The Bakun Dam Project in Sarawak Essays

The Bakun Dam Project in Sarawak Essays The Bakun Dam Project in Sarawak Paper The Bakun Dam Project in Sarawak Paper For more than 30 years, there have been discussions concerning the development of the Baku Dam in the East Malaysian state of Karakas. If built, the dam would be the largest in South-East Asia. The Baku Dam: A Case Study indicates that generating 2400 megawatts of power, it would provide electricity for all of Karakas, and for industries and cities in mainland Malaysia, through a cable under the South China Sea. At 650 kilometers, this would be by far the longest cable in the world. The Baku Dam has been a highly controversial issue spanning over three decades as its validity and use to the people of Malaysia have been questioned. For the cost that involves producing this dam, at seven billion dollars and rising, is there a need for so much power at all? The main environmental issue here is whether Karakas should sacrifice forests in order to promote the economic growth of its country or cease construction to preserve the traditional environment and standards of living. It is essential to the people of Malaysia that the construction of the dam continues, as it will benefit them in the future through industrialization. This dam can be seen as a source of employment for the nation, the creation of international interest, and increased economic growth. There are also many negatives to the completion of the dam; which include the displacement of natives, increased foreign debt, and the gradual deterioration of the dam after many years. There are many other factors that contribute to this issue, however, the above three positive components are fundamental to the further growth of Malaysia. The main stakeholders involved in this area of interest include Malaysian non- governmental organizations opposed to the project, indigenous peoples affected, non-governmental organizations outside Malaysia opposed the reject, Malaysian State and Federal governments, Koran Bernhard (the developer), and international corporations contributing to the project. The Baku Dam has had an uncertain, highly controversial history. The project is of importance to Malaysian political and business leaders as there is a promise of abundant electricity and a lever by which Karakas could be lifted out of its backward state. It has been said that for environmentalists and the native people, the project would flood tropical forests and force the resettlement of approximately 10 000 people in order to generate high cost electricity, for which no market might exist (Dams Initiative). These contrasting perspectives on the Baku Dam make it valuable as a case study to identify the best power solution for a nations economic problem. There have been many complications regarding the Baku Dam since its introduction. Bevies (1 995, p. 65) stated that after initial surveys in the early asses, in 1 986, a decision by the national government was made to construct the dam. In 1 990, official postponement of the project was made due to protests and doubts about the dams economic viability. In 1 993 however, he project was renewed with the catalyst being Malaysias desperate need for power. It was said that in 1 994, the awarding of the project contract to Koran Bernhard cemented the importance the dam was for the Malaysian government to address its financial issues (Bevies, 1995, up. 101-102). But nevertheless, further problems mounted and in 1 997, the project was deferred in the face of the Asian economic crisis. In recent years, the project has been rehabilitated with last year being the set date for the completion of the project. Clearly however, the completion of the Baku Dam will not take lace for a further few years. There are many advantages to the completion Of the Baku Dam for Malaysia. Proponents of the project argue that the dam has several benefits, and minimal impacts. For the native residents of the region, it would be a source of employment during construction, and would indirectly stimulate creation of other employment opportunities. It has been stated that increased cash income for these residents was advocated as the only means to change the backward status of this region, and to address poverty (Chocolates, 1993, p. 163). These are the initial steps to consolidating Malaysias economic and environmental future. Even after the project had been shelved in 1990, lobbying by its proponents continued, particularly by the Karakas government, which urged the federal government to revive the project. Finally, in September 1993, the Malaysian cabinet approved construction of the Baku Dam. In reviving the project, Malaysias need for power was most often invoked as justification. By 1993 the Malaysian economy was growing by more than 8 percent per year, with electricity demand expanding even faster. The Borneo Bulletin affirms that lockouts in 1992 and 1993, and a predicted doubling of demand by 2000, were indications of a power crisis, justifying extraordinary efforts to expand supply. Project proponents also believed the Baku Dam could help reduce dependence on fossil fuels, especially oil. Most evident however, was that this project was consistent with an energy policy relying almost entirely on supply. In Hardens argument, he referred to the quote from environmentalist Grit Sings (1995) to prove his theory: The concept of energy conservation and certainly its implementation is virtually absent in Malaysia. This is why Malaysia needs to complete the dam, to enhance its economic and environmental status on the worldwide scale. Furthermore, the Baku Dam has attracted the attention of numerous international engineering and construction companies, with experience building dams elsewhere. The IRON Baku Campaign specifies that this is a means of attracting investment to Karakas, of fostering its industrialization, so that it could develop to the same extent as, or even beyond, mainland Malaysia. Originally, Germany, Mexico and Brazil were major participants in a consortium to bid to have privileges to build the dam. The dam was used as a connection to develop close ties between Malaysia and associated countries. Spires (1 995 p. 135) reported that recent contract an announcements have included Europe, Latin America and certain parts of Asia to add to the increasing number of foreign firms constructing the dam. This is beneficiary for the Malaysian economy as there is more money coming into the nation. Beyond the economic viability of the project itself, the Baku Dam has been justified in terms of the overall economic development of Malaysia. In 1991 Malaysia established Vision 2020, a plan that envisages Malaysia becoming fully developed and industrialized nation by 2020. Within this context, the IRON Baku Campaign informs that the Baku Dam could contribute in several ways to Vision 2020 through the supply of electricity, needed by manufacturing. In recent years, demand for power has increased by up to 13%/year. In addition, the project would be a model of close partnership between the state and federal governments, and the private sector. Furthermore, Vision 2020 can be achieved through gaining access to advanced power technology, such as turbines and transmission lines, provided by foreign engineering firms. The role the dam plays on Vision 2020 can progressively contribute to Malaysia becoming industrialized in the future. However, the Baku Dam has been the focus of intense controversy as well. Human implications included the displacement of approximately 10 000 native people to the Karakas region. The displacement and resettlement of these people in effect involved the loss of their way of life, and the acceptance of a modern lifestyle. Most people are now subsistence farmers, supplementing their income through cash crops or jobs in timber companies. These native people once valued their autonomy, as one indigenous person dated in a Friends of the Earth press release (1995): We are poor only insofar as we have little money. In fact, we are rich, because we have all we need to feed ourselves and house ourselves. Rice is free, fish and meat are free, vegetables are free, water is free, and lumber is free. After the relocation these natives no longer have their own land, and have to seek work instead on large plantations to survive. Malaysia: the progress bought by the Baku Dam in Karakas states that the project had long been criticized for the possibilities of a dam collapse, earth remorse, new waterborne diseases, deterioration of the reservoir, disruption of downstream water quality, salt water intrusion, loss of fish habitat, and sediment accumulation behind the dam that would render it useless within fifty years. Construction of the dam would also result in loss of approximately 23 000 ha fertile agricultural land. These were some of the many environmental effects cited that would one day harm Karakas. There were also questions about the economic costs of the project. The Lira Monthly (1 995, p. 71) assumed that in the asses, much of the necessary UAPITA would be raised through loans from international agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. These loans would substantially increase Malaysias foreign debt. It was even unclear whether the nation, then in recession, needed so much electricity. However in todays society, research shows that the need for electricity would aid in the industrialization of the nation. There have been many alternating perceptions on the Baku Dam issue. Many people believe that the Baku Dam is just the start of the transformation of Malaysia. Private investors from all around the world live that their investments will bring them great financial returns. One investor from Belgium stated: There has been so much controversy over this dam. I chose to invest in it because I believe it has great potential. The Baku Dam will be the means Of a new and improved Malaysia, all it needs is some financial assistance. Is there any controversy in financial assistance? As part of an international lobbying effort, Friends of the Earth along sent letters to hundreds institutional investors and fund managers in February 1997 warning them of the financial, environmental and social risks involved in he Baku project. Sarah Tack of Friends of the Earth said: It is clear that major institutional investors and financial analysts are beginning to realizes that an investment in this Baku Hydroelectric project is not only unethical but carries a high financial risk due to overly optimistic performance forecasts. Koran must take this Luke warm response from potential foreign investors as a reflection Of the lack Of confidence in this project There is a great need for private intervention on the project to assist in its completion. In the projects incarnation in the asses, funding for the dam was to discussed in any detail publicly. It was the assumption that Malaysia would seek loans from international sources. However, in the 1 sass, there were strong intentions from the federal government to avoid funding from multilateral sources. In a recent newspaper article published by the Borneo Bulletin (2001 a statement by Prime Minister Mathis helps explain his governments effort to avoid involvement of the World Bank: We in the poor countries would like to have some cheap hydroelectric power. But all manner of campaigns are mounted against our proposals the World Bank will be used to deprive poor countries of cheap hydroelectric power. And all this after the rich have developed most of their hydro potentials. Instead, funding is being sought through domestic private and government sources, as well as international private investors. While domestic sources are envisaged as the dominant sources of funding, funding from foreign private sources is also clearly a priority for project proponents, perhaps because of the credibility such funding would provide. However, the effort devoted to obtaining private funding illustrates the obstacles encountered in financing such a project without subsidies. It has often been argued by dam opponents that such projects could not survive without large subsidies from governments or multilateral development banks. Difficulties that Koran has encountered in soliciting interest from foreign private investors suggest that this is also the case in this project. Malaysia: the progress bought by the Baku Dam in Karakas reports that in July 1 996, Delphi International, a British consulting firm, warned its clients and potential investors in the project that the Baku Dam promised far greater kiss than is typical of power projects, and lower returns. This has presented an additional obstacle to Sarans efforts to attract foreign investment. The extent to which the Baku Dam represents prevarication of power generation is ambiguous; while Koran Bertha currently holds the largest stake in the project and is actively seeking private investment, the Karakas state government and Cosec are also major shareholders. (Spires, 1995, p. 139-140). Evidently, although there are firms that are currently investing in the Baku Dam, more needs to be done to attract further investors. Koran has also agreed to sell much of the power to the national public utility, at rates that may involve considerable subsidy of the project by Malaysian electricity consumers. This is an important process towards providing for a more advanced and Industrialized Malaysia. There is certainly a way the Baku Dam can be built with minimum impact on the environment and the Malaysian economy. Initially, there are uncertainties concerning the technical details of project. These include variations in rainfall and stream flow at the dam site, and the design and stability of the dam itself. One of the most significant technical worries relates to the cables that will deliver power to the Malaysian mainland. They are, in effect, an unprecedented experiment. Dams Initiative studies show that at 650 km, they are far longer than the longest existing undersea power cables, beneath the calmer waters between Denmark and Sweden. No reliable estimates of how much these cables will cost, how long they will last, or how much power will be lost as it travels through the cable, are available yet. The Baku Dam project is definitely manageable, and a positive step to consolidating Malaysias economic and environmental future. The design of the Baku Dam has evolved since the initial studies carried out in the early asses, taking into account developments worldwide. The design of the dam has incorporated features that will ensure the highest degree of safety and economics. The project certainly yields more positive outcomes with respect to the use of local resources and employment, promotion of regional development and industrialization, savings of fossil fuel, and river regulation. Negative ecological effects include the deterioration of the water quality (although temporary), displacement of natives, and high foreign debt. However, with proper planning of precautionary measures, these negative outcomes can be kept under control. The main recommendations in consideration are to constantly monitor water quality, provide to the natives essential needs, and maintain appropriate foreign debts. Ultimately, the negative outcomes are only temporary. Although environmental conditions may not be positive and debt will mount during construction of the dam, these situations will diminish over a period of time and these impacts will lessen. Malaysia will benefit greatly from the Baku Dam in the not too distant future.

AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions

AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Practicing free-response questions is one of the best things you can do to improve your AP Chemistry score. Not only will you excel on the free-response section, but you'll also know the material so well that the multiple-choice questions will be a piece of cake. In this article I'll tell you all about the free-response section of the exam, give you some tips on how to solve AP Chemistry FRQs, and go through a couple of sample problems from recent exams so you can get a feel for what they're like! What’s the Format of the AP Chemistry Free-Response Section? The free-response section of the AP Chemistry exam seems intimidating because it’s longer than free-response sections on most other AP tests, and it includes lots of calculations and experiments that you have to interpret.The most important thing you can do is remain calm and stay focused and methodical in your approach to each question.It’s not as scary or difficult as it looks if you’ve prepared well for the test and use your common sense! Here's an overview of the format of the free-response section: 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes) Calculator use permitted Seven questions total Three long response worth 10 points each Four short response worth 4 points each The long response questions always come first! You’ll be tested on the following skills (which may be tied to any topic in the AP Chemistry curriculum): Experimental design Analyzing real lab data to identify patterns and explain phenomena Creating or analyzing diagrams of molecules and atoms to explain observations Translating between different representations of data Following logical steps to analyze and solve problems OK, that all makes sense, but how exactly do you solve these long, complicated questions? In the next section,I’ll go through a step-by-step guide for how to approach the AP Chemistry FRQs. How to Solve AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions It's important to have a game plan for the free-response section. My first piece of advice is not to feel obligated to do the questions in order!Take a couple of minutes (no more than 5-10) at the beginning of the section to look through everything and decide which question you want to tackle first.It’s best to start with your strengths so you'll have more time at the end for challenging questions. You should spend a maximum of 20 minutes on each long free-response question and 10 minutes on each short free-response question.Keep an eye on the time so it doesn’t get away from you! Here are some basic steps you should take to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figure Out What You Know First, assess the information the question gives you.It can be confusing to extract the data that’s embedded in the introduction over and over again as you go through different parts of the question.Make things easier for yourself by writing down the values you’re given next to the question so that they’re easily accessible when you need them.You should also take time to understand (at least on a general level) the experiment being described so that you don’t feel confused and overwhelmed when you start reading the question. Step 2: Dive Into the Question For each part of the question, read the instructions and ask yourself the following: Do you need to do any calculations? Decide which equations you’ll need (if applicable), and write them down.Do the necessary calculations based on the numbers you extracted in the previous step and any numbers you were given in this part of the question.Make sure you show your work! Don’t erase your calculations, and double-check everything to make sure you have the correct units and your answer makes sense logically. Does the question ask you to justify or explain your answer? If so, DON’T ignore these instructions.In many cases, you’ll only get points for your answer if you can explain it adequately.Use concrete evidence to back up your response (we’re talking hard data).Even if something seems obvious to you, spell it out as clearly as possible to ensure that you earn those points! Do you have to draw a diagram? Even though neither of the free-response questions I'll go over in the next section requiresthis, some questions will ask you to draw diagrams.For example: If you have to answer a question like this, try to be as clear as possible.Draw out your answer on scrap paper first if you feel unsure so that the final product is neat and unambiguous.Here’s the answer, by the way: Step 3: Double Check Look back at the question to make sure you didn’t miss anything or leave out any explanations.Reread each part and connect it directly to its corollary in your response so you’re scooping up all the points you possibly can!You should also walk through how you found each answer to make sure you didn’t make any weird errors you missed the first time around. Finally, check again for appropriate units. Errors in unit conversion are common silly mistakes that are really, really frustrating if you knew how to do the problem correctly otherwise. Did you remember to convert milliliters to liters? AP Chemistry FRQExamples I’ll go through the solution process for a sample question of each type so you can get a better idea of what the test will be like.Notice that these questions look complex and overwhelming at first, but if you stay calm and break them down methodically, they don’t end up being that bad! Long Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample long free-response question from the 2014 exam: There’s a ton of information here, so let’s start from the beginning.What we know from the short intro is that the pH of a 0.20 M 50 mL sample of propanoic acid is 2.79 at 25 degrees Celsius.There's alsoan equation that shows how the acid reacts with water and which products are created by this reaction. Now we're ready to tackle part (a): Where’s the conjugate acid-base pair in the equation?There are two pairs that you could potentially list for this answer: CH3CH2COOH (acid) and CH3CH2COO- (base) OR H30+ (acid) and H20 (base) We know that the first compound is propanoic acid, and the loss of the hydrogen atom through the reaction creates the basic compound on the right side of the equation.Conversely, the water in the first half of the equation is a base that becomes an acid when it picks up the hydrogen atom from the propanoic acid. To get this point, you would need to label each compound indicating which is the acid and which is the base. Always read instructions carefully, or you may lose out on points - I can't say this enough! Let’s move onto part (b): What’s the value of Ka for propanoic acid at the temperature indicated in the question?We just need to plug some values into the equation for Ka,which is given to you on the formula sheet for the test: Hmm, looks like we can’t plug in the values yet because we don’t know the molarity of the H30+, which would have to go in the [H+] spot in the equation.We can find that value using this other equation from the formula sheet: This means: -pH = log[H+]10-pH = [H+]10-2.79 = [H30+]1.6 x 10-3 M = [H30+] This value for the molarity of H30+is equal to the molarity of CH3CH2COO-. The same amount of each must be created by the equation because the hydrogen atoms are removed and added in a 1:1 ratio.Armed with this new information, we can go back to the Ka equation: Let's plug in our values: Ka = [H30+][CH3CH2COO-] / [CH3CH2COOH]Ka = (1.6 x 10-3 M)(1.6 x 10-3 M)/ 0.2 MKa = (1.6 x 10-3 M)2/0.2 MKa = 1.3 x 10-5 For part (b), you could earn three points total: One for correctly solving for [H30+] One for plugging the right values into the Ka equation One for solving for Ka correctly OK, now for part (c)! Oh crap, this one has PARTS WITHIN THE PART.Don’t panic; you got this. It’s just true or false plus answer explanations!The explanations on these types of questions are very important. If you don’t explain your answer adequately, you won’t get any points even if the answer itself is correct.You can earn two points total on this question, one for each answer AND explanation. Part (i): In solution, the OH ions from the NaOH will react with the CH3CH2COOH to form water and CH3CH2COO- like so (hydrolysis reaction): The pH of the resulting solution will be GREATER than 7 because of the formation of the new basic compound at equivalence. That means it’s false! Part (ii): If two acid solutions have the same pH, but one is with hydrochloric acid, and the other is with propionic acid, would the first solution necessarily have a lower molar concentration of the HCl? HCl is a strong acid that ionizes completely in solution while propionic acid only partially ionizes.Fewer moles of HCl are needed to produce the same molar concentration of H30+ and reach an equivalent pH level to the propionic acid solution.This one is true! The next part of the question offers up a new scenario, so let’s take stock of what we've learned from the added description.So, the student titrates 25 mL of a ~mystery solution~ (mysterious squiggles added for dramatic flair) of propanoic acid with 0.173 M NaOH and reaches the endpoint of the titration after 20.52 mL of the NaOH has been added. Now onto part (d)! Based on this information, part (d) asks us to figure out the molarity of the propanoic acid. First, how many moles of NaOH were put into the solution?We can find this by multiplying the total volume of NaOH solution by its molarity: (0.02052 L NaOH) x (0.173 mol NaOH / 1 L NaOH) =3.55 x 10-3mol A total of 3.55 x 10-3 moles of NaOH were put into the solution.Since the titration reached the equivalence point at this time, that means that the number of moles of NaOH added would have to be the same as the number of moles of propanoic acid in the original solution.If we divide 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid by the number of liters of acid in the original solution, we will get the molarity: 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid / 0.025 L propanoic acid = 0.142 M For this part, you get one point for correctly calculating the number of moles of acid at the equivalence point and one point for providing the correct molarity. Part (e) is a critical thinking question about a new experiment. Would the student have to use a different indicator to figure out the concentration of a solution of an acid with pKa of 4.83?Based on ourKa calculations in part b, we can use one of the equations on the formula sheet to figure out pKa for the original propionic acid and compare the two values. pKa = -logKapKa = -log(1.3 x 10-5)pKa = 4.89 The twopKa values of4.83 and 4.89 are pretty close to one another, so you wouldn’t need to use a different indicator in the new titration.The correct response is to disagree with the student’s claim.You get one point here for disagreeing with the claim and explaining why, and you get a second point for directly comparing the two pKa values. Short Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample short free-response question, also from the 2014 exam: As you can see, the â€Å"short† questions aren’t really that short, but they’re not as involved as the long ones.There isn't as much information to digest, and each of the parts of the question is more direct.Each part of this question is worth one point (4 points total). Your response must include the correct answer and the correct justification/methodology to earn points! Starting with part (a): This is a PV = nRT question!Since we want the number of moles of CO2, we’re solving for n.P is 1.04 atm, V is 1.00 L, R is the gas constant (0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1), and T is 00 K. n = PV/RTn = (1.04 atm)(1.00 L)/(0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1)(00 K) n = 0.05 mol CO2 Moving onto part (b): In experiment 1, the original number of moles of CaCO3 would be equivalent to 50.0 g / (100.09 g/mol). The 100.09 g/mol number was calculated by adding up the atomic weights of the elements in the compound.This calculation gives us 0.500 mol CaCO3 total. If all of it had decomposed, the figure we calculated in part a for the number of mols of CO2 produced would also be 0.500 mol, but it was only 0.05 mol.This discrepancy means that the student’s claim has to be false! Now let’s tackle part (c): What would happen if more gas was added to the container and the pressure went up to 1.5 atm? Would it go back down to 1.04 atm afterward? Equilibrium was reached in both experiments, and it resulted in a final pressure of 1.04 atm.The reaction would just adjust to the added gas by shifting towards the reactant.The pressure would go back down to the equilibrium figure of 1.04 atm as the excess CO2 was consumed.The final pressure would still be equal to 1.04 atm. Finally, we’ll answer part (d): Can we find Kp with the information we’re given?Yes!The pressure of the CO2 in this experiment determines the equilibrium constant as well because it’s the pressure of the gas at equilibrium.There’s only one gas involved in the reaction, and we already know its equilibrium pressure, which means we also know the value of the constant. Kp = 1.04 How to Practice AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions You can find AP Chemistry FRQsfrom previous years (and their solutions) on the College Board site. The test changed starting in 2014 (seven free-response questions instead of six, and no questions asking you just to balance equations), so keep in mind that only the 2014 and 2015 questions will be completely accurate representations of what you can expect to see on your test. Here's a link to the most recent questions and answer explanations: 2014 and 2015 AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions Note that you have to login to your College Board account for access to the 2015 questions. Even if you don't have an account yet, it's easy enough to create one (and you'll need it eventually anyways!). You can also practice with free-response questions from earlier versions of the exam. While these aren't completely aligned with the current structure of the test, they're still good tools to use in practicing your skills: AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions: 1999-2013 There is no login required for access to these questions. You can also check out my article that lists all the AP Chemistry practice tests and quizzes that are available online (coming soon!). There are a few more unofficial practice tests that include free-response questions modeled after the questions on the real exam. And use a calculator when you practice (you get one for the free-response section on the real test)! Definitely don't use a quill, though. That part of this image is irrelevant and mystifying. Conclusion The free-response section is the most challenging part of the AP Chemistry exam for most students. To do well, you need to have a strong understanding of all the major concepts covered in the course and be able to apply them to a variety of experimental scenarios. Most of these questions look intimidating, but they're manageable if you take them one step at a time and break them down into smaller chunks. Here's a review of how to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figureout what you know Write down any data that's included in the question Step 2: Diveinto the question Figure out which formulas you need Do the necessary calculations Justify your responses Draw diagrams if applicable Step 3: Double check Make sure your units of measurement are correct Verify that your answers make sense logically Practice your skills on free-response questions from past AP tests until you feel comfortable. Remember, questions from tests before 2014 will be slightly different from the current free-response questions; base your expectations for the real test off the material from 2014 and 2015! What's Next? If you're looking for more AP Chemistry practice, check out my list of the best review books for this year's test.Almost all of them include free-response questions modeled after the current format of the exam. For a holistic look at the most effective way to study for in-class assessments and the final exam, read my ultimate study guide for AP Chemistry. Are you debating whether to start studying now or put it off a little longer? Learn more about when you need to get serious about your study plans for AP tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Mortgages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mortgages - Essay Example According to Boleat and Coles, the common trend is that after getting a gainful employment and after completing studies, most people will always opt to buy a home which is consider a wise investment since the homeowners would soon avoid paying rent, which takes up a big chunk of a person’s total earning (18-19). It is because of this reason that mortgage products have become very popular across the world and they have enabled many people become homeowners. However, mortgage facilities present certain problems to the borrowers, which will be discussed in this present essay and even how they affect the economy of the United States. Secondly, the essay will discuss recent act of legislations or proposal by the United States’ federal government that pertains to the problems that would be highlighted. Current problems faced by mortgagors and even the mortgage industry The nature of mortgage facility is that the borrower pays a monthly premium plus interest which is flexible meaning that the rate of the interest may increase or decrease depending on the market condition. Baily stated that borrowers’ problems usually arise when the rate of interest in the mortgage market increases while their income, which they use to repay the mortgage, remains steady (68-71). This therefore, creates a scenario whereby the borrower is unable to satisfactory pay the monthly premiums and interest, which then forces the bank to enact the foreclosure agreement that would leave the borrower homeless. Such a problem derails the entire economic growth of the United States, which is still on a recovery phase, and unemployment is still an issue since according to Baily lower purchasing power by the consumers who are servicing high interest rate means low demand for goods and products (33-35). Boleat and Coles also lamented that presently borrowers have been locked with high interest rates despite the fact that the rates have significantly decreased with the improved perfo rmance of the economy after the 2008 to 2010 financial crisis. Banks are only willing to allow a customer to switch to a cheaper rate if they are additionally using other products offered by the bank. This practice violates the directive issued by the Financial Service Authority that required lenders to treat the ‘captive’ customers fairly (89-93). In regards to the banking industry, the main problem that they face is the increased regulation that was imposed on the industry especially with the new laws such as the Dodd-Frank law that requires banks to tighten their lending requirements (Boleat and Coles, 109-112). For example, while evaluating the suitability of a prospective borrower banks currently do not consider earnings that are variable such as bonuses and commissions of which in some profession they make up the biggest percentage of the total earnings of an individual. This has resulted into banks loosing potential business and at the same time denying potential borrowers the chance to have a mortgage product. Equally, the national economy also suffers because there is decrease in the demand for houses since not many people can get a mortgage product, and this generally fails to promote economic growth. New mortgage rules Christie wrote that early this year the United States’ federal government issued rules for the mortgage industry and they were simply aimed at protecting homeowners who were facing foreclosure. Among the new rules that were introduced are restrictions that prevent mortgage lenders from repossessing homes whose owners are currently seeking modification of their loans. Moreover, according to the new rules lenders cannot enact the foreclosure agreement until the borrower fails to make payments for more than 120 days. Secondly, the

Change Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change Management - Coursework Example cause of the aspect that changes in necessary in business on a continuous basis in order to move in parallel with the ever changing demands of the customers, stakeholders and the overall external environment. It provides competitive advantage for business units in the marketplace allowing the business to develop itself effectively and quickly (DeBruijn, 2011). As in the provided case, it is evident that Know Inform (KI) is a particular organization that is integrally associated with change management towards proper execution of the business functioning. In order to ensure successful change management proper planning, efficient workforce, strict governance, and committed leadership is deemed to be quite crucial. Correspondingly, in this particular study, focus would be levied on understanding the concept of change management prevalent in the company presented within the case example. The essay is also intended towards discussing the characteristics of the company with regard to change situation and how their leadership skill contributed towards managing this workplace change (Creasey, 2007). In order to deal with the prevailing problems with regard to acceptance to change, the management of the business has emerged with several key measures that would be crucial to discuss. In this regard, several change management models can be taken into consideration to have a better comprehension at large. The model to be implemented within the organisation has mentioned about the strategy of changes that can be regarded as applicable by the organisation with regard to the scenario of change management. The management has been quite clear with regard to the criteria of change that has taken place in the organisation. In this regard, the Kurt Lewin Change Management model can be taken into consideration. According to the model, change in location is quite crucial in the present day business and it influences the business in any industry sector. However, there might develop

World War II Debates Essay Example for Free

World War II Debates Essay Even though the 1920’s began with a favorable outlook for peace, towards the end of the decade and throughout the 1930’s the clouds of war were forming. Dictators arose in countries that were dissatisfied with the results of World War I. Germany, Italy, and Japan took aggressive actions, and neither the League of Nations nor the democratic countries were able or willing to stop them. British Prime Minister Chamberlain suggested the best way to deal with Hitler was the policy of appeasement. Actions were taken that moved Europe toward war. The debate over the causes of World War II provides different perspectives. There were several factors as to why the world was plunged into World War II in 1939. At the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles was established. This being one of those issues having aggravated many nations. In example, reparations often ad to be paid for things like war damages as well as being forced to lessen their militaries. Both Italy and Japan were promised land- they never got the land- so ultimately this led to feeling of revenge for their anger over the situation. The Great Depression had a huge effect on Germany’s economic trouble. This caused the people to desire a leader who was not only strong but who would also be an authoritative figure for their nation. Being that authoritative figure, both Hitler and Mussolini rose to power. This triggered the beginning of WWII. Especially with the force that Hitler was willing to use when saying that Germany needed to unite all its people under one government- the Reich- to do this, he believed that they needed to fight to get what the need accomplished. This force being the â€Å"sword† (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 1) Appeasement is giving into an aggressors demands so peace will be had. European countries often thought that this was the proper actions to take. Appeasement is far from an effective way to dealing with aggressions. Appeasement has to do with the aggression of the axis nations in World War II. This took place when Italy invaded Ethiopia. Eventually to conquer and avenge the loss to Ethiopians in 1896. Haile Selassie, Ethiopian king, appeals to the League of Nations. To no avail. Which was led by Britain and France, to aid in fighting off Mussolini’s forces. The League of Nations proved ineffective. This proves that Britain and France disliked any fight. Haile wanted to stop the Italian aggression. If the aggression was not stopped, he, the aggressor, would attack others. Aggressors should not be appeased (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 2). As seen by Winston Churchill, the aggressor must be stopped, Britain, France, and the other countries must join together in a collective security to stop aggression. They should have stopped Hitler when he seized Austria or threatened Czechoslovakia, which was later taken over. The British government is to blame, as it weakened the League of Nations and did not build up their defenses leaving the state in a disaster. The British government also didn’t stop Germany from rebuilding the army. It is pointed out to us that Winston believed that Britain lost the chance to increase Nazi Germany. (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 6). (AS SEEN IN EXCERPT 7), Kennan offers his belief that appeasement was unnecessary because Czechoslovakia was strong enough to save itself. And German officials were about to overthrow Hitler. (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 8), Historian Taylor defend appeasement. He also states that there was little basis for suggesting that Germans would reject Hitler since they had put him in power and supported him. Other countries were also worried about Russian expansion into Europe. Also, (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 5) Chamberlain suggested appeasement because he believed â€Å"good will and determination: could solve differences among countries peacefully. He said they could not fight to save Czechoslovakia because it is a small country, But he is willing to fight over big issues, Specifically, he says he will fight to stop a country that is using force to take over the world , but he does not want war and rather prefers appeasement. Another factor includes a violation of the Treaty of Versailles, by Hitler, when sending German troops into the Rhineland as he said it was time for Germany to be treated as an equal to the rest of the countries of Europe and no longer as a defeated, punished nation. France however went to the League of Nations and asked that Germany be removed from the Rhineland diplomatically or by a stronger force if seen necessary. Western democracies were adopted with the appeasement to keep the peace. The League of Nations did not take action to terminate these attacks (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 3). The Munich agreement also proves that appeasement is not the answer for peace. During the Munich Conference, Germans got the OK to occupy Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia only if to promise not to invade more countries (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 4). (AS SEEN IN DOCUMENT 9) Keith Eubank claims that the countries of Europe, including Britain and France, were not willing to fight because Hitler had done nothing to warrant their returning to the conditions they had suffered in WWI. All the countries had other interests and they were not willing to unite to stop Hitler. Collective security was not the route to take at this time. Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill demanded Germany split into factions to be controlled by their respective countries and France, but Hitler refused. Allied forces and the Red Army invaded Berlin and Hitler committed suicide. America quickly ended the war in the Pacific with two nuclear weapons dropped on Japan. The War ended in the Summer of 1945. It is estimated that 50 million people lost their lives during World War 2.

The canadian criminal code Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Evolution of the Canadian Criminal Code The laws of the United States have been revised numerous times, and the Criminal Code of Canada is similar. The Criminal Code is a systematically arranged body of law dealing with crime. The code has been revised multiple times over the past century by the federal government to help accommodate the numerous laws that have been applied to Canadian citizens. The history of homicide in the Criminal Code has evolved from having no degrees of murder in 1892 to having three types of culpable homicide (Leyton). The Canadian Criminal Code has changed over the years to accommodate the needs of changing times, such as amendments for gun control and the elimination of the death penalty. In 1892, the Criminal Code of Canada was established, copying much of the English 1878 bill. â€Å"The Canadian Criminal code which copied the English bill of 1878 has been revised numerous times to accommodate the needs of the Canadian citizens† (Monroe). At that time there was no distinguishing between different types of murder through degrees of severity, because the punishment for every type of murder was the death penalty, and manslaughter was a life sentence in prison (Designs). In 1955, a major reform was carried out and the Canadian Criminal Code was reduced from 1100 sections to only 753. The president of the Law Reform Commission of Canada did this major reform and noted, "It is too complicated. It is too illogical. It is poorly organized. It is not comprehensive and it is too intrusive. We deserve a Criminal Code that is modern, simple, logical, coherent, comprehensive, organized, understandable and restrained" (â€Å"What †). One of the advantages of the reform was the addition of a constitutional principle that no person was to be convicted of an offense unless it had been provided specifically for in a statute. Even though the reform brought many new changes, the Criminal Code was not fully revised because in 1961 there were other changes done to the Code. In this change, the code included degrees of murder and divided the murders into capital and non-capital murder. The punishment for capital murder was death, while non-capital murder was punishable by life in prison (Leyton). Capital murder was categorize... ...s well as other countries, Canada uses the lethal injection and the electric chair as methods of punishment, although the lethal injection is by far the most common. Indeed the laws for Canadian citizens have changed numerous times over the years to help them accommodate the changes in their nation. Works Cited Bralove, Alisa. â€Å" Mass murder to get new sentence.† Dolan Media Newswire. 09 September 2003: Page 1. Designs, Alissa. â€Å"The History of Homicide in the Criminal Code.† Victims Of Violence. Online 13 October 2003. < alissa’sdesigns@rogers?subject=victims%200f%20violence.com> Dessert, James. â€Å"Criminal Timeline of Canada.† Canada's Criminal Code: A History. Online. Internet. 11 October 2003. Garibay, Maria D. Personal Interview. 16 October 2003. Geter, Peter. â€Å" Murder of Crying baby was premeditated.† Daily Record. 23 June 2003: Page 1. Leyton, Elliott. â€Å" Homicide.† Canadian Encyclopedia. 1998 Ed. Monroe, Susan. â€Å"Criminal Law.† Criminal Timeline of Canada. Online. Internet 09 November 2003. â€Å"What is first-degree murder?† World Wide Information Association. Online. Internet. 09 November 2003.

Applications of Information Technology Essay

ABSTRACT Restaurants are built of complex systems for buying, storing, preparing and selling food. Cuban Pete’s is a popular independently owned restaurant located in Montclair, New Jersey. The restaurant offers a dynamic menu of Cuban ethnic items and has received renowned recognition. The restaurant has 285 seats — 195 of them in three sprawling dining rooms and 90 on an outdoor patio decked; takes reservations only for groups of six or more; and boasts that two-hour waits not uncommon; employs 40 PTE’s and 15 FTE’s; serves 500 patrons on average a day; and generates $400K in revenue monthly. Over the past 16 months, there has been a decrease in revenue and repeat customers. Cuban Pete’s needs to improve operation efficiencies, reduce cost, decrease customer wait and sit times, increase customer satisfaction, and improve marketing. With no current automated systems, this paper will discuss how  the strategic, managerial, and operational control of a small restaurant business can improve with the implementation of management information systems which coordinates everything from scheduling personnel to customer service. Systems to be discussed include Point of Sale Systems, Customer Service Management (CSM) systems, and social media for marketing and promotion. BRIEF COMPANY HISTORY Cuban Pete’s is an independently owned restaurant located in Montclair, New Jersey. It was established in 2006 and is owned by Dominick Restaino. With a history as a restaurateur and in honor of his Cuban heritage, Mr. Restaino named the restaurant after the hit 1946 Desi Arnaz films and as an establishment that would evoke the fevered, anything-goes 24-hour fiesta that was pre-Castro Havana, Cuba. Mr. Restaino hired a staff of affable waiters and dressed them in bright Cuban sport shirts and narrow-brim Panama hats. He brought in a designer, Tony Ortiz, who had the exposed-brick and distressed-plaster walls painted in tropical yellows and reds and aquas. The menu consists of tapas and entrees that top out at $16.95. Although well sought for its dynamic list of sangria offerings, Cuban Pete’s does not have an alcohol license. BUSINESS PROBLEM Restaurants are built of complex systems for buying, storing, preparing and selling food. The business problems to be solved will include a restaurants need to improve operation efficiencies, reduce cost, decrease customer wait and sit times, increase customer satisfaction, and have real-time performance monitoring. Although Cuban Pete’s has received press accolades, there business issues that need to be addressed immediately. In 2006, Mr. Restaino was arrested, pleaded guilty, and paid a fine for serving alcohol in sangria without a license. Then, the original and well-known chef, Carl Ruiz, left the in 2008 and since the team of cooks have yet to achieve the same level of customer accolades. In addition, over the past 16 months, although there has been a recessional recovery, Cuban Pete’s has not experienced an increase in business revenue and has experienced a decrease in repeat customers. Wait times are long and all reservations, seating, order processing, and reconciliations are done manually and payments are not reconciled to orders. Although the business has a website with a widget that  allows visitors to be added to the company’s mailing list, there is no in-house practice of obtaining customer information, request of online customer satisfaction participation or web follow-up. Finally, most marketing and business promotion is done mostly via word of mouth and in local newspapers. Cuban Pete’s needs to improve operation efficiencies, reduce cost, decrease customer wait and sit times, increase customer satisfaction, and improve marketing. Major business problems to be resolved are: * Increase in revenue * Attract new customers * Retain and engage repeat customers * Establish practices to streamline and automate business practices With no current automated systems, Cuban Pete’s to implementation of Point of Sale Systems, Customer Service Management (CSM) systems, and social media for marketing and promotion to demonstrate better strategic, managerial, and operational control. HIGH LEVEL SOLUTION Strategic decisions are characterized by uncertainty and unstructured decision. These areas will include budgets, target markets, policies, and business objectives. Cuban Pete’s needs to implement automated systems that provide data in real-time on food items ordered and comparisons of weekly sales totals versus food costs, allowing planning for tighter cost controls. The management also needs to implement automated operational controls of specific tasks through appropriate technology such streamlining the customer transaction process including order tracking, order processing, machine control, scheduling, and compensation. Further, to experience a return on investment, increase customer satisfaction, improve the financial reporting process, and enhance strategic planning and performance monitoring efficiencies, Cuban Pete’s needs to implement a Point of Sales System and utilize social media for marketing and promotion. BENEFITS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM Automation has its advantages. By implementing MIS, Cuban Pete’s will experience a reduction in manual labor and human error, an increase customer feedback to help waiters service the customers, and improved   capabilities for view of sales figures, menu planning, and cost accounting details. By implementing the following systems, Cuban Pete’s will attract more customers, improve wait times, streamline processes, and ultimately experience an increase in revenue and customer satisfaction. TECHNICAL APPROACH Innovation continues to improve the way companies do business. As a relatively small establishment, Cuban Pete’s needs a low-cost solution   improve business. The best way to improve business would be the implement a Point of Sales System (POS) and utilize social media channels. * POS This team suggests Revel iPad POS. Considered the cash register for the 21st century, this mobile POS software provides up-to-the-minute reporting to track the sales, orders, payments, staff and patrons in real time. There is no back-of-the-house server needed, no mandatory contracts, and no hidden fees or charges. Revel Systems’ POS System provides: * Employee Login. Each employee has a secure login that is different from managers. This allows owners to track not only when employees clock in and out but also what they do in the system. * Order Taking. The order taking process is simple; just choose your items from the categorized list and build the customer’s order. * Order Details. Details about the order, such as item voids, deletions, special requests, discounts, holds, etc. are always available. * Payment Processing. Customers can pay using all major credit cards or gift cards and choose if they want receipts e-mailed or printed. * Cook View / Expedite View. If you want to go completely paperless, orders can show up on the iPad in the Cook View rather than printed in the kitchen. An Expedite View is also available so servers can see what has been cooked and ready to be served. This POS also provides Back Office support that will improve business as well. Some of the features include: * Flexible Menu and System Configuration. Cuban Pete’s will have the ability to customize the categories and items of their menu to suit their needs. As well as tailor the layout of receipts, specify tax rates to meet local requirements, set surcharges, set discounts and much more. * Real-time Inventory Control. As items and ingredients are sold, Cuban   inventory levels will automatically be deducted and available for inventory count comparisons to quickly detect theft, loss or waste. * Employee Scheduling and Reporting. With high employee turnover and seasonal doldrums, Revel Systems provides the capability to view metrics on employee data, such as work scheduled versus work performed number of voids, discounts by employee, and employee productivity and sales volume. * Real-time Reporting and Analytics. Revel Systems provides a variety of reports to help Cuban Pete’s run business, including sales summaries, transaction details, ingredients sold, and much more. Cuban Pete’s also needs to improve and manage customer satisfaction. Revel Systems POS also provides Customer Relationship Management (CSM). This system will allow the business to acquire your customer’s e-mail addresses from e-mailed receipts and export these addresses to a spreadsheet. Other necessary technical features that this POS provides include: * Real-time Reporting. Revel Systems provides a host of reports that are instantly available and accessible from anywhere, with the ability to grant access to managers, accountants or other professionals. * Centralized Management. With an established website, Revel Systems will allow Cuban Pete’s to centrally manage and monitor business from one website. All information is captured in real-time, and will get instant visibility to track sales volume, staff productivity, and help manage business effectively and efficiently. * Cloud Computing. Data management and storage can be expensive for a small business. The Revel System POS also provides secure Cloud Computing. This System reduces the information technology burden on Cuban Pete’s business in both time and money. There is no longer a need for a back office server to store data or to worry about software upgrades and maintenance. * Payment Card Industry Compliant. But security is also a major issue of business and customers. Revel Systems is Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliant. Revel Systems built security and compliance into its products from the onset to ensure that everything from the hardware, software, and network were all PCI compliant. * SOCIAL MEDIA Social Media allows businesses to engage timely and direct end-consumer contact at relatively low cost and higher levels of efficiency than achieved with more traditional communication tools. Thus, this team suggests   Cuban Pete’s utilize standard social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but also implement mobile social media (MSM). According to Juniper Research, the market for mobile web 2.0 evolutions will grow from $5.5B to $22.4B by 2013. MSM applications are expected to be the main driver of this evolution and are estimated to account for over 50% of the market. Further, Pew Research, a Washington, DC based think tank, estimates that by 202, a mobile device will be the primary internet connection for most people in the world. Therefore, this team suggests that Cuban Pete’s, combined with the Revel System POS, adopt a MSM application. This permit opens standards (e.g. a transition to the TCP/IP protocol) and flat-rate systems. It also allows for upgrades to Radio Frequency Identification (PFID) tags that will be able to automatically connect to mobile phones and send URLS to them, similar to text messages. BUSINESS PROCESS CHANGES Cuban Pete’s is a manual business. Although they have a website, the business relies on manpower for all of its business transactions. Customers are checked in manually – wait times are long. Waiting staff takes orders manually, paper orders are handed off to cooking staff, credit card payments are entered manually – none are aligned or reconciled to management, distributors or protect the privacy and security of customers. The business needs to improve operation efficiencies, reduce cost, decrease customer wait and sit times, increase customer satisfaction, and have real-time performance monitoring. OVERALL RECOMMENDATION Today everything is about the ability to provide business effectively and efficiently. Over Cuban Pete’s boast about long wait times as an indication of the high great the business performs, most customers want good food, access and great service as well. To do this proficiently, effectively, and in the most cost efficient manner, Cuban Pete’s needs to secure a POS and utilize social media channels. Some industry specialists claim that if business is not participating in Facebook, YouTube, and Second Life, it is not part of cyberspace anymore. Social Media allows firms to engage in timely and direct end-consumer contact at relatively low cost and higher levels of efficiency than achieved with more traditional communication tools. HIGH-LEVEL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN The technical approach involves management information software designed by POS Professionals. Revel Systems is a user friendly point of sale designed by hospitality professionals. This software was designed by end users who have worked in the bar and restaurant industry. This particular software is designed specifically with the end user in my mind. Expectations are an easy and transparent transition to the new software system. New POS system will have the following features: * HostHostess functions including reservations, waiting listguest paging * Online food ordering * One touch order split and combine * Multiple check tender Support * Visual Floor Management * Advanced CRM such as gift card, house account and frequent buyers * 100% Touch Operated Point of Sale Communication Systems and Mobile Devices. * Key Inventory system that is visible to you and suppliers. This will increase order shipment efficiency, ensure better decision making regarding scheduling, purchase orders, shipments and invoices. * Transportation tracking will give the location of shipments as they are en-route and send out alert messages when shipments are late. * Invoice visibility will allow invoices, payments, and credit arrangements and limits to be viewed with a single touch. Social Media. Sites such as Facebook Places, Four Square and Latitude give Cuban Pete’s a great opportunity to take advantage of social media. By uploading photos of the live entertainment, atmosphere and videos of satisfied customers, potential customers can gain a â€Å"live†, up and close perspective of the restaurant. We can offer customers a small discount for â€Å"checking in† at Cuban Pete’s. Just â€Å"check in† on your Facebook Page and you get $4 off your bill and or 5% off your next visit if made within 30 days. This additional exposure is marketing the restaurant without spending large sums of money on advertising. SUMMARY Cuban Pete’s needs to improve operation efficiencies, reduce cost, decrease customer wait and sit times, increase customer satisfaction, and improve marketing. With no current automated systems, by implementing strategic, managerial, and operational control this small restaurant business can improve with the implementation of management information systems which coordinates everything from scheduling personnel to customer service. Two primary systems to immediately improve business includes of a Point of Sale Systems that will automate business and include Customer Service Management (CSM), cloud computing, real-time reporting, and secure Customer Payment Industry (CPI) payments. Another means to greatly improve business would be to utilize social media for marketing and promotion. REFERENCES Corcoran, D. (2006). Crowds in Search of a Fiesta. New York Times. Retrieved from http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/08/13/travel/13njdine.html?_r=0 Draft, R.L. & Legel, R.H. (1986). Organizational information requirements, media richness, and structural design. Management Science, 32(5), 554-571 Kaplan, A. (2010). Users of the World Unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons. 53, 59-68 Toffler, A. (1980). The third wave: The Classic Study of Tomorrow. New York, Bantam Books. www.cubanpetes.com

How far were ideological factors responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture Essay

How far were ideological factors responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans? I believe that ideological factor were responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans as Stalin was disgruntled by the peasants work ethic and continuingly wanted to become more communist and ideological issues were the main contributors that, if changed would make a vast difference to Russia. However, other factors also could have been responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans such as political and economical aspects. I feel that the main contributor in determining Stalin’s decision was the economic factors that Stalin was determined to industrialise Russia and under the NEP this was not possible. Ideological factors were responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans as the introduction of these new things meant that Russia could become more communist which was what Stalin ultimately wanted. Before collectivisation was introduced, Stalin felt that peasant attitude lacked revolutionary spirit, rather than producing grain for the good of the community the peasants produced it for themselves and their own profit. This was viewed as capitalism and was against what Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Russia tried to achieve and the NEP was helping the peasants develop capitalism. This is true in that of the introduction of collectivisation and the Five Year Plans and Stalin constantly wanted to become a ‘more communist’ state. Through collectivisation Stalin promised significant increase in production which would allow the government to sell more overseas, providing more resources for industrialisation and a higher standard of living for urban workers. Collectivisation had a devastating effect on the Russian peasantry, which resulted in Stalin’s ‘change of tactic’ in the Five Year Plans. Under the NEP the peasants had prospered while conditions for the workers were slow to improve. Stalin wanted to reverse this. He intended to replace the ‘bourgeois specialists’ with the ‘red specialists’ who were educated by the Communist government and who came from the ranks of the working class. However, political factors could also be seen as responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans. Stalin’s desire to initiate collectivisation was motivated  by his struggle against Bukharin and the Party’s rightwing. The radical nature of collectivisation appealed to the Party’s left wing. Moreover, it was far more appealing to many in the Communist Party than the right-wing alternative of importing grain. Grain imports would mean reducing the pace of industrialisation because the money used to buy grain could not be spent on developing Russia’s industry an d Stalin was incredibly eager to introduce industrialisation, it was one of his main aims for Russia. Under the NEP, importing grain many have been inevitable as without collectivisation Russia would have had to get grain from abroad or they would have starved. This would have resulted in the slowing down of industrialisation which Stalin would not have been pleased about. Additionally, Stalin’s own understanding of agriculture (which was very little) also had some bearing on his decision. He had a different view and understanding of agriculture to that of Lenin so the changing of the NEP to collectivisation seemed a logical step for Stalin. Political factors were also responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the Five Year Plans. For many, these plans were seen as Stalin’s consolidation of power. His message was very clear- Lenin’s Russia, the Russia of the NEP was over, and ‘Stalin’s Russia’ was just beginning. By this he removed the NEP which Lenin had brought in, so that to show Russia it was no longer going to go by the words of Lenin, but of Stalin. Finally, economic factors also could have been seen to be responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans. The autumn of 1926 saw record grain harvests for the USSR. However, the harvests of 1927, 1928 and 1929 were poorer. The decrease in production forced the price of agricultural products up. Consequently, the standard of living amongst urban workers declined. The NEP caused this decline in production and economically it was terrible for the country as without grain being produced the economy suffered huge losses and many Russian families were homeless. Collectivisation held out the prospect of many economic benefits, those being that large farms would increase efficiency, with improved efficiency it would mean that fewer people were needed to work on the farms, therefore releasing extra manpower for Russia’s developing industry and collectivisation promised a significant increase in production. Industrialisation was a main aim for Stalin and in his eyes through  collectivisation Russia would become more industrial; however under the NEP this was not possible. Similarly, the First Five Year Plan was introduced in response to the NEP’s failure to industrialise Russia. Even the NEP’s supporters acknowledged that that policy could only industrialise Ru ssia ‘at a snail’s pace’. The Five Year Plans aimed to speed up this process. It was evident that the NEP was not producing results quick enough and a new approach was needed. In conclusion, I believe that economic reasons were the important factor responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the NEP with the collectivisation of agriculture and the Five Year Plans as the economy under the NEP was in tatters and if Stalin had not tried to change the approach quickly the Russia economy would have been completely destroyed. Stalin wanted to increase the pace in which things were improving; under the NEP results were often slow and unpredictable. Although I feel that political and ideological were important in Stalin’s decision I don’t feel that they contributed to the extent that economical factors did. However, many points are linked, one in which that Stalin wanted Russia to become more communist and under the NEP that was not possible. This comes under all three factors and was an importa nt factor in Stalin’s decision. By Lara Williamson 12 MBE

Free Essays on The Packinghouse Daughter

This novel tells the story of a small-town, working-class life in the mid 1900’s. The daughter of a meatpacking company millwright, Cheri Register tells about the event, which divides her small town of Albert Lea during time of depression. Albert Lea, Minnesota was an industrial town of only 13,545 people. Surrounding the area was cornfields, lakes, cattail marshes, knolls, and oak groves. Albert Lea still was in the 1950’s when this story began. Cheri was an elementary student. Her school plans many field trips, which tend to be excursions in industrial technology. Cheri and her classmates visit places, which serve an entertainment and educational purpose. They have visited placed such as printing press, Coca-Cola, and egg hatching victories. Their next trip was different. Cheri and her class were to visit the Wilson & Co. meatpacking industry. This was where Cheri’s father had worked since 1943. Not speaking much of his job Cheri didn’t know much about her fathers work. This trip consisted of a parent’s signature because of the scene it may bring to the youngsters. Each kid had the option not to participate in the activity that morning since once they entered there was no turning back. They describe the trip as very scenic and educational. For the rest of the day the kids talked to each other about the incredible views, which t hey encountered. Such as the hundreds of people who worked there and how the assembly lines for the animals just never ended, one after another after another. Wilson & Co. was a gigantic industrial factory in which many of the mid-class working life men supported their families by. During this time the eight-hour working day laws were supported and workers did just that. An eight-hour day at Wilson & Co. itself was extremely demanding and tiresome to the workingman. Cheri’s dad at this time was in a verbatim pattern of a workday, dinner, and falling asleep attempting to relaxi... Free Essays on The Packinghouse Daughter Free Essays on The Packinghouse Daughter This novel tells the story of a small-town, working-class life in the mid 1900’s. The daughter of a meatpacking company millwright, Cheri Register tells about the event, which divides her small town of Albert Lea during time of depression. Albert Lea, Minnesota was an industrial town of only 13,545 people. Surrounding the area was cornfields, lakes, cattail marshes, knolls, and oak groves. Albert Lea still was in the 1950’s when this story began. Cheri was an elementary student. Her school plans many field trips, which tend to be excursions in industrial technology. Cheri and her classmates visit places, which serve an entertainment and educational purpose. They have visited placed such as printing press, Coca-Cola, and egg hatching victories. Their next trip was different. Cheri and her class were to visit the Wilson & Co. meatpacking industry. This was where Cheri’s father had worked since 1943. Not speaking much of his job Cheri didn’t know much about her fathers work. This trip consisted of a parent’s signature because of the scene it may bring to the youngsters. Each kid had the option not to participate in the activity that morning since once they entered there was no turning back. They describe the trip as very scenic and educational. For the rest of the day the kids talked to each other about the incredible views, which t hey encountered. Such as the hundreds of people who worked there and how the assembly lines for the animals just never ended, one after another after another. Wilson & Co. was a gigantic industrial factory in which many of the mid-class working life men supported their families by. During this time the eight-hour working day laws were supported and workers did just that. An eight-hour day at Wilson & Co. itself was extremely demanding and tiresome to the workingman. Cheri’s dad at this time was in a verbatim pattern of a workday, dinner, and falling asleep attempting to relaxi...

Writing a Statistical Report Recommendations

Writing a Statistical Report Recommendations A Statistical Report: How to Write It Easily? Communicative skills have a crucial role in modern society, and there are plenty of areas where you need to master them. One of such areas is a statistical report. In can be useful in both educational and professional purposes. How to write it properly? The answer to this question will be complex. To develop your statistical report writing skills you need to have a decent level of subject insight, reading, and research as well as writing skills, of course. In our article, you will learn some useful recommendations on how to become a master of statistical analysis report writing. You also have an opportunity to skip the whole learning process by ordering your homework done by our academic writers who are experts in any possible academic field to help you. But we will share some writing tips with you anyway. The Term Before any special writing task, you need to make sure you understand the term correctly. It is a well-known truth that Statistics is a very complex subject that requires skills in calculations and data interpretation. You need to know how to explain the numbers you receive during calculations. This is real science. And there are plenty of areas where statistics allows a deeper understanding of the things. We will discuss the process of writing statistical reports starting with its structure and organization of this academic or business writing task. Examples of How to Write a Statistical Data Analysis Report The best way to start your paper is to write an abstract with 200 words. This part of the paper will include the basic info the whole paper, pointing out main points, goals and the target readers. Then you should move gradually to the introductory part where you need to explain why you have chosen this particular topic. The structure of the body will have some unique features comparing to other writing assignments. In this part, you should specify what research methods you have chosen and why as well as mention what finding did you get after analyzing the received data. This can be challenging as you need to more efforts and time to arrange the paragraphs and arguments along the text. Then you need to provide a logical conclusion. Here are some examples of topics that can be used for writing statistical reports: Researches that prove that Norway is on the top place in Europe considering prosperity. We need more time to develop the anti-cancer vaccine – data, provided by one of the respectable Healthcare Organization in the USA. The newest biotechnological invention is not effective. What tools allow fixing the problem of the slow Windows performance in comparison with similar tools for Mac OS X. The effect of depression on kids 13-17 years old. To write such papers, you will need to use facts and statistical data. One more thing you need to realize after the statistical report term is the importance of the proper formatting. So the next chapter will be about this aspect. The Importance of Formatting of a Statistical Analysis Report Let’s take a closer look at the formatting issue. Usually, students have a list of the following formatting styles: ACS; APA; ASA; Chicago; Harvard; IEEE. The choice usually depends on the study area. For instance, the teachers of Psychology require using APA format while writing an essay on their subject, while Sociology teachers prefer ASA. All the manuals on the required styles can be easily found online. In case you did not write a statistical report before, we advise you to find some good examples of various papers of this type and use them as samples to develop your own paper eventually. In fact, students have to use various templates and examples to learn how to create a decent paper, especially when it comes to the statistical report writing. Just pay attention to the format you need and the one you should use for your paper. Apart from online sources of information, you can get benefits from the college or university libraries. As a rule, they store numerous papers on various topics and styles that were approved in particular educational institutions. This is the way the best students provide help to the next generations. But you need to realize that those examples are only for educational purposes and you cannot simply copy the data from them, because it will be considered as plagiarism. Below you can find out what format is used more often and what its specifications are. Make one-inch spaces from each side of the page. From the left side leave 1.5-inch space in case your paper will be placed into the folder with other works. Check the sizes of attached charts, tables and graphs as well. You do not have to use double-spacing in this type of academic paper though. Pay attention to the header of each page. Include to it the number of the page, short version of the title, the name of the writer and other details that will reflect the material the person reads. As soon as we now know how to format your paper correctly, let’s take a look at some typical mistakes that students make while working on their statistical report projects. Typical Mistakes You Should Avoid While working on Your Statistical Report You know how to make you a statistical report paper worth the best grade. But the most important thing is to check the paper when it is done. This will help you to detect some mistakes that could spoil the impression of the paper and fix them when you still can. Remember, even the minor issues could have a serious impact on the general â€Å"reputation† of your paper. Check your report on the following issues: punctuation mistakes; improper grammar and spelling; wrong font/paragraph marks/lines/etc.; missing words or phrases; a wrong number of attachments. Does your paper contain any of these mistakes? Even if you know for sure that your paper is technically correct, you still need to revise it in order to check whether you have used the proper approaches and provide all the required explanations. As soon as you get the final draft, leave it for a few days if you have time and get back to it later. This method will help you to take a fresh look at your work. Remember, that you are working on the writing task that is of the academic level, so you need to use all your skills and knowledge and improve them if needed to provide the best result. Sources of the Examples of the Statistical Analysis Reports After reading this article properly, you have a general understanding of what your report should look like considering content and the formatting. You can enhance your insight into academic writing by using available online sources of examples and guides. You also can save time and order the original statistical report on your topic. This may help you to master your skills in your next writing assignments

Rhetorical Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Rhetorical Situation - Essay Example Finally, genre is the kind of writing; this would involve the specific medium of production. These elements are all important notions as they establish the structure of the rhetorical situation and demonstrate there are underlining parameters in this communication. In the text ‘They Say/ I Say’ authors Graff and Birkenstein discuss the notion of ‘entering the conversation.’ Entering the conversation refers to the process of writing or potentially speaking that engages with a listener. In this way, one enters a conversation not simply by speaking their mind, but by considering the perspective and opinion of the opposing party. As such, the individual’s writing or speaking directly considers these viewpoints and builds off of them in the form of a conversation. This is highly important for a variety of reasons. As a rhetorical strategy ‘entering the conversation’ means that the dialogue being produced is well considered and deeply engaged with another person’s views. This is a way of looking at academic writing from an entirely new perspective. The authors indicate that oftentimes academic writing is written as if there is an ultimate ‘truth,’ or written simply to say ‘smart ’ things (Graff & Birkenstein, p. 3). Instead, entering the conversation recognizes that the greatest possible insights are those that are gleaned from direct conversation and deliberation with another person. Summarizing is recognized as highly important in academic writing. From an overarching perspective, summarizing is important as it is the first step in entering the conversation. In this way summarizing, functions as an indicator that demonstrates the individual recognizes what they are responding to. The authors indicate then that it is necessary to summarize the opposing argument early in the text and then refer to it at strategic points (Graff & Birkenstein, p. 19). While summarizing is important, the text indicates that this summary should get