Acquisition of Gender Identity and Gender Roles Term Paper

Acquisition of Gender Identity and Gender Roles - Term Paper Example From the very start, the gender identity is determined through the sex of the person at conception, the influence of the male and female hormones secreted in the body, and the societal definitions and perceptions which identify the requirements of roles particular to one gender (Cox, 2008). The biological factors remain the core of defining gender identity and roles. However, each child passes through numerous phases of cognitive and psychological development, which creates the initial pattern of self-identity as a sexual being (Sammons, nd). One of the primary researches and understanding of gender identity and gender role has been achieved through Kohlberg’s development theory (Cox, 2008). He states that children, according to their mental capacity, growth and approach develop the sense of gender identity in three successive stages. The first stage which takes place at 2 years of age is when the child identifies himself as male or female (Cox, 2008 and Sammons, nd). The second stage is called gender stability, which takes place at age four years. At this stage, the child realizes that he or she is permanently male or female, that is, gender is a permanent phenomenon (Bussey and Bandura, 1999). The final stage, the gender constancy, takes place at ages 5 and 7 y ears. At this stage, the child realizes that clothes or change of appearance does not alter the sex of the person (Cox, 2008). I remember how it was very difficult for my mother to make me conform to things that are considered girlish. At first, it was always the correction of me being a girl and not a boy. Then further emphasis on me being a girl, by showing me what I should like and which are boy things to do. Finally, I was instructed how to dress and act, with a constant barrage of statements starting with â€Å"little girls don’t do that†.  

Sexual Abuse in Prison Essay Example for Free

Sexual Abuse in Prison Essay The sexual abuse in prison is a serious problem in our country. It is compounded by the sheer number of inmates stepping inside the prison system every year. It is surprising to find out that our country is widely recognized as the one with most number of prisoners. This problem however is preventable and controllable if we will only change our attitude. We all have rights. Conviction for a crime no matter how heinous our crime is will not strip us of our rights. In a letter sent to the Human Rights Watch by a sender whose name was purposely withheld, the sender narrated his horrifying experience while he was inside Prison. He recounted†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ive been sentenced for a D. U. I. offense. My 3rd one. When I first came to prison, I had no idea what to expect. Im a tall white male, who unfortunately has a small amount of feminine characteristics. And very shy. These characteristics have got me raped so many times I have no more feelings physically. I have been raped by up to 5 black men and two white men at a time. Ive had knifes at my head and throat†¦There is no supervision after lockdown. † (â€Å"No Escape Male Rape in US Prisons†) This excerpt speaks of an ugly reality inside the US prison. This is the reality that we have come to accept as part of the defects in the US prison system. This is the reality that has been institutionalized in our society which contributes not only to the perpetuation of violence inside prison but also to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. (â€Å"Its Not My Problem†) The sad thing about this issue is that there seems to be nothing being done about this problem by government authorities. Is it because while we uphold the rule of justice and consider rehabilitation as one of the primary purposes of prison, at the back of our minds we think that the inmates deserve what happens to them while inside the prison? This research paper deals with the issue of sexual abuse in US Prison. I aim to discuss the different scenarios of sexual abuse and the power relations happening inside prison that is at the core of this problem. I aim to discuss of prisoners protected by domestic and international laws. Rights of Prisoners The issue of sexual abuse in US prison is extremely important nowadays considering that according to the new report of the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice, our prison population has ballooned to a total of 2 million inmates. Research also shows that since 2002 one in every one hundred forty two US citizens is locked up in jail and out of the 1,200,203 state prisoners, 3055 inmates were younger than 18 years old. Robert Longley, 2007) Indeed, the increasing number of inmates in the US prison demands that this problem should no longer be ignored and that something be done eradicate this problem. At the outset, it is important to emphasize that prisoners too have rights regardless whether they have been convicted or not. The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution is emphatic about this point. It states that â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. On the other hand, those who are waiting for their convictions are likewise protected under the authority of the Fifth Amendment, which states that â€Å"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury†¦nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. † (â€Å"Fifth Amendment†) In the case of Deshaney v. Winnebago City Social Services Department 489 U.  S. 189 (1989), the Supreme Court has declared that when the state holds a person into custody and deprives him of his liberty that he is unable to care for himself and at the time it fails to provide him basic needs, the state violates the provisions of the Eight Amendment. Thus, the Eighth Amendment protects every prisoner from brutality imposed by the guards against him but also it requires the prison officials to give ample protection from violence that the other inmates may inflict on him. In a suit for violation of Eighth Amendment, however, the law provides that the inmate whose rights have been violated to prove the following: a) the objective element the extent of the injury the inmate has suffered which is so serous that it violates the society’s standard of decency and b) the subjective element – the prison knowing fully well that a violence has occurred â€Å"maliciously and sadistically† fails respond to this violence for the purpose of causing the inmate injury. (Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.  S. 1, 14 (1992). ) Though it is quite easy to prove the first element, the second element is very difficult to prove and presents serious obstacle against an inmate who is contemplating on filing a suit against prison officials for violation of their Eighth Amendment. In addition to the protection guaranteed under the Eighth Amendment and Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the DOJ has been granted authority to prosecute a public official for violating a prisoner’s constitutional rights. Thus, under Section 242 of the United States Code, â€Å"This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U. S. † (Sec 242 of the United States Code) However, in the same manner as the violation of the Eighth Amendment is difficult to enforce, so is the violation under this statute which requires the injured party to prove that the public officer willfully and intentionally deprived the prisoner of his right. International laws likewise provide ample protection to the condition of prisoners while inside the prison system. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of which the United States is a signatory clearly provides that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. † Indeed, all these laws affirm the basic principle that even prisoners do have rights under the law. Sexual Abuse in Prison At the outset, it is important to distinguish among the different circumstances of rape that happen within the four corners of the prison. Rape accompanied with violence is one of the more commonly known sexual abuses that happen in prison. Ordinarily, when we talk about prison rape, what comes into mind is a gang of prisoners approaching a lone prisoner from behind and raping him. According to the Department of Justice, in the 2004 alone , an estimated 8,210 allegations of sexual violence were reported by correctional authorities the equivalent of 3. 2 allegations per 1,000 inmates and youths incarcerated in 2004. (â€Å"Almost 2100 sexual violence incidents took place in the nation’s correctional facilities during 2004†) It must be stressed that when rape is accompanied by physical force and violence, things usually turn out ugly for the rape victim. He may suffer broken neck, dislocated shoulders, hips, and dislocated fingers. Things could get really bloody that there have been inmates who have been recorded to have died after a forcible rape. In an article in Houston Chronicle entitled â€Å"Mother Probes Son’s Death in Prison,† Randy Payne a 23 –year old white inmate was attacked by a group of about 20 inmates within a week after arriving at the Texas Prison. He later died of head injuries. Allan Turner) Indeed, forcible rape is such a common scenario inside prison that it may happen in any part of the prison. It could take place inside the shower, bathroom, washroom, and in sleeping areas. Forcible rape must however be distinguished from other forms of sexual abuse that also happens inside prison which is considered as most common and which takes place everyday in prison. This is called the coerced sex. In this scenario, no violence or force takes place but the victim willingly submits to the sexual favors by other inmates. It does not however follow that if sex was not accompanied by force or violence, the inmate has given his consent to have sex with the other inmate. It must be stressed that the prison system is a very coercive environment such that it very difficult to ascertain whether the victim has indeed agreed to consensual sex. This is similar with the confession obtained by police officers to a crime suspect while the latter is being held under their custody. In the same manner as there could be no voluntary confession in this scenario so is the case of consensual sex among inmates behind bars. The following are the most common reasons why consensual sex is very rare in prison. They explain why it is possible that even if the inmate has submitted himself to sex, the same is still considered as rape. The first is that the inmate becomes indebted to his other inmate because of some needs. Inside prison, there is widespread use of drugs. For some inmates they may not have the money to buy drugs or even food from other inmates. Another prisoner feigning to want to befriend this inmate offers him drugs for free. This â€Å"free offers† may include cigarettes, food, water, or even an extra pillow. For some time, this other inmate will make it appear that he merely wants to befriend this other inmate. Later on, he will ask that all these debts be repaid. If the inmate does not have the money then sexual favors might be asked in return. Another scenario is when another inmate poses as a protector of the victim. In this scenario, the group of inmates will set up their victim by threatening the victim with bodily harm and injury. At the point when they are about to hurt their victim, this â€Å"protector† will scare the other group of inmates away. This constant threat he receives from the other groups make the victim fear these inmates. He is then forced to befriend the other inmate who acted as his protector. They later on become close and they become friends. After the frequent protections, the inmate will not ask that his favors be repaid sexually. Male rape is not only a common thing inside prisons, as for female prisoners, the enemy is not their fellow prisoners but much worse. They are the male prison guards and correctional staff. The problem of sexual abuse among women prisoners is much worse precisely because of their sheer number. Research shows that the United States has earned the distinction of incarcerating the most number of prisoners. Most of these prisoners are women and there number is increasing exponentially. According to studies, since 1980, the number of women entering US prisons has risen by almost 400% roughly double the incarceration rate increase of males†¦According to current estimates, at least half of all female prisoners have experienced some form of sexual abuse prior to incarceration†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"All Too Familiar: Sexual Abuse of Women in State Prisons†, 1996) It must be stressed that this form of sexual abuse against female prisoners is worse because here the correctional officials not only become remiss in their duty to protect the inmates but they also violate the moral and legal obligation to them. Also, the male prison guards and correctional staff commit their crime with impunity using not only force but their supreme authority to give these women goods or deny them certain privileges depending on whether they â€Å"consent† to have sex. Lack of Response of Prison Officials The problem of prison rape in our penal institutions is indeed immense. Though there have been high-profile cases involving sexual abuse in prison, this problem is far from being resolved. The fault lies in not just one person or institution but in our indifferent attitude to this problem. Society perhaps may think that convicted prisoners deserve this condition inside prison. Surprisingly we will notice that prison and correctional officials are not severely punished for their transgressions. While some have been found guilty, most of the time, the punishment imposed on correctional officials would involve their reassignment to other penal institution and suspension for up to 30 days. They consider this as an administrative matter. The judiciary which is supposed to protect the oppressed likewise offers no solution to this problem as they would consider this problem as an internal matter and would rather allow prison officials to handle this matter amongst themselves. The indifferent attitude of our correctional officials to one inmate raping another is likewise depressing. Their action on this matter will mainly be limited to transferring the prisoner to another penal facility. I believe that the problem of sexual abuse will be reduced if not prevented not necessarily by punishing prison officials. The response need not be limited to their strict punishment as avoidance measures may be instituted as a matter of prison policy. Most of the time, this problem happens because the prisoner does not know what to expect in prison. He has no knowledge what happens inside prison and he does not know what to do in case something like this happens. In some states, particularly North Carolina, initiatives have been made to prevent rape by an inmate against another by conducting inmate orientation. Among the topics discussed in this orientation are not only the house rules and the day to day activities of the inmates but also information that rape may happen while they are inside the prison and tips on how to avoid getting rape. They should be prepared on the possible tricks that their fellow inmates may play on them and they should be advised to refuse any offers for food and drugs that they may later on be asked to repay. Secondly, prisoner classification should be given priority by prison officials. It must be stressed that in most prisons the hard core prisoners are mixed with first timers. When this happens the new comer becomes easy target by them. Thus, classification of prisoner and separating those newcomers from the others will provide a good alternative against rape. Thirdly, I believe we should start changing our attitudes on the issue of prison rape. This is not just an administrative misconduct but a grave offense. This issue should therefore be addressed seriously and swiftly. If a complaint is received that prison officials has raped an inmate, investigations should be made and he should immediately be prosecuted and criminal charges should be immediately filed.

Climate Change Essay -- Environment Environmental

Climate Change Introduction What is the oceans role in climate? The oceans play a vital and pivotal role in the distribution of life sustaining water throughout our planet. 86% of the evaporation that occurs on earth is over the oceans. The oceans are the planets largest reservoir of water transferring huge amounts of water around the hydrological cycle. In fact the oceans â€Å"dominate the hydrological cycle, for they contain 97% of the global water inventory† . The hydrological cycle can be disrupted by changes in ocean circulation that play such an important role on evaporation and precipitation. When the ocean circulation system changes it can change how much heat and rainfall is distributed around the world. Changes on a global scale can ultimately lead to flooding and long term drought in various regions. The big questions are can we monitor the oceans circulation and watch for climate changes? Can we predict what might happen if the ocean circulation changed dramatically? We have experienced majo r climate changes in the past; can we look for evidence of ocean change during these periods? The Conveyor Belt The global ocean circulation system is called the thermohaline circulation. Often called the ‘conveyor belt’ courtesy of Wallace Broecker who in an article for Natural History in 1987 had an artist draw a simplified version of the thermohaline circulation and called it the conveyor belt. Wallace Broecker is the Newberry Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University. He has taught at Columbia since 1959, and his research interests include paleoclimatology, ocean chemistry, isotope dating and environmental science. He conducts much of his research in Columbia University's Lamont Doherty Earth O... ...’s for past as well as future. Computer models are limited partly due to the limits of current technology and the fact that there are so many factors to analyse. Some scientists believe we require a more detailed study of the sub-grid-scale processes in the ocean and others say we need to establish the oceanic equivalent of our MET office. It is fair to say that considerably more research and investment is required if we are to learn more about the fine balance of the atmosphere and the oceans. Global climate changes have had a devastating effect on societies in the past. Rapid climate change in Britain could grind the infrastructure to a halt and effect the economy drastically. Ecosystems, economies and societies adapt better to gradual change and our ability to predict what the consequences are of global warming or changes in the oceanic currents is very important.

Capital Punishment Must Be Abolished Essay -- Anti-Death Penalty Essay

Capital punishment is used to bring justice to the crimes of murderers in our society, but is it really just? Studies show that the death penalty is cruel, morally wrong, and sometimes painful. It robs the criminal and the public of their humanity and undermines the value of life. The public should come to realize the cruelty of this law, and this form of punishment should be abolished from the government's criminal justice system. Philosopher's first began to question the justice of capital punishment in the eighteenth century. Italian criminologist Cesare Beccaria condemned capital punishment as a grossly inhumane deterrent to crime, and modern critics argue that all killing is wrong and can never be justified, whether it is done by a criminal or the government. When the state executes a criminal while saying murder is wrong, it denies the value of human life (Capital Punishment, 17). They cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing (Deacons of Paterson, 51). All human lives are equally valuable despite chosen moral behavior, but some people think that only the lives of the morally innocent are truly â€Å"human.† Is there a person out there who is truly morally pure and innocent? Under this type of thinking, any person could easily be put into a subhuman category that is condemned. Is there a clear distinction between the two? America was founded on the principle that each individual is an end in h imself. Killing these criminals contradicts the highest moral end of civil society: the human life (Bidinotto, 23). The taking of life is the ultimate possible waste (24). Today, Americans are in search of a tame, reliable, or â€Å"perfect† way of carrying out the death penalty. Methods that have been used were public hangings a... ...A: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000. 31. Holy Bible. Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville: Serendipity House Publishers, 2007. Johnson, Robert. â€Å"Execution is Inhumane.† Capital Punishment. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego, C A: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000. 42-49. â€Å"Quotations by Author: Mahatma Gandhi.† The Quotations Page. â€Å"Revenge Has No Place in the Justice System.† Humanism by Joe. The Permanent Deacons of Paterson, New Jersey. â€Å"Capital Punishment Undermines the Sacredness of Life.† Capital Punishment. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000. 50-52. Zobel, Hiller B. â€Å"The Undying Problem of the Death Penalty.† The Death Penalty. Ed. Hayley R. Mitchell. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2001. 33.

A probate property fair market price

Chapter 4To get at a probate belongings ‘s just market monetary value What are comparables? In what manner can Multiple Listing Service ( MLS ) aid you? Vitality of existent estate agents Descrying the right agent Exercises Important TerminologyTO ARRIVE AT A PROBATE PROPERTY ‘S FAIR MARKET PRICEAs discussed earlier, equity of a belongings is its fiscal worth in the free market. We besides realized how important it is to happen out the equity of a probate belongings. To accomplish that, we require the just market value of the belongings and the debts owed on it. Honestly, you need non take excessively much hurting to happen that out and instead delegate this occupation to person more knowing and the best people for the occupation are the existent estate agents. Your occupation fundamentally is to happen out the right adult male for you capable plenty for the occupation and person you can trust on. Second, allow your agent know that your demand is to acquire the belongings sold every bit early as possible and inquire him to do offers consequently. This is critical since most agents would project the belongings ‘s just market steeper than it really is. Realistically, they ca n't be blamed for this merely because the clients are anticipating a price reduction on a monetary value put frontward to them. Another good ground for this demeanour of theirs is that the individual in ownership of the belongings of course likes his belongings to be valued at a monetary value a batch steeper than it really is and likes to hear good things about his belongings. The proprietor evidently would wish his belongings to be quoted at an overdone monetary value. Just in instance, the agent fails to make that, it is improbable that he would be employed. Therefore, it is important for the agent to understand your demand and quotation mark consequently. Stick to a peculiar agent so that you are the same page as the agent. Make him recognize that all you want is a moderate free market value of your belongings, which more frequently than non would be the existent worth of the belongings. As the clip goes by and as he gets to cognize you better, he would get at the monetary values which suit you best. That scenario is ideal since that restricts your occupation to merely reach your agent, tell him the whereabouts of the belongingss you are interested in and go forth the remainder to him since cognizing you good, it would be a cakewalk for him to acquire you the just market values.WHAT ARE COMPARABLESEstimating a belongings ‘s market worth is no walk in the park and involves a batch of analysis and research. In order to work out the just market value of a belongings the agents weigh the belongings against another belongings at par with it or against the belongingss they have traded late. The belongings whose just market value is to be calculated is termed as capable belongings. The two belongingss similar plenty to be stacked up against each other are referred to as comparables. By analyzing the comparables, agents are able to gauge the monetary values of a peculiar sort of belongings within a peculiar part or vicinity. Therefore, the capable belongings is weighed against some of the comparables which were sold recently in a peculiar vicinity. It is clear that the just market value of the capable belongings would be at that place and thereabouts merely. The best attack to place the just market value is the usage of comparables. For the belongingss to be comparables, they must portion certain properties ( those listed in class 1 ) .Class 1The architecture of the belongingss being compared should be indistinguishableThe comparables should be likewise when it comes to the figure of suites. Besides, the comparables should be identical on the footing of figure of sleeping rooms and bathrooms.Most significantly, the houses should belong to a peculiar country or a part merely since the monetary values may change significantly with location.The dimensions of the comparables should be indistinguishableCategory 2 lists certain features that can impact a house ‘s value well depending on whether it possesses those features or non. Sometimes it is non possible to happen comparables with exactly the same features as our capable belongings. If the comparables have some additions or any extra fortes as compared to our capable belongings, so just market value of the capable belongings is needed to be decreased consequently and thoughtfully. Similarly, if the topic belongings has something the comparables do n't, so that must add to its value suitably. For case, if the capable belongings possesses an extra cellar or parking batch or anything for that affair which the comparables do n't so you must add up to its value suitably and it goes without stating that this works the other manner unit of ammunition every bit good when your capable belongings is short of something present in the comparables. Again, you must hold your agent sitting by your side and loaning you a much needed assisting manus. So, ne'er add onto or deduct from the just market value of belongings without the consent of your agent. Category 2 lists the specifications that may rise your belongings ‘s value ( or the other manner unit of ammunition )Class 2An fond regard like a shop room or possibly a public-service corporation roomOne or more than one parking tonssFireplace or something like thatCentral air conditioningAn extra lower floor ( cellar )The additions listed above can truly hike or keep back the value of your probate house appreciably. Another set of additions mentioned below that may non hold excessively much deduction on the value of belongings but alternatively do it more attention-getting constitute our 3rd class. If your house has those characteristics, it will surely hold an upper manus over comparable belongingss in that peculiar vicinity that may non be holding those characteristics.Class 3A galleryAn unroofed deckA well maintain lawn or a gardenGreenery like tidy shrubs, cosmetic trees, etc.A little extra parking countryTip: We merely saw how some properties can increase a belongings ‘s cost appreciably but at the same clip certain supernumeraries may go an extra luggage and diminish its marketability. For case, a swimming pool, which may be viewed as an sweetening by a subdivision of people, but it ‘s besides something which may do your house harder to sell. This is since most of the belongings purchasers are bound to be freshly married people with really immature childs. Kids we know are unpredictable and it would surely non be advisable for the parents to travel for such place. These immature people form a major part of the homebuyer ‘s community. Besides, most of these people would be looking for some kind of an adjustment every bit early as possible and by and large maintaining the pool in good form wo n't be excessively easy on their pockets. You merely can non afford to lose so many possible purchasers. At the same clip, another subdivision of people to whom fundss or childs or anything is non a affair of concern would ne'er mind holding a swimming pool at their disposal. Summarizing it up, such additions should non do excessively much of a difference to you while measuring a house. Those were the three classs which must be taken into consideration while ciphering its just market monetary value. As mentioned above, classs 1 and 2 are peculiarly indispensable since they affect the value of the house appreciably. Anyhow, class 3 which does n't hold much deduction over the house ‘s value can non be neglected. Once you have been in touch with an agent for a period of clip, you will be good equipped to find the just market value by yourself rapidly and accurately. The belongingss which are similar to the capable belongings and have been sold in the recent yesteryear must be taken into history. Properties sold within the last six months are 1s which must be taken into history. Properties beyond that period can non be considered recent plenty to be used as comparable belongingss. It is the responsibility of the existent estate agent to analyze all the available comparables and find the just market value accurately. The state of affairs where no comparables are available is non excessively uncommon or a one-off thing. It does go on on a regular basis and in that instance the agent may hold to travel back by a twelvemonth or even more to happen the comparables sold in the vicinity. He should believe twice earlier seting up any monetary value since belongings values may change drastically with such an interval of clip.How to find the just market value without utilizing comparablesIn some vicinities, where houses are every bit old as 30 old ages or even more it becomes difficult to come up with comparables. This is because most of the houses during that period were customized as per the likings of the proprietors. The contractors ( or designers ) used to build houses with different forms within a vicinity during that period. Furthermore, since these houses are rather old, most of those would be altered well. Changes may be attaching another room to the house, widening it, adding another floor etc, and these things over a period of clip make sure that the house is far from its original signifier. Since the deceased, go forthing behind the probate belongings would largely be an elderly individual ; opportunities that the belongings is located in older vicinities are good and in that instance it would be truly difficult to happen the comparables. Without any comparables, you will hold a tough clip measuring the house ‘s just market value. Try to calculate out the houses which have the closest of resemblance to the topic house by comparing the properties in class 1 and so of class you can do suited add-ons or minuss on the value depending on the additions mentioned antecedently. Once once more it is your existent estate agent who comes to deliver. Rely on him to cipher the just market value accurately. It is ne'er a bad thought to listen to another agent ‘s point of position if you are still diffident of the value. The idea of holding other agents to discourse with your agent may besides be fruitful. These are the rudimentss when you are looking to cipher the just market value and it wo n't take you long to get the hang the art. Merely maintain it simple, utilize the comparables and maintain in touch with your agents. You would come across different sorts of probate places. A probate house may be a individual household place, a townhouse or a condominium.How to find just market value of townhouses?Townhouses or row houses are by and large those houses that are joined utilizing a common sidewall. When it comes to finding the just market value, townhouses are comparatively simpler than individual household places. Let ‘s take a expression at the grounds for it:Townhouses in a vicinity are by and large built on the same forms. Even if they do differ, there merely are a few forms that exist in a subdivisionMore frequently than non the proprietors are non permitted to build any additions on their houses by the subdivisions.The few things that proprietors may be permitted to make in order to hike their house ‘s market value areConstruction of an extra sleeping room in the lower floor ( cellar )Build an extra bathroomOther features that you may desire to cognize about the house may be the inclusion of assorted types of Windowss, floors, deck, etc. Although they are n't likely to hold an consequence on the just market value, but they can surely be things to do a note of. The basicss remain the same though, i.e. the size of the belongings, figure of sleeping rooms and bathrooms, form on which it is built, dimensions, etc. Of class properties like excess bathroom, a car port, or a hearth do hold a positive affect on the market value. It is good known that the corner houses are of somewhat more value than the 1s sandwiches between two houses. The grounds are good known excessively. Normally, the corner houses have a somewhat larger country. They are three side unfastened and two-side unfastened like the interior 1s. They portion sidewalls with merely a individual neighboring house. Townhouses form serious belongingss to take at since they ca n't be altered much and besides, happening their carnival market value is rather easy because there are so many comparables to look at.How to happen just market value of condominiumsCondominium refers to one of the units in a multi unit composite. Here once more, finding the just market value is non excessively large a trade. Merely name up your agent, he would measure the house based on legion comparables by and large available for condos. Second, since alterations are rarely allowed in condos, proprietors have their custodies tied in instance attempt to heighten the market value of their house. Condos with characteristics like modular kitchen, wooden cabinets or some type of particular flooring may be somewhat in front than others, but non by much.Analyze the competitionAssign your existent estate agent the undertaking of finding what the proprietors of comparable belongingss are demanding for selling their houses. This will give you a clear indicant on what monetary value you need to set up your belongings for sale. Be cautious and ne'er think of this information to measure the just market monetary value since proprietors are bound to cite excessively much more than what the belongings is really deserving. Fair market value can merely be calculated on the footing of belongingss already sold and non on the 1s that are on sale at present. Your mark is to acquire your belongings sold every bit shortly as possible. Buying a probate house is easy on the pocket and hence you can inquire for monetary values moderately lower than the monetary values of the comparables. This would vouch a speedy sale and a significant yet speedy fiscal addition.When to utilize valuatorsAppraisers are those persons who have expertise in ciphering the just market value of belongingss. You should avail of their services merely if you and your agent are unable to find the just market value of a house. This can go on when you merely are n't able to happen any comparables. So, when person does offer you a large price reduction on his house and you find yourself incapacitated, turn to valuators. The valuators are knowing plenty to measure the just market value of the house from comparables belonging to non merely the same, but besides from other nearby vicinities in that peculiar country. From comparing the capable belongings to the comparables to doing suited add-ons and minuss on the just market value depending on the additions contained by the comparable, an valuator would make it all for you. Still, you are advised to do usage of them merely in instance both you and your agent are unable to happen the just market value by yourself since valuators would and intelligibly so bear down you a fee for their services.No replacement to difficult work!In instance you are a newbie in trading belongingss and material, it is recommended that you do the difficult paces and pattern measuring the just market value by yourself. Find some probate places, inquire your agent for suited comparables and visit those comparables along with your agent. You do the comparing by yourself, analyze whether or non the comparables resemble the topic belongings closely adequate and seek to find the just market value consequently. Do non bury to see some of the nearby occupants. Gather as much information as you can about the belongingss in that peculiar vicinity. These following door neighbours will be more than willing to portion their sentiment peculiarly when you tell them that you are their prospective neighbour.WHAT IS MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE ( MLS ) AND IN WHAT WAY CAN IT ASSIST YOU?MLS is the abbreviation for multiple listing services and it is a service which can be accessed via computing machines merely. It is the multiple listing service merely through which agents are able to calculate out the comparables for a given capable belongings. All existent estate bureaus subscribe to the MLS and supply its entree to all the agents working with the bureau. It may be that the agent is a endorser, and does n't necessitate any bureaus to avail of the MLS. A belongings that is available for purchasing at present is termed as a listing. Therefore naming service is service which has 1000s of listings and has the information of all the belongingss that are presently on sale. Therefore, the existent estate agents make usage of the MLS to happen out the comparables for a capable belongings. Whenever you appoint an agent and assign him the undertaking of selling your house, he enters the listing in the MLS and makes it existing in the market. Since this list is carefully looked upon by all the agents, it gives your belongings a good adequate exposure in the market. MLS is regarded as a must hold tool for all agents. MLS provides the agent with plentifulness of information. It has the list of all the belongingss sold within last 12 months in a peculiar country and besides comprehensive information sing them. The agent ‘s occupation is to shop through the consequences generated as he enters a few variables and make a elaborate survey based on these consequences. These variables may be the purchaser ‘s budget, size or form of the house, the coveted location, and the MLS will bring forth the list of all the belongingss fulfilling these parametric quantities. The simpleness and the user friendliness of the MLS are astonishing. For case, you call up your agent and inquire him to measure the just market value of a certain probate house. You tell him about the figure of sleeping rooms, bathrooms, and the location etc of the house. Now, all your agent demands to make is to come in all these factors in the hunt field of the MLS. Leave the remainder to the MLS. The MLS will so bring forth a list of all the houses purchased with the same specifications. So many comparables are available that the occupation of finding the just market value becomes a batch easier. MLS makes certain that finding the just market value of any belongings is merely a affair of proceedingss once you and your agent are accustomed to it.VITALITY OF REAL ESTATE AGENTSThe recognition for the gross revenues of most of the bank foreclosures in Canada goes to the existent estate agents. These are competent salesmen who are employed when belongings proprietors intend to sell their belongingss. Real estate agents are skilled people who are likely to give you an advantage and hike the opportunities of a speedy and a paid sale by springs and bounds. Real estate agents want a small of the gross revenues made through them. They would by and large inquire for a 3 to 6 % portion of the entire sale value. The agent ‘s portion is non fixed and it varies with different agents and different trades, though by and large, they stick to 6 % of the entire monetary value the house is sold for. This is because 8 out of 10 times your agent wo n't be straight in contact with the purchaser but through another agent. In that instance, the committee will be divided between the two agents. The original agent will acquire merely 3 % and non the full 6 % . If the purchaser is in contact with any agent other than yours, even so your agent deserves his piece. This is because it is your agent who has promoted your belongings and set in a batch of his valuable clip and energy into it. It is his contacts that have helped you find a purchaser In fact, your agent besides supervises the full procedure of sale of your belongings along with the other agent. You will recognize that 6 % for a skilled agent is non at all a bad trade. It is your agent that will pass on all the advertisement and selling of your belongings. Frosting on the bar is the fact that an agent will non demand anything until your house has been purchased by the purchaser and all the paperwork has been taken attention of. They will acquire their portion automatically within the procedure of the trade. You do non pay their portion straight and they earn it automatically as the belongings is sold. You can besides choose for going an agent yourself. It is ne'er a bad thought since it wo n't affect excessively much of an investing, though on a personal degree, I have ne'er aspired to be an agent myself. Trading in probate houses works good for me. That surely does n't intend that you ca n't do good money being an agent. You can ever make that. The pick is all yours. Once you have managed to buy a inexpensive probate belongings, the agent ensures your smooth seafaring through the procedure of sale of the belongings. Second, the agents are ever up-to-date with all the latest and relevant information. He is the 1 who will ever be holding the MLS at his disposal and will besides find the just market value for your capable belongings. Time to hold a closer expression at the necessity of holding an agent: First of wholly, your occupation is to near an agent and assign him the undertaking of pull offing the sale of your belongings from happening a purchaser to the shutting of the trade. Then that agent will execute all the actions necessary to guarantee a quick and a profitable sale. Different maps performed by an agent are:Agents are ever in touch with many other agents. So, he will do all of them cognizant of your belongings and that it is up for sale.He will popularise your house in relevant magazines and besides guarantee proper advertizements through newspapers.He will be registering the belongings in MLS, guaranting its being in the market.His occupation besides includes distributing or passing out the flyers sing your belongings to those shacking in the same country on rent. Since you are willing to sell your belongings at an low-cost monetary value, the flyers should be good plenty to convert them to purchase the house you are offering.He will descry the weak links which may decrease your belongings ‘s value like possibly dust loaded Windowss or something like thatSimilarly, he will besides allow you cognize how you can heighten your belongings ‘s market worth.He will set up your belongings as an unfastened house and besides publicize it in ne wspapers. It means any interested purchaser may come and inspect the house which is held â€Å"open† and does n't even necessitate to reach the agent for that. This is by and large done on Sundays so that most of the possible can come and hold a expression in.Apart from all these, there are legion other services your agent will ease you with. He will besides impart a assisting manus to the purchaser as to how to set up the fundss or arrange loans for him that he requires to purchase your house. He will take attention of all the certification portion as good.A skilled existent estate agent will: –Be cognizant of yours and the adjoining vicinities and how things work at that place.Help you realize where to pass and where non toAid you to measure the just market valueDo non overlook your agent ‘s advice. Make take notice of it that would by and large maintain you out of troubled Waterss.What are Listing Agreements?Delegating the agent the occupation of selling your belongings requires you to subscribe a contract. This contract is called listing understanding. This listing understanding allows the agent to sell your belongings. All the footings and conditions sing the sale of the belongings are mentioned in the understanding. They are by and large non more than three-to-six months long and besides stipulate the agent ‘s portion in the merchandising monetary value of the belongings. An agent ‘s liking for a longer listing understanding is apprehensible since it non merely boosts his opportunities of happening you a purchaser but besides of another agent in touch with him of making so. It is advisable for you to non hold a listing understanding of over three months. In instance the agent is unable to sell your belongings within that tine frame, so either you are citing excessively high or your belongings is non in the best of forms. So make sure that you evaluate the just market value accurately and non anticipate excessively much from your belongings. Besides guarantee that your belongings is in the best of its wellness and put it up for sale at monetary values moderately lower as compared to other similar belongingss. You should be really selective about the location every bit good as the vicinity you invest in to do certain selling the belongings does n't go another hurdle in your manner. Listing understanding provides the agent with the comfort of selling your belongings over a defined period ( of three months ) . Listing understanding must advert that your house will be registered in the MLS, merely in instance you come across an agent who unluckily is n't excessively interested in profiting you. They may non desire to name your belongings in the MLS so as to avoid sharing of the committee with another agent. This is n't likely to go on though at that place a few egoistic agents around so be careful. To avoid any such jobs, do allow your agent cognize your demands and besides inquire him about the scheme he is traveling to use. Have healthy, blunt and frequent treatments with your agent and border the listing understanding consequently. You can ever maintain path of the proceedings to foster safeguard your iterests.Descrying THE RIGHT AGENTFor person comparatively new to the belongings concern, a competent agent is a necessity. First of all, seek to remember if you yourself are in contact with any agent. There is nil like holding a household member or a close buddy or anyone as dependable to help you. Then think of person who has sold his belongings recently and inquire him to acquire you his agent. Open your Yellow Pages directory and happen the contact information of nearby real property offices under â€Å"real estate† . Enlist some of the agents of your country. Shortlist the agents and get down taking telephonic interviews of the short listed 1s. Do non merely interview and engage an agent straight off ; do do certain that you talk to a few of them so as to guarantee your compatibility with the agent. From the existent estate bureau itself, acquire contacted about the agents who have been working with belongings investors. These agents are more likely to understand your demand of reaping good income from the belongingss you purchase. State the agent that he is the 1 who needs to happen out the profitable belongingss so that you can put in them and do good money. Let him cognize that you want him to state you about all the pros and cons of purchasing a house in bordering vicinities and maintain you informed about the high potency every bit good as those that are n't likely to do you great net incomes. Work with merely those agents to whom you are one of the top precedences. Convey to him that are looking to put in a figure of belongingss and non merely in a individual 1 and will work with him on a figure of trades. Tell him that you would necessitate the information you ask for immediately without any holds and that you may necessitate to reach him rather a few times in a twenty-four hours. This is besides indispensable since agents are a busy batch and some of them may non go to to you decently.Tip: –After questioning a few agents you will recognize that all of them are more than happy to work for you. While acquiring you an agent is no large trade, descrying a competent agent does necessitate some making. So do take the hurting of questioning a few agents ( three at the least ) before you hire one. Take your clip and make non seek to hotfoot to following measure as an unqualified agent may impact your income badly. An agent ‘s competency or the deficiency of it will be apparent to you reasonably rapidly.What to inquire an agent while questioning him?Do you hold any experience in working with investors?If the reply is no, see another agent who has worked with investors before. Do state him that you are here to reap a significant income. Convey to him that you want to put in merely those belongingss that wo n't take excessively long to sell and that you need your pecuniary benefits every bit early as possible. Tell him that it is his occupation to allow you cognize approximately profitable every bit good as uneconomical vicinities. As you have managed inexpensive belongings yourself, state the agent that you mind offering a sensible price reduction for it either. This should ease your agent in marketing your house. It should be bread and butter for the agent to sell the most low-cost belongings ( than other comparables ) in a peculiar vicinity.How experienced an agent are you?The longer the individual has been working as an agent, the more experient he is. More experience surely means more chance of being acquiring you a good trade. While questioning the agents, figure out whether you need a really experient agent or person comparatively new. Now you must be believing â€Å"why should I be even believing about person new in the business† ? The ground is simple. Simply because person less experient looking to do a grade is bound to demo more enthusiasm and dedication towards the occupation.Can I reach you in the uneven hours like early in the forenoon or possibly at midnight as per the demand arises and would be able to supply me the feedback accurately and rapidly plenty?I am willing to put in a figure of belongingss in a twelvemonth, and would wish to find the just market values of a batch of houses. Can you save that much sum of clip for me?Do do sure you clearly ask the agents all of the above and any other things that you think are necessary to discourse.Exercise___________ ( executors/agents ) are the 1s who determine the just market value of a belongings for you.The belongings whose just market value is to be calculated is termed as ________ belongings.____________ are those persons who have expertise in ciphering the just market value of belongingss.____________ greatly assists the agents to happen comparables f or a capable belongings._____________ is a service which has 1000s of listings and has the information of all the belongingss that are presently on sale.The _______________ allows the agent to sell your belongings.IMPORTANT TERMINOLGYFAIR MARKET VALUEReal ESTATE AGENTAppraiserTOWNHOUSECondominiumCOMPARABLESListList AGREEMENTMULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE ( MLS )

Business and Environment Ethics CFCs essays

Business and Environment Ethics CFC's essays Do businesses really have any obligations to the environment is the question inquired here. According to the Biocentric view, yes businesses do have obligations and I am going to defend that view because according to me there are not only humans that are important in this eco-system and Homocentric view is contrary to my believes. The Freon Products Division is a part of DuPont Company. They produce chlorofluorocarbons also known as CFCs. In the past years hard evidence has accumulated proving that CFCs contribute to ozone depletion which leads to increased levels of radiation reaching earths surface thus causing increase in skin cancer rates and damage to crops and fisheries. CFCs are used in many industries to produce coolants in refrigeration systems, foams, solvents, cleaning agents and propellant in aerosol containers. It is known as chemically stable, low in toxicity and nonflammable. The down side is that CFCs do not really have an identical substitute and finding a sub. Is very costly, if indeed CFCs are harmful to the environment the Freon Products Division will have to face this fact. In 1987 for DuPont Freon Products Division, $600 million in revenue was from 50 million pounds of CFC production. This was only 2% of the total revenue. The challenge Joe Glas director of FREON PRODUCT DIVISION (Freon Products Division) faces is that there are new regulations on the production of CFCs and he has to decide whether to do nothing, take an active role in support/opposition of controls or cut production. The point of pressure is that FREON PRODUCT DIVISIONs political strategy is If we cant make it safely, we wont make it at all. Meaning the company will comply with government regulations and their own standards. This made me recall what Hoffman said; sometimes doing right isnt good for the business. Ye ...

Wade Reynvaan Essays - Political Philosophy, Free Essays

Wade Reynvaan Essays - Political Philosophy, Free Essays Wade Reynvaan Mr. Jon Bouknight Team Skills SP 252 5 April 2017 Decision Making Method Essay Working together as a team has a lot of advantages when it comes to trying to find or come to a common goal. Using the " Standard Agenda " and " Majority Vote " are two instances that seemed to really work for our team " The Backrow" when we were trying to figure out what furniture item we would like to have as well as when we would like to travel. All methods seemed to work to a fair degree. These two that I have mentioned seemed to work the best when it came to coming up with a faster, fairer outcome. " Majority Vote " is a method that you can use when a team has a problem or decision that they might not all agree on. Then, after a fair vote, the team comes to a decision on how to solve the problem or make a decision that will not only be fair to all in the group, but also will make the group members more open to the outcome. That is the only way it will work. All people have to be on board. One big advantage of " Majority Vote " is that if there is anyone that is not willing to accept the outcome of the vote, then the team will not work as efficient, as it could spend time on the issue not arguing about the right approach. The " Standard Agenda " has a precise set of steps that break the problem down for a group to come to a better outcome that all can easily agree on. These steps include analyzing the problem, which takes a groups conscious look to really see the problem it its full scope. Establishing criteria for the solution gives the group a set of ideas to bounce off one another to find different ways to solve a problem or work toward a goal. Ranking the criteria helps the team figure out which solution makes the most sense. Evaluating solutions helps you fine tune and come to a better solution. Selecting and implementing the best solution puts that decision into action. " The Standard Agenda " is the best option to coming to a group decision. The more a group communicates with one another, the better the group can come to a solution. In Randy Pausch's " The Last Lecture " (page 142), Randy wrote about the importance of working together. He wrote about imagining himself sitting together in a group with a deck of cards. His impulse was always put all of his cards on the table face up and to say to the group: "Ok" what can we collectively make of this hand?" He claimed that being able to work well in a group was vital and necessary for both working in the field as well as at home in your family life. In order to teach this, he always put his students into groups to work together. This is an example of " The Standard Agenda ". Randy Pausch used anything necessary to make others understand that working together was of great importance. On pages 142-143 of Randy Pausch's " The Last Lecture" , he detailed some tips for working successfully in a group. First : greet people properly. Meeting people, getting to know one another, feeling comfortable and pronouncing each other's names correctly is important to make that connection someone. This makes everyone feel important. Second : find things you have in common, again finding common ground. Third : try for optional meeting connections. This helps with comfort as well so that everyone can focus on the task of the team. Fourth : let everyone talk. Everyone has something to bring to the table. Don't be selfish. There is no "I" in team! Fifth : praise each other. Even if you do not agree with one another, building someone up instead of tearing them down will only build the morale of the team. And last, but not least: phrase all alternatives as questions. This allows people to offer comments rather than defend one. In " The Standard Agenda

Explaining the French Expression À tes Souhaits

Explaining the French Expression tes Souhaits The French expression tes souhaits  (pronounced [a  tay  sweh])  is a social nicety and literally  translates to to your wishes. It has an informal  register  and is the equivalent of the English phrase bless you. Explanation  and Example You can and should use the French expression tes souhaits any time a friend sneezes (as long as youre not interrupting a speech or something). Unlike its English equivalent bless you, tes souhaits has no religious connotation whatsoever, instead offering the sneezer your hopes that his or her wishes will come true. If the person sneezes more than once, theres a more elaborate saying: After the first sneeze: A tes souhaits Second sneeze: tes amours Third sneeze: One of the following: avec un grand A et beaucoup de set tes enfantset ton argentet quelles durent toujoursque les tiennes durent toujoursNote: Elles and tiennes in the last two variations refer to amours. The formal equivalent vos souhaits can be addressed to a complete stranger with no risk of offense, but again, consider the context. On the bus: yes. During a business meeting: probably not. Souhaits is the plural of un souhait (wish), from the verb souhaiter (to wish).

Bilingual Education Should not Be Offered in Public Schools Research Paper

Bilingual Education Should not Be Offered in Public Schools - Research Paper Example Students in public schools are at an age in which most of them hardly find any interest in studies. Instead, they are more inclined towards hanging out with friends or remain busy in other outdoor and indoor activities for most of their out-of-school time. In such circumstances, it is indeed, challenging for them to develop an interest in studies offered in their own language, what to talk of subjects taught in a language that is not their mother tongue. When intricate concepts of physics and chemistry are delivered in a second language, students are indirectly made to exert much more than what would have been required of them, had the lectures been in the first language. â€Å"Immigrant pupils can become more self-reliant if courses in arts, history or music are taught in Spanish and/or deal with their cultural heritage† (Teipelke 5). Not just this, in bilingual education, it becomes even more cumbersome for the students when they have to produce all that they learned formerl y in their exams. This way, bilingual education also invalidates the conventional testing system that is thought of as a means to judge the true capabilities of students. It is so because, we can not say a student did not work hard, only because he was not able to interpret his knowledge into words in the second language. Also, speakers of the language chosen as a standard for the exam tend to perform better than non-speakers because they do not have to cross linguistic barriers in order to make their point. The potential disadvantages of bilingual education can be assessed from its impact on the US educational system as a case study. Bilingual education was introduced in the US educational system fundamentally to provide the children from immigrated communities with an opportunity to speak, read and write the language of the locals.  Ã‚  

Choose any song you wish (contemporary is fine). Using AT LEAST one Essay

Choose any song you wish (contemporary is fine). Using AT LEAST one verse and the refrain, discuss the lyrics in terms of poetr - Essay Example In this analysis, the paper will consider verses two and three including the refrain. In the song, Tyrell asks his wife to accompany him to various great places such as Bombay, Peru and Ac apulco Bay, which he promises to be full of fun and joy. His convincing voice is felt in lines like â€Å"in llama land there's a one-man band/ and he'll toot his flute for you† (Tyrell, 5-6), to signify the much fun they were to have in Peru. Tyrell the singer will be the one man band who will be playing the flute to the new wedded wife in Peru. To express his love for the lady, he chooses different places full of fun, perhaps with interesting things he is sure that the wife would love. He engages her thoughts romantically by painting a romantic picture in her head. Sweet-talking her to accept his proposal, Tyrell sings, â€Å"Once I get you up there I'll be holding you so near/ You may hear all the angels cheer 'cause we're together (Tyrell, 11-12).† Not only does he show his deep l ove to the woman, but also paints a romantic picture in her head. He first asks her to come and fly away with him, and later promises that they will stay up in the sky, where he would hold her so near that she would hear the angels cheer because they are together. In Ac apulco Bay, he promises her that they will have a perfect weather for a honeymoon and beat the birds, which would bring them closer, creating more fun and happiness. He then asks her to join him and insists that they will fly together to all these places. Imagery Through imagery, Tyrell paints numerous scenes that are enticing to the woman. He creates a lasting picture in her mind that is supposed to be both romantic and appealing. Extensively, the singer uses symbolism and personification to create a romantically enticing picture in the imagination of the woman. He tells her to go with him, so that they can float down to Peru, where a one man band will play a flute for her. He creates an urge in the woman, prompting her to desire the great feeling of flying, and the music from the flute, which is most likely her favourite music instrument. Although Tyrell does not mention the band’s name, he is a singer and will probably be the band. However, to create a lasting impression and increase her anxiety, he conceals the name of the band. Moreover, he promises to take her to the sky where he would hold her very closely. The close that they would be to the sky, she would even hear the angels cheering their unison. â€Å"Once I get you up there I'll be holding you so near/ you may hear all the angels cheer 'cause we're together (Tyrell 11-12). By this, he means that even in heaven, their marriage has been approved. The perfect Ac apulco bay for a honeymoon is meant to let her know that he never settled for simple places, but the best, full of fun such as bird hunting and perfect weather. With these images in her mind, Tyrell hopes that he manages to successfully convince his women to accompany him to the honeymoon. Alliteration

E-Business Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

E-Business Master - Case Study Example The firm has approximately 153 stores across Britain; the number of its employees has been estimated to 21,500. The last 8 months the firm's profitability was reduced under the influence of the global financial crisis; however, signs of recovery of the firm's performance have been identified - see also the performance of the firm's shares for 2008 and 2009 in Figure 1 - Appendix. Characteristics of corporate website In general, the website has the structure of a B2C (business to customer) system, i.e. a system used for the selling of products/ services to the website's visitors (customers). The information included is available to the website's visitors - the communication with customers seems to be the priority for the system's developers. The characteristics of the corporate website could be summarized as follows: the entrance and navigation in the specific website is quite easy - the material included has been appropriately categorized, in terms of speed the website can be characterized as extremely effective, images are used as possible to highlight the content - especially regarding the products available, communication with the customers is highly supported - telephone numbers are available for all organisational departments One of the most important advantages of the firm's website is the fact that the information provided covers a wide range of issues including the firm's products and services - those currently available to the public, the existing vacancies in various organisational departments - including the terms of employment in the firm, the firm's financial performance, the firm's environmental policies, the methods of payment available for online orders of products/ services and the firm's culture and...The last 8 months the firm's profitability was reduced under the influence of the global financial crisis; however, signs of recovery of the firm's performance have been identified - see also the performance of the firm's shares for 2008 and 2009 in Figure 1 - Appendix. In general, the website has the structure of a B2C (business to customer) system, i.e. a system used for the selling of products/ services to the website's visitors (customers). The information included is available to the website's visitors - the communication with customers seems to be the priority for the system's developers. The characteristics of the corporate website could be summarized as follows: One of the most important advantages of the firm's website is the fact that the information provided covers a wide range of issues including the firm's products and services - those currently available to the public, the existing vacancies in various organisational departments - including the terms of employment in the firm, the firm's financial performance, the firm's environmental policies, the methods of payment available for online orders of products/ services and the firm's culture and mission. Up today, the firm's managers have tried to keep the firm's performance almost intact from the international crisis; in the feature the ability of the firm to face the threats developed would be evaluated in ac

Edit1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Edit1 - Essay Example Furthermore, the reports and their analysis thereof have not only illuminated the very deficiency of my daily caloric consumption, but have informed the modification of my food diet towards more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as already alluded to above. Noteworthy, proper management of the daily calorie intake goes a long way in preventing not just obesity already, but numerous chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases. The change in my food diet to include those foods rich in fiber will tremendously help in regaining the very crucial minerals and vitamins that are somehow in short supply for proper functioning of my body systems. To be specific, the graphic on â€Å"My Plate† was but informational with regards to contents of a balance diet; fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and a variety of dietary products are all recommended. Additionally, the questions of this assignment were indeed helpful, for they introduce me to the exact amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats that I need to consume to live a healthy

Urinary Disorders I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Urinary Disorders I - Essay Example with people of his age with hypertension, this condition is associated with hardening of walls of the arteries and arterioles in the kidney and failure in kidney functions, this is evident by the frequent headaches, swelling of the legs and feet, increase in weight due to edema, feeling tired, loss of blood through urine and many more other symptoms of nephrosclerosis (Izzo, 2008). Due to this condition, there is obstruction and destruction of arteries and arterioles in the kidney. The nephrone which filters the blood in the kidney is destroyed leading to nephritic syndrome, this result in a reduction of proteins such as albumin in the blood which in turn causes the accumulation of fluid in the legs and feet, this is the major cause of swelling legs and weight gain (Izzo, 2008). Since there has been destruction of the nephrone, a lot of nutrients and proteins are excreted in urine together with traces of blood, this requires a lot of water for excretion which in turn results in dilute urine. Blood is also lost in urine in people with this conditions thus they tend to develop anemia in the long run due to deficiency of blood, even albumin constituent in blood goes down. Metabolic acidosis is as a result of retention of the week acids which were to be excreted by the destroyed kidneys thus once they are retained they cause this condition. Treatment for this condition is by administration of antihypertensive drugs in an effort to reduce the pressure of blood reaching the kidneys; the other treatment is by undertaking a kidney transplant although it will not be as effective as the original (Izzo,

Edit1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Edit1 - Essay Example Furthermore, the reports and their analysis thereof have not only illuminated the very deficiency of my daily caloric consumption, but have informed the modification of my food diet towards more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as already alluded to above. Noteworthy, proper management of the daily calorie intake goes a long way in preventing not just obesity already, but numerous chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases. The change in my food diet to include those foods rich in fiber will tremendously help in regaining the very crucial minerals and vitamins that are somehow in short supply for proper functioning of my body systems. To be specific, the graphic on â€Å"My Plate† was but informational with regards to contents of a balance diet; fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and a variety of dietary products are all recommended. Additionally, the questions of this assignment were indeed helpful, for they introduce me to the exact amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats that I need to consume to live a healthy

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs Essay

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs - Essay Example It will discuss the effectiveness of the programs, their advantages and disadvantages with regard to how they are implemented. It will also outline the prevalence rates of mosquito born diseases in Queensland especially with reference to Ross River Virus and others. Finally, it will provide some recommendations on how the programs can be designed and who to include in implementation process making them more efficient in future. Mosquito control programs in Queensland have been developed in the past and are still being developed to eradicate mosquitoes in homesteads, houses, hospitals and other public places. The programs are drafted and implemented by the Queensland authorities together with health care providers, local councils and the public in general. The problem has however been the rate at which members of the public are accepting and adopting these programs. The communities do not appreciate these programs and they instead use their own knowledge on how they can control and manage mosquitoes in their homes. They have resorted to buying treated nets, repellents and other pesticides to keep mosquitoes off. The programs from the government although being taken in are a second fiddle especially considering the fact that people don’t take them seriously Surveillance of any disease is the first line of defence against the disease2. In the recent years, there have been many cases of ‘imported diseases’ to Queensland especially from Asia and Africa. This is a setback against the fighting against the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Various groups are currently promoting the idea of disease surveillance in Queensland. A group based in the area by the name Tropical Population Health Networks Communicable Diseases Control Centre is working with communities and local government officials to make sure that all immigrants do not ‘infect’ the mosquitoes in Queensland

Sources of Finance Essay Example for Free

Sources of Finance Essay Finance: Finance is the study of how investors allocate their assets over time under conditions of certainty and uncertainty. A key point in finance, which affects decisions, is the time value of money, which states that a unit of currency today is worth more than the same unit of currency tomorrow. Finance aims to price assets based on their risk level, and expected rate of return. Finance can be broken into three different sub categories: public finance, corporate finance and personal finance. Why Do Businesses Need Finance? Finance is the money available to spend on business needs. Right from the moment someone thinks of a business idea, there needs to be cash. As the business grows there are inevitably greater calls for more money to finance expansion. The day to day running of the business also needs money. The main reasons a business needs finance are to: * Start a business: Depending on the type of business, it will need to finance the purchase of assets, materials and employing people. There will also need to be money to cover the running costs. It may be some time before the business generates enough cash from sales to pay for these costs. * Finance expansions to production capacity: As a business grows, it needs higher capacity and new technology to cut unit costs and keep up with competitors. New technology can be relatively expensive to the business and is seen as a long term investment, because the costs will outweigh the money saved or generated for a considerable period of time. And remember new technology is not just dealing with computer systems, but also new machinery and tools to perform processes quicker, more efficiently and with greater quality. * To develop and market new products: In fast moving markets, where competitors are constantly updating their products, a business needs to spend money on developing and marketing new products e.g. to do marketing research and test new products in â€Å"pilot† markets. These costs are not normally covered by sales of the products for some time (if at all), so money needs to be raised to pay for the research. * To enter new markets: When a business seeks to expand it may look to sell their products into new markets. These can be new geographical areas to sell to (e.g. export markets) or new types of customers. This costs money in terms of research and marketing e.g. advertising campaigns and setting up retail outlets. * Take-over or acquisition: When a business buys another business, it will need to find money to pay for the acquisition (acquisitions involve significant investment). This money will be used to pay owners of the business which is being bought. * Moving to new premises: Finance is needed to pay for simple expenses such as the cost of renting of removal vans, through to relocation packages for employees and the installation of machinery. * To pay for the day to day running of business: A business has many calls on its cash on a day to day basis, from paying a supplier for raw materials, paying the wages through to buying a new printer cartridge. * Special situations: For example, a decline in sales, possibly as a result of economic recession, could lead to cash needs to keep the business stable. Types of finance: It is pivotal to have access to money, in order to start and run a business. There are many ways to get money, all businesses need money. Where the money comes from is known as sources of finance. Now there are two different types of sources of finance: internal (finance from inside the business) and external (finance from outside the business). New businesses starting up need money to invest in long-term assets such as buildings and equipment. They also need cash to purchase materials, pay wages, and to pay the day-today- bills such as water and electricity. In-experienced entrepreneurs (or social entrepreneurs) often underestimate the capital needed for the everyday running of the business. Generally, for every  £1000 required to establish the business, another  £1000 is needed for day-to-day needs. This is why sources of finance are crucial for any business. Internal sources of finance: * Retained earnings: For any company, the amount of earnings retained within the business has a direct impact on the amount of dividends. Profit re-invested as retained earnings is profit that could have been paid as a dividend. The major reasons for using retained earnings to finance new investments, rather than to pay higher dividends and then raise new equity for the new investments, are as follows: a) The management of many companies believes that retained earnings are funds which do not cost anything, although this is not true. However, it is true that the use of retained earnings as a source of funds does not lead to a payment of cash. b) The dividend policy of the company is in practice determined by the directors. From their standpoint, retained earnings are an attractive source of finance because investment projects can be undertaken without involving either the shareholders or any outsiders. c) The use of retained earnings as opposed to new shares or debentures avoids issue costs. d) The use of retained earnings avoids the possibility of a change in control resulting from an issue of new shares. The advantage of using retained profits is that  it does not have to be repaid as in the case of loan while the disadvantages can be that new business or loss making business may not have any retained profits and a business may have retained profits which are too few to finance the expense needed. †¢ Own savings: Personal saving is an advantage for entrepreneurs; this will prevent stress and pressure of gathering money from scratch. Savings can be from previous employments, inheritance, and redundancy. This will be a positive head start for the business and a helping hand also advantage is its interest free. Moreover there is no need to borrow money externally and it is a quick way for the firm to obtain finance. On the other hand savings may be too low to finance the expense needed. †¢ Partnership: This is when two savings is used to help start the business. This is an advantage as there is more money and less pressure. There is a disadvantage for this scheme; sometimes entrepreneurs may fall out over disagreements. * Sale of assets: Some companies often find that they have assets that are no longer fully employed. These could be sold to raise cash. In addition some businesses will sell assets that they still intend to use, but which they do not need to own. In these cases the assets might be sold to a leasing specialist and leased back by the company. This will raise capital and there will be better use of the existing capital in the business. However it may take some time to sell off these assets. * Decrease the amount of stock held: Its advantage is that it reduces the opportunity cost and storage cost of high stock level while a drawback might be that stock level should be kept to avoid disappointing customers. External sources of finance: * Shares: This option is only applicable to limited companies. They can raise finance by issuing shares. Public limited company will obviously be able to raise more finance since it can sell its shares to the public. There are two ways  in which businesses can issue shares. They can either go for a new issue or right issue. Selling shares to a new issue will simply mean that new members will be invited to join the business as shareholders. This method of rising capital can be expensive to organize. In addition the more share sold would mean a loss of control to the original shareholders. A right issue of share is where existing shareholders obtain the right to buy new shares in proportion to their current holding. This will avoid the problem of new shareholders changing the balance of ownership. The benefit is that issue shareholders is permanent source of capital which does not have to be repaid back unlike bank loans while a disadvantage may be that if the business is going for a new issue of shares, it might be costly and at the same time implies a loss of control for the original owners. * Bank lending: Borrowings from banks are an important source of finance to companies. Bank lending is still mainly short term, although medium-term lending is quite common these days. Short term lending may be in the form of: a) An overdraft, which a company should keep within a limit set by the bank. Interest is charged (at a variable rate) on the amount by which the company is overdrawn from day to day; b) Long term loan may be offered at either a variable or a fixed interest rate. Lending to smaller companies will be at a margin above the banks base rate and at either a variable or fixed rate of interest. Lending on overdraft is always at a variable rate. A loan at a variable rate of interest is sometimes referred to as a floating rate loan. Longer-term bank loans will sometimes be available, usually for the purchase of property, where the loan takes the form of a mortgage. When a banker is asked by a business customer for a loan or overdraft facility, he will consider several factors, known commonly by the mnemonic PARTS. Purpose Amount Repayment Term Security The advantage is that it is quickly to arrange and the business can obtain different sums of money, sometimes huge amount which can be paid over a long period of time. However the bank will have to be paid in addition with interest and also banks may ask for collateral security. * Hire purchase: Hire purchase is a form of installment credit. Hire purchase is similar to leasing, with the exception that ownership of the goods passes to the hire purchase customer on payment of the final credit installment, whereas a lessee never becomes the owner of the goods. The advantage is that the firm does not need to pay for the good immediately especially if it requires a huge sum of money while on the other hand interest rate has to be paid and this often makes the goods more expensive. * Government assistance: The government provides finance to companies in cash grants and other forms of direct assistance, as part of its policy of helping to develop the national economy, especially in high technology industries and in areas of high unemployment. For example, the Indigenous Business Development Corporation of Zimbabwe (IBDC) was set up by the government to assist small indigenous businesses in that country. Its benefit is that it does not have to be repaid back and the drawback is that businesses can only obtain help if they follow the conditions attached to it. For example, the need to locate in areas which are poorly developed. * Venture capital: Venture capital is money put into an enterprise which may all be lost if the enterprise fails. A businessman starting up a new business will invest venture capital of his own, but he will probably need extra funding from a source other than his own pocket. However, the term venture capital is more specifically associated with putting money, usually in return for an equity stake, into a new business, a management buy-out or a major expansion scheme. Venture capital firms usually look to retain their investment for between three and seven years or more. The term of the investment is often linked to the growth profile of the business. Investments in more mature businesses, where the business performance can be improved quicker and easier, are often sold sooner than investments in early-stage or technology  companies where it takes time to develop the business model. Just as management teams compete for finance, so do venture capital firms. They raise their funds from several sources. To obtain their funds, venture capital firms have to demonstrate a good track record and the prospect of producing returns greater than can be achieved through fixed interest or quoted equity investments. Most UK venture capital firms raise their funds for investment from external sources, mainly institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies. Venture capital firms investment preferences may be affected by the source of their funds. Many funds raised from external sources are structured as Limited Partnerships and usually have a fixed life of 10 years. Within this period the funds invest the money committed to them and by the end of the 10 years they will have had to return the investors original money, plus any additional returns made. This generally requires the investments to be sold, or to be in the form of quoted shares, before the end of the fund. * Borrowing from friends and family: This is also common. Friends and family who are supportive of the business idea provide money either directly to the entrepreneur or into the business. This can be quicker and cheaper to arrange (certainly compared with a standard bank loan) and the interest and repayment terms may be more flexible than a bank loan. However, borrowing in this way can add to the stress faced by an entrepreneur, particularly if the business gets into difficulties. *Trade credit: By delaying the payment of bills for goods or services received, a business is, in effect, obtaining finance. Its suppliers are providing goods and services without receiving immediate payment and this is as good as `lending money`. Its advantage is that it is an interest free of financial rate. However the suppliers might not agree or even refuse to supply the goods in the future if ever payment is not made quickly. * Leasing: It is where a firm can use an asset without the need to purchase it. The advantage is that there is no need to find large sums of money to purchase the asset and care and maintenance of the asset is the responsibility of the  leasing company whereas a disadvantage might be that the total cost of the leasing charges may be higher than purchasing the asset. * Factoring debt: Debt factors are specialist agencies that buy the debts of firms for immediate cash. However they will only give the company selling its debts 90% of the existing debts, the remaining will represent the factor`s profit. The benefit is that the company selling is debts will obtain immediate cash and the risk of collecting the debt is transferred to thee debt factor. On the other hand, the firm selling its debt does not receive the total value of its debts. Factors to be considered when choosing sources of finance: When a firm needs finance, it becomes crucial to pick how much finance they need and for how long. It can ruin or make a business. A firm will have a wide range of sources to choose finance from such as a bank loan or overdraft, share capital, venture capital, profit, or trade credit. However, some sources of cash are suited best for short term while others are best for long term and some are suited for little injections of cash while others are suited to huge injections of cash. Before a business decides what source of finance it should choose, they need to ask the question: * How Much Finance Can the Business Obtain? * The type and amount of finance that is available will depend on several factors. These are as follows: The type of business a sole trader will be limited to the capital the owner can put into the business plus any money he or she is able to borrow. A limited company will be able to raise share capital. In order to become a public limited company, it will need to share capital of  £50,000+ and a track record of success. This will make borrowing easier. The stage of development of the business a new business will find it much harder to raise finance than an established firm. As the business develops it is easier to persuade outsiders to invest in the business. It is also easier to obtain loans as the firm has assets to offer as security. The state of the economy when the economy is booming, business confidence will be high. It will be easy to raise finance both from borrowing and from investors. It will be more difficult for businesses to find investors when  interest rates are high. They will invest their money in more secure accounts such as building societies. Higher interest rates will also put up the cost of borrowing. This will make it more expensive for the business to borrow. These factors will help make the firm decide how much it needs or can borrow. So, at this stage the business knows how much it needs and in the space period it needs it for. Here are the most logical solutions to sources of finance for short/long term and high/low finance: * Amount needed: * Shares issue and sales of debentures, because of the administration and other costs, would generally be used only for large capital sums. * Small bank loans or reducing debtor`s payment period could be used to raise small sums. * Cost: * Obtaining finance is never free, even internal finance may have opportunity cost. * Loans may become very expensive during a period of rising interest rates. * A stock exchange flotation can cost millions of dollars in fees and promotion of the share sale. * Legal structure and desire to retain control: * Share issues can only be used by limited companies- and only limited companies can sell shares directly to the public. Doing this runs the risk of the current owners losing some control – except if a right issue is used. * If the owners want to retain control of the business at all costs, then a sale of shares might be unwise. * Size of existing borrowing: * This is a key issue- the higher the existing debts of a business (compared with its size), the greater the risk of lending more. Banks and other lenders will become anxious about lending more finance. * This concept is referred to as gearing. * Flexibility: * When a firm has a variable need for finance- for example, it has a seasonal pattern of sales and cash receipts- a flexible form of finance is better than a long term and inflexible source.

The National Innovation System Management Essay

The National Innovation System Management Essay Firms describe innovation an essential factor to increase sustainable profits and market share due to the rapid globalisation and commoditization in goods and services (Westland, 2008). Miozzo and Walsh (2006) also state that firms effectiveness in competitive international trade in goods and service depend on two factors, which are: The scale of RD and other technological activities. The way in which the available resources are managed and organised both at the level of enterprise and at the national level. Thus, National Innovation System (NIS) will enable a country with limited resources to make rapid progress through suitable combinations of imported technology and local adaption and development (Freeman, 1987). With these combinations, national firms will transform to a market leader and countrys economy to flourish. Hence, in my essay, I will define meaning of NIS, my understanding of systemic aspect of innovation and discuss the different institutions involved in NIS in section 2. Section 3 and 4 will discuss how interaction in NIS can affect the innovative performance of national firms with a case study of Taiwan innovation system in section 5. Lastly, section 6 will provide a conclusion of my findings, and the gaps identified for future research. National Innovation System Since the 1980s, various authors (Freeman, 1987; Lundvall, 1992; Nelson, 1993) studied the concept of national innovation system (NIS) which is used as a main conceptual framework for analysing technological change, and to lay the foundations to improve the economic development of a nation. NIS can be categorized under narrow and broad definitions. The narrow approach (Lundvall 1992) is further defined by both Nelson (1993) and Freeman (1987). Freeman (1987) defined NIS as The network of institutions in the public and private sector whose activities and interaction initiate, import, modify and diffuse new technologies and Nelson (1993) defined NIS as a set of institutions whose interactions determine the innovative performance of national firms. Lundvall (1992) defined the broach approach of NIS by saying that NIS includes all parts and aspects of the economic structure and the institutional set-up affecting learning as well as searching and exploring the production system, the marketing system and the system of finance present themselves as sub-systems in which learning takes place. To summerise all the definitions above, I will use the definition by Metcalfe (1995). Metcalfe (1995) defined NIS as That set of distinct institutions which jointly and individually contribute to the development and diffusion of new technologies and which provides the framework within which governments form and implement policies to influence the innovation process. As such it is a system of interconnected institutions to create, store and transfer the knowledge, skills and artefacts which define new technologies. This led me to understand that NIS is a system to manage innovation and the meaning of systemic aspect of innovation. The system consist of various actors and institutions which the main components of the system. The term systemic aspect of innovation refers to how all these actors and institutions interact with each other in order to implement NIS effectively. Innovation is based on learning by collaborating and interacting with organisations and not by innovating in isolation (Edquist 1997:7, p20-22). This is further supported by Fagerberg (2005) who emphasis the systemic aspect of innovation processes. Lundvall (1992) and Nelson (1993) also stress that for innovative performance to improve, it is necessary to understand the linkage among the institutions involved in the innovation process. Main Component of NIS Before we understand the interaction among institutions that is important in NIS, it is necessary to understand what are the different institutions involved. However, the term institution is very subjective as different authors themselves have their own definition. Nelson and Rosenberg (1993) defined institutions as organisations, whereas Lundvall (1992) defined institutions as the rules of the game. This makes the understanding of institutions confusing. Therefore, to make a clear distinction for institutions in the essay, I shall use the definitions made by Edquist and Johnson (1997). Organisation Organisations are the formal structure where the players or actors in NIS are created with a purpose and goals (Edquist and Johnson 1997: 47). They are a total of four players (Pavitt. K and P.Patel, 1994; Capron et al., 2000). Institutions of Industrial RD (Capron et al., 2000). They are the business firms who are the major investors on Research Development (RD) in each nation economy for technological change activities (Pavitt. K and P.Patel, 1994). Institution of education (Capron et al., 2000). They are the universities providing basic research for the business firms and related training to the undergraduates (Pavitt. K and P.Patel, 1994). Institutions of public/private research (Capron et al., 2000). They are the public/private institutions providing general education and vocational training for the workforce (Pavitt. K and P.Patel, 1994). Institutions of technology bridging (Capron et al., 2000). They facilitate the interaction of institution in the innovation process to resolve mismatch or exploit the result of research performed by public research institutions to enhance the absorption power of existing firms and promote the creation of new-venture firms and university spin-offs. Institution Institutions, on the other hand, are the rules of the game which consists sets of common habits, routines, established practices, rules, or laws that regulate the relation and interactions between individuals, groups and organisations (Edquist and Johnson 1997: 46) which shape the behaviour of firms and other organisations by creating constraints and/or incentives for innovation (North 1990) that affect learning, searching and exploring activities (Bozeman and Dietz, 2001). There are a total two institutions. Institution of policy formulation (Capron et al., 2000). They are the government bodies performing a variety of activities to promote and regulate technological change (Pavitt. K and P.Patel, 1994). Institution of promotions of entrepreneurship (OECD, 1999). It is the ethos, culture, and attitude towards entrepreneurship and risk taking that can have an important influence on the innovative performance of firms (Miozzo and Walsh, 2006). Interaction of organisations and institutions in NIS In the past, NIS takes the form of a linear model in knowledge flow (Stoke, 1993). However, there are limitations to the linear model. This is because, in practice, ideas innovation derives from various sources and can be from any point of stage in the linear model. Furthermore, OECD (1997) said that innovation occurs from complex interaction between institutions instead in a linear sequence enabling knowledge flows to other institutions. As economic activities are becoming more knowledge-intensive, the success of firms, regardless of size, depends on how effective it is in gathering and utilizing knowledge from various institutions. OECD (1997) identified four main interactions that occur within NIS. Chang and Shih (2004) made some changes to the main interactions identified in OECD (1997). They combined the concept of joint industry activities and public/private interactions and named it as RD collaboration, retained technology diffusion and personnel mobility, and added a new interaction called informal interaction. Lundvall (1985) also identified the user-producer interaction. Appendix 1 summarizes the main components of institutions and the interaction among institutions which are discussed below. RD Collaboration The benefits of joint activities and public/private interaction have provided the firms a competitive advantage and a positive effect on the firms innovative performance. This is proven by several empirical studies from Klomp and van Leeuwen (2001), Janz et al. (2003) van Leeuwen (2002), Loof and Heshmati, (2002), Criscuolo and Haskel (2003) and Faems et al. (2004). RD collaboration enables risk and cost sharing in times of uncertainty in technological developments (Das andTeng, 2000;Tyler and Steensma, 1995), shorter innovation cycles (Pisano, 1990), pooling of resources to achieve economies of scale and scope and gaining synergies from complementary human and technical assets (Kogut, 1988; Das and Teng, 2000; OECD, 1997) and increase firms competences and skills by monitoring technology and market developments (Hamel, 1991; Roberts and Berry, 1985; OECD, 1997). RD collaboration also enables firms to discover new markets or market segment (Tether, 2002; Monjon and Waelbroeck, 2003). Furthermore, public/private interaction in RD collaboration enables firms to internalise and manage knowledge spillovers and remove the negative effect of spillovers on RD (Amir, 2003; De Bondt, 1996; Kamien et al., 1992; Suzumura, 1992; Leahy and Neary, 1997). In addition, RD collaboration also enables knowledge to be transferred voluntarily to firms (Katsoulacos a nd Ulph, 1998). Informal Interaction Informal interaction normally occurs in personnel communicating with one another in order to gain tacit knowledge and information more efficiently for problem solving and learning which is beneficial for the firm (Chang and Shih, 2004). This is because individuals can elaborate or modify what was said to handle objections and misunderstandings effectively (Kraut et al., 1982). Furthermore, informal interaction can overcome different frames of reference or clarify ambiguous issues to change understanding in a timely manner (Daft and Lengel, 1986, p.560) and when coordination is need in times of uncertainty and equivocality (Daft and Lengal, 1986). This is proven by Argote (1982) literature as it shows that people are more successful in performing their work. Technology Diffusion Technology diffusion is the dissemination of technical information and know-how from products developed by customers, suppliers, competitors and public institutions and the sequence adoption of new techniques and technologies by users (OECD, 1997; Tassey, 1992). Despite technology diffusion is slow-moving process, it is still important because the innovative performance of firms, regardless whether it is from manufacturing or service industries, depends on technology diffusion (OECD, 1997). This is because the innovative performance of firms depends heavily on innovation and products developed elsewhere (OECD, 1997) to obtain the foundations for high-technology development in the firm (Hsu and Chen, 1998). Personnel Mobility As tacit knowledge and skills are important to a firm, the mobility of personnel has become increasing important (Gruenfeld et al., 2000; Kraatz and Moore, 2000; Rao and Drazin, 2002). Personnel mobility is the movement of people and tacit knowledge that moves within industries and between public and private institutions (OECD, 1997; Chang and Shih, 2004). This may cause knowledge and skills to overlap which might result a firm in either reinforcing the firms current way of organizing or questioning the efficacy of existing organizing patterns (Tammy et al., 2003). In addition, Research from Argote and Ingram (2000) has shown firms knowledge library is initially facilitated by individuals. Hence, this determines that personnel mobility is important to the firms innovative performance. User-Producer Interaction Producers and users both have strong incentives to interact with one another (Lundvall, 1985). This kind of interaction is commonly found where the products are specialized and expensive capital goods. Producers can monitor process innovation within user firms and if it is successful, producers can use it to present to other users as product innovation. At the same time, users can monitor the competence of producers to identify which producers are competent to assist them in developing new product innovation. Hence, this helps to improve the innovative performance of firms as it enables them to produce new process or product innovation. Systemic Failure in NIS Despite that NIS approach is successful in various countries, there are still instances whereby systemic imperfections can occur leading to slowing down the innovation as a whole. Literatures from Carlsson and Jacobsson (1997), Smith (1997), Malerba (1997), Johnson and Gregersen (1994) and Edquist et al. (1998) focused on systemic imperfections, leading to a summerised list of systemic imprefections: Infrastructural failure (Smith, 1997; Edquist et al., 1998) is the physical infrastructure that actors need to use and the science and technology infrastructure. Soft and hard institutional failure (Smith 1999; Edquist et al., 1998; Johnson and Gregersen 1994) that may regulate economic behavior and interaction which may hinder innovation. Interaction failure (Carlsson and Johnson, 1997) from both strong and weak network failure can hamper innovation. Capabilities failure (Smith 1997; Malerba 1997) due to the lack of capabilities to learn and absorb knowledge effectively resulting in lock-in with existing technologies and unable to use new technologies. Although there are four factors involved in systemic failure, I will only discuss on how interaction failure can affect the innovative performance of national firms of any sizes in relation to the essay topic. Interaction Failure The innovative performance of firms is dependent on the interaction between institutions to develop and design products (Smith 1999). In the next few sub-sections below, I will discuss how both strong and weak network failure can hamper innovation. Strong network failure Carlsson and jacobsson (1997) describe strong network failure happens when individual actors are guided by other network actors in the wrong direction and consequently fail to supply each other with the required knowledge. These could be caused by the following factors: Myopia due to internal orientation. When relationships established for a long period of time results in trust relationship and habituation, this causes a certain degree of closure (Bogenrieder and Nooteboom, 2002). The group will be unwilling to exit the group or permit new entrants in leading to myopia and inertia (Nooteboom, 2000). This results insufficient attention to the development outside causing a lock-in to existing products. Lack of weak ties. Weak ties are the bridges to industries, educational and cultural background outside their inner circle. Granovetter (1983) and Burt (1987) emphasis the importance of weak ties leading to new knowledge and impulses or provide the knowledge that the individual firm lacks. These linkages can keep them updated with new developments and keep track on new knowledge, skills and resources. Dependence on dominant partners. The dependence may be due to asset specificity, switching costs or due to a lack of alternative partners that results in difficulty to find new partners for new innovation products or process. Weak Network failure Weak network failure (Carlsson and Jacobsson, 1997) happens when connectivity between complementary technologies and actors are poor, causing the possibilities for interaction learning and innovation to be under-utilised and failure to adapt new technological development. In addition, this will hinder the coordination of research efforts and investment due to a lack of shared vision for future technology development. Taiwan Innovation System In 1970s, Taiwan was an island nation with limited natural resources and a scarce domestic market. The government, local and foreign scholars recognized this problem believed they should set up an export-orientated strategy to develop high-technology industry to ensure a sustainable economy in Taiwan (Hsu and Chen, 2003) Hence, there was a joint effort by institutions and organizations to stimulate the development of high-tech industry. ST policies were formulated to assist the framework of Taiwan NIS (Hsu and Chen, 2003) shown in Appendix 2. Interactions in Taiwan NIS: The Case Study of IC Industry To illustrate the interactions in Taiwan NIS, this essay will be how the interaction of institutions (Appendix 3) led the growth of the IC industry in Taiwan (Appendix 4) to become the fourth largest producer in the world. As Fig. 3 shows, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is the main agency responsible for industrial technology development in Taiwan. Their role is to transfer the research results to the private institutions for product development and commercialization through technical assistance, information diffusion and manpower training. MOEA also works to strengthen the interaction between industry, government, universities and research institutions with the goal of optimizing the facilitation of industrial technology innovation. (Hsu and Chen, 2003) Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) was contracted by the government to act as the bridging institutions between industry firms and overseas public/private institutions. They interact with the private sector via technology transfer and collaboration to assist in technology development. National Science Council (NSC) also sponsored universities to collaborate with private sectors in joint research projects. By doing so, it provides technical assistance, technical information, and personnel training to the private sector. In addition, the introduction of new technologies, joint research, overseas investment and strategic alliance via the interactions between overseas corporations and research organizations also benefited the industry firms. (Hsu and Chen, 2003) Interaction Failure in Taiwan NIS: The Case Study of Biotechnology Industry Despite the successful implementation of NIS in the IC industry as mentioned earlier, the Taiwans innovation system in Taiwans biotechnology industry, consisting mainly SMEs, is still fragmented as the current status of industry is still insignificant in the world (Sun, 2005). In Sun (2005) survey for the biotechnology industry, he identified several systemic failures. However, according to the essay objectives, we will only focus the interaction failures that were identified. They are: Knowledge of public research made not available to public which prevented the transmission of the knowledge to the industries to develop (Porter, 1990). Insufficient supply of scientific research causing a lack of linkage between firms and research institutes (Sun, 2005). Lack of cross-border RD collaboration prevented local biotech firms to have access to foreign knowledge (Bartholomew, 1997). Hence, all of these points mentioned pointed that a weak network failure, one of the causes for interaction failure, was the cause that prevented innovative performance of Taiwans biotechnology firm. Conclusion This essay aims at discussing the interaction of institutions which will affect the innovation performance of national firms of any sizes. Based on the above discussion, I conclude that interaction of institutions can improve innovative performance of firms, but it can also hinder the innovative performance of firms as well. Strong interaction of institutions enables knowledge flows from one actor to another which is important to stimulate innovation. This enables firms to develop new technologies, products or processes to maintain its competitiveness for the firm or achieve cost savings which are crucial for its survival in the industry. At the same time, interaction of institutions can also hinder the innovation performance of firms. This is due to the factors mentioned above in interaction failure. Firms will not have access to new knowledge and technologies make them unable to innovate. Despite various literatures identifying the types of interaction among institutions, there is still room for improvement for future research in identifying the different types of interactions involved in institutions. Limited literature has been found to mention the types of interaction between government and the various organizations and institutions that helped to implement the preferred policies to enhance the innovative performance of firms. The interaction between them seems to be a one-way process. Hence, this calls for future research to identify what are the other interactions that can also help to improve the innovative performance of firms of any sizes.