Review of an Academic Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review of an Academic Research Paper - Essay Example The research paper conveys the whole process of research from collection of data, to analysis, and to final discussion. For this reason the researchers should be careful while writing the academic research paper and should make sure that all elements and parts of a proper academic research paper are included. The basic layout of the academic research paper consists of following elements: abstract, key words, introduction, literature review, methodology part, analysis and findings, discussion part, and the conclusion and recommendations. Along with this another important element is of the references, as it is important to properly acknowledge the sources of secondary information within the academic research paper. In this paper, the academic research paper by Stainton, Johnson, and Borodizicz (2010) on the topic of â€Å"Education validity of business gaming simulation: a research methodology framework† has been critically analysed on the basis of the proper layout for the acad emic research paper. In the research paper the authors have explored the overall validity of the business gaming simulation on the basis of the previous researches and have proposed a framework for the successful educational validity studies which can facilitate the simulation designers in the process of implementing the valuable simulation media.

Business Payment Methods Essay Example for Free

Business Payment Methods Essay At this time of building my business I need to consider the ways in which I will permit my customers to pay for the books that they buy from my book store. Today there are a wide array of payment solutions available for any buyer of goods and services and to buy books, almost all modes of payment available can be used by the customer whether it is electronically or by direct use of card at the shop or by paying in cash. If the customer is   regular and can be trusted or is a regular bulk customer, check payments can also be accepted. In view of the competitions in the sale of books I have to take some element of risk in this regard in keeping with the business practices. For direct sales at the store a wide choice of payments are available to the customer. He can pay directly in cash or by credit or debit card. I believe cash payment has the least hassles applicable as the money has already come in the moment a sale is done. In the ase of debit and credit cards a wide margin has to be provided for without any applicable discounts since a percentage of the sale amount has to be given to the financial institutions as part of the applicable commission for use of their services. The business of electronic payments is growing rapidly in view of the convenience involved and a wide array of payment options are available which are acceptable in the case of my book store. In addition to the tradition card payments other options are also cceptable to me such as mail order, online payments, acquiring bank payments and through payment bureaus. I understand that as long as a sale is taking place I can accept 2 any of these payment modes provided the financial institution is reputed to make fast payments and is reliable for its transparency in fair dealings. In such cases I may have to reduce my margins a little, but that is ok since most businesses work on volumes and hence I can make up on the low margins.

Dynasties Of The Byzantine Empire History Essay

Dynasties Of The Byzantine Empire History Essay The history of the Byzantine Empire begins with the tetrarchy introduced by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 286 CE and the founding of Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire in 330 CE by Constantine I. Diocletian had established a tetrarchy. The empire gets its name from Byzantium the former name Constantinople. Once Constantine changed its name to Constantinople, he did not hesitate to call it the new Rome making it more important than the waning power of Rome. When Constantine came to power he put an end to tetrarchy replacing it with hereditary succession. Although a part of the Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire was more Greek than Roman. The principle language was Greek and not Latin and people adopted Christianity sooner than the Romans. Dynasties of the Byzantine empire The tradition of dynastic rulers based on hereditary succession was laid down by Constantine (324-337 CE) which continued until Emperor Justinian. This dynasty was also called the Neo Flavian dynasty as every ruler bore the name Flavian. Constantine Dynasty (306 CE to 363 CE) The Constantinian Dynasty (C. 306 CE to 361 CE) ruled over an empire covering portions of Egypt, Syria and the Balkans (considered to be covering Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova). Emperor Valens (364-378 CE) was the patron of the Valentinian Dynasty. Constantine was a farsighted ruler who had introduced many administrative reforms to upgrade the socio-political structure of the empire. He introduced the gold solidus (coins) which stabilised the economy as it was highly prized. Mosaic of Constantine in Hagia Sophia The strategic location of Constantinople on the trade route between the East and the West overlooking the Danube River helped Constantine to use to his advantage. He strengthened the army and extended the fortifications of Constantinople making them impossible to conquer. To ward off the continuous attacks of foreigners Constantine had started a system of giving subsidies (purportedly 300kg gold annually) and also favoured merchants who traded with the Huns and other foreign groups. Constantines successors worked towards dividing the civil and military authorities which persisted until the seventh century. They further strengthened the defences of Constantinople. The Eastern Empire was spared the hardships of the West thanks to effective administration and able rulers. Under Constantine Christianity received royal patronage in the form of generous privileges by the emperor. This helped the religion to reach the masses. The Constantine Dynaty was followed by non dynastic rulers from 363 CE to 364 CE followed by the Valentian dynasty from 364 CE to 379 CE. Under Arcadius, a ruler from the Theodosian dynasty (379 to 457 CE) the Roman Empire was permanently divided to form the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire in 395 CE. Leonid Dynasty (457 CE to 518 CE) This dynasty was founded by Leo I (457-474 CE) who made an unsuccessful attempt to reconquering the imperial parts of North Africa. His son-in-law Zeno (474-491 CE) succeeded him as the next emperor as his own son Leo II died after serving for only one year. When the Western Roman Empire fell, Zeno was in charge in the East. Zeno tried to get back the Western Empire by sending a Gothic warrior Theodoric I as the commander-in-chief of Italy. Although Theodoric ruled as an independent king, Zeno maintained at least a nominal supremacy over the Western Empire. Justinian Dynasty (518 CE to 602 CE) Justinian I (527-656 CE) the successor to the founder of the dynasty Justin I, was perhaps the only king who embarked upon the ambitious task of uniting the Western and the Eastern Empire. Justinian brought great prosperity to his kingdom. Although an ambitious ruler, some of his policies were unpopular with the masses. This unpopularity nearly cost him his crown during the Nika Riots (532 CE). His queenTheodora encouraged him to suppress the riots rather than beat a hasty retreat. 30,000 civilians are believed to have been killed in Justinians attempt to suppress the riots. Motivating words of Queen Thoedora that prompted Justinian I to face the Nika Riots were Those who have worn the crown should never survive its loss. Never will I see the day when I am not saluted as empress.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Royalty is a fine burial shroud, or perhaps, [the royal color] Purple makes a fine winding sheet. He reclaimed the province of North Africa in 533 CE which had been lost to the Vandals. He reached as far as Italy and defeated the weak Ostrogoths. But the Ostrogoths soon rearranged themselves and came back with double force and evicted his general Belisarius. Justinian entered into a number of treaties with the neighbouring kingdoms to ward off the continuous threat of invasion. By 555 CE, Justinian had won victories in most places except the Balkan territory which was continually invaded by the Slavs. Justinian became universally famous for revising the old Roman legal code and creating the new corpus of laws popularly known as Justinians Code. The code serves as a basis for civil law even today and provides a valuable insight to historians into the concerns and activities of the later Roman Empire. Justinian was a devout Orthodox Christian which made him intolerable not only to other religions but even to differing ideologies within Christianity. He had become a patron of Christianity and has even been mentioned in the Bible as a saint. He regulated everything related to religion and law. The bishops of the Church recognised that nothing could be done without the will of the emperor. He brutally suppressed any heresy by opponents of the Church. He promoted monasticism, granting the monks many rights which were earlier considered a taboo, like owning property. He granted them the right to inherit property from private citizens and and revoked the ir right to receive solemnia or the monks right to receive gifts from the imperial treasury or from the taxes of certain provinces. He aalso prohibited confiscation of monastic estates for any reason. Justinian rebuilt the Church of Hagia Sophia which had been destroyed during the Nika Riots. It served as the principal church of the Byzantine Empire. BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE Byzantine art was an extension of the Roman art. As Roman art itself was inspired by the Greek art, one can see similarity among the three. However Byzantine art differed with the latter two in its approach which was more abstract than realistic. The figures and figurines in the Byzantine art appear flat and one dimensional with little use of shadow to give a life-like appearance. Faces were long and narrow devoid of any reality. The sixth century was regarded as the Golden Age of Byzantine art. One can see a considerable shift in the thinking and application of art in this period. Mathematics was regarded as the highest science and Justinian had appointed Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician, as one of Hagia Sophias architect. Anthemius described architecture as an application of geometry to solid matter. The architecture differs from the traditional style in its execution of the domes and columns. The domes are more semi-circular than the almost circular patterns found in the West. Most of the art depicts scenes from the life of Christ. One of the most important genres of Byzantine art was the icon, an image of Christ, Virgin Mary or a saint. The kings too found a place of reverence in these religious temples. MOSAICS Mosaics were more central to the Byzantine Empire than where they originated the Western Roman Empire. Mosaics were not only found in churches but in every household in the form of small icons to commemorate the life and times of Christ. Some even depicted routine life. Mosaic art was at its peak during the fifth and sixth centuries. (From left to right) Mosaic depicting daily life; an iconic mosaic from the Patmos Monastery, Greece and a Gladiator mosaic found in Cyprus Boy and Donkey, Byzantine Mosaic HAGIA SOPHIA According to historians the foundation of Hagia Sophia was laid by Constantine I. The Church was built in three phases. The first church was by Constantius II in 360 CE and the second by Theodosius II in 415 CE. During the Nika riots in 532 CE the church was burned to the ground. Justinian built the third phase which is still intact. The Hagia Sophia Museum as it stands today-the minarets were added by the OttomansJustinian was very ambitious about the Hagia Sophia church. The church was constructed so magnificently that when it was completed, he exclaimed, Solomon, I have outdone thee! He called it the Church of Holy Wisdom. He had bought the most exotic and majestic materials from all over the Roman Empire eastern as well western. The Hellenistic columns were ordered from the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, large stones from the quarries in Egypt, green marble from Thessaly, Greece; black stone from the Bosporus region, and yellow stone from Syria. Some of the few surviving mosaics from the Hagia Sophia Christ and the Virgin Mary THE BASILICA OF SAN VITALE Ravenna served as a Byzantine centre in the Italian heartland and many structures were constructed in the city. The Church of San Vitale is one of the finest examples of Byzantine art and architecture in the Western Roman Empire. Although the architect of the structure is unknown, it was sponsored by a Greek banker Julius Argentarius around 527 CE. The Church is a fine combination of Roman and Byzantine art. It has the Roman elements of archways, domes and stepped towers and the Byzantine legacy of polygonal apse (semi circular, arched space in the wall- significant to Byzantine art), pillars, columns and narrow bricks. Justinian with his soldiers and the clergy San Vitale is famous for the mosaic panels of Emperor Justinian and his queen Theodora. The mosaic of Justinian says a lot about his power and position. He is standing in the middle with soldiers to his right and the clergy on his left including Bishop Maximianus, emphasising Justinian as the leader of both church and the State. He is clad in purple, the royal colour and has a golden halo, which gives him the same status as Christ. Theodora too is depicted as a goddess, solemn and humble, carrying the chalice that holds the holy wine. She is flanked by priests on the right who are escorting her in the church and a court of ladies on the left. Theodora being escorted to the Church ANALYSE THIS! Theodora, before marrying Justinian was a public entertainer. In those days, this profession was not considered worthy of respect. According to church laws, such women were not well received. However Justinian fell madly in love with Theodora and in order to make her his queen, abrogated the law and in fact provided better protection for women offenders and created separate cells for women offenders guarded by women guards. Consider the above incident and reflect on what this incident tells us about the power that Justinian held over the Church? How has religion become a tool in the hands of the powerful? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦abrogated the law and in fact provided better protection for womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Is it applicable to the present times? Support your answerwith reasons. Laws have been held to have absolute power; however they have been twisted and amended to suit ones need, usually of the powerful. In the present context have you come across any such arbitrary law? Name it/ them and explain why you feel they are arbitrary. Use your grey cellsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Beauty in Wordsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Read the following article Talking Turkeyby eminent columnist Jug Suriya describing the beauty of Istanbul, Turkey. Courtesy blog Juggle- Bandhifeaturing in the Times of India website. TURKINAMA TALK TURKEY Istanbul has witnessed the seesaw of history between East and West Bunny and i take a boat from Europe to Asia. The journey lasts 20 minutes. We are in Istanbul, and the ferry takes us from Eminonu, which is on the European side of the city, to Uskudar, which is on the Asian side, on the other shore of the Bosphorus. Istanbul formerly known as Constantinople, after the Christian emperor Constantine is the fabled meeting place of Europe and Asia, East and West. The sprawling city of 22 million people is strikingly beautiful, a challenge to the artists brush, the poets phrase. Seven low hills crouch down to the sun-spangled Sea of Marmara, flanked on one side by the Bosphorus, which links it to the Black Sea, and on the other side by the inlet of the Golden Horn. The water is so blue that it has given us the word turquoise, a colour originating in Turkey. Europe and Asia, East and West, rub shoulders in comfortable familiarity. Sleek, French-built tramcars glide noiselessly down broad thoroughfares bounded by bustling pavements where designer-ripped jeans and hijabs go hand in hand. The slender minarets of a myriad mosques conjure a communion of earth and sky, and hard rock discos coexist with dervishes whirling in Sufi ecstasy. In the Grand Bazaar in Beyazit, the fixed price rigidity of the western supermarket is made flexible and fluent by the eastern art of bargaining, for anything and everything, from carpets and spices, to 22-carat gold jewellery and cellphone cards, for the sheer pleasure of it. For what better way for customer and shopkeeper to spend the day than in spirited negotiation, over endless tiny cups of thick, treacle-sweet coffee? This co-mingling of East and West is best represented by the many-domed Ayasofya, billed as one of the most wondrous buildings in the world. Originally called Hagia Sophia, it was built in the sixth century by the Byzantine emperor Justinian and for almost a thousand years it was said to be the worlds largest Christian church. In the 15th century, after Sultan Mehmed II seized Constantinople and changed its name to Istanbul, which simply means The City, Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque and renamed Ayasofya. Five hundred years later, Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, made it into a museum. Ataturk often said to be Turkeys counterpart of Russias Peter the Great tried to westernise his country by making it into a secular state, introducing the Latin alphabet, and adopting the European hat as the national headgear instead of the traditional fez. Today, Ayasofya is still a museum, thronged by visitors who strain their necks to stare in wonder at the mosaic-encrusted central dome, so high that it can accommodate the Statue of Liberty. But Turkey has voted in favour of an Islamic government instead of Ataturks secular dispensation, a development which is one of the impediments to the countrys desired membership of the all-Christian European Union. East or West? The seesaw of history has yet to settle which of the two Turkey really belongs to. Or perhaps it belongs to both, and in doing so belongs to neither. For Istanbul, more than any other city, is historic proof that East and West are arbitrary geographical and cultural constructs which increasingly are becoming interchangeable with each other. Long before globalisation became a catchphrase, Istanbul that once was Constantinople was living proof of a cosmopolitan universality which underlies the cosmetic changes that history makes on the face of time. We take the ferry from Uskudar back to Eminonu, from Asia to Europe, from East to West. And were still in the same place, still in Istanbul, still in the city which could be given a name no other than The City, unique unto itself. Task If you had the choice, which city would you like to visit a city of antiquity and why? LIFE IN THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY The Eastern Roman Empire was the most prosperous civilisation from the beginning of the Middle Ages until the Arab invasions. Travellers and explorers described it as the most advanced civilisation of the time and were in awe of the people living in luxury with its superb architectural marvels. Constantinople was a trade haven, extending to Eurasia and North Africa. It was the primary western hub of the silk trade. From Constantinople, the silk was then exported to Egypt, Bulgaria and further west. The state controlled internal and international trade and held a monopoly over issuing coinage. The currency of the Byzantine Empire had a high value in the middle ages. Reforms initiated by Diocletian and Constantine laid the foundations for the Byzantium economy by replacing the gold aureus with the solidus and introducing the follies (coins) in bronze. Coins were minted both in the capital as well as provinces. Many mints were located in large eastern cities like Alexandria, Antioch, Co nstantinople, Kyzikos, Ravenna and Rome. Major guilds and corporations were supervised through taxation, controlling interest rates and regulating commodity prices. Non-monetary exchange of goods and services through barter was more typical to remote areas. The Byzantines had a strong hold on commercial activities. Professions were organised in guilds and no one was allowed to belong to two guilds simultaneously. Builders, by law, had to provide a ten-year guarantee of the structure they erected! Solidus of Justinian II from the seventh century Coin of Justinian I excavated in India suggesting existence of Indo-Roman trade People were engaged in a variety of professions, agriculture being the predominant occupation. The upper class mostly comprised of the aristocracy, state functionaries, senior military officers and large land owners. The middle class was made up of the merchants, skilled craftsmen and owners of medium size lands and properties while the lower class was made up of wage earners, labourers and destitute. Men occupied all the official posts in the imperial courts, bureaucracy and military. Women generally did not actively participate in trade and were confined to household duties however evidence of women engaging in weaving and spinning, working as fruit and vegetable vendors, herb gatherers and kourisses (women who dressed other womens hair employed either privately or in public baths). Women could also have the option of being physicians and midwives. Some served food in guest houses and taverns. Although women were excluded from priesthood, they had a special place in monasteries. Many nunneries in the Byzantine Empire were run by female abbots. FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD The Byzantine society worked on the model of paterfamilias. The male exerted absolute authority and took care of the family. The families were extended family with two to three generations living together. Nuclear families existed in urban cities where traders moved and settled with their immediate family members. The woman of the family raised and cared for the children. The more liberal paterfamilias of the Roman society was reduced to the Greek idea of paternal families where daughters were kept under strict authority of the male relatives and boys were given the freedom to act independently. A woman was invariably accompanied by someone whenever she left house. Kekaumenos, a Byzantine author in his work Strategikon has said, Keep your daughters as prisoners, confined and inconspicuous. Education was limited to reading and writing. Girls got married at the age of thirteen or fourteen and the suitor was selected by the parents. Sometimes professional matchmakers helped in bringing two compatible families together and earned by taking a percentage of the dowry. Girls usually did not have a say in choosing the partner. Marriage was a formal ceremony sanctioned by the church. A woman earned respect in society through her marriage. It was important to have at least one male child. LAW AND ORDER Christianity had pervaded every facet of human life in the Byzantine Empire, including law and order. State laws received a divine sanction as the emperor was held to be Gods earthly representative and so his laws were essential for maintaining stability. An expanding body of Canonical Laws reflect the growing authority of the church. Corpus juris civilis introduced by Justinian I served as a basis for civil jurisprudence. Many later contributions like Nomos Georgikas (Farmers Law) and Rhodian Sea Law were private collections of codes pertaining to rural life and maritime activities respectively. Criminal law mainly addressed instances of theft, robbery, damage or injury to another person or property. Courts were established to deal with these matters. Punishments ranged from financial compensation, imprisonment, exile and in cases of pre-meditated murder or fatal assault death penalty was awarded. Class barriers existed in the Byzantine Empire too. Convicted elites in cases other than treason could lose their titles, personal property or get banished to a monastery or remote province, whereas public flogging, mutilation and execution were the punishments referred for the members of the lower classes. As the influence of the church grew, such punishments were avoided and banishment in monasteries became more common. The church became an asylum for personal repentance and spiritual healing. DECLINE OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE Decline of the Byzantine Empire was a process which lasted several centuries before the final collapse. Although there is no certain date for the beginning of the decline, historians unanimously agree that it all started with the invasion of the Arabs. The Arabs had conquered territories in the Levant (modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories) and Egypt by the ninth century. The loss of Egypt was a substantial blow as most of the manufactured goods and naturals resources of the Byzantine Empire came from the province. Conversely Egypt now proved to be a source of finance to the Ummayad and Abbasid Caliphates, giving them the courage and resources to expand. The Byzantine-Arab Wars crippled the empire not only monetarily but the continuous state of war drained the people of their physical and emotional strength. Between the 11th and 12th centuries, the Seljuk Turks permanently settled in Anatolia. By 1025, the whole of Asia Minor, nearly 70 per cent of the Byzantine Empire was lost to the Seljuks. The Crusades were launched partly to restore the lost glory of the Byzantine Empire but majorly to get back the holy places in and near Jerusalem. However the Crusades added to the financial burden of the Empire and became a reason for its decline. Important dates 286 CE- Founding of Constantinople by the first Constatnitne Emperor Constantine I. 306- Founding of the Constantine Empire by Emperor Constantine. 330 -founding of Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. 360- First Church of Hagia Sophia built by Constantius II. 363 to 364- non dynastic rulers. 364 to 379 -Valentian dynasty. 379 to 457 Theodosian dynasty. 395- Final division of the Western and Eastern Roman Empire. 415-Second Church of Hagia Sophia built by Theodosius II. 457 Founding of the Leonid Dynasty. 518 Founding of the Justinian Dynasty by Justin I. 523- Nika Riots put down by Justinian I. 533- Justinian reclaims the province of North Africa. Use your Grey Cellsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ RECALL Describe the geographic factors that made Constantinople a centre of cultural diffusion, military defence, and trade. How were the Roman and Byzantine empires connected? What is Justinians Code? How did the Byzantine Empire help to preserve and transmit classical Greek and Roman culture and knowledge? How did Byzantine art and architecture differ from the Romans? ANALYSE Justinians Code helped establish order in the Byzantine Empire. What role do you think rules and laws play today? Given below is a law on slaves from Book I of Justinians Code. Read it carefully and answer the questions that follow; Slaves are in the power of masters, a power derived from the law of nations; for among all nations it may be remarked that masters have the power of life and death over their slaves, and that everything acquired by the slave is acquired for the master. Was it a just law? Would this law work today? Why? Justinian uses the words law of nations? Do you think the phrase is exaggerated? Why? In Grade 6, you learnt about Hammurabis Code. How does it differ from Justinians Code? Compare and contrast. Why has codification of law been an important aspect of judicial processes? EVALUATE Byzantine Empire has contributed immensely to art and architecture. In light of the statement evaluate the contribution of Byzantine art.

FDR vs Clinton :: American America History

FDR vs Clinton The domestic policies and administrations of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and William Jefferson Clinton are in some ways similar, but in other ways very different. The two men were very domestic-oriented presidents, focusing largely on America, and not the outside world. Both Democrats, they supported Federal Government programs to aid the American People. These programs were not necessary, but the presidents felt that they would aid Americans. Roosevelt created many jobs for the unemployed. He did this with such acts as the Unemployment Relief Act, which created the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Civil Works Administration gave temporary jobs to the unemployed during an especially harsh winter, and the Works Progress Administration spent about $11 billion employing people to work on government projects. Roosevelt also provided for money to be given to states to help increase employment. This includes the Federal Relief Administration, that gave $3 million to states to pay wages for w ork projects as well as direct dole payments. The Tennessee Valley Act dammed up the Tennessee river and created jobs, inexpensive hydroelectric power, cheap nitrates, improved navigation of the river, low cost housing, reforestation, and the restoration of eroded soil. Clinton has also worked for lower unemployment rates. During the first two years of Clinton's administration, 6 million jobs were created; 7.7 million during the first 34 months. Americorps, formed to help people pay for college and job training, helped to tutor students, immunize children, and restore urban parks. Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan was contrived to provide jobs in the Northwest and preserve ancient forests at the same time. Since Clinton became president, the unemployment rate has decreased from 7% to 5.6% and the United States currently has its lowest combined rate of inflation and unemployment since the beginning of Nixon's Administration in 1968. Clinton has also continued several programs that were pioneered by Roosevelt, such as Social Security and Bank Security. Clinton's Social Security Independent Agency Act, Interstate Banking Bill, and the Community Development Banking Financial Institutions Act's roots can be traced back to Roosevelt's Social Security Act of 1935 and Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act. Both Clinton and Roosevelt also advocated the rights of workers. Roosevelt secured the unions' right to form and to bargain with a representative of their choice with his National Labor Relations Act, and created a minimum wage, maximum hours, and limited the ages of young workers with his Fair Labor Standards Act. FDR vs Clinton :: American America History FDR vs Clinton The domestic policies and administrations of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and William Jefferson Clinton are in some ways similar, but in other ways very different. The two men were very domestic-oriented presidents, focusing largely on America, and not the outside world. Both Democrats, they supported Federal Government programs to aid the American People. These programs were not necessary, but the presidents felt that they would aid Americans. Roosevelt created many jobs for the unemployed. He did this with such acts as the Unemployment Relief Act, which created the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Civil Works Administration gave temporary jobs to the unemployed during an especially harsh winter, and the Works Progress Administration spent about $11 billion employing people to work on government projects. Roosevelt also provided for money to be given to states to help increase employment. This includes the Federal Relief Administration, that gave $3 million to states to pay wages for w ork projects as well as direct dole payments. The Tennessee Valley Act dammed up the Tennessee river and created jobs, inexpensive hydroelectric power, cheap nitrates, improved navigation of the river, low cost housing, reforestation, and the restoration of eroded soil. Clinton has also worked for lower unemployment rates. During the first two years of Clinton's administration, 6 million jobs were created; 7.7 million during the first 34 months. Americorps, formed to help people pay for college and job training, helped to tutor students, immunize children, and restore urban parks. Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan was contrived to provide jobs in the Northwest and preserve ancient forests at the same time. Since Clinton became president, the unemployment rate has decreased from 7% to 5.6% and the United States currently has its lowest combined rate of inflation and unemployment since the beginning of Nixon's Administration in 1968. Clinton has also continued several programs that were pioneered by Roosevelt, such as Social Security and Bank Security. Clinton's Social Security Independent Agency Act, Interstate Banking Bill, and the Community Development Banking Financial Institutions Act's roots can be traced back to Roosevelt's Social Security Act of 1935 and Glass-Steagall Banking Reform Act. Both Clinton and Roosevelt also advocated the rights of workers. Roosevelt secured the unions' right to form and to bargain with a representative of their choice with his National Labor Relations Act, and created a minimum wage, maximum hours, and limited the ages of young workers with his Fair Labor Standards Act.

Globalization of Production in the Textile and Clothing Industries Essay

East European full reintegration into the world economy had already started during the eighties, but the end of the decade and the beginning of the nineties saw a sudden spurt in that direction. This has taken the form not only of a swift trade reorientation towards the West, especially the EU, but also of new forms of inward foreign direct investment (FDI), subcontracting and cooperation agreements with Western enterprises. As a consequence, Eastern Europe has become deeply involved in the larger process of globalisation of production characterizing the international economy, where firms’ operations are becoming much more complex and pervasive than traditional arms-length trade and traditional international investment, including both international production and sourcing. Therewith the process of transition to the market appears to be more and more intertwined with Western firms’ strategies. It is then of some interest to analyse the extent of such relocation, its various forms and the possible impact on both the relocating and the host countries. International relocation can be analysed from different points of view. The perspective of the present paper is to concentrate on one of the most important trade partners of Eastern Europe – Italy – and on two industrial sectors in which the latter is specialised in production and exports – textiles and clothing, which are also of paramount importance in Eastern Europe’s exports. A few data on production, employment, investment and foreign trade may suffice to show the enormous importance of these industries for Italy. In 1993 this country produced almost 40% of the entire EU production of textiles, including knitwear. The other major EU countries followed rather distanced: France (17% – including household textiles), Germany (16%) and the UK (11%). The correspondig employment for Italy was 30% of the EU total, taking into account also the firms with less than 20 employees. The second most important country – Germany – employed just half of that amount. Finally investment, both total and per head employed, reveals a similar pattern, these two countries being followed by France and the UK. The ranking is similar in the clothing industry. In 1993 Italy represented 41% of total EU production, 24% of total employment (including firms with less than 20 employees) and headed the investment ranking, both in absolute terms and on a per capita employed basis. It should be added, in this respect, the particular consumption habits of Italians, who devote to clothing a much higher share of their total consumer spending than the other European nationals. The importance of the internal market is only paralleled by the place of the two sectors in Italian foreign trade. During the last few years Italy has been the second or third world exporter both of textiles and of clothing products, if one excludes Hong Kong due to the paramount importance of its reexports. She is the first Western supplier of the G7 markets for clothing and first on a par with Germany for textiles. The industry presents the second, and growing, largest positive trade balance in Italian foreign trade. The two sectors together represent 11% of her total exports, but a much lesser share of her imports (5%). However imports tend to grow faster than exports. A growing number of competitors is gaining market shares in the EU, at the expense of the traditional leaders like Italy and Germany. Import penetration, which has roughly doubled in the last ten years, is but one of the factors that, starting from the late eighties, is exerting growing pressure on the whole industry at a EU level. Production is falling and labour productivity rising much faster than in average manufacturing. The result for the EU has been 639,000 jobs lost in 1988-94, equal to almost 30% of all job losses in the manufacturing industry. Italy was also hit, although less than other European countries for the reasons indicated later. What is the particular place of Eastern Europe in this process? The CEECs represent only roughly 3% of Italian total trade in textiles, but a much larger share in Italian imports of clothing – 15% -, their importance in Italian exports of the same being minor (2%) (table 1). Almost half of the Italian imports of clothing from Eastern Europe come from Romania and more than one fifth from Hungary, the rest being spread among the Czech and Slovak Republics, Bulgaria and Poland, in the order. Together with an increasing deficit for Italy, the share of clothing in total Italian imports from each CEEC has been increasing recently in all cases, and particularly so from Romania and Bulgaria, where it now stands at 41% and 27%, respectively, and from Hungary (12%). The two sectors behave asymmetrically: clothing looms from two to eight times larger in Italian imports than exports, while textiles are far more important in Italian exports, at the exception of exports to former Czechoslovakia. This was also the only country with which Italy ran a deficit in textiles (today with the Czech Republic). Previous studies conducted by the author (Graziani 1993, 1994a, 1994b, 1995) show a generalized relative specialization of the CEECs in most clothing products both on the EU and on the Italian market. Moreover, in both markets import penetration ratios for the same are on the increase. Does this mean that Italian textile and clothing industry is losing ground vis a vis East European producers? The question is whether international trade data – like surpluses and deficits, market shares, specialization indices and import penetration ratios – by themselves are to be considered reliable competitiveness indicators, if a substantial part of trade flows is in some way or other tied to the importing country. From this perspective, imports into the relocating country could ideally be divided into three distinct flows: a) ‘untied’ imports from foreign firms; b) imports derived from non-equity cooperation agreements (in particular from subcontracting) ; and c) FDI-related imports. International relocation of production – taken here to mean not only the physical delocalisation of production abroad, but also the organized sourcing from other countries – affects directly the two latter flows and is then crucial for interpreting the meaning of trade indicators and trends. 2) The Italian model until the mid-1980s International relocation has been almost completely absent in the Italian experience of textile and clothing production until at least the mid1980s. Contrary to the growing international redeployment of its main EU competitor – Germany -, Italian relations with foreign markets were mostly centered on arms-length exports. The few affiliates abroad of Italian bigger firms had just the task to support the sales network in the recipient country. This explains also why Italy did not incur into the same dramatic employment reduction suffered by Germany, wich lost half of it in the last twenty years. Besides limited FDI, Italian manufacturers did also avoid subcontracting abroad by obtaining its advantages on a purely domestic level. The logics of subcontracting are well known, all the more so in the textile and clothing industry. Through it, producers look for: 1) lower costs, since the subcontractors do not invoice for indirect costs; 2) more flexible and reactive supply, that can be disposed of in case of ceased necessity; and 3) eventually some expertise and know-how not available in-house. Subcontracting has always been important within Western Europe. According to a recent survey, in 1992 the clothing subcontracting sector employed in the EU 800,000 workers, including 200,000 artisans and 150,000 illicit workers (Mercer 1994). This is equal to roughly 26% of total EU employment in the textile and clothing industry. Nearly 30% were in Italy and 17% in the UK, the others following suit. Up to the mid1980s Italian producers could limit subcontracting almost exclusively within the national boundaries. The following features allowed its coming to life and its efficiency: a) the main and most original factor was represented by the so-called â€Å"industrial districts† (Becattini 1987 ).  Production was concentrating in a small area, with a myriad of interdependent small enterprises, horizontally and vertically specialized in each of the subsectors of the industry. Production of wool in Prato and Biella, silk in Como and knitting in Carpi are but a few examples of such districts. We are here in a typical Marshallian world of economies external to the enterprise, but internal to the industry, where all the firms, independently from their size, may reap the benefits from a certain clustering of activities. A traditional culture of industrial work, specialized skills both of workers and services, the possibility of rapid exchange of inventions and improvements, coupled with the widespread use of subcontracting, often to the lower paid workers of the so-called informal economy, were enhancing the locational advantages and decreasing the transaction costs, compensating in this way the higher official labour costs vis a vis lower-wage countries (Forti 1994a); b) most firms were family-run and rather small, a limited number of medium size, as compared to the average West European, while the few larger ones had not yet reached the minimum critical threshold below which a clothing manufacturer is not able to finance the very high costs of internationalization, some of which are typically ‘sunk’ costs ; c) the main outlet was represented by the national market, where a very fragmented retail network (in clothing) acted as a relative shelter from foreign competition, limiting the import penetration ratio to a level well under the EU average; d) progressively, Italian producers had chosen the product differentiation path (especially in clothing), by positioning themselves in the up-market segments, characterized by non price competition and a high fashion-, quality- and value-added content. As one knows, internationalisation of production is all the more convenient the larger the amounts to be produced and the more standardized the productive processes. ) finally, especially in the textile sector, Italian producers had continually fostered technological innovation, obtaining the highest productivity levels in the world, which allowed them to compete worldwide. 3) From domestic to international relocation: the new strategy of Italian firms. Apart from the progressive erosion of industrialized countries’ market shares, by the mid- 1980s new features were emerging in the textile and clothing sector. First of all on the international demand side. Consumption growth started to show the first signs of stagnation, while a general rethinking of the relative value of intrinsic quality as against style was in the making. More in general, a better quality/price relation was sought for. Price elasticity increased also for the high fashion- and quality-content goods. A further factor peculiar to Italy was also at work. Domestic demand started to flatten out at the end of the eighties, bringing it more in line with the demand patterns of the other industrialized countries. On the supply side, at the domestic level the concentration rate in both sectors was rapidly increasing, while large firms reorganized and diversified their production. At the same time, Italy became a very high cost country, moreover characterized by a rather rigid labour market. Abroad, emerging countries were progressively upgrading the quality of their products, through a continuous learning process. On the whole, price competitiveness tended to become more stringent. Increasing competition was stemming as well from the concentration processes affecting the distribution sector. Large distributors tended to place big orders and to intervene in the choice of styles, quality, timing and service standards (OETH 1994). A final contingent factor favourable to the internationalisation of production was due to the real appreciation of the lira between 1987 and 1992, which favoured international operations like FDI and subcontracting. As a consequence, Italian firms started to undergo a rather rapid shift from a purely commercial approach at the international level to a relocation approach. This path was followed not only by large, but also by medium and small enterprises. Relocation expressed itself in two main ways: non-equity cooperation agreements – licensing, management contracts, but above all subcontracting – with some FDI, in lower wage countries; equity agreements – mostly FDI in the form of acquisitions – at first in the most developed markets; These two main ways of redeployment obviously respond to different motivations. At the beginning, relocation in low-wage countries took mainly the form of international subcontracting. The only exception was represented by the textile group Miroglio, which already in 1971 had realized some FDI in Greece, Tunisia and Egypt. In a second phase, the same group has switched to an organization of production based on so called ‘platforms’, that have the task of undertaking some downstream operations in the clothing industry and of optimizing the relations with nearby subcontractors. We have already noted above that the most powerful force behind Italian firms’ subcontracting has certainly been the abatement of production costs (cost saving subcontracting). East Europeans subcontractors have been used only in a very minor way as carrying out special functions (specialty subcontracting) or else as capacity reservoirs in case of occasional demand surges (complementary subcontracting). It can also take various forms. The most widespread is at the start a simple agreement with a local producer in order to buy the final product. At most, the Italian firm bought locally or elsewhere the intermediate products necessary to the productive process. In other cases subcontracting involved the export of semifinished products and the reimport of the finished ones, both without or under the outward processing traffic (OPT) regime. Very similar in nature to the US operations of offshore assembly provisions in other fields of industry as well, OPT takes place when some phases of the textile and clothing production chain – typically: the sewing phase – are carried out by foreign subcontractors. The latter utilise fabrics provided (and owned) by the subcontracting firm, temporarily exported towards the processing country under an EC tariff exemption regime. Up to the entry into force of the Interim Agreements of the EAs customs tariffs were levied only on the value added abroad. Since then, they were abolished altogether. On the other hand, acquisitions in the most sophisticated markets allowed Italian producers to attain several objectives: a) to acquire prestigious brand names; b) to adhere more closely to the host nation’s consumers’ tastes, especially in the medium segments absorbing large amounts of production, and gain market shares from within, keeping a presence in strategic markets; c) possibly, to penetrate third markets and also reimport part of the production; and d) to use the international subcontracting network of the acquired company, especially if it is German. So Marzotto, one of the top textile group in Italy, has acquired the German clothing company Hugo Boss, with a lengthy experience of subcontracting abroad, mainly in Eastern Europe. The aim is to have in a few years half of its production abroad. Another big group, Miroglio, has secured smaller, but more numerous firms: the clothing companies Caroline Rohmer and Sym Claverie in France and Glaeser, Flick, Skarabeus and Gili in Germany, plus the German textile company Steiger&Deschler (Ulmia). Finally GFT acquired the third German clothing producer, Baumler.

5 Reasons Why Selling to Libraries is a Top Priority

5 Reasons Why Selling to Libraries is a Top Priority 5 Reasons Why Selling to Libraries Needs to be a Top Priority Amy Collins is a publishing industry expert, author of The Write Way, and founder of New Shelves Books, one of the fastest growing book distribution, sales, and marketing companies in North America. As a former sales director for a large book and magazine publisher, she has sold to Barnes Noble, Target, Costco, and many other major chains.If you are looking for a new source of income from your self-published book, libraries are something you really should consider. Libraries in the US are experiencing a huge surge in foot traffic. Public librarians are seeing a LOT more patrons, and their check out rates are skyrocketing. The good news? Â  Their budgets are going up too. In many cities, the annual budget for libraries is increasing - new locations are opening, and old ones are reopening at historical rates.US libraries spend over 3 billion dollars each year on materials (books, magazines, e-journals), so you should consider using some of your sales and marketing time to present yo ur book to librarians. US Libraries spend over $3b a year on materials. How can #selfpub authors get a piece of the pie? 1. Fiction and Children’s books are the top categories, but non-fiction is catching upAccording to the ALA Materials Survey published in March 2015, the most popular categories in public libraries were Children’s picture books, general fiction, mystery/thrillers, cookbooks and memoir/bio. The complete list is here.2. Librarians want more books that drive traffic into their libraries.When more people come to a library, it demonstrates the need for that library in the community. Â  As a result, budgets will go up; they will hire more staff, and everyone is happy. For independent authors, this is also great news: 92% of librarians surveyed between May 2016 – July 2016 by New Shelves stated that they regularly buy books from self-published authors and small presses. 3. eBooks and audiobooks are the fastest growing type of book purchases.Ebook and audiobooks are a terrific way to get your book into the hands of avid readers. Â  Libraries spend over 25% of their budgets on ebooks and audiobook downloads. These types of books cost you far less to sell because there are no printing costs. Focus on your ebook and audiobook sales to libraries and make even MORE money.To learn more about how to get your ebooks into libraries, read our master guide on ebook distribution!4. Sell to one library, sell to manyOnce one library has your book and the check-out rates start showing up on reports, other librarians will start ordering your book. The growth and spread of your book’s sales and popularity will start happening while you are not even looking! Get your book into a few libraries within a system and watch out for your new sales.5. You can do this with just a few simple materials.There are materials that Librarians can use to decide if your book is something they want to buy. These items are:a one-page sales sheet with your book’s details and description,a one-page sheet about the author that showcases what a great person you are,a marketing plan and an outline showing all the ways you are going to promote the book,a list of things you are willing to do to help the library promote the book and your topic.Create an email that focuses on the librarian's goals instead of on how great your book is. The proper attitude, the right tone, and appropriate submission materials will get you much further than your belief that your book should be a best-seller.Have you ever considered selling your book to a library, or does it seem like too much effort for too little return? Let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

A Measure of True Art essays

A Measure of True Art essays In Dorothy Allisons essay "This is our World", she judges true art in comparison to similar works. She writes, art should surprise and astonish, and hopefully make you think something you had not thought until you saw it. I agree with her statement completely. If a piece of art wants to have any chance of impacting me, it must hold my attention with an icy grip and force me to drastically alter the way in which I see some aspect of life. The best way to illustrate this statement is by example. I have chosen the photograph on pages 178 and 179 as a piece of art that has made me look at things in an entirely different way. When I first glance at the picture, my eyes are immediately drawn to the pearls, the makeup, and the camera on the counter of a bathroom. Next I take in the general thinness of the girl, and the way she stares, perhaps frowning at the scale upon which she stands. Now I see the sleek black dress she is wearing and the two other outfits slung over the door as her parents look on. I get the impression that the husband and wife are conversing quietly about their daughters obsession with her appearance. Next, my eyes drift back to see the worried expression on the girls seated friend, who may be waiting on her friend for a double date perhaps. The girl on the scale seems skinny to the extreme of being unhealthy and possibly even life-threatening. To me, this photograph is bursting with emotion. It provides a good learning exercise, and many insights into the lives of members of a family in which the children have such a disorder. The girl still sees herself as being overweight, regardless of how extremely skinny everyone sees her in reality. I have never had a sibling in such a predicament, and so by viewing this piece of art, I am able to feel as though I were a part of that family and could share their emotions. If I were to pass by a window and w ...

Outline and evaluate Darwins theory of Evolution Research Paper Example

Outline and evaluate Darwins theory of Evolution Research Paper Example Outline and evaluate Darwins theory of Evolution Paper Outline and evaluate Darwins theory of Evolution Paper This essay is first going to look briefly at the pre-Darwin theory of evolution which came from Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. Secondly, outline Charles Darwins theory of evolution and look at some criticisms, lastly it will evaluate Darwins theory Lamarck (1744-1824), a zoologist, claimed that changes that occurred in animals had been passed on from their ancestors, who in their own life time had responded to its survival needs. Lamarcks example of this would be the giraffe that stretches its neck to reach the higher leaves will gain neck length, which in turn will be passed on to its offspring. This theory became known as inheritance of acquired traits. Lamarcks theories were not accepted, as they only offered an explanation, rather than proof as to why these changes occurred. Darwin (1809-1882) was born to a middle class family in Shrewsbury. Darwin quit medical school and went on to read theology, Euclid and the classics and later secured a position aboard the HMS Beagle, whose venture was to explore the unexplored waters of South America. On his travels Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands; it was here discovered and collected samples of bird fossils of geological interest to himself. On his return, Darwin studied his finding and asked John Gould (1804-1881) to classify the bird fossils. Gould identified these birds as being finches. Furthermore Darwin realised that each Galapagos island had its own species of finch that were all slightly different to each other, but all closely resembles those on the South America mainland. It was this evidence that led Darwin to believe that each of these finches had the same ancestors but each had evolved differently in order to survive in its environment. Darwin claimed that this survival was achieved through a process of natural selection. Natural selection is a process were the individuals of the species that are most suited for survival, are more likely survive and go on to reproduce therefore passing their traits onto their offspring making the pressure to evolve a continuous and gradual process, in Darwins words Natural selection acts only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a great and sudden leap, but must advance by short and sure, though slow steps . Gradualism is an important part in evolution that does not require any individual effort. Darwin also thought that it was not only the environmental factors that affected evolution, and after reading Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) Essay on the Principles of Population where Malthus claimed that if the human population was not kept in check by means of limited food supply then it would double every 25 years, Darwin also realised that the fittest individuals are the least likely to die from starvation, therefore most likely to pass on their traits. Darwin wrote about his finding and his ideas but did not publish his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (later shortened to the origin of species) for almost 17 years due to Darwins own fear of what he had discovered. Also it had been argued that Darwin had contracted an illness on his travels and many feared that he had suffered a breakdown. Darwin finally published his book in 1859 due to claims being made that Alfred Wallace had too come up with a similar theory of evolution also based on Malthusian theory. In previous writing Darwin had not specifically attached his theory of evolution to mankind; however in 1971 in his book Descent of men he stated that man has evolved from the animal kingdom. Darwins theory was one that was acceptable to society, but that is not to say by everyone. Members of the Anglican Church were upset by Darwins theory, Darwin himself was Anglican and did not like his theory for two reasons, they were evangelical and they believed in the principle of extinction. One man, Thomas Huxley (1825-1895) supported Darwins theory and saw himself as Darwins bull dog. Huxley fought with Darwins theory; it was he who presented lectures for this theory. Huxley later realised that Darwin had many of the same ideas of evolution as Lamarck. Although Darwins theory of evolution had very little to state on man the suggestion that the theory gives for the origins of the human race is immense, and he stated the in the future we will collect enough fossils that will show the gradual evolution and if we dont find that, then my theory will fall. However the fossils that have been found do not show this gradual change, they show that there have been rapid changes during periods of stability which coincides with Goulds discontinuity hypothesis. Darwins theory that we descend from animals further confirms British empiricist Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) who claimed that human behaviour is no different to that of animals. What is more, after Darwin claimed this, psychologists now look at animal behaviour when trying to understand human behaviour. In conclusion no one has been as influential in our understanding of evolution as Darwin. His theory is the basis for many others theories; however, although a valid theory, the most significant flaw is the lack of any empirical evidence.

Mixed strategies Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mixed strategies - Term Paper Example I thought I knew college life. It was the place for serious studies. But it was frequented by students who were hell bent on creating problems. I had heard a few cases where girls had eloped with boys in college. I had also heard about university elections and the fights that took place during the elections, sometimes even leading to murder. It confused me. Did students really study in college Or did they go there only to pass time and fix dates with the opposite sex However, the picture cleared when I completed school and entered college. My first day in college was not very eventful. It was just like any school day. However, we were no longer kids. We were grown up. I stayed put with students who had passed out of the same school. But there were some anxious moments with the seniors targeting us as butts of their jokes. I was called by a few seniors and told to compliment a girl on her good looks. I did not do it. But one of my colleagues did! There were a few lectures that I attended. Some professors were absent due to which we missed some lectures. I had opted for the commerce stream. The class rooms were crammed with about 60 students. I was told there were about a 100 in some class rooms. But the number of students did not bother me. I could clearly hear what the professor was teaching from where I was seated. I realized that college life was not much different from what I had heard.

Housing Law Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Housing Law Assignment - Essay Example The procedure for evicting a Scottish secure tenant is provided in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Schedule 2 to the said act provides grounds on which court may order recovery of possession. The landlord has to satisfy the sheriff that you have failed to pay rent due and also that it is reasonable to evict you, considering various factors such as the amount of arrears, reason for arrears including unemployment, past history of tenant, duties of the local authority pursuant to orders of eviction with regard to social welfare legislation e.g. Children (Scotland) Act 1995. You can take the following lines of defence. (1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Your employment was interrupted because of ill health and also because you did not get permanent employment. That you were hospitalized is also a factor which will be considered in your favour. (2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   You are now receiving benefits from the government, and you pay your rents out of these. As per the observation in W oodspring DC v. Taylor [3], receipt of benefits by a tenant is a material factor to be considered while deciding the application for eviction. Similarly, in Angus Housing Association v. Fraser [4] it was held that the sheriff should consider the fact that arrears direct are being paid and rent is taken care of by housing benefit. (3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact that you were sequestrated prior to the decree being passed against you means that it has not been considered by the sheriff. This is another important factor in your possible defence. (4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The landlord tenant relationship imposes duties on the landlord. The windows of your bedroom are badly fitting and your landlord has not carried out repairs even after seven months of his being informed. It is not clear from the instructions, but additional expenditure for heating due to the condensation may have led to arrears or a part of it. Also, you are entitled to withhold rent till the landlord ca rries out the repairs necessary. As per the observation in Mary Galloway -v- City of Glasgow Council [5], the landlord should have repaired the house within a reasonable period from the date of notice and if not then they would be in breach of express and implied obligations to repair the house. (5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Your landlord should have taken into account the fact that you are unemployed. Your limited income and ill health caused in all probability by the improper condition of the house are also considerable factors while deciding reasonability of eviction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to a government assessment, about 40% of cases bought to the court resulted in a decree for eviction being issued. Less than 23% of the total cases bought to the court resulted in eviction.[6] On the basis of facts as you narrate them, there is a good chance of avoiding eviction. You can also seek full unemployment benefit from the government, as well as benef its for families. You are entitled for benefits because your children are dependant on you. Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue department provides these benefits. It will take one year before some of your debts are automatically discharged. It will be of help to prepare a list of your creditors and see if you can defer payment to them until such time as you can get

Tierney, S. Deaton, C. and Whitehead, J. (2008) Essay

Tierney, S. Deaton, C. and Whitehead, J. (2008) - Essay Example The content about the studies is arranged in such a manner that it becomes easy to explore throughout the research and to be practical about it. As provided in the result of the research, â€Å"interviewees were unclear about what should be considered ‘disordered’ eating among individuals with T1DM†, so it makes us question about the interviewees and the research that whether all the studies and research were carried out in the proper manner. And if the manner and style of collecting the data was correct, then how come the questions can be raised against the report. One more thing, the interviewees only interviewed the professionals from the hospitals and other health centers, but they did not consider any opinion of the patients. Being a bit personal, a patient can be more practical on this kind of situation than the professional. Hence one could observe some gaps and logical and technical irregularities in the way the data has been collected.

Serivice Performance Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Serivice Performance Marketing - Research Paper Example Levels of service performance are defined on the basis of two main principles: indicators related to results of the organization’s performance and indicators related to determinants of the results. Moreover, an introduction of innovations and improvement in the sphere of management and customers’ needs satisfaction are basic pillars of modern companies’ performance (Carraher et al, 2006). Service performance in the Eastern world companies Therefore, there are possible steps of service performance of the organizations: to compare real and expected performance levels of the organization, to define relevant actions, to take appropriate actions. Thus, for the first group such points as outputs of financial performance and to the second group belong such groups as quality, flexibility or innovation etc (Frock and Boadu, 2002). In the developing countries, there is a need to improve service performance of the organizations. It is very important for modern organizations to satisfy the customer’s needs as it is required by new market conditions (Carraher et al, 2006). It is convenient to assure certain degrees of stability of performance in the market, to guarantee reliability of the organization’s performance. ... Other companies from public service sector from Singapore have focused their attention on the following factors: service quality guaranteed to their customers and clients. As far as we can see, there is promotion of an evident client-based approach in the service performance of Asian organizations (Marsh et al, 1999). Accountability and availability of services provided by the organizations is of crucial importance nowadays (Jones, 2001).  In small businesses and international companies it is of high importance to develop relevant strategies to meet expectations of customer, increase output of the company and keep it balance with the company’s input. We can confirm these suggestions by the following fact: â€Å"It is observed that performance of Indian industries for many measures differ significantly on the basis of national and international standards†¦such aspects as level of inventory, manufacturing cost, employee turnover rate and percentage rejection are related to such issues as services delivery speed, flexibility in production, labor productivity, capacity utilization, satisfaction of employees, customers and suppliers† (Carraher et al, 2006). As far as we can see, the companies of the Eastern region are concerned about appropriate innovations and improvements in their performance. Conclusion The role of service performance measurement in the assessment of every organization’s activity in the market is very important. Different advancements in companies’ services signify an essential breakthrough in the area of service performance of organizations. It is relevant for the modern companies to focus on various

Alcohol and Tobacco Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Alcohol and Tobacco Control - Essay Example Drinking alcohol and smoking are not good for health. Both expose an individual to numerous kinds of health risks. Health risks associated with drinking alcohol include but are not limited to cirrhosis, pancreatitis, hypertension, osteoporosis, and wernicke-korsakoff syndrome. Cirrhosis is a disease in which the liver is scarred and its healthy tissue is replaced with the scarred tissue. Malfunctioning of the liver caused by this causes the build-up of bile in the blood. Pancreatitis is another disease caused by drinking alcohol that causes the inflammation of pancreas. This affects insulin production, thus causing intense abdominal pain along with nausea and fever. Hypertension is a condition in which the passage of blood through the arteries can cause the arteries’ walls to rupture, thus causing stroke or heart attack. Alcohol consumption causes loss of the bone mass, a condition known as osteoporosis, thus increasing the risk of bone fracture. Wernicke-korsakoff syndrome is a brain disorder, which causes memory loss and blurred vision in the patient. Diseases caused by smoking include lungs’ cancer, oral cancer, cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The tar contained in the tobacco deposits in the mouth, throat and lungs thus increasing the smoker’s tendency to acquire cancer. ... Drinking and smoking are addictive habits. An individual who starts drinking and smoking goes a long way to reach the stage where he/she becomes a drug addict. Particularly, smoking often happens to be the first stage in the way of becoming a drug addict for many teenagers. It leads to the consumption of cocaine, marijuana and heroine in the later stages. Smoking all these drugs has potential negative implications on both the individual’s health and social life. The risks to health include all of the diseases that have been discussed before. Risks to the social life of the individual include poor academic performance, declined efficiency in work, laziness, and social exclusion. Teenagers that become drug addicts lose interest in studies. Consequentially, there academic grades start to decline. The poor academic performance has negative repercussions on the professional career of the individual as the eligibility of a candidate for a good job is directly governed by his/her pas t academic performance. This increases the drug addict’s risk of unemployment. In addition to that drug addicts are stigmatized and are subject to humiliation and social exclusion in the long run. Since the society does not accept them, they tend to be alone and are gradually pushed into social exclusion, in which they become depressed and may end up committing suicide. Owing to the myriad of negative effects of addiction caused by drinking and smoking, they should be prohibited. Control of alcohol and tobacco is compulsory in order to keep them out of the reach of children. Children are immature and generally unaware of the negative effects of alcohol and tobacco on their health. Even if they do know the effects, they tend to underestimate them owing to their immaturity. If alcohol

The Hitlers Success in Using the Principle of Fascism Essay - 32

The Hitlers Success in Using the Principle of Fascism - Essay Example To begin, it is noteworthy that Thomas Hobbes played a significant role in the intellectual movement whose goal was to free the emerging modern science from the classical and scholastic heritage. As indicated by traditional political rationality, on which the idealist notion is based, individuals can control their desires through reason and can work for the benefit of others, even at the cost of their own merits. They are consequently both sane and good executors, fit for recognizing good and bad, and of settling on good decisions (Doyle, 1997). They are likewise habitually social. With incredible expertise, Hobbes attacks these views. His people, to a great degree of individualistic instead of good or social, are liable to â€Å"a never-ending urge to force after power that sometimes ends in death† (Doyle, 1997). They subsequently definitely battle for power. In setting out such thoughts, Hobbes helps a percentage of the essential originations simple to the realist convention in global relations, and particularly to neorealism. These incorporate the characterization of personal inclination as self-absorbed, the idea of global disorder, and the view that legislative issues, established in the battle for power, can be legitimized and mulled over deductively. Secondly, Hobbes indicates that the reasons behind the economic and political conditions after German’s defeat in World War I. Hobbes agree that WWI led to despair and hopelessness among Germans. It is evident that many other different social groups rose to support Nazis and Hitler’s political ambition. Since the end of the First World War, the growth agenda has experienced radical changes (Ivan, 2006). This has led to numerous challenges to other countries and in contrast, for many years, this agenda has been quite reliable.   

Serivice Performance Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Serivice Performance Marketing - Research Paper Example Levels of service performance are defined on the basis of two main principles: indicators related to results of the organization’s performance and indicators related to determinants of the results. Moreover, an introduction of innovations and improvement in the sphere of management and customers’ needs satisfaction are basic pillars of modern companies’ performance (Carraher et al, 2006). Service performance in the Eastern world companies Therefore, there are possible steps of service performance of the organizations: to compare real and expected performance levels of the organization, to define relevant actions, to take appropriate actions. Thus, for the first group such points as outputs of financial performance and to the second group belong such groups as quality, flexibility or innovation etc (Frock and Boadu, 2002). In the developing countries, there is a need to improve service performance of the organizations. It is very important for modern organizations to satisfy the customer’s needs as it is required by new market conditions (Carraher et al, 2006). It is convenient to assure certain degrees of stability of performance in the market, to guarantee reliability of the organization’s performance. ... Other companies from public service sector from Singapore have focused their attention on the following factors: service quality guaranteed to their customers and clients. As far as we can see, there is promotion of an evident client-based approach in the service performance of Asian organizations (Marsh et al, 1999). Accountability and availability of services provided by the organizations is of crucial importance nowadays (Jones, 2001).  In small businesses and international companies it is of high importance to develop relevant strategies to meet expectations of customer, increase output of the company and keep it balance with the company’s input. We can confirm these suggestions by the following fact: â€Å"It is observed that performance of Indian industries for many measures differ significantly on the basis of national and international standards†¦such aspects as level of inventory, manufacturing cost, employee turnover rate and percentage rejection are related to such issues as services delivery speed, flexibility in production, labor productivity, capacity utilization, satisfaction of employees, customers and suppliers† (Carraher et al, 2006). As far as we can see, the companies of the Eastern region are concerned about appropriate innovations and improvements in their performance. Conclusion The role of service performance measurement in the assessment of every organization’s activity in the market is very important. Different advancements in companies’ services signify an essential breakthrough in the area of service performance of organizations. It is relevant for the modern companies to focus on various

The Hitlers Success in Using the Principle of Fascism Essay - 32

The Hitlers Success in Using the Principle of Fascism - Essay Example To begin, it is noteworthy that Thomas Hobbes played a significant role in the intellectual movement whose goal was to free the emerging modern science from the classical and scholastic heritage. As indicated by traditional political rationality, on which the idealist notion is based, individuals can control their desires through reason and can work for the benefit of others, even at the cost of their own merits. They are consequently both sane and good executors, fit for recognizing good and bad, and of settling on good decisions (Doyle, 1997). They are likewise habitually social. With incredible expertise, Hobbes attacks these views. His people, to a great degree of individualistic instead of good or social, are liable to â€Å"a never-ending urge to force after power that sometimes ends in death† (Doyle, 1997). They subsequently definitely battle for power. In setting out such thoughts, Hobbes helps a percentage of the essential originations simple to the realist convention in global relations, and particularly to neorealism. These incorporate the characterization of personal inclination as self-absorbed, the idea of global disorder, and the view that legislative issues, established in the battle for power, can be legitimized and mulled over deductively. Secondly, Hobbes indicates that the reasons behind the economic and political conditions after German’s defeat in World War I. Hobbes agree that WWI led to despair and hopelessness among Germans. It is evident that many other different social groups rose to support Nazis and Hitler’s political ambition. Since the end of the First World War, the growth agenda has experienced radical changes (Ivan, 2006). This has led to numerous challenges to other countries and in contrast, for many years, this agenda has been quite reliable.   

Cradle to Cradle Essay Example for Free

Cradle to Cradle Essay The ? rst key aspect of Cradle to Cradle ® in education is to move away from teaching children to feel guilty. We have faced a long period of all kinds of environmental disasters which has created a feeling that it would be better if we were not here. This is why people talk about minimising footprints. For education, however, that’s not a very positive message. There’s no doubt that sustainability has brought us a great deal of valuable expertise such as knowledge about supply chain management, logistics, toxicity, top soil, phosphate, nutrient recovery, material ? ows, etc. There is a wide range of knowledge that we can now use and build on. However, this has also led to us feeling guilty for being alive and being on earth. If this is the basis for education, you will not be able to inspire people to do new things. You can’t be innovative working from guilt because you’re trying to minimise feeling guilty. We now have the opportunity to use 30 years of environmental debate for innovation. To put plastic into the ocean is just stupid, just like making chemicals that damage biological systems. People become more creative when they feel appreciated and live without fear. It’s far more powerful to be proud of what you do. So the ? rst, and far most important thing is to tell children that we are happy that they are here. I’ve looked at over 50 different types of native tribes and learned that when people feel accepted and safe, they are always generous and friendly. Even the poorest of the poor share their things. I hope this book inspires teachers and educational policy makers to create more room for children and students to feel accepted and give them the opportunity to be proud of being here. Noodle to Noodle? There are many approaches that can be taken when teaching children about our planet. However, I would kindly like to ask you not to confuse the concepts of industrial ecology, sustainability and life cycle assessment with C2C ®, because otherwise it all just becomes ‘noodle to noodle’. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 5 In my opinion, the concept of sustainability is especially unattractive for education. There is no innovation that is sustainable; otherwise it wouldn’t be an innovation. Sustainability always remains within the realm of existing systems, i. e. it always stays in the same paradigm. And just so that we’re clear, if we stay in the same paradigm, we will destroy the planet. Minimising your footprint, doesn’t help; we need to do things differently. People have been trying to do things that are less bad for many years now, but that just delays the process. We’ll just destroy the planet a little later. That doesn’t make sense. Cradle to Cradle is about innovation, quality and beauty. It’s not  ® And this requires long-term goals. By teaching children to set longterm positive goals, like: In 10 years we want to be soil ‘positive’, the educational system could make a dramatic change and generate endless innovation. Cradle to Cradle ® in education needs all your expertise This book showcases examples of the ? rst steps that are being taken to implement Cradle to Cradle ® in education. Several institutions in the Benelux countries are looking at how to implement C2C ® in their respective curricula. And there are similar developments in Denmark, Germany and Sweden as well. It’s amazing how fast it’s spreading. C2C ® helps empower students and teachers to become engineers, designers, architects, chemists, economists, communications specialists, managers, product developers, marketeers and urban planners because there is so much room to innovate. We need a change in education in all the different subjects. We need a whole range of skills to work together on solutions, and for that we need a whole range of quali? cations. Some people are more into operating things and others more into constructing, while some are more into conceptual work and others more into applying it. To really make things work, we need C2C ® principles to be applied to all ? elds. beautiful when it’s toxic. And it’s not beautiful when people can’t make a living either. These young kids want to be proud of what they do. Educational institutions have all the means to make young people feel accepted so they can be kind and generous. Sustainability is guilt management from the past. Why would we want to be less bad, when instead we can be good? Instead of talking about minimising our footprint, Cradle to Cradle is about making a big and positive footprint.  ® Positive intentions goals Education is always about intentions: Where do I want to be? What do I want to achieve? What is relevant for the people I’m working with? 6 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® I would be delighted if this book could help bridge the gap between the universities of applied sciences and the traditional universities because we need to develop solutions together. We need to combine theory with applications for ? nding answers to the question of how can we do this. Cradle to Cradle ® in education is about taking people as they are and supporting them to become what they want to be. This means looking at a C2C society. It’s about looking at what the human role is on this  ® While repairing the engine, the student mechanics automatically sorts the metals and other materials used, to make sure the other students have plenty of stuff to work with. Again. And again. And again. It has been a long day and Jeanne sits down for a second while watching over her lovely smelling hand creams, moisturisers and planet; it’s about innovation, a positive footprint, a system that allows us to be bene? cial, instead of less bad; it’s about giving people a long-term goal and a positive vision of where to go. Cradle to Cradle is about a positive agenda. To reach that goal, everybody needs to be on board. All your expertise and all your skills are essential. I hope this book invites and inspires you to look at how to translate C2C principles to your ? eld.  ® other skin products. She had been taught to read and really understand what is on the label. And these†¦ she Kind regards, Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart Hamburg, February 2011 Cradle to Cradle ® and C2C are registered trademarks of EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH and McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC.knows for a fact, have only nice, healthy things in it. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 8 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® Ljiljana Wiersma-Rodic PhD Douglas Mulhall, Cradle to Cradle Chair, Erasmus University Cradle to Cradle ® is an innovation framework developed by Michael Braungart, and William McDonough and their colleagues in the 1990s for designing products and systems that are explicitly bene? cial to the individuals involved as well as to the natural environment and society at large. It is based on award-winning research started in the 1980s and continuing today at the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA) in Hamburg Germany, for designing bene? cial economic, social and environmental features into products, processes and systems. The approach was originally known as the Intelligent Product System, and was awarded the Oce van der Grinten Prize in 1993. The approach is primarily an entrepreneurial and innovation concept that starts by determining the intended bene? ts of a product or service instead of focusing on minimizing negative environmental impacts. Development and design of materials, products, production processes and entire systems are based on the principles of natural ecosystems, where the quality and effectiveness of material and energy ? ows are central features. Some examples of this include the development of human- friendly buildings that produce energy and clean air, or agricultural and other activities that help to restore topsoil as one of our most valuable natural resources. Much like in natural ecosystems, material ? ow partnerships play a key role in the implementation of Cradle to Cradle principles. C2C functions in three distinct but inter-related categories Philosophy E. g. the concept of positive intentions and being bene? cial instead of ‘less bad’. The concept of C2C as an innovation platform for improving quality. These philosophical approaches provide an inspirational basis that distinguishes C2C from conventional ‘sustainability’. The philosophy of C2C also allows for further development of C2C as well as healthy discussion over what is the purpose of human beings on this planet, as described by Michael Braungart in his introduction. Principles Three basic principles that guide implementation of the C2C philosophy. The distinguishing point about these principles is that they can each be implemented measurably so that progress can be determined toward a goal. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 9 Application Tools The scienti? c, technical, economic, management and social tools that are used to implement the principles. C2C innovation starts by determining the intended value and de? ning one’s own positive, bene? cial intention. The process is then supported by a ‘road map’ prepared to ensure complementarity and synergy among the individual activities. An example is the ABC-X or ‘traf? c light’ system of assessing product ingredients for their de?ned use. is a nutrient for something else. This includes materials that are not normally considered to be waste. One of the fundamental laws of nature holds that residual materials from the metabolism of one organism constitute food for another organism. In a society that is based on Cradle to Cradle principles, all materials that we consider to be waste serve as input (nutrients, food) for a new cycle of production, time and time again. In this way, Cradle to Cradle eliminates the concept of waste because waste = food. The Cradle to Cradle concept distinguishes between consumption products and service products. Consumption products either get spent Principles The three basic principles of the Cradle to Cradle framework are: Waste = Food (everything is a nutrient for something else) Use current solar power income Celebrate diversity (biodiversity, conceptual diversity and cultural diversity). Waste = Food (everything is a nutrient for something else) There is often a misunderstanding of this principle due to the quick and catchy but somewhat misleading title. The important thing is not that waste becomes food for something else, but instead that everything 10 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ®Ã‚  (consumed) or wear out during their period of use and, if anything is left over, it can be safely returned to the natural environment. Some examples of this include agricultural products like bread and butter, cosmetic products like soap and hand cream, and natural ? Bre clothes and shoes. Such materials are considered to be biological nutrients, as they feed into a natural biological metabolism (‘biosphere’). Biological nutrients, e. g. wood, can be used in pre-de? ned ‘cascades’, where the quality deteriorates from one application to the next, but in the end all of the material can go back into the biological cycle, in ways that are bene? cial for and thus not harmful to human health or the environment. As these materials come from the land, due care is required for these nutrients to indeed remain on land instead of ending up in the ocean, where processes of biological degradation are quite different to those of terrestrial ecosystems or a composting installation. Service products do not get consumed, but rather provide the user with a certain desired service. Some examples of this include cars, washing machines and TV sets. These products are usually made out of metals and various synthetic materials, which originate from renewable or non-renewable sources and are often hazardous to human health and the environment. As such, they cannot be safely returned to the environment if they are completely disassembled into their component materials and disposed of after special processing. Those types of processes are usually impractical or too expensive, so it makes more sense to keep the materials in technical cycles where they can be reused and do not enter the environment in concentrations that are hazardous. Moreover, they often contain rare metals that are available on earth in very limited amounts. For these reasons, they are considered technological nutrients and should be returned to the technological cycle (‘techno sphere’), where they will be used to make new products with the same level of quality, time and time again. A famous example of this is Herman Miller’s Mirra chair, which has been designed for disassembly and for its materials to be reused in high-quality applications at least 200 times. According to Cradle to Cradle, the worst possible designs are so-called monstrous hybrids, consisting of materials that cannot be separated after use their period of use, and thus cannot be returned safely to either of the two cycles. Design for Sustainability Eco-efficiency C2C Environmental cost accounting Global view Partnerships in total chain management Product Stewardship / LCA Integrated managent systems Management system focus Pollution prevention Compliance proactive Compliance reactive Waste/ costs/ noncompliance Unprepared Aware/reactive Proactive Mainstreaming. Outward view Inward focus Mature/highly integrative Use current solar power income The Cradle to Cradle concept assumes a reliance on renewable energy sources that ultimately originate from the sun, i. e. solar energy, wind energy, water and various innovative bio-based sources, provided that they meet requirements of the ? rst C2C Principle, and do not compete with food crops. For further explanation of current solar income please refer to Cradle to Cradle Criteria for the Built Environment (Mulhall c. s. , 2010) which contains an annex on C2C and Energy describing this more precisely. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 11 Celebrate diversity Respect for diversity in all its forms, including biodiversity, cultural diversity, and diversity of ideas and innovation to suit local conditions, is an integral part of the Cradle to Cradle concept. Instead of relying solely on legislation as a means to of reconciling the perceived con? ict between economic interests and environmental protection, Cradle to Cradle encourages designers, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, material and other scientists alike to create systems and products that are  bene? Cial and add value to all three domains: the economy, society and the environment. under sustainability principles, individual mobile phones have become far more ef? cient, but collectively consume many times more materials and energy than they used to, because ef? ciency made them affordable for billions of users. Mobile phones produced under C2C principles are designed to make sure they can be effectively recovered at the same level of quality, not to minimize materials. This is a basic difference in approach for business. This is why C2C is often referred to as ‘surpassing’ or ‘going beyond’ sustainability. There are many other differences between C2C and sustainability as illustrated in the scheme on page 11. It is important for readers to Cradle to Cradle versus conventional Sustainability In further sections of this book you will frequently see reference to ‘sustainability’ when interviewees are discussing C2C. This is because companies often include C2C under their ‘sustainability’ portfolios. But actually this is not the ideal way to approach C2C because there are fundamental differences. Conventional sustainability usually attempts to minimize bad impacts through ef? ciency while C2C aims at improving bene? cial ones. To illustrate this let’s consider the case of mobile phones. Produced 12 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® keep this in mind when reading this book. It is also true that some application tools used for sustainability are also used for C2C1. 2. 1 Waste no more – The Van Gansewinkel Groep Roel Majoor, Organisational Development Manager (interviewed by Judith van Heeswijk) technological cycles. The constant conversion of waste into energy and raw materials is seen as added value. The company transformed from a traditional waste collector into a supplier of sustainable raw materials and energy. They seek sustainable solutions for their waste streams and consider their knowledge of waste as something of value to partners. Their goal is to work together in early product design stages so that they can ful? l a role and help deliver pro? table solutions for waste streams. Given that Van Gansewinkel has embraced the Cradle to Cradle The Van Gansewinkel Groep is a major player in waste management in Western Europe. It’s also one of the ?rst companies in Western Europe to fully implement Cradle to Cradle design in its business processes. The company’s sustainability ambitions have been translated into their business operations and into a strategy that includes Cradle to Cradle objectives. From their mission statement : 2 concept, this has also had implications for its operations and the way business (waste) processes are designed and managed. This means additional knowledge and competences are needed from employees. Since 2008, the company has been working together with EPEA to streamline knowledge in operations. They found that a lot of implicit knowledge about waste management is useful for understanding the transition to C2C. There was less explicit knowledge about C2C basic Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 13 †By seeing Cradle to Cradle as a guideline, we deal with raw material shortages and the CO2 problem. We assume opportunities and not debt management. † The company sees waste as a source of new raw materials and energy. They see their role as one that closes the biological and principles, so the company had to acquire additional knowledge about this. The EPEA shared these principles during a ?rst meeting. After that, practical knowledge and experience was even more important to bring employee knowledge up to a working level. The company understands that there is a signi? cant difference between knowing C2C in theory and predicting the way it will have to be applied in daily practice. The steps and processes have to be thought through and visualised several times to be able to thoroughly understand the principle. To really use C2C, insight into its use is essential. You have to make it your own. It is a radically different way of thinking and is, therefore, a paradigm shift. This means it also asks for a paradigm shift from employees. And in relation to customers’ needs in particular it is becoming more and more practical, as it also means that you ask the customer to think about waste from another perspective. The Van Gansewinkel employee has to be able to communicate the principle to the customer. Communication is something that should not be underestimated in the transition to C2C. Van Gansewinkel used three different training courses: waste managers, sales and marketing managers. A total of approximately 150 people took the course. The training course focused on large industry. 2 Sponsors training. A two-day EPEA training course for employees that need to know how to translate the C2C concept into the organisation. This training course was developed for managing directors, etc. 3 Advisors training: two one-day training in company courses for sales executives. It dealt with the basic principles and translating them into business operations. The training course focused on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). 1 Champions training: A four-day EPEA training course, in which the theory is brought to life and cases are studied. This training course was developed for regional management, key account managers, ‘Garbage Elefant’  © Franny Thonhauser 14 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® Large industry is able to close the biological and technological cycles itself, but that isn’t the case for SMEs, which are often just a small link in the production chain. Therefore, they are more dependent on other companies to change production and waste processes. Van Gansewinkel has turned out to be a chain facilitator in some cases. Van Gansewinkel has a reason for doing so because large volumes of waste are often necessary to be economically ef?  cient. Competences Van Gansewinkel states that working with C2C principles is more important than knowing them. General change management competences are essential and the three change management steps are: Management noticed that employees invest more time and energy in their work than their role requires. This is also evident at course reunions that take place a year after the training. Everyone is very willing to attend them and a lot of passion for the concept is shared. Technical issues From a technical point of view, it is mainly the strength of innovation that is important for the company. The company is implementing biomimicry for its innovation processes. It starts by learning to understand processes in nature and, from there, to develop and innovate the company’s processes. It’s a link between biology and technology or taking the ecological system into the technological one. Knowledge management Knowledge management has been very important for the main issues surrounding C2C transition. Several knowledge centres were opened to gather information and knowledge on materials and processes. It is not only the operators who have access to this information, but also account managers and local waste managers. These knowledge centres also provide information on where certain knowledge on materials is available and what speci? cs are accessible. 1 2 3 To raise awareness about the need for change. To highlight the momentum for change. To create a willingness to change It is only after you have taken these steps that you can work on the ability to change. The new competences for Van Gansewinkel were primarily change management ones. The main goal is to be able to address the story in a positive way, to tell it simply and convincingly, i. e. the sales pitch. Telling the story is not about selling a product, but about conveying an ideology. The employees have indicated that using the C2C concept adds more depth to their work and energises them. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 15 Seeing as the company is moving towards a more facilitating position in the materials market, it is focusing more on logistics and purchases. New business opportunities have also arisen, e. g. it’s investigating the possibility of producing and selling recycled glass for the consumer market. The glass industry is reluctant to invest though, so Van Gansewinkel has decided to develop this business on its own. This shows how innovative its new role can be. Additional knowledge on the basic Cradle to Cradle principles is needed for vocational-level competences. The basic ideology has to be embedded, so that employees are able to convey it to others. Employees on the technical site who have a vocational education background have to deal with the concept when working on separation plants. The main part of the machines in the plants is developed within the company. Technical engineers and operators are consulted during the development of new separation lines. This process actually hasn’t changed since C2C has been implemented. The operators are used as part of the developing processes. Only the perspective, goals and market needs have changed. Current developments within the organisation are expected to be temporary, because the transition to C2C is now leading the way. In the future, all the necessary changes will be made. The current change asks for a more project-oriented way of working and for employees to invest more time in it. Over time, however, products in the waste stream will be more and more assembled or degradable. The company wants  Knowledge and education At the moment, the company has to consult others in the new ? elds of expertise required. For the very ? rst time ever, they have three technical university trainees for these ? elds, i. e. Geometrics; Industrial Design, and Energy Sciences and Operation Management Logistics. 16 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® to have its waste processes aligned with these products and material streams by then. At the moment, the company has to deal with different types of material streams. Over the next few years, all technical engineering education needs to focus more on design. Design principles have to be taught to higher education and academic students. C2C principles also impact the organisation. A roadmap 3 has been designed to change facilities, e. g. the vehicles, human resource management (diversity and employing senior personnel,) and to make internal processes more C2C proof. They admit that pursuing these ambitions is sometimes a bit dif? cult ? nancially speaking. Desso is the ? rst carpet manufacturer in Europe, the Middle East and Asia to adopt the Cradle to Cradle design philosophy and they are planning further geographical expansion into Latin America. Their carpets and arti? cial grass will be produced using manufacturing processes that rely on renewable energy, seek to conserve water and embrace social responsibility. Their products are made from environmentally friendly, pure materials that are safe for human 2. 2 Quality personnel DESSO Joris Bressers, Human Resource Advisor (interviewed by Judith van Heeswijk) health and are designed in such a way that they can be biologically or technologically recycled 5 at the end of their useful lives. Prior to formal Cradle to Cradle certi?cation being granted, products, materials and components must all undergo a rigorous assessment procedure. The initial stages of the certi? cation process comprise assessing raw materials in terms of human and environmental health criteria, and evaluating the manufacturing process according to recycling potentials, energy and water use, and social responsibility. EPEA will be supplied with detailed information regarding all the materials involved in DESSO’s products and processes. The future steps towards Cradle to Cradle certi? cation are: List all the chemicals a product contains. All compounds are also separated into their components (the base chemicals). Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 17 Carpet, carpet tile and arti? cial turf manufacturer Desso is one of the leading companies in its ? eld in Europe. Their Business Carpets division manufactures carpets for commercial locations such as of? ces, banks, retail units, public buildings, schools, universities, hospitals and care centres. Point 3 of DESSO’s innovation strategy is its ambition regarding Cradle to Cradle: 4. â€Å"Cradle to Cradle: Developing products and processes that will contribute towards a better environment and better indoor quality. † Material Safety Data Sheets are collected as well as all toxicological and eco toxicological data. EPEA evaluates all chemicals on 12 different criteria and gives an overall assessment, i. e. red, yellow or green. Work on phase-out plans for those chemicals that are given a red assessment. EPEA monitors these plans. DESSO has already launched its innovative EcoBase ® carpet tile backing – enabling the world’s ? rst Cradle to Cradle silver certi? cation for an entire carpet tile product. Competences In 2007, when they started on their Cradle to Cradle journey, DESSO needed additional expertise in the company primarily chemical expertise at the design stage. The marketing department also needed additional expertise on the basic C2C principles, in order to be able to communicate the added value of the certi? ed products. Special technical project teams were set up to develop new machines. The key values encouraged throughout the organisation – and required At this point in time, 90% of DESSO’s polyamide carpet tile collection is Cradle to Cradle certi?ed. 6 from every employee to ensure a successful Cradle to Cradle work method are ‘ownership’, common sense, ambition and integrity. Furthermore, Desso have seen that employees are motivated and driven by being involved in this ambitious, strategic change of direction. A large group of employees from the company from a variety of departments and disciplines were given a training course at EPEA and this expertise has since been transferred into the production processes. EPEA has been contributing to further increasing knowledge within the organisation. The company has found that it is one of  the leaders in implementing the concept and therefore had to discover and tackle a lot of issues themselves in the early stages. 18 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® Employee commitment to the Cradle to Cradle goals is of utmost importance, along with a strong belief in the philosophy. If they see for themselves that implementing it works, and that the market responds positively, that creates great encouragement to move ahead. DESSO created a Cradle to Cradle awareness team tasked with raising awareness on sustainable issues within the organisation, such as waste management. The company strategy places Cradle to Cradle as the top concern for every part of the organisation, and has identi? ed their production processes as the ? rst area to target. education organisations are sometimes not up to speed with the new developments within multinationals. The students are often not fully equipped with essential frontline knowledge. Moreover the multinationals have dif? culty ? nding new employees that can immediately take up a complicated subject like Cradle to Cradle and AkzoNobel needs these kinds of people as their ambition is to belong to the world’s most sustainable multinationals. The company seeks to attract genuinely motivated and interested students. A real compassion is essential, especially when it comes to sustainable issues. AkzoNobel took the initiative to search for those students another way. With some partners (BECO, Royal Cosun, DPI Value 2. 3 Factory of the Future Akzo Nobel Jan Verlaan, Ideation Manager (interviewed by Judith van Heeswijk) Centre, Search, Witteveen+Bos, and DSM), it developed a conceptual production environment based on sustainable principles, in terms of people (equity), planet (ecology) and pro?t (economy), for the total value chain. The aim of this virtual facility is to close the biological and technological cycles of a product and its related manufacturing as much as possible. AkzoNobel has extensive global experience cooperating with educational organisations both on traineeships and on projects. The impression of Jan Verlaan, Ideation manager at AkzoNobel, that universities and higher The critical factor in developing this virtual Factory of the Future 7 is sustainable design, in which Cradle to Cradle principles form the foundation where possible. The facility’s design showcases renewable energy, water management and active materials and transport management. Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® 19 The Factory of the Future demonstrates the feasibility of a typical chemical plant designed according to a continuous loops system, i. e. a production environment based on sustainable principles for a positive footprint. All the partners realise that existing processes have to be redeveloped for sustainable development. Therefore, starting from scratch is essential. The project aims to generate an open concept for the factory, one that can be used by other companies and projects to bene? t society as a whole. The production environment will be suitable for a variety of sustainable products and production lines. The facility will be available as a training centre for users to train employees on new processes and products. The aim is to design not only a sustainable building, but also a sustainable production chain, which requires solutions at a much higher level. The Factory of the Future project also extends into a learning community. Students have to apply for the Honours course, which they follow for six months and which can lead to a graduation project. AkzoNobel reckons it will particularly need people from different disciplines who relate to sustainability. Production chains will become sustainable and will, therefore, change in the near future. Nonetheless, other aspects of enterprise will change. Financing structures, business 20 Inspired by Cradle to Cradle ® models, the legal system, policy, facility management, buildings, training, HR management, etc. ; all of these will change because of the increasing orientation towards sustainability that will become explicit when Cradle to Cradle is introduced into the organisation. They have people with chemical process.