Enlightenment Philosophers Essay

John Locke (1632-1704) The British philosopher John Locke was especially known for his liberal, anti-authoritarian theory of the state[->0], his empirical theory of knowledge, his advocacy of religious toleration, and his theory of personal identity. In his own time, he was famous for arguing that the divine right of kings is supported neither by scripture nor by the use of reason. In developing his theory of our duty to obey the state, he attacked the idea that might makes right: Starting from an initial state of nature with no government, police or private property, we humans could discover by careful reasoning that there are natural laws[->1] which suggest that we have natural rights[->2] to our own persons and to our own labor. Eventually we could discover that we should create a social contract[->3] with others, and out of this contract emerges our political obligations and the institution of private. This is how reasoning places limits on the proper use of power by government authorities. Regarding epistemology[->4], Locke disagreed with Descartes[->5]‘ rationalist theory that knowledge is any idea that seems clear and distinct to us. Instead, Locke claimed that knowledge is direct awareness of facts concerning the agreement or disagreement among our ideas. By â€Å"ideas,† he meant mental objects, and by assuming that some of these mental objects represent non-mental objects he inferred that this is why we can have knowledge of a world external to our minds. Although we can know little for certain and must rely on probabilities[->6], he believed it is our God-given obligation to obtain knowledge and not always to acquire our beliefs by accepting the word of authorities[->7] or common superstition. Ideally our beliefs should be held firmly or tentatively depending on whether the evidence is strong or weak. He praised the scientific reasoning of Boyle and Newton as exemplifying this careful formation of beliefs. He said that at birth our mind has no innate ideas; it is blank, a tabula rasa. As our mind gains simple ideas from sensation, it forms complex ideas from these simple ideas by processes of combination, division, generalization and abstraction. Radical for his time, Locke asserted that in order to help children not develop bad habits of thinking, they should be trained to base their beliefs on sound evidence, to learn how to collect this evidence, and to believe less strongly when the evidence is weaker. We all can have knowledge of God[->8]‘s existence by attending to the quality of the evidence available to us, primarily the evidence from miracles[->9]. Our moral obligations, says Locke, are divine commands[->10]. We can learn about those obligations both by God’s revealing them to us and by our natural capacities to discover natural laws. He hoped to find a deductive system[->11] of ethics in analogy to our deductive system of truths of geometry. Regarding personal identity[->12], Locke provided an original argument that our being the same person from one time to another consists neither in our having the same soul nor the same body, but rather the same consciousness. Thomas Hobbes (1588 -1679): Moral and Political Philosophy The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes is best known for his political thought, and deservedly so. His vision of the world is strikingly original and still relevant to contemporary politics. His main concern is the problem of social and political order: how human beings can live together in peace and avoid the danger and fear of civil conflict. He poses stark alternatives: we should give our obedience to an unaccountable sovereign (a person or group empowered to decide every social and political issue). Otherwise what awaits us is a â€Å"state of nature† that closely resembles civil war – a situation of universal insecurity, where all have reason to fear violent death and where rewarding human cooperation is all but impossible. His most famous work is Leviathan, a classic of English prose (1651; a slightly altered Latin edition appeared in 1668). Leviathan expands on the argument of De Cive, mostly in terms of its huge second half that deals with questions of religion. One controversy has dominated interpretations of Hobbes. Does he see human beings as purely self-interested or egoistic[->13]? Several passages support such a reading, leading some to think that his political conclusions can be avoided if we adopt a more realistic picture of human nature. However, most scholars now accept that Hobbes himself had a much more complex view of human motivation. A major theme below will be why the problems he poses cannot be avoided simply by taking a less â€Å"selfish† view of human nature. Hobbes’s moral thought is difficult to disentangle from his politics. On his view, what we ought to do depends greatly on the situation in which we find ourselves. Where political authority is lacking (as in his famous natural condition of mankind[->14]), our fundamental right seems to be to save our skins, by whatever means we think fit. Where political authority exists, our duty seems to be quite straightforward: to obey those in power. But we can usefully separate the ethics from the politics if we follow Hobbes’s own division. For him ethics is concerned with human nature, while political philosophy deals with what happens when human beings interact. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712—1778) Jean-Jacques Rousseau was one of the most influential thinkers during the Enlightenment in eighteenth century Europe. His first major philosophical work, A Discourse on the Sciences and Arts, was the winning response to an essay contest conducted by the Academy of Dijon in 1750. In this work, Rousseau argues that the progression of the sciences and arts has caused the corruption of virtue and morality. This discourse won Rousseau fame and recognition, and it laid much of the philosophical groundwork for a second, longer work, The Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. The second discourse did not win the Academy’s prize, but like the first, it was widely read and further solidified Rousseau’s place as a significant intellectual figure. The central claim of the work is that human beings are basically good by nature, but were corrupted by the complex historical events that resulted in present day civil society. Rousseau’s praise of nature is a theme that continues throughout his later works as well, the most significant of which include his comprehensive work on the philosophy of education, the Emile, and his major work on political philosophy, The Social Contract: both published in 1762. These works caused great controversy in France and were immediately banned by Paris authorities. Rousseau fled France and settled in Switzerland, but he continued to find difficulties with authorities and quarrel with friends. The end of Rousseau’s life was marked in large part by his growing paranoia and his continued attempts to justify his life and his work. This is especially evident in his later books, The Confessions, The Reveries of the Solitary Walker, and Rousseau: Judge of Jean-Jacques. Rousseau greatly influenced Immanuel Kant’s work on ethics. His novel Julie or the New Heloise impacted the late eighteenth century’s Romantic Naturalism movement, and his political ide als were championed by leaders of the French Revolution. The Social Contract is, like the Discourse on Political Economy, a work that is more philosophically constructive than either of the first two Discourses. Furthermore, the language used in the first and second Discourses is crafted in such a way as to make them appealing to the public, whereas the tone of the Social Contract is not nearly as eloquent and romantic. Another more obvious difference is that the Social Contract was not nearly as well-received; it was immediately banned by Paris authorities. And although the first two Discourses were, at the time of their publication, very popular, they are not philosophically systematic. The Social Contract, by contrast, is quite systematic and outlines how a government could exist in such a way that it protects the equality and character of its citizens. But although Rousseau’s project is different in scope in the Social Contract than it was in the first two Discourses, it would be a mistake to say that there is no philosophical c onnection between them. For the earlier works discuss the problems in civil society as well as the historical progression that has led to them. The Discourse on the Sciences and Arts claims that society has become such that no emphasis is put on the importance of virtue and morality. The Discourse on the Origin of Inequality traces the history of human beings from the pure state of nature through the institution of a specious social contract that results in present day civil society. The Social Contract does not deny any of these criticisms. In fact, chapter one begins with one of Rousseau’s most famous quotes, which echoes the claims of his earlier works: â€Å"Man was/is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.† (Social Contract, Vol. IV, p. 131). But unlike the first two Discourses, the Social Contract looks forward, and explores the potential for moving from the specious social contract to a legitimate one. Voltaire (1694-1778) Voltaire (real name Franà §ois-Marie Arouet) (1694 – 1778) was a French philosopher and writer of the Age of Enlightenment[->15]. His intelligence, wit and style made him one of France’s greatest writers and philosophers, despite the controversy he attracted. He was an outspoken supporter of social reform (including the defense of civil liberties, freedom of religion and free trade), despite the strict censorship laws and harsh penalties of the period, and made use of his satirical works to criticize Catholic dogma and the French institutions of his day. Along with John Locke[->16], Thomas Hobbes[->17] and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, his works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions. He was a prolific writer, and produced works in almost every literary form (plays, poetry, novels, essays, historical and scientific works, over 21,000 letters and over two thousand books and pamphlets). As his best-known work, Candideis a satirical examination on numerous themes like religion, philosophy, and government, written in the mordant wit and skepticism that Voltaire employs in so many of his works. Translated to numerous languages and adapted to the stage and screen, Voltaire’s opus continues to be widely read over two centuries later. Voltaire certainly gained enough real life experience to garner a cynical attitude towards established dogmatic institutions that repressed the individual during his lifetime. Why does so much evil exist, seeing that everything is formed by a God whom all theists are agreed in naming â€Å"good?† (â€Å"Why?† Philosophical Dictionary, 1764). In his later years Voltaire championed the rights of victims of religious, cultural, and political persecution, sharing many of the same views as Jean Jacques Rousseau[->18] (1712-1778) Charles- de Montesquieu (1689 – 1755)Montesquieu was a French[->19] social commentator and political thinker[->20] who lived during the Enlightenment[->21]. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers[->22], taken for granted in modern discussions of government[->23] and implemented in many constitutions[->24] throughout the world. Montesquieu’s most influential work divided French society into three classes (or trias politica, a term he coined): the monarchy[->25], the aristocracy[->26], and the commons[->27]. Montesquieu saw two types of governmental power existing: the sovereign[->28] and the administrative. The administrative powers were the executive[->29], the legislative[->30], and the judicial[->31]. These should be separate from and dependent upon each other so that the influence of any one power would not be able to exceed that of the other two, either singly or in combination. This was a radical idea because it completely eliminated the three Estates[->32] structure of the French Monarchy: the clergy[->33], the aristocracy, and the people at large represented by the Estates-General[->34], thereby erasing the last vestige of a feudalistic[->35] structure.Likewise, there were three main forms of government, each supported by a social â€Å"principle†: monarchies[->36] (free governments headed by a hereditary figure, e.g. king, queen, emperor), which rely on the principle of honor; republics[->37] (free governments headed by popularly elected leaders), which rely on the principle of virtue; and despotisms[->38] (enslaved governments headed by dictators[->39]), which rely on fear. The free governments are dependent on fragile constitutional arrangements. Montesquieu devotes four chapters of The Spirit of the Laws to a discussion of England, a contemporary free government, where liberty was sustained by a balance of powers. Montesquieu worried that in France the intermediate powers (i.e., the nobility) which moderated the power of the prince were being eroded. These ideas of the control of power were often used in the thinking of Maximilien de Robespierre[->40].Montesquieu was somewhat ahead of his time in advocating major reform of slavery in The Spirit of the Laws[->41]. As part of his advocacy he presented a satirical hypothetical list of arguments for slavery[->42], which has been open to contextomy[->43]. However, like many of his generation, Montesquieu also held a number of views that might today be judged controversial. He firmly accepted the role of a hereditary aristocracy and the value of primogeniture[->44], and while he endorsed the idea that a woman could head a state, he held that she could not be effective as the head of a family.|| Thomas Jefferson (1741-1826) Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia in 1743 and died on July 4, 1826, t the same day as John[->45] Adams, his life long associate and friend. Their e relationship illustrates the dichotomy that was Thomas Jefferson. He a was the author of the Declaration of Independence, a Secretary of State, a an envoy to France, the third president of the United States, a founder of t the Democratic-Republican party, the anti-federalists party. Baron Charles de Montesquieu’s views on the separation of powers, and t the protection for the rights of the citizenry influenced Jefferson. He believed in the virtues of â€Å"checks and balances† in the formation of the national government, its secured rights and protection for the people. While his views of humanity were more idealistic than those of Madison, they were in agreement for different reasons, for controlling a strong central government. Jefferson, however, opted more for states rights as a means of protection for America’s citizen, an attitude that exemplified his anti-Federalist views. His political thinking was in some respects Newtonian, and he saw social systems as analogous to physical systems. Under this philosophy, love takes the place in the social world that gravity does in the physical world, so that all people are naturally attracted to each other, and it is dependence that corrupts this attraction and results in political problems. Wood argues that, though the phrase â€Å"all men are created equal† was a clichà © in the late 18th century, Jefferson took it further than most. Jefferson held that not only are all men created equal, but they remain equal throughout their lives, equally capable of this attractive love, and that it is their level of dependence that make them unequal in practice. Thus, removing all this corrupting dependence would make all men equal in practice. Thus, Jefferson idealized a future relatively devoid of dependence, in particular those caused by banking or royal influences. Jefferson’s concepts of democracy were rooted in The Enlightenment[->46]. He envisioned democracy an expression of society as a whole, calling for national self-determination, cultural uniformity, and based upon the education of the all the people. The emphasis on uniformity allowed no opportunity for a multiracial republic in which some groups were not fully assimilated into the identical republican values William Blackstone (1723-1780) Blackstone was the great Eighteenth Century English legal scholar whose philosophy and writings were infused with Judeo-Christian principles. The Ten Commandments are at the heart of Blackstone’s philosophy. Blackstone taught that man is created by God and granted fundamental rights by God. Man’s law must be based on God’s law. Our Founding Fathers referred to Blackstone more than to any other English or American authority. Blackstone’s great work, Commentaries on the Laws of England, was basic to the U. S. Constitution. This work has sold more copies in America than in England and was a basic textbook of America’s early lawyers. It was only in the mid-Twentieth Century that American law, being re-written by the U. S. Supreme Court, repudiated Blackstone. An attack on Blackstone is an attack on the U. S. Constitution and our nation’s Judeo-Christian foundations. Blackstone’s Commentaries draws on standard authorities from Bracton onwar d, especially Matthew Hale’s Analysis of the Law, but it is far more accessible. Book I, â€Å"Rights of Persons,† deals with government, church, corporations, and individuals; Book II, â€Å"Rights of Things,† with property, especially land; Book III, â€Å"Private Wrongs,† with torts; and Book IV, â€Å"Public Wrongs,† with crime and punishment. An immediate success—contemporary readers included George III, Burke, Edmund[->47], Charles James Fox, and legions of lawyers and laymen—it went through eight British editions in his lifetime and fifteen more by 1854, as well as numerous abridgements. The standard legal textbook for a century, it helped establish law as a university subject. The first of many American editions appeared in 1771-72, and it was translated into French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Though outdated in some particulars, Blackstone remains widely read. Though systematic and thorough, Blackstone was conservative and provincial. He argued that the king could do no wrong, though he regarded parliament as essential and endorsed the separation of powers. He was convinced of the superiority of English common law, though his knowledge of civil law was limited (what he knew came from Burlamaqui, Jean-Jacques[->48], Grotius, Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de[->49], and Pufendorf). His constitutional theory drew upon John Locke and Montesquieu, but he was not an Enlightenment creature. He had numerous critics: Priestley, Joseph[->50] objected to his comments on religious dissenters and most famously, Bentham, Jeremy[->51] denounced his views on the sovereignty of government, as did John Austin later. Other critics included Boswell, James[->52], Gibbon, Edward[->53], and Johnson, Samuel[->54].

Investigatory Project Essay

1. Get an idea. All of the following steps will base on your idea. Make sure it doesn’t break any rule or else you might get disqualified. You can search for it if you don’t have any idea. 2. Form a title. Usually titles are in a form of a question. This are examples. The question can start in how, does and many other. Does temperature affect the growth of molds? Does salt affect the density of water? 3. Research your idea. You have to know your idea more. You can do this by reading, surfing the Internet or discussing it. Knowing your idea more will help you construct your work. 4. Form a hypothesis. Hypothesis will be your prediction in the idea that you choose. You don’t need to research for this. You just have to guess. Make sure it is accurate and clear. 5. Plan your experiment. Your experiment will confirm your hypothesis. Make sure the experiment will answers or really confirms the hypothesis. 6. Plan your materials. You will need on your experiment. Make sure they are easy to buy and cheap. As much as possible, plan materials that is already in your house. 7. Test your experiment. Use the steps that you have planed. If all else fails try a different step or a different material. If you really want to win the science fair, this will be a big step for you. 8. Observe the result. Sometimes it is in a form of a graph but it depends on your work. You can write it in a journal so you can review it. 9. Have a conclusion. Now that you have confirmed your hypothesis, it’s time to write a conclusion. You can answer the question in your title. You may also tell if your hypothesis is correct or not. Again, make sure it is accurate and clear. Most of us have conducted an investigatory science project without even knowing it—or at least without knowing that’s what it was called. Most science experiments performed, from elementary to high school students and all the way up to professional scientists, are investigatory projects. What’s an Investigatory Project Exactly? An investigatory project is basically any science experiment where you start with an issue or problem and conduct research or an investigation to decide what you think the outcome will be. After you’ve created your hypothesis or  proposal, you can conduct a controlled experiment using the scientific method to arrive at a conclusion. What’s the Scientific Method? Remember, however, that a successful investigatory science project does not necessarily have to result in the intended outcome. The purpose of these projects is to think critically, and if the solution doesn’t work out, that doesn’t mean your project will fail. What Kind of Investigatory Projects Are There? In order to conduct a great investigatory experiment, you have to ask an interesting question and be able to conduct an experiment that can hopefully answer that question. The harder and more intriguing the initial question is, the better the resulting investigation and experiment will be. I’ve listed a few examples below of some of the best investigatory experiments out there, so hopefully you’ll have no problem coming up with an idea. Project #1: Making Soap Out of Guava Basic hygiene should be available to everyone, but what about people who live in areas without easy access to grocery stores or pharmacies? This is a great question that makes you think about scientific alternatives to store-bought soap. Below is an example project that creates soap from guava leaf extract and sodium hydroxide, but there’s no shortage of materials you can use to replace the guava, like coconut oil or a fat like lard, butter or even the grease from your kitchen. Doing an investigatory project considers as a major achievement of any students in Science. Through scientific investigation, they learn how to apply the acquired knowledge, scientific concepts, theories, principles and laws of nature. They can use their higher-order process or thinking skills in conducting a research. Let us provide you a brief description of the parts of the Science Investigatory Project Report below. Title The Title should be clear and precise. It has an objective or purpose. It should not be written too long or too short. By just reading the title, you can determine what the investigative study is all about. Abstract The Abstract should be one or two paragraphs only. It includes your research problems, the method or procedure that you used and the findings or conclusion of the study. Chapter I 1. Introduction and Its Background The Introduction is about one page only wherein it includes the background of the study and its rationale. It usually leads into the research problem. 2. Statement of the Problem The Statement of the Problem has two categories namely: the general problem and specific problems. Usually, one general problem and three specific problems which derived from the general problem. The research problems should be specific, reliable,valid, measurable, objectively stated. It can be a question form or in a declarative statement. 3. Formulation of the Hypothesis The Formulation of the Hypothesis has two types namely: the null hypothesis and affirmative hypothesis. Hypotheses is a scientific guess which intends subject for thorough investigation. It is recommended to use null hypothesis in your research project. 4. Significant of the Study The Significant of the Study indicates how important is your investigatory project for the people, environment and community as a whole. It is really relevant in the changing world or global impact into the field of technology. 5. Scope and Delimitation of the Study The Scope and Delimitation of the Study covers the range of your research. It includes the period of research, the materials and equipment to be used, the subject of the study or the sample of the study, the procedure and the statistical treatment to be used. 6. Definition of Terms The Definition of Terms has two types: the Dictionary-derived definitions and the Operational definitions which derived from how these terms were used in your research. Chapter II Review of Related Literature and Studies Related Literature The Related Literature are statements taken from science books, journals, magazines, newspapers and any documents from authorized scientists, Science experts or well-known Science agencies. These statements can support your study through their concepts, theories, principles and laws. Footnoting is important on this part. Related Studies The Related Studies are those researches which may be local and foreign studies who can attribute to your research or can support your investigation scientifically. Footnoting is also important on this part. Chapter III Methodology has several parts namely: the subject of the study, the procedure and the statistical treatment 1. The Subject of the Study The Subject of the Study includes your population and the sample. It applies the sampling techniques to obtain a good sample of the study. Your sample should be valid and reliable. 2. The Procedure The Procedure is the step by step and systematic process of doing your research. It includes the materials with right amount of measurements, the appropriate equipment to be used in doing the scientific investigation. It consists of several trials with control variables, independent variables and dependent variables. Gathering of data is essential in any kind of research. It is recommended to use control and experimental set-ups to arrive at valid conclusion. 3. The Statistical Treatment The Statistical Treatment comes in various ways. It can be mean, median, mode, percentage, Chi-square, standard deviation, T-test, Pearson r, Spearman rank or Anova I or Anova II. It is recommended to use T-test in any experimental research. Chapter IV Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data 1. Presentation of Data, Analysis and Interpretation of Data The data gathered should be presented in order to be analyzed. It may be presented in two forms namely: through table or graph. You may use both of them if you want to clearly figure out your data. A table has labels with quantity, description and units of measurement. Graph has several types namely the  line graph, bar graph, pie graph and pictograph. Choose what type of graph that you prefer to use. Analyze the data that had been gathered, presented in table or graph scientifically. You interpret the data according to what had been quantified and measured. The numerical data should be interpreted clearly in simple and descriptive statements. 2. Results Results show the findings or outcomes of your investigation. The result must be based according to the interpreted data. Chapter V Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation 1. Summary The Summary briefly summarizes your research from Chapter I to Chapter IV which includes the research problems, methodology and findings. It consists of one or two paragraphs only. 2. Conclusion The Conclusion is the direct statement based on findings or results. It should answer your hypothesis and research problems. 3. Recommendation The Recommendation is given based on your conclusion. You may give few recommendations which you think can help the fellow Science students, researchers, consumers or the entire community where people live in.

Causes and Prevention of Burnout in Human Services Staff

Burnout is a condition that can affect people in different ways and in all career choices. Burnout is also a condition that is brought on by stressors that have built up in an individual’s professional and personal life. Burnout can cause employees to become disillusioned and develop a non-caring attitude about work-related and personal issues. This paper will explore the definition of burnout, factors that cause burnout and methods to prevent burnout. The writer will also examine his own personality and share how to react and respond to personal and work-related stress. Lastly, the writer will discuss how a human service manager will be alert and assist staff with burnout. Burnout Helpguide (2010) describes burnout as a state emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress, which occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. In a situation where an employee used to display extreme high energy towards a job along with motivation and commitment, burnout causes them to lose interest, feel useless, and incompetent. This condition is found in individuals who work in high-stress workplace environments. Lewis, Lewis and Packard (2007) describe three major factors of burnout as emotional exhaustion, a feeling of low personal accomplishment with clients, and a sense of depersonalization. When this occurs human service workers have a dehumanizing, uncaring attitude toward clients (Lewis, Lewis and Packard 2007). When the human services worker’s attitude toward the client is affected, then his productivity within the organization is affected also. Burnout ffects the workers as well as well as the organization. An organization suffers from burnout by having high turnover rates, employees calling in sick and low productivity. If an employee quits a job due to burnout, the organization has to then shovel out more time and funds to train new employees. This behavior can then cause burnout or anxiety among the other employees because their workload has increased due an employee quitting and training of a new employee. An organization’s awareness of burnout can elimination the problems that are caused by burnout. Causes of Burnout Lewis, Lewis and Packard (2007) wrote that it wasn’t until 1974 when Herber Freudenberger posited the concept of burnout as an occupational disease. The author also believes that possible causes of burnout happen at the individual, organizational, and cultural levels. Individual burnout occurs when a human services worker sets unrealistic high career goals. A human services worker burnouts trying to reach the goals. At the organizational level, burnout occurs when competition is present along with conflict. Lewis, Lewis and Packard (2007) states burnout occurs at this level when the norms are bureaucratic rather than flexible management philosophies. An individual will also experience burnout at this level when he or she is overloaded with work. Supervisors have to show support to employees otherwise burnout will occur. Cultural differences within an organization can cause burnout in employees. The workplace environment has to be staged in a manner that respects all cultures to avoid burnout. Avoidance of burnout takes some serious organizational and people skills for the upper level management team, supervisory staff, and employees. Awareness and Prevention of Burnout If the warning signs of burnout are present, they will only worsen if avoided. Careful observation of self and from supervisory staff will prevent total burnout. An individual can start his or her day with a relaxation ritual such as meditation, inspirational writing or reading. Healthy eating and boundaries are also ways an individual can prevent burnout. Supervisors an reduce caseloads by welcoming volunteers into the organization to assist with the work. Flextime, part time and job sharing can also provide relief from demanding jobs (Lewis, Lewis and Packard 2007). The individual and supervisors have to work together to make the workplace environment non-stressful as possible. The work the employees complete is beneficial to the organization and clients. Without the employees in the right state of mind, the productivity will be low quality. Personal Observation After careful evaluation of the writer’s personality, she reacts to work-related stress by talking about the issues at hand. Communication is a key element for the writer when dealing with work-related stress. Evaluation of an issue with a plan for organization is one of the first steps the writer takes in finding a solution. At different times of the year, beginning and end of school year, the writer experiences a high stress level at work due to the high demand of productivity at these times. The writer works on weekends when the other staff is not in weekends when the other staff is not in to take advantage of the quiet work environment. At different intervals during the school year, the writer has to re-evaluate the situation, reorganize and re-group to gain control and calm in order to be a productive employee. The writer never allows a total burnout to occur. The situation always comes to a halt when the need is recognized through careful observation. Staff Burnout Assistance Human services managers can intervene with staff burnout by offering assistance to reduce caseloads and provide in-service training on topics such as time management and organizational skills. Organizations can offer peer support groups that are common in some high-stress level jobs that have an increased number of caseloads. Peer support groups give employees an opportunity to share ideas and solutions. Employee counseling programs can offer employees an opportunity to talk about their problems with a professional before the burnout level is reached. Manager assistance with burnout is an important part of a supervisor’s responsibilities. A trickling effect of burnout can occur without positive support from supervisors. Conclusion With the recent changes in the workforce, this has contributed to the burnout of employees. Organizations laying off employees. Organizations laying off employees has caused an increased workload on the remaining employees. In turn, this can cause increased stress on employees. Managers should be aware of the signs of burnout and be ready to assist employees in whatever way necessary. Burnout can play a major role in the decrease of productivity in an organization. The writer has discussed pertinent information that can help employees and organizations become aware of and prevent burnout among employees.

Why was the Axis defeated in the Second World War and why did it take Essay - 2

Why was the Axis defeated in the Second World War and why did it take so long - Essay Example ajor issues.1 Firstly, they focused on expanding territorial domination and establishment of kingdoms based on military overthrow of the international order established after the First World War. The second initiative that the Axis partners wanted to achieve was to neutralize or destroy Soviet Communism.2 For instance, on 1 November 1936, Italy and Germany reflected on their common goal, which aimed at destabilizing the order, which was already established in Europe. During this time, they formed the Rome-Berlin Axis, which served as an indicator of friendship between the two countries. After a month, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany entered into an agreement titled Anti-Comintern Pact. This agreement was directed towards destabilizing the Soviet Union. On 6 November 1937, Italy joined efforts with the Anti-Comintern Pact to strengthen the initiatives of these countries further. Italy and Germany formed the Pact of Steel on 22 May 1939. This agreement led to the formalization of the Axis alliance, including various military provisions followed by these countries. On 27 September 1940, Japan, Italy, and Germany entered into the Tripartite Pact agreement, which led to the formation of the Axis alliance. These Axis powers contribute to various catastrophic errors as the Second World War was going on.3 These issues made the war to take longer than anticipated, based on the coordinated strategies these countries had implemented. This paper discusses the reasons why the Axis was defeated during the Second World War, considering the powers that the countries involved possessed in their respective regions territories. Various events led to the defeat of the Axis alliance and delays during World War 2. The invasion of Greece by Italy is one of the key contributing factors towards the defeat of the Axis alliance. Under the leadership of Mussolini, Italy decided to invade Greece without Germany’s knowledge. The country embarked on this initiative since Germany, which was a

Corporate governance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Corporate governance - Coursework Example Cadbury Report highlights the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman must not be allowed to become CEO and the same is applicable to the vice versa at the same. The Chairman is primarily responsible for the board’s working, and for its membership balance subject to board and approval of shareholders (ecgi, web). The Greenbury report focuses on the directors’ remuneration (icaew). The fundamental aim of this report is to identify good practice in identifying and determining directors’ remuneration; besides reporting a code of practice for UK PLCs. The Hampel report was designed to review the Cadbury report on corporate governance. Basically, this report enumerates all the elements discussed in the Cadbury report; this report talks about the role of directors and shareholders, directors’ remuneration, accountability and audit (ecgi, web). The Turnbull report talks about the internal controls. As the internal controls are the significant e lements of the corporate governance, the Turnbull report describes the significance and elements of a sound system of internal control (portal. survey, web). The Higgs Review puts light on the role of non-executive directors (national archieves, web). In this report, besides considerably stipulating the significance of the role of non-executive directors, the much emphasis is also placed on the effective role of non-executive directors. 2- Discuss the difference between the principles –based approach and the rules-based approach and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each for the practice of corporate governance. Answer The principles-based approach is applied in UK; on the other hand, the rules-based approach is applied in United States of America. The principles-based approach is based on the concept of â€Å"comply or explain approach.† Under this approach, a company is either to comply with the requirements mentioned in the framework or to explain a deci sion of non-compliance. On the other hand, a US corporation cannot avail this option; it has to comply with the requirements of the framework issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The principles-based approach is mostly driven by the market forces. As a result, if a company wants to avoid complying with the corporate governance Codes, and additionally if the company has valid reason to do so, this can increase the chances for more investment, which will generate more employment opportunities. The disadvantage of this approach is that if the UK government or a regulatory authority wants to enforce certain corporate practices, it may not be easy for them to do so. The major of advantage of rules-based approach is that a company will find it difficult to circumvent the unpleasant rules. As a result, this approach considerably reduces the chances of mal-corporate practices. In addition, investors knowing corporate governance structure of a company; would not avoid investing further into the company as their confidence level has considerably improved after the implementation of the rules-based approach. However, some disadvantages cannot be avoided. The rules-based approach are mandatory to be followed, some companies may avoid investing in the United States of America as there are inflexible corporate rules. In addition, existing companies may disinvest due to the presence of such rigid rules. 3-What is board effectiveness? Discuss how this can be achieved for UK firms. Use

Investigating a Case Study of a Literacy Learner Essay

Investigating a Case Study of a Literacy Learner - Essay Example Asked about her educational background, she gave confusing answers as to what level she finished school, because she mentioned something about earning a certificate to be a primary school teacher. She kept saying â€Å"grade 2 teacher†, and it was unclear if she meant she can only teach second grade or â€Å"grade 2† was a level of skill in Nigeria. Sarah understands that learning the English language well will open many doors for her. Being a second language, she admits difficulty in mastering it because back home, she uses her native language which is Yoruba. Her parents are illiterate people and she does not speak English to them. She adjusts her language to the people she relates to. If her friends understand English, then she speaks to them in English, but if not, then she resorts to her native language. She enrolled in the current class to further her skills in the English language. She knows that her vocabulary skills will improve with reading books and if there are words she does not understand, then she refers to a dictionary to check its meaning and how it should be pronounced. Her use of language can sometimes be unclear due to the run-on sentences she attempts to express. Her listener can get lost in comprehending what she means. Sometimes, she contradicts herself. She said â€Å"I don’t borrow any story book . I borrow my English, vocabulary yes†. It might be confusion on her part on the proper use of the English language, as she may be trying to translate what she wants to say from her native language. She admits, â€Å"I try for example I try to speak more than the way I am to have more knowledge in English to improve in order to further my education because for any step I want to take English is desiring me for that.†. Although to her listener, she may seem to say the say things in the same sentence, one needs to consider that it may be the way she emphasizes a point in her native Yoruba. To English speakers, it may sound too wordy and somehow nonsensical, but to Sarah it might make perfect sense. . Still, her interview provides much information on her yearning to improve herself, to reach her dream of becoming a nurse. It also reflects on how she treats people. From her explanation of her work experience, she enables people to be independent and not to be stagnant, and she would do anything to help them. She is indeed a lifelong learner and encourages others to be the same. Her overwhelming desire to optimize her potentials makes her move towards her goals, and she tries to overcome potential impediments such as work or busy schedules. The motivation to learn is affected by the reinforcements to learning namely intrinsic motivation or the inner drive to learn which leads to personal fulfillment; extrinsic motivation, which consists of rewards such as high grades or a prize for performing well; social reinforcement, an example of which is praise and approval from significant persons in an individual's life; and achievement, or the attaining of the learning goal. Having an interplay of the four kinds of reinforcement is the most effective way to motivate a learner to pursue more knowledge and acquire more skills (Stoll, L., Fink, D. & Earl, L., 2003). From the interview, Sarah’s main motivation is to be a nurse so she can continue enabling ot hers. Her journey to learning is more intrinsically motivated. Even how she assesses her improvement is intrinsic, as she said, â€Å"You know that when you love something you have to put all your effort because you are looking to achieve something on it, you have to put your effort how difficult it is you have to continue. When it’

Be able to make financial decisions based on financial information Assignment

Be able to make financial decisions based on financial information - Assignment Example Competitors may have offered new products having more superior quality that attract more number of customers. Another reason may be that the company might have changed the product price that may, in turn, result in a variance in the unit sales volume. The direct material price variance (Â £7,500) is the variation between actual material cost (Â £22,500) and budgeted material cost (Â £ 15,000). Here, the material price variance shows an unfavorable trend, as the actual cost is higher than the material. The other reason for the price variance may be due to the non accessibility of cash discounts that are actually expected at the time of deciding the price standards and also may be due to changes in transportation costs, careless purchasing and changes in the material standard. The total direct labor variance is found by evaluating actual cost of direct labor to the budgeted direct labor cost. If the actual cost is in excess of the budgeted cost, the resultant variances become unfavorable. This may be due to the usage of more labor hours as there is shortage of adequate experienced labors in the concerned cutlery manufacturing. The other reasons are the higher payment of labor rate per hour. The sum of unfavorable direct labor variance (1,875) is the combination of adverse direct labor efficiency variance of (5,625) + adverse direct labor rate variance of 3,750. The adverse variance in the material usage amounting (Â £ 3,000) are due to the imperfect material, unnecessary waste of material, and stricter quality control. The labor rate variance has shown an adverse trend. This unfavorable variance is due to the increase in the wage rate of laborers. The labor efficiency rate is also showing an unfavorable trend of (Â £ 5,625). This is mainly due to the usage of poor quality material. The company lacks the supply of steel material of adequate quality. The other reason may be the lost of time over and above

Wernher Von Braun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wernher Von Braun - Essay Example Working as an assistant to a German scientist known as Hermann Oberth, Von Braun was fascinated by the experiments they carried out on liquid-fueled rockets. He pursued his ambition and dream and propelled aviation and the world beyond the humble, early stages of rocketry to the planets and the moon. He had a vision to widen mankind’s knowledge by exploring space and opening the terrestrial world to mankind. His efforts and contributions had, and continue to have, great impacts on the aviation industry and the world at large. As the leader of the team that developed Germany’s rocket program, he even drew criticism for contributing to the negativities during the second world war. This essay will address the way his work has affected and contributed to aviation and the world. Von Braun’s achievements make him the most prominent, even if not the first, spaceflight advocate and rocket engineer of the 20th century. To date, his research, dedication and hard work are s till considered the blueprint of peaceful space exploration and moon landings (Neufeld 7). His presence in the aviation industry began with the German army, and his association with the Peenemunde Rocket Center put him in the limelight of the world’s primary rocket program. At the rocket center, Von Braun and his team received more facilities than their predecessors in aviation who had designed aircraft for military purposes. After his successful launch of what was initially called the A-4 missile, the Nazi took special interest in him and started mass production, where he led the team that designed combat rockets for the army (Ward 14). The design of the rocket, later renamed V-2, was created and developed by Von Braun as the technical director of the space center. It featured a missile that carried its own oxidant as well as fuel, a key aspect in modern day aviation technology as it became the immediate model used by present day Russia and the United States in space explora tions (Neufeld 16). The downside of this development, though, was that critics have faulted him for developing weapons of mass destruction that unleashed vengeance on civilian populations (Petersen 21). However, apart from that single angle of criticism, the rest of his contributions affected aviation and the world positively, because he never intended his developments to be used against humans, as he was a staunch Christian as well. The V-2 rocket became Von Braun’s most significant contribution to the development of rocket technology (Nelson 29). It pioneered operational, guided missiles in the world under his direction, setting in motion the development of the present day space travel and ballistic missiles. Through his projects, he influenced his team to great understanding of rocket propulsion, guidance systems and aerodynamics, and his concepts are still in use to date. His work influenced the contemporary space launch vehicle and the missile expertise in the United Sta tes, China, Russia, Britain and France (Nelson 35). To mankind and the world, he contributed towards alleviating the disastrous effects of the bombings of the second world war. He was against the use of his developments to attack humanity. He voiced his opposition against war policies in Germany and led his team of scientists and their families in fleeing to the United States. The significance of the fleeing was that the mass production of the V-2 rockets in Germany could not progress much without his input, effectively cutting down the assault on civilians. This was achieved by surrendering themselves to American forces, where they were granted permission to carry on with their rocket research programs under the watch of the United States government (Petersen 19). The German space

AN ESSAY BASED ON THE BELOW CASE STUYDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

AN BASED ON THE BELOW CASE STUYDY - Essay Example It is very unethical, for the Tomoco Company to offer pay Vijay money so that he can offer them the very important and confidential information of Ishimuru, this will highly dent and even kill the trust company's customer have in the company in this era where corporate ethics has become very important in aspect of any company operations and marketing and brand image. The Tomoco company is dedicated to coming up with new innovations in the auto mobile sector. It has the responsibility to ensure that it come up with its own battery formula that can be used in the proposed econocar. Probably Tomoco has a compliance program that is well established which shows that Tomoco has been committed to laws and regulations governing the country auto mobile is designing, marketing and selling activities. Thus getting information falsely from a rival company will be going against these laws or regulation and the company may destroy its image that it has built over the years. It is worth to note that a good company image and reputation goes a long way in marketing a company products, in this case Tomoco cars and any improper business conduct of the company may lead to destroying the reputation and tradition of the company and thus reducing its market segment. (Dole and Lowe, 2003) The Tomoco company also may face legal actions fro... Since the law is applied when a person has leaked important and confidential information regarding a company which is vital to its business operation, to a competitor company, thus hampering fair competition, Ishimuru company will have a strong case as it will have evidence and more so it will be able to identify the person (Vijay) and the company (Tomoco) which has obtained the leaked or stolen information. Such lawsuits are normal costly to a company and even if Ishimuru losses the case the damage will be already be caused to Tomoco which may be irreparable. (Dole and Lowe, 2003) Since both the two companies are involved in research and innovation of lithium ion (li-ion) battery, and no particular company has a proven formula or an already working design, it is equally risky and nave to accept a design from a rival. This is because the proposed design may not be good enough than the one the Tomoco is developing. More so Vijay seems to be a self centred person and may easily sell a wrong formula to Tomoco are equally will also be willing to sell the same design plan to any other company after sealing a deal with Tomoco. Basing on the above factors, Clive smith on behave of Tomoco will probably refuse the offer from Sandeep on the basis of ethical conduct and keeping the company reputation, image and lawful conduct. (Dole and Lowe, 2003) Draft marketing plan for the launch of the econocar A Product Marketing Manager is to make sure that company's product achieves the returns expectations that the manager projected when he received the endorsement for developing the product. The method of ensuring that products achieve revenue is by including a launch plan. This contains all the deliverables (collateral, materials for

Seminars, Webinars, Conferences - Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seminars, Webinars, Conferences - Report - Essay Example In this regard, the event was a success as these professionals took their time to attend this year’s event and gave their contribution towards the theme. The theme for the event was â€Å"Aviation Safety Emerging Issues†. The timing of this conference was very suitable as it was in the wake of increased terrorism and aircrafts are a major target for terrorist in advancement of their activities. The topics covered during the conference included safety stand-down, situational awareness, airspace infringements, aircraft maintenance, safe airmanship and effective flight communication. Each topic had a presenter and at the end of every presentation, there was an interactive session where critical questions were asked by the audience and answered by the presenter. The presenters were mostly from aviation authorities and aircraft manufacturing. The subject on safety stand-down took longer as it attracted a lot of contributions from the stakeholders present since it touches on the level of responsibility of airmen. Degree of adherence to codes of conduct and discipline of airmen affects aviation to a considerable degree. As an aviation safety officer, the conference opened up a lot of knowledge avenues and brought invaluable exposure as the participants shared their different experiences in safety. The safety stand-down played a critical role in influencing the way of thinking for airmen, airport security officers as well as the management in terms of handling risky situations. For those in aviation safety career, the stand-down equipped them with new and effective methods and procedures for improving the safety of everybody within the airports and aircrafts as well as proper judgemental skills. In the event of a safety breach of any kind, proper judgement is imperative, and this is determined by how well the safety official is aware of the situation. When one

Travon Eterprises Essay Example for Free

Travon Eterprises Essay Jennifer Nelson, the accountant for Travon Enterprises, performed several low end estimates in preparing the financial statements for the company president.   Her justification for her actions was lack of time and that she did not want to make the financial statements look worse than they are.   Jennifer failed to inform the company president of her estimates.   Jennifer’s decision lacks effective moral decision making.   She could have selected several alternatives as a better course of action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First, Jennifer could have asked for help in getting the accounting done.    Many companies have several accountants that work for them.   Additionally, there may be other employees within the organization who can assist Jennifer in her other duties as she focuses all of her attention on the report.   If those were not available, she could have consulted with the CFO of the company for assistance and support.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, if estimating was necessary, Jennifer could have used statistical estimating rather than taking all of the low numbers.   Statistical estimating provides effective, balanced estimating that project more realistic numbers.   The company president was meeting to obtain loan financing.   If the actual numbers turned out to be far different than the numbers that Jennifer projected, Travon Enterprises could face losing funding and the project could be dropped, highly affecting the business operations and future of the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thirdly, Jennifer could have explained to the president her situation and decision to forecast the low estimates.   In doing this, the burden would then have transferred to the president to explain the low estimates, and the president could have Jennifer spend time working on more accurate estimates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, Jennifer could have taken from her personal time and worked longer hours in order to provide the most effective and accurate report.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If I was in Jennifer’s shoes, I would have taken a combination of alternatives.   First, I would have sought help from my supervisor in completing the project on time.   Second, I would have used statistical estimating.   Finally, if necessary, I would have stayed the extra hour or so to make sure that my work was of top quality.

Engineer is Essay Example for Free

Engineer is Essay Engineer is A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures and a qualified person in a branch of engineering, especially as a professional engineer. Engineers figure out new ways to design, create, or improve almost everything around you. It might sound complicated, but you have most likely acted as an engineer before without even knowing it! If you like math and science, solving problems, thinking creatively or are curious about the world around you and how things work, you are already on your way to becoming an engineer and they are able to solve problems and focus on making things work more efficiently and effectively. Engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to research and develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between perceived social needs and commercial applications. Engineers design products, machinery to build those products, plants in which those products are made, and the systems that ensure the quality of the products and the efficiency of the workforce and manufacturing process. Engineers design, plan, and supervise the construction of buildings, highways, and transit systems. They develop and implement improved ways to extract, process, and use raw materials, such as petroleum and natural gas. They develop new materials that both improve the performance of products and take advantage of advances in technology. They harness the power of the sun, the Earth, atoms, and electricity for use in supplying the Nations power needs, and create millions of products using power. They analyze the impact of the products they develop or the systems they design on the environment and on people using them. Engineering knowledge is applied to improving many things, including the quality of healthcare, the safety of food products, and the operation of financ ial systems. The engineer adapts the findings to Human being usage. He is the central connection between science culture In order to make a modern Engineer there are many main points to be approached in order to reach that, just like the dynamic fast changing world demands a more complex role for an engineer. Also, technical skills must be good in non-technical skills like Communication Problem solving Management To be mastered in Engineering there are the Main Skills as: Logical thinking Problem-solving skills Communication skills Design skills Organizational, management and administrative skills References 1. William E. Wickenden, A Professional Guide for Young Engineers, G. R. Henninger (Ed. ), Engineers’ Council for Professional Development, New York, 1967 2. T. K. G. Namboodhiri, Engineering Education in India, J. Inst. Engg. (India), Vol. 66, IDP, 3, 1985 3. Duyen Q. Nguen, The essential Skills and Attributes of an Engineer, Global J. of Engg. Educ. Vol. 2, No. 1, 1998

Talisman Energy

Talisman Energy 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following report outline research that will evaluate the goals and objective within organization. In doing so a series of interview with the relevant personal of Talisman (M) Sdn Bhd is done. Talisman Energy (Talisman) is an independent international upstream oil and gas company undertaking exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Talisman was establish in 1992. The company primarily operates in North America, the North Sea, and Southeast Asia. It is headquartered in Alberta, Canada and employs over 2,600 people. The Malaysia branch is located at Menara Citibank Kuala Lumpur. Refer to appendix 1 for location and subsidiaries. Talisman is listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TLM. Talisman is also part of the SP/TSX 60 Index. At year end, the company value was over $16 billion with 1,1019 million shares outstanding 2.0 INTRODUCTION The history of Talisman Energy (Talisman) dates back to 1953, when the company was established as BP Canada. It later became an independent company, in 1992. In the same year, Talisman Energy discontinued its mining operations in order to focus on its core areas. Talisman Energy (Talisman) is one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in Canada. Its main business activities include exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It has about seven operating subsidiaries. Talisman has ongoing production, development, and exploration operations in North America, the North Sea, Southeast Asia and Australia, North Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. Talismans operations are conducted principally in five geographic segments: North America, UK, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, and other. The company produced over 430,000 boe/d in 2008, approximately 50% oil and 50% natural gas. The North America segment includes operations in Canada and the US. The UK segment includes operations in the UK and the Netherlands. The Scandinavia segment includes operations in Norway and Denmark. The Southeast Asia segment includes operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The other segment includes operations in North Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Peru, and Qatar as well as other international exploration areas. 3.0 ANALYSIS AND FINDING OF THE SUMMARY SCENARIO 3.1 Company Goal and objective In any planning process, objectives and goals must be carefully established. Starting from the proposed objectives and goals, the strategies to reach them will be outlined The lack of clarity of the proposed objectives can compromise the whole sequence. According to Oliveira (2002), the objectives serve the following company purposes: 1. provide to people the feeling of a specific and adequate role in the company 2. give consistency to decision making among a large number of different executives; 3. encourage dedication and fulfillment based on expected results; and 4. supply a base for corrective actions and control. In charting direction of the company Talisman Energy (Talisman) has set three priorities objectives. Refer Table 1 Developing long-term growth opportunities Building high impact exploration Continue focusing on current portfolio Table 1 Goal Strategy The main elements of Talismans objective are: †¢ To establish sustainable, profitable growth from its unconventional gas business in North America, as well as Southeast Asia, and Norway. †¢ To create an exploration portfolio, which contributes to renewal by finding material hydrocarbons over time. †¢ And to underpin this with sustainable sources of cash from mature areas, as well as focusing the portfolio. Two main reasons the objective was introduced were to lower finding and development (FD) costs, and to increase the reserve life index over time. FD costs will be bought down in several ways: †¢ The unconventional business model has structurally lower FD costs than the conventional gas business model. †¢ Talisman is looking to expand activity in Southeast Asia, where FD costs are generally lower. †¢ If the exploration shift to larger prospects is successful, FD costs will fall. 3.2 SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Strong market position Diversified geographical presence Lack of scale High debt Opportunities Threats Acquisitions and agreements New oil and gas production Economic slowdown in the US and Euro zone Environmental regulations Saturation of resources Table 2 Swot Analysis Table Strengths Strong market position Talisman Energy is an independent, international upstream oil and gas company whose main business activities include exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The companys three core areas are North America, the North Sea, and Southeast Asia. In North America, Talisman is a leading deep gas explorer and has significant unconventional natural gas potential. In the North Sea, the company operates more than 40 oilfields and has extensive exploration acreage in Norway. In Southeast Asia, Talisman has substantial long-life natural gas reserves and highly prospective exploration acreage. Opportunity : A strong market position helps the company to leverage its market share. Diversified geographical presence Talisman Energy has ongoing production, development, and exploration operations in North America, the North Sea, Southeast Asia and Australia, North Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. The companys operations are conducted principally in five geographic segments: North America, UK, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, and others (comprising North Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Peru, and Qatar). Talismans aggregate production for the year ended December 31, 2008 was approximately 452,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), consisting of approximately 189,000 boe/d from North America, 117,000 boe/d from the UK segment, 33,000 boe/d from the Scandinavia segment, 92,000 boe/d from Southeast Asia, and 21,000 boe/d from the rest of the world. Opportunity : A diversified geographical presence enables the company to reduce business risks arising in a particular geography. Weaknesses Lack of scale The company lacks the desired scale to compete with large players in the industry. Many of the companys competitors are much larger in size in terms of revenue generated, number of employees, and their presence in Europe and other developing market. One of its key competitors, British Petroleum (BP), generated revenues of about $288,951 million and employed about 97,600 people worldwide for the financial year ended December 2007 (FY2007). Another key competitor of the company Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon Mobil) generated revenues of about $390,328 million and employed 81,000 people as on FY2007. However, Talisman generated revenues of about C$7,919 million during the FY2008, and employed about 2,600 people worldwide as of FY2008. Problem : Owing to its relatively small scale of operations, the company could find it difficult to face competition. High debt The company has a significant amount of debt. For the FY2008, the company has an outstanding debt of C$3,949 million. Even though it is a decrease of 9% from FY2007 which stood at CAD$4,341 million, this figure is still high especially during the credit crunch. The companys substantial debt could limit its ability to obtain additional financing to operate its business. Further, it would make it difficult for the company to satisfy its obligations including making interest payments on debt obligations. Opportunities Acquisitions and agreements The company has been expanding its geographic reach through acquisitions and agreements. In January 2008, Talisman announced that one of its subsidiaries have acquired all the shares of CNOOC Wiriagar Overseas from a subsidiary of CNOOC for a consideration of $212.5 million. CNOOC Wiriagar Overseas holds a 3.06% interest in the Tangguh LNG Project. The Tangguh LNG Project, located in West Papua, Indonesia, consists of a number of offshore gas wells, production facilities, pipelines, and LNG plant facilities with a nameplate capacity of 7.6 million tons per year. In June 2008, two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Talisman Energy entered into agreements with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) within Iraq for interests in Blocks K44 and K39 respectively. In the same month, Talisman Energy announced that its wholly-owned limited partnership FEI Shale (Fortuna) reached agreement to earn up to a one-third working interest in US properties owned by Hallwood Energy (Hallwood). Upon completion of the capital program, Fortuna will have earned a one-third interest in substantially all of Hallwoods assets, including properties in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, for a total of 108,000 acres (net to Fortuna). These agreements and acquisitions would provide Talisman with growth opportunities and drive its revenue growth. New oil and gas production New oil and gas production Talisman Energy has considerably increased its oil and gas production in recent times. In December 2008, Talisman (Vietnam 46/02), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Talisman, announced first oil production from the Song Doc field in Block 46/02 offshore Vietnam. Gross production from five pre-drilled wells is expected to reach approximately 25,000 bbls/d by early 2009. An additional three development wells are currently being drilled. Talismans share of proved and probable reserves in the Song Doc field is estimated at six million barrels (mmbbls), with proved reserves of three mmbbls. Talisman Energy announced first gas production from the Rev Field in Norway, in January 2009. The field is expected to produce at a plateau rate of 100 mmcf/d of gas and 6,000 bbls/d of condensate and natural gas liquids from two subsea wells. A third producer, the Rev East well, is expected to be brought on-stream later in 2009. Talismans share of proved and probable reserves in the Rev Field at year end 2007 is estimated at 26 million boe, with proved reserves of 16 million boe.Talisman Energy Norge, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Talisman, has a 70% interest in the Field, with Petoro holding the remaining 30%. Production is transported via a nine kilometer pipeline to the Armada platform in the UK, operated by BG International (CNS), for processing and final export to the UK. The new oil and gas production would increase the companys output which in turn increases its revenues. Threats Economic slowdown in the US and Eurozone The US and European Union are the two key markets for Talisman. According to International Monetary Funds (IMF) World Economic Outlook, January 2009, the US and Eurozone economies could face slowdown in 2009. The GDP growth rate in the US has decreased from 2% in 2007 to 1.1% in 2008 and is projected to record a negative growth of 1.6% in 2009. The GDP growth rate in the Eurozone has declined from 2.6% in 2007 to 1% in 2008 and is projected to record a negative growth of 2% in 2009. A weak economic outlook for Eurozone and the US would put pressure on the revenues of the company. Economic slow down in the US and Eurozone could impact industrial development, which could adversely affect demand for Talismans products. Environmental regulations As a result of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the worldwide Port State Control initiative, stringent new regulations have been enacted. These regulations pose the possibility of unlimited financial liability for pollution damages. Companies operating in the oil and gas industry are subject to strict environmental regulations. Distribution and storage houses need to strictly comply with environmental regulations which keep changing frequently. Compliance with these regulations forces distributors, such as Talisman, to incur high costs. These factors can have a potential negative impact on the companys margins. Saturation of resources The maturity of the North America basin reserve continues to give rise to increases in both replacement costs and operating costs. Larger companies are finding it increasingly difficult to increase their North American production as conventional production is declining in these more mature basins. Furthermore, output from proven natural gas reserves in Canada has been declining significantly. Although the development of Mackenzie Valley reserves would boost gas reserves to some extent, decreasing output is a long-term threat for Canadian oil and gas companies such as Talisman. In addition, offshore exploration space and the existing reserves are maturing and are slowly being saturated. There has been a succession of dry holes being drilled in the region in the last two years. The saturation of reserves in North America would severely impact the companys operations. 3.3 Current Year Performance Talisman generated a record $3.5 billion in net income in 2008, benefiting from high commodity prices during the year. Net income included a $1.7 billion recorded gain on held-for-trading financial instruments, primarily commodity contracts. Talisman entered into these contracts to protect 2009 cash flow and their capital program against a significant drop in prices. They also set a new record for cash flow of $6.2 billion, an increase of 42% over the previous year. Production from continuing operations averaged 419,000 boe/d for the year, 3% above 2007. Including non-core assets that were sold or are scheduled for sale, production was down 4%. Talisman used this record cash flow to strengthen the balance sheet, reducing long-term net debt to $3.9 billion, down from $4.3 billion a year earlier. In total, they paid down approximately $900 million in debt. The Company also spent a record $5.1 billion on exploration and development. North America accounted for 48% of spending, North Sea development projects 25%, Southeast Asia development 9% and international exploration 17%. Talisman replaced 75% of its production with proved reserves from drilling and non-price revisions in 2008. Refer to table 3 for further details (millions of C$ unless otherwise stated) 2008 2007 2006 Cash flow1 6,163 4,327 4,748 Net income 3,519 2,078 2,005 Earnings from continuing operations1,2 2,544 952 1,424 Per common share Cash flow ($)1 6.06 4.19 4.35 Net income ($) 3.46 2.01 1.84 Earnings from continuing operations ($)1,2 2.5 0.92 1.3 Oil production (mbbls/d) 3 224 241 262 Gas production (mmcf/d) 3 1,247 1,265 1,342 Total production (mboe/d) 3,4 432 452 485 Total production from continuing operations (mboe/d) 2,4 419 405 410 Average sales price ($/boe) 76.03 59.57 57.45 Exploration and development spending 5,106 4,449 4,578 Net debt1 3,949 4,341 4,496 Table 3 Current Year Performance 3.4 Recommended Strategies From the SWOT we found a few problems arising from the analysis below are the few strategies recommended in order to ensure the efficiency of the performance Weakness High Debt In order to reduce the high debt the company should emphasize on the strategic areas and exiting the non strategic areas. By selling of the non strategic area could increase the cash flow and therefore the company could drastically reduce greater amount of debt. Lack of scale In order to gain competitive advantages against the large scale companies such as BP (British Petroleum). The company should using the differentiate strategy. According to Micheal Porter differentiation advantage occurs when a firm delivers greater services for the same price of its competitors. They are collectively known as positional advantages because they denote the firms position in its industry as a leader in either superior services or cost. A firm possesses a sustainable competitive advantage when its value-creating processes and position have not been able to be duplicated or imitated by other firms Threat Economic slowdown in the US and Euro zone -This issue based on global issue the best way to mitigate the impact of economic slowdown is by improving the efficiency. During economic crisis the company must focus on their bottom line. Productivity, energy usage, etc. all must be made more effective. Environmental regulations Due to stringent and frequently change of oil pollution act the company might incurred high cost on compliance to the act. The best strategy for the company is to setup a team on monitoring closely on the compliance process. This is to avoid sudden change or adhoc changing process. Any sudden changes without a proper planning definitely incurred a very high cost. Saturation of resources Saturation of resources could have an impact on the company operation. The best way to deal with it is through Focusing on portfolio strategy. By focusing on high impact exploration area and exiting on depleting area or countries 3.4 Action programme The following action programme express on how Talisman could aligns with the goals and objectives of many diverse sites 1. Focus the Portfolio (core asset) Exit non strategic areas †¢ Potential non-core asset sales of 35,000-45,000 boe/d, with expected proceeds of $1.5-2.0 billion by the end of 2009. †¢ Exit some countries (i.e., the Netherlands, Denmark, Trinidad Tobago). †¢ Additional non-core asset sales in the UK and North America. 2. Grow Existing Base Maintain existing assets as firm base †¢ Size the UK to produce 80,000-100,000 boe/d through at least 2013 from existing assets. †¢ Continue to invest in core conventional North America natural gas areas with a view to keeping conventional production relatively flat. †¢ Southeast Asia production has doubled in the past five years and has the potential to double again in the next five (e.g. increasing Corridor volumes, Northern Fields development, Song Doc). 3. Findings on new Growth Opportunities Determine unconventional potential †¢ Talisman has built a large (2.5 million net acre) unconventional land base. †¢ The Company plans to spend $800-900 million on unconventional development projects over the next 18 months. †¢ An additional $300-400 million is planned for unconventional pilots over the same period. †¢ A total of 240-290 wells could be drilled as part of these program. Potential Future Growth in North Africa, South America †¢ Talisman has been active in Algeria since 1994. This is a very prolific hydrocarbon basin. †¢ The Company plans to drill up to eight exploration wells in Colombia and Peru through the end of 2009. 4. Optimize Global Exploration Support core area growth in the short term †¢ The Company will maintain active exploration programs in its core areas. †¢ Exploration spending is expected to average $700 million per year through 2010. Increase focus toward larger pool sizes †¢ Future focus areas include the Barents Sea (Norway), the central North Sea (UK), Colombia and Peru. †¢ The Company plans to drill up to 28 key exploration wells over the next 18 months. 3.4 Implementation Control Developing an effective company goals and objective is only half the battle. Getting it implemented is the other, and generally it is the tougher half. The most important part of implementation is monitoring taking a periodic look at how its going. Monitoring the implementation of objective is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps to assure that the efforts conform to the plan. Meaning the company is on track. Second, to make sure the results achieved align with objectives. Monitoring allows for corrective action and making the necessary changes along the way. To fine tune, not only strategies, but planning process as well. And since monitoring is part of a control process, it encourages improved performance. Knowing theyll be measured stimulates employees to do a better job. Finally, and most importantly, monitoring provides the essential link between the written plan and the day-to-day operation of your business. It demonstrates to all that the company are really managing the business according to plan. A significant benefit of the monitoring process is that it serves as your early warning system. It gives Talisman the opportunity to communicate how they are doing. For example, In Focus the Portfolio action program, the company may run into a technical problem such as delay on bidding process and slip its schedule by six weeks. The management needs to know about it. Through such feedback, the company can improve the implementation and reinforce the spirit of cooperation within organization. But lets be realistic. The company will run into implementation problems. Every company does. Some of the strategies may prove ineffective or strategies wont work as intended. The company can take one of four corrective actions. First, the company can change the schedule slipping in due date. Second, they can change the tactics in performing to implement the strategy. Third, by changing the strategy. Finally, as a last resort, the organisation can compromise the objective. Each of these corrective actions is applicable under specific circumstances 4.0 Conclusion Goals serve as a stimulus for effort by giving company something to strive for, the most important things must know where they are heading so they can effectively plan to get there. Goal setting, when supported by careful planning, provides a sense of direction to keep company focused on the most important activities. For Talisman they emphasize on three main objectives which are developing long-term growth opportunities, building high impact exploration and continue focusing on current portfolio. From the research we can conclude that goals serve as filters to eliminate extraneous demands. Over a period time, goals can bring to life order, meaning, and purpose that will sustain interest of stakeholder and motivation. By setting goals, an individual expresses their desire to achieve, to improve life, and to be more effective, more productive, and more successful tomorrow than today. Being a successful organization does not come by accident. It depends on following a practice of goal-setting and continuous growth (kaizen), as well as seeking predetermined goals. We could say then Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile, predetermined goals. Abbreviation Definitions bbl barrel bbls/d barrels per day bcfe/d billion cubic feet of gas equivalent per day boe barrels of oil equivalent boe/d barrels of oil equivalent per day C$ Canadian dollar LNG Liquefied Natural Gas mbbls/d thousand barrels per day mboe/d thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day mcf thousand cubic feet mcfe/d thousands of cubic feet of gas equivalent per day mmboe million barrels of oil equivalent mmcf/d million cubic feet per day mmcfe/d million cubic feet of gas equivalent per day Reference and Bibliography Goh Ing King, Lecturer Notes Purchasing Management Azlina Ghazaly, Senior Buyer Talisman Malaysia Sdn Bhd Menara Citibank CIPS Course Book. Level 5 study guide Management in the Purchasing Function Micheal E. Porter, From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy Talisman Energy Inc. http://www.talisman-energy.com Appendix Appendix 1 : Location and Subsidiaries

China’s Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status Essay -- essays research pape

China’s Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status If the United States is going to stand by and let China break the agreement that we have set then what is the point of having rules or laws in the first place? If we can accept the fact that China is breaking our laws then we can also understand that this behavior can very well lead to a state of anarchy and lawlessness. These are all things that are breed by a lack of law, and also facilitated by a lack of proper enforcement of our current laws. This is a warning also for the future as we show China that the United States will not stand for the flagrant breaking of its laws. United States policymakers employ economic sanctions not only to equalize trade and investment disputes, but also to reach non-economic policy objectives. This has been especially true with respect to China. Currently, the United States imposes the following economic sanctions on China. Restrictions on export licenses are things that the United States may deny if it was determined that the product could make a direct and significant contribution to the development of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, electronic and submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, nuclear power projection, and air superiority. This restriction was placed on China on November 23, 1984. Another restriction placed on China dealt with the withholding of generalized system of preferences status. Section 502(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 prevents the President of the United Sta...

Capital Punishment Essay - The Fatal State of the Death-Penalty System

The Fatal State of the Death-Penalty System    In 1997, the state of Florida botched Pedro Medina's execution. When the switch was flipped on the 50-year-old electric chair, nicknamed "Old Sparky," the mask covering Medina's face caught on fire. Flames up to a foot long shot of his face for 6-10 seconds. A thick, black smoke filled the room, and the prison guards closed the curtain, hiding the rest of the job from the shocked witnesses. Bob Butterworth, then Florida's attorney general, said that Medina's agonizing death would be a deterrent to crime. People who want to commit murder, he said, better not do so in Florida because "we may have a problem with our electric chair." Such cases are likely to horrify death penalty proponents and foes alike. (After another botched execution in 1999, this time with the new electric chair, Florida gave inmates the option of lethal injection or the chair). What is even more abominable than these clear instances of "cruel and unusual punishment," however, is the mounting evidence that many people being convicted of murder, sent to death row, and probably even executed in the United States are simply not guilty. The only way to reasonably evaluate the system without running the risk of executing more innocents in the process is for Congress to issue an immediate national moratorium on executions. On Jan 31, 2000, Governor George Ryan (R-IL), a death-penalty proponent, announced a moratorium on executions in his state until the system is investigated. Governor Ryan had more than sufficient grounds to say that Illinois's criminal-justice system is "fraught with error": Since 1977, when Illinois reinstated the death penalty (following a 1976 Supreme-Court ruling allowing states to do ... ...s-16,000 of them, dating back five years." While rapists can be feed from prison if DNA evidence clears them, executions are irrevocable. Given the problems in state and national DNA databanks, it is crucial that those on death row get more time to explore any evidence that could exonerate them. Governor George W. Bush of Texas (where 463 people are on death row) maintains that he is certain that every person of the over 100 who have been executed during his tenure is guilty. The fact that Texas has no public-defender system and that Bush has spent much time over the past year campaigning outside the state has not made a dent in Bush's certainty. For those who, regardless of their stance on the death penalty, would like to take the time to examine the evidence and aim for a higher standard, state and national moratoriums are presently the best course of action.

Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Prespective for Women of African Descent :: essays research papers

â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Prespective for Women of African Descent† â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent† is an essay based on Africana Womanism and how it compares to white feminism. The essay was written by Clenora Hudson-Weems, an African American writer and literary critic. She was born in Oxford, Mississippi and she was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I will compare Africana Womanism and Feminism and discuss the definition of the two the topics. Also I will discuss the important historical figures that are womanists. I think the issue is important because the common misconception is that a womanist and a feminist are the same thing but they are totally different. A womanist is more family oriented and feminists are dealing with the empowerment of themselves. Clenora Hudson-Weems wrote â€Å"Africana Womanism: An Historical, Global Perspective for Women of African Descent† and it was about womanism. Another word for womanism is feminism, and feminism is defined as the empowerment of woman. In the era of women’s rights, women were not treated as equals, especially black women. Colored women could not get any equality or any empowerment unless they live in a community which they can establish their own racial and cultural integrity. White women and Africana both have the same amount of rights but white women had better accommodations as far as restrooms, water fountains, swimming pools, and everything else that is segregated. I think that Africana women were oppressed more than white women. I believe that black women should be treated just as equally as white women. Africana women are fighting for civil rights and women’s rights. Africana women have been more concerned for the whole Africana community. Their main priori ty is â€Å"†¦race empowerment, with class and gender following†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Weems, 80). Womanism was important in the Africana community because the Africana women was trying empower not just themselves but empower the whole Africana community. For example, Harriet Tubman (Underground Railroad conductor), â€Å"risked her life time and again in freeing Africana men, women, and children in slavery, thereby establishing her commitment to racial parity†(Weems, 80). The crucial role of an Africana woman is that many Africana academicians accepted the idea of female empowerment so that the level of struggle or concerns of Africana women are noticeable. Many people think because a woman is a feminist, that she is oppressed with gender issues, but an Africana woman are traditionally family centered.

Nationalization over Privatization

The Process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or slate is known as nationalization. A nationalized industry is one which produces output for sale to consumers and other producers by the way of markets but which are solely owned by and under the control of the government. On the other hand privatization is the process of moving from a government controlled system to a privately-run one. Nationalized industries are managed by a board of managers appointed by the state; a government minister is usually the person in charge.The implementation of nationalization in a country’s economy may have huge positive impacts in that country as consumers, government, and more importantly, the economy receive benefits. These state owned industries are funded by long-term loans, or subventions also known as subsidies, from government. It can occur through the transfer of company assets to the government or through the transfer of public shares, l eaving the company to run the business under government control (Khan). A Government can nationalize any firm in a country whether it is a water company, electricity, telecommunication and more popular, banks.Some firms are unable to manage their risks properly so the Government comes in to provide more positive externalities. Aims of state owned enterprises may not necessarily comprise of making a profit but rather to operate in the consumers’ interest while the gap between poor and rich is reduced in the process. Nationalization is mainly in favor of the public. â€Å"The State’s assessment of public purpose is accepted on the ground that the State is the best judge of whether or not the nationalization serves a public purpose† (Sornarajah).Nationalization of an industry may result in production costs being lowered therefore goods and services will be available to the nation’s consumers at low prices. In addition Nationalization entails that the distrib ution of wealth become uniform and just. It prevents exploitation of consumers whereas in private ownership the capitalists become richer while the poor laborers grow poorer. This results in a rise in inequalities, that’s where Nationalization comes in to reduce inequalities effectively.Moreover unhealthy competition and corruption between firms and capitalists is demolished. â€Å"Big and powerful capitalists try to crush their small rivals† (Chaterjee). This is also against national interest. Loans at lower rates are accessible to consumers in the case of bank nationalization. In favor of the government they are able to manage their country’s economy by controlling important industries, such as monopolies. They make their services more efficient even though it comes as a cost they benefit from this when good feedback is received from the population mass.Companies owned by the people for the people take social costs into account and the profit goes back to the people. The economy also receives a major boost as Nationalization involves a lot of government expenditures. Government expenditure includes all government consumption and investments made by state. It involves the acquisition of goods and services for use to directly satisfy individual or collective needs of the population in a country intended to create future benefits.Nationalized industries, also known as government owned corporations, state owned companies, state enterprises as well as state owned entities, charged with operating in the public interest, may be under strong political and social pressures to give much more attention to externalities. They may be obliged to operate some loss making activities where social benefits are clearly greater than social costs. For example: rural postal and transportation services. The Government recognizes social obligations and provides subsidies for such non-commercial operations in some cases.Moreover, since nationalized industries ar e state owned, the Government is responsible for meeting any debts stumbled upon by these industries. Nationalized industries don’t normally borrow from the domestic market other than for short-term borrowing and is in general a non-profit organization. However, if they are profitable, the profit is often used as a means to finance other state services, such as social programs and government research which can help lower the tax burden. An issue in nationalization is the payment of compensation to the former owner or owners.The most controversial nationalizations are known as expropriations, are those where no compensation, or an amount far below the likely market value of the nationalized assets, is paid. Much nationalization has come after revolutions through expropriation, mostly in revolutions led by communists. When nationalizing a large business, the cost of compensation is so great that much legal nationalization have occurred when important firms or industries run clo se to bankruptcy and are then acquired by the Government or little or free. Other times, Governments have seen it important to gain control of institutions of great economic value as well as citizen importance, such as banks or monopolistic service providers, or of important industries struggling economically. â€Å"State or local authorities have traditionally taken private property for such public purposes as the construction of roads, dams, or public buildings. Known as the right of eminent domain, this process is usually accompanied by the payment of compensation.By contrast, the concept of nationalization is a 20th century development that differs from eminent domain in motive and degree; it is done for the purpose of social and economic equality and is usually, although not always, applied as a principle of communistic or socialistic theories of society† (Margolis). Communism is defined as a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state (Dictionary. com). Moreover, there are principles which govern communism. One of the contradictions in communism most frequently highlighted is that between the theory and the practice. While this is to some extent justified, it also needs to be borne in mind that, as with most concepts, there is no single theory of communism, rather there are numerous theories and variations on a theme – and some versions of the theory are more compatible with the practice than others† (Holmes Chpt. 1). Principles such as: * The expropriation of landed property and the use of rent from land to cover state expenditure. A high and progressively graded income-tax. * An abolition of the right of inheritance. * The confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. * The centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by the establishment of a state bank with state capital and an exclusive monopo ly. * The centralization of transport in the hands of the state. * An increase in the state ownership of factories and instruments of production, and the redistribution and amelioration of agricultural land on a general plan. Universal obligation to work and creation of labour armies especially for agriculture. * The unification of agricultural with industrial labour, and the gradual abolition of the differences between town and country. * The public education of all children. Abolition of factory labour for children in its present form. Unification of education with economic production. (Karl Marx) On the other hand, socialism, an economic system, is characterized by social ownership and control of the means of production and cooperative management of an economy.Social ownership may refer to one or a combination of the following; Cooperative enterprises, common ownership, direct public ownership or autonomous state enterprises. There are many variations of socialism and as such the re is no single definition encapsulating all of socialism. They differ in the type of social ownership they advocate, the degree to which they rely on markets versus planning, how management is to be organized within economic enterprises, and the role of the state in constructing socialism. (Mr. Reasonable) State owned non-profit organizations generally work in the interest on the public.Nationalization tends to occur more often in the natural resources and utilities sectors. Nationalization of natural resource industries tend to happen when the price of the corresponding commodity is high. Privatized industries struggle with production costs, they tend to raise the bar on their prices thus the poor people’s pockets are hurt. Due to this exploitation is present, this is popular within monopolies. These enterprises do not experience competition from other firms as they are the sole suppliers of a good or service in an economy.They take advantage of this by raising their prices whenever they please knowing that their commodity’s demand will not drop but profit will rise considerably. â€Å"The monopolistic firm is a price maker and has some power over the setting of price or output. It cannot however, charge a price that the consumers in the market will not bear† (tutor2u. net). They significantly charge high prices on their goods and services and in some cases, fire workers in order to reduce cost of production. Moreover, workers who have mouths to feed and bills to pay.On the other hand, a monopoly owned, run and controlled by the government will stop consumers from being exploited. How, you may ask? Government expenditure and investment may cover all major production costs correspondingly reducing prices on goods and services provided by the monopoly. At the same time, employment is generated rather than depleted. The Government works in favor of the public, additionally in favor of its country’s economic wealth fare and increasing the employment rate and decreasing the unemployment rate is a plus as well as a good name for the state.According to Kabbani Construction Group (KCG), a nationalization program supporting the qualified national work force as developed. KCG plans to replace foreign labour with Saudi nationals in order to encourage and increase employment of young Saudi nationals through nationalization. So indeed, this is a strategy used by state to decrease the unemployment rate in respective economies. Furthermore, the presence of nationalization in an economy slightly reduces the gap between the rich and the poor people in society. We very often see the situation in an economy where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.The causes of this may include generally high prices for goods and services set by the rich business men only affordable to their fellow wealthy counterparts, the poor then suffer when they take the little that they have from their pockets and give it to the rich when they p urchase the certain goods or services offered. This is a result of poor redistribution of wealth. As defined by wisegeek. com, the redistribution of wealth is the orderly transfer of assets from one group of entities to a broader range of entities, usually by utilizing some sort of mechanisms put in place by a government.Sometimes known as progressive redistribution, the idea is to allocate available resources in a manner that a wider range of people receive some degree of benefit from those assets. Nationalization is often used in the process of the redistributing of wealth. It is a broad concept that may include strategies such as government offering funded health care plans to citizens qualified. With other methods the goal is to ensure that everyone, both rich and poor, in a given country has access to and receives benefits considered to be necessary for a respectable standard of living.The poor may not be able to fund those benefits but that is where the government comes in to play by reducing the costs on the backs of such citizens. An example of this may include the government providing a free health care program to the less fortunate. The elimination of price discrimination is also a strategy used by the government to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Price discrimination is a pricing strategy that is adopted by private firms where they charge customers different prices for the same product or service.In pure price discrimination, the seller will charge each customer the maximum price that he or she is willing to pay. In more common forms of price discrimination, the seller places customers in groups based on certain attributes and charges each group a different price. The poor could really be at a disadvantage according to how the firm conducts its price discrimination. This can be eliminated due to nationalization. The government then comes in to establish price control. They dictate ceiling on the prices of essential consumer goods to keep cost of living within a manageable range on behalf of the lower class.Additionally, the government lowers interest rates on loans to stimulate the economy, allowing people of the public to access it. When a bank is nationalized ownership or control of that bank is transferred from the shareholders to state. This usually takes place when the state sees it unfit the way the bank is operating under its shareholders, especially when it may be on the path of bankruptcy. In more recent times, the failure of major banks has highlighted the fact that, under national ownership and control, failing banks can be funded more quickly and for larger amounts than under private ownership.This enables the banking infrastructure to be rebuilt, as well as ensure the closer regulation of banks in the future. Douglas J. Elliot explains this in his book ‘Bank Nationalization: What is it? Should we do it? ’ Bank regulators have stood ready for decades to take over an insolvent bank, or one on the brink of insolvency, if it is not possible to neither find private capital to neither shore up the bank nor find a strong acquirer. Often applied to small banks, this practice has applied even to quite large banks in rare circumstances. Government can take 100% ownership or simply a commanding majority stake.This choice depends heavily on what purposes the nationalization is intended to achieve. It is feared that some banks receiving large quantities of government aid will never be able to support themselves independently again, bleeding taxpayer resources until they are eventually cut off by the government and taken over. In such a case, the cost to the taxpayer may be considerably smaller if a bank is taken over quickly. Through nationalization, the state can manage the economy more effectively by means of controlling the important industries in its respective country.In any economy, the state should exhibit some sort of control over the affairs taking place on a day-to-day basis. Price control and quantity control are two strategies of government intervention governments practice in managing an economy. Nationalization allows government or state to intervene in economic activity Government intervention is an action taken from the government that alter or change economic activeness, supply ability, and unconstrained decisions made through normal market trade is the definition given by webdynamic. com. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦government intervention through nationalization in the market/economy set out to attain two main goals: â€Å"Social efficiency and equity. Social efficiency is achieved at the point where the marginal benefits to society for wither production or consumption are equal to the marginal costs of either production or consumption. Issues of equity are difficult to judge due to the subjective assessment of what is, and what is not, a fair distribution of resources. † Externalities are spillover costs to society. Whenever ther e are external costs, the market will lead to a level of production and consumption above the socially efficient level.Whenever there are external benefits, the market will (ceteris paribus) lead to a level of production and consumption below the socially efficient level. † (John & Mark) At times, economies may respond sluggishly to changes in demand and supply. Time lags in adjustment can lead to a permanent state of disequilibrium and to problems of instability. With the government in charge of industries and firms, they ensure that changes in demand and supply are responded to in a timely and systematic fashion so that the market stays stable.Furthermore, the state reduces externalities, doing so with the use of taxes and subsidies. Externalities can be corrected by imposing tax rates equal to the size of the marginal external cost, and granting rates of subsidy equal to marginal external benefits. Extensions of property rights may allow individuals to impose unfair costs o n others. State takes charge of these properties and cut down on the costs thus influencing more customers to divulge in ongoing activities. Investment in economic theory is the amount of a good that is purchased, not to consume but to be used for future production.Nationalization involves a great deal of this as government primary source of capital in a nationalized firm is investment. State invests in raw materials, human capital, and inventory to name a few. Human capital includes costs of additional on-the-job training for employees. The investment of inventory is the accumulation of items which will be used in production such as machinery and vehicles. The government uses these investments to improve the efficiency of their goods and services to distribute to their consumers. Governments also make investments in raw materials. â€Å"1949 – Steel was first nationalised in 1949, and privatised a year later by the new Conservative government. It was re-nationalised in 1967 when over 90 of steel capacity was put under the control of the British Steel Corporation (BSC). Steel was returned to the private sector once more in 1988. † (economicsonline. co. uk) An example of raw materials being nationalized by use of investments in steal is presented above. * â€Å"In 1948 railways were nationalized to help rebuild the network infrastructure and re-equip the rolling stock after the destructive effects of the Second World War. This is an example of inventory investment. More Efficient goods result in more satisfied consumers and the government works towards that aim in ensuring that the public is vastly satisfied with the services and goods provided. Social costs are the costs to society as a whole for producing one additional unit, or taking one more measure in an economy. These cost of producing one extra unit of something is not simply the direct cost sustained by the producer alone, but also must include the costs to the external environment and o ther stakeholders thus effecting the people. A standard example of this is that of a factory the smoke from which has harmful effects on those occupying neighboring properties† (Coase 1). Other social costs could include other forms of pollution, which could arise from the advancements through additional units in production. Another form of pollution consists of excessive garbage pollution. Social costs might as well include solid waste from the garbage trucks on neighborhoods along the routes taken as well as the impacts of solid waste facilities themselves. Moreover, Adverse effects on roperty values, community image, and aesthetics, as well as the increase of noise, odor, and traffic all contribute to social costs. With this said, the state takes it as their responsibility to take these social costs into account so people get compensated, for companies owned and run by the people for the people take social costs into account and the profit goes back to the people. They are allowed to do so as they have the adequate funds and money in their possession in contrast to private owner firms who don’t have the monies available and leave the public to suffer due to social costs.It is also their duty that the public stays with a mutual feeling towards them. Lastly, nationalization in an economy can influence a rise in the economy. Injections into the economy from the government are the really the main sources. We have already covered the point that governments invest in newly nationalized industries in order to make their goods and services more efficient but that is not the only effect it has in a business and economic stand point.Investments not only serve an efficient purpose but these injections are represented in the national income formula as government expenditure and government spending, which when increased results in an increase to national income. The national income formula states that national income equals consumption plus gross private in vestment plus government consumption expenditure plus net exports (Y=C+I+G+X). Knowing this we could say that in a situation where, in a given year national income was five thousand dollars with government expenditure being one thousand dollars.In the following year, the government decides to take over the assets of a coconut products producing plant. The state invests two thousand dollars worth of capital into that firm; this includes investments in raw materials, human capital and inventory. This two thousand dollars goes into the national income equation as an addition to government consumption expenditure raising it from one thousand dollars to three thousand dollars. Hence, national income increases by two thousand dollars taking it to seven thousand dollars. Consumers, governments and economies all benefit from the positive that nationalization imposes when it is implemented.Governments are the main nationalization mechanisms as they are allowed to exhibit their control over t he affairs in an economy and also to represent the people and protect them from the stress bearers known as private owners. Governments can either fully take over an industry or only see that an industry is run under their supervision. Nationalizations are funded by loans and subsidies to help cover production costs without having to operate at a full loss as they do not aim to make maximum profits unlike the private owned firms and companies.At the same time lowering the costs of goods and services distributed to consumers. Out of all the firms which governments may choose to nationalize, national banks are the most popular corporations to be nationalized. Consequently, in doing so government provides the public, access to loans at lower rates. The gap between rich and poor is slightly reduced as exploitation of consumers is condensed. In conclusion, the implementation of nationalization in a country’s economy does have huge positive impacts as consumers, governments and eco nomies benefit.