Supply Chain for Audi Essay Example for Free

Gracefully Chain for Audi Essay Gracefully Chain Research Submitted by Ahmed El-Barky Outlines (Topic 1) 12345Activities. Market and contenders. Gracefully chain structure. SWOT investigation. References. 1-Activities for Audi. Audi is perhaps the best vehicle on the planet. First and foremost I will discuss Audi’s exercises. Above all else we as a whole realize the Audi is a German maker of Cars. Creating a ton of sorts of vehicles beginning from Supermini to SUV vehicles in various costs with various classifications. Audi is a brand from the gathering of Volkswagen. The organization itself situated in Ingolstadt, Germany The Company name originates from the author name Who August Horch, His sir name implies (Listen) in Germany and when you make an interpretation of it into Latin it becomes Audi. 2-Audi Competitors. One of the greatest contender towards Audi is BMW and obviously the opposition between Audi A4 and BMW 3 arrangement. Also, BMW X Series and Audi Q7. Other contender is Mercedes and they are rivaling Audi A2 and Mercedes A class. 3-Supply Chain Design. Client 4-SWOT Analysis. - Strengths Audis Brand. Audi is one of the most important vehicles in vehicles industry. The situating of this vehicle is truly elevated for the client they position it as high renown as indicated by the plan and the style. - Strong income Company activities during the period 2003-2006. The organization expanded its income by 16% . as indicated by that the money comparable increments from 1,207. 5million Euro to 4,884million. This is quality on the grounds that with solid money that will assist the organization with achieving its arrangements. Shortcomings Focusing just on Germany 70. 5% of the income for this organization originated from Germany Market. That will influence the organization income in such a case that the economy in Germany isn't developing or deals in Germany isn't working out positively. Or on the other hand the opposition here gets higher. Limited quantity of creation Audi has a modest quantity of creation as per its Competitors for Example BMW delivered 1. 1 million units and Mercedes 1. 2 million unit and for Audi around the same time it was 0. 9 Million unit that will influence the income of the organization. ecause around the same time the incomes for BMW was 48,999 million Euro and for Audi it was 31,142 million Euro around the same time. Openings Sales in China is the third world’s biggest vehicle advertise after US and Japan. China desires are that it will be the world big gest in 2015. Audi is the chines showcase since 1988 and it speaks to 10% from the entire market. Audi got back in the chines showcase in 2006 by Audi A6 altered motor. Russian market. Russia is one of the quickly developing vehicle showcases on the planet. The yearly development was 30% in 2006 contrasted with 2005. Accourding to those changing Audi is setting itself up to contend in this market toss an enormous net of vendors and satellite help workshops in Russia. Center East Market The Arab Gulf Area is one of the most significant regions for extravagance vehicles. A large number of car businesses begin to build up their own manufacturing plants there. The extravagance vehicle Is relied upon to become 20% for the following 3 years. Towards that the organization began to contribute a great deal for the extravagance vehicles there like Audi Q7. Dangers Material costs Cost of the crude material, for example, aluminum and other for this industry is rising. That will influence the organization in light of the fact that the costs will be higher and that will build the opposition for the Japanese organizations. Economy in Eurozone 90% from the income for Audi originates from Eurozone advertise and the euro economy is declining so it’s too difficult to even think about getting the objective income in this market as it were.

Napoleon Bonaparte essays

Napoleon Bonaparte papers On December 2, 1804 the flattery, swarm beguiling Napoleon Bonaparte was delegated sovereign of France. The Revolution simply finding some conclusion, left mass confusion and turmoil all through the country. The individuals not, at this point thought about the little opportunity they had picked up from the bleeding upset. They were eager to choose a ruler all together for quiet the confusion stricken nation. They casted a ballot overwhelmingly for Napoleon being delegated sovereign 3,572, 329 to 2,569. It didn't take long for the new ruler to start putting on a show of sovereignty. Not long after his political decision he even started marking archives with just his first beginning as pioneers of the past had. Napoleon started his standard such that stunned all who that went to the royal celebration. So as to show everybody that he was not the slightest bit under anothers authority, he took the crown and put it on his own head. This genuinely short, egotistical looking man was said to have a sort of air about him that requested submission and regard. The men that served nearest to him asserted he had a fire in his profound set eyes. He was an offspring of karma, as some would state. He was consistently at the correct spot in the perfect time. In ten years, he developed from a unimportant officer to the sovereign. En route his military virtuoso was found. In 1796, Napoleon, as the leader of his military, assumed responsibility for Italy for the French. The youthful authority walked into Italy saying People of Italy! The French Army comes to break your chains! (Carroll 49) They were not; in any case, thoroughly free. They had to make good on duties and gracefully men for military obligation. France had the extraordinary masterpieces and writing transported off to Paris where they were put away in galleries. Napoleon had started to scale the mass of popularity. In Paris; be that as it may, many accepted the war was in unable hands. For instance, many French urban areas were encountering food deficiencies, and like consistently, the man in control was accused. Individuals additionally started yearning for a solid head t... <! Napoleon Bonaparte articles Soon after the French Revolution one of the best military personalities to ever walk the planet, well... strolled the planet. Napoleon was one of the best military personalities throughout the entire existence of fighting. He extended the victories of France from her progressive outskirts to that of an Empire that extended from Spain to the steppes of Russia.(Dean) This was an incredible thing for France, be that as it may, every beneficial thing must reach a conclusion. Napoleon was conceived in 1769 to Carlo Maria and Letizia Maria Ramolino di Buonaparte. He had seven siblings and sisters (Kerekes). His folks were in the higher classes of Corsican culture. He had been named after an Egyptian strict figure (Bloom). As a kid he a was touchy child. He would wrestle and battle with his more established sibling and frequently win. He began tutoring at a youthful age. While in school he held his irritability, ...Napoleon would pursue the crook and battle him.(Bloom) One of his most loved subjects was number juggling. He exceeded expectations at it, and he especially delighted in doing it. He saved this enthusiasm for a long time, along these lines discovering him a spot in the French Artillery. His affection for arithmetic made him become an ordnance official in the French armed force for the points of direction, weight of shot, and measure of powder utilized when discharging at different separations require a total comprehension of mathematics.(Bloom) With him having such a searing temper, the military was the ideal spot for him. He had the option to utilize his agression for a reason. At 16 years old he was elevated to second Lieutenant. Presently, he got associated with the Corsican freedom development. The pioneer of this development was Pasquale Paoli (Napoleon I). Following quite a long while however, Paoli lost his thankfulness toward Napoleon, and he needed to come back to France. Once back in the French military, he participated in the attack of Toulon (Napoleon I&... <! Napoleon Bonaparte expositions Who might have ever anticipated that by the 1800s a youthful lieutenant, who was scarcely French, would be ace of France (Maurois 5)? Napoleon Bonaparte was a military virtuoso who won numerous wars and fights for France. Napoleon Bonaparte hugy affected the entirety of France and various different nations around Europe. He had numerous extraordinary achievements, two of which were his situations as First Consul and Emperor. Napoleon was a military virtuoso, known for the entirety of his numerous victories on the war zone. He started his vocation in the military as a big guns official (Weidhorn 16). In 1793, Napoleon got the title of Lieutenant colonel. He felt that his capacity expected to tried, and he substantiated himself well in a fight against the British Napoleon got the situation of authority of all soldiers in Paris (Weidhorn 21-24). Because of his triumphs as the authority, he was then given the title of president of the Army of the Interior (Wiedhorn26). Napoleon started accumulating triumphs left and right. He won six fights against Austria, including the skirmish of Lodi in 1796 and the clash of Ravoli in 1797 (Weidhorn). Napoleon turned into the main representative when the department was built up in the time of 1799. Napoleon tried decision as a regular citizen, yet he was more tyrant than Louis XVI (Columbia). He did numerous things while he was emissary, one of which was setting up the Bank of France. With the Concordat of 1801, the outcome was harmony with the Roman Catholic Church. The Concordat restored status and church solidarity, insofar as consequently the congregation needed to give the common specialists stricter accommodation. The following thing Napoleon did was he finished the subsequent alliance. This achievement occurred through the settlement of Luneville in 1801 with Austria and the bargain of Amiens in 1802 with Great Britain. Along these lines, France got central on the mainland... <! Napoleon Bonaparte papers Napoleon Bonaparte was conceived on August 15, 1767, in Ajaccio, Corsica. He was the child of Carlo and Letizia Bonaparte. He had 7brothers and sisters. They were a respectable family. As a kid, Napoleon was combative, had his very own brain, and had a huge head. From his soonest youth he needed to turn into a fighter. At 10 years old his dad sent him to military school in France.Napoleon then went to Ecole Military School in Paris. While in school he got the moniker Minimal Corporal, which stayed with him through life. He completed his preparation, as gunnery man and official; he joined the French armed force when he was 16 years of age. Not long after that his dad kicked the bucket and he was left with the duty of dealing with his family. The French government was toppled on August 10, 1792, Napoleon chose to make his climb in positions. After this, Napoleon began turning into a perceived official. In 1793 he was made a chief in the military and around the same time he told the ordnance that constrained British to pull back from the Mediterranean port of Toulon. He later was made a brigadier general. After two years in Paris, Napoleon was requested to set down an uprising against the administration. He took a power of men and requested them to discharge a whiff of grapeshot into the group. They murdered hundred people, and the uprising was finished. On March 9, 1796 Napoleon wedded Josephine de Beauharnais, a widow of a French Nobleman, with whom she had two youngsters. Two days after his marriage Napoleon, at 26 years old, left for Italy to lead a French armed force and prevailed upon a progression of triumphs Austrian and Italian militaries. At this point France controlled a large portion of Italy. He demonstrated himself to be a splendid warrior who could motivate his soldiers with his own energy and make them ready to bite the dust for him. Likewise he indicated that he was a fruitful ambassador, since he arranged a settlement of harmony, despite the fact that he had been advised not to do as such by his governme... <! Napoleon Bonaparte articles Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821 C.E.) was conceived during the hour of the French Revolution, which at last influenced his objectives and possible initiative of France. Napoleon guided numerous effective battles to extend the domain and partners of France from 1796-1812 C.E. His intentions were dubious, did he need to carry harmony to France or addition extreme force? Napoleon Bonaparte was a definitive leader of the French Revolution who needed total force with numerous objectives set to grow the French domain. Napoleon was not only an offspring of the French Revolution, he was the French Revolution. His control of the French military from 1796-1812 was unrivaled at his time. Napoleon came into power when he turned into a general in King Louis XVIs armed force at the youthful age of 24. He was a firm supporter of the upheaval and upheld the Directory during a famous uprising in 1795. In his originally set of military battles from 1796-1797 C.E., Napoleon drove the Austrian armed force from northern Italy and made French principle there. His subsequent endeavor was not as effective as in 1798 C.E. he endeavored to access the Red Sea and compromise British control of the ocean course to India by catching Egypt. This crusade brought about all out British triumph. Napoleon at that point came back to France in 1799 when Austria, Russia and Britain united to cut down France and end the insurgency. Notwithstanding, Napoleon would not let this occur as he ousted the Directory and initiated another constitution which gave him practically complete capacity to run France for a long time. In 1804, Napoleon named himself head. The undeniable most noteworthy general of his time, Napoleons armed force vanquished the Italian and Iberian landmasses, the Netherlands, and Austrian and Prussian powers. In the wake of driving them to be partners, Napoleon sent his family members to run the nations he caught. By and by, a similar aspiration that helped the Napoleonic Empire of France develop, additionally prompted its decline.... <! Napoleon Bonaparte articles were Carlo and Napoleon Bonaparte was conceived

Sounds of Summer

Sounds of Summer Howdy homies! Has it really been over a year since I posted this? Holy giggles it has! Now I dont know about you beautiful folks, but I still have four glorious days of summer break left, so I will continue to unapologetically blast some 90s Mariah Carey in my car, but if her jamz dont float your boat, here are some other tunes Ive been playing this summer. Warning: They are mostly borderline-saccherinely peppy songs. Tallulah by Company of Thieves  This is the kind of song that you enthusiastically sing along to alone in the car at 7 in the morning and other drivers stare at you but its like, I AINT EVEN MAD because youre in such a good mood. This is completely uncharacteristic of the rest of their material, just sos ya knows. The Walk by Mayer Hawthorne  This is the kind of song that you play in your head as you walk around like a badass until you realize that you are really just knocking over the displays at the Gap. Warning: hes got a lil bit of a potty-mouth in this video, sorry. New York City by Punch Brothers This is the kind of song you listen to after your little brother has insisted on listening to Owl City and Train for the last hour and youve forgotten what real music sounds like. Doo Wop (That Thing) by Lauryn Hill  This is the kind of song that makes you lament the state of current popular female hip-hop artists. This is also the kind of song that makes you want to go back to the 90s. Also, it is mandatory to shout out RESPECT IS JUST THE MINIMUM along with her. Written in Reverse by Spoon This is the kind of song that you Elaine-dance to. When I was in 7th grade, I listened to Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Spoon. This was also when I was obsessed with becoming a herpetologist/entomologist/Jeff Corwin. I just want you to imagine pre-teen me for a second. Are you done laughing? A Change is Gonna Come cover by Ben Sollee This is the kind of song where you really admire all aspects of the artists musicianship but then get totally distracted by the drummer because he looks exactly like Luke Skywalker. Winter Ghosts by JBM This is the kind of song that you play when its been over a 100 degrees for weeks and your state has been in a drought all summer actually no, its mainly for when you want to sway back and forth like a sad hipster kid because you are wearing cut-off shorts and havent showered in a while. Help Yourself by Amy Winehouse This is the kind of song you put on a blog post to see if anyone knows where you can buy it. She never released it in the US. :( Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys This is the kind of song you play as youre getting ready to head back to the Tute, because, well, nevermind. I dont have to justify Dropkick Murphys. Rite of Spring by Stravinsky This is the kind of piece you listen to on repeat because MITSO is playing it this year and you have no idea how to play it! Welp What have you guys been listening to lately?

Commonly Confused Words Inhuman and Inhumane

The adjectives inhuman and inhumane have related meanings, but theyre not usually  interchangeable. Definitions The word inhuman—like inhumane—means  pitiless or lacking in compassion, but inhuman, which also means cruel,  monstrous,  and barbaric, has a harsher sense than inhumane.The Oxford English Dictionary defines inhumane as destitute of compassion for misery or suffering in men or animals.   Examples For an instant Sean saw an inhuman expression of hate so evil and demented that nothing in the world could frighten the boy after seeing that.(Raymond Feist, Faerie Tale. Doubleday, 1988)In tormented English [Oskar] conveyed his intense and everlasting hatred of the Nazis for destroying his career, uprooting his life, and flinging him like a piece of bleeding meat to hawks. He cursed them thickly, the German nation, as an inhuman, conscienceless, merciless people. (Bernard Malamud, The German Refugee.  The Stories of Bernard Malamud. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1989)Inhumane treatment of political prisoners is considered a serious and punishable offense under international law.Some people always choose to  comfort the child. They think that making a baby cry it out is inhumane and could even lead to psychological problems. Others feel that giving in to babies prevents them from learning needed skills and leads to later problems. (Aaron E. Carroll, Putting Your Baby to Sleep: Some Advice and Good News. The New York Times, August 1, 2016) Usage Notes Careful users maintain the distinction between inhuman and inhumane. Inhumane, the opposite of humane, means lacking in compassion or kindness; cruel; not merciful: inhumane treatment. Inhuman, the opposite of human, is stronger and has a wider scope than inhumane. To be inhuman means to lack all human qualities, not only compassion and kindness: inhuman violence, inhuman living conditions. Inhuman has the additional meaning of not having human form: An inhuman shape appeared at the window. (Martin Manser, Good Word Guide, 7th ed. Bloomsbury, 2011)The first thing to note about inhuman is that it does not mean the same as inhumane. The confusion is very common. On February 17, 2008, a fine op-ed piece by an Air Force Colonel and former  Guantà ¡namo  prosecutor on the use of waterboarding was subbed by The New York Times with the internal  headline Waterboarding Is Inhumane—which is not what the author said in his article. He said it was inhuman. . . . According to the O xford English Dictionary, inhumane in its modern use is a word of milder meaning than inhuman.  Ã‚  Accordingly a prohibition on inhumane conduct is much more demanding than a prohibition on inhuman  conduct. (Jeremy Waldron,  Torture, Terror, and Trade-Offs: Philosophy for the White House. Oxford University Press, 2010)Inhuman and inhumane overlap in meaning to such an extent that it is impossible to sustain a distinction in their use. In general, inhuman refers to the characteristic of a person or action, whereas inhumane considers the same characteristic rather more in relation to the effect or the consequences of the action on the sufferer. (Chambers 21 Century Dictionary, rev. ed. Chambers Harrap, 2001) Practice A great deal of irresponsibility, selfishness, and _____ behavior hides behind the pervasive myth that all cats are actually wild animals.The rebel leader was accused of committing _____ acts of terrorism, which included the murdering and butchering of countless women and children. Answers to Practice Exercises: Inhuman and Inhumane (a) A great deal of irresponsibility, selfishness, and inhumane behavior hides behind the pervasive myth that all cats are actually wild animals.(b) The rebel leader was accused of committing inhuman acts of terrorism, which included the murdering and butchering of countless women and children. Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

Why Do Scams Occur in India - 968 Words

India is growing well, growing well in all terms, like strong economy, great infrastructure, top businessmen, more number of Indians in forbes richest people list, technology, education, strong media, politics on the positive side and when we looking into the worrying part comes big scams, curruption, etc. We are hearing about new scams almost every week these days and interestingly most of these scams are picked up by the media rather than any of our proud investigating agencies or people who are responsible to monitor our financial activities. Billions of dollars are deposited by many Indians in the Swiss banks which are illegal. Do we have any idea of what is volume of Indian economy inside these Swiss banks. Are we trying to find it†¦show more content†¦9. Some of the bureaucratic and administrative procedures are redundant. This coupled with less automation and transparency provides employment through corruption. 10. Use of electronic voting machines, with no clue/acknowledgement of whom the citizen has voted. This makes it easy for the politicians to manipulate votes. The government instead projects India as a software giant, but sadly all we are doing is demanding outsourcing of public sector department/governance work of the developed countries. 11. Intentional Collapse of democratic and civil institutions by policy makers, which entertains corruption to be associated to power by placing corrupted or subservient persons at important decision making points in the system. 12. The absence of autonomous institutions with responsibility, accountability and transparency combined with way too many people in positions with discretionary powers and no recall option of people in power is a sticking point in containing corruption. 13. Clear cut separation of the three divisions of the constitution i.e. executive, judiciary and the legislature, which would minimize corruption and improve quality of service and performance. 14. There are far too many criminals and thugs in the system that has converted the police, political and judicial systems into legalized criminal networks. These systems have become criminal networks rather than citizen friendly networks that assist in providing goodShow MoreRelatedBusiness Report : Ethical And Management1743 Words   |  7 PagesEXPLOITING ‘NON-EMPLOYEES’ 3 THE FREE SHIFT SCAM 4 3.2 MANAGEMENT ISSUES 5 WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY 5 HUMAN SKILLS 5 3.3 EMPLOYING AND MANAGING CULTURE AND DIVERSITY 7 LEARNING ORGANISATION 7 AWARENESS 7 MOTHERS IN THE WORKFORCE 7 AGEING WORKFORCE 8 4.0 CONCLUSION 9 5.0 REFERENCES 10 2.0 INTRODUCTION This report will go into detail about ethical and management issues at 7-Eleven alongside the exploitation of ‘non-workers’ and the issues in China and India. This report also provides detail regardingRead MoreScams and Fraud in Stock Market5370 Words   |  22 Pages| 5 | 5. | Definition of scam | 7 | 6. | When stock fraud occurs | 8 | 7. | Financial statement fraud | 10 | 8. | Features of security scam | 12 | 9. | How to spot stock scams | 13 | 10. | Avoiding stock market fraud amp; scams | 14 | 11. | Indicators for scams | 15 | 12. | Top 10 stock market scams | 16 | 13. | Top 10 scamster of India | 20 | 14. | Conclusion | Read MoreThe Growing Problem of White Collar Crimes in India19963 Words   |  80 PagesThe Growing Problem of White Collar Crimes in India â€Å"The practitioners of evil, the hoarders, the profiteers, the black marketers and speculators are the worst enemies of our society. They have to be dealt with sternly, however well placed important and influential they may be; if we acquiesce in wrongdoing, people will lose faith in us†- Dr Radhakrishnan Methodology The research methodology used for the present research article is traditional DoctrinalRead MoreOrganizational Fraud9733 Words   |  39 Pageshow true!!!!! Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 7 2. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY 8 3. DEFINING FRAUD 8 3.1 Types of fraud 8 3.2 Legal Elements of Fraud 9 3.3 How big is the problem? 10 3.4 Who are the perpetrators? 10 3.5 Why do people commit organizational fraud? 11 3.5.1 Motivation 11 3.5.2 Opportunity 11 3.5.3 Rationalization 11 3.6 Red Flags of Organizational Frauds 11 3.6.1. Structural red flags 11 3.6.2. Personnel red flags 12 Read MoreAnti Corruption Watchdog Transparency International Ranks The National Perception Of Corruption2507 Words   |  11 Pagesservices, feeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign aid and investment. Corruption is rampant in India, as it has taken a prevalent role of Indian politics and bureaucracy. Corruption in India has been one of the most interesting and discussed problems in modern political history. Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International ranks the national perception of corruption in India to be 85th in the world out of 175 positions, indicating that India’s governance is corrupt and isn’t accountableRead More1) Various Federal Agencies Impact Marketing Activities.Research1605 Words   |  7 Pagesagency). Federal Trade Commission: The Federal Trade Commission is an agency of the United States government that works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices. They also provide information to help consumers’ stop, and avoid scams and fraud. The FTC has an impact in the economy, because its purpose is to help the US maintain a more stable market and economy by helping customers and keeping a more accurate information of product, in aspects such quality, prices, efficiency andRead MoreFrauds in Insurance11958 Words   |  48 Pagesalso associated with many risks. There are number of frauds taking place in the insurance sector. People have to be very cautious while taking an insurance policy. Insurance is a federal subject in India. It is a subject matter of solicitation. The legislations that deal with insurance business in India are Insurance Act, 1938 and Insurance Regulatory amp; Development Authority Act (IRDA), 1999. The hypothesis is that THIS PROJECT SCANS THE RISKY NATURE OF INSURANCE WITH REFERENCE TO VARIOUS TYPESRead MoreIncreasing Crimes7023 Words   |  29 PagesINCREASING CRIMES/SUICIDES AMONG THE YOUTH OF INDIA. INCREASING CRIME RATES AMONG THE YOUTH IN INDIA. Introduction: Open any newspaper or tune into any news channel and you can be pretty sure to stumble upon crimes of all sorts ranging from petty thefts to dacoity, murder, terrorism, sexual crimes and the like. The statistics show that the miscreants have been found quite focused and determined at their jobs. In India for instance, as per the National Crime Records Bureau, incidences of crimeRead MoreAnalyzing The Stock Market Of Indi An Overview Of The Financial Crisis3164 Words   |  13 Pages ANALYSING THE STOCK MARKET IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS MACRO ECONOMIC PAPER PRESENTED BY SAHITA GHOSH SOUMITA DE DEVADYUTI NAG SHRESHTH SAXENA ABSTRACT The global financial crisis of 2008 was the most severe financial crisis that the world had experienced since The Great Depression of 1930s. Due to the recession, the Foreign Institutional Investors (FII’s) had disinvested in the Indian market to meet their commitments abroad. This had lead to an increase in the supplyRead MoreEnron - Ask Why?2902 Words   |  12 PagesEnron Ââ€" Ask Why? How Unethical and Illegal Behavior Ruined Lives Brief History of Enron Enron was an energy company based in Houston, Texas that dealt with the energy trade on an international and domestic basis. Enron formed in 1985 when Houston Natural Gas merged with InterNorth. After several years of international and domestic expansion involving complicated deals and contracts, Enron became billions of dollars in debt. All of this debt was concealed from shareholders through partnerships

Chapter 1 Free Essays

CHAPTER OVERVIEW 1. 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents preliminary discussions about decision that include short overview, relationship between decision and theoretical question with examples and theories or approach of decision as critical parts in discussing the decision subject. The goal of this presentation is the nurture of firm understanding on the essential tenets about decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2. 1 OVERVIEW OF DECISION THEORY In the simplest term, Decision Theory (DT) is theory about decisions. Academic discussion about decision theory is critical due to that there exist many theories about decision. Knowing all the theories that underlying the decision made would enable one to at least:- realize the principle and methodological one follows, mechanisms and supports required for that principle and reach into a justifiable and firm decision. Within the decision theory, there are normative and descriptive theories or approaches with prescriptive appears as variation of normative theory. The variety of ways to conceptualizing and looking at decisions yield many different research cultures and traditions. Some are heavily rely on mathematics, some explore psychological dimensions and others might focus on the methodological aspects of decision. 3. 1 DECISIONS AND THEORETICAL QUESTION ABOUT DECISION A decision is a resolution that one chooses from a variety of alternatives. Many formal conceptual definitions for decision are available. Examples are; i. a position arrived at after consideration ii. the identification of and commitment to a course of action iii. decision relates to the activity – to decide – as the final point f decision making process that has involved complex processes of problem solving From all these definitions, we learn that decision is stem from some theoretical questions or there must be some theoretical questions in the ground prior to making decision. In this sense, the theoretical questions are problem that requires resolution. The relationship between the decision and theoretical questions is inevitable since there would be no decision without p roblem. The following propositions are examples of theoretical problems and the decisions to all these propositions are relative. What would I dress to lecture today? The decision made would depend on the frequent use of apparel, availability and readiness and perhaps suitability with activities to be conducted in the lecture session. Which restaurant would I go for lunch this afternoon? The decision might depend on the time available, attraction of dishes or other external influences such as colleagues or weather. Should I purchase imported or local car? Issues such as pride, price and value, maintenance, loan facility and other considerations will significantly influenced the purchasing decision. In our everyday’s life, child or adult, man or woman, we face a series of heavy or light problems that seek for or involve decision. In this sense, theorizing about decision can be thought as theorizing about our daily activities. However, we limit decision theory to include those that worth attended and unstructured or ill-structured; and exclude those are straight forward and structured. This limitation led by that in any unstructured situations or problems, there exist a set of alternatives to choose from and one chooses in a systematic way, not in random. The selection is often based on goal directed activities, and hence decision theory is concerned with goal-directed behavior in the presence of options. Decision theory has two goals i. e to describe how agents do make decisions (descriptive decision theory) and to prescribe how agents should make decisions (prescriptive decision theory). A third branch of decision theory, normative decision theory, tries to describe how a hypothetical, infinitely intelligent being would make decisions. 4. 1 NORMATIVE THEORY A normative decision theory is a theory about how decisions would be made. In this theory, the norms or standard practice that a decision maker follows and acts in reaching a resolution is critical. It addresses the activities in making decision which involve some standard processes. Normative decision theory seeks to provide an axiomatic, consistent basis for decision making. Most of decision theory and/or analysis said to be normative or prescriptive rather than descriptive. It concerns with what people should do, with emphasis on procedural dimension. Thus the tasks of identifying the best decision to take, assuming an ideal decision taker who is fully informed, ability to compute with perfect accuracy and fully rational would be vital in this theory. 5. 1 DESCRIPTIVE THEORY Descriptive decision theory attempts to explain what people actually do and what people are observed to do when making decision. In another word it explains the processes that must be going through by a decision maker. In this sense, descriptive theory attempts to know how decisions are made and explains what exactly occurs in human cognitive when they make decision. In a descriptive study, the decision model is determined by the user’s behavior, and the goal is to obtain an accurate model of the user’s actual decision process. Descriptive approach requires a detailed and thorough understanding of the task that faces the decision maker. It is as important to understand the decision maker’s task, or â€Å"environment,† as it is to understand how she mentally processes information. Due to that descriptive theory is more heading toward cognitive thinking, reasoning and mental activities, it is capable to nurture a new idea, concept and knowledge which would assist in improvement of decision making. In this way, descriptive theory concerned with describing human judgment and decision making in a scientific way. Descriptive models are evaluated according to their ability to reproduce the behavior of the decision maker. As descriptive theory deals with what people actually do and what people are observe to do, it simply an observation and description of â€Å"what happens† when people make decision. For example, we might observe people who are speaking some language, and simply record what they say and try to determine the rules, if any, that determine what they say; perhaps they sometimes use double-negatives, like ‘I don’t want no eggs’. In such a case, we would simply observe what they do, and try to account for why it is they are doing that. This would be a descriptive grammar. In the context of ethics, we might undertake a descriptive ethical enquiry, trying to determine the principles that some person or group of people use when making their morally relevant decisions: perhaps they do whatever they feel like, or perhaps they do what they think will lead to the greatest overall happiness of people. Whatever the details, the descriptive task would simply seek to determine what ethical principles, if any, are in fact being used by some person or group in their morally relevant behavior. 6. 1CONCLUSION This chapter introduces students to the tenets of DT that includes conceptual definition of DT, the decision and theoretical question about decision and the three major theories of decision i. e normative, descriptive and prescriptive. DT is a body of knowledge and related analytical techniques designed to help a decision maker choose among a set of alternatives in light of their possible consequences. DT is applicable to conditions of certainty, risk, or uncertainty. In general, DT deals with human decision making in the extent of insufficient information and incomplete control over events. DT involves two entities i. e decision maker and an arbitrary nature. The decision maker performs analyses and cognitively chooses some courses of action in an optimal fashion. In this way DT lead to discussion of at least normative and descriptive theories or approaches that may facilitate decision maker in making decision. Normative theory is explanation about how decisions would be made. Descriptive theory is an explanation what people actually do and what people are observed to do when making decision. Prescriptive theory is articulation of the correct principles that people ought to apply when making decision. POINT TO PONDER ? Main goal of decision theory is deciding which action to take ? Normative Theory tries to describe how a hypothetical, infinitely intelligent being would make decisions ? reasonably accurate account of how individuals actually make decisions under uncertainty ? Both normative and descriptive theories have significant role in decision making ACTIVITIES Student should further explore; †¢ The concept of decision theory †¢ The realist, optimist, pessimist and opportunist views of decision †¢ More conceptual definition of decision from the vast literature of DM †¢ The concept of structured problem †¢ The concept of unstructured/Ill-Structured Problem †¢ The Concept of Normative Theory †¢ The normative aspect of decision theory †¢ The Concept of Descriptive Theory †¢ The descriptive aspect of decision theory STUDY QUESTIONS PART A: DEFINITION Please define the following terms: 1. Decision Theory 2. Decision 3. Theoretical Question 4. Normative Theory 5. Descriptive Theory PART B: SHORT ANSWER Answer the following questions: 1. Discuss the importance of decision theory. 2. How decision relate to our everyday’s life? 3. Discuss the normative approach of decision theory with examples. 4. Discuss the descriptive approach with examples. 5. Discuss the prescriptive approach with examples. FURTHER READING Bekker, H. , Thornton, J. G. , Airey, C. M. , Connelly, J. , Hewison, J. , Robinson, M. B. , Lilleyman, J. , MacIntosh, M. , Maule, A. J. , Michie, S. , Pearman, A. D. , (1999). Informed decision making: an annotated bibliography and systematic review. Health Technology Assessment, 3(1). Bell, D. E, Raiffa, H Tversky, A. (1995) Decision making: descriptive, normative and prescriptive interactions, USA: Cambridge University Press. Clemen, R. (1996). Making Hard Decisions: An Introduction to Decision Analysis, 2nd edition. Belmont CA: Duxbury Press. Doerr, K. H. Mitchell T. R. , (1998). The Consequences of Role-conferred Bias and Base-rate Neglect, Decision Sciences Journal,   29(2)pp. 461-478 Grant, S and Van Zandt, T. (2008). Expected Utility Theory, In P. Anand, P. Pattanaik and C. Puppe (Eds), Handbook of Rational and Social Choice, Oxford University Press. Hansson, S. O. (1994). Decision Theory : A Brief Introduction. Department of Philosophy and the History of Technology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). Stockholm. Keefer, D. L, Kirkwood, C. W. and Corner, J. L, (2004). Perspective on Decision Analysis Applications, 1990–2001, Decision Analysis, 1(1) pp. 4–22 Lichenstein, S. , Slovic, P. (2006). The Construction of Preference. New York: Cambridge University Press. Mautner, T. (Ed) (1999). The Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy. London: Penguin. Russo, J. E. and Carlson, K. A. 2002. Individual Decision-making. In: Weitz, , Wensley, (Eds. ), Handbook of Marketing, Sage, London, pp 371-408. Stewart, T. R. (1997). Forecast value: Descriptive decision studies. In R. W. Katz A. H. Murphy (Eds. ), Economic value of weather and climate forecasts (pp. 147-181). New York: Cambridge University Press. Thagard, P. (2001. How to make decisions: Coherence, emotion, and practical inference. In E. Millgram (Ed. ), Varieties of practical inference . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp355-371 Tupara, H. (2008). Facilitating functional decision making in midwifery: lessons from decision theory. New Zealand College of Midwives Journal, Apr 1, 2008. ———————– 1 INTRODUCTION TO DECISION THEORY Introduction to Decision Theory Overview of decision theory Theoretical questions about decisions Normative approach Descriptive approach LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Understand the concept of Decision Theory (DT) 2. Understand issues about the nature of decisions 3. Describe the concept of normative approach of DT 4. Describe the concept of descriptive approach of DT How to cite Chapter 1, Essay examples

Facing Racism and Prejudice Essay Example For Students

Facing Racism and Prejudice Essay I had never felt so out of place or uncomfortable with the color of my skin. Normally, a person’s piercing stare or gaze would not affect me, and normally would be shrugged off just as when someone mentions an insult or snide remark. Then at other times, the color of your skin can even frighten someone else because of their racial misconceptions or biased views on a certain race. Racial prejudice is a negative aspect of society that has unfavorably affected me. I often wonder if it could it be something done by myself to cause this reaction or maybe my body language which would cause the other person to become uneasy around me. Or maybe it is the other individuals upbringing of the â€Å"white is right† motto which leads them to presume me as an unmannered and uneducated minority. It almost seems as if it were yesterday when racial prejudice was bestowed upon me. The other individual was dressed in a fine wardrobe which consisted of high end designer denim jeans, and a fine solid silver silk shirt which had a strong masculine scent from the Giorgio Armani cologne he wore. As I walked ever closer to him browsing the fine designer store aisles it seemed apparent to me that he was appalled at the sight of my shopping in the same store as he. Trying my hardest to fit in with the surrounding individuals and upper social class of the location, my wardrobe consisted of dark denim blue jeans, and a long sleeved striped dress shirt with a splash of sweet smelling cologne. To no avail this did not alter his perception on how he viewed me, instead he just stared intently as if to intimidate or make me feel uncomfortable. Which made me realize how difficult minorities had it back in the time period of segregation when they were treated similar just as a mere object, and not as a person with emotions. Eventually it became unbearable being in this predicament to the point where instead of causing a ruckus and being rude with this individual as he was with me. I ended up leaving the high end department store disheartened and embarrassed because of the color of my skin. Another type of situation that had happened to me was involving racial fear it was on a hot Texas summer day when this predicament had happened involving some friends myself and a middle aged white couple. Feeling adventurous and being off for spring break on my senior year of high school I ended up going on a hiking trip with a few friends. Everything seemed to be working out perfectly from the beautiful breeze and relative cooler than normal spring temperature we had on that day. To the amount of people whom were on the hiking trail that particular day in March which made everything seem to work together flawlessly. As we sauntered up the steep rocky trail we noticed a Caucasian couple who kept looking back at us fearfully as if we were going to harm them. We continued on our way not really paying attention to the couple’s uneasiness of us gaining distance on them and drawing ever closer to them on the hiking trail. Finally without realizing it we were within 5 feet or so from the couple. They seemed fearful of three young Hispanic teens dressed in casual outdoor clothing. To the average person three friends dressed in cargo shorts and t-shirts would not strike fear into their heart as it seemed to instill into this particular couple. As we were about to pass the couple on the descent from the trail back down to conclude our trek. We noticed that the Caucasian male had pulled out a can of pepper spray possibly because of being fearful from seeing a group of three young Hispanic males approaching him. .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .postImageUrl , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:hover , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:visited , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:active { border:0!important; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:active , .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5 .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f4a025f5ab5743f67b217910be366d5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The planets EssayI tried to defuse the situation by greeting the couple and by possibly initiating a conversation to lower the couples guard toward us and possibly eliminate their fearfulness of us. Instead all I did was make the situation worse and ended up angering the fearful couple which lead to a horrible experience and ruined trip. I could adhere to the racial remarks and, allow it to keep me downhearted and deter me from pursuing a successful life or achieving personal goals. Alternatively the viewpoint of treat others as they treat you could be used easily on instances where prejudice is bestowed upon me. As gleefully as it may sound to do the same that would make it seem as if they had gotten the best of me. Emotionally it is hard to remain calm when placed in the uncanniness of situations involving racial prejudice. Instead of pondering on the negativity of the situation I have tried to turn the negativity of prejudice into a positive. My personal vendetta has been to prove by my actions that a minority can succeed in today’s society and become educated with a successful career and lifestyle. For this reason my pursuit of attaining a Bachelor Degree in Business will be a personal achievement and accomplishment that will allow me to show that a person’s skin color does not define their achievements or goals in life. Anything in life can be achieved or accomplished with hard work and dedication no matter what color your skin is. This was something proved by Dr. Martin Luther King who was a very well respected minority whom had a dream and goal in mind. He was able to overcome many obstacles and racial prejudice in his life, and in essence turn negativity into a positive during his era when he was battling racial prejudice by angry white men and women. Even though racism is wrong, it is still being practiced, in this country and in others. The origins are obscure, but it most likely had something to do with a poor or ill experience upbringing involving another race. Our enlightened society has more discernment than this, and we know that a person is neither good nor bad depending on the color of their skin.

As The Debate Over Pornography And Its Place In Society Grows Hotter E

As the debate over pornography and its place in society grows hotter every day, several authors in particular shed a new light on the subject. Both their intuition and insight involving their beliefs can help the reader a great deal in seeing aspects of this debate that might have otherwise gone without the consideration that they so deserve. I believe that pornography is not only okay, but is allowing our country to take a step back and ask ourselves how far we are willing to go and what we are willing to sacrifice in order to preserve free speech and our rights to personal choice. The argument over pornography is not merely the debate over right or wrong, but also involves the theory that its existence requires, or possibly even causes, an inequality between men and women. I ask you, how could something like pornography cause an in-equality between men and women when women are the major contributors to the industry? Who is going to watch a porn without women in it? Therefore, at least at first glance, it would seem that since women are actively contributing to the business of pornography maybe they should be criticized at least equally if not more so than the men who watch it. According to author J.M. Coetzee and his article "The Harms of Pornography", the real questions here are, "what is the difference between obscenity and pornography", and even more importantly, "where do we draw the line between the two"? Coetzee brings up a good point here. A point on which the entire debate over pornography hinges. What is the defenition of "obscenity"? An excerpt from a speech by Mike Godwin, Online Counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, gives a good definition of obscenity in his on-line article: "Fear of Freedom: The Backlash Against Free Speech on the 'Net'". Everybody more or less knows something about what qualifies as obscene. You know it has something to do with "community standards," right? And with appealing to the "prurient interest." A work has to be a patently offensive depiction of materials banned by state statute and appeal to the prurient interest to be obscene and it also has to meet one other requirement. It also has to lack serious literary, artistic, social, political or scientific value. That's how something is classified as"obscene." Godwin states that one of the criteria for decency or absence of obscenity is that something must contain social political or scientific value. Is it possible that pornography is an outlet for people that prevents ideas that start out as fantasies or desires from becoming real? If so, then it's possible that the porn industry is doing us a bigger favor than we know. In an article written by Donna A. Demac, the history of censorship, obscenity, pornography and the rights of "the people" are conveyed with a decidedly liberal attitude. Demac's article gives an intelligent overview as to the actions of various political parties, groups and activists that have fought either for or against some of the issues regarding pornography, and his article can be effectively used to defend free speech. The most opinionated and conservative of the authors included is Catherine MacKinnon, who touches on the thought that there is a great deal of similarity between pornography and black slavery. In her article "Pornography, Civil Rights and Speech" she states that "the harm of pornography does not lie in the fact that it is offensive but that, at least in developed societies, it is an industry that mass produces sexual intrusion, access to, possession and use of women by men for profit". MacKinnon approaches pornography not from a "moral" standpoint, but strictly from the "political" point of view that says pornography is a threat to the gender equality of our nation. I say she is wrong and that not only is pornography okay, but in many cases could contribute to the health of our society. I will quickly agree that pornography should be kept away from the eyes of our children, and that there is a proper time and place for it, but consider some of the acts that, providing that pornogrpahy was made illegal, would not only go under ground but might actually become real instead of acted out. Coetzee goes to great lengths to bring to light indescrepancies and unclarified ideas throughout MacKinnon's article. One of Coetzee's most prominent points is that the differences between "obscenity" and"pornography" go far beyond a difference in term based on either political or moral argument. While at times Coetzee seems to generally disagree with or at least greatly challenge MacKinnon's ideas,

The Piano Man Essay examples

The Piano Man Essay examples The Piano Man Essay examples Heritage and Economic Prosperity Challenges Succeed The play â€Å"The Piano Lesson† by August Wilson successfully exemplifies Family Heritage and Economic Prosperity, two very important branches of the â€Å"American Dream.† Taking place in 1930’s in Pittsburgh, it also shows how times have changed, and the naà ¯ve idea of the American Dream can sometimes be a farther reach for different heritages. The Piano Lesson touches upon different aspects of life including the economy, family, and the ever-so suspicious supernatural. In the time frame that the â€Å"The Piano Lesson† takes places, there is a whole lot going on in society. Lymon and Boy Willie, two main characters, have traveled from Mississippi to sell watermelons in Pittsburgh. They are saving their pennies to purchase land from the Charles family’s master, that of who’s ghostly presence haunts the property that his family resides on. When they discover that they are running a little short on money, Boy Willie tries to convince his sister to let him keep the piano and sell it for money to buy more land that he originally planned on buying. The piano is a keepsake, and an ornament that his family holds dear, and is extremely protective of it. This brings up Heritage, and how it differs from generation to generation. The piano is almost like a voodoo object to the Charles’ family, and if they were to get rid of it, it would be almost as if they would be cursed forever. In the 1930’s, African American families were often involved with voodoo and other supernatural activities. They believed in ghosts, and life after death, and passed all of those ideas down to younger generations, such as Boy Willies and Berniece’s daughter Maretha. Their heritage in the 1930’s; suspicions, and trying to make as much money as possible in order to fulfill a different American Dream. â€Å"All that’s in the past. If my daddy had seen where he could have traded that piano in for some landed of is own, it wouldn’t be sitting up here now†¦ (Page 46)† This quote shows that even two siblings may believe in a different heritage when it comes down to for this intense a item. Page 2 Unfortunately, African Americans in the 1930’s weren’t given much opportunity for success and prosperity. Lymon and Boy Willie had to go as far as selling watermelons out of there truck miles from where they lived so they could get ahead. When that wasn’t enough, they had to try to convince Berniece to let him sell the one item that they all cherished, and that they all believed had a piece of their family name attached to it. Since The play took place in the beginning of the Great Depression; it is understandable as to why times were hard. In the 1950’s, as life began to modernize and the Economy became more opportunistic for society in general, the idea of the â€Å"American Dream† became more realistic and not as farfetched for people. It seemed possible to have land, a house, jobs, and live comfortably. â€Å"Boy Willie say charge them a quarter more. They didn’t care. A couple of people give me a dollar and told me to keep the change. (Page 59).† Twenty years prior, Boy Willie and Lymon were trying to sell watermelons cheap to try to make ends meet just as sow in the quote above. The fact that money played such a big role in the idea of how life should be really makes the whole idea of the perfect life, family, and home, a bit hypocritical. If the â€Å"American Dream† is supposed to portray happiness, and the only way to be happy was if there was enough money availabl e, than is money really what makes the world go ‘round? Maybe the American Dream was just a way to flaunt success in the 19th century. The economic prosperity would win out over heritage because even if you believe in only one way to do something, the economy may come in the way. For an example if someone does not believe in a certain job, and because the economy fell and you had no other choice you may rethink your heritage to take care of your family

Law in Civil Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Law in Civil Engineering - Essay Example In the UK, there are several laws enacted to protect women against this kind of discrimination. Though the laws also protect men from being discriminated against, women are the victims in most cases. Several cases have set precedence of the actions and compensation that victims are entitled to in such cases. The case In the UK, the equality act enacted in 2010 protects employees against any form of sexual discrimination. The equality act is just an extension of the sex discrimination act of 1975. It does not apply only to women but also covers men. The aspects of employment such as recruitment, appraisal and promotion are covered under this law. The terms of an employment contract should provide similar entitlements to both men and women since the nature of their work is homogenous and of the similar value. In drafting its employment contracts, the company should consult its legal experts who will advise it on the implications of each of the contract statements. Eileen could sue the company for gender discrimination, age discrimination, criminal intimidation and unfair dismissal. She is entitled to damages should she win the case or decide to settle. On the first count of gender discrimination, Eileen is likely to be successful if the case goes to court. Her manager’s comments that the company has an unwritten policy for women in their twenties to be promoted are sexist. He says that the reason for this is that they leave to have children. An example would be a case in which a male supervisor at the Deutsche Bank made jokes considered sexist in the office about women. An employee Dr. Swinburne sued the bank for sex discrimination and was awarded compensation of ?40000 (Labour research department, 1988). Another example of such a case was the Crown Prosecution Services vs Maria Bimieh in February 2000. She won a case for sex and racial discrimination case against the firm. Her male supervisor failed to promote her even after her performance reviews showed that she met the requirements for a promotion. She had worked at the firm for 12 years. The company is vulnerable if it does not have any written document on its policy on sex discrimination. If Eileen and other employees bear witness that in her time working for the company, the management did not hold any educational forums to educate its employees on the implications of sex discrimination or have official policies on according each person equal opportunities on promotion and other matters, then the company is liable for the damages. In 2003, a trainee sales representative at a car showroom belonging to beadles group sued for discrimination claiming compensation of ?180000 which she won. The reason for her compensation was that she was forced to quit work by the offensive conduct of a colleague at work. The court ruled that since the company did not make any efforts to deter this behavior from its employees, it was liable for her emotional injuries. The medical evidence presented during the case showed that it would be more than 2 years before she was emotionally fit to work again. Sex discrimination cases do not always go in the directions of the plaintiffs, some have also lost. In Villalba vs Lynch inn 2004, the tribunal found that she had no basis for a sexual discrimination claim in which she was asking for ? 1.7m in settlement. She claimed discrimination for being made to perform the duties of cabin crew as the directors of

Economics and Financial Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economics and Financial Markets - Essay Example This is what will be dissertated in the following. There are in fact various different characteristics that are considered as being major in regards to oligopolistic markets, and each and every one of these characteristics is just as important as the next, however each also must be discussed in regards to its differences as well as similarities to the others; basically the main characteristics of oligopoly are: the market is for the most part dominated by only a few certain and particular companies which are all relatively large; the production of identical products which are similar; there are significant barriers to entry; the basic interdependence of production decisions within the market. In other words and to be more specific, an oligpolistic market basically exists when there is a small number of firms which dominate the supply to an entire market. The specific degree of market concentration is very high here, and "Firms within an oligopoly produce branded products (advertising and marketing is an important feature of competit ion within such markets) and there are also barriers to entry." (Tutor, 2007). Another severely major characteristic in regards to oligopolistic markets is the fact of how there is interdependence between firms; basically this means that each separate firm must take into account for themselves the facts and the likely reactions of the other firms, and this is especially true when they are making pricing and investment decisions. Although the olipolistic markets are considered as being incredibly beneficial and positive in many ways, there are also certain downfalls, such as the fact that there is uncertainly created in such markets as these, and so therefore economists seek to model this through the use of game theory. What are the Characteristic Forms of Competition in Oligopolistic Markets There are various different characteristic forms of competition in markets such as these, and the forms of competition are actually one of the most deciding factors in regards to the outcomes of such markets. Basically, imperfect competition is the most well known and popular type of competition in this regards, and there are many implications in regards to this form of competition, as the main significance of the four basic characteristics of this structure is that

Effect of privatization on performance of public corporations

Effect of privatization on performance of public corporations Stock exchanges anywhere in the world provide a platform for investors and capital raisers to come together and get what they want. They assist in trading of stocks and bonds. Apart from that, it can be viewed as a liquidity providing platform. For this purpose, the stock exchange has to have a set of rules that will govern the execution and clearing of trade. Some of the responsibilities of a stock exchange are also enforcing standard rules to reduce transaction costs and monitoring of the trading to prevent manipulations like insider trading. A share or stock company model does issue shares of stock that are available through one or more stock market exchange. Shareholders purchase the shares of stock and become part owners in the company. This is a highly desirable status for many companies, as it can help generate significant amounts of revenue that make it possible for the company to grow in ways that would not be possible if the corporation remained privately held. Etukudo (2002) notes that capital markets transfer funds from savers to investors in productive assets such as plant and machinery as well as to providers of services. Capital markets also provide a mutually beneficial bridge between those who have short-time horizons and companies and projects with longer prospects. In addition, enterprises are provided with equity capital through the stock market, short, medium and long-term debt is made available through the bond market, and short or medium-term debt is provided through the banking sector. The financial intermediaries in all these transactions constitute the financial service sector and while the constituents of the sector and their relative importance vary from country to country, they generally include banks, stock exchanges, brokers and insurance companies. 1.1.1.2 Privatization of public corporations Boubakri and Cosset (1994) note that privatization has turned into a major phenomenon for the developed world as well as the developing world, particularly so over the last decade, with state-owned enterprises (SOEs) being privatized at an increasing rate. Ramamurti, (1991) note that the objectives of privatization are numerous. Country studies show that these objectives include improving government cash flows by redusing subsidies and capital infusions to SOEs, promoting popular capitalism through a wider ownership of shares, restraining the power of trade unions in the public sector, redistributing incomes and rents within society, satisfying foreign donors by reducing the governments role in the economy and especially enhancing the efficiency and the performance of the SOE sector based on the rationale that the private sector outperforms the public sector. Privatization in the 1990s led to the sale of 207 enterprises. Kenya Airways (KQ) was rated the most successful privatization venture in Africa. The Government has earmarked 33 companies for full or partial sale, these include; the National Bank of Kenya (NBK),the Kenya Commercial Bank(KCB), the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), KenGen, Kenya Petroleum Refineries, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Telkom Kenya and Kenya Railways Corporation. The methods of sale will range from concessioning, sale at the Nairobi Stock Exchange, and securing strategic partnerships with major players in the relevant sectors. 1.2 Statement of the Problem A study by Boubakri and Cosset (1994) examined the financial and operating performance of newly privatized firms in developing countries and noted that findings in for developing markets could be different from those of developed countries because the capital market may not play its monitoring role. To take account of the possibility that some of the differences between preprivatization and postprivatization performance could be due to economywide factors, the authors used performance measures adjusted for market effects in addition to unadjusted performance measures. The results were generally less significant when they adjusted the performance ratios for market effects. The authors thus concluded that this evidence brings to light the importance of considering a benchmark against which the performance of sample firms can be compared. Limi (2003) studied the influence of the level of economic development on the post-privatization growth rates in public infrastructure within the telecommunications industry and found that although privatization generally spurred network expansion in terms of telephone main lines by 4.4% in medians (5.4% on average), the performance improvement was dependent on the level of economic development. It is only the low-income and lower middle-income countries which can expect a significant positive privatization effect. Thus, it is important to account for economic development in assessing the privatization effects of public infrastructure stocks. From the foregoing it is thus useful to undertake a study to evaluate privatization and performance of public corporations listed in the Nairobi Stock Exchange. 1.3 Purpose of the Study or General Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate privatization and performance of public corporations listed in the Nairobi Stock Exchange 1.4 Research Questions or Specific Objectives or Hypotheses This study is guided by the following research objectives formulated to aid in gathering the information regarding the research topic. Review literature on privatization of public corporations in Kenya To determine privatization factors in the Nairobi Stock Exchange To analyze privatization implications on public corporation performance in Nairobi Stock Exchange 1.5 Importance or Justification or Rationale of the Study The information generated by this study will be important for stock markets in the East Africa in understanding the implications of privatizing public corporations. This will benefit stock markets in Uganda, Tanzania and wider Eastern Africa which has the stock markets at their infancy stages. It will also assist policy makers who want to make use of performance measures of the stock market in advising public corporations on privatization prospects that may arise when listing in the stock market. In addition, it will guide policy makers of new baselines to use when determining privatization options for public corporations. Educators too in the education industry will find the information obtained from this study beneficial to their curriculum in imparting knowledge to students and researchers who are researching on the sector and how it can greatly benefit the country. 1.6 Scope of the Study The study will be limited to the Nairobi Stock Exchange for the duration 2008-2010. Nairobi Stock Exchange has about fifteen active stock broking firms with fifty two listed companies. I will focus on five of the stockbrokerage firms and fifteen of the listed companies. The use of the listed firms was due primarily to data availability and reliability because they are required by law to provide end of year financial statements. However, firms that were not listed for the entire period under study were left out of the sample. The study used annual reports that are available at the Nairobi Stock Exchange. 1.7 Definition of Terms 1.7.1 Privatization Privatization means the sale of public utilities to private concerns. 1.8 Chapter Summary This chapter covered the background of the research, the problem statement, the purpose of the study or general objectives of this research, the research objectives, the significance and scope of the research i.e. importance of the study and the definitions of Terminologies used in this research. Further, this chapter has specifically pointed the relevance of the study in regards to public corporations, and how they, in a bid to improve performance, employ a privatization strategy in light of global trends. 2.0 Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This chapter will review relevant literature in line with the study objectives. 2.2 Privatization of Public Corporations in Kenya ROK(1965) noted that the establishment of the parastatals was driven by a national desire to (i) accelerate economic social development; (ii) redress regional economic imbalances; (iii) increase Kenyan Citizens participation in the economy; (iv) promote indigenous entrepreneurship; and (v) promote foreign investments (through joint ventures). This desire was expressed in the Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its application to planning in Kenya. A comprehensive review of the public enterprises performance was noted by (ROK, 1979) (the Report on the Review of Statutory Boards) that pointed that there was clear evidence of prolonged inefficiency, financial mismanagement, waste and malpractices in many parastatals; and (ROK, 1982) (the Report of the Working Party on Government Expenditures) which concluded that productivity of the state corporations was quite low while at the same time they continued to absorb an excessive portion of the budget, becoming a principal cause of long-term fiscal problem. The enactment of the State Corporations Act was a major attempt to streamline the management of the state corporations. The performance of most of the corporations continued to deteriorate due to the continued reliance on limited public sector financing. Sessional Paper No.4 of 1991 on Development and Employment in Kenya underlined the need to implement privatization and divestiture of State corporations urgently in view of the managerial problems afflicting the parastatals leading to poor return on government investments, the existence of a larger pool of qualified manpower, availability of more indigenous entrepreneurship to permit private sector led economy and the need for non-tax revenue for the Government. The Programme began in July 1992 with the issuance of the Policy Paper on Public Enterprises Reform and Privatization which pointed out that there were 240 commercial public enterprises with public sector equity participation and classified the PEs in to two categories: (i) 207 Non strategic commercial public enterprises which were to be privatised and 33 Strategic Commercial public enterprises which were to be restructured and retained under public sector ownership and control. By the time the first phase of the programme ca me to an end in 2000, most of the non-strategic commercial enterprises had either been fully or partially privatized, liquidated, sold under receivership while the strategic commercial enterprises to be retained under government operation had been reduced to 15 and later to 14 enterprises. The following is a list of privatized public enterprises by PUBLIC FLOATATIONS- Bamburi Portland Cement Co. Ltd, E.A., CMC Holdings Oxygen Ltd, National Bank of Kenya, Kenya Airways, Mumias Sugar Company; by PARTIAL DIVESTITUTRES Kenya Commercial Bank Ltd, Uchumi Supermarkets Ltd, General Motors (K) Ltd, and Housing Finance Company of Kenya. 2.3 Privatization Factors in the Nairobi Stock Exchange 2.3.1 Methods of privatization The term privatization has been applied to three different methods of increasing the activity of the private sector in providing public services: 1) private sector choice, financing, and production of a service;2) public-sector choice and financing with private sector production of the service selected; 3) and deregulation of private firms providing services. In the first case, the entire responsibility for a service is transferred from the public sector to the private sector, and individual consumers select and purchase the amount of services they desire from private providers. For example, solid-waste collection is provided by private firms in some communities. The third form of privatization means that government reduces or eliminates the regulatory restrictions imposed on private firms providing specific services. The second version of privatization refers to joint activity of the public and private sectors in providing services. In this case, consumers select and pay for the quantity and type of service desired through government, which then contracts with private firms to produce the desired amount and category of service. Although the government provides for the service, a private firm carries out the actual execution of it. The government determines the service level and pays the amount specified in the contract, but leaves decisions about production decisions to the private firm. 2.3.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Privatization Etukudo (2002) sates that in sub-Saharan African countries with a high level of illiteracy, public offer for sale of state-owned enterprises has its limitations due to cumbersome formalities in the prospectus as well as complicated application forms, etc. As banking facilities are concentrated in urban centres, the use of public offer in privatization works to the disadvantage of those in rural areas with few banking facilities. On the whole, Etukudo (2002 contends that privatization programmes have led to marked increases in stock market capitalization as well as increases in the quantity and range of issues traded on the market. The stock exchange has attracted a considerable number of players to the market leading to increased competition within the capital market. The structure and function of capital markets affect the availability of capital, influence investment processes and also influence the ways in which business managers who approach investors project the current performance and future potential of their enterprises. 2.4 Privatization implications on public corporation performance in Nairobi Stock Exchange Yarrow (1986) notes that as firms move from public to private ownership, their profitability should increase. First, given that shareholders wish the firm to maximize profit, newly privatized firms managers should place greater emphasis on profit goals Second, privatization typically transfers both control rights and cash flow rights to the managers who then show a greater interest for profits and efficiency relative to pleasing the government with higher output or employment (Boycko, Shleifer and Vishny, 1993). In addition, Boycko, Shleifer and Vishny (1993) state that following privatization; firms should employ their human, financial and technological resources more efficiently because of a greater stress on profit goals and a reduction of government subsidies. Megginson, Nash and van Randenborgh (1994) note that governments expect that greater emphasis on efficiency will lead the newly privatized firm to increase its capital investment spending. Once privatized, the firm should also increase its capital expenditures because it has greater access to private debt and equity markets and it will have more incentives to invest in growth opportunities. Megginson et al (1994) believe the switch from public to private ownership should lead to a decrease in the proportion of debt in the capital structure because with the end of government debt guarantees the firms cost of borrowing will increase and because the firm has a new access to public equity markets. The authors further note that with privatization, dividend payments should increase because unlike governments private investors generally demand dividends and dividend payments are a classic response to the atomized ownership structure which most privatization programs led to. In terms of output Megginson, Nash and van Randenborgh (1994) contend that privatization should increase output because of greater competition, better incentives and more flexible financing opportunities. On the other hand Boycko, Shleifer and Vishny (1993) predicts a fall in output since the government no longer subsidizes the newly privatized firm to maintain inefficiently high output levels. Kikeri, Nellis and Shirley (1992) assert that governments expect the level of employment to decline once the SOE which is usually overstaffed turns out private and no longer receives government subsidies. However, in growing sectors, the newly privatized firm could absorb surplus labor through new capital investment and more productive use of existing assets. 2.5 Empirical experience Jones, Jammal Gokgur (1999) undertook an impact study applied to 81 privatizations (covering not just infrastructure firms but a range of firms already operating in competitive markets (in agriculture, agro-industries, tradable and non-tradable sectors) in Cote dIvoire and concluded that firms performed better after privatization and that they performed better than they would have had they remained under public ownership. The study also found that the set of transactions as a whole contributed positively to economic welfare, with annual net welfare benefits equivalent to about 25% of pre-divestiture sales. These results stemmed from a number of effects, including increases in output, investment, labor productivity, and intermediate-input productivity. 2.5 Chapter summary The chapter highlighted the different studies that sought to address the research gap. Chapter three will point out the methodology to be used in the study. Chapter 3: Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction This chapter will discuss the research methodology that will be used as the basis of this study. The chapter will also discuss the population of study, sample frame and sampling techniques, data collection methods as well as data analysis and data presentation methods to be employed in the study. 3.2 Research Design The research design employed in this study will be empirical in nature and will be aimed at delivering answers to the research questions outlined in the problem statement. 3.3 Population and Sampling Design 3.3.1 Population The population involved in the study are four privatized public corporation that have listed on the NSE. Population refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest that the researcher wishes to investigate. Population forms a basis from which the sample or subjects for the study is drawn. 3.3.2 Sampling Design and Sample Size Methods that we will use in our paper to analyze the operating and market performance are descriptive statistics for evaluating the post listing share price performance and the financial ratio analysis using the accounting data to evaluate public corporation performance as well as their risk and return relationships profile. Documents will collected from the organizations resource center, individual file record, libraries of various universities, company reports, company newsletter and other printed materials (e.g. newspaper cuttings, journals, text books, conference reports, articles, training packages) that were made available for the purpose of the research. 3.4 Data Collection Methods In order to achieve the set objectives, I will collect data from the Nairobi stock exchange database and from the financial statements of the individual companies under study. The collected data will be captured in form of tables. This will be used to capture performance of privatized public corporations listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. 3.5 Research Procedures 3.6 Data Analysis Methods This study will use the quantitative method of data analysis. The quantitative analysis is applied using descriptive statistics. According to Denscombe (1998) descriptive statistics involves a process of transforming a mass of raw data into tables, charts, with frequency distribution and percentages which are a vital part of making sense of the data. Data will be analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program and presented using tables and pie charts to give a clear picture of the research findings at a glance. 3.7 Chapter Summary The chapter describes the methodology that is to be used in carrying out the study. The chapter has also indicated that, data will be analyzed using SPSS and presented in inform of chart and tables. The next chapter will present the findings of the research.

The Climate Change Impacts South East Asia’s Food Security

Global warming affects many areas of the planet. Not only are plants and animals affected by the rising temperatures, but so are the intensity of storms. Global warming is believed to be responsible for numerous storms across the world intensifying. Global warming is believed to be causing more severe hurricanes, floods, and now monsoon season. As the temperatures across the globe continue to rise the intensity of the monsoon storms is continuing to build. If the temperatures continue to rise, the storms can become even more severe because they thrive off of hot temperatures.As the temperatures from global warming continue to cause the pressure that results in monsoon storms continues to rise, the more intense the rains and winds will become. As the rains and the winds intensify a number of serious complications can occur. Almost half of the world's population lives in areas affected by the monsoons of Asia and most of these people are subsistence farmers, so the coming and goings of the monsoon are vital to their livelihood to grow food to feed themselves. When its bounty is too great, floods can displace millions and cause hundreds of deaths.When it brings too little rain between June and October, shortages of food and drinking water can develop. Too much or two little rain from the monsoon can mean disaster in the form of famine or flood. It is fair to say that the livelihoods, water security, food security, and energy security of Southeast Asia are all tied to the volume and timely arrival of monsoon season. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in nearly every country in the region; traditionally, Southeast Asian countries (and most Asian countries in general) depend on crops for food.Rice is arguably the most important food source in the region and is a major staple food. When you hear someone say â€Å"it is the rice bowl of the country† or something similar, they mean that ‘it' is the source of income and prosperity, and ‘it' i s how they feed their families. That's how important rice is. Rice, grown in paddy fields, requires a lot of water to grow. This is why monsoons are so important to people in Southeast Asia – it's to ensure a good crop of rice. The theory is that when there is a good monsoon, there is plenty of water to grow crops and sustain larger populations.This leads to economic prosperity. When there is less water, there is less food and the large population cannot be sustained. Southeast Asia weather is somewhat predictable with two distinct seasons: wet and dry, and is highly susceptible to weather changes and is highly vulnerable to the changing climate. In fact all the countries in Southeast Asia are surrounded by the sea and are at risk due to the rising sea levels. In addition, global warming is also known to trigger climatic changes like tsunamis, cyclones and floods which specifically target the coastal areas.In the past decade, exceptionally severe climatic disasters wreaked ha voc on the Southeast Asian countries, causing massive financial and life losses. In addition, the food supply of these countries was also hampered by the floods and droughts ravaging the entire region. Precipitation has a dramatic effect on agriculture; all plants need at least some water to survive. While a regular rain pattern is usually vital to healthy plants, too much or too little rainfall can be harmful, and possibly even devastating to crops. Drought can kill crops and increase erosion, while overly wet weather can cause harmful fungus growth.Plants need varying amounts of rainfall to survive. Southeast Asia depends on the summer monsoon rains; agriculture, for example, relies on the yearly rain. .A monsoon is a storm system that begins off of many coastal regions, typically hot, tropical or desert areas. The storms created by the monsoon season thrive off of hot temperatures. The hot temperatures rise off of the ground as it is heated throughout the day and begin to expand once the heat rises into the air. These hot areas of air then mix with areas of low pressure air.As the heat continues to rise into the air throughout the day, the pressure continues to build with the low pressure. Eventually, this pressure results in a sudden rainfall. (Krishnamurti, 2007. ) Monsoons are notorious for bringing large amounts of rain in short amounts of time. This commonly causes flash flooding or mud slides. If the rains intensify from the monsoon storms, the chances of flash flooding increase. A larger amount of rain will be brought by the storms the higher the temperature's rise. This can cause a devastating consequence for areas of the world that have experienced a severe drought prior to the monsoon storms.Droughts will also become more common as the temperatures continue to rise. This increases the chances of flash flooding once the rains return. If severe flash floods occur, this brings about more complications. Mud slides and landslides are also likely to occ ur once severe flooding has occurred. This can cause crops to be damaged, houses to be destroyed, and can even cause fatalities. Other serious complications can also occur. The monsoon seasons can begin to affect areas of the world that do not typically experience the monsoon storms. This can throw off entire ecosystems, destroy crops, and cause damages to natures habitats.Not only can this cause other areas of the world to be affected by the intense winds and rains but it can have a reverse effect on other areas of the world. Places that normally see the monsoon storms may all the sudden suffer from drought as the storms move to other areas. The droughts can cause severe sand and dust storms to begin. The tropical regions of the world can also be affected by these changes. The coastal regions can begin to experience severe hurricanes and tropical storms. This can cause severe flooding, damage, and wide spread devastation.Southeast Asia has been naturally blessed with a rich soil an d sufficient rainfall so that there is an enormous agricultural potential in these countries. However, in the recent times, global warming has resulted in a series of catastrophic climatic disasters like floods, cyclones, tsunamis and droughts, which have ravaged the region’s agricultural capacity, slain millions of edible animal food reserves and destroyed the aquatic habitats so that the food supply of people has been cut short severely. The process of global warming affects the overall climate in such a manner that all weathers tend to get extreme.There is extreme rainfall, extreme summers and short spells of extreme colds. This has resulted in the setting of floods at one time, and droughts at others in different parts of the globe. The Southeast Asian region has also suffered the consequences of these weather extremes in the forms of droughts, badly hampering the food supply of people in this region. Thus it can be concluded that the Southeast Asian region faces a seriou s predicament because of the process of global warming. The increasing global warming has brought some of the most disastrous events of the world’s history in Southeast Asia.

What is a Referendum and what are the arguments against them?

1) What is a Referendum? A referendum is when a citizen (18+) is asked to express their opinion on a certain issue or proposal. Unlike an election this process is not binding and the outcome is open to discussion. A referendum can result in a new constitution, law, amendment, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of direct democracy. 2) A referendum is when a citizen (18+) is asked to express their opinion on a certain issue or proposal. Many have been issued in the past; examples of this are, 11 September 1997. Tony Blair issued a pre-legislative referendum held in Scotland asking whether there was support for the creation of a Scottish Parliament with devolved powers, and whether the Parliament should have tax-varying powers. The reason for this was the Labor party had just won the election and included in their manifesto was the establishment of a Scottish Parliament. 4th November 2004, Tony Blair (Labor Party) issued a referendum in Northern England. The votes concerned the question of devolving limited political powers from the UK Parliament to elected regional assemblies in North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber. The reason for this was Labor government attempted to introduce regional assemblies, to be directly elected. 5th May 2011, the ‘Alternative Vote’ referendum was drawn up as part of the Conservative- Liberal Democrat coalition, to be asked across the whole U.K. The Referendum concerned whether to replace the present voting system with an alternative one. This was because the Labor government, who were previously in power in 2010, used their majority to pass an amendment to their Constitutional Reform Bill to include a referendum on the introduction of AV to be held in the next Parliament, naming a desire to restore trust in Parliament in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal. 3) Arguments against Referendums In this essay i will talk about the arguments against referendums, the effects and sometimes consequences it can incur. A referendum is when a citizen (18 years and above) is asked to express their opinion on a particular issue. In Britain, referendums date back to 1973 and ever since has been used as a mechanism for feedback on issues regarding laws, voting systems and so on, its a form of direct legislation, used selectively. Those who are against direct legislation will argue that the use of referendums is an opening for politicians to absolve themselves of responsibility for making difficult decisions. When representatives know that ultimately the result of their efforts may be reversed by the process of referendum, they will take little interest in the discharge of their legislative duties. It doesn't even reflect well on the party issuing it. If the measure succeeds at the popular vote the credit for it goes to the people and if it doesn't, the blame goes to the legislature. We elect a Prime Minister, legislatures, to make the decisions of how to run our country. By electing, its an official notion that we trust them to conduct, obviously voting the party who's manifesto we are partial to. Referendums are useful, yes, but how does it make legislatures look when matters such as ‘do you want a Mayer'- 1998, Tony Blair are issued. When was the time when legislatures took the bull by its horns and made decisions for the good of the nation and not based on doing what the people want so they'll get voted in the next election. As Margaret Thatcher once said, â€Å"if you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything wouldn't you and you would achieve nothing†. Referendums seem to be a vehicle to become the apple of the nations eye to the point that in 1997 elections- The Labor party promised in their manifesto a referendum for the establishment of a Scottish parliament knowing that Scotland wanted it but just didn't get enough votes last time. Governments are also unlikely to hold them unless they are fairly confident they will win the vote, which was the case in 2004, the devolution referendum for the North East. Labor wanted to create English Regional Assemblies and thought they would win the vote therefore created three referendums only for the first one to be rejected by the public. And this being the case, the government are unlikely to be neutral participants and the phrasing of the questions can distort the results. So is a referendum really the government wanting us to tick the yes so they can blame us if something goes wrong? Apart from the time consuming, expensive and tedious way that is involved in a referendum, after all that, who's to say that people will vote? One of the criticisms against direct legislation and a really compelling one, relates to the small size of the votes cast at a referendum. The result of the ballot does not fairly represent popular opinion, because in most cases, opponents of the issue will go to the polls in larger proportion than its supporters. Moreover, when people are frequently asked to cast their votes, as is when Tony Blair was elected in 1997, making referendums a much more important part of politics, they'll begin to abstain from voting. Its nice to be included in the decision but people become tired of voting after a while. The result is that the decision arrived at is that of the minority and it becomes difficult to know whether there is any public opinion at all on the referendum. Seeing as the referendum is time consuming, it sometimes involves harmful delays in passing many laws of vital national importance. All this takes away from the educative value of the referendum. When you have citizens who are not interested in public affairs and the issue is of national importance, the referendum becomes a comedy. As was the case in June 1975 when the Labor government had a power split on the issue of Europe and issued a referendum across the whole United Kingdom- ‘Do you want to stay in the EC?' Because of this time gap, while the ballot is lying on your kitchen table, coverage on the issue from the media whether it is newspapers, TV etc. can significantly influence the result. Whereas if the issue would have been dealt with in parliament alone- you would not get the opinion of people who are paid to keep people entertained. The real difference between direct action and the action of the legislatures are the voters cannot assemble and discuss matters and consequently the opportunity to arrive at truth is lost. Truth emerges from the clash of opinions. Which brings us back to the substantialness of referendums. Finally, some could argue that referendums undermine (or have potential to) Parliamentary Sovereignty. Parliament is certainly threatened by the use of referendums. Referendums put the people before the parliament. The sovereignty of parliament becomes the sovereignty of the people, introducing direct democracy into the political system, challenges the indirect, representative democracy that has been the essence of UK political system. If the people vote one way, their representatives another, who should prevail, who is sovereign? In conclusion the manner in which the referendum is used reflects greatly on the government and at times can make you question the quality of the governments political parties. The referendum can be of great use but whether the pro outweigh the cons or vice versa is relative to the issue at hand. Using the drawbacks we've discussed one can assume or hope that if legislatures had an option, referendums would not be their first choice.