries to payoff their debts. But IMF placed the condition that the countries would adopt the structural adjustment policies. But th ey failed to understand that the Asian crisis condition differed from this situation.Like, even though Asian countries did not run budget deficits, they were compelled to restrict government spending which further deepened their slowdown. The Fund failed to manage an orderly roll over of short-term loans to long-term loans, which was most needed; and it forced governments, including in South Korea and Indonesia to guarantee private debts owed to foreign creditors. In retrospect, even the IMF would admit that it made things worse in Asia. Malaysia stood out as a country that refused IMF assistance and advice.Instead of further opening its economy, Malaysia imposed capital controls, in an effort to eliminate speculative trading in its currency While the IMF mocked this approach when adopted, the Fund later admitted that it succeeded. Malaysia generally suffered less severe economic problems than the other countries embroiled in the Asian financial crisis. Considering example of Pakist an,   Pakistan is among the most frequent users of IMF loans, having borrowed IMF money 12 times since 1980.However, 10 of these programmes were abandoned midway due to Pakistan’s failure to fully adopt the IMF’s policy recommendations. Undue US interference, inadequate political analysis capacities within the IMF, inappropriate sequencing and over-ambitious agendas given the short loan durations were the main reasons . For example, Pakistan was advised to reduce import duties before it developed alternative taxation measures to cover the ensuing tax revenue shortfalls.This increased Pakistan’s public debt significantly as it had to borrow to cover the resulting fiscal deficits. However, Pakistan must partly share the blame since it accepted the loan conditions. Same happened with for some African countries, which lack both the technical capacities to analyse the IMF conditions and alternative financing options The IMF's structural adjustment prescriptions for countries suffering through the Asian financial crisis were roundly denounced, including by many conservative and mainstream economists and opinion makers.The widespread criticism of the Fund undermined its political credibility. The IMF response has been to make some minor concessions in making its documents more publicly available, limiting its demands that countries liberalize their capital markets (including by allowing unlimited trade in their currency, and permitting foreign investors to invest in domestic stocks and bonds without restriction), and increasing its rhetorical commitment to paying attention to poverty in its structural adjustment programs.But the financial crisis, aggravated due to IMF’sstructural policy, had alreadyled to massive human suffering. â€Å"IMF suicides† became common among workers who lost their jobs and dignity. In Indonesia, the worst hit country, poverty rates rose from an official level of 11 percent before the crisis to 40 to 60 percent in varying estimates. GDP declined by 15 percent m one year. IMF policies exacerbated the economic meltdown in countries hit by the Asian financial crisis.Mandated reductions in government spending worsened the Asian nation's recessions and depressions. And the forced elimination of price controls and subsidies for the poor imposed enormous costs of the lowest income strata’s. In Indonesia, food and gasoline prices rose 25 to 75 percent overnight or in the course of a few days. Although most developing countries are in need of fundamental reform along the general economic principles advocated by the IMF, the problem lies with the specifics of the IMF reform agenda.Thus as per the latest records, most successful East Asian countries have adopted IMF’s principles but have utilized very different specific tools which preserve long-term development, unlike IMF-recommended tools. Instead of widespread immediate privatization, China initially introduced managerial in centive systems in agriculture and industry. This boosted Chinese productivity without the massive economic ruin that the IMF-advised mass-scale privatization caused in Russia in the 1990s.In fact, no developing country sticking entirely to the IMF approaches has achieved the type of success achieved by East Asian countries. Towards growth- and development-oriented fiscal and monetary policies: A more development-oriented macroeconomic policy stance is necessary in order to generate the quantum leap in resources that LICs need to finance large-scale new investments in economic and social infrastructure, which includes the specific MDG (Millennium Development Goals) goals in the health and education sectors, and job creation.Progress on poverty reduction and basic human development has historically required, and continues to require, such a critical degree of spending and investment in the domestic economy. In order to support the achievement of the MDGs, IMF policies need to change: †¢ Support of active use of fiscal policy to for public investments and public spending to build essential economic and social infrastructures. Future revenues expected from the investment should pay off the debt that the government initially incurred. The IMF should encourage more expansionary monetary options that better enable domestic firms and consumers to access affordable credit for expanding production, employment, and increased contributions to the domestic tax base. Monetary policy should thus maintain low real interest rates, rather than ineffectively trying to keep inflation low with high interest rates which dampen aggregate demand and growth prospects. The IMF should permit the regulation of the capital account to confront the continuous inflow, as well as outflow, of private capital from national economies, i. e. ‘capital flight'. Now the question lies, whether the IMF is actually concerned about sustainable development? If yes, then the emphasis should no t be on IMF pushing the countries to adopt its structural policies in exchange of the debt funds. Instead, IMF's influence and power needs to be reduced so it has less say over developing country policies.

Current Event Related To Health Policy

Current Event Related To Health Policy Introduction Many current health events have given emphasis on the importance of having a global Millennium Development Health plan. This involves Health Policies that are intended to be a vehicle for the exploration and discussion of health issues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Current Event Related To Health Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main aim of global Millennium Development Health plan is to enhance communication between health policy researchers, legislators, decision-makers and professionals concerned with developing, implementing, and analyzing health issues (Weaver, 2011, May 3). The plan is a guide for the overall health improvement internationally and not just for specific countries. Main Body The global Millennium Development Health plan is guided by the international Health Policy Framework. This policy framework is based on the analysis of international health situation to provide guid ance on the policy objectives that the sector needs in order to achieve goals of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing of mankind (Ricciardelli, 2009). The global Millennium Development Health plan has its strategic theme as ‘Investing in health’. Its overall stated goal is ‘To promote and Improve the health of all people internationally through the deliberate restructuring of the health sectors in different countries and make all health services more effective, accessible and affordable’ (Ricciardelli, 2009). This information can always be found in the current health events related to international Health Policy. In some African countries, strategic imperatives have been identified as the key policy objectives in their health sector. They will also work towards the achievement of the global Millennium Development Health plan. These imperatives are: To ensure equitable allocation of resources for involved countries in order to reduce disparities i n health status. To Increase the cost effectiveness and the cost efficiency of their resource allocation and use. The countries involved will be required to control their population growth. The above policy objectives will form the basis for prioritization of strategic objectives in the subsequent strategic plans which will specifically focus on defining strategies for;Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strengthening governance. Improving resource allocation. Decentralisation of health services and management. Shifting of resources from curative to preventive. However, it is expected that the overall implementation may not manage to make a breakthrough in terms of transforming the critical health sector interventions and operations towards meeting the most significant targets and indicators of health as expected by the plan (Ricciardelli, 2009). Nevertheless the glob al Millennium Development Health plan has its goals to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities and to reverse the downward trend in health related impact and outcome indicators. Its strategic objectives in this case will be; To increase equitable access to health services. To improve quality and the responsiveness of services in Health. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery for international Health. The global Millennium Development Goals are signed up to guide prioritization of countries as they move towards improvement and development in their health sectors. Scaling up universal access to cost effective interventions that tackle key causes of ill health and death are also being polished (Villegas, 2010, May 13). Interventions addressing the burden of disease due to malaria, TB, HIV, immunization amongst others have been scaled up significantly particularly in the past 10 years but still they need to be improved. Conclusion For the global Mil lennium Development Health plan to work out well, a strong guide line is needed for the process towards its generation. This process involves both qualitative and quantitative methods to generate and apply information. Qualitative methods involve group interview techniques that generate perceptions of clients, service providers and managers on key aspects that will be analyzed. The Quantitative methods on the other hand will involve desk reviews of key reports and data available for different aspects being analyzed. References Ricciardelli, M. (2009) Health Law and Policy Program. Health reform watch, 9, 10.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Current Event Related To Health Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Villegas, A. (2010, May 13) Public Health Policy. Science daily, 06. 13-18. Weaver, C. (2011, May 3) Global Millennium Development Health plan. The standard news, pp. 21.

11 US Hist 5th6weeks Essay

11 US Hist 5th6weeks Essay 11 US Hist 5th6weeks Essay Course: US History from 1877 to the Present Designated Six Weeks: 5th Six Weeks Unit: 7 Cold War Part 2, pages 1 to 3 Unit: 8 Civil Rights, pages 4 to 15 Unit: 9 Culture of the 50s & 60s, Part 1, pages 16 to 23 Days to teach: Unit 7 part 5 days Unit 812 days Unit 9- 12 days TEKS Guiding Questions & Specificity Assessment Vocabulary Instructional Strategies Resources/ Weblinks (8) History. The student understands the impact of significant national and international decisions and conflicts in the Cold War on the United States (10)History. The student understands the impact of political, economic, and social factors in the U.S. role in the world from the 1970’s through 1990. (11) History. The student understands the emerging political, economic, and social issues of the United States from the 1990s into the 21st century. (12) Geography. The student understands the impact of geographic factors on major events. (20) Government. The student understands the changing relationships among the three branches of the federal government. (26) Culture. The student understands how people from various groups contribute to our national identity. (27) Science, technology, and society. TS understands the impact of science, technology, and the free enterprise system on economic development of the United States. 8(D) explain reasons and outcomes for U.S. involvement in foreign countries and their relationship to the Domino Theory, including the Vietnam War; SUPPORTING (E) analyze the major issues and events of the Vietnam War such as the Tet Offensive, the escalation of forces, Vietnamization, and the fall of Saigon; and READINESS (F) describe the responses to the Vietnam War such as the draft, the 26th Amendment, the role of the media, the credibility gap, the silent majority, and the anti- war movement. Unit 7 Specificity How did the domino theory influence U.S. involvement and strategy in the Vietnam War? 2011 Released STAAR #3 Domino theory Tet Offensive Vietnamization Gulf of Tonkin Resolution 26th amendment Interactive lecture: Vietnam Timeline Analyze primary sources: Protest music ELPS: 2F Vietnam Quick Guide - Cicero Vietnam War PPT 20(A) describe the impact of events such as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the War Powers Act on the relationship between the legislative and executive branches of government; SUPPORTING Unit 7 Specificity Vietnam War 1964-65: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- increase of Presidential Power 1973-War Powers Act-Congress limits Presidential Power to wage war Who would most likely oppose the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and who might oppose the War Powers Act? 2011 Released STAAR #10 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Checks and Balances War Powers Act Interactive Lecture Analyze primary documents ELPS: 2G Primary Source: Gulf of Tonkin resolution LBJ Gulf of Tonkin incident.doc 26(F) discuss the importance of congressional Medal of Honor recipients, including individuals Unit 7 Specificity What factors could account for acts of Congressional Medal of Honor Create an Award Plaque Roy Benavides online Vernon J Baker on Course: US History from 1877 to the Present Designated Six Weeks: 5th Six Weeks Unit: 7 Cold War Part 2, pages 1 to 3 Unit: 8 Civil Rights, pages 4 to 15 Unit: 9 Culture of the 50s & 60s, Part 1, pages 16 to 23 Days to teach: Unit 7 part 5 days Unit 812 days Unit 9- 12 days TEKS Guiding Questions & Specificity Assessment Vocabulary Instructional Strategies Resources/ Weblinks of all races and genders such as Vernon J. Baker, Alvin York, and Roy Benavidez. heroism? Explain why Roy Benavidez and Vernon J Baker are American Heroes. ELPS: 4F PBS 10(A) describe Richard M. Nixon's leadership in the normalization of relations with China and the policy of dà ©tente; (B) describe Ronald Reagan's leadership in domestic and international policies, including Reaganomics and Peace Through Strength; Unit 7 Specificity -What best summarizes the actions of President Nixon in the

Exclusion Restrictions in Instrumental Variables

Exclusion Restrictions in Instrumental Variables In many fields of study, including statistics and economics, researchers rely on valid exclusion restrictions when they are estimating outcomes using either instrumental variables (IV) or exogenous variables. Such calculations are often used to analyze the causal effect of a binary treatment. Variables and Exclusion Restrictions Loosely defined, an exclusion restriction is considered valid so long as the independent variables do not directly affect the dependent variables in an equation. For example, researchers rely on randomization of the sample population in order to ensure comparability across the treatment and control groups. At times, however, randomization is not possible. This may for any number of reasons, such as lack of access to suitable populations or budgetary restrictions. In such cases, the best practice or strategy is to rely on an instrumental variable. Simply put, the method of using instrumental variables is utilized to estimate causal relationships when a controlled experiment or study is simply not feasible. Thats where valid exclusion restrictions come into play.   When researchers employ instrumental variables, they rely on two primary assumptions. The first is that the excluded instruments are distributed independently of the error process. The other is that the excluded instruments are sufficiently correlated with the included endogenous regressors. As such, the specification of an IV model states that the excluded instruments affect the independent variable only indirectly.   As a result, exclusion restrictions are considered observed variables that impact treatment assignment, but not the outcome of interest conditional on treatment assignment. If, on the other hand, an excluded instrument is shown to exert both direct and indirect influences on the dependent variable, the exclusion restriction should be rejected. The Importance of Exclusion Restrictions In simultaneous equation systems or a system of equations, exclusion restrictions are critical. The simultaneous equation system is a finite set of equations in which certain assumptions are made. Despite its importance to the solution of the system of equations, the validity of an exclusion restriction cannot be tested as the condition involves an unobservable residual. Exclusion restrictions are often imposed intuitively by the researcher who must then convince of the plausibility of those assumptions, meaning that the audience must believe the researcher’s theoretical arguments that support the exclusion restriction. The concept of exclusion restrictions denotes that some of the exogenous variables are not in some of the equations. Often this idea is expressed by saying the coefficient next to that exogenous variable is zero. This explanation may make this restriction (​hypothesis) testable and may make a simultaneous equation system identified. Sources Schmidheiny, Kurt. Short Guides to Microeconometrics: Instrumental Variables.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Schmidheiny.name. Fall 2016.University of Manitoba Rady Faculty of Health Sciences staff. Introduction to Instrumental Variables. UManitoba.ca.

Entrepreneurial Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entrepreneurial Decision Making - Research Paper Example hought entails critical analysis of each of the available choices; analyzing both the long-term and short-term costs and benefits of every option, and deciding on the most suitable one. Since the decisions made are very critical and determines whether a business stands or collapses, it is necessary for entrepreneurs not to be hasty in the process. There should be a systematic procedure to be adhered to in the course of decision making. According to Entrepreneurshipatease.com (2010), there are four steps for quality decision making: alternatives, consequences, information and plan. In decision making there are varieties of alternatives, which the entrepreneurs may choose from. The main aim of a business is profit maximization and capital growth. An entrepreneur has to do proper calculations to ensure the realization of these key goals. It requires in-depth reasoning to choose wisely from the available alternatives or options. Sabrina (2011) documents two methods of reasoning that an entrepreneur can adopt in the process of decision making; traditional and effectual. Traditional reasoning involves setting goals and working diligently towards meeting them while effectual reasoning involves creating effect through evaluating how to use one’s strengths and resources in for entrepreneurial decision making (Sabrina 2011). Information is power; an entrepreneur should have adequate and extensive information about the available alternatives to enable settling on the best choice. In the course of decision making, plans should be underway to ensure that any eventuality is tactfully dealt with. Each choice made is prone to costs and benefits. The entrepreneur must conduct a cost and benefit analysis to settle on choice with overwhelming benefits. It does not necessarily mean that if an entrepreneurial decision has numerous benefits, then it has no consequences. Consequences often exist,

Research Paper of Philosophy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Of Philosophy - Research Paper Example These are called incompatibilists and are divided into two; metaphysical libertarianism and hard determinists. Metaphysical libertarianists claim that determinism does not exist and therefore free will is at least possible. On the other hand, hard determinists argue that determinist really exists and thus free will is not possible. There are also compatibilists who hold that determinism is inevitable for free will to exist because choice is guided by preferences. Where preferences are involved, one course of action is preferred over another and in this case some senses are involved on the way the choices will be made (Goodwin 11). In this case, compatibilists have considered the debate between libertarians and hard determinists over free will and determinism as a misguided and false dilemma (Richards 142). The views presented by compatibilists, that free will exist with determinism, is consistent with my own and in this paper I show their argument and the objections presented by incompatibilists. The first question to pose is; are we free? Is there such thing as free will or choice? Most scholars have deliberated on the issue of free will or choice and the big question has sought to answer the question as to whether we are really free (Jaworski, Chap 13). The fact that I choose to stand by compatibilists view that free will exists in this paper, and not the reverse position is already an indication that I am free to choose. Free will is that ability of an agent or agents to make choices without control of factors from within or from without. The factors that have been put on spot regarding control are many including physical, psychological, metaphysical, social, economic, and political among other possible constraints in making a free choice (Jaworski, Chap 13). In the analysis of Clark (1999: 280)Â  the principle of free choice is controlled by ethics, religion, science and law and the implications are viewed

Data Transmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Data Transmission - Essay Example Noise includes intermodulation, thermal, impulse and crosstalk. Noise is mainly expected at the link; hence the signal power at the receiver has to be larger as compared to the power added noise to the signal in the path of transmission(Stallings, 2006). Data rate involves the bit number that a system is capable of transmitting in a time unit. Data rate is constrained by bandwidth, availability of impairments and the acceptable error rate. Bandwidth that is effective is the band within which signal energy is mostly concentrated. A channel is able to accommodate limited frequency band. If in bandwidth that is effective, input signal is larger than the system transmission bandwidth, signal at the output will be highly distorted(Stallings, 2006). Bandwidth of signal should match the bandwidth being supported by the communication channel. Error rate can be seen as the rate whereby errors can occur. An error is a reception of 1 when 0 was channeled or a reception of 0 when 1 was channeled (Stallings, 2006). Main factor characterizing channel capacity is the bandwidth. A great bandwidth of signal results to great information carrying capacity. While designing facility for communication one should consider signal bandwidth, digital information data rate, noise amount and acceptable error

Aunt Jemima as an Example Racial Superiority and Stereotyping Essay

Aunt Jemima as an Example Racial Superiority and Stereotyping - Essay Example The origin of the logo for the company was said to have come up when Chris Butt, who had developed a recipe for self-rising pancakes happened to see a minstrel show by two comedians Baker and Farrell (William & Mary University). Rutt and his partner took inspiration from a character portrayed by the minstrel show and the logo of Aunt Jemima was born. Initially, the picture showed a colored woman dressed as a typical Southern slave with a headdress that used to be worn by such classes during the time of slavery. While the promoters of the product claimed that the logo was an indication of Southern hospitality, many others felt that it portrayed a benign or subtle form of racism and stereotyping. By the 1950s, protests against the logo grew, especially among the African American community. The company then changed its (popular) logo, depicting younger Jemima without the headdress. The final version of the logo showed a graying African American woman with earrings was brought out in 198 9. This, according to the company intended to portray the message that the lady in the picture was a working mother (and not a slave). But the racist angle still remained because she was colored and not Caucasian or White. The Company also removed their punchline, I'm in town, honey’, which was typical of the language used by the community at that time. A society dominated by whites, exploitation of colored people in the form of entertainment and business was seen as acceptable and even reassuring superiority of class ("Exploiting race and ethnicity"). According to the article, consumers (White) were comfortable when colored people were seen as contented plantation workers who were ignorant and comical fools. Author M.M. Manning agrees with the view that Aunt Jemima logo does portray and image of race superiority.  

Supply chain management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply chain management - Assignment Example This report discusses the electronic supply chain management. This research is initiated after the decision of the ABC manufacturers, which supplies supermarkets all over the country. The company is going to start the electronic supply chain management system to meet the upcoming market challenges. This research will describe the importance of the electronic supply chain management system for a company and its potential advantages for the better corporate management and online business. The main aim of this report is to access the main advantages of the electronic supply chain management system and streamline the main areas of implementation of this technology. According to (Kenneth 1999, p.55), â€Å"Supply chain management incorporates the supplier, distributor, and customer logistics requirements into a single consistent practice†. The supply chain is a group of corporal attributes for instance industrialized plants, giving out centers, conveniences, retail outlets, staff and information, which are connected from side to side activities such as procurement or logistics, to deliver goods or services from starting place through utilization. Goods or services begin as unprocessed materials and progress through the company’s logistics and manufacture system in anticipation of they arrive at customers. To deal with the supply chain, an organization attempts to get rid of impediments and engrave the amount of resources engaged along the way. This can be carried out by streamlining the organizations inside operations or by plummeting inventory costs by getting information from the suppliers to put of release of goods and their pa yments until the instant they are required. Information Technology makes well-organized supply chain management promising by incorporating demand planning, predicting, materials demand, and order handing out, inventory allotment,

Designing and managing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Designing and managing - Essay Example It is important for people to get a clear difference between learning organization and organizational learning. Peter Senge was behind the popular spreading of learning organization. The definition of learning organization is inclusive of various issues among them an ideal learning environment as well as a perfect tune with the goals of the organization. In such an organization, employees increasingly expand their abilities to get results desired by the organization (Hughes & Tight 2011, p. 21). In the institution, the environment allows generation of new ideas, expansion, and development of the same. It allows the collective aspirations to grow as people continue to learning wholesome. A learning Organization relies on the mastery of five measurements. First, systems thinking come out at the top of dimensions. The idea of handling an organization as a complex system constituting smaller systems also complex in nature defines the systems thinking. It requires comprehension of all components different from the manner in which a health physician understands the body of a human being (Edmondson 1999, p. 56). Important elements in this respect include recognition of complexity within an organization besides having long-term targets. According to Senge, organizations should apply system maps displaying the connections within the system (Finger 2009, p. 93). Personal mastery is the second dimension defined by Senge Peter. It entails a process where an employee puts in effort to facilitate focus and energy in addition to being in constant state of gaining knowledge (Cohen & Prusak 2001, p. 63). The other aspect is the mental model. Assumptions ingrained deeply together with generalisations, pictures, and images that determine the way people comprehend the environment defines the third dimension (Gadamer 2009, p. 74). It is necessary to take note of the same and recognize the challenges to give

Supply chain management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply chain management - Assignment Example This report discusses the electronic supply chain management. This research is initiated after the decision of the ABC manufacturers, which supplies supermarkets all over the country. The company is going to start the electronic supply chain management system to meet the upcoming market challenges. This research will describe the importance of the electronic supply chain management system for a company and its potential advantages for the better corporate management and online business. The main aim of this report is to access the main advantages of the electronic supply chain management system and streamline the main areas of implementation of this technology. According to (Kenneth 1999, p.55), â€Å"Supply chain management incorporates the supplier, distributor, and customer logistics requirements into a single consistent practice†. The supply chain is a group of corporal attributes for instance industrialized plants, giving out centers, conveniences, retail outlets, staff and information, which are connected from side to side activities such as procurement or logistics, to deliver goods or services from starting place through utilization. Goods or services begin as unprocessed materials and progress through the company’s logistics and manufacture system in anticipation of they arrive at customers. To deal with the supply chain, an organization attempts to get rid of impediments and engrave the amount of resources engaged along the way. This can be carried out by streamlining the organizations inside operations or by plummeting inventory costs by getting information from the suppliers to put of release of goods and their pa yments until the instant they are required. Information Technology makes well-organized supply chain management promising by incorporating demand planning, predicting, materials demand, and order handing out, inventory allotment,

Human resource developement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resource developement - Assignment Example This paradigm shift in mode of recruitment constitutes internet recruitment where the job vacancies are posted online and interested candidates apply online. This system entails formatting application forms which should duly be filled by the potential recruits and they are directed regarding all the minimum requirements with mandatory sections to be filled. It is worth to note that the recruitment software system is developed in such a way that failure to fill some of the compulsory parts rejects submission of the application. Complete filling of the application is accompanied by uploading some required relevant credentials. The general benefit of adopting this technology is its efficiency and wide geographical coverage across the word for any potential applicant. This mode of recruitment fails to give the organizations the desired candidates in some cases due to lack of face-to-face interaction with the candidates to learn more personal attributes that include being presentable, oral communication techniques and professional mannerisms. The issue of personal touch with the recruits to learn some observable qualities that is significant in the performance of the organization is equally lost (Snell & Bohlander, 2013). It is also important to underline the growing cost of reviewing resumes of the employees due to the omissions and commissions experienced from online recruitment process. The performance of the employees is influence by the mode of recruitment that was used. It is important to note that the overall performance of the firm highly depend on the quality of human capital employed and its productivity (Snell & Bohlander, 2013). The perception of the employees in workplace is shaped by the environmental conditions that he/she experienced from the recruitment panel and the procedure of recruitment. The length of the recruitment procedure has significant influence in the psychological preparation of the

Physics of football Essay Example for Free

Physics of football Essay Every Sunday afternoon in the fall, all across America, televisions, radios, and Internet broadcasts are tuned to the big football games. The sport of football has grown in popularity since the day it was invented, but not all of the views are good. The sport of football is viewed by many as a cruel and primitive sport, however every aspect within the sport of football is based in the field of physics. To begin to understand the complexity that is the game of football one can start by looking at how the punter needs to know the laws of physics to kick far. A punter’s job is to execute a drop kick (holding the football out and dropping it, then kicking the ball in midair) so as to give the other team the worst field position possible. This goal is only achievable with a kick that propels the football very far both horizontally and vertically. The punter is in charge of three things at the time of the kick: the velocity, the angle of the kick, and the rotation on the ball. Velocity is the speed at which the ball is propelled from the punter’s foot. The angle at which the ball is kicked combined with the velocity determines the distance the ball will travel. A ball kicked at a steeper angle with high velocity will have more hang-time (amount of time the ball is in the air), but will not travel very far. However, a ball kicked at a shallow angle with a high velocity will travel far, but it will not have the hang-time that many players desire (a punt with a long hang-time allows the players to get to the punt returner easier). Lastly, the rotation a punter puts on a football greatly affects how far the punt will go. If the ball is punted end over end, it will have more air resistance, slowing it down resulting in a shorter punt. A spiraling punt breaks through the air decreasing air resistance allowing for a kick with more distance. These same aspects are the ones applied to a quarterback when throwing the football (except without the kicking). One of the more sought after positions, and my personal favorite to play, is the running back. The job of the running back is to receive the football from the quarterback, and then try to gain as many yards as possible before being brought down to the ground by a defensive player. The running back lines up usually about three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage. This space allows the running back to accelerate to his top speed before he meets the defense. For a back to be able to change direction as he is running, he must plant his foot into the ground and apply force in the opposite direction. To stop going in one direction, a running back uses two different forces, the first of which is the force of friction (how hard it is to slide one object over another), and the second is the force with which the back applies. When a running meets a defensive player, his momentum must be greater than the momentum of the defensive player’s in order to break the tackle. On the opposite side of the ball, the linebacker is the defensive equivalent to the running back. He also is stationed three to five yards from the line of scrimmage in order to have room to accelerate. For a tackle to be made, the momentum of a defensive player must be greater than or equal to that of the offensive ball carrier. Momentum is found by multiplying the weight of an athlete by the speed at which he is moving. If the momentums of the two athletes are the same, then both players will come to a stop and in the game of football if the ball stops moving forward, then the carrier has lost. In my own experience, coaches have always told me to tackle low. The reasoning behind this is that a man’s center of gravity is usually located at just above the naval, and hitting below this point causes the runner to rotate, taking his legs off of the ground. If a player is hit above this point the tackler will just roll off, and if a player is hit on this point, he will be forced in to the direction he his hit, but it may not bring him down. The sport of football is a highly scientific game, and not the savage sport that many people see it as. Every aspect of the game can be figured through various physical formulas.

Chicago’s Brownfield Initiative to Reclaim Urban Sprawl and Economic Re

Chicago’s Brownfield Initiative to Reclaim Urban Sprawl and Economic Resources Introduction Brownfields are abandoned, idled or underused industrial and commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived contamination. In 1993, representatives from the Chicago Departments of Environment, Planning and Development, Buildings, Law, and the Mayor Office came together to develop a strategy for promoting cleanup and redevelopment of the City’s brownfields. The city developed a three- pronged initiative based on this strategy. This paper will focus on Chicago’s efforts to reclaim urban sprawl and return the city’s abandoned or underused properties to productive use. Background information will be provided as well as the issues that concerned the development and an analysis of the procedures, the policies utilized and the outcome. Background Two miles west of the Loop, many of Chicago's communities have devolved into crumbled cement and poverty. Major streets are both populated with teenagers, clusters of children moving with care, fast food joints and liquor stores and abandoned buildings. There is virtually no economic development in these communities. Tucked between these grid points of workaday urban blight are the vestiges of a once vibrant west side. However, this vision has been replaced and now stands factories and buildings that have been long neglected by owners or simply abandoned. These properties have come to be known as "brownfields," their smoked glass windows concealing potential environmental disaster. The new caretakers are homeless squatters, who relentlessly tear the buildings to pieces. Ragged demolition crews, pushing stolen shopping carts, are constantly in t... ...wnfield issues. Sources Cited: Bartsch. Charles. "Financing Brownfield Cleanup and Redevelopment:. 22 March 2001. www.nemw.org/brownfin.htm Sustain The Environmental Information Group. Beyond Sprawl-Chicago Area Land Use Guide. 22 March 2001. www.sustainusa.org/landuseguide/3economics.html United States Environmental Protection Agency. Brownfields Showcase Community. Washington, DC. Nov. 1998. www.epa.gov/brownfields/ United States Environmental Protection Agency. Brownfields Supplemental Assistance. Washington, DC. April 2000. www.epa.gov/brownfields/ United States Environmental Protection Agency. Regional Brownfields Assessment Pilot. Washington, DC April 1997. www.epa.gov/brownfields/ Williams, Drew. "Brwonfields: Chicago starts Reclaiming Its Urban Sprawl". 22 March 2001. www.pollutionengineering.com/archives/1996/pol0601.96/06reprot.htm

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury :: essays research papers

Bradbury ties personal freedom to the right of an individual having the freedom of expression when he utilizes the issue of censorship in Fahrenheit 451. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances. The common reading of the First Amendment is that commitment to free speech is not the acceptance of only non-controversial expressions that enjoy general approval. To accept a commitment to the First Amendment means, in the words of Justice Holmes, â€Å"freedom for what we hate.† As quoted in Students’ Right to Read (NCTE, 1982), â€Å"Censorship leaves students with an inadequate and distorted picture of the ideals, values, and problems of their culture. Writers may often be the spokesmen of their culture, or they may stand to the side, attempting to describe and evaluate that culture. Yet, partly because of censorship or the fear of censorship, many writers are ignored or inadequately represented in the public schools, and many are represented in anthologies not by their best work but by their safest or least offensive work.† What are the issues involved in censorship? Imagine that a group wants to ban Fahrenheit 451 because Montag defies authority. For the sake of the argument, assume for a moment that you wish to â€Å"ban† Fahrenheit 451 from the library shelves. To do so, you must do a number of things. First, you must establish why defying authority is wrong. What are its consequences? What are the probable effects on youth to see flagrant disregard of authority? (In regard to these questions, you may want to read Plato’s Apology to get a sense of how to argue the position.) Second, you must have some theory of psychology, either implied or directly stated. That is, you must establish how a reading of Fahrenheit 451 would inspire a student to flagrantly disregard authority. Why is reading bad for a student? How can it be bad? Next, you must establish how a student who reads Fahrenheit 451 will read the book and extract from it a message that says â€Å"Defy Authority Whenever Possible† and then act on this message. You must then reconcile whatever argument you construct with the responsibilities that accompany accepting the rights of the First Amendment.

Regional Interactions Essay

†¢ As in the previous chapter, this time period witnessed a tremendous growth in long-distance trade due to improvements in technology. Trade through the Silk Road, the Indian Ocean, the trans-Saharan trade route, and the Mediterranean Sea led to the spread of ideas, religions, and technology. During the period known as Pax Mongolia, when peace and order were established in Eurasia due to the vast Mongol Empire, trade and cultural interaction were at their height. †¢ Major technological developments such as the compass, improved shipbuilding technology, and gunpowder shaped the development of the world. AP EXPERT TIP When you are reading about a given situation, try to visualize where in the world those developments are taking place. Alternatively, reproduce a blank world map and take notes in the proper geographic region as you read. †¢ The movement of people greatly altered our world. Nomadic groups such as the Turks, Mongols, and Vikings, for instance, interacted with settled people—often because of their technology—leading to further change and development. One of the worst epidemic diseases in history, the bubonic plague (or Black Death), spread during this period due to the movement of people and their increased interaction. †¢ Religions such as Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism promoted the equality of all believers in the eyes of God. And though patriarchal values continued to dominate, the monastic life available in Buddhism and Christianity offered an alternative path for women. †¢ The spread of religion aided by the increase in trade often acted as a unifying force, though it sometimes caused conflict. Christianity and the Church served as the centralizing force in Western Europe, and throughout East Asia, the spread of Confucianism and Buddhism solidified a cultural  identity. The new religion of Islam created cultural world known as dar-al Islam, which transcended political boundaries. †¢ The political structures of many areas adapted and changed in response to the new conditions of the world. Centralized empires like the Byzantine, the Arab Caliphates, and the Tang and Song dynasties built on the successful models of the past, while decentralized areas (Western Europe and Japan) developed political organizations that more effectively dealt with their specific conditions. The movements of the Mongols altered much of Asia’s political structure for a time, and recovery from that Mongol period introduced political structures that defined many areas for centuries to follow. Look more:  asian foot binding essay POST-CLASSICAL CHINA Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT Following the fall of the Han dynasty, China returned to rule by regional small kingdoms for the next 400 years. It was not until 581 CE that the Sui dynasty emerged, using Buddhism and the Confucian civil service system to establish legitimacy. The Sui dynasty started the construction of the Grand Canal and launched numerous campaigns to expand the empire. Rebellions overthrew the Sui in 618. The Tang dynasty that followed was more focused on scholars than on soldiers. It did, however, expand its territory beyond China proper to Tibet and Korea. It also completed the Grand Canal and offered support to Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism. The capital, Changan, was a major political center, which foreign diplomats visited from the Byzantine and Arab worlds. In the middle of the eighth century CE, Tang power declined as higher taxes created tension within the population. Peasant rebellions led to more independent regional rule and to the abdication of the emperor. After this, there was a period of rule by regional warlords for the next 50 years. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The dynasty established military garrisons, which allowed for the protection and security of Silk Road trade. An equal field system was established in which all peasants were given land in return for tax in grain and unpaid labor; at death they were to return the land to the government. Changan was a major trading center and cosmopolitan city. The West Market there flourished with Indian, Iranian, Syrian, and Arab traders and their goods. By 640 CE, its population reached 2 million, making it the largest city in the world. Neighbors, such as Japan or Siam, became tributary states to China. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Culturally, the Tang dynasty was heavily influenced by the spread of Buddhism. Empress Wu started a school dedicated to Buddhist and Confucian scholarship and art. Toward the end of the dynasty, Buddhism, a â€Å"foreign religion,† was attacked for its economic and political power. From 841 to 845 CE, an anti-Buddhist campaign destroyed many monasteries. In the wake of this backlash, neo-Confucianism developed: Confucian scholars wanted a new form of Confucianism that would limit foreign influence. The result was an integration of Buddhist and Confucian ideas. Some ideas included individual self-improvement, the goodness of human beings, and the goal to strive and perfect oneself. Women’s marriages during the Tang dynasty were arranged within their own social class, but upper-class women could own property, move about in public, and even remarry. Poetry flourished with such poets as Li Bai and Du Fu. Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT By 960 CE, the Song dynasty had re-established centralized control over China. The civil service exam system retained great prominence, successfully checking the power of the aristocracy. The Song de-emphasized a military approach and instead re-established the tribute system with its nomad neighbors. This involved â€Å"paying off† the nomads with such gifts as bolts of silk to keep the peace. The Song, however, experienced military and economic problems. The scholar-controlled professional army was often ineffective,  and too much paper money in circulation caused inflation. By 1126 CE, they had lost the northern half of the empire to nomads. The Southern Song continued to flourish until 1274, but military threats continued, and finally the greatest of all northern groups invaded in the 1200s, absorbing the Song dynasty into the new Mongol Empire. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Rice production doubled due to new fast-ripening rice from Champa. Internal trade from the Yellow Sea and Grand Canal flourished due to the increased number of merchants and the growth in population. The capital of Kaifeng became a manufacturing center with its production of cannons, movable type printing, water-powered mills, looms, and high-quality porcelain. China had more per capita production than any other country in the world. Minted copper coins were used as money and eventually were replaced with paper currency. Officials collected taxes in cash—not goods—and letters of credit (known as flying cash) were used by merchants. The Southern Song established their capital at Hangzhou, and commerce soared. With their cotton sails and magnetic compasses, the Song had the most powerful navy in the world. As a result, the dynasty’s power shifted from the north to the south, and the Song became leaders in trade. Song goods made their way to Southeast Asia, India, Persia, and East Africa. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT During the Song dynasty, women were entitled to keep their dowries and had access to jobs as merchants, but they also were subject to a practice called foot binding. The practice originated with the aristocratic class and was viewed as a sign of wealth and status. Girls as young as six had their feet bound in order to secure a better marriage. Tang and Song Innovations †¢ The first use of the compass to aid maritime navigation †¢ A water-powered clock, demonstrating facility in mechanical engineering †¢ The invention of gunpowder—first demonstrated during the late 1000s CE, the  explosive combination of sulfur and saltpeter would alter weapons technology forever and lead to the first cannons, rockets, and incendiary bombs. †¢ Philosophy—neo-Confucian thought delved into ancient texts and further codified traditional Chinese philosophy; it blended Confucianism with elements of Daoism and Buddhism. †¢ A printing press with movable type †¢ Stylized and symbolic landscape painting †¢ Paper money, letters of credit (flying cash) JAPAN (around 800 to 1200 CE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT Japan’s geography as a group of islands led to the development of small isolated, independent communities. Clan members cooperated with each other much like a large, extended family. By the 600s, the Yamato clan had religious and cultural influence over other clans and wanted to copy China’s model of empire building. Its leaders began to call themselves emperors of Japan. The Fujiwara clan, which dominated between the ninth and twelfth centuries CE, sent emissaries to China and modeled their capital, Nara, on Changan. They could not, however, successfully introduce a Chinese-style bureaucracy, and a strict hereditary hierarchy developed instead. During the Kamakura Shogunate (1185–1333 CE), the emperor and his court kept their capital in Kyoto, yet a military dictatorship existed, ruled by powerful landholding clans. A Japanese form of feudalism developed in which the Shogun—supreme general—controlled the centralized military government and divided the land into regional units based on military power. The regional military leaders were the daimyo, and the warriors who fought for them were the samurai. Over the centuries, the samurai military class developed a strict warrior code called bushido. The emperor remained in power throughout this period, but served only as a symbolic figurehead. Many Shoguns were overthrown but the emperor was not. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Japan was a predominantly agrarian society with a local artisan class of weavers, carpenters, and ironworkers. Trade and manufacturing developed more in the Kamakura Period, when it focused on markets in larger towns and foreign trade with Korea and China. Most people were peasants who worked on land that was owned by a lord or by Buddhist monasteries. Though their freedom was limited, peasants could keep what was left of their harvest after paying their tax quota. Those unable to pay their taxes became landless laborers known as genin and could be bought and sold with the land. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Japan adopted many foreign ideas but remained culturally true to its own traditions. According to Shinto, the religion native to Japan, everything possesses a spirit, or kami. Natural forces and nature were awe-inspiring, and shrines were built to honor kami. The first ruler from the Yamato clan claimed descent from the supreme Shinto deity, the Sun Goddess. Japan was also strongly influenced by Korea and China. It adopted Chinese technology, Chinese script, and Buddhism (though Japan developed its own version of Buddhism, which added a strong aesthetic dimension, known as Zen Buddhism). In the Heian period (794 to 1185 CE), contact with China was cut off, and the culture turned to expressing Japanese values. Participating in a lavish court lifestyle, women dominated literature. The Tale of Genji, for instance, was written by Lady Murasaki. Wives inherited land from their husbands and often owned land, and priestesses dominated religious life. Over time, though, women lost power and influence. ISLAMIC CALIPHATES Islam: The Religion Prior to the spread of Islam, Arabs lived in separate, loyal, tribal groups and were often involved in overland and maritime trade. The city of Mecca later developed into an important religious site with a large influx of traders and pilgrims. The Kaaba, a black meteorite placed in the Great Mosque by Abraham, was in the center of the city, and most people  worshipped idols. Muhammad was born in 570 CE in Mecca. When he was 40, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and revealed that he had been selected to receive a divine message that there was only one all-powerful and all-knowing God, Allah, and that Muhammad was to be God’s messenger. Muhammad preached that all people were to submit to Allah and that everyone was equal in the eyes of Allah. Muhammad’s message was not met with enthusiasm in Mecca, and he fled to Medina in 622 CE, a journey known as the hegira. In Medina, he was viewed as a prophet and a political leader. Muhammad taught that he was the last of a long line of prophets from the Jewish and Christian scriptures that included Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. In 630 CE, he and his followers returned to Mecca, captured the city, and destroyed religious idols. After his death, Muhammad’s revelations were written down by his followers in the Quran. The word Islam means â€Å"submission to God’s will†. Islam is a universal religion that is open to everyone. Islam appealed to women because they had equal status to men before God, they could keep their dowries as wives, and there was a prohibition on female infanticide. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT By the time of Muhammad’s death, almost all of Arabia was under Islamic control. There was disagreement, however, over his successor. One group, the Shia, believed that the leader should be a descendant of Muhammad. The other group, the Sunni, preferred the community of Muslims to determine who would succeed him. The leader of the Muslims, the caliph, was both a political and spiritual leader. Five Pillars of Islam 1. Statement of faith: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. 2. Pray five times a day facing Mecca. 3. Give alms (charity) to the poor. 4. Fast during the holy month of Ramadan. 5. Make a pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca during one’s lifetime if able. After the first four caliphs, the Umayyad clan took control in 661 CE and transformed the caliphate into a hereditary monarchy, with its government  centered in Damascus. They continued on to conquer Syria, Egypt, Persia, and Byzantine territory in West Asia, North Africa, and Spain. Their military skills, the soldiers’ commitment to Islam, and the promise of plunder helped them in these conquests. The Umayyad Caliphate set up a bureaucratic structure in which local administrators governed their areas. All cultures were tolerated as long as people obeyed the rules, paid their taxes, and did not revolt. Arabic became the language of administration, business, law, and trade. The Abbasid clan overthrew the Umayyad dynasty in 750 CE and moved the capital of the empire to Baghdad, a political center and the second largest city in the world next to Changan. Eventually, the only remaining Umayyad prince settled in Spain and established a separate caliphate there. Berber tribesmen controlled much of the northern African coast, and the Mamluks revolted and gained control over Egypt from 1250 to 1517 CE. The term Dar al-Islam, or â€Å"all under Islam,† refers to those areas in which a Muslim is welcome. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Trade flourished throughout the caliphate and improved irrigation led to productive agriculture and an increase in tax revenues. Artisans flourished in the cities, making pottery, fabrics, and rugs. Paper was imported from China, and soon paper mills were set up. The vast Islamic empires also spread many types of agriculture, including sugarcane, citrus fruits, and coffee. Islam spread to West Africa through trans-Saharan trade, to East Africa and Southeast Asia through Indian Ocean trade, to Central Asia and China along the Silk Road, and to India through the migrations of the Turks. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Mosques, hospitals, schools, and orphanages were built throughout the empire. Intellectual achievements included the development of algebra, the concept of longitude and latitude, and the study of Greek philosophers such as Aristotle. The House of Wisdom, built in Baghdad in 830 CE, obtained Greek and Persian texts and translated them into Arabic. In art and architecture, the use of images was forbidden; instead, geometry and calligraphy were used to beautiful effect. Byzantine Empire (300 to 1453 CE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT The Byzantine Empire, a continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, was the only survivor from the classical age. The Roman Empire had officially been divided in 375 CE, with the western half severely weakened because the east produced the majority of grain and controlled the major trade routes. Emperor Justinian, who ruled from 527 to 565 CE, tried unsuccessfully to reconquer Western Rome. His Body of Civil Law (Justinian’s Code) was written, and he replaced Latin with Greek as the official language of the empire. The central government was a hereditary monarchy. It made law, had an efficient military, oversaw effective land distribution, and had a bureaucracy that answered to the emperor. The emperor was considered a co-ruler with Christ and appointed the patriarch. Military generals were appointed to rule, and free peasants were given land for military service. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Its location on the Mediterranean Sea contributed to strong trade in the Byzantine Empire. Silkworms were smuggled out of China, which allowed a Byzantine silk industry to develop. Artisans produced glassware, linen, jewelry, and gold and silver work. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Most people spoke Greek. In theory, there was social mobility through the bureaucracy, army, trade, or service to the Church, but in reality, mobility was limited. Constantinople was the political and intellectual center, with libraries containing Greek, Latin, Persian, and Hebrew texts. The Byzantine and Roman Christian churches had been growing apart since the fall of Rome, and a disagreement over the worship of icons—images of saints—was the final straw. The Pope and the Patriarch excommunicated each other, and in 1054 CE, the church officially split into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This Eastern Orthodox form of Christianity later spread to the Slavic people and Russia. DECENTRALIZED STATES IN EUROPE Western Europe—Early Middle Ages (around 500 to 1000 CE) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT Western Europe remained politically decentralized. The Franks came closest to re-establishing imperial control with the leadership of Clovis and, later, the Carolingian Empire of Charlemagne. Europe developed a feudal system in which land was given to vassals in exchange for military service, allowing them to gain power. The centralizing power during this period was the Church, and by the 13th century, the Church owned one-third of all the land in Europe. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT During this time, peasants became serfs; they had the right to work a portion of the land and could pass that right on to their children, but they could not leave the land. They could keep a portion of what they grew, but the majority of their earnings went to the lord. Serfs paid taxes for use of the lord’s mill, had to work on the lord’s lands, and had to provide gifts on holidays. These estates became large walled manors that were economically self-sufficient. They maintained mills, bakeries, and breweries. They had their own private armies served by armor-clad knights. The introduction of the heavy plow led to an increase in agricultural production. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Beginning in the 12th century, the code of conduct called chivalry developed. It stressed honor, modesty, loyalty, and duty. Monasteries were the dominant feature of social and cultural life, and they often had large landholdings. Monks preserved classical knowledge by hand-copying great literature and philosophical works. NOMADIC CULTURES Vikings (Dates of Influence—around 800 to 1100 CE) The Vikings were a nomadic group who had settled in present day Scandinavia.  In order to supplement their farm production, they conducted seasonal raids into Europe and ransacked towns. Using small and maneuverable boats, they terrorized coastal communities in France, Scotland, Ireland, and England. The Vikings eventually evolved from plunderers into traders and established communities in Scotland, northern France, and Eastern Europe. Scandinavia was gradually Christianized during this period. These outstanding seafarers also traded actively throughout the North Sea and Baltic Sea. In the 800s, they colonized Iceland and Greenland, and around 1000 CE, they established a colony that lasted only a few decades in Newfoundland, modern Canada. The transplanted Viking settlements in France became known as Normans (or â€Å"Northmen†). In 1066 CE, a Norman lord named William from northern France invaded England with his army. He defeated the Saxons and established Norman power in what is now Britain. Turks (Dates of Influence—around 1000 to 1450 CE) The Turks, a pastoral nomadic group from the central Asian steppes, began gradually to migrate out of the steppes at the end of the first millennium. They were often hired by Muslim leaders as mercenaries, or hired soldiers. The Seljuk Turks, who had converted to Islam, invaded Abbasid territory and captured Baghdad in 1055. The caliph was left as the spiritual authority of the empire, but the Seljuk Sultan became the secular monarch. By 1071 CE, they defeated the Byzantine Empire and took most of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). The Afghan Turks were nomads from Afghanistan and began a series of raids into India in the 10th century. They looted cities for gold and jewels and destroyed Hindu temples and then left. It wasn’t until the 12th century that they invaded and then started to govern. This started the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled northern India from 1206 to 1526 CE. These Turks introduced a strong Muslim presence in India. Mongols (Dates of Influence—around 1200 to 1550 CE) A second pastoral nomadic group from the central Asian steppes, the Mongols would go on to create the world’s largest empire. These nomadic herders’ lives revolved around their sheep, goats, and yaks for food, clothing, and  shelter; their camels for transportation; and their horses for mobility. This clan-based society was organized around bloodlines. Genghis Khan successfully united the various Mongol tribes, and their greatest strength was their mobility and military power. Once united, Genghis led his troops into Central Asia, Tibet, northern China, and Persia. In 1215 CE, the Mongols attacked and destroyed present-day Beijing. The Mongol charge continued into Afghanistan and Persia, yet by 1227 CE, the Great Khan died, and his empire was divided amongst his four sons. CHINA: THE YUAN DYNASTY In 1276 CE, Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan, defeated the Southern Song dynasty, and for the first time, China was under foreign rule. Khan created a Chinese-style dynasty, adopting the Chinese name Yuan for it, with a fixed and regular tax payment system and a strong central government. Foreigners, not Chinese, were employed in the bureaucracy, and the civil service exam was not used. The Chinese were subject to different laws and were separated from the Mongols. Connecting Beijing to Vienna was a communication system using horse relays and 1,400 postal stations. In time, overland and maritime trade flourished, and though the Mongols were not directly involved in the trade, they welcomed merchants and foreigners. Merchants converted their foreign currency to paper money when they crossed into China. MIDDLE EAST: THE ILKHANATES In 1258 CE, Kublai’s brother, Hulegu, defeated the Abbasid Caliphate. The Mongols in the Middle East employed local bureaucrats in the government and converted to Islam by 1295 CE. The local rulers were permitted to rule, as long as they delivered the tax revenue and maintained order. Though they did not support agriculture, they did facilitate trade, and Mongol culture often mixed with that of the conquered people. As the Mongols continued west, they met with their first and only major defeat. The armies of the Mamluks, a slave dynasty in Egypt, defeated the Mongols in 1260 CE and stopped the movement of the Mongols in that region. RUSSIA: THE GOLDEN HORDE The Mongol ruler Batu conquered and ruled Russia but kept a large number of the local rulers in power. The taxes on the peasants were heavy, but they were collected by Russian bureaucrats. Trade was supported, and although these Mongols were Muslim and conversion was encouraged, Christian missionaries were allowed to visit. PAX MONGOLIA At the peak of Mongolian power, with huge areas of Asia and Europe under one rule, there was a period called the Mongol Peace. For about a century, Mongol rule united two continents and allowed for relatively safe trade and contacts between very different cultures. It did so by eliminating tariffs. During this period, the Silk Road trade reached its greatest height. Paper money—a Chinese innovation—was used in many parts of the empire. It was also common for the Mongols to convert to or adopt the local religions, or at least be religiously tolerant. MONGOL DECLINE In 1274 and 1281 CE, the Mongols tried again to expand their empire—they invaded Japan. Typhoon winds destroyed their fleet both times, however. The Japanese believed these â€Å"kamikaze,† or â€Å"sacred winds,† had protected them. Despite great military accomplishment, the Mongol Empire lasted hardly three or four generations. While the Mongols were successful conquerors, they were poor administrators. Overspending led to inflation in different corners of the empire, and after the death of Kublai, leadership was weak and ineffectual. Rivalry among the successors of the great Khan further destabilized the empire, and the vast domain was divided among various generals. By 1350 CE, most of the Mongols’ huge territory had been reconquered by other armies. RESULTS OF MIGRATION AND COMMUNICATION West African Kingdoms The introduction of the domesticated camel allowed for an increased flow of trade across the Sahara Desert, and as a result, Muslim and North African merchants began to establish commercial relations with West Africa. Ghana (around 500 to 1200 CE) Ghana was a regional state around the 400s or 500s CE, and an increase in trans-Saharan trade led to its growth in power and influence. By 800 CE the many farming villages in the area were united to create the kingdom of Ghana. It became an important commercial site and a center for trade in gold from the south, which it controlled and taxed. In return, it received ivory, slaves, horses, cloth, and salt. As Ghana’s wealth increased, it built an army funded by the tax on trade. In the 900s CE, the kings converted to Islam, which led to improved relations with Muslim merchants. Islam was not forced on the people, however, and traditional animistic beliefs continued to be important. Those who engaged in trade often converted to Islam. After 1000 CE, Ghana found itself under assault from northern Berbers and other tribal groups nearby. It was eventually absorbed by the West African kingdom of Mali. Mali (1235 to late 1400s CE) The trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt continued to increase. Mali controlled and taxed all trade. The rulers honored Islam and provided protection and lodging for merchants. The Sundiata is an epic poem that tells how the first Mali emperor came to power; it was composed and recited by Mali griots or storytellers. The most famous Mali emperor was Mansa Musa, who ruled from 1312 to 1337. He built libraries, Islamic schools, and mosques throughout the kingdom. Timbuktu was the political capital and a regional cultural center of Islamic studies and art for all of West Africa. After 1350 CE, provinces began to assert their independence.