E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

E-commerce - Essay Example When utilized properly, it allows companies and organizations to enhance their profitability, move into new markets and also provide the consumers with better services and products. It is due to the advantages of the practice that several enterprises, both small and large, continue to incorporate it into their operations and procedures. By 2005, the e-business revenue exceeded $2 trillion (Laudon & Guercio 2014). This is a strong signal that additional businesses are becoming aware of the opportunities that are available and exploiting them for their own benefits and that of the customers. Some of the brick and motor enterprises which had only physical presence have decided to embrace it to realize the benefits of the innovation (Chaudhury & Kuilboer 2002). It is, however, important to remember that for a brick and motor business to embrace and benefit from e-commerce, it must be ready to counter some of the challenges inherent in the practice. With the right approach, positive outco mes will be realized both in the short term and long term. E-commerce can be defined as a business that is transacted electronically. In most instances, the internet is used (Frieden & Roche 2006). Majority of people take e-commerce to be only about buying commodities over the web. However, it is much more than this. The practice includes purchasing various items from online sellers, online banking services and paying for travel services and accommodation. The basic idea is that there is minimal or no physical contact between the seller and the buyer of the commodity (Graham 2008). This is unlike the brick and motor business model, which requires the buyer to come to the physical location of the commodities and products and buy them or pay for them. Brick and motor businesses rely on traditional selling platforms (Humeau & Jung 2013). This is the same model that Coventry Books has been using. For a customer to transact any business with Coventry

European Union Environmental Business Law Essay Example for Free

European Union Environmental Business Law Essay The Treaty of Rome which established the European Economic Community in 1958, did not originally included any provisions for the safeguard of the environment It was not until 1985 that the Single European Act inserted Title VII containing articles 130r to 130t in the Treaty of Rome that made environmental protection a lawful objective of the Commission and laid down the core principles upon which the environmental policy was based (Poostchi 83). The core principles as stated by Poostchi are â€Å"the principles that preventative action should be taken, that the polluter should pay and that environmental damage should be rectified at source. These legal principles as given by the Single European Act were further refined by The Maastricht Treaty which enhanced the scope of the environmental policy of the European Union. Today the European Union has over 200 directives (legal texts) with environmental policies under the broad classifications of Air, Biotechnology, Chemicals, Civil Protections and Environmental Accidents, Climate Change, Land Use, Noise, Ozone Layer Protection, Soil, Waste and Water as well as issues like public participation in environmental decision making and public access to environmental information. Development and Implementation of Environmental Law The EU has the option of adopting environmental legislation by way of three primary legal instruments: (i) directives, (ii) regulations, and (iii) decisions. Regulations and decisions are binding in their entirety and are directly applicable within Member States; directives, are binding as to the result to be achieved, but leave to the Member States the choice of form and method, which means that member states have the power to enact local legislation based on a directive to further the cause of initiating it in the first place (Goodrich). The branch of law dealing with the environment has the same system of development and enforcement as other laws developed by the commission. The primary responsibility of EU is to develop environmental laws, while the duty of implementation and enforcement rests in the hands of the 25 member states. Herein lays the strength and weakness of the system. The strength lays in the fact that member states have greater power of enforcement than a council of 25 states, but at the same time member states enjoy considerable flexibility in enforcement which often leads to delays or avoidance of implementation, thereby frustrating the purpose of the law itself. The Legislative Process The Commission is responsible for ensuring compliance with environmental laws. By undertaking its own assessments, through complaints by EU parliament and petitions by EU citizens, the commission monitors the degree of compliance. If after review there is evidence of a breach of law, the EU initiates the infringement proceedings against the violating state. There are three categories of breaches 1) Non-communication cases, in which a member state fails to, inform EU about the adoption of national legislation implementing a directive after the deadline for implementation has passed. 2) Non-conformity cases, in which a member state implements a directive incorrectly. 3) Bad-application cases, in which a member state has failing to correctly apply community law in a particular case. The infringement procedure contains several steps which are outlined in Article 226 of the Treaty. The Commission usually upon receiving a case, issues a formal notice to the government, after which it can issue a reasoned opinion. If the member state still refuses to comply the commission refers the case to the European Court of Justice, for a ruling. Non-compliance with a ruling can lead to the imposition of a fine or lump-sump penalty on the member state. In April 2004 environmental liability directive was issued by the EC with the aim of preventing and remedying environmental damage. According to the directive (which is to be adopted by member states over a period of 3 years) Environmental damage can be remedied in several ways depending on the type of damage: For damage affecting the land, the Directive requires that the land concerned be decontaminated until there is no longer any serious risk of negative impact on human health; For damage affecting water or protected species and natural habitats, the Directive is aimed at restoring the environment to how it was before it was damaged. Another development in the environmental law front is the possibility (proposal for a directive) of criminal action against serious negligence and intentional damage. According to a press release by the EC (Brussels, February 2007) the law would apply to both natural and legal persons. The proposal lays down the maximum penalty, and allows member states to impose more stringent measures. The motivation to introduce criminal action is because although EC Environmental law has existed for 30 years, there are still many cases of severe non- observance of Community environmental law. According the Seventh Annual Survey on the implementation and enforcement of Community environmental law 2005 (Commission Staff working paper Brussels, 2006) there has been a significant reduction in the number of open cases at the end of the year 2005 (798 cases) as opposed to 2004 (1220 cases). However the Environment sector, still accounts for one-fourth of all open cases concerning non-compliance with Community Law under investigation by the Commission. EU Environmental Law and International environmental law Over the past 30 years EU had made tremendous impact on environmental law legislation by enforcing very stringent environmental standards across its member nations. Environmental laws are discriminatory by nature, as they favor countries with developed infrastructures, wealthy industries and higher per capita incomes. For EU to expect all its trading partners (irrespective of their national income and stage of development) to comply with its strict Environmental laws, means that it will seek to eliminate any advantage that they might have in terms of lower prices. Environmental laws can serve as a form of non-tariff trade barrier. As in the case if Shrimp-Turtle case (USA banned the import of shrimp from countries which in the process of shrimp trawling accidentally caused the death of sea turtles. These countries were expected to install US made Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), so that the shrimp trawling would become environmentally friendly again) (Schaffer et al. 628). The net effect was to increase the sales of a US industry (the industry making TEDs), and possibly raise the price of imported shrimp products. (Schaffer et al. 623) United States ran into trouble with the WTO on the ban on shrimp products, because it was declared uncompetitive and unfair. Subsequently USA had to redefine its guidelines, so that exporting countries which employed a programme similar to that of the USA for turtle protection were given a certification to export again. Impact on FDI and International Businesses EU’s has emerged as the leading incubator for environmental rules and regulations, and this has major implications for all businesses hoping to work with the European market. This includes businesses within and outside the European Union. This is mainly because of two reasons. Businesses must comply with EU regulations if they wish to continue supply and demand to the region. Secondly like all highest forms of legislation (and constructive action in general) the EU legislation set the benchmark for environmental regulation and there may come a time when they will be followed and implemented across the globe. Recently the Commission enacted 3 new laws, which will have a significant effect on businesses trading in EU. The three regulations are REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Assessment of Chemical Hazards); RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances); and WEEE (the directive on Waste Electronic and Electric Equipment). All three are complex pieces of legislation that will affect a vast range of products, chiefly electronics that are made, sold, used, and disposed of across 25 EU member countries. (Elkington) The first legislation will make mandatory testing of over 30,000 chemical substances for human safety. This will put the fate of several chemical companies in jeopardy. RoHS seeks to ban six substances out of the E. U. economy: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). This will make it nearly impossible to manufacture semiconductors for electronic items. The third legislation (WEEE) will affect manufacturers of products like TVs, refrigerators, or cars. This take-back legislation will force companies to take the responsibility of recycling packaging material of their product and also ensure recycling of discarded products (end of life accountability). This legislation takes root from the concept of recycling all waste material so that some of it can be re-absorbed (re-claimed) in the productive process, instead of going unutilized into landfills. These legislations will have a number of implications for local and foreign countries in Europe. Firstly they will have to invest in take-back and recycling infrastructure. It is generally observed that big companies adopt the law, in fear of retaliation from NGO’s, and because they refused to be driven out of markets because of these de-facto trade barriers. Korean and Japanese countries demonstrated this when they took a lead in adopting the ISO 14000 standards, so that they cannot be discriminated in the European Market. The rate of adoption of companies from these countries was faster than that of EU companies themselves. The possible impact of stringent environmental laws is felt on domestic companies as well. During a period of economic downturn and business slowdown, most businesses are reluctant to enforce environmental legislation. Also the cost of monitoring the legal environment for businesses increases. EU is actively taking notice of breach in compliance with environmental laws and the process of pursuing legislative action at the European court is a time wasting and expensive affair. According to the OECD report on FDI, the 2003 FDI inflows to European countries were 23 per cent lower than in 2002. But according to data available with UNCTAD, for the period 2004-2006 FDI picked up again and the EU countries recorded a growth of 30% . Thus it cannot be determined to a conclusive level whether the changes in FDI have resulted because of the enactment and enforcement of environmental laws. It may be noted that European Union’s proactive behavior in enacting environmental legislation could be because they had a smaller land mass and learned the importance of conservation before other bigger countries like US. Whatever the case maybe, it remains to be seen whether the extensive array of laws will improve the environment to any noticeable degree. Given the number of years it takes for degradation to become noticeable any fruits of improvement will take time to manifest themselves. Till then both foreign and domestic businesses will find themselves facing a host of challenges, ranging from legislative action, forced compliance, rising environmental compliance cost and the like. However it will also open opportunities for businesses to develop eco-friendly products, and maintain a positive image in the minds of consumers.

The Federal Reserve System Essay -- History Banks Financial Federal Re

The Federal Reserve System Even before the creation of the Federal Reserve, banks were used by the public just as we use them today. Deposits were made into savings accounts. Loans were taken out to mortgage a home or finance a new business. Banknotes were issued and spent when the public borrowed from the banks. Borrowers spent these banknotes just as paper money is spent today. These bank notes were valued as money since they were backed by the promise that they would be exchanged on demand for either gold or silver.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There was the occasionally belief on behalf of the public that banks would not be able to, or outright refuse to honor their banknotes. This fear, if held by enough of a community, could lead to a run on the banks. In a single day, demands for exchange of banknotes for gold and silver would be made by a majority of the people if there was doubt concerning the ability of a bank to redeem its notes. This problem would be compounded when this fear spread to other banks. Runs on a single bank would escalate and spread from one bank to another causing financial panic (http://www.dallasfed.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another problem prior to the establishment of the Federal Reserve System was the inelasticity of bank credit and the supply of money. Small banks placed their excess reserves in large central reserve banks. Whenever a bank’s depositors wanted their funds, the smaller banks would be covered by the central banks. The system worked well during normal conditions. Some banks would draw down on their reserves as other banks would be building up their reserves. In times of excessive demand, however, the problem became quite serious. When the public wanted large amounts of currency, the demand for funds quickly became powerful and widespread. During these periods of high demand, banks from across the nation called on the central banks to supply the funds (Federal Reserve System 5th ed pp. 10-11).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the time, there were not adequate facilities available to meet the demand for additional funds. Bank’s reserves of money were stored around the nation at 50 locations. The reserves were not able to be shifted quickly to the areas that were experiencing increases in withdraw demand. The immobility of reserves only added another element to the financial panic (Schlesinger pp. 41). The credit situation would become tense. Since the banks coul... ...Governors is also the chairman of the FOMC. Its principal duty as described under law is the supervision of open market operations that principal method of federal monetary policy (Federal Reserve System 8th ed. pp. 12).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Federal Reserve System will always be necessary to maintain economic stability and uphold the value of the dollar. The Fed is able to make the necessary decisions that protect the nation from unexpected threats to the economy. Through times of crises and prosperity the Fed will â€Å"be operating behind the scenes of the banking industry to make sure money is a positive force in American BIBLIOGRAPHY Author Unknown (1994). The Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions (5th ed.) Published by Library of Congress Author Unknown (1994). The Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions (8th ed.) Retrieved Feb 3, 2005. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pf/pdf/frspf1.pdf Schlesinger, A.M. (1989). The Federal Reserve System. (pp. 41-45, 75). Chelsea House Publishers http://www.dallasfed.org/fed/understand.html http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/pleng/history.html http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1052.html

Blue Sky

TEACHING NOTE Blue Sky Thinking Case Analysis 1. Company Profile First Choice Holidays This session's students should describe the company profile of First Choice Holidays (FCH) – a travel agent which has more than 14. 000 staff, operate in 16 different countries and have ? 2,6 billion turnover in 2005. The students should able to define that FCH is the major player in travel industry and what the business they are in. 2.Problem Formulation This session's students should formulate the problems of FCH that shown by Sales Conversion rate had been static for two years, and also should be able to mention the FCH efforts to solve the problems and why they choose to hire Blue Sky Consulting. The hidden problems of FCH are sales and management staffs on motivation, focus, and believe in themselves and their products. One of the methods could use the fish bone diagram to find the problems. . Problem Solving Methods The problem solving methods are tend to fulfill the objectives of FCH is to increase 10% revenue yoy and to merge brands between ‘First Choice Direct' (Direct) and ‘Eclipse Direct' (Eclipse). The case shows that FCH hire the Blue Sky Consulting, in these section students should place themselves as Blue Sky Consultant and be able to show what Blue Sky do to achieve the FCH objectives.The first steps, Blue Sky create secondary objectives of developing a broad strategy that supported Direct and Eclipse team objectives: o Unifying company culture and brand value o Establishing measurement to ensure the performance improvement was maintained The next steps, Blue Sky conduct a ‘holistic operational diagnostic' on purpose to show the FCH management to evaluate the effectiveness FCH processes, as opposed to just identifying the sales training gaps. Blue Sky conduct ‘current performance evaluation' with activities include: o Meeting with key management personnel o Informal interview with cross-section of advisers and team leaders o Focu s Groups o Listening into and observing assessment of calls o Mystery Shopping o Staff surveys o Reviewing current skill and trainings o Reviewing Business Process o Documentation and initiatives – Create recommendation 4. Design and Action Plan Program This session's students should be able to show the need of developing and communicate the vision for call center and each department. Blue Sky TEACHING NOTE Blue Sky Thinking Case Analysis 1. Company Profile First Choice Holidays This session's students should describe the company profile of First Choice Holidays (FCH) – a travel agent which has more than 14. 000 staff, operate in 16 different countries and have ? 2,6 billion turnover in 2005. The students should able to define that FCH is the major player in travel industry and what the business they are in. 2.Problem Formulation This session's students should formulate the problems of FCH that shown by Sales Conversion rate had been static for two years, and also should be able to mention the FCH efforts to solve the problems and why they choose to hire Blue Sky Consulting. The hidden problems of FCH are sales and management staffs on motivation, focus, and believe in themselves and their products. One of the methods could use the fish bone diagram to find the problems. . Problem Solving Methods The problem solving methods are tend to fulfill the objectives of FCH is to increase 10% revenue yoy and to merge brands between ‘First Choice Direct' (Direct) and ‘Eclipse Direct' (Eclipse). The case shows that FCH hire the Blue Sky Consulting, in these section students should place themselves as Blue Sky Consultant and be able to show what Blue Sky do to achieve the FCH objectives.The first steps, Blue Sky create secondary objectives of developing a broad strategy that supported Direct and Eclipse team objectives: o Unifying company culture and brand value o Establishing measurement to ensure the performance improvement was maintained The next steps, Blue Sky conduct a ‘holistic operational diagnostic' on purpose to show the FCH management to evaluate the effectiveness FCH processes, as opposed to just identifying the sales training gaps. Blue Sky conduct ‘current performance evaluation' with activities include: o Meeting with key management personnel o Informal interview with cross-section of advisers and team leaders o Focu s Groups o Listening into and observing assessment of calls o Mystery Shopping o Staff surveys o Reviewing current skill and trainings o Reviewing Business Process o Documentation and initiatives – Create recommendation 4. Design and Action Plan Program This session's students should be able to show the need of developing and communicate the vision for call center and each department.

Organizational Focus and Goals Essay

Forte is a nonprofit organization in its infancy. The organization is only three years old and has already seen substantial changes to its structure and business strategy. Currently, Forte is mostly unknown. However, this past year the organization took a huge leap in firing its Artistic Director and choreographer and hiring a new Artistic Director and choreographer. Both new additions bring a wealth of knowledge of the performing arts industry that has catapulted Forte to setting their sights higher than the two performances a year. In the past two years the organization was funded primarily through parental donations, which were small and only allowed the organization to perform twice a year. This past year with the addition of the new employees, the organization saw ticket sales increase tremendously and interest from many more students in joining. CURRENT FOCUS AND GOALS Forte is focused on gaining a reputation within the performing arts community. As a young organization located in a small community, it is imperative that the organization remain focused on establishing the company’s reputation. The goals of Forte are now to be able to increase the student membership, increase the amount of performances per year, and to increase funding to make the other two goals possible. TRAINING NEEDS Forte is a very young organization with a board of directors that are in desperate need of training. The knowledge that is lacking within this board of directors is staggering. â€Å"Training refers to a planned effort by the company to facilitate employees’ learning of job-related competencies† (Noe, 2008, p. 4). The board handles all the business end of the organization with little knowledge of what is available to them. Training in two areas is suggested. Those two areas are educating the board on best practices in producing a production and in communication standards and ethics. As no current board member is educated in the performing arts, they are hemorrhaging money on expenses that are not needed. Training in where to buy and rent production equipment is an area with huge opportunity to cut costs and improve the quality. By improving the quality of production equipment and cutting costs, the organization will have more money to spend in other areas such as set design and costumes as well as space rentals for performances. By educating the board on proper communication standards schedules can be met and instruction from the artistic director and choreographer will improve. As it stands now, far too much rehearsal time is spent with the board asking questions and interrupting rehearsals. By training in effective communication between the employees and board, the time taken away from instruction will increase, increasing the talent of the organization. EFFECTS THE FOCUS AND GOALS HAVE ON PRIORITIZING THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF TRAINING Forte’s focus and goals affect the type of training and amount of training  needed. Because Forte desires to gain a wider reputation and increase available performances, the training needs to be comprehensive and happen quickly. Both the new Artistic Director and choreographer have taken several board members into a sort of internship for this year. This on the job training will accomplish in a short amount of time the massive training needed. PRIORITIZING TRAINING NEEDS Forte will prioritize those areas that will direct the finances of the winter season first. Gaining a handle on the hemorrhaging funds is a top priority in order to allow those funds to be put to better use. In order to progress to the goals of the organization, it is suggested the training prioritize the financial aspects of training first. As it stands now, this is the largest area of opportunity for training and the largest area of opportunity for growth. CONCLUSION Training develops the skills needed to perform job-related tasks efficiently and effectively which directly affects the organization. (Noe, 2008) Training also creates a positive work environment. Creating a positive work environment attracts talented employees and customers. Forte seeks to attract more talented performers. In order to this, training in how to produce a performing arts production properly needs to happen, or the talent will not join. Reference Noe, R. A. (2008). _Employee Training and Development_ (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin..

Political, Social, And Economic Issues Essays - Social Issue

Political, Social, And Economic Issues Essays - Social Issue political, social, and economic issues I see myself as a quite liberal person on political, social, and economic issues. I believe the public has some duties to the government such as pay taxes. In turn, the government should fund programs to help the people who need assistance. Unfortunately, much of the American public has lost its trust in the federal government because of corruption and special interest groups. However, now we are solving many of these problems, and hopefully America will again trust Washington. Once the public puts its trust with its government without criticizing each step of the way, we will see improvements in areas such as education and health care. Through federal mandates, each person will be given the opportunity to receive quality education and health coverage. Political Issues I believe the federal government has an obligation to protect the rights of its people. America is a melting pot of various cultures from all different parts of the globe. These people all have different backgrounds, family environments, and experiences that affect their views on politics. Because of the diversity of its people, America accordingly has a diversity of political views. It is the duty of the federal government to protect the rights of each of these people whether they are black, white, Asian, conservative, liberal, socialist, or libertarian. The only time the federal government should violate someone's rights is when it negatively affects the well being of others. Social Issues The federal government has a duty to ensure each person the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of life. Unfortunately, the federal government has left some issues to be addressed by the states and private industry. One of the biggest issues is education. Many children are forced to attend schools that have less than adequate facilities. Most of these schools are in the inner-city neighborhoods. Their suburban counterparts have much more funding and as a result, better facilities. This has caused a gap in test scores between inner-city schools and suburban schools. If the federal government stepped in and provided equal funding to all schools, this problem would be solved. Also, the federal government has stayed out of health care and left it to industry. Millions of Americans cannot afford health care, and as a result, do not receive the treatment they require. The federal government should step in and supply health care on a federal level to all modeling the Canadian system. This would reduce costs of health care and give everyone the assistance they need. There also is too much discrimination against minorities such as blacks, homosexuals, and women. The federal government needs to help ensure that each person is given a chance to lead a life comparable to that of a member of the majority. Each has the right to live a decent life, and no one can take that away. Economic Issues Currently too much of the money is in the hands of the elites who control industries. Too many workers receive too little pay to afford the services they need to raise families in today's world. Big business today controls the wages and forces the workers to work its terms. The federal government should step in to ensure wages at decent levels and jobs to all people. Society should help each individual get onto his or her feet. Then each individual can return the favor and help society.

How Teachers Should Rethink the Summer Work Packet

How Teachers Should Rethink the Summer Work Packet Simply stated: Summer vacation has a negative impact on academic performance. In the book  Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student Achievement  (updated 2016) by John Hattie and Greg Yates,  39 studies  were used  to rank the effect of summer vacation on student achievement. The findings using this data  are posted on the  Visible Learning  website. They noted that  summer vacation has one of the greatest negative effects (  -.02 effect) on student learning. To combat this negative impact, many teachers in middle and high schools are encouraged to create discipline-specific summer assignment packets. These packets are an attempt to equalize academic practice for all students during summer  vacation. The summer assignment packets that teachers distribute at the end of a school year are designed for students to practice  a few hours every week  throughout the summer. What happens in reality, however, is that completing the summer packet often turns into a  contentious activity. Students may wait until the last possible moment to do schoolwork or lose the packet entirely. Additionally, depending on the grade level, subject, or teacher, summer work packets vary in quality, length, and intensity. Examples of high school summer assignments on the Internet vary from two pages of geometry that can be completed online to  22 pages of geometry problems that must be downloaded to complete. Multiple Advanced Placement courses, such as AP English Literature, show the disparity in summer assignments with some schools offering a choice (Read three novels from this list) to a required five novels matched with pages and pages of worksheets. There is no standardized summer assignment packet for middle and high schools. Who Complains About Summer Assignment Packets? Complaints against the assigned summer work packets come from each of the stakeholders: parents, teachers, and students. Their complaints are understandable. Parents may  argue for freedom from summer assignment packets suggesting that â€Å"My child needs a break,† or  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why must we do this to students every summer?† or This is more work for me than for my child! Teachers are not happy to begin the school year with a pile of summer assignment papers to grade. Despite their best intentions in creating the packets, they do not want to start the year collecting or chasing students for summer assignment work.   Harris Cooper,  chairman of the department of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, addressed these  concerns in his brief essay Forgotten on Vacation. His response was featured in  an editorial debate in the New York Times titled  The Crush of Summer Homework  in which several prominent educators were asked their opinions on summer assignments. Cooper was one who chose to respond as to how parents can meet the demands of the summer assignment packet: Parents, if the assignments are clear and reasonable, support the teachers. When your child says I’m bored (what parent hasn’t heard this on a rainy summer day?) suggest they work on an assignment. He also responded to the concerns of teachers: My advice? Teachers, you need to be careful about what and how much summer homework you assign. Summer homework shouldn’t be expected to overcome a student’s learning deficits; that’s what summer school is for. However, in another response, What Low Achievers Need,  Tyrone Howard, associate professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, suggested that summer assignment packets do not work. He offered an alternative to the summer assignment packet:   A better approach than homework is to have more intensive, small learning community-type summer school programs that last four to six weeks. Many educators who contributed to the NY Times debate   The Crush of Summer Homework  viewed summer assignments as  a measure of accountability or student responsibility rather than an academic practice. They argued that many of the students who do not complete homework assignments as academic practice during the school year are unlikely to complete summer assignments. Missing or incomplete work is reflected in student grades, and missing or incomplete summer assignments can damage a students grade point average (GPA). For example, some of the summer work assignments posted for high school students on the Internet include warnings, such as: Certain mathematical practice packets may take more than one day to complete. Dont wait until the last minute!The teacher will personally consult with the student and/or parent if  the student does not hand in the summer work packet on the first day of class.This work will be 3% of your first quarter grade. 10 points will be deducted for each day it is late. Seeing the impact on a students GPA for incomplete or missing summer work, many educators argue, If teachers cannot get students to turn in homework during the school year, especially when they see them every day, what is the chance that these summer work assignments will be completed? Student Complaints But  students are the  most vocal group arguing against the summer assignment packet.    The question  Should students be given summer homework?  was featured on  Ã‚  Debate.org.   18% Students say Yes to summer assignments82% Students say No  to summer assignments Comments from the debate arguing against summer assignments included: Summer homework takes around 3 days and it feels like the whole summer  (7th grade student).Mostly summer homework is just a review so you dont really learn anything. Im going into 8th grade and Im not learning anything its all a review for me.If a student really wants to learn, they will do extra work, without it being assigned.The homework should just be suggestions, to stop students from stressing out over work that probably wont even be checked. In contrast, there were some students who saw value in summer assignments, but most of these comments reflected the attitudes of students who already expected additional work from their advanced level classes. I, for example, am going to be enrolling in an Advanced Literature course next year and have been assigned two books to read this summer, an essay to write... this pushes me to find out more information about the subject matter that will be in the course. While students who take the advanced level (Advanced Placement, honors,  International Baccalaureate, or college credit courses) like the one above fully expect to engage in an academic practice, there are other students who do not see the importance keeping their academic skills sharp.  While a summer packet is designed to help all students, regardless of ability, the  student who may not complete the work may be the very student who most needs the practice. No Buy-in from Students In an interview posted on Great Schools,  Denise Pope, senior lecturer at the Stanford University School of Education and co-founder of  Challenge Success, a research, and student-intervention project, agrees that the months off for summer vacation is too long a time for students to not do anything, but she expressed concern stating  I’m not sure this idea of giving workbooks and pages and pages of handouts works.†Ã‚  Her reason for why summer assignments may not work?  No student buy-in: â€Å"In order for any learning to be retained, there has to be engagement on the part of the students.† She explained that students must be intrinsically motivated to complete the systematic practice that is designed for the summer assignments. Without student motivation, an adult must monitor the work, which according to Pope, puts a burden more on the parents.† What Does Work? Reading! One of the best research-based recommendations for summer assignments is to assign reading. Rather than spending the time to create and then grade a summer assignment packet that may or may not be done at all, educators should be encouraged to assign reading. This reading can be discipline specific, but by far, the best way to have students maintain academic skills during the summer-at every grade level- is to encourage their motivation to read. Offering students choice  in reading can improve their motivation and participation. In a meta-analysis titled  Reading Takes You Places: A Study of a Web-based Summer Reading Program,  Ya-Ling Lu, and Carol Gordon recorded ways that student choice in reading increased engagement which led to improved academic achievement. In the study the traditionally required reading lists of classics were replaced with   recommendations based on several of the following  research-based guidelines: 1. People who say they read more read better (Krashen 2004), therefore the primary purpose of the [summer] program is to encourage students to read more.2. In order to encourage students to read more, the primary purpose of summer reading is reading for fun rather than for academic purposes.3. Student choice is an important element in reading engagement (Schraw et al. 1998) including the choice to pursue personal reading interests.4. Materials and materials access can be Web-based (Note:  92% of teens report going online daily - including 24% who say they go online â€Å"almost constantly,† Pew  Research Center) The results showed an increase in student motivation and engagement, leading to improved academic performance. Summer Packets vs. Reading Despite the research  that proves motivation and systemic practice must be in place for summer assignment packets to help the student,  many teachers, particularly at the middle and high school levels, will still assign summer work packets. Their time and effort, however, may be better spent assigning reading in their content area, and where possible, offering student choice in reading. While summer vacation allows students to have time to play and to relax, why  not encourage students to practice over the summer the kind of academic practice that reinforces a life-long critical skill, the skill of reading? Additional Research on Summer Reading: Allington, Richard.  Summer Reading: Closing the Rich/Poor Reading Achievement Gap.  NY:  Teachers College Press, 2012. Fairchild, Ron. Summer: A Season When Learning is Essential. Afterschool Alliance. Center for Summer Learning. 2008. Web. afterschoolalliance.org/issue_briefs/issue_summer_33.pdf Kim, Jimmy. â€Å"Summer Reading and the Ethnic Achievement Gap.† Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR). 2004. Web. ala.org/research/librariesmatter/node/161 Krashen, Stephen. Free Reading. Pasco School District. School Library Journal. 2006. Web. psd1.org/cms/lib4/WA01001055/centricity/domain/34/admin/free reading (2).pdf National Summer Learning Association. n.d.  summerlearning.org/about-nsla/ Report of the National Reading Panel: Findings and Determinations of the National Reading Panel by Topic Areas.† National Institute of Health. 2006. Web. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/Pages/findings.aspx

Evaluation for presentation to management Essay - 1

Evaluation for presentation to management - Essay Example The recent globalisation has changed the management of human resource in the organisations. There has been focus upon developing better organisational structure and hiring knowledgeable and experienced work force. The globalisation has removed the barriers in searching of talents within the corporate sector of a particular country (Jackson & Alvarez, 1992). The HR manager assists in developing the system of E-Recruitment through which there is every possibility of hiring knowledgeable and experienced personnel for MechCon. This also allows outsourcing certain activities and employees (Prude University, 2005). The globalisation has changed the needs of the organisation as well as the structure. The HR manager facilitates in developing the perfect organisational design and structure that best suit the Australian human resource policy and helps in increasing the efficiency of MechCon (Pucik, 1996). The public sector of Commonwealth of Australia administrates the policy of HRM. The company’s human resource policies should be in line with the Australian policy of HR practices (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004). HR is known to assist in developing strategies that are aligned with the business. This is highly complex and a specialist HR manager with experience can develop such strategies along with business strategies to grow in the competing business environment. The complexity lies in the achievement of organisational excellence and growth (HRPS, 2011). It also lies in planning, development and acquisition of human resource in reaction to the demand for MechCon and dealing with strategy with industrial conflict. The HR manager in recent competitive advantage with application of knowledge successfully manages personnel, relationships, organisational capabilities and learning (Schuler & MacMillan, n.d.). This will help MechCon to gain competitive advantage not only in terms of employee

Law for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Law for Managers - Essay Example The concept of â€Å"foreseenability† in many cases is correlated with the issue of a reasonable practicability. Anyway, the employer should provide employees with a certain degree of safety, but risk assessment is placed totally on employees only. It is relevant to consider any type of possible risks. Every employer can make a decision and he can also ignore safety issues. In any case, every employer should be assured that he provided his employees with an efficient level of safety and guaranteed their risks avoidance. On the example of the available cases, the implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 are considered further on. Moreover, current literature sources are provided for further considerations about flexibility and challenge of the Act. Legal Authorities (Cases) Thus, for example, when a child was injured and took a used hypodermic syringe, the doctor was accused of failing to ensure health and safety issues of the person. A child took a syringe from a shelf, which was further replaced by another higher shelf. In the result of this accident: â€Å"The doctor was fined ?5,000 under Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to ensure the health and safety of a person not in her employment and was also ordered to pay the full prosecution costs of ?981.68† (Everley,1999). ... An employee could not transport 935 kilograms of LPG and it was very soon ignited by a nearby gas leakage. Consequently, the Managing Director of the company did not follow HSE guidance and failed to follow the minimum distance to be maintained between vehicles and fuel tanks containing LPG (HSE, 2010). This is a resonance case and in many similar cases the responsibility is applied for the employers. Very often a personal responsibility of employees is omitted. Another case, when the Managing Director and managers of the company were prosecuted for offences, which related to an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease. This bacterium was transferred from one employee to another and it was very difficult for the managers of the company to stop the expansion of this disease. The towers were not properly cleaned and in the result of this neglectful attitude the expansion of the disease were motivated. This case illustrated that: â€Å"the HSE will not only prosecute companies but also Managing Directors if they are found to be negligent† (HSE, 2010). Moreover, it is appropriate to appeal for the personal liability issues in terms of this Act. Thus, personal liability for offences under s 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was issued at almost the same date of the corporate manslaughter Bill received the Royal Assent. It is possible to correlate these two legal regulation Acts. Moreover, a special attention should be paid to ss 7 and 36 of the HSWA 1974. Section 7 is focused on the employees’ responsibility of their safety. In other words, every employee should be responsible for his own actions at work, because the HSWA 1974 is known as â€Å"the primary focus for all health and safety legislation in the UK† (Barnard 1998, p. 1).

Discursive Weapon in the War in Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discursive Weapon in the War in Iraq - Essay Example Though the weapons used by the Iraqi militants were the cause of mass destruction, human life was harmed by a greater extent. The objective of the war, as addressed by George W Bush, US President and Prime Minister of British Tony Blair was the initial step to free the people of Iraq and western Democracies from the threat of Saddam Hussein. The tie of Iraq with Al- Qaeda terrorist network was the reason of threat for the Bush Government and the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US traumatized the people of America at large. One of the key concepts relating to the article is that it emphasized various significant aspects that include technological weapon system, military hardware, surveillance and intelligence used by the governments to minimize the damage of war and the resulted threats that impose over the common people. The style of journalism was determined based upon the reporting style which assisted the people to understand the situation of war. The truth and the morality were the key factors of reporting that depicted the American war front to be sophisticated in comparison with Iraq. The war reportage plays a decisive role in defining the conflict and its contribution towards upholding legitimacy along with illegitimacy at large. In precise, it can be affirmed that this article emphasizes revealing the significance of reporting during warfare (Gasher 209-224). SECOND ABSTRACT This particular reading explores the notion of representation which can be apparently observed to capture a new along with a significant place in a rich diversity of social identity and culture. It has been argued in the reading that representation is an integral part of the process by which a meaning is created and exchanged between members of diverse culture. It generally involves the utilization of languages, signs along with images that represent any particular object. The thought of representation is based on three concepts that include constructionist, reflective and intentional approach which links language and meaning to culture. According to the reading provided, it can be viewed that every representation has its own meaning which is expressed through language or any other forms and even, the complex meaning of representation is understandable by every individual. Representation is often regarded as the construction of meaning which is used to bridge the gap between a concept and a language. Also, the signs and the codes that are expressed in various representation forms explain the same meaning to every individual. The sign of a language is effective only when it is expressed in the same manner to others. Moreover, the visual signs can also be interpreted by using the conceptual theory and the language system. The theories of representation when reflective, expresses the true meaning of the objects, which is same for the entire world. It has been argued in the article that codes are critical for deriving appropriate meaning as they are duly considered a s the result of social conventions and form a vital part of the culture (Hall 15-64). THIRD ABSTRACT In this article, newspaper is seen as a complex of simultaneous messages, with pictures and captions. According to the readings of the article, the total representation of the newspaper can be segregated into two forms such as visual and textual. The photographs present in newspapers not only comprise written remarks but also images that represents a sense of meaning for the readers. The significance of the readings of this article is to elaborate and analyze the message of the photographs present in the newspapers. According to the author i.e. Barthes, the photograph provides a â€Å"perfect analogon† of the representation of the object in the form of a picture. Moreover, the author

To What Extent Does Corporate Social Responsibility Increase Research Paper

To What Extent Does Corporate Social Responsibility Increase Profitability - Research Paper Example As the research topic suggests the primary aim and objective of this research study would be to find out various means through which CSR activities followed by business organizations can help to increase its revenue generation and thereby increasing its profits as well. The main objective of any organization is to maximize the wealth of its stakeholders. However, it has been observed that most of the firms are mostly concerned about their shareholders and undertakes different activities which lead to the increasing value of its shareholders. CSR has had a renewed attention in recent times mainly because of the facts that apart from shareholders different other stakeholders of the company like its creditors, customers and the external environment of the firm as a whole are having a significant impact caused by the various activities carried on by the business firms. CSR has become a means of sustainability for most of the organizations which can lead to its growth and development in f uture. Hence this research study would try to find out the relationship between CSR and profitability of a company and how CSR activities can lead to the increase in its profitability.2. Literature ReviewThe literature review section of this research study would try to find out the existing literature in the field of corporate social responsibility. Moreover, it would also try to find out what the researchers have to say regarding the relationship of CSR and profitability of a company.

Organizational behavior 4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational behavior 4 - Article Example ing proactive stance, ability to confront adversity, willingness to take risks, innovativeness to think outside the box, take a supportive and encouraging stance for new ideas, and by being creative. As noted in several literatures, a particular leadership style is most effective depending on other factors such as the situation at hand, the personalities of the subordinates, the personality of the leader, and the objectives of the organization, the leader and the follower. In this regard, a balance in both the autocratic and democratic leadership styles would be more supportive of producing qualities that would assist leaders in being effective and successful in the future. By using the leaders’ authority, he must be aware that there are traits and qualities that would make his style succeed toward the accomplishment of well defined goals. On the other hand, by employing a democratic style, the leader encourages ideas which motivate his team to deliver results, as expected. Leadership is the process of influencing people to work or act towards the attainment of specifically defined goals. Communication is the process of transmitting thoughts, feelings, facts, and other information through verbal or non-verbal means. The role of communication in relaying the correct and accurate messages is relevant in order to assess the leaders’ ability to move followers into the achievement of goals. Sometimes, the ways of communication using traditional means are often insufficient to transcend a variety of barriers. There is always this tendency to misinterpret messages due to diverse variances spanning from leadership and communication styles as well as personalities of personnel, specifically those from diverse cultural orientations. In this regard, leaders must use effective communication tools to ensure that the process is free from being misinterpreted accordingly. The question that appealed the most is the determination of challenges confronting leaders

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 13

Marketing - Essay Example At the apex are vital corporate decisions dealing with the firm's mission, visualization, goals, and the allocation of resources in the midst of business units. Planning at this stage involves decisions concerning the divestment of the business units themselves. These decisions drop down the corporate constitution to the business-unit level, where planning is mainly focused on achieving the objectives inside defined product markets. Planning at this stage must consider and be regular with decisions prepared at the corporate level. However, single business unit organizations, corporate and business unit approach are the same. Crucial planning and decision making usually originates at the bottom of the structure. It is at this stage where firms put into operation the planned decisions regarding marketing strategy as well as marketing plans. This report seek to identify the role of marketing during strategic planning in building profitable customer relations. Also, it will highlight on negative impacts of a biased marketing plan. For a long time now, managers and academics have tried to differentiate productive from unproductive companies. The answer lies in the firm’s ability to bring greater customer significance, thus outperforming the competitors in the view of the customer. Within the limitations of corporate and   business strategy, strategic marketing is the instrument for making choices with regard to the client value for a target audience. By the use of segmentation and positioning, strategic marketing assist in targeting a company's marketing tools to achieve the market and marketing objectives formulated. Kotler defines Customer value as customers' feelings about the products received from a firm including the  risks related to that product. The key point is the identification of opportunities for consumer value. It also involves the process of analyzing the external and internal company atmosphere. The intention is to improve opportunities f or value formation and counter threats that may expose the use or authority of the present value generators in the future. The recognition and assessment of means to value creation are also fundamental as it is the capability to devise and realize plans based on the value invention decisions (Kotler, 2009). The Role of Marketing The planning process begins with an examination of the firm's internal and external entities creating a situation analysis. Based on a comprehensive review of these applicable issues, the firm establishes its operation, strategy, objectives, and more than a few functional plans. Planning efforts pertaining each functional area will generate strategic plan for that area. Although it is pertinent to note that the processes apprehended with developing a customer-oriented marketing strategy and marketing plan, should pressure that firm to develop effective marketing plans that are conversant with the business's goals. Senior management must synchronize these fun ctional plans in a way that will achieve a firm’s mission and business objectives. The Marketing Plan is a written document providing the layout of the firm’s marketing activities that involve execution and control of those proceedings. A marketing plan generates a number of purposes. For one, the marketing plan distinctively depicts how the firm will achieve

Organizational behavior 4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational behavior 4 - Article Example ing proactive stance, ability to confront adversity, willingness to take risks, innovativeness to think outside the box, take a supportive and encouraging stance for new ideas, and by being creative. As noted in several literatures, a particular leadership style is most effective depending on other factors such as the situation at hand, the personalities of the subordinates, the personality of the leader, and the objectives of the organization, the leader and the follower. In this regard, a balance in both the autocratic and democratic leadership styles would be more supportive of producing qualities that would assist leaders in being effective and successful in the future. By using the leaders’ authority, he must be aware that there are traits and qualities that would make his style succeed toward the accomplishment of well defined goals. On the other hand, by employing a democratic style, the leader encourages ideas which motivate his team to deliver results, as expected. Leadership is the process of influencing people to work or act towards the attainment of specifically defined goals. Communication is the process of transmitting thoughts, feelings, facts, and other information through verbal or non-verbal means. The role of communication in relaying the correct and accurate messages is relevant in order to assess the leaders’ ability to move followers into the achievement of goals. Sometimes, the ways of communication using traditional means are often insufficient to transcend a variety of barriers. There is always this tendency to misinterpret messages due to diverse variances spanning from leadership and communication styles as well as personalities of personnel, specifically those from diverse cultural orientations. In this regard, leaders must use effective communication tools to ensure that the process is free from being misinterpreted accordingly. The question that appealed the most is the determination of challenges confronting leaders

Construction, operation and associated circuitry of common Assignment

Construction, operation and associated circuitry of common - Assignment Example Even so, this should not be applied in the spaces such as courtroom and conference hall, which find instantaneous controls to be important. The dimming characteritisc could be achieved through the fixing with fluorescent and incandescent as well as with HID. One of the forms of lighting is alcove lighting. It is ordinary in that it is indirect. This finds a lot of application in the fluorescent lighting, neon lighting or even rope. This can also be described as a form of backlighting. There are other approaches that could be utilized to compelement this form of lighting. For example, close-to-wall lighting, or soffit, could be utilized to bring out an appealing texture, although this has its limitations. More often than not, the effect is dependent upon the specification of the light that has been used. Recessed lighting is the widely applied feature and has fixtures that are attached to the ceiling to look appealing. The forms of lighting can utilize the narrow spotlight beams and c ould even be made with reflectors. There are also the cases when the downlights comprising internal reflector could be designed to accommodate the A-lamps. Furthermore, the downlights could be LED, fluorescent, high density discharge or indecadent (Theraj, 2001). Another form of lighting is track lighting. This form of lighting earned popularity because it was easy to install, compared to the recessed form of lighting. Its fixtures are now also made decorative and can also be attached to the walls. The current popularity of these forms of lighting rests upon its ability to use low voltage, yet they assure safety in addition to the fact that they are decorative. Their circuits are fed by master transformers through the fixtures on the rod, as opposed to the approach where even light is fed by a set of transformers.The third form of lighting is cable lighting, which is simply a modified form of track lighting. Here, the lights hang from clipped cables that rest on tension. Nevertheles s, illuminated ceiling is also another form of lighting that was popular in the 1970s. This form of lighting relied on the panels of diffusers that were suspended below the fluorescent lights. It finds a lot of application in all the general forms of lighting. Lastly, neon lighting could also be considered as a form of lighting, which mainly served an artistic function. Cul-de-sac Street lighting. Here, one of the requirement is that the luminaries should be designed so that they are in compliance with the local zoning laws. The IES Lighting Handbook offes comprehensive insights regarding the values that should be accorded to the exterior spaces. If the building program makes specifications of a flood lighting, they should be provided while the exterior lighting should be such that it blends with the external features of the buildings. Roadway and Parking Lighting. The roadway and parking lighting should be integrated with HD sources of light but should not go beyond the recommded v alues of 4 to 10 and 10 to 1 ratios. The parking areas should have luminaries that are not only efficient but also mounted on the poles. Sodium lamps may be preferable, but their impact should blend well with the environment. TASK 2 The Principles of Good Lighting Design There are various principles that have been developed regarding efficient lighting and lighting systems. The widely adopted

Thomas Hobbes †Leviathon Essay Example for Free

Thomas Hobbes – Leviathon Essay Introduction   Thomas Hobbes, a noteworthy political theorist and contemporary of John Locke, offers a concept of justice that is dependent upon the existence of a social structure which he calls the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth arises out of a state of war which he entitles the state of nature. In the state of nature, all men are equal, and thus, they have equal right to liberty. This equality of liberty is without external impediments insofar as how far one is able to extend his own liberty in the preservation of ones self. When men form societies under the social contract, a covenant which expresses their promise to curb their own ambitions and passions, their liberty, in order to work for the common good and to escape the violence that pervades the mere exercise of human nature, is also created. They then, and only then, are able to define justice, which is only realized in the adherence to covenants, and covenants can only be established and adhered to within the Commonwealth. Outside of society, there are no guarantees for protection. Overview In the State of Nature, all men are equal and are equally able to threaten one another. From this equality arises an equality of hope in attaining their ends. What nature has not bestowed upon one man in brute strength, time bestows upon him in experience. The Right of Nature, according to Hobbes, is the liberty each person has to use their own power for their own preservation. Liberty, in this regard, is identified as a lack of constraints upon a person in regards to his own behaviors. If two want the same thing, and they both cannot have it, they become enemies and endeavor to destroy one another (Hobbes chpt. 13). It is thus within the natural order for men to strive for self-preservation, especially when their own liberty is compromised by anothers practice of his liberty. There are three principal causes of quarrels between men in the state of nature. First, competition causes man to attack one another for personal gain, to make himself the stronger of the two and to take that which he seeks from the other. The second reason a man would invade another mans liberty is for the latters own personal safety, and the principal is thus known as diffidence. Finally, the principal of glory, which is the third cause of quarrel according to Hobbes, stems from the want of a reputation and the need to protect it from attacks on an ones personhood, verbal or otherwise. It is ones reputation which makes one powerful and feared in the state of nature, and thus more able to attain what he wants and needs. Because there exists no way for everyone to be assured their liberty will not be infringed by another, they must, therefore, live in a constant state of war. There is no assurance of peace and there are no boundaries dictating the extent to which one can and must go to preserve his own liberty, even if it means the domination of others. Nothing can be unjust. The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice, have no place (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Therefore, there can be no concept of justice, because justice distinguishes the boundaries existing between one mans ability to protect his liberty in the face of another mans endeavor to destroy it. Force and fraud are the cardinal virtues (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Force ensures ones survival, and fraud ensures ones betterment. Without the fear of punishment, nothing stops men from using them and without justice; the term fraud would have no conceptualization as its negative denotation would not exist in a world with no concept of right and wrong.    Examination The First Law of Nature is to seek peace, which is rational. As the main goal of man under the state of nature is self-preservation, peace cannot be sought unilaterally and it is against the nature of man to seek it when in doing so, he concedes his own liberty. In the state of nature, unimpeded liberty exists, and mans security in his life and liberty is questionable. In such a time, there can not be commerce, agriculture, arts, or society, as there is no means by which to ensure their security. Man must live in constant fear of death and violence, and hence, such aspects of culture cannot subsist under that threat. One has no other refuge, than that which his own strength can furnish to him, hence the importance of the three principles of conflict, which lead to gains in strength, the protection of ones life and liberty, and the protection of ones reputation. Hobbes amalgamates and summarizes the first three laws of nature into what is commonly known as the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. This rule conceptualizes the birth of the Commonwealth and the social contract, wherein man gives away his right of liberty in order to protect himself from the unrestricted liberty of others who also agree to do the same. This is the birth of both the Commonwealth and justice, and the death of the State of Nature. In order to understand the meaning of justice, one must first understand how Hobbes defines justice. Justice, according to Hobbes, is the keeping of covenants. Therefore, where there are no covenants, there can be no justice. In the State of Nature, there can be contracts, just as within the commonwealth, but not covenants. The reasons are as follows: a contract is the mutual transferring of right in the Hobbsian sense and because it is mutual, it is obligatory on both sides and realized simultaneously, however, insofar as a covenant is a transference of right between men in which one promises to fulfill his obligation in the future, the early performer of his duties can not be assured that the other will perform his end of the covenant because there are no external bridles hinging him to it, containing his ambition. To lay down a mans right to anything is to divest himself of the liberty of hindering another of the benefit of his own right to the same (Hobbes Chpt. 13). Only fear can achieve adherence to the covenant; only coercion can bring about fear; and only the Commonwealth can subdue a mans passions through coercion. Therefore, a covenant in the state of nature is no more than a gift given to another as there can be no guarantee that the first to act will get his due, moreover, justice, according to Hobbes, originally exists within the commonwealth. Conclusion The keeping of Justice within the commonwealth can be explained in two parts; first, by clarification of the role of law, and, second, through Hobbes concept of authorship. Law, as defined by Hobbes, is distinguishable from right insofar as right is the liberty to do, whereas law binds ones liberty. Law, he says, is derived from reason, and reason tells man that he should strive for peace, which is both the grounds for the establishment of society, and the first law of nature. As all voluntary acts are geared towards gain, and laying down the natural right is a voluntary act, it is done so in order to promote the peace, which is both reasonable and beneficial for the all parties in that the peace is maintained. The law that binds man and takes away his ability to infringe on the liberties of others compel men equally to the performance of their covenants, by the terror of some punishment greater than the benefit they expect by the breach of their covenant (Hobbes Chpt. 15). Therefore, it is the established laws of the Commonwealth which place the fear punishment in men and guides them to the fulfillment of their covenants. Secondly, as the Commonwealth is the unification of men who have conferred their power to govern themselves upon either one man, or an assembly of men, called the sovereign, in order to establish the peace, it is in mans nature to strive individually and collectively for peace in order for self-preservation. The sovereign represents the will of the unified men. The sovereign is the sole legislator, and represents the common good. The laws oblige all citizens and if the citizens have quarrel with the laws, then they only have quarrel with themselves. As the common good is represented by the laws, and as the law of nature, under which the Commonwealth and the sovereign alike were created, and the civil laws contain each other and are reasonable, and as it is the citizens who author the laws in respect to the common good, therefore, neither the common good nor the laws can ever be unjust or against reason. References Hobbes, Thomas; Leviathan, ed. C. B. Macpherson (Harmondsworth: Pelican, 1975)

The Electron Transport Chain

The Electron Transport Chain In the electron transport chain, electrons flow downward in energy from coenzyme NADH and flavoprotein FADH2 to the terminal electron acceptor, molecular oxygen, O2. Electrons move spontaneously from carriers of lower reduction potential (Eo) to carriers of higher reduction potential. Molecules involved in the ETC have reduction potentials between the values for NAD+/NADH couples and oxygen/H2O couples. Energy extracted from the transfer of electrons is most efficiently conserved when it is released in a step wise fashion, and is accomplished with four distinct protein complexes in the mitochondrial membrane: Complex I = NADH-coenzyme Q reductase (NADH dedhydrogenase) Complex II = succinate-conenzyme Q reductase (succinate dehydrogenase) Complex III = coenzyme Q-cytochrome c reductase Complex IV = cytochrome c oxidase Complex I oxidizes NADH and reduces coenzyme Q (UQ), transferring a pair of electrons from NADH to UQ. The oxidation of one NADH and reduction of UQ results in a net transport of protons from the matrix side to the intermembrane space. Complex II oxidizes succinate and reduces UQ, yielding a net reduction potential of +0.029 V, which does not contribute to the transport of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Complex III facilitates the transfer of electrons from UQ to cytochrome c (cyto c) via the Q cycle, which oxidizes UQH2 and reduces cyto c, releasing four protons into the intermembrane space for every two electrons that pass through the Q cycle. Complex IV accepts electrons from cyto c and reduces oxygen to form H2O, driving proton transport across the inner mitochondrial membrane into the intermembrance space. For every four electrons used to reduce oxygen, four protons are released into the intermembrance space. Components of the ETC are arranged in line with the flow of electrons from donors with lower affinity for electrons toward acceptors with higher affinity for electrons. Affinity for electrons is measured by the reduction potential. The transfer of electrons does not occur in a simple linear sequence. Electrons can enter the ETC at different entry points, either through Complex I or Complex II, and then the pathways converge at Complex III. As Fig. 1 shows, electrons move from more negative to more positive reduction potentials on the energy scale. Table 13-7 presents the following reduction potentials for reactions that occur in the ETC: NAD+ + 2H+ 2e- Æ’Â   NADH + H+ ΔEo = -0.320 V FAD + 2H+ +2e- Æ’Â   FADH2 ΔEo = -0.219 V Fumarate + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   Succinate ΔEo = +0.031 V Q + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   QH2 ΔEo = +0.045 V cyt c1(Fe3+) + e- Æ’Â   cyt c1(Fe2+) ΔEo = +0.220 V cyt c(Fe3+) + e- Æ’Â   cyt c(Fe2+) ΔEo = +0.254 V Â ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   H2O ΔEo = +0.816 V As mentioned, molecules involved in the ETC have reduction potentials between the values for NAD+/NADH couples and oxygen/H2O couples. Electrons move from more negative to more positive reductions potentials in the following order: NADH Æ’Â   Q Æ’Â   cytochrome c1 Æ’Â   cytochrome c Æ’Â   O2 Reactions that have positive reduction potentials have negative free energy and are energetically favorable. Complex III has a more positive reduction potential than Complex I and II, and Complex IV has a more positive reduction potential than Complex III. The reduction potential for each complex can be estimated with the half reactions and reduction potentials provided in Table 13-7. Below are the net equations for each complex: Complex I NADH + 5H+N + Q ↔ NAD+ + QH2 + 4H+P Complex II Succinate + Q ↔ fumarate + QH2 Complex III QH2 + 2 cyt c1 + 2H+N ↔ Q + 2 cyt c1 + 4 H+P Complex IV 4 cyt c + 8 H+N + O2 ↔ 4 cyt c + 4 H+P + 2 H2O For example: Complex I NADH + 5H+N + Q ↔ NAD+ + QH2 + 4H+P NAD+ + 2H+ 2e- Æ’Â   NADH + H+ ΔEo = -0.320 V Q + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   QH2 ΔEo = +0.045 V ΔEo = Eoacceptor Eodonor ΔEo = 0.045 (-0.320) = +0.365 V Complex III QH2 + 2 cyt c1 + 2H+N ↔ Q + 2 cyt c1 + 4 H+P Q + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   QH2 ΔEo = +0.045 V cyt c1(Fe3+) + e- Æ’Â   cyt c1(Fe2+) ΔEo = +0.220 V ΔEo = [2 x 0.220] 0.045 = +0.395 V The reduction potential for Complex III is greater than that of Complex I, correlating to flow of electrons in the ETC. Electrons move from more negative to more positive reductions potentials. In addition, both overall reactions for NADH/FADH2 to O2 are positive values, another indication that electrons moving from Complex I/II to Complex IV is energetically favorable. The calculations are provided below. This is the overall reaction for electrons that travel from NADH to O2 NADH + H+ + Â ½ O2 Æ’Â   NAD+ + H2O NAD+ + 2H+ 2e- Æ’Â   NADH + H+ ΔEo = -0.320 V Â ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   H2O ΔEo = + 0.816 V ΔEo = 0.816 (-0.320) = +1.136 V This is the overall reaction for electrons that travel from FADH2 to O2 FADH2 + Â ½ O2 Æ’Â   FAD + H2O FAD + 2H+ +2e- Æ’Â   FADH2 ΔEo = 0.219 V Â ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- Æ’Â   H2O ΔEo = + 0.816 V ΔEo = 0.816 (-0.219) = +1.035 V As a result of the ETC, the net reaction for the transfer of two electrons from NADH through the respiratory chain to molecular oxygen is highly exergonic (positive reduction potentials and negative free energy). For each pair of electrons transferred to O2, four protons are pumped out of the matrix into the intermembrane space by Complex I, four by Complex III and two by Complex IV, producing a proton gradient that drives ATP synthesis (Fig.2).

Individual and Society During the Great War Period :: Essays Papers

Individual and Society During the Great War Period The concept of nationalism amongst European countries grew throughout the19th century and was maintained during the Great War. People began to see themselves as part of a nation, which came before the individual. As a result of this, individual freedoms, rights, and ideas were dismissed in order to solidify the nationalistic society. Nationalistic attitudes were implanted in the minds and hearts of the public by way of propaganda, education, and unification. People were under the belief that unification was necessary for the progression of their country, and were willing to give their lives for this ideal. This ultimately led to the beginning of the Great War. The imposition of national unity limited people from being individuals, separate from the whole of society, with their own beliefs, ideals, and freedoms. Nationalism purposefully limited them by creating a central norm which not all people were willing or able to adhere to. People's rights and freedoms were slowly whittled away at by the states entrance into their lives. The state did this in many ways. The impression of a distinct language and culture were done through the use of schools. They also accomplished this through programs and common goals. As a result of the growing number of schools and literate people, printed materials advocating nationalism and patriotism aided in this development.(1)Patriotism and loyalty to the state were instilled at an early age in the hope that the child would carry them through to adulthood. People's trust and dependence on the government increased during this period, increasing its power and influence over their lives. People believed that they were becoming unified in order to protect their common freedoms and their country's opportunity for progression. This unification of individuals into one body gave them the strength of a common bond. This would cause them to stand behind their nation, and put it above all else. The feelings that nationalism ignited within people, such as patriotism and loyalty to one's country, both aided in the development of World War I, and were used as ammunition by the rulers to enhance people's willingness to give their lives to the country through battle. People no longer viewed themselves as individuals, but rather, part of the nation. During the Great War, individual needs were set aside for the good of the nation. This was carved into the minds and hearts of the soldiers as well as those that were back at home.

The Origins of Masks

There is evidence that masks have been under the eye of the world for at least 20,000 years. There is evidence to prove this all over the world, which includes paintings on the walls of the insides of various different caves in Southern France, to images also painted or inscribed on the walls of pyramids in the Sahara desert of Egypt. Although our own British culture is extremely different to that of many others around the world, we are becoming increasingly more aware of how and why masks were first invented and the repercussions of them all around the globe. This is due to television documentaries, internet pages, and books at all of our local libraries. It is this point alone which initially brought my attention to that of the African Tribal, Japanese Theatrical and the Viennese Ball masks. Although these are all quite different types of masks, they all have similar reasons for existing, whether it is religious, celebratory, or even to shadow one's identity. By today's standards, many people believe the creation and use of masks to be only that of historical value; however this could not be more wrong as there is in depth evidence all around us which proves otherwise. African Tribal Mask. Example of Bamileke High Priest Mask taken from www.rebirth.co.za For many centuries African Tribal masks, played a major role in rituals, celebrations, ceremonial and tribal initiations. Masking rituals are normally accompanied with prayer, music, song and or dance. After researching the masks of African Tribes people, it is clearly visible that the different types of masks in which they use/used, fit in to eight different categories. However, the one that grasped my attention from the moment I set eyes upon it was the Bamileke Mask. When I first seen this mask I was immediately mesmerised by the fact that where it is reasonably bright and colourful, it becomes increasingly dull when the expressions of the face are observed. This fact initially led me to believe that this type of mask was created for funerary purposes; however this is merely the tip of the iceberg. The Bamileke mask was always worn by the chief of a particular tribe and it was this character that would take up the role of high priest, or chief, enabling him to initiate new-born babies to the tribe, lead celebratory or funerary rituals, lead his army in expeditions of war, harvesting and planting of crops and many more. â€Å"It is believed that when the Tribe leader wore the mask, he was transformed into animal form, primarily elephant, lizard, or buffalo. This allowed him to create a link between the human and spirit realm to seek guidance from his ancestors† (1). This is a prime example of the fact that the Bamileke mask was used for religious ceremonies, however from my own personal research, I think it would be unjust to declare that this mask is of purely religious qualities, because in this unique culture, everything which is done, whether it regards basic human survival techniques, or celebratory events, it is impossible to determine where religious elements come into the equation as they treat everything they do with such high regard. Bamileke masks are always constructed of a mixture of different natural materials. Where most traditional tribal masks were made from clay or mud, which was molded into the shape to fit the wearers face, the Bamileke mask was carved directly from the trunk of a tree which had been blessed by one of the elders before hand. It was then that a mixture of mud and sand was added on top of the wood to allow a suitable surface for painting, adding beads and stones, and in some cases, decorative leaves. Japanese Theatrical Mask. Example of Shikami Mask Taken from www.nohmask.com Japanese theatrical and dance performance masks are known as Noh masks. â€Å"Each individual mask represents a certain person, hero, devil, ghost or legendary animal, depending on what the character is in the performance†2. Masks were first used in Japan, since the Jomon period of time. This period of time spanned from 10,000 B.C; to 300 B.C. Out of all the Japanese masks that I came across while researching them, there was one particular mask that stood out to me above all of the others, the Shikami mask. These particular masks are used to represent a demon, (this can be taken literally or metaphorically, depending on the story line of the play). For example, if the certain play is centered on the afterlife or elements of a more dark, or gothic nature, the Shikami mask would more often than not be taken literally. However if the play was focusing on more modern themes, for example adultery, or murder, the Shikami mask would probably be metaphorical for a person who is to be looked upon as being of a more evil or bad nature. I believe that the way in which the Shikami mask is presented is extremely clever, as on many occasions, it would look like Satan or other dark or demonic characters as they would do so from a stereotypical point of view, in order to make the audience immediately scared or at least weary about them. A basic description which is used across many books and internet sources for a Shikami mask is, â€Å"Fierce scowling face, showing extreme agitation, used for demonic spirit. It expresses masculine rage. The Shikami mask features the application of dark red colour, to crow's-feet and temples of the head†3. Japanese masks are always made of materials such as clay, dry lacquer, cloth, paper, and wood. The Shikami mask in particular is handcrafted from wood, before it is painted in a shiny lacquer. This is done to make every element of the mask stand out. The main surface area of the Shikami mask was always painted bright red, in order to express the anger and ferocious nature of that particular characters aura. The eyes and teeth were always painted bright gold, in order to bring more attention to them rather than anywhere else on the mask, as it was these aspects of it which explained the theme of the mask in more detail. Viennese Ball Mask. Venetian Ball Masks originated from Venice in the 13th century, however the exact year in which they were invented is unclear. The first Carnival of Venice was recorded in 1268 and it was these events in which the masks were initially used. Where as the African Tribal and Japanese theatrical masks are not only harder to come by, but are always a lot more expensive, Viennese Ball masks can be found as easily as looking through your everyday shop windows. The fact that they are always a lot more decorative and fancy in a sense, they are commonly used for public holidays, the most famous of which being Halloween. Example of Renaissance Long Nose mask taken from www.nohmask.com Viennese masks were originally invented so that a certain person, usually who came from an upper class background, could participate in activities which they would not normally do so. There are a wide range of different Viennese masks, some of which merely cover only the eyes, to others which cover the vast majority of the face, and some times even the hair or neck of the wearer. This allows them to engage in certain activities which they would not normally do so, and keeps their true identity hidden from the public eye. In modern day life, there have been many adaptations of the Viennese Ball mask to adequately obtain discretion, for example a balaclava. However this form of discretion has enabled many illegal activities to be completed more successfully, and nowadays they are commonly banned from sale at many major retailers in a bid to try and discourage these things from happening. When they were first invented, Viennese Ball masks were more often than not made with papier machete. This was achieved by taking a mould direct from a person's face, and then building off that. In more modern situations however, plastic or latex was used, as it was simply easier to gain a more precise and accurate version of the design in which the person desired. On most occasions, a mold was created first, using the same techniques of the papier machete way; however melted plastic is then placed in to the mould, effectively making it quicker and in most cases cheaper to produce. A certain Viennese mask which I was drawn to, was the renaissance long nose mask. Considering the time period in which these masks were originally created, it astounds me to even consider how such a complex design was achieved with the tools that they would have had access to. The initial idea of the long, pointed nose was almost a superstition as it was believed to be an imitation of the devise which was used to hold vinegar in around the time of the bubonic plague to hold off the disease, or at least the bad odors of the sick or dying. Conclusion. From the research which I have gathered about these three different masks, I have discovered that although they all originated in extremely different circumstances, the reasons for their creations are not all that different. It is clear to me that whether the reason for the masks' being is to allow someone to transform into animal form in order to get in touch with their spiritual or ancestral roots, or simply just to shadow someone's everyday personality, they have been put their, in place in order to allow a person to change their usual form; almost a form of escapism. It ha also come to my attention that whether it regards masks, or any other aspect of a certain culture which is different to our own, they are most definitely not to be underestimated no matter what time period in which it derives from.

The effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water research paper Essay

Project Design Plan Everyone knows that water boils at 212Â °F, but does adding salt to a pot of water make it boil at a higher temperature? Being a person that cooks frequently at home, I wanted to test the debated idea that adding salt to my water will make it boil faster. One of my friends says it does raise the temperature and therefore cooks it faster. My other friend says it only helps it taste better. Literature Review Table salt is often added to water before the boiling process in hopes that the water will boil faster. It has been argued that the boiling temperature difference is insignificant with a small pot of water. However, when adding salt to larger amounts of water, the change is more noticeable. Southwest Research Institute states that the heat capacity of salt water is less than that of pure water, which means that it takes less energy to raise the temperature of the salt water 1Â ° C. than pure water. The time it takes a pot of water to boil is controlled by three things, first is how much heat you put into the pot, second is how fast the temperature rises and third is the boiling point of the liquid (Southwest Research Institute, 2014). Salt elevates the boiling temperature of water using a process known as boiling point elevation. With water being a known solvent and salt a non-volatile solute, when you add salt to the water, it makes the water an impure solvent, and raises its boiling point above that of pure solvents (Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water). Experimental Design Steps Water will be boiled four different times as follows: 1.2 cups of distilled water are added to a 2 quart cooking pot a. First run add NO salt – this is the control b. Second run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #1 c. Third run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #2 d.Fourth run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #3 2. For each run, bring water to boil 3. For each run, record the highest temperature reading of the boiling water 4. After first through third runs, allow pot and burner to cool 5. Wash pot after each run to clean salt residue Reasoning A typical recipe will call for a dash of salt in the water. The articles I read made me believe that adding more salt would make the temperature difference more noticeable, I upped the salt to 1 tablespoon of salt to each pot of water per run, instead of a dash. Adding a dash of salt could skew the results, because when adding a dash, you will not have the same measurement of salt to each pot of water as you would when measuring the salt with a tablespoon. In order to reduce error, so I used three trials. Sequence of Events During each trial I will be measuring the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Once it reaches its highest temperature, I will record it in my data table. This will be the process for each trial. Tools, Technologies, and Measurement Units Table Salt Distilled Water 2 Quart Cooking Pot Pint measuring cup Teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons Thermometer (Degrees Fahrenheit) Stirring spoon Stove top burner (electric) Variables Independent Variable: Amount of salt added to the water Dependent Variable: Temperature at which the water boils Controlled Variables: Temperature of stove setting, pot, type of water, brand of salt, amount of water, thermometer Threat Reduction to Internal Validity By washing the pot and thermometer between each trial, I will reduce the amount of salt residue that is on the pot that could alter my results. I will use the same heating unit, pot, and thermometer each time to get more valid results. Hypothesis The hypothesis of this experiment is that adding table salt to water will raise the boiling temperature of the water. Process of Data Collection Boiling Point of Two Cups of Water Amount of salt added (IV) Temperature of boiling water in Fahrenheit (DV) No Salt (Control) 212.7Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #1 214.9Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #2 215.3Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #3 215.1Â °F As predicted, adding salt to water does raise the boiling temperature of the water, even if only minimally. Variations in the boiling temperature may be contributed to slight variations in the measurements of the salt added to the water. It is important to measure both the water and salt accurately to ensure accurate results. Appropriate Methods For each run, 2 cups of water were added to a 2 quart saucepan; 1 tablespoon of salt was then added to the water and stirred to mix the two ingredients together. The saucepan was then put on the stove and brought to a boil. Once the water reached a full boil the final temperature was recorded using a Go-Temp thermometer. The tools and methods used in this are appropriate to the experiment. Results The results were larger than anticipated. The average temperature of the water with the salt was 215.1 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature of the control was 212.7 degrees Fahrenheit. This was a difference of 2.4 degrees. Conclusion Confirmation of Hypothesis My hypothesis was confirmed. Adding table salt to water causes the water to boil at a higher temperature. The temperature readings were hard to make. Oven mitts had to be worn to keep my hands from getting burned. I had to be sure that the thermometer wasn’t too close to the stove or the temperature would be skewed. Experimental Design as a Key Factor How you design your experiment is key to helping you keep your results reliable and valid. You only need one independent variable. If you have more than one, you won’t know which one is actually affecting your results, it will also be harder to measure. Making as many variables as possible constant will help increase the reliability of the experiment. Replication By following this plan and report, you can replicate this experiment. One might try adding different amounts of salt to see if there is a point at which the amount of salt added stops increasing the boiling point. Evaluation of Validity Replicating this experiment will add to the validity of my results and others results. If the experiment is replicated numerous times this will add to the validity, resulting in a more accurate conclusion. It is important to measure both the water and salt accurately to ensure that the results collected are as accurate as possible. References Does water boil faster if you put salt in the water? (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.swri.org/10light/water.htm EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE PROJECTS: The Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/projects/effect_salt_boiling_water.html Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.actiondonation.org/articles/effect-of-salt.html Post navigation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/how-does-salt-affect-the-boiling-point-of-water.html

Tatutory body

Pursuant to the above, FL therefore forwarded to CT an invoice of pursuant to Clause 10 of the Agreement. However, by Act's analysis, there were errors In the computation of PPTP In the 2009 tax assessment Issued by FIRS. CT Is also In disagreement with the rate applied by your Company in arriving at the royalty due for the oil produced. It was based on these beliefs, that CT forwarded to your Company the sum of and for tax assessment and royalty respectively totaling CT further requested that your Company challenges the tax assessment at the appropriate forum and re-compute the royalty cording to the established rates.It Is on the above premise that your Company the following relief: (a) Declarations on the applicable royalty rate and the correct calculation of PPTP returns; (b) and specific damages for payment of the outstanding tax and royalty sums of Looking at the above relief, the issues in question which were submitted to Arbitration arose out of alleged wrong assessment and c omputation of taxes by your Company due to the FIRS and by extension to the Federal Government of Nigeria. So for all intents and purposes, the claim of your Company before the Orbital Tribunal s in effect for declarations on the applicable royalty rate and calculation of PPTP.The Federal High Court in the recent decision of Federal Inland Revenue Service Vs†¦ Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation & Others opined thus: â€Å"While it is conceded that the Parties are bound by the sanctity of their contracts and the issue in dispute arose out of the Agreement, the question still remains whether Parties can by an Agreement purport to confer Jurisdiction on an Arbitration Tribunal to determine issues relating to taxation of Companies or connected with the FederalGovernment Revenue when such Jurisdiction is exclusively conferred on this Court by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The answer I must say is an emphatic No. In other words, the Constitution of the Fe deral Republic of Nigeria precludes any other Court in Nigeria other than the Federal High Court, not to talk of an inferior Arbitration Tribunal, from exercising Jurisdiction over tax matters relating to Federal Government Revenue.Although in simply parlance, one might be quick to say that given that EDP and FIRS re neither parties to the agreement nor parties before the orbital panel, they do not have the locus stands to make such an application. Furthermore, it is a trite principle of Arbitration law that Courts of Law must not be too hasty to make any injunctions or orders affecting arbitration proceedings. Be that as it may, We wish to draw your attention to the recent decision in Federal Inland Revenue Service Vs†¦ Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation & Others wherein the A.Belle J decided that: incidental thereto. It is not in dispute at all, that the Plaintiff in this case is the traitors body established by Law to wit: Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007 as the Sole Federal Authority responsible for the assessment and collection of Taxes on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It stands to reason therefore that in any dispute where the Plaintiff perceived that its statutory functions are going to be affected by such dispute it will necessarily have the requisite locus stands to bring an action to seek remedy.So, to my mind in the instant case, it is preposterous to argue as the 2nd- 5th Defendants did, arbitrarily f tax issues arising from production sharing contracts-that the Plaintiff has no locus stands to bring this action in which it alleges that its statutory functions to assess and collect tax for the Federal Government will be adversely affected in the Orbital proceedings between the Defendants in this case, merely on the ground that it is not party to the orbital proceedings.It is the very reason of its not being a party to the orbital proceedings that makes it imperative for the Plaintiff to file this sui t to protect its perceived interest in the subject matter of the arbitration. This Court is not unconcerned at this stage, with whether the Plaintiff will succeed because locus stands of a Plaintiff to sue is not dependent on whether or not its case will succeed. It is against this backdrop that I hold the view that the Plaintiff in this case has the locus stands to bring the present action.On this score therefore, this Court has the jurisdiction to entertain the case. † From the foregoing decision of the Federal High Court, the Court has taken the stance that if the FIRS perceives that its statutory functions are going to be affected by any dispute, it will have the requisite locus stands to bring an action to seek remedy. The Court accordingly held that FIRS had a basis to bring the action and that the Court has Jurisdiction to entertain the case. This therefore means that the EDP and FIRS may be granted injunctive orders restraining continuation of the arbitration.Drawing f rom the above, the decision of the Tax Appeal Tribunal would be binding on CT and its preliminary objection to the Jurisdiction of the Orbital panel would be upheld. ACT The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (UNCOMBED)'s directive is made pursuant to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act to enhance the level of participation of Nigerian and Nigerian companies in the country's oil and gas industry. The Act provides for the submission of Nigerian Content Plan to form an essential component of bidding for any license, permit or interest in the oil and gas industry.It contains provisions to ensure that ‘first consideration' is given to Nigerian and Nigerian Companies. The local content gives force of law to the Nigerian Content Policy, which are already part of current oil regulations. The local content act establishes a legal and regulatory framework for the involvement of and procrastination f indigenous oil and gas companies in the award of o il blocks, oil field licenses, oil lifting licenses and other projects. Under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, rights or interests in an oil mining lease (MOL) may be transferred by assignment.However, an assignment can only be valid where the consent of the Minister of Petroleum Resources has first been obtained following the fulfillment of the relevant conditions. These conditions include that the proposed assignee: Is of good reputation, a member of a group of companies of good reputation, or is wend by a company or companies of good reputation. Has sufficient technical knowledge and experience, and sufficient financial resources to effectively operate under the license or lease.