International Relationships with Oil

Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Kazakhstan Visits by top United States officials to Kazakhstan elicited reactions from the Russian authorities that the west was trying to lure away its partners. However, this was dismissed by Rice, the US Secretary of State, during her visit with Kazakh foreign minister. Washington was seeing Kazakhstan’s economic potential in expanding the economic capability of central Asia.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on International Relationships with Oil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kazakhstan had tried to balance its international relations by being in good books with Russia apart from connecting with the west for expansion of oil exports. The war between Russia and Georgia prompted Moscow’s allies to reconsider their ties with both Russia and the west. Although there were a lot of expectations on Rice’s agenda as she visited Kazakhstan, no serious agreements were expected to be arrived at between the United States and Kazakhstan despite America having invested heavily in the Kazakhstan’s economy’s oil money. After Kazakhstan being appointed the chairman of the organization for security and Cooperation in Europe, international stakes were raised as far as democracy and human right dealings are concerned. During September 2010, South Korea reported its intentions to ban both oil and gas investments in Iran. This was a way of collaborating with the U.S, United Nations and other nations in placing sanctions on Iran due to its nuclear plan. South Korea further prohibited any other business transactions between it and Iran. This was despite Iran being one of the largest suppliers of oil to South Korea. Later on the Korean government announced that transactions not attributed to the Iranian nuclear program will go on as well as importation of oil. This was to lead to the paralysis of Iran’s bank Mellat that was said to hav e been involved in transactions entailing the development of the nuclear program. The transactions involving oil business between Iran and Korea were to be conducted via Iran’s central bank. With sanctions taking effect, both Hyundai and Kia Motors had to cease exportation of their products to Iran in July 2010. After some time, the Korean government stopped its engineering firms from winning orders in Iran as oil importing organizations were allowed to continue operating.Advertising Looking for report on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from suspending bank Mellat’s financial transactions between Korea and Iran, it was further revealed that the bank was now required to be accountable to the Korean authority regarding each foreign transaction that it engaged in. this was to be enforced even after suspension was over. Israeli’s prime minister also recommended that the United Na tions and the world as a whole should not import refined petroleum from Iran as a way of sanctioning the former to prevent it from developing a nuclear program. The Israeli prime minister emphasized the need for the United States to lead other nations in hindering the success of Iran’s nuclear program. Tony Blair likened the current worries about development of a nuclear plant in Iran to the worries that led to eruption of war between Iraq and the United States. Israeli has pressured the US to impose sanctions that will disable Iran’s operations. However, the Obama administration responded saying that their intention was to put pressure on the Iran government and not the people. Israeli fears that the development of Iran’s nuclear weaponry may threaten the security of the region and has hinted military action if diplomacy does not seem to work. This is despite Iran’s claims that their program is geared towards increasing oil exports rather than engaging i n military. The EU and US sanctions against Iran thwarted plans by three Indian based companies to begin a gas based project in Iran. It was not possible to access both funding and US liquefaction technology to enable them move on with the project. The recently adopted UN Security Council Resolution prohibits sale of heavy weaponry to Iran but does not hamper investment in the country’s energy sector. The US sanctions on the other hand restricts a more than $20 million energy investment in Iran by a foreign nation. Iran – Africa Relationship In a two day Iran – African summit in Tehran, the Iranian president expressed optimism that the relationship between Africa and Iran was going to be strengthened have a lot in common. The summit was aimed at devising means of enlarging the political and economic relations between Iran and Africa.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on International Relationships with Oil specifically for you for on ly $16.05 $11/page Learn More Malawian president envisioned expedient developments between Iran and Africa that could lead to establishment of numerous Iranian firms in Africa. Iran has in the past invested in Senegal, Nigeria and Sudan. Whereas Iran opened a car assembly line in Senegal, plans are underway to help Nigeria generate electricity from nuclear energy. Iran shares strong ties with Sudan than any other African nation. This ranges from signing a military agreement between the two nations in 2008 to plans concerning opening a Saipa Motor factory in Sudan and its neighboring countries. In an attempt to both remain relevant in global issues and get over its alienation from the west, Iran works to concentrate on its ties with China besides Africa. Although China is reported to be in support of the UN sanctions towards Iran, the relationship between China and Iran is said to be motivated by China’s demand for oil and gas resources and Iran’s demand for the Chinese technology. Although, there have been calls from western governments urging China to cut its economic and energy relations with Iran, China has always dismissed this. EU’s further sanctions to Iran and reactions from other nations A move by Turkey and Brazil to vote against the UN Security Council’s fourth round of sanctions surprised the US in a move that seemed to be Iran’s new strategy of dealing with its isolation by the west. Despite opposition from Cyprus, Germany and Sweden, the EU calls for additional sanctions to those earlier agreed upon in New York. The sanctions prohibit new investment, technical aid, and movement of know how, equipment and services. The Iranian president dismissed them all. It is also reported that Spain was in full support of the new sanctions. After several months of diplomatic efforts for China to lower its stand on both the United Nations and European Union regarding Iran’s nuclear program, an agreement wa s reached with not only China, but also other nations that were previously opposed to it. After sometime, the sanctions had a negative economic impact on Iran although the Iranian president denied this reality.Advertising Looking for report on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This not withstanding, Iran is known for exportation of oil but it imports gasoline. Plans are underway to reconfigure its industries to manufacture gasohol so as to benefit from the Washington market that is likely to be due as from July. Ecuador has been asking for donor support to help it protect its Yasuni jungle that is endowed with oil deposits. This aimed at not only combating global warming, but also preserving the Amazon. The funds were to be administered by the United Nations Development Program. Chile, Germany and Spain were expected to be among the first donors to respond. Incase the estimated amount ($ 100 million) is not raised by 2011, Ecuador reserves the right to refund the donors without interest as well as go ahead with its oil extraction plan. Contributions are aimed at enhancing conservation, reforestation and poverty reduction, fuel efficiency and creation of alternative energy sources. Changes in the global energy map Facts reveal that the top producers of oil in 2009 were Saudi Arabia, US, Russia, China and Iran while the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran were the global leaders in oil exports. The world’s biggest deposits of oil sand are in Canada and Venezuela. The leading gas producers are Russia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United States. Trade in Liquefied Natural Gas has taken a global perspective with Australia expected to lead in exportation. As far as coal energy is concerned, China leads in production, America tops in reserves while Australia leads in exports. China-Russia Trade Relations Although China and Russia are to complete talks on gas supplies next year, the two have resolved to put up a $ 5 billion refinery in China. Majority of the supplies will be from Russia and the rest from Arab nations. Moreover, China is planning to collaborate more with Russia in areas like coal, gas, oil and nuclear energy. Additionally, Russia and China are swapping their bilateral trade roles. Previously, Russia sold raw materials, cars and machinery to China but is lately importing Chinese finished products as it sells raw materials to China. Under recently endorsed deals, China will be importing both oil and coal from Russia. There was a symbolic installation of pipeline between Russia and China which is expected to be effected from January 2011. It is also reported that Russia’s decision to focus on China may weaken its economic ties with Europe, a major consumer of Russian oil and gas. This may lead to disagreements on oil and gas prices. Other latest developments Bangladesh is planning to limit the entry of old Kuwait’s petrol vessels on safety and environmental grounds due to oil spillage. This happens despite Kuwait being the major supplier of oil to Bangladesh. Elsewhere, Inpex corp, a Japanese oil developing firm has decided to pull out from its development projects with Iran’s Azadegan oil field. The decision will cause Japan to reevaluate its energy p lan and resource diplomacy in the Middle East. The move meant that Inpex is not on the list of companies subject to the US sanctions. The decision was made by the Japanese government after Iran had directed more investment in the Azadegan project, yet this project was too risky. Russia is in the process of changing its economy from resource-based to innovation-oriented. It was reported that Russia and China have the potential to cooperate in both the energy sector and financial services. There has been an ongoing currency war for production of commodities such as gold and oil, among others. Occasionally, there have been diverse proposals on currency including Iran’s oil Bourse but in the long run, most commodities are traded in dollars. In a more recent incident, a new atmosphere has been created to encourage foreign industries and the private sector to invest in Iran’s economy. Russia has been the first to express interest in investing in Russia’s energy sector , infrastructural industry and air transport. Additionally, after several months of the US sanctions towards Iran have been in place, South Korea announced new mechanisms of resuming oil trade with Iran. The move was meant at allowing Iran to deposit proceeds from oil in two of South Korean banks: Woori bank and the Industrial bank of Korea. Conclusion Oil has affected international relations both positively and negatively. In the positive sense, China-Russia, and Iran-Africa ties have been strengthened but negatively, US-Iran, Kuwait-Bangladesh, US-China, and Korea-Iran ties, among many others have been weakened. Oil has also affected the political relations both within a nation and its relations with others. This report on International Relationships with Oil was written and submitted by user F1sher to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters Amin, S. Goldstein, M. P. (2008). Data Against Natural Disasters: Establishing Effective Systems for Relief, Recovery, and Reconstruction. Washington, DC: World Bank Publication. Amin and Goldstein (2008) inform that â€Å"natural disasters have become a constant feature of the global landscape† (p. 1) from the very beginning. Their main purpose is to inform the reader about the dangers of natural disasters and the support that is usually provided by the government to those, who suffered from these disasters.Advertising We will write a custom annotated bibliography sample on Natural Disasters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The idea of policy makers is also described in this book and helps to realize that numerous steps are already taken to improve the situation and properly arrange disaster management. Casale, R Margottini, C. (2004). Natural Disasters and Sustainable Development. New York, NY: Springer. This source is a un ique collection of the material about natural disasters, their outcomes, and impacts on human lives. The authors inform that â€Å"during the period 1965-1999, a total of 1 995 000 mortal casualties due to violent natural disasters were recorded in the world, according to data from cited sources† (Casale Margottini, 2004, p. 274). People live in constant conflict with the environment, and natural disasters are considered to be the most terrible outcome of this conflict that cannot be still solved. Cherry, K.E. (2009). Lifespan Perspectives on Natural Disasters: Coping with Katrina, Rita, and Other Storms. New York, NY: Springer. The author of this book represents a collection of the works which evaluate natural disasters and their outcomes from different perspectives. The lives of many individuals are under a threat of disasters because of impossibility to prevent them or reduce (Cherry, 2009). Such disasters like Katrina or Rita are characterized by serious outcomes, and th ese results have to be evaluated thoroughly to make the necessary conclusions. Hyndman, D. Hyndman, D. (2009). Natural Hazards and Disasters. Belmont, MA: Cengage Learning. The team of famous geologists introduces a powerful source of information where all important points concerning natural disasters, their reasons, and outcomes are described. Humans cannot even comprehend that they put themselves in danger living at the tops of the cliffs just in order to have a magnificent view from the window (Hyndman Hyndman, 2009). It is obligatory to prevent them against such mistakes, and these authors make this attempt in their book. Pan American Health Organization. (2000). Natural Disaster: Protecting the Public’s Health. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization. The authors of this book underline the fact that natural disaster can be hardly prevented, however, it is still possible to reduce their impact on human lives. This is why it is very important to manage the neces sary activities and evaluate all types of natural disasters.Advertising Looking for annotated bibliography on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though â€Å"many mistaken assumptions are associated with the impact of disasters on public health† (Pan American Health Organization, 2000, p. 9), it is better to differentiate the existed myths and realities, and this source provides the necessary grounds. Officer, C. Page, J. (2009). When the Planet Rages: Natural Disasters, Global Warming and the Future of the Earth. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Weather conditions and human impact on environment are the burning topics to discuss. Each year, the total cost caused by natural disasters increases considerably (Officer Page, 2009), this is why it is better to spend more money to analyze and prevent the most terrible outcomes of natural disasters than wait for them and believe that this time everything will be better than the previous time. These writers evaluate the idea of global warming and its influence on the development of disasters in order to be ready to prevent people. Pelling, M. (2003). Natural Disasters and Development in a Globalizing World. New York, NY: Routledge. The author of this book represents a captivating collection of ideas offered by different people. It is very important to connect global processes with natural disasters and define whether it is possible to prevent or reduce disasters or not. â€Å"There is no lower limit of loss for events that can be classified as catastrophic† (Pelling, 2003, p. 4), and world’s development promotes this impossibility to set one concrete limit. The process of globalization plays a very important role in investigations of natural disasters, this is why the author pays certain attention to these issues as well. Prophet, E.C. (2008). Is Mother Nature Mad?: How to Work with Nature Spirits to Mit igate Natural Disasters. Gardiner, MT: Summit University Press. There is a great variety of natural disasters that have to be evaluated and studied by people. In this book, the author touches upon such question like why Mother Nature is so mad at people and what the causes of her madness are. A proper division of chapters allows to understand the essence of each disaster and the outcomes that can and cannot predict. â€Å"Natural disasters have resulted in a tremendous loss of life and resources† (Prophet, 2008, p.6), and this book helps to study all these items and losses deeper. Stern, G. (2007). Can God Intervene?: How Religion Explains Natural Disasters. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. The question concerning the role of God in human lives and the conditions under which they have to live is regarded as one of the most discussed issues for a long period of time (Stern, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom annotated bibliography sample on Natural Disasters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author of this book makes a wonderful attempt to evaluate God’s position in respect to all those natural disasters which disturb people. It is not enough say whether it is better to rely on God or personal powers, and the author represents a captivating evaluation of the events that have to be considered while studying natural disasters. Viegas, J. (2007). Critical Perspectives on Natural Disasters. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. The peculiar feature of this informative book is its collection of different articles about natural disasters and their effects. Ideas of different people from different backgrounds are represented in one source and evaluate the positions under which humans live day by day. Viegas (2007) properly admits that â€Å"we like to think that we have complete control over our lives, but nature is a powerful ever-present force that we almost take for gra nted† (p. 5). References Amin, S. Goldstein, M.P. (2008). Data Against Natural Disasters: Establishing Effective Systems for Relief, Recovery, and Reconstruction. Washington, DC: World Bank Publication. Casale, R Margottini, C. (2004). Natural Disasters and Sustainable Development. New York, NY: Springer. Cherry, K.E. (2009). Lifespan Perspectives on Natural Disasters: Coping with Katrina, Rita, and Other Storms. New York, NY: Springer. Hyndman, D. Hyndman, D. (2009). Natural Hazards and Disasters. Belmont, MA: Cengage Learning.Advertising Looking for annotated bibliography on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Officer, C. Page, J. (2009). When the Planet Rages: Natural Disasters, Global Warming and the Future of the Earth. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Pan American Health Organization. (2000). Natural Disaster: Protecting the Public’s Health. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Org. Pelling, M. (2003). Natural Disasters and Development in a Globalizing World. New York, NY: Routledge. Prophet, E.C. (2008). Is Mother Nature Mad?: How to Work with Nature Spirits to Mitigate Natural Disasters. Gardiner, NY: Summit University Press. Stern, G. (2007). Can God Intervene?: How Religion Explains Natural Disasters. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.

Semantics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Semantics - Essay Example According to Juniper (2013), he suggests that arguing that nature does not contain intrinsic value is like supporting the idea that without nature life will still remain the same (pg. 2). It is therefore a vital and unconfirmed reasoning at its worst. Mill describes nature as everything in the universe, he goes ahead and cautions us not to take nature as a guide in our daily life. Edwin Pister proved the existence of intrinsic value in nature by asking ‘what good are you?’ he compares the importance of human and that of the pupfish. The ‘what good are you?’ question seeks to bring forth the human being intrinsic value into consideration. Pister dubbed the evidence as The Phenomenological Proof. In addition, The Teleological Proof presented by Val Routley and Richard stated that everything has its sole purpose. They attest to these proofs by giving the importance of wrench, wheelbarrow, spade and many others to having great importance to human (Vilkka, 1997, pg.21). In conclusion, complete reliance to science for our understanding of nature makes us empty, and the value of nature should be highly appreciated. Nature is indeed value in itself, hence it is not detachable to the existence of

Final Term Paper GVPT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final Term Paper GVPT - Essay Example Secondly, researchers indicate that the vice includes activities concerned with cyber war, which is centered on the deliberate destruction of information in computers with the aim of causing a situation of instability within the global social media community (Burke & Cooper, 2008). Further, cyber war is an inclusion to cyber terrorism since it involves the activities of terrorism organizations prying rival governments’ information and destroying it to bar them from achieving profound goals in anti-terrorism activities. The following discussion establishes narrow and broad descriptions of cyber terrorism. Further, the discussion establishes profound researches and analyses to intensify and reveal cyber terrorism activities with the assertion of a relevant matrix. Scholars concerned with the emergence of cyber terrorism in the global society assert that the vice is relative to actual terrorism since it includes the destruction of properties and information. Basically, researchers indicate that this type of attack threatens properties as well as people‘s lives citing on the fact that computers are used as lifesavers in hospitals’ intensive care units (Weil, 2013). Acknowledgements to the fact indicate that whenever terrorists tamper with computers in intensive care units, there are high chances of loss of lives since health practitioners will be unable to monitor their patients profusely. Similarly, arguments assert that cyber terrorism is a detrimental factor to societal wellbeing since its practices introduce unnecessary harm to the media, thus hindering the effective flow of information. It is knowledgeable that the vice can influence infrastructures negatively to the extent that they will fail to deliver the required services to the human society (Harress, 2014). At such a point, cyber terrorism will be exposing the society to unnecessary dangers bearing in mind that the criminals target those services whose course and nature is

Article reflection in urben design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Article reflection in urben design - Essay Example I like using my smart phone during travel times. I see my travel time as a good way to do those things which I would otherwise be unable to while in the house or in otherwise busy environments such as the classroom or at work. I can say for sure that Smart phones have really changed my travelling experience. Not only can I search for different things as I travel around, but am also able to catch up with news from online sources. Armed with a smart phone, my commuting episodes are always an interesting and productive. The time I use in a public transport medium is never wasted because I use it to do other things such as researching for my course. The things I can do while using a public means of transport range from playing my favourite Smartphone games, to catching up with news from digital versions of the major newspapers. Watching videos online is also an important part of the things which I do during the travel time. On my travels, I also realise that am not the only one who is be nefiting from the portable technologies. Although I personally only use my Smartphone and rarely carries other portable devices such as tablet computers, I realise that most people these days are carrying portable devices on their travels. These digital devices include laptops and tablet computers and these people are never shy to use these devices (Schwieterman 30-35). These people are usually busy on their digital devices, usually with earphones tagged to their ears which mean that they are listening to something. When travelling, I usually like listening to my favourite FM especially during the breakfast shows or the drive-on shows in the evening. I listen to my favourite FM but during the times when there is nothing interesting to listen to, I can listen to my favourite music on the phone. I also like listening to podcasts which I also download online. There is one trend which I have realised with me. For instance, I have noticed that I rarely do the things which I do with my ph one when I am in the house. When am in the house, I rarely ever listen to radio or podcasts. I only find these things interesting when am travelling as a way to keep myself busy. However, listening to music and podcasts are not the only things I do with my phone. I do extensive useful work such as researching for my course. With easy use of internet on my iPhone, I find it easy to be able to use the internet for research. I am very fond of reading articles online on my phone while listening to music on the background. This helps me to pass time and to be able to travel in ease. I also play games as I have installed a number of apps for gaming on my phone. The list of the things I can do on my phone are endless. Most of these activities I only engage when using public transport, not only to pass time, but also to relax myself. I have found public transport very relaxing because I can engage in whatever things I want to do unlike when I am driving. Driving, while at some times enjoyab le, has its own share of troubles. For example a flat tyre always seems to come at the most incontinent of times. The occasional speeding ticket and other minor incontinences also make driving a wreck in most cases. On the other hand, travelling through public transport means that I can sit back and relax and wait for my destination to come to me. Using

Care Context of Social Worker

Care Context of Social Worker Critically explore the care context in which social work operates, demonstrating an understanding of sociological and social policy concepts, drawing examples from practice. Introduction What constitutes social work is largely defined by the state and by Government policies. That is to say it defines the legal framework through which the responsibilities of social workers are defined. These refer to the people that social workers have a responsibility towards, how those responsibilities should be carried out, and the broader framework which underpins social work practice (Brayne and Martin, 1995). The general legislative framework as it applies to social work practice actually applies to the local authority that employs social workers, but, nevertheless it is part of the general legal guidelines under which social workers engage in practice. This paper will look at practice and the framework within which social workers operate from the perspective of users with mental health problems. The Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 states: Every local authority shall establish a social services committee, and †¦there shall stand referred to that committee all matters relating to the discharge by the authority of- (a) their functions under the enactments specified in the first column of Schedule 1 to this Act This paper will explore the problems that many users with mental health problems encounter and it will consider how policy and its resultant initiatives can impact on the lives of services users. This discussion will be set within the context which welfare services are delivered in Britain. It is difficult to give a definition of the rights and responsibilities of social workers without some way of ensuring that these are fulfilled. At the very least everyone has the right to be protected from abuse and to be treated with respect. This is extremely difficult when current Government discourses, while expressing concern for those with mental health problems, then employ discourses which ignore factors such as race, gender and class and social circumstances, that are pertinent to any proper understanding of a person’s condition. Hannigan and Cutliffe (2002) are of the opinion that the medical model of health, which locates disability in the pathology of the individual, is flourishing in mental healthcare and under the terms of the 1983 Mental Health Act this often results in medical treatments that may involve, for example, the use of drugs or electro-convulsive therapy without the person’s consent. In Britain the law has a definition of mental disorder, which includes four separate conditions: mental illness, mental impairment, severe mental impairment, and psychopathic disorder (Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999:9). The first of these conditions is not defined. The second two conditions refer specifically to people with learning difficulties. The final condition refers to people who may be antisocial, unusually aggressive, and who may pose a threat to themselves and those around them. It is assumed that this legal definition accords with psychiatric definitions of mental disorder when this is not necessarily the case. It is within this context that mental health workers, and often approved social workers also, are left to determine the conditions under which a person may or may not be detained under the terms of the 1983 Mental Health Act (Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999).With regard to people with mental health problems (for whom similar provisions for those with other disabilities apply) Schedule One of the Local Authorities Social Services Act of 1970 is relevant and states that local authority social services should make proper provision for those who are mentally or physically disabled. It would s eem that contrary to the terms of the Act the legislative framework does not make such a provision in that it uses unclear definitions with which a social worker operates. It is a context which disenfranchises those who are already at a social disadvantage. Studies on inequalities in health suggest that that class, gender and race determine how a person is treated in a care context. In the mental health arena there are a number of studies (e.g. Pilgrim and Rogers, 1999) which tend to suggest that black males are particularly disadvantaged in this area. Section 136 of the 1983 Mental Health Act gives the police the power to detain someone for 72 hrs in a safe place if they are considered to be a danger to themselves or other people, and irrespective of whether they have actually done anything. Some research (Bean et al, 1991) has shown that under this section Afro-Caribbeans are two and a half times as likely as whites to be detained in this manner. Giddens (2001) maintains that in many of our social structures an aura of institutional racism still operates. It is arguably the case that this affects the treatment of black males with mental health problems and necessitates the social worker exerting particular care in this context in deciding whether a person should be detained under the Mental Health Act or whether they are fit to be left to care in the community . Since the Human Rights Act of 1998 local authorities have a duty to act in ways that are conversant with the Act. Social workers help with the problems faced by people with disabilities. When working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities social workers need to be aware of the Human Rights Act and the Community Care Act of 1990. Social workers are faced with making decisions concerning what defines a person with disabilities and also how to define their needs. The community care system is not straightforward and the legal requirements often not precise. If a social worker prescribes the wrong form of care e.g. detainment under the Mental Health Act when a person does not really fulfil that criteria, they could be infringing that person’s human rights. Policy needs to be carefully and more clearly formulated in the care context so that social workers can effectively carry out their duties to service users. Conclusion This paper has attempted to explore, in too few words, the care context within which social workers operate. It has done this from the perspective of someone working in the mental health arena. The care context of mental health is fraught with problems which are, or can be, exacerbated by the legislative framework. In many respects social workers from all backgrounds face similar difficulties and there is no ‘right’ way, in many senses the contemporary care context is suffused with the view that ‘you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. 1,000 words Bibliographhy Bean, Bingley, Bynoe et al. 1991. Out of Harm’s Way:Mind’s Research into police and psychiatric action under section 136 of the Mental Health Act. London, Mind. Brayne and Martin 6th ed. 1999 Law for Social Workers London, Blackstone Press Mandelstam and Schwehr 1995 Community Care Practice and the Law London, Jessica Kingsley Disability Discrimination Act 1995 http://www.drc-gb.org/thelaw/thedda.asp http://www.after16.org.uk/pages/law5.html Giddens, A. 2001 4th ed. Sociology, Cambridge, Polity Press. Hannigan B and Cutcliffe J 2002 Challenging contemporary mental health policy: time to assuage the coercion? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 37(5), 477-484, London, Blackwell Science, 2002 Pilgrim, D. and Rogers, A. 1999. A Sociology of Mental Health and Illness. Buckingham, Open University Press.

Essay --

Syria (Syrian Republic) is a country in Western Asia, it’s neighboring countries are Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel. Syria is a country of ethnic and religious diversity, it is home to the Arab Sunnis, Arab Christians, Armenians, and Assyrians; however, Arab Sunnis make up most of the population. Home to 22,457,336, the official language and lingua franca, in Syria is Arabic; nevertheless there are also other languages such as Kurdish, Armenian, Circassian, French and English are also used to communicate. Pertaining to human rights, 89.9% of the Syrian populace has drinking water sources, and 95.2% have access to sanitation facilities. In comparison to more developed countries, Syrians do not have high a literary rate of that of other countries. This is anticipated because on average, males have a school life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) of 12 years, and females have a school life expectancy of 11 years. 4% of children ages 5-14 are exposed to child labor. The i ssue of human rights has been a significant concern. Authorities in Syria are accused of arresting human rights activists, censoring websites. Specifically in Syria, women face discrimination, and are not valued in society. According to Amnesty international reports, women have been subject to discrimination and gender- based violence. Women have many social and legal restrictions in their private lives. This view of women, being subordinate to men, has carried on to politics, where women remain marginalized, and they have not had opportunities to extend their insight and leadership to others: Syrian women have long been underrepresented in Syrian politics, despite gaining the right to vote in 1949, and the right to stand as parliamentary candidates in 1953... ...n any way discourage to pursue leadership under unjust legislations. Possible solutions can also include the involvement of NGOs and member nations governments; to implement education programs, skills building and leadership training that prepare female for leadership positions. This will allow women to have expertise in the management and knowledge of global markets, advocacy and decision-making, that promote their chances of obtaining a leadership position. Additionally, transparent processes for hiring, promotion, and leadership develop should be established about to ensure that the process is free of discrimination and affirmative action quotas for hiring women should also be enforced. Works Cited http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/women_leadership/On-line_discussion_report_Women_in_Leadeship_Roles.pdf https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/sc11149.doc.htm

Analysis of Unilever’s Risks and Risk Management Strategies Essay

With the rapid development of modern economy, companies are always exposed to risks which are penetrating to all walks of life and not only exist in the products market, but also exist in financial market (Ballou, 2005). It is undoubtedly that risks jeopardize the company’s development in that they may increase the cost of a company’s operation and make it harder for a company to make a crucial decision. Accordingly, it is essential to know risks and find out risk management strategies. This essay will firstly map out Unilever’s business model and have a brief analysis on it. Following this, it will illustrate specifically risks Unilever is exposed to in light of the business model. Meanwhile, it will point out some risks Unilever has not managing enough. Next, the essay will assess some risk management strategies Unilever has taken to mitigate or avoid the risks. Finally, it will recommend the company some more risk management strategies in order to help it mitigate or prevent risks. Analysis of Unilever’s Business Model Business Model A business model, strictly speaking, is the organization’s core logic for creating value (Jane & Susan, 2000). After over 80 years’ development, Unilever has become one of the largest suppliers of consumer products in the world. Its strong portfolio of foods, home and personal care brands is trusted by consumers the world over. Unilever’s top 13 brands account for total sales of over EUR23 billion and top 25 brands represent nearly 75% of the sales (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Unilever is a well-operated company, and its business model is mapped out as follows: Key Partners Suppliers Contractors Distributors Key Activities Research Design Production Sale Value Proposition Produce innovative and good-quality personal and household care goods for consumers and try to make people feel good and comfortable every day; Produce and sell nutritious foods, such as tea, ice cream, dressing to people and to make them enjoy a better life. Customer Relationships Deliver goods to customers via various channels Customer Segments Huge segment of customers Customers all over the world Key Resources Brands /Labels Employees Production Sites & Lines Technology Information, Intellectual Property, Embracing Diversity Channels Malls Supermarkets Stores Groceries Pharmacies Terminal Markets Cost Structure Research cost, design cost, production cost, supply and sale cost, marketing and promotional spend, management cost Revenue Structure Sales of the consumer goods the company researches, designs and produces. Analysis of the Business Model The business model mapped out above indicates that a multi-national enterprise like Unilever has an integrated and inseparable business chain which is global on the one hand, and multi-level on the other hand, that is, its economic activities involve employees, suppliers, producers, storage, terminal markets, retailers, customers and other beneficiaries (Ian, 2009). Such business model enables Unilever to become a world top supplier of consumer products. However, each coin has two sides. Since the Unilever’s business chain connects each other so closely and relates to numerous parties and factors, thus the company’s whole operation is rather vulnerable and is easily subject to various risks. Risks Exposed to Unilever in light of the Business Model Market Uncertainties As a top supplier of consumer products, Unilever’s business activities are operated within a global, vigorous and competitive market. Its business development is subject to the condition and change of the whole market. Firstly, economic condition plays a crucial role on the development of Unilever’s business as consumption demand and purchase ability of consumers directly influence the sale of the products. 2008 and 2009 were relatively tough years for Unilever due to the global economic crisis (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). The economic downturn reduces consumers’ wealth and makes them unable to buy as many products as before. Meanwhile, customers purchasing ability was greatly undermined and turned to buy those inexpensive but substantial products rather than those top-grade products. Customers’ reactions affect Unilever’s turnover, profit and cash flow. Next, more and more companies are targeting the market of consumer goods due to the attraction of billions of consumers. Thus, the market of consumer goods is just like a piece of pie and is shared by more and more competitors. Therefore, the whole market is uncertain and Unilever has to be well prepared for the fight against the economic uncertainties and the industrial fierce competition. Financial Instability The interest rate risk is a risk brought to the value or the cash flow or profitability of a company when the change of the interest rate occurs. To clarify it more specifically, the floating interest rate exposes the company to the risk of the increased interest cost and the increased borrowing afterwards; while the fixed interest rate makes the company subject to the risk of the loss of the fair value. Meanwhile, as a multinational company whose business activities are operated in more than 180 countries, Unilever is exposed to the risk of the fluctuation of the exchange rate during the process of the change of currencies and the actual value of the currency may be decreased due to such fluctuation (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Provided that Unilever does not handle the issue of interest rate and exchange rate well, the company may be subject to the exposure of the reduction of cash flow, turnover, profits which may subsequently adversely impact the company’s credit rating, ability to raise funds and confidence of investors. Environmental Risk As a top producer of consumer goods, some waste water is generated for disposal and the company also discharges some CO2 from energy that the company uses in the process of the production (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). In case the said issues are not dealt with appropriately, the environment will probably be polluted. One of the Unilever factories in Brazil discharged a great deal of stink smell to the air due to the false operation in 2008 which impacted upon more than 100 thousand people’s normal life and Unilever was imposed a fine of 10 million Brazilian Real by the Brazilian government due to such pollution (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Similar accidents will greatly damage the reputation of the company as not only the government but also common people’s awareness of environmental protection has been greatly improved nowadays. Accordingly, Unilever is exposed to the environmental risk which may result in the heavy fine and adverse reputation. Loss of Customers Unilever’s extraordinary achievement obtained nowadays is on the one hand because of the superior products it supplies and on the other hand is inseparable to the customers’ sufficient trust of the company and its brands. However, the following three factors may undermine customers’ trust to the company and its brandsï ¼Å¡ a. Products fail to meet high product safety standards. Quality inspectors in each state have set many standards and are doing lots of inspection work to ensure the safety of products sold in the market. In case the product is found insecure or with any shortcomings, customers will feel disappointed; b. Lack of new products and technical capability. Customers have quite high requirements on products. Lack of new products and technical capability will push customers to other supplier of similar consumer goods; c. The service and product provided by the competitive company is better than Unilever. Loss of customers’ trust may be caused by several reasons, while the result is simply the loss of the company’s cash flow and the damage of the company’s growth and profitability. Operation Risk Each step of Unilever’s business activity is separable to each other (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). For example, the company’s production of goods is conditioned by the timely and secure supply of the raw-material, while the successful sale of goods needs effective storage and distribution capability. However, the supply of the company’s raw material, mostly agriculture products, is based on the secure and sufficient agricultural production which may be influenced by weather, water scarcity, and farming practices. Similarly, the storage and distribution of products is usually influenced by the storage and distribution capability, the cost of it and the local social stability. Any issue of the foregoing may badly influence Unilever’s normal production and sale and subsequent cash flow, turnover, and profit and other business indexes. Risk of Employees and Talents Unilever is a company with more than 300 operation agencies in 88 countries, more than 1000 well-known brands and sells its products in more than 150 countries. Thus the successful operation of the company not only depends on the superior products, but also needs appropriately qualified employees. In the event that the company suffers high employment turnover rate, it may be exposed to the risk of high cost of training, suspended market share and loss of some investment opportunities which will impact the smooth development of the company and undermine the company’s capability of competitiveness in the market. Legal Risk Unilever is doing business in more than 150 countries. Different country has very different legal system and regulations concerning the employment, the product safety, the pricing, the intellectual property rights, the disclosure, the environment and other factors (Ian, 2009). Legal risk may probably bring a suit to the company and will do harm to the company’s reputation in local market. Other Risks exposed to but not identified or Elaborated by Unilever Unilever has found out and elaborated some risks exposed to the company; however, there are some risks which have not aroused Unilever’s great attention: Risk of New products Exploitation In order to confront the industrial competition, Unilever needs to exploit continually new products to attract customers and consolidate the relationship with customers. The exploitation of a new product basically involves following steps: design, research, selection of the scheme, the involvement and allocation of the resources, the production and promotion of the products. However, there are some uncertain factors existing in the process of new products exploitation, such as technology, market, fund and environment and each uncertain factor may lead to the unsuccessful exploitation, loss of cost or negative reputation to the company (Michel, 2001). Physical Risk A company is unavoidably exposed to some natural disasters or accidents (Jane, 2000), such as fire, windstorm or earthquake which will cause the property damage or employees’ body injury. Such damage or injury will cause the company’s normal operation affected and subsequently, turnover, cash flow and profitability will be impacted. Other risks The company is also exposed to other risks such as fiscal, tax and so on. Interaction of Risk Factors Economic Downturn ↠ → Market Uncertainties ↙â†â€" ↓↑ Risk of New Product Exploitation↠ → Financial Instability ↓↑ â†â€"↘ ↓↑ Legal Risk ↠ → Loss of Customers ↓↑ ↙â†â€" ↓↑ Risk of Employees and Talents ↠ → Operation Risk All risks illustrated above do not exist independently but rather influence interactively (Geert, 2008). The economic downturn will lead to the financial instability which may cause the company to operate adversely and the subsequent poor operation may cause the company to face more fierce industrial competition and environmental risk. The said issues are easy to lead to the loss of employees and talents which may also subsequently lead to poor operation and vice versa. To sum up, the factors function with each other and the company has to take some effective and holistic measures to defend these risks. Assessment of Unilever’s Risk Management Strategies Unilever has recognized that most of the risks exposed to it may become material obstacles to the company’s further development. Accordingly, it has tried to taken some effective and structured measures to identify and then exploit the key risk management strategies for the business (Michael, 2007). The specific risk management strategies it has exploited are as follows: 1. Unilever has been carefully monitoring economic indicators and consumer behavior in different areas through extensive and professional research in order to respond quickly and take new and flexible measures to meet the changing demand of customers. 2. In order to deal with the issue of financial instability, the company has been making efforts to get access to global debt markets through various ways such as short-term or long-term debt programs. Unilever attaches great importance to the fluctuation of interest rate, trying to have different types of financial services and balance the risks between floating and fixed rate interest after a professional prediction and assessment of the interest rate; Regarding to the foreign exchange rate, Unilever sets a policy which limits the operating companies’ financial foreign exchange exposures so as to minimize such risk. 3. Unilever has made a series of standards and policies for the procedure of design, manufacture, and distribution of products to ensure the high standards of products’ quality. Unilever also has a â€Å"Sustainable Development Group† which is comprised of five external specialists, engaging in the company’s development of the strategy. Unilever also has specific policy concerning products recall in case there’s products quality incident. 4.Unilever has set complete and effective contingency measures and system to ensure the material supply or to share the production task between different production sites or to use substitute materials in case of the lack of the material. The company also calculates the cost of transportation and distribution from time to time and to adjust the policy and service promptly to optimize the cost. These measures enable the company to operate well. 5. Unilever needs to find a way to attract, develop, train and retain qualified employees. The company has an admiring human resource system. It has established Resource Committees to identify employees’ skill and capability, define employees’ career paths. It also provides numerous opportunities for employees to improve their skills, leadership abilities through training and coaching. Meanwhile, Unilever shall take measures to enhance employee’s risk management ability. Ballou and Heiger (2005) propose â€Å"shifting the employee’s attitudes about risk management to include monitoring, measuring, and controlling certain risks while sharing, avoiding, and accepting that other risks will not occur effectively in a short period of time†. 6. Unilever has set policies to make sure employees follow policies and abide by local laws and regulations in all relevant aspects concerning its business and activities. Regarding those crucial issues and activities, the prior legal check and consent are needed in the company. In a word, Unilever has been making great efforts to build effective, reasonable and practicable strategies for risk management. The boards have overall responsibility for Unilever’s risk management and the company has a Code of Business Principles which stipulates the standards of business operation and requires employees to abide by the code. The above strategies enable Unilever to operate its business well in the global market. New Risks Exposed to Unilever and Recommended Risk Management Strategies Besides risk management strategies mentioned above, the writer will recommend some more strategies for Unilever and try to give it some ideas on better monitor and manage its risks. Transfer and Divert Risks In order to avoid the damages and losses brought by such risks to the development of the company, Unilever may select to transfer risks by applying for insurance. Modern insurance system is the idealist way to transfer risks (Mike, 2006). For example, Unilever may transfer the risks of property, employers’ liability and business interruption by applying for the insurance of Property All Risks, Employer’s Liability and Business Interruption so as to transfer risks to the insurance company. Establish an Effective Control System Risk management is not only to establish a risk management for business procedure, more importantly, the company shall establish a comprehensive and effective risk management control system to make sure the effective implementation of the risk management strategy. The company can establish a Risk Management Committee in the head office and shall be directly responsible for the board of directors. â€Å"The board needs to be consulted on matters of risk management and it needs to be able to give guidance to the risk management committee in its deliberations. To do this effectively the board needs to ensure the whole company is engaged in managing risk, thereby making it an intrinsic part of the company culture†. (Corporate Governance: An International Review, 2009, 546-558). The function of the Risk Management Committee is to implement the risk management, to be especially responsible for the risk supervision of the whole company and to make unified risk management policy and procedure; each branch of the company shall establish an independent risk supervisor, responsible for the risk management and to report the matter of risk to Risk Management Committee without consent of the local manager. Establish a Database of Risk Accidents Database of risk accidents is a tool to effectively predict and assess the risk. The data in the database shall include both internal and external data concerning risk accidents. â€Å" We can try to estimate how bad this problem is by looking at the historical severity of these events in relation to any risk factors that we define and then examining the prevalence of these risk factors†(Michel, Dan and Robert, 2001). Through correct analysis of such data, the company will learn a lesson and consider its risk management policy and procedure so as to judge whether the company will prevent the occurrence of the risk accident and how to take precautious measures to avoid the occurrence of similar accidents. Conclusion In conclusion, risks exist in the whole process of business operation, any company shall attach great importance to the risk management to effectively predict and avoid the risk. Unilever is a company which has well recognized its major risks and taken effective risk management strategies. Research on risk and risk management strategy is a long journey and need all employees of the company to make effort and abide by the policy and standards to monitor and manage risks proactively. References Ballou, B. & Heitger, D. L.2005. A building-block approach for implementation COSO: Enterprise risk management-integrated framework. Management Accounting Quarterly, 6(2):1-10. Geert Bouckaert and John Halligan, 2008, Managing performance: international comparisons. Routledge, 2008, pp221-225. Ian Brown, Adam Steen, and Julie Foreman. 2009. Risk Management in Corporate Governance. A Review and Proposal Corporate Governance: An International Review, 2009, 17(5):546-558. Jane Linder, Susan Cantrell, 2000, Changing Business Models: Surveying the Landscape, Business Publisher: Accenture, Pages: 1-15 Michel C., Dan G. and Robert M., 2001, Risk Management, McGraw-Hill. Michael R. Czinkota, Ilkka A. Ronkainen, 2007, International marketing, Cengage Learning, 2007, p417-422. Mike Walker. 2006. Managing international risk. International Business Briefings. The Institute of Risk Management. 2006. P 5-6. Unilever Annual Report, 2009, Unilever Annual Report, from: http://annualreport09.unilever.com/downloads/Unilever_AR09.pdf (Accessed on May, 25, 2011)

Ranbaxy Case Project Essay

Eli Lilly Ranbaxy is an example of a joint venture that was pursued with the right strategy, which was a result due to a changing US pharmaceutical market and a rapidly expanding India market. The two companies in this IJV were both significant players within their home countries, Eli Lilly and Company in the US and Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited from India. When the possibility of establishing a joint venture was approached in 1992, the Indian market for pharmaceuticals was becoming more open to foreign direct investment. Also India at the time was putting a limit on the amount of foreign ownership, from 40 percent to 51 percent, creating less foreign competition in the region. With numerous of opportunities opening up within the Indian market, Eli Lilly saw this as a stepping-stone for future clinical testing. Both companies having common backgrounds and goals of being a research oriented international pharmaceutical company, embarking on a joint venture seemed ideal. Eli Lilly would establish a presence in the region and gain access to the distribution network enjoyed by Ranbaxy. Furthermore, this JV would result in lower costs in production as well as basic research, which are considerable factors in their broad strategy. The evolution of the international joint venture was strategically handled with early success, starting off with the name of the company, Eli Lilly Ranbaxy; it was strategically named for future success within the region. Mascarenhas stated, â€Å"The reason for this was based on my earlier experience in India, where ‘good quality’ rightly or wrongly, was associated with foreign imported goods. Eli Lilly Ranbaxy sounded foreign enough! † With Ranbaxy being the largest manufacturer of bulk pharmaceuticals in India, and with a domestic market share of 15 percent, they provided the knowledge needed for the local market and helped establish a name in the region for Lilly. Mascarenhas and Gulati had a good working and personal relationship; they had good interdependent communication, which was a crucial factor in the JV implementation and because Ranbaxy provided Eli Lilly with easy entrance and networks to the Indian market. After the establishment of the joint venture the two companies focused on creating an organization where there was strong support from both sides. Many employees had an opportunity to establish a legitimate career within the Eli Lilly Ranbaxy Corporation. Indeed, this was refreshing considering the high turnover rate within the industry, where the union served as a crutch. Within a year after building the infrastructure from the ground up, the JV was able to launch different products and had more than 200 employees. The joint venture provided product and marketing strategies, in which they employed successful corporate social responsibility of providing the physicians with relevant medical information Ranbaxy and Lilly were two companies that were successful in establishing a joint venture because they had a lot of the same common values. They both had high ethical standards, when presenting their products to doctors within the market; they would answer all questions correctly and to the best of their knowledge. Since their products were not known within the local market, Eli Lilly used a strong sense of honesty called the â€Å"Red book values†, with local doctors and began to gain their respect and trust. Andrew Mascarenhas, from Eli Lilly and Company was the first successful managing director for the joint venture. Throughout his tenure he helped shape and build the joint venture from the ground up. With a driven initiative and was responsible for the hiring of the sales force and recruitment of medical doctors. As a leader, Mascarenhas was faced with unique challenges; he had to deal with cash flow constraints, limitations on pricing and other government regulations. Also within the Indian market there was low recognition and high turnover rates for sales jobs. Mascarenhas and his team had to strategize on how to appeal to a wider range of employees through future opportunities amongst the company. Eli Lilly Ranbaxy invested in a training program. The program was created for the employees to hold strong values for the positions they were hired for and the positions were customized to Indian standards. Mascarenhas brought Eli Lilly’s values to the joint venture; he was instrumental in the training program and made sure those values were shared. When Mascarenhas was promoted in 1996, the new managing director was Chris Shaw. Having a significant background in operations, Shaw helped the company focus on establishing stability through new systems and processes. He expanded the product line and organized a team to make sure there were standard operating procedures (SOPs). These procedures would help the joint venture maintain a productive flow. Aided by his knowledge in marketing, the JV saw an improved growth in sales. Rajiv Gulati was shortly promoted after Chris Shaw. Already having history with the joint venture Gulati was initially the director of marketing and sales. He saw his time as the director an opportunity for growth, which was achieved by implementing medical and regulatory units which helped the company exceed the average growth rate in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. One of the challenges faced by Gulati was Lilly’s name was not commonly known amongst doctors in the market. Gulati and his team came up with the idea of using Ranbaxy’s name to lead as a foot in the door, and helped the company gain brand recognition. Also Gulati faced the challenge of trying to distribute a product that was already being sold amongst manufacturers. Through marketing and establishing trust with the doctors the company was able to establish their presence in India. The initial start up of the joint venture was faced with constant challenges, many in the form of government regulations but because of the functional working relationships between Mascarenhas and Gulati, the JV reached their break-even point in 1996 and soon realized profitability. With the growth of the pharmaceutical market the company also went through significant changes to keep up with innovations. New managers were introduced during the course of these changes and launched multiple new successful units, which saw a steady annual growth rate of 8 percent. The joint venture also became the world’s 12th leading pharmaceutical supplier in over 150 countries by 2001, and continuously developed new drugs through extensive research and development. Overall the performance of the IJV was a success. Each company learned from the joint venture that marketing network was important to have in order to enter the market in India. They also learned the importance of patent protection and how much a role the government can play in the protecting that proprietary knowledge. A patent is needed in order to price their products, and to protect their innovation for a certain time. When they learned the patent laws changed in India, it encouraged them to establish a joint venture there. The experience brought about by the international joint venture helped both companies enhance its overall market line and its potential of innovation and discovery. Eli Lilly and Company gained experience in the market perspective of Asian countries while establishing India as their hub. Also they gained significant experience in how to introduce their products within a market where they were not commonly known. Overall Eli Lilly Ranbaxy gained vital cooperation and communication amongst each other. Establishing a very accessible management staff contributed to the early on success of the joint venture. The commonality of the two companies also created ease within the company and allowed the company to grow in profits and outputs without any disruption or disagreements. Though the two companies have established a very successful lucrative company amongst the pharmaceutical industry the action that would be wise to do is to establish a 100% wholly owned subsidiary for Eli Lilly. The main reason for the they separation, is that each company started to focus on different objectives when the industry started to grow, Ranbaxy focusing on generics and Lilly focusing on research and development. To implement this action Eli Lilly would have to buy out Ranbaxy’s stake within the company. With Indian regulations favoring towards a more foreign owned market, this strategy would allow Eli Lilly total ownership and control over their present and future products specifically because of enhanced patent protection for the pharmaceutical industry. Though this is action could lead to potential profits in research and development for Lilly, the implications of these actions could come with potential losses, not factoring in the cost of the buyout. If the IJV were to break apart there is no clear explanation on the future financial outlooks of their company. Furthermore, it can create an unforeseen competition. However, it would allow each company to focus on their own agendas and it would also inject much needed cash flow for Ranbaxy and allow them to concentrate on the generic market. In order keep up with success a company must keep up with the market, and the market was clearly leading Lilly into the path of a fully owned subsidiary. There are risks associated with this but because the JV was already in such a strong position and aided by the new laws, the potential profits of this action is well worth the consideration.

An Overview of Social Conservativism

An Overview of Social Conservativism Social conservatism was ushered into American politics with the so-called Reagan Revolution in 1981, and renewed its strength in 1994, with the Republican takeover of US Congress. The movement slowly grew in prominence and political power until hitting a plateau and stagnating in the first decade of the twenty-first century under President George W. Bush. Bush ran as a â€Å"compassionate conservative† in 2000, which appealed to a large bloc of conservative voters, and began to act on his platform with the establishment of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, changed the tone of the Bush administration, which took a turn toward hawkishness and Christian fundamentalism. The new foreign policy of â€Å"pre-emptive war† created a rift between traditional conservatives and conservatives aligned with the Bush administration. Due to his original campaign platform, conservatives became associated with the â€Å"new† Bush administration and an anti-conservative sentiment has nearly destroyed the movement.In most areas of the country, Republicans align themselves with the Christian right refer to themselves as â€Å"conservatives† since fundamental Christianity and social conservatism have many tenets in common. Ideology The phrase â€Å"political conservative† is most associated with the ideologies of social conservatism. Indeed, most of today’s conservatives see themselves as social conservatives, although there are other types. The following list contains common beliefs with which most social conservatives identify. They include: Advancing pro-life and anti-abortion stances on unwanted or unplanned pregnanciesAdvocating for pro-family legislation and a ban on gay marriageEliminating federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research and finding alternative methods of researchProtecting the Second Amendment right to bear armsMaintaining a strong national defenseProtecting US economic interests against foreign threats and eliminating the need for trade unionsOpposing   illegal immigrationLimiting welfare spending by creating economic opportunities for America’s needyLifting the ban on school prayerImplementing high tariffs on countries that do not uphold human rights It is important to mention that social conservatives can believe in every one of these tenets or just a few. The â€Å"typical† social conservative strongly supports them all. Criticisms Because the preceding issues are so black and white, there is a considerable amount of criticism from not only liberals but also other conservatives. Not all types of conservatives agree whole-heartedly with these ideologies, and sometimes denounce the vigilance with which hard-line social conservatives choose to advocate their positions.The radical right has also placed a large stake in the social conservative movement and has used it in many cases as a way to promote Christianity or to proselytize. In these cases, the entire movement is sometimes censured by mass media and liberal ideologues.Each of the tenets mentioned above has a corresponding group or groups which oppose it, making social conservatism a highly criticized political belief system. Consequently, it is the most popular and most scrutinized of the conservative â€Å"types.† Political Relevance Of the different types of conservatism, social conservatism is by far the most politically relevant. Social conservatives have dominated Republican politics and even other political parties such as the Constitution Party. Many of the key planks in the social conservative agenda are high on the Republican Party’s â€Å"to-do† list.In recent years, social conservatism has taken repeated hits thanks in large part to the presidency of George W. Bush, but its network is still strong. Basic ideological affirmations, such as those espoused by the pro-life, pro-gun and pro-family movements will make sure social conservatives have a strong political presence in Washington DC for many years to come.

The United States as an Empire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The United States as an Empire - Research Paper Example An empire is defined as an extensive group of countries under the umbrella of a single supreme authority and mainly controlled by an emperor or an empress. An empire exercises control and influence over an expanded territory beyond its original boundaries while maintaining military posts or bases throughout the world. To maintain the control, an empire conducts wars of aggression on foreign lands and goes to an extent of offering protection to other countries as well. As a way of serving the less fortunate people from other countries, an empire accepts them into its realm as unskilled laborers. The United States is well endowed with powers that do not match any other nation. The absence of serious threats to the American security that gives the United States control over foreign policy choices. Lack of military threat gives the U.S opportunities for global outreach. The military capabilities enable the U.S to support its outreach ends. The U.S military has never been challenged by an y country. For instance, in the year 2012, the U.S military spending was bigger than any other spending of other influential military powers like China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Saudi Arabia, India, Germany, Italy, and Brazil all combined. This is why the U.S dominates military globally, keeping international deployment at the present level, and tackling international missions successfully (Buzan 2004, p.9). Even before the Americans were free, they already had intimations of greatness. The French and the Indian War demonstrated that the U.S forces were of significant size as per the eighteenth century standards, especially their armies on the North American continent. The Anglo-American victory determined their western boundaries and further gave them the confidence of rendering superpowers over other governments.

Country Boys Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Country Boys - Movie Review Example Cody and Chris also studies in the same school called David School. The film progresses as the two teenage boys enter the same school, David school, which is an alternative school for troubled teens. Here, the two boys adapts differently to their new environment. Cody finds a new sense of purpose by living with a supportive grandmother, having a good relationship with his girlfriend and girlfriend's family, joining a metal band and committing himself to God. All these aspects have made him forget his tragic past and find a renewed purpose in life. Chris on the other hand did not have a solid support system as Cody's. He had to battle with an alcoholic father who doesn't support his passion to go to school and he also had to work to alleviate their poverty. In the end of the film, Cody was able to graduate valedictorian in their senior class giving him a bright future ahead while Chris was not able to graduate and ended up working in a low paying job without knowing what the future will bring him. This film is about the attachment of an individual to his society and his need to belong in order to live happily. Emile Durkheim talks about mechanical social solidarity of the community where people have a set of norms and rituals which makes them solid. They are moved by their collective conscience leaving the individual not to think about his own desires but the needs of his community. Organic solidarity on the other hand is a by-product of the division of labor. A society becomes complex due to the increase of the dynamic density. When a society becomes complex, the individuals play more specialized roles. Because of this, they start to have different experiences which affect their norms and values which weakens their sense of community. Cody and Chris lived in a mechanically solid society which had its own norms and set of rules and as teenagers; they had to abide by to the collective conscience of their society. In such a homogenized community, there is not much room for individualism nor autonomy; a person identifies himself with everyone else. Despite Cody and Chris' dysfunctional background, they are able to internalize and adhere to the rules through socialization and education which is according to Durkheim a social fact. They become morally obliged to obey social rules. In the course of the film, Cody's life becomes very different from Chris'. Cody establishes more attachment to society because of his healthy relationships with his grandma and girl friend. Also by attending church, he does not only strengthens his fate but also reinforces his ties with the community. Religion, according to Durkheim is really a social creation. By worshipping God, the people actually worships the collective over them that transcend over individual existence which makes it sacred. Cody's outlook in life has become positive as he feels his belongingness in the society. On the other hand, Chris becomes detached to the community. Because of having egoists who only thinks about themselves, they pass on to their child their negative outlook and the lack of need to bond with the community. Chris has no moral guidance from his parents and thus his social values loosen and he becomes undisciplined which leads to anomie. According to Durkehim, if an individual lacks any sense of social restraint, he will seek to satisfy his own appetite and will not consider the possible