Immigration Essays (2337 words) - Demography, Human Geography

Immigration Randy j 11/28/00 I wrote this paper to show what immigration is doing to america America has, is, and will always be a nation of immigrants: the great melting pot. In the years that have passed since Emma Lazarus' poem was inscribed on the Statue of Liberty the golden door Americans have seen times when the door was open wide and times when it was close shut to most immigrants (Sure 4). Many people look at the present immigration problems as a purely modern dilemma. The truth is America has always struggled with the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal. Changing times, however, makes it imperative that our government reexamines and adjusts today's immigration laws to today's standards. Those standards, however, are not easily defined. Too often the issue of immigration is used as a political tool or is lost in heated moral debates (Sure 6). In any discussion about immigration there will be those who claim it is good for our nation and those who claim it is ruining the nation. Americans are now faced with a new dilemma; the nation must decide not whether it is willing to accept new immigrants, but whether it can afford new immigrants (Briggs 240). More often than not, the bottom line in any debate of this sort is money; will more or less immigration mean more or less money for those already in America? All new immigrants, both legal and illegal must be considered in this equation. Congress can attempt to ease the burden of legal immigration by passing restrictive laws and only allowing inside those who they believe will become self-sufficient. Congress must also find a way to slow the flow of illegal immigration by enforcing the laws already in place Mont 16). America most certainly has immigration problems, but eliminating immigration will not fix them all together. In fact, America will never eliminate immigration, because no matter how tightly the door is closed some illegal immigrants will get through (Marley 879). Since America continues to be seen as a nation of prosperity, opportunity, and freedom there will be those who wish to come to America. Immigrants have always come to America looking for a better life and Americans are always forgetting that their forefathers were once looking for that same life. Throughout most of America's history immigration was seen as a natural process that benefited the nation (Divine 2). There were no clearly defined policies on immigration until the 1890's. During this time the country started questioning the economic benefits of more immigrants. In May 1921, the first bill in American history dealing with immigration was passed. This bill restricted European immigration and created the quota system (Divine 5). The downward turn in the economy could justify this turn toward restriction. Who could argue for more immigrants when the nation's own citizens could not find work. The slowing economy and the spirit of intense nationalism in the United States at this time made immigration a hot topic (Divine 23). After the depression hit, everyone agreed that there was a need to limit immigration, of course the extent of those limits was not easily agreed upon (Divine 77). World War II brought a new set of immigrants, and eventually the passing of the Displaced Persons Act of 1947. This allowed people, displaced by war to enter the country above quota limits (Divine 128). Since then our legislators have been faced with numerous proposals concerning immigration, too many in fact to mention. Those proposals show a definite shift in America's attitude toward immigration. Since the 1920's immigration has not been seen as a natural process, but a process that could overwhelm a nation if left unchecked (Divine 2). In recent years the immigration policy has found itself in a state of flux going back and forth between pro and anti immigration. The Immigration Act of 1990 is one of the more current policies to regulate immigration. This policy set a flexible annual limit on immigration at a rate of 700,000 immigrants per year until 1994 when the number dropped to 675,000. This number of course does not include refugees and those seeking asylum (Immigration . . . ). If these numbers seem, staggering one must take

gettysberg essays

gettysberg essays Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil War. This is the most famous and important Civil War Battle that occurred over three hot summer days, July 3, 1863, around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. More importantly Gettysburg was the clash between the two major American Cultures of their time: the North and the South. The causes of the Civil War, and the Battle of Gettysburg, one must understand the differences between these two cultures. The Confederacy had an agricultural economy producing tobacco, corn, and cotton, with many large plantations owned by a few very rich white males. These owners lived off the labor of sharecroppers and slaves, charging high dues for use of their land. The Southern or Confederate Army was made up of a group of white males fighting for their independence from federal northern dictate (Tucker 22). The Union economy was based on manufacturing, and even the minorities in the North were better off than those in the South most of the time. The Northern politicians wanted tariffs, and a large army. The Southern plantation owners wanted the exact opposite(Tucker 23) The South was fighting against a government that they thought was treating them unfairly. They believed the Federal Government was overtaxing them, with tariffs and property taxes making their life styles even more expensive than they already had been. The North was fighting the Civil War for two reasons, first to keep the Nation unified, and second to abolish slavery(Clark 18). Abraham Lincoln, the commander and chief of the Union or Northern forces along with many other Northerners believed that slavery was not only completely wrong, but it was a great humiliation to America. One can see that with these differences a conflict would surely occur, but not many had predicted that a full-blown war would breakout. One did and after three bloody and costly years for both si...

Belief, Doubt and Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Belief, Doubt and Synthesis - Essay Example Writing is one of the most significant professions in the US today. Based on this fact, numerous philosophies and principles apply in defining the ideal qualities and skills required of talented writers. These principles are subjective and mostly depend on the factors that determine the purpose of writing. In this regards, we have to acknowledge that not all writers possess the same qualities, as some of the American writers are better than others. Despite the fact that not all writers are equal in their skill sets, there should be a standard of differentiating smartest writers from poor ones. In this regard, I belief one should possess some of the fundamental qualities if he/she is to be considered as a professional writer (Starnino 42). The qualities of a writer fall into personal and technical skills. Possession of strong personal qualities entails the application of effective communication skills in presenting ones ideas and thoughts in written form. In America, every writer enjo ys freedom of speech and expression in his or her work. Writers are free to express their thoughts in whatever manner they wish, as long as their work falls within the scope of national rules and regulations. In this regard, writers face the predisposition of expressing their thoughts in an appropriate language as per the environment in subject. In trying to justify their thoughts and philosophies, writers can engage in persuasive, assertive or criticizing pieces of work (Lutovich and Fisher 67). One should integrate all these freedoms of thought and language in developing persuasive or even criticizing essays in order to accomplish writing goals. In this case, I belief a brilliant writer should be creative, vivid and imaginative. For example, a writer in a political arena speculating about the future of a nation’s politics should be imaginative and creative in persuading his followers and criticizing those opposing. Coherent development of political essays requires a writer to articulate the freedoms available with the communication skills in ensuring effective delivery of the intended message to the target audience (Lutovich and Fisher 72). In addition to personal skills, a talented writer should have a thorough understanding of the technical qualities of writing. I belief the first technical quality of expert writes is the ability to communicate fluently in written language. English writers must follow grammatical rules in every piece of their work. Efficient use of English will facilitate delivery of the message in an objective manner. Since the better part of writing entails collection of information from both the primary and secondary sources, a writer should also have strong research skills. He or she should carry out a research exercise from the problem definition stage to the results interpretation stage. Every writer should be conversant with the fundamental concepts of the topic of writing and should use relevant and appropriate vocabulary in expressing his or her ideas. Lastly, a talented writer should organize the essential parts of an essay in a logical pattern. Integration of these technical skills with the above mentioned communication qualities in an essay provide a criterion of defining a lovely piece of writing (Lutovich and Fisher 61). Human beings are in a continuous process or receiving new ideas and meeting new patterns of thoughts in their lives. When one meets a new idea,

Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reading - Essay Example First, the principle of syntax is a linguistic principle that grammatical explains how grammatical processes function primarily on given structures of sentences. This is not applicable in a single word or succession of words since the principle of dependency structure is a rule of universal grammar. In this rule, the principle of structure dependency mandates the applicable languages to incorporate sentences of the language in question in accordance with the structure instead of the sheer order of words. In syntax approach, one is able to examine that certain unified analyses of sentences in a given language can be empirically correct or in order. This means that syntax helps in teaching of reading in that unifications of statements is not per se desirable. In the proposition of linguistics, the syntax’s explanation is the arrangement or the processes through sentences undergo construction in a language (Rogers, 2006). This means is therefore dictated the rules and the princip les that govern the sentence structure of that given language in teaching. As a result, effective teaching of reading in any language in the application must adhere to the construction rules of grammar in syntactic approach not merely the arrangement of words. For example, it would be appropriate for a teacher to get right all the constraints that control acceptable word order within any given sentence. This also goes to the dominance of relation like a head noun + a relative clause. The syntactic sequencing of such words dictates that they ought to follow that order hence syntax. In teaching, learners cannot acquire this rule through the hearing of sentences of the language. Alternatively, the rule of syntax imposes itself in whichever language they encounter. This means learners only have to apply these syntactic rules in the languages that they only hear. For example, in English language, learners would reject a statement like ‘for Mary is dog that white’. The syntax rule is wrong even to those who have never encountered it before. It is therefore important to elaborate that structure dependency as a syntactic rule stipulates that it is a principle of knowledge that is built in human minds (Dalton, 2008). This makes it part of the language being learned in teaching of learning, not necessarily English. The semantics principle also features as the principle of compositionality. It is the study of meaning. In its entirety, it focuses on the relation between signifiers like words, phrases, signs, symbols, and what exactly they stand to express in a given sentence (Rogers, 2006). In philosophy of language, semantics helps in elaborating the meaning of a complex expression through its constituent expressions and the applicable rules used. For example, given a structure like ‘ Frankenstein is a man’, if one takes away the meaning lexical items away ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘man’, what remains back in the sentence is a an incomprehensible sentence. Therefore, semantics is a meaningful structure states that the absence of lexical items in syntactic constructions, what remains behind is for the learner to input the rules of composition. The capability to have syntactically correct structures and derive a logical meaning in a statement is what semantics entail in the principle of effective teaching of reading. Therefore, it would be logical to assert that every operation of the syntax closely associates itself with the semantics that

International perspectives in criminology Essay

International perspectives in criminology - Essay Example For along time scholars have agreed that the Chinese criminal justice system is substantially retributive in aspect (Chiu 1992, p. 39). The same scholars have explored the apparent weaknesses of this system and held them up for ridicule especially when set against the foil of the international crusades for human rights. The ideological and political loyalists and apologists of the system have, however disputed these allegations and instead described the legal system as a hybrid that incorporates both the restorative and retributive aspects of justice. The thrust of their argument is that the two systems are supplementary and complementary in their operations. The Structures of China’s criminal justice frame work are largely anchored on the philosophies of Confucianism and legalism (Siegel & Senna 2005). Confucianism promotes a culture of entrenched virtue that should be guided by the organs of the state. The Confucian fashion of the criminal justice system was one that would allow citizens to use the law willingly and but also minimally so that the praxis of application, reference or practice are not seen to be overbearing on the society. The salient feature in the Confucian doctrine was the lack of force or organized formality that would preside over the cultural, moral, and social transaction of a people as represented in their everyday rhythms of life. The Confucian system imagines a ruler or the state not as an overlord on the subjects but as a virtuous edifice that should guide the rest of the citizenry through example. The Confucian system aligns with the restorative aspect of law but does not suggest much about the loopholes within the system that might fail to address some peculiar cases of social miscreants. Legalism on the other hand advocates for strong measures by the state to uphold the means and ends of justice. In this method, punishment and coercion are deemed as necessary tools that can help the

The Role Of The Entrepreneur

The Role Of The Entrepreneur Previous studies have highlighted the changes by OECD countries from large companies consisting of mass production to smaller companies focusing on knowledge, initiative and flexibility. According to Karlsson et al, this change appears to have taken place from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. (Karlsson et al., 2004; Acs, 1996 and 1999; Acs and Audretsch, 2001; Audretsch and Thurik, 1997 and 2001; Audretsch et al, 2002) The large managed economies invested in production, distribution and management. (Chandler, 1990) A large distributional network meant the products could reach large market. The smaller entrepreneurial economies focus on knowledge and flexibility as part of production. (Karlsson et al., 2004) Karlsson et al highlights the factors that caused the change from a managed economy to an entrepreneurial economy such as increased global competition, changes in demand and demographics, intensified uncertainty and new technologies. (Karlsson et al., 2004) Definition of Entrepreneurship The name Entrepreneur can be used very vaguely as it can cover a number of different roles. Thurik and Wennekers identified up to thirteen roles that the entrepreneur can be responsible for: The person who assumes the risk associated with uncertainty The supplier of financial capital An innovator A decision maker An industrial leader A manager An organiser and coordinator of economic resources The owner of an enterprise An employer of factors of production A contractor An arbitrageur An allocator of resources among alternative uses The person who realises a start-up of a new business (Thurik Wennekers, 1999) After much studying regarding the history of entrepreneurship and the economy, Hà ©bert and Link came up with the following definition for the entrepreneur: The entrepreneur is someone who specialises in taking responsibility for and making judgemental decisions that affect the location, form, and the use of goods, resources, or institutions. Thurik and Wennekers then came up with the following definition of entrepreneurship, with the help of Hà ©bert and Link (1989), Bull and Willard (1993) and Lumpkin and Dess (1996): Entrepreneurship is the manifest ability and willingness of individuals, on their own, in teams, within and outside existing organisations, to: perceive and create new economic opportunities (new products, new production methods, new organisational schemes and new product market combinations) and to introduce their ideas in the market, in the face of uncertainty and other obstacles, by making decisions on location, form and the use of resources and institutions. (Thurik and Wennekers, 1999) The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) defines entrepreneurship as: Any attempt at new business or venture creation, such as self employment, a new business organisation, or the expansion of an existing business organisation by an individual, teams of individuals, or established businesses. (GEM, 2002) Invest NI simply defines entrepreneurship as: Someone who pursues business opportunities beyond known resources to create wealth. (Invest NI) History of Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth Theories Thurik and Wennekers split the historical entrepreneurial theories into three traditions: German tradition of von Thà ¼nen, Schumpter and Baumol Entrepreneur is the creator of instability and creative destruction. (Neo-)classical tradition of Marshall, Knight and Schultz Helps markets reach an equilibrium by carrying out entrepreneurial activities. Austrian tradition of Menger, von Mises and Kirzner The ability of the entrepreneur to realise opportunities for profit. Helps satisfy needs or improve market inefficiencies and deficiencies. Thurik and Wennekers attribute economic growth through entrepreneurship to three main entrepreneurial activities, enhanced competition, innovations and employment growth through firm start-ups. The following table, created by Thurik and Wennekers, shows the various schools of growth theory with the role of entrepreneurship: Growth Theories Neo-Classical Growth Theories Schumpeter/ Baumol Theory Karlsson et al highlights that the German traditions of Schumpeter in 1934 and Baumol in 1968, shows the entrepreneur as an innovator and inspirer, the implementer of creative destruction, creating instability, disequilibria and economic development. (Karlsson et al., 2004) A model by Aghion and Howitt tries to explain how creative destruction works. The Research and Development sector invents new production techniques, putting other techniques beyond use. As this new technique is used, the innovators are rewarded until a new technique superseeds his invention. (Aghion and Howitt, 1992; Thurik and Wennekers, 1999) Neo-Classical Theory While there have been a number of neoclassical growth models created over the years, the main one to have an impact has been that of Robert Solow in 1956. One of his main conclusions was that the accumulation of capital cannot account for historic growth per capita, nor the differences in international per capita output. Karlsson et al explains that the model is built where output is a function of capital and effective labour, where effective labour includes the knowledge and effectiveness of the labour force. Output therefore increases if either capital or effective labour increase, and with given levels of capital and labour, the only way growth can occur is through the expansion of knowledge, being the advancement of technology. The economy will eventually reach equilibrium, where output, capital and effective labour will all grow at a constant rate. This rate of growth is determined by the advances in technology. With this theory by Solow, the entrepreneur does not exist. Austrian Theory The Austrian Theory is where the entrepreneur spots an area of disequilibrium and attempts to profit from this situation by improving on the inefficiencies and deficiencies in the market. (Kirzner, 1973) Holcombe (1998) and Minniti (1999) agree that in order for opportunities to become available, they have to have been created by other entrepreneurs. Quite simply put by Karlsson et al, entrepreneurship generates more entrepreneurship. (Karlsson, 2004; Holcombe, 1998; Minniti, 1999) Endogenous Growth Theories (New Growth Theory) The Endogenous Growth Theory or New Growth Theory was developed in the 1980s as a response to the basic Neoclassical Theory of Growth. Many believe that the problem with the Neoclassical theories is that as growth is determined through the levels of technological changes, there is very little relating to the factors that affect technological progress. Romer (1986, 1990) and Lucas (1988) were responsible for the early development of this concept. (Hoque) It appears that generally within the endogenous models such as Romer (1986, 1990) and Lucas(1988), the entrepreneur does not hold a central role, however, Grossman and Helpman (1991) suggest that all Research and Development and investment decisions are made by forward-looking profit maximising entrepreneurs. (Karlsson et al, 2004; Grossman and Helpman, 1991) Hoque goes on to suggest that output and growth are dependent on the internal variable saving rate, which is converted into human capital investment used for innovating new ideas and methods. This variable saving rate allows for technological progress, resulting in the long-term growth of the economy. The endogenous growth theory focuses on a number of factors, including education, knowledge, research, training and experience. These factors help for growth and lead to innovation. Hoque mentions two types of innovation: Horizontal Innovation The Research Sector develops a variety of goods leading to a spillover effect on the economy. These goods can be patented and sold to the immediate goods sector who then have a monopoly power on each design and can therefore earn a monopoly return. Vertical Innovation This is where improvements are made to existing products, leading to a temporary increase in productivity and a sustainable increase in output growth. East Asian Miracle: 1965 1990 Thurik and Wennekers (1999) refers to the economic growth of East Asian countries in the past decade. These eight countries are referred to as the High-Performing Asian Economies (HPAEs) and include the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. During the period of 1965 to 1990, they experienced an average GNP growth rate per capita of 5.5%. This growth can be taken from both exports of goods, as well as domestic demand. A number of public policies led to growing physical and human capital, the allocation of resources to productive investment and the gathering and perfecting of technology. Thurik and Wennekers, however, state that the innovation, private investment and marketing does not necessarily come from entrepreneurial activity and there is no obvious proof of an increase in entrepreneurship. Phelps commented on the paper by Mankiw (1995), claiming that with such an increase in human capital, entrepreneurship must be the reason, helped by the governments. Porter (1990) has also supported this viewed when writing about Emerging Korea in which he states two factors, being the willingness to take risks and the intensity of competition. Entrepreneurship and the Competitive Advantage of Nations An analysis by Porter (1990) was conducted in order to highlight the factors or conditions and determine the competitive strength of nations. Porters model was made up of four sets of factors in what was called the diamond model. Thurik and Wennekers describe these determinants below: Factor Conditions Porter distinguishes basic factors (e.g. natural resources and cheap, unskilled labour) from advanced factors (highly skilled personnel, modern networks infrastructure); Demand Conditions These have three main elements: the nature of buyer needs (e.g. sophisticated instead of basic), the size and the pattern of growth and the existence of mechanisms by which a nations domestic preferences are transmitted to foreign markets; Related and Supporting Industries The presence of internationally competitive supplier and related industries stimulates rivalry and partial cooperation; The Structure and Culture of Domestic Rivalry This encompasses a wide scope such as opportunities provided to possible new entrants, the nature of competition between incumbent firms, dominant business strategies and management practices. (Thurik and Wennekers) This diamond model is summed up by Porter (1990) as, Invention and entrepreneurship are at the heart of national advantage. With this model, Porter suggests that innovation comes directly from entrepreneurship. As well as this, he claims that international competitiveness is a vital link between entrepreneurship (innovation) and economic growth, with domestic rivalry being important in leading to international competitiveness. He also mentions that entrepreneurship is not a trait associated with smaller firms. (Thurik and Wennekers, 1999) Evolutionary Economics The concept of this theory is that each individual has a set of routines, which gradually evolve. These routines are tested in the market environment and due to natural selection, the most suitable one survives. (Karlsson et al., 2004) In this model, each individual has entrepreneurial spirit, human capital and venture capital. (Grebel et al., 2001) Eliasson (1994) mentions that in order for a firm to survive, competence is the most important factor and that accumulation of competence is the determinant of success. This was also backed up by a study conducted by Eliasson and Braunerhjelm (1998), claiming that economic growth stems from human-embodied tacit competencies. (Karlsson et al., 2004) Linking Entrepreneurial Activities to Economic Growth Competition Within the U.S., Acs (1996) suggests that employment growth is due to the increased competition. Geroski (1994) agrees that competition is important by stating that competition plays a significant role in stimulating productivity, with both new firms and new ideas provoking movements to, and outwards movements of, the production frontier which, the data suggest would not have occurred in their absence. Gort and Sung (1999) conclude that an increase in competition will lead to an increase in efficiency. This competition will affect efficiency in four ways: Greater incentive to stimulate demand Higher quality of capital inputs Lower monitoring costs Greater efficiency of firm-specific organisational capital and rivalry leading to innovation Dennis (1995) mentions how competition stimulates some people, but not everyone. These people will try to find a better and more profitable way of doing things in order to maintain or improve their position in the market. These people have chosen innovation rather than working harder. (Dennis, 1995; However, he also mentions how there are policy-imposed limits on competition which vary from country to country, giving the example that the U.S Postal Service who are owned by the government, are the only company allowed to deliver first class mail. This can allow a monopoly to form over a certain market and prevent competition occurring. Innovation The innovative activity of small firms has a different level of importance depending on the type of sector a firm is involved in. (Acs and Audretsch, 2001) Baldwin and Johnson (1999) mention a number of small firms in which innovation is important including electronics, instruments, medical equipment, steel and biotechnology. Acs (1996) goes further than this by calculating the number of innovations per 1000 employees in different industry sectors. When this measure was carried out in 1982 in the U.S., it was found that firms with less than 500 employees produced more innovations in fields such as electronic computing equipment, process control instruments, electronic components, engineering and scientific instruments and plastic products. (Karlsson et al., 2004) In studies conducted by Acs et al (1994), as well as Audretsch and Vivarelli (1996), it was found that innovations by small firms was greater if the firms were close to Universities. This shows the effect of education on innovation. Other studies have found that small firms are more likely to innovate in unexplored areas of technology, with the larger companies focusing on more established areas. (Acs, 1999) Rothwell and Zegveld found that all outputs from the UK which they studied were radical breakthroughs, with only 27% of U.S. firms producing these radical breakthroughs, 30% as major technological shifts and 37% as improvement type innovations. (Rothwell and Zegveld, 1982; Karlsson, 2004) Ernst and Young make a number of observations with regards innovation and entrepreneurship: Theres no time like a downturn to take advantage of entrepreneurial thinking A recent Ernst and Young survey found that the majority of entrepreneurs saw the economic slowdown as the perfect time to explore new opportunities. More than half of the companies on the 2009 Fortune 500 list were founded during a recession or bear market. The market leaders of today are not necessary the market leaders of tomorrow Entrepreneurial enterprises grow quickly, replacing the market share of many dominant corporations. Innovation can, and often must be, disruptive Disruptive innovation is often the turning point for business in an industry undergoing significant change. (Christensen, 1997) Applegate states, Disruptions in the business environment cause economic shifts that destabilise industries, companies and even countries. They allow new entrants or forward thinking established players to introduce innovations in products, markets, or processes that transform the way companies do business and consumers behave. (Applegate, 2007) She goes on to mention a number of factors which companies must consider when faced with disruptive business conditions: Technology Important emerging technologies and how they are being used by others to help create an advantage. Business Models New business models need to be created or adapted to help improve how business is done. Industry Dynamics Fragmented industries where significant value can be delivered through consolidation. Globalisation Adapt to how companies in another part of the world perform. Regulatory, macroeconomic, political and societal factors Changes in regulations, political power and society that disrupt major companies, providing opportunities for new companies. (Applegate, 2007) Never too big to be an entrepreneur Large firms are often weighed down by institutional structures that may see unconventional ideas or strategies as impractical or threatening. However, they can still innovate successfully by building and sustaining innovation-oriented cultures. Large companies have found that in addition to internal research, they can seek innovation through partnerships, joint ventures, licensing and investing in up and coming companies. Government policies that encourage entrepreneurship are most likely to result in increased innovation A 2009 report from the Ernst and Young Conference Board states, Policies that protect firms or industries can result in reduced incentives for entrepreneurs to invest in innovative ideas and for large firms to invest in Research and Development because they no longer face the competitive pressure to constantly improve their product in order to improve (or maintain) their market share. Ernst and Young highlight that the governments which are viewed as most effective when they stay out of the business sectors way, play an important role in helping the engines of growth which are entrepreneurs. They also highlight some ways in which the government can help: Strengthen and invest in education systems Encourage businesses to connect with global, cross-border markets Cultivate confidence in capital markets Simplify procedures and requirements Champion robust Research and Development programs Allow for failure Encourage sound public/private partnerships Make the tax framework friendly to innovation (Ernst and Young, 2009) Industrial Structure, Start-ups and Job Creation When it comes to the differences between large and small firms, Carree and Thurik (1998), as well as Vosloo (1994) highlight a number of advantages in smaller firms. Mentioned is the fact that a greater number of smaller firms dispersed geographically allow for customers to cut travelling distances. As well as this, variety can only be created by small firms and the entrepreneur running the firm is more likely to be energetic and motivational. Vosloo highlights advantages of small firms in developing economies, such as less capital per worker on average, higher likelihood of innovation per employee, greater flexibility, higher growth and job creation rates, as well as being able to serve a more niche market. Studies by both Audretsch et al (2002), as well as Carree and Thurik (1998), have found that on average, the employment share of large firms had a negative effect on growth of output and that smaller firms have helped economic growth. With regards to Germany, Wengenroth (1999) concluded that Small business was the catalyst of industrial growth in providing the background of skills and services which alone made possible the mass consumption of industrial product. Davis et al (1996) mentions that the entrepreneurship in start-ups makes a smaller contribution to job growth than expansion of existing firms in the U.S. This is also backed by a study conducted by Bednarzik (2000). It has to be noted however, that smaller firms have a higher gross job creation, with larger firms providing more in terms of net job creation. Carree and Klomp (1996) dispute this claim from Davis et al, arguing that relative to employment share, small firms created more net jobs relative to employment share. (Karlsson, 2004) What has regularly been found is that small firms can have a volatile job situation, with plenty of job growth, but also a lot of job destruction. Investec, a UK asset management group, have predicted a large number of job losses within the public sector with the hope that entrepreneurship will offset this. Their research also found that two thirds of Britains entrepreneurs expect to increase employment, with only 8% expecting job losses. (Investec, 2010) Ed Cottrell, from Investec Private Bank highlighted what is required by the new Coalition Government in the UK. With a new government formed, severe spending cuts will have to be enforced to help tackle the countrys debts, and this could lead to job losses, especially in the public sector. We need to make sure that entrepreneurs, which are the lifeblood of our economy, are properly incentivised to grow their operations and therefore hire more people. Philip Shaw, the chief economist at Investec Bank added, Entrepreneurs look for an environment that provides them with opportunity, reward and a flexible environment to operate in. They also look for stability and support, be that from the banks or the government, and it is in the best interest of the economy to provide this to them. (Investec, 2010) Entrepreneurship and Large Firms Entrepreneurial activity is not limited to small firms. Corporate entrepreneurship occurs in large organisations with Drucker (1985) claiming that they will not survive unless they acquire entrepreneurial competence. Stopford and Baden-Fuller (1994) explain that there are three types of corporate entrepreneurship: Creation of new businesses within an organisation often referred to as intrapreneurship. Transformation or strategic renewal of existing organisations. Carrying out an innovation that essentially alters the industry. (Stopford and Baden-Fuller, 1994) He also highlights five attributes common with corporate entrepreneurship: Proactiveness Aspirations beyond current ability Team orientation Capability to resolve dilemmas Learning capacity Stevenson and Jarillo (1990) refer to corporations acting entrepreneurially, pursuing opportunity, whether through specific company structures or not, constitutes the core of entrepreneurship, both individual and corporate. They highlight how dependant management are on the individuals within a firm to create this corporate entrepreneurship. Bridge et al (1998) highlight the difference between inventors and intrapreneurship. Inventors are usually individuals, but intrapreneurship is frequently carried out by groups or teams. Thurik and Wennekers (1999) concludes by stating that corporate entrepreneurship plays an essential role in the process of strategic renewal of large and incumbent firms. In the short-term, corporate entrepreneurship can occur at the same time as downsizing and the loss of jobs, however, in the long-term, it enhances competitiveness and leads to sales growth. Thurik and Wennekers (1999) also mention how studies have shown that there seems to be a strong evidence to support a positive impact of corporate entrepreneurship on economic growth. They created a table to show the differences between individual and corporate entrepreneurship: Figure 2 Individual and Corporate Entrepreneurship According to Cole and Neumayer (2003), neoclassical growth theory predicts that poor economies grow faster than rich economies. This is taken from the theory that if all economies are assumed to have the same steady state, then the only difference between countries is the initial level of capital and poor economies will grow faster as they are further away from their steady state. Measuring Entrepreneurship GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor is a global measure of entrepreneurial activity to assist in entrepreneurship policy research. The project has now been running for 12 years and covers over 34 countries worldwide. GEM aims to fulfil a number of research questions similar to this dissertation: How much entrepreneurial activity is taking place in each county? Why do levels of entrepreneurial activity differ between countries/regions? What are the links between entrepreneurial activity and economic growth and productivity? Surveys conducted by GEM are used to collect information on different types of businesses at a range of entrepreneurial activity. These three business types are: Start-ups Young businesses Establishes businesses Research from GEM continues to associate a positive correlation between start-up activity and economic development, highlighting key indicators of entrepreneurial capacity and tendencies. A Background to Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of four countries located in the United Kingdom. With a population of 1.7 million people as of 2004, it is the smallest of these countries. (UK Statistics Authority, 2004) Traditionally, Northern Ireland has been known for having an industrial economy, for example, in the shipbuilding and textiles businesses. This has since been replaced by the services industry. For example, Harland and Wolff, a shipbuilder located in Northern Ireland, once employed around 35,000 people. Nowadays, there are only around 500 employees focused on the repairing of oil platforms and the assembly of wind turbines. Northern Ireland has for a long time suffered from a troubled past, with the most recent referred to as The Troubles. This has been dated from the late 1960s to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. (Aughey, 2005) During this time, threats of bombings, the high cost of security and the lack of a stable market, meant large companies were reluctant to invest. This also drove away many of the existing businesses. (Rowthorn Wayne, 1988) Confidence gradually built up within Northern Ireland since the mid 1990s, when many paramilitary groups initiated cease fires and political parties began to work together. However, the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 proved to the rest of the world that the majority of Northern Ireland were willing to move on from the troubled past. Twelve years on and unemployment has fallen sharply, as well as many people immigrating to Northern Ireland from other EU countries. (BBC, 2008) The current rate of unemployment stands at 6.8%, amongst one of the lowest of the regions in the United Kingdom, compared with a peak in 1986 of 17.2%. (DETINI, 2010) (BBC, 2001) Entrepreneurship within Northern Ireland Previous research into the effect of entrepreneurial activity on economic growth by organisations such as the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have shown a direct correlation. (Hegarty, 2006) According to the GEM survey in 2009, Northern Ireland was ranked 9th out of 12 UK regions for Total Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA). There has still, however, been a rise in the TEA rate since 2002, despite the impact of the economic recession. (GEM, 2009) Figure 1 below shows the change in Total Entrepreneurial Activity since 2002: Figure 3 Total Entrepreneurial Activity in Northern Ireland and the UK (2002 2009) (GEM APS) This TEA value is calculated using the percentage of early-stage entrepreneurial activity among the adult population, aged 18 64 years. (Pfeifer and Sarlija, 2010) In order to qualify and be included in the TEA value, respondents have to be involved in either: Nascent Ventures The firms generally referred to as start-ups. Any respondent actively involved in creating a new business that they would own or part of and had not paid any salaries or wages to anyone for more than three months. Young Businesses More established, owner-manager businesses but have not been paying salaries for more than 42 months. Lee et al explains that there are two academic approaches to categorise entrepreneurship. The first way is to focus on the entrepreneurs and understand why they chose to start a new business and be an entrepreneur. The second way is to study regional variation in the formation of new businesses. (Lee et al., 2004) For this study, both approaches will be used. A number of factors can be studied in order to determine how entrepreneurship affects economic growth. Storey (1994) focused on factors such as personality, human capital and ethnic origin whereas Evans and Leighton (1990) focused more on factors such as educational attainment and work experience. Previous research has linked a higher educational attainment with new business formation. (Evans and Leighton, 1990) Evans and Leighton also found that men with greater financial resources and greater confidence in their ability are likely to be self-employed. (Evans and Leighton, 1989) Regional factors that affect birth rates of businesses include unemployment, population density, industrial clustering and the availability of financing. (Reynolds et al., 1994) Armington and Acs (2002) also highlighted factors such as income growth and population growth. Factors Affecting Entrepreneurship Gender Female entrepreneurial activity within Northern Ireland between 2002 and 2009 has been significantly below the UK average. In 2009, 2.4% of females were engaged in early stage entrepreneurial activity compared to the UK average of 3.7%. This value is also under a third of male entrepreneurial activity within Northern Ireland, which stands at 8%. Figure 2 shows the female early-stage entrepreneurial activity for Northern Ireland compared with that of the UK average. A report by Crimson Business Limited, highlighted possible reasons why women are less likely to be entrepreneurial than men: Under-capitalisation of ventures Low levels of self-confidence Visibility of appropriate role models The report indicates that these barriers to women becoming entrepreneurs needs to be overcome with greater support from the government. (Crimson Business Limited, 2006) These barriers are not seen globally however, with different parts of the world having different cultures and customs with regards the participation of women in the economic growth of countries. For example, in countries such as Tonga and Guatemala, women are more likely to be involved in early-stage entrepreneurial activity than men. (Bosma and Levie, 2009) Age In 2009, total entrepreneurial activity for those aged 18 24 in Northern Ireland was 2.3% of the adult population. This is compared with a UK average of 3.4%. Northern Ireland remains, as it has done in recent years, with a peak in total entrepreneurial activity between the ages of 25 and 34. A surprising decline in entrepreneurs between the ages of 35 and 44 has been seen in 2009, against the trend of the rest of the UK

Touch Wood :: English Literature Essays

Touch Wood Touch Wood is based on the author ¹s own life when she was growing as a Jewish girl during the German invasion of France. In 1940, Renà ©e and her family were living in Alsace, France, where nothing ever changed. No one expected anything unusual to happen. Then one day, a war with Germany is announced on the radio. The Germans wanted to annex Alsace and forced the Jews to leave. France was split into two zones- the Free Zone and the German occupied zone. Renà ©e ¹s father chose for them to move to Paris, because it is a big city where he can find work, and also because Renà ©e ¹s mother has childhood friends there. So, Renà ©e, her parents, her two younger sisters, and their blind grandmother move into a crowded apartment in the German-occupied zone. Renà ©e was disappointed in Paris when she arrived. She finds that everything seems to be smaller in Paris. Eventually, her new neighborhood becomes more of a home and helps Renà ©e to miss Alsace a little less. Renà ©e ¹s parents had left Poland and then Hungary to find a freer, better life. They settled in France and thought they ¹d be safe. Then Adolf Hitler, a German man who hated Jewish people, started trouble all over again. First, seven synagogues were blown up. Then, the Germans created a curfew prohibiting Jews to go during certain hours. Any Jew caught in the street after curfew would be taken as hostage. Also, all Jewish people must wear a Star of David on their shirts. An ordinance is created requiring all Jewish firms to be registered. Then the Jewish are forbidden to go to most public places, and they are only allowed an hour to grocery shop. Suddenly, their family ¹s Jewish neighbors are being taken away one by one. Renà ©e ¹s family becomes fearful. At one point, they have to hide from the police. Renà ©e ¹s parents decide to take action. They have friends who know Mother Superior. They send Renà ©e and her sisters to a Catholic residence in Normandy until the war is over. Their father emphasizes for them not to tell anyone that they are Jewish. When they arrive in Normandy, they find a cozy bedroom, appetizing meals, and friendly people. Renà ©e has to deal with a nosy housekeeper, who could possibly uncover their secret. Renà ©e and her sisters love their new school, which is much more spacious and modern than the one in Paris.

Further Reflections on the Public Sphere Essay

The text is about relationship of state and civil society, the origins of and prospects for democracy and the impact of the media. A kind of rethinking of Habermas’ first major work, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere published in 1962 and translated into English in 1989 which describes the development of a bourgeois public sphere in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as well as its subsequent decline. Habermas admits, his theory has changed since then and he reminds readers of these changes. 1.The Genesis and Concept of the Bourgeois Public Sphere The public sphere (Ãâ€"ffentlichkeit ) is an area in social life (standing in-between private individuals and government authorities) where individuals can meet to freely discuss public matters, exchanged views and knowledge and through that discussion influence political action. A vibrant public sphere serves as a positive counterweight to government authorities (are out of the state control) and happens physically in face-to-face meetings in coffee houses and public squares as well as in books, theatre etc. The public sphere emerged first in Britain and in the 18th century in Continental Europe. The newspapers, reading rooms, freemasonry lodges and coffeehouses marked the gradual emergence of the public sphere. Habermas mentions Geoff Eley’s objection to his earlier depiction of bourgeois public sphere is an idealized conception. Habermas admits now the coexistence of several competing public spheres and groups, that were excluded form the dominant public sphere – the so called „plebianâ€Å" public sphere (like Jacobins, Chartist movement). Habermas influenced here by Guenter Lottes and greatly by Mikhail Bakhtin, who opened his eyes to the culture of common people as a violent counter project to the dominant public sphere. Habermas now views quite differently the exclusion of women as well. Habermas asks himself – were women excluded from the dominant public sphere in the same fashion as the common people? He answers himself with „noâ€Å" – the exclusion of women had structuring significance, as it was happening not only in the public sphere, but also in the private sphere. At the end of this chapter Habermas summons up: his bourgeois public sphere was formerly conceived too rigidly. In fact, from the very beginning a dominant bourgeois public collided with a plebeian (and female) one. As a result, the contrast between the early public sphere and the today’s decayed public sphere is no longer so deep. 2.The Structural Transformations of the Public Sphere: Three Revisions This chapter traces the transition from the liberal bourgeois public sphere to the modern mass society of the social welfare state. Starting in the 1830s, a transformation of state and economy took shape. Clear borderlines between public and private and between state and society became blurred, as a result of interventionist state policies. The increasing re-integration and entwining (mà ­senà ­ se) of state and society resulted in the modern social welfare state. In the subchapter 1 Habermas deals with the impact of these developments on the private sphere. Civil society was formerly totally private, there was no difference between social and family life. This changes with the emancipation of lower strata (workers), a polarization of social and intimate sphere arrives. Habermas describes a dispute among two schools in the 1950s, that of conservative Carl Schmitt school (and Ernst Fortshoff) and Marxist Wolfgang Abendroth, that influenced his considerations at that time, though today he distances himself from his approach. In the subchapter 2 Habermas is concerned with changes in the structure of the public sphere and in the composition and behavior of the public. The infrastructure of the public sphere has changed due to changes in media, advertising and literature that has become oriented to new social groups (workers) as well as due to the collapse of the liberal associational life. Since the 1960s, when Habermas book was published, the opportunities for access to public communication became even more difficult. The public sphere is today dominated by the mass media., which turned the critical public into a passive consumer public and caused a decay of the public sphere. Nevertheless, Habermas says his old concept of a unilinear development from a „culture-debating to a culture-consuming publicâ€Å" was too simplistic and pessimistic. Habermas explains this by general situation of media effects studies at that time – he relied on Lazarsfeld’s behavioristic research and had no information brought later by Stuart Hall (audience does not simply passively accept a text). Subchapter 3 deals with the legitimation process of mass democracy and two diverging concepts of public opinion – an informal, nonpublic opinion and a formal quasi public opinion (made by mass media), that often collide. 3.A Modified Theoretical Framework The mass democracies constituted as social-welfare states can continue the principles of the liberal constitutional state only as long as they try to live up to the mandate of a public sphere that fulfills political functions. It is necessary to demonstrate how it may be possible for the public to set in motion a critical process of public communication. Habermas asks himself, weather there can emerge a general interest of the kind to which a public opinion can refer to as a criterion. Habermas could not resolve this problem before. Today he is able to reformulate the question and give an answer. The ideals of bourgeois humanism function today as a utopian vision, which makes it tempting to idealize the bourgeois public sphere too much. Therefore Habermas suggests the foundations of the critical theory of society be laid at a deeper level and beyond the threshold of modern societies. In the 1960s Habermas believed that society and its self-organization was a totality (celek) controlling all spheres of its life. This notion has become implausible today – e.g. economic system of a society is regulated independently through markets. Later emerged his dual concept of society – the internal subjective viewpoint of the â€Å"lifeworld† and the external viewpoint of the â€Å"system†. The aim today as he sees it is to erect a dam against an encroachment (naruÃ… ¡ovà ¡nà ­) of system on the lifeworld, to reach a balance between the social-integrative power of solidarity (lifeworld) and money + administrative power (system). Communicative action serves to transmit and renew cultural knowledge, in a process of achieving mutual understandings. It then coordinates action towards social integration and solidarity. This can be met in traditional societies. Less often in posttraditional societies with their confused pluralism of various competing forms of life. Habermas criticizes Rousseau for his utopian concept of the general will of citizens in a democracy as a „consensus of hearts rather than of argumentsâ€Å". Habermas sees the solution in the process of public communication itself. Therefore democracy is rooted in public reasoning among equal citizens. State institutions are legitimate only when they establish a framework for free public deliberation (debata). Such a rational debate is the most suitable procedure for resolving moral-practical questions as well. The question remains how such a debate can be institutionalized so that it bridges the gap between self-interest and orientation to the common good (between the roles of client (private) and citizen (public)). Such a debate must meet two preconditions: presumption of impartiality and ability to transcend initial preferences. These conditions must be guaranteed by legal procedures (institutionalized) and they themselves shall be subject to the law. New institutions should be considered, that would counteract the trend toward the transmutation of citizens into clients (i.e. toward alienation of citizens from the political process). Democracy shall be not restricted only to state institutional arrangements. They shall interplay with autonomous networks and groups with a spontaneous flow of communication, that are the one remaining embodiment of the altogether dispersed sovereignty of the people. Democratic public life cannot develop where matters of public importance are not discussed by citizens. However, discourses do not govern – the responsibility for practically consequential decisions must be based in an institution. 4.Civil Society or Political Public Sphere Political public sphere is characterized by two processes: 1) the communicative generation of legitimate power 2) manipulative power of mass media. A public sphere need more than just state institutions – it requires a populace accustomed to freedom and the supportive spirit of differentially organized lifeworlds with their critical reflection and spontaneous communication – voluntary unions outside the realm of the state and the economy (church, independent media, leisure clubs etc.) They are not part of the system, but they have a political impact, as was seen in totalitarian regimes, e.g. in the communist states of Eastern and Central Europe. In Western-type democracies these associations are established within the institutional framework of the state. Habermas asks himself the question, to what extent such a public sphere dominated by mass media can bring about any changes. This can be answered only by means of empirical research. He concludes with reference to a study No Sense of Place by J.Meyrowitz, who claims that electronic media dissolve social structures and boundaries (like in primitive societies). Habermas disagrees – new roles and constraints arise in the process of using electronic communication.

Battle of Marathon Essay

In 490 B.C.E. the Battle of Marathon was a brief but important event in the war between the Greek city-states and The Persian Empire. The results of the battle had unforeseen effects on Athens and the future of Western Civilization. The Greek ‘Golden Age’, centred in Athens, brought about new forms of art, the foundations of future philosophy and redirected literature and drama. The achievements of the Athenians during this period were directly connected to the inspiration and prestige (which later translated into power) fuelled by the events at Marathon. How the events of a single day changed the entire course of Western Civilization is hard to fathom but obvious when one looks at the aftermath of that fateful event. The revolts of a few Greek cities of Ionia were what initially sparked the Persians interest in Athens, Attica and the Peloponnese. When Athens sent a small fleet in support of the Ionian rebels they immediately gave Persia a new target for further expansion. The failure of the revolts and the ruin of Sardis and Miletus shocked the Greek world. The Persians now thought, â€Å"if Miletus had been the glory of subject Greece, Athens was the golden gate to free Hellas. A bauble, perhaps, beside the treasures of the empire, but a tempting one.† Now not only did the Persian king Darius want revenge against the Athenians he wanted the entire Greek world to be integrated into the Persian Empire. In 490 BCE Darius finally advanced towards Greece. After the capture of Eretria, confident of their success, the Persians sailed on to Attica; and under the advice of Hippas* landed at the bay of Marathon, 26 km north east of Athens. When the Athenians received news of the Persians landing, they sent a runner (Philippides) to Sparta asking for support. They knew support would not get to them before the Persians decided to move so the Athenians then made â€Å"one of the most fateful decisions ever taken by a democratic government in ancient Greece. It was to advance and engage the Persians at their point of invasion, rather that to sit tight and try to hold the city.† . This decision was a radical one for a few reasons: the Athenians were highly outnumbered and historically, according to the historian Herodotus, the Greeks had never stood their ground against a Persian attack. Every major battle during the six years of the Ionian revolt demonstrated that the  Greeks preferred to defend their cities rather that fight out in the open. For these reasons the Persians were justifiably optimistic about their ability to defeat the Greeks. Upon the Athenian arrival at their base camp, away from the bay, they were joined by troops from the Athenian ally Plataia (about one thousand). There were 10,000 men in the Athenian army; a general represented each 1000. The ten generals of the army debated over a course of action, either to stay and meet the Persians as they advance or to attack them and try to take them by surprise. Miltiades* overcame the deadlock by appealing to the Polemarch Kallimachos who had an equal vote on the board of generals and convinced him to attack. Miltiades waited until the day of his prytaneia*, the day which he had supreme control over the entire army, to attack the Persians at their base camp. The Persians were taken by surprise and being unprepared, retreated back to their ships. While the Persians fled to their ships a point when only a narrow passage of beach separated the sea from a marsh was passed, it was here that around six thousand men from both sides were killed, the overwhelming number were Persians. Herodotus reported the casualties of the Greeks amounted to 192 Athenians, and an unrecorded number of Plataeans and slaves, the Persians lost 6400 men in total. The Greeks pursued in an attempt to capture the Persians ships but all but seven escaped. The Persians changed their course of action and sailed around to attack the now undefended city of Athens from the sea. The Athenian army was force to march the 26 km back to Athens in haste to defend the city. They reached the city and the Persian fleet seeing the defenders had returned, did not land but turned and headed back to Asia. The victory at Marathon and the successful defence of the city, gave the Athenians a sense of moral superiority and pride. In later battles of the Persian War, at Thermopylai and Salamis, the highly regarded Spartans and those of the Peloponnese were largely in control of strategic moves. Although still a major force in every battle, Athens and her allies were outnumbered and thus followed Spartan command. After the second occupation of Athens after the battle of Salamis, the Athenians gave Sparta an ultimatum due to a lack of Spartan support. â€Å"If the Peloponnesians wanted  Athens’ navy, they must save Athens’ land.† Because the Athenians had more damage to recover from it brought stronger confidence and overall pride for them once the city got back on its feet. The Spartans, Corinthians and other Peloponnesian allies now had reason to fear Athens growing naval power and its capabilities now that the city was repaired and invigorated with a renewed sense of pride. This is the point that we see the beginnings of a shift in the balance of power and influence between the city-states. When the Ionian states adopted the Athenians as leaders, as opposed to the Spartans who had been pre-eminent for a long time, the rise of the Athenian influence began to show. For the purpose of protecting all Greeks from a further Persian attack, a league was formed, of which Athens was now the leader. The league included all Aegean states in the interest of their common welfare, and was called The Delian League. At first it was as a leader that Athens lead the allies, who sent members to a general congress, in discussions of further campaigns against the Persians. But that would all change when other city-states adopted the Athenian form of government, democracy, either by force or voluntarily. Inevitably Athens became the leader of what was now an Athenian Empire. When Athens imposed their â€Å"superior† form of government onto other city-states it was no longer a league of self-governing city-states but a league ruled by one. The league, which was formed for the purpose of protection, now became the means for Athens to spread democracy. The Athenian Empire gave Athens a feeling of superiority; it felt that she had the superior form of government, superior ideals, culture and economic practices; that sense of superiority all traced back to the victory at Marathon. â€Å"Suppose, then, that we had never done anything but fight at Marathon – in point of fact we have done much besides: more than any other people of Greece – but just suppose; then Marathon alone would be enough to qualify us not only for the privilege we are claiming but for others too; for in that fight we stood alone against Persia – we dared a mighty enterprise and came out alive – we defended forty-six nations. Do we not, for this act alone, deserve the place of honour†¦Ã¢â‚¬  From the Athenian Empire and its attitude came many great things that had an unquestionable effect on the future of western civilization. Pericles, a famous name in Athenian politics, is a direct result of the Athenian Empire and all its ideals and attitudes. Pericles took advantage of Athens position of power and used money from the Delian League to fund the construction of major pieces of architecture in the city. Without Pericles there would be no Parthenon or Propylea, and Athens might now have gained the prestige it had during its Golden Age. Athens golden age was a direct result of the wealth and prestige of empire; without it Athens may not have reached the point where it became the educational and cultural centre of the Greek world. From this centre came great thinkers and playwrights; western civilization gained philosophy, Greek drama and literature, science and democracy. The Battle of Marathon, although only a single event, had an unquestionable impact on western civilization. Marathon allowed Athens to raise itself to a position of prestige and importance in the Greek world. The Athenians were given the opportunity to become culturally, politically and economically the centre of the Greek world because of the result of the battle of Marathon. Without the Athenians daring strategic move western civilization as we know it today would not be the same.

Bteac National It Unit 2 Information Systems D1 Essay Example

Bteac National It Unit 2 Information Systems D1 Essay Example Bteac National It Unit 2 Information Systems D1 Paper Bteac National It Unit 2 Information Systems D1 Paper D1 Explain how software utilities can improve the performance of computer systems Computers systems are an essential piece of equipment in many people’s everyday lives they have to deal with a lot of processes information and be able to go on the internet where there is a risk of getting viruses and bugs. This is why computer systems have to be equipped with the right software utilities to ensure that they are working at their best at all times. There are many different types of software utilities available for a computer system I will explain them in detail in this report. Firewalls Most if not all businesses, schools and big companies regularly use computer systems and go on the internet they usually have many computer systems networked together that get used for important information and keep their companies running. This is why they install firewalls on their systems. Without firewalls there is the risk of malicious viruses getting through, infecting the system and sometimes taking it down completely. The firewall acts as a communications filter which stops those malicious communications from reaching the computer system. Firewalls can also be programmed to only visit certain sites this will make sure that there is no chance of a virus. Firewalls definitely improve the performance of computer systems. Disk defragmenters Over the time of using a computer system it will start to slow down this is because of the software that gets installed and deleted off the hard disk. When you install software on to a computer system the information gets put into sectors of the hard disk. when you run it a little arm moves to the sector that has the information and then it loads but overtime when the disk gets full of information it takes longer for the little arm to get to the place with all the information also because of software that is deleted there are spaces scattered all over the hard disk making information even longer to locate this is where disk defragmenters come in to play. The disk defragmenter is a tool that cleans up your hard disk and puts all information into order so that it is easy to find for the system this then makes the applications run much quicker. Drive formatting Drive formatting is the process in which you erase data from your hard drive When you format a hard drive the  operating system erases all bookkeeping information on the disk, then it tests the hard drive to make sure all  sectors  are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are scratched or otherwise damaged), and creates internal  address  tables that it later uses to locate information. Before you use a new hard drive you should make sure it is formatted. There is also reformatting this is when you take a hard drive that you have already formatted and format it again this process makes a huge difference to the speed of your system because it deletes all the rubbish on the drive.

Carlinville Area Hospital Quality Improvement Plan Research Paper

Carlinville Area Hospital Quality Improvement Plan - Research Paper Example The researcher states that Carlinville Area Hospital will ensure that its Quality improvement plan is congruent with its key objectives that include but not limited to safety, patient-centered, effectiveness, equitable, efficiency, and timely healthcare service. Carlinville Area Hospital QI plan will cover a wide range of activities that include but not limited to Risk management activities Professional staff credentialing; automated drug-ordering systems; medical record review; prescription legibility; drug labeling and packaging; and patient education on prescribed medications. Carlinville Area Hospital will use six-sigma methodology for its QI implementation plan. The six-sigma methodology will allow the hospital to gather necessary information relating to the present organization’s medication management, which will give clue to management about the processes and activities that require improvement. After implementing the improvement plan the hospital will be forced to unde rtake the  annual evaluation of processes and activities to ensure that they are in line with the planned objectives. The Carlinville Area Hospital is, â€Å"a licensed 25-bed acute care clinic that accommodates a wide range of inpatient, outpatient, as well as emergency services†. Carlinville Area Hospital operates based on the slogan of â€Å"excellent care close to home†. Carlinville Area Hospital mission â€Å"is to always remain committed to the development of a state-of-the-art rural hospital facility.†... tient, outpatient, as well as emergency services† (Carlinville Area Hospital, 2011) Carlinville Area Hospital operates based on the slogan of â€Å"excellent care close to home†. Carlinville Area Hospital mission â€Å"is to always remain committed to the development of a state-of-the-art rural hospital facility.† Enhancing quality has always been one of the key objectives of the hospital and as such the management is looking forward to a favorable relationship between the staff to provide excellent healthcare close to home. Carlinville Area Hospital various services to patients on inpatient and outpatient basis through the hospital’s cardiopulmonary, imaging, laboratory, and rehabilitative services. Additionally the hospital provides daily primary health care to immediate emergency interventions in the local area. Goals/Objectives Promoting a state of art hospital with quality and safety as its major priority requires a lot of commitment. To ensure that th e hospital is on track to fulfill its mission the management of Carlinville Area Hospital has decided to focus on the following objectives: Safe- Carlinville Area Hospital will work tirelessly to ensure that mitigate injuries that patients may suffer from services that are meant to help them (Carlinville Area Hospital, 2011). Patient centered- Carlinville Area Hospital will provide services that recognizes patient’s dignity, worth, respectful and responsive to the needs, expectations, preference and values and above all ensure that medical decisions are based on patients values. Efficient- Carlinville Area Hospital will avoid services that are wasteful in terms of ideas, equipment, energy, and supplies. Timely- Carlinville Area Hospital health care services will emphasis on minimizing potential harmful delays and

Journalism designers code of ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Journalism designers code of ethics - Essay Example One of the theoretical models that underpin the study of ethics in journalism is Duty Based Moral Theory that perceives ethics as a moral responsibility. In this case, journalists have the obligation to uphold the moral responsibility of which they must not distort any information or content whatsoever. The call to observe ethical responsibility with regard to manipulation of information also borrow a lot from the philosophical thoughts of Immanuel Kant as one of the important contributors to ethical thinking. According to Kant, human beings should freely observe rules as a way of enhancing morality in the society. In this case, designer journalists should observe the ethical codes of conducts as the rules that govern their moral behaviors and this applies to distortion of images. Another useful theoretical underpinning of ethical issues in the society is a communitarian theory that came into existence thanks to critical thinking of Goodwyn Barmby. The community or society has the right to information and holds the media responsible for enlightening the public. An ethical issue that might arise when using too much Photoshop is hiding crucial information from the public. A design journalist while manipulating an image may delete some parts thus hiding crucial information from the public. Therefore, the communitarian theory holds that it is unethical to hide crucial information from the public. The philosophy, thus, brings into question the level of obligation that designer have concerning information sharing with the public.