Thursday, October 31, 2019

Debate against humans being rational.. humans are irrational Coursework

Debate against humans being rational.. humans are irrational - Coursework Example Altruisms is necessarily being counted under the voluntary giving away of one’s financial resources or acting in a way which deliberately provides benefit to the other person at the cost of their own benefit. Hence in this way, humans act irrational defying the rules of the rationality. (Jensen, 2008). The expected utility model which is essential model which is based on the rational behaviors however it is not the case in all conditions. Through anchoring people are often overly influenced by outside suggestion. People can be influenced even when they know that the suggestion is not being made by someone who is better informed. (Kahneman & Tversky, 1999). Besides Expected Utility theory also do not seem to be in conformity with the rationality. The famous experiments conducted by Tversky and Kahneman suggested a revolutionary shift from the expected utility theory and clearly suggested than we humans are not essentially rational. These experiments were: Few of the surveys conducted by Stuart Sunderland widely suggest that the irrational behavior is far more widespread and is normal than the supposed. (Sutherland, 1994). According to Sunderland there are various natural phenomenon which suggest that the man can act in irrational way. There is also a growing debate among the cognitive psychologists which suggest that we act according to the principal that differ from those we ought to follow. (Stein, 1997) There is also a phenomenon called framing effect which basically outlines that we decide differently depending on how we frame the decision based on the losses and gains. (Wang & Fischbeck, 2004) This therefore necessarily does not mean that in all situations we act rationally. We don’t always seem to be behaving according to rationality. The deviation from the rationality seems to be due to Satisficing and heuristics effects. The

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Administrator Challenges Essay Example for Free

Administrator Challenges Essay In modern society there are many challenges to police work. They can be very overwhelming but many grant satisfaction. It takes a special individual to be a police officer and perform the duties that are required by law for them to do. This paper will look at the satisfactions and challenges of police work on a day to day basis. One challenge that police officers face daily is the stress that accompanies the job. Many officers face very stressful and intense situations that need to be handled carefully. A police officer may face a crowd that is rioting and looting and is greatly outnumbered. He or she faces the risk of being overrun and this can be detrimental to their emotions. They may be in fear of their life because crowds feed off of each other and can become very aggressive and violent. In some instances the officer will face gunfire and this puts the officer in a life or death situation. See more: Foot Binding In China essay If the officer has to kill the subject then the officer may face Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and this can affect their performance of their daily duties and their personal lives. According to (Gersons, 1989) shooting incidents are a rare phenomenon in low violence police work; however, when a shooting incident occurs, the psychological impact for the officers involved may take the form of severe PTSD (Stewart,2011). There are programs that help individuals to cope with PTSD and can get help from The National Institute for Mental Health. Another challenge that our police officers face on a daily basis is the relations they have with the citizens of the community. Many members of society see the police officers as the enemy or are out to get them. This cannot be further from the truth. The officers need to know how to  communicate with the people in stressful situations. Most people do not realize that officers are called to show up at a residence and it may be the worst day of that individual’s life. Police officers communicate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, attitudes, and preconceptions (2008). One skill an officer uses at one call may not work at another call. The officer must adapt and control the situation and use his or her training to get the facts and information from the bystanders or the victim(s). With all the challenges and stressors that come with policing there are also satisfactions that come with the job. Officers serve and protect the public. They patrol the streets to ensure the community is safe from would be offenders or to apprehend the ones that have already committed crimes. They take individuals of the streets that are a danger to society. They help people that may have a flat tire, domestic disputes, or have had their home broken in to. The officers feel satisfied when they capture the suspect and when they help people in need. When the officers are recognized for their good work they are satisfied with their job and may become more motivated to improve their performance on the job. Many strive to climb the ranks and with each promotion come more satisfaction. A career in law enforcement in itself is a satisfaction that many people do not get. Many officers do not do the job for the pay but rather the rewards that come with the job in serving and helping the community. Certain officers find it very rewarding when they can help a juvenile down the right path and to possibly mentor others from making life changing mistakes. Officers need to stay positive in their work and duties to ensure job satisfaction because it can affect the work they perform and also affect community relations as to how they see the police. Thus, poor performance can impact police-community relations by adversely affecting public attitudes toward the police (Buzawa, Austin, Bannon, 1994). In the routine of having a positive work attitude and environment it creates less stress levels and fewer symptoms of stress that can lead to absenteeism, burnout, and alcoholism. There are many reasons why people do not want to become part of the law enforcement community but there are a lot of reasons and rewards why other people feel they are being called to serve and protect. Officers face many  challenges every day from life threatening to resolving domestic disputes. They forever have a family in blue and will always share each other’s pain and satisfactions. Reference Buzawa, S. E. (1984). Determining patrol officer job satisfaction: The role of selected demographic and job-specific attitudes. Criminology, 22, 61-81. Gutahun, S., Sims, B., Hummer, D. (2008). Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment Among Probation and Parole Officers: A Case Study. PoliceOne, (). Police Communication: Why Does it Matter?. (June 2008). Retrieved from http://www.natcom.org/CommCurrentsArticle.aspx?id=886 Stewart, S. (2011, March). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Effect on Law Enforcement. Camp Robinson Police Department,

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry Resource extraction is often regarded by governments and people of resource-rich countries as a solution to poverty alleviation, ranging from tax revenues, technology transfer, and employment creation, export enhancement to upstream and downstream linkages. Downstream linkage industries do promise the widening of employment opportunities and high foreign earnings as a result of value-addition. Western resource intensive economies such as Australia, Canada, US and the like are examples of well-managed, resource-rich economies in which the mineral sectors spurred knowledge-intensive processes, created jobs and foreign exchange earnings and resulted in spill-overs into new industrial and service sectors. The scope of downstream linkages is often considered an important determinant of the extent to which a mineral-rich nation stands to gain additional economic benefits that come with it. This explains the continuous pressure that is always mounted on mining companies by host governments to engage further in downstream activities. However, downstream activities irrespective of their location are influenced by global market dynamics and competitive elements. Therefore, in an attempt to grasp the benefits that come with downstream activities, it is extremely imperative to examine the opportunities, risks and possible ways of striking a balance taking cognizance of the global demand and supply interplay to ensure that the highest possible net positive benefits are achieved and sustained. In focus is Zambia which has been an active copper mining country since 1900s though performed poorly along the line but revamped barely in the last decade. In 1968, Zambia held an important position as a copper producer, with peak output at 815,000 ton and a 15% share of world output, but the abysmal performance of its state-owned enterprises that took over after the 1969 nationalisation resulted in a drop of output to a trough of 250,000 tonnes in 2000 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). Nevertheless, the copper industry has been revitalised with the privatization of the mining sector which occurred between mid-1990s and early 2000s. In the period 2000-2005, copper exports contributed to around half of total foreign exchange earnings, but from 2006 onwards, this share increased to 73.5% 83.2% ( Fessehaie, 2012 p.3). Copper also provided 10% of formal employment and its contribution to GDP in the last decade increased on a yearly basis, reaching 9.1% in 2009. Copper mining has and continues to be one of the largest economic activities in Zambia, comprising approximately 10 percent of GDP and more than 60 percent of exports (Wilson, 2012pp798-799). The paper therefore examined downstream or for ward linkages to copper production in Zambia by first exploring the scope of downstream linkages and examined the risks, opportunities and risks mitigation measures in the downstream sector of Zambias copper industry. The rest of the paper is structured as follows; section two introduces the background and established the theoretical framework. Section three examined the scope of downstream activities, the risks, opportunities and possible measures for risks mitigation and section four concludes with recommendation. 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 A Brief Overview of Global Copper Production and Consumption The global cumulative annual growth in global mine output of copper has gone through significant changes over the period 1750 to 2007. It stood at 0.8% in 1750-1800, rose to 2.6% in 1800-1850 and from 1850 and until 1900, the annual growth of copper production accelerated to 4.5%. Output expansion subsequently reduced to an average of 3.3% between 1900 and 1950, and remained at this level until 2007 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). In 2011, global copper production reached an output level of 16100 metric tonnes from 15900 metric tonnes in 2010 with a total reserves value of 690000 metric tonnes (USDSp. 49) (2012). On the other hand, growth rates in global copper consumption fell from 4.48% in the period 150-1973 to 0.65 covering 1973-1983 largely explained by the oil price shocks of the 1970s and 80s and picked up again, reaching 2.51% for period 1983-2003 (Nishiyama, 2005p..132). The period following 1990 saw a significant increase of Asia, especially Chinas share of global copper consumption , currently about 40% (ICSG) which gradual spurred up copper prices in the mid-2000s. The interplay of Chinas demand growth and appropriate timing of additions to production capacity speaks a lot about the future global trends in both production and consumption. 2.2 Overview of Copper Mining in Zambia Copper mining in Zambia dates back to the 1900s under the control of two mining companies, Rhodesia Selection Trust and Anglo-American Corporation (AAC)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16) .The industry came to be nationalized in the late 1960 and was operated under state ownership and control, a typical characteristic of mining operations in mineral exporting countries in the decades following the Second World War. The government, following years of significant losses, privatized its copper mines, which were later consolidated into the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), majority-owned by Government (60.3%), with a minority share owned by AAC (27.3%)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16). For instance, Kansanshi mine, the largest copper project in Africa is 80% owned by First Quantum Minerals Ltd and 20% by the state run ZCCM Investments Holdings which replaced ZCCM (ARB, 2012). The mining sector is regulated primarily by Act No. 7 of 2008 (the Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2008). The Zambian copper industry is not insulated from the acquisitions and mergers characteristic of the global mining industry. In 2011, Barrick Gold Corp. of Canada acquired Equinox Minerals Ltd. of Canada (USp43.1). Newshelf 1124 (Proprietary) Ltd. of South Africa, an indirect subsidiary of the Jinchuan Group Ltd. of China acquired Metorex Ltd. of South Africa and its underground Chibuluma copper mine (Metorex Ltd., 2011, p. 8). Konnoco Zambia Ltd., a joint venture of African Rainbow Minerals Ltd. of South Africa and Vale, continues with the development of the Konkola North underground copper mine (African Rainbow Minerals Ltd., 2012, p. 70). Mining companies equally undertake joint ventures in explorative activities in Zambia. Argonaut Resources NL of Australias subsidiary Lumwana West Resources Ltd. in a joint venture with Mwombezhi Resources Ltd. of Zambia set to explore in Northwestern Province (Argonaut Resources NL, 2012, p. 2). Zambias economy is heavily reliant on mining, particularly its copper and cobalt, and the mining sector makes significant contribution to Zambia exports and economic growth. Copper output rose dramatically following the copper price rise in the mid-2000s with annual copper production increased from 335,000 metric tonnes in 2002 to over 569,000 metric tonnes in 2008 (Wilson, 2012) . From 2007, copper exports contributed 73.7-80.5 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings, 10 per cent of formal employment, and in 2010 Zambia was the largest copper producer in Africa and the 7th largest in the world ( Fessehaie, 2012). Copper exports jumped from $474 million in 2000 to almost $4 billion in 2008. In 2010, the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 9.9% of Zambias real gross domestic product (at constant 1994 prices) compared with a revised 9.3% in 2009. Copper exports earnings increased by 15.5% to US $6,660.2 million from US $5,767.9 million in 2010 (Bank of Zambia, 2012, p. 23,) a nd in 2011, copper exports were valued at $6.9 billion (Mobbs, 2012 p.43.1). 2.3 Theoretical Framework The concept of linkage development in the academic discourse has its root from early works of Leontief (1936) who applied an input-output analysis to static quantity modeling (Lenzen, 2003 p.1), modified by Rasmussen (1956) for inter-industrial analysis as setting the basis for structural interdependence. In determining the key sectors of an economy, Hirschman (1958) argued that above-average linkages are pre-requisites for economic development and structural changes within an economy or a region (p1-2). Contrary to this argument, Bharadwaj (1966), Panchamukhi (1975) and McGilvray (1977) highlighted that international comparative advantages, technical and skill endowment, final demand structure are among the driving forces of economic growth and concluded that linkage interconnectedness is a weak rod to rationalising a development policy(1-2) According to Hirschman as cited in Morris et al (2012), there are three main types of linkages in the commodity sector thus, fiscal, consumption and production linkages. In his view, fiscal linkage encompasses royalties and taxes which together form mineral rents; consumption linkage entails the consumption demands of workers of the commodity sector, whereas the production linkage encapsulates both backward and forward linkages. Authors such as Sonis and Hewings (1989, 1999) and Sonis et al. (2000) in their works on the dynamics of backward and forward linkages, and economic landscapes of multiplier product matrices pushed further the arguments of Hirschman and Rasmussen (Lenzen, 2003 p. 2). The linkage thesis has been applied in a number of studies in attempts to examine the impact of mining on economies. Lenzen (2003) utilised the input-output application in his analysis of the key environmentally important factors of production, linkages and key sectors in the Australian economy and concluded without a factual basis that strong forward linkages are characteristic of primary industries like grazing and mining whereas strong backward industries characterized secondary industries (p.29). Similarly, Cristobal and Biezma (2006 p1,5) analysed the forward and backward linkages of mining and quarrying in ten EU countries to determine whether the industry constitute a key sector and came to a conclusion that the mining and quarrying industry has a strong backward link to regional economys production more than other sectors and otherwise holds for forward linkages. Though not a metal mineral, the Southern Louisiana offshores oil fields is the most apparent successful linkage ca pture identified throughout the 20th century. The ability to sustain pre-existing competition and the availability of the commodity in large quantities were largely responsible for the successful linkage capture (Freudenburg and Gramling (1998p 575-576). Moreover, Aroca (2001p 131) employed the input-output Leontief matrix to determine the impact of the mining sector on the Chilean II region and analysed the driving forces to the extent of the impact. With regards to the volume of production, his analysis indicates that the mining sector is very important but loses its importance in developing forward and backward linkages in the economy. Lydall (2009 p.2, 119) investigated backward linkage capture of South Africa platinum group metals and found different categories of supplier firms, ranging from base, medium to large able to satisfy the needs of the various PGM mines, concentrator plants, smelters and refineries. She however cautioned the existence of market-related and firm-speci fic factors militating against the growth and expansion of such linkages. Morris et al (2012 p 1-2,14) examined the underlying factors to linkage capture in the commodity sectors in low income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with much attention on backward linkage capture and recommended for strategies to be mapped to propel industrial sector upgrading especially in commodity exporting countries. Also, Fessehaie (2012p 2,7) examined the determinants of upstream linkages to copper production in Zambia. She noted that backward linkage was growing and copper mining presents opportunities and recommended that in order to broaden backward linkage to utilize such opportunities there is the need to eliminate barriers to upgrading through an industrial policy which takes care of supplier competitiveness constraints. From the preceding literature reviewed, much attention on linkage capture studies has been directed at the backward linkage capture. The few works on linkage development in Zambia copper (Fessehaie, 2011 and 2012; Morris, 2012), the emphasis has been on the backward linkage. Therefore, the existence of paucity of studies that investigate forward linkages in the mineral sector particularly the copper industry in Zambia exposes a gap which the study aims to contribute to. 3.0 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 The Scope of Downstream Activities Forward linkages encompass the establishment of downstream activities, at least processing and refining of copper ore and concentrates into primary metal, the fabrication of primary metal into semi-fabricated products and possibly, induced industrialisation. For the purpose of this study, mining ends with primary metal production and downstream activities begins with semi-products fabrication and beyond. Zambian copper industry has long history of existence but became more active and copper mine production of ore, anode and cathode increased following the privatization of the mining industry through the 1990s to early 2000s. The majority of copper ore mined in Zambia is smelted locally before being exported to foreign markets (Fraser and Lungu, 2007 Wilson). Fig 3.1 confirms that though greater share of mine output is refined locally, very less of it is used in the country. The graph covered a short period due to lack of access to up-to-date quality data. Zambias copper is mainly exported as cathode or blister, the standard forms of the internationally-traded commodity. Zambia uses less than 5 percent of its copper output to make fabricated products (World Bank, 2011 p ii). However, finished goods containing copper are mainly imported into the country. Zambia has developed a small copper fabrication industry that produces a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. However, these markets are small, and yet the industry competes with larger and more developed industries especially that of South African copper fabrication industry. Zambias fabrication industry is growing rapidly, but from a small base, led by Metal Fabricators of Zambia Ltd (ZAMEFA), a subsidiary of the US-based General Cable Corporation followed by others such as the Cast Product Foundry Non Ferrous Metals, Kavino and Central African Recycling in the scrap metal busi ness (World Bank, 2011p ii). ZAMEFA which has a domestic, regional and international market orientation produces wire rod, wire, cable, and a few other products. Its product portfolio is growing. Kavino, wire and cable manufacturer has a domestic market orientation whereas Central African Recycling is well positioned to utilized opportunities as they arise. Total number of employees falls below 1000. In 2008, Zambian mine, smelter and refined copper output in tonnes stood at 546 600, 232,000 and 416,900 respectively. The fabricated metals production sector contribution to GDP grew at an annual average of 0.2 percent for the period 2002 to 2008.(World Bank, pp 18). 3.2 Risks Associated with Downstream Activities The resource-based industrialiation that characterized the development process of resource-rich developed economies is often quoted to back resource-rich developing countries quest for resource-driven industrialisation which in their view masterminded the in dustrialiation process of some mature economies. However, the growth strategy of the Nordic countries, United States and Canada for instance did not based entirely on mineral extraction but span from a low-technology based on low-cost labour to highly sophisticated knowledge-intensive activities (Walker and Jourdan, 2003. P.30.). Nevertheless, risks, largely economic, abound alongside the potentials of further downstream activities. Downstream activities beyond primary processing are capital intensive and require less skilled labour. Guided by profit motive, firms seriously consider capital cost in securing capital to finance assets. Backed by the electronic revolution, market efficiency sets the ground for capital and skills to be deployed to most productive locations (Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 30) and countries without traditional comparative advantages like Zambia are less strategic in competing for foreign direct investment. Again, the capital intensive nature of further processing of copper questions the employment multiplier and rather breed associated risks of either expanding or contracting employment opportunities. Moreover, the fabrication industry uses 37 percent of copper that is derived from scrap metal which is limited in the country (World Bank, 2011p.iii). Therefore, importing other raw materials including scrap for fabrication may not make any comparative advantage sense in the short to medium t erm and highlights the risk associated with an uncompetitive and injudicious allocation of the nations scarce economic resources. The ability to compete and access adequate market, both regional and global to justify downstream activities on any significant scale comes with a risk. Committing resources into fabrication without any competitive market edge exposes the copper mining sector to possible collapse and the entire economy to possible shocks. This is because upon the small size of the sub-regional market (less than 1 percent) of the global total for fabricated copper products (World Bank, 2011p ii) better established firms in South Africa have captured a greater portion of the regional market. Internal demand for fabricated products is woefully inadequate and therefore, the promised job expansion, high foreign earnings and associated growth potential are easily erodible, if even attained. Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 33 noted that domestic demand was instrumental in Swedens initial resource-oriented industrialisation. Closely linked is tariff escalation that discourages exports of higher value-added products from Low Income Countries (LICs) (IMF, 2011p.16). Tariff escalation and high physical transport cost jointly further accentuate the risks to Zambian copper downstream activities. Consuming countries of copper metal and semi-fabricated products especially the newly industrializing countries and roaring developing countries of China and India, in their industrialization drive, have in one way or the other resort to restrictions in the form of differential tariffs (varies directly with the value already added) on raw materials imports for their industries. Dimaranan et al, (2006 p. 13) note that Indian policy measures in this regard include more effective duty exemptions for intermediates used in the production of manufactured exports. The high transport cost and tariffs imposed on value-added products together can cancel completely if not negate the often expectant high profits and associated em ployment multipliers. The prices for both the primary and fabricated products of the mining industry are characterized by troughs and peaks. However, the existence of terminal markets such as London Metal Exchange (LME), the Commodity Exchange Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX/NYMEX) and the Shanghai Metal Exchange (SHME)(ICSGP.33factbook) provides mitigation to the risk on primary metal resulting from price volatilities. On the other hand, high-value added downstream products are more prone to price shocks as there exist no such terminal markets in that sub-sector of the industry. Therefore, the often envisaged employment multipliers and high foreign earnings that motivate pressure for further downstream processing places the entire economy at risk in the event of weak prices without any competitive edge. Mainstream fabricated metal products are largely low margin items. However, high level of capacity utilization and throughput is required to generate sufficient margins which are currently in non-existence in Zambian copper industry. This is largely informed by the uncompetitive and comparative disadvantages to the downstream sector of Zambian copper industry. The situation exposes the downstream copper fabrication industry to the risk of at best earning low margins. In 2008 for example, First Quantum Ltd, a leading European copper rod producer made profits of 12.2% and 49.6% from large Cap Cast Copper Rotors (CCR) rod mill and Oxygen-free High Conductivity (OFHC) rod fabrications respectively (World Bank, 2011p.13) but earned a profit of 85.4% from primary cathode production. Such low margins in fabrication gives the signals that even internationally competitive manufacturers of range of specialist copper products rather earn high margins in primary metal production. 3.3 Opportunities in Downstream Value-addition The existence of copper deposits in substantial quantities is a basic requirement for mining in the first place and possibly, further downstream processing (Freudenburg and Gramling, 1998). The existing domestic and regional market does not incentivise further copper fabricating on any significant scale, but some localised small-scale opportunities may emerge. In this regard, there may be a scope for some gradual scaling-up of existing output and/or product diversification by existing operations especially ZAMEFA and for some small-scale artisanal processing, probably based on scrap metal. Sectorial opportunities could be enhanced if the basic and mainly infrastructural bottlenecks are remedied. One of such opportunities is the World Bank support to revamp Zescos existing distribution networks in selected areas to reduce losses and improve supply quality (World Bank, 2011p.33,34). Depending on the roll-out of electrification extensions, there may be some demand for low and medium vol tage. Moreover, the global copper industry has identified a potential market which could exploit the known biocidal properties of copper in combating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA,) spread by its use in touch surfaces and all fixtures and fittings in hospitals and clinics. The international competitive nature of the downstream activities of fabrication limit these opportunities as well established firms are ever ready and prepared to cease any market opportunities as they arise and compete out less competitive ones. Chinas dominance in the recent global copper consumption forecloses in comparative and competitive terms, any opportunities of developing an internationally competitive further copper processing in Zambia at least, for the short to medium term. For instance, Chinese refined copper consumption expanded by an annual 15.3% in the 1998-2007 period and by 2007, Chinas share of global copper usage rose from 10.5% to 26.9% (Radetzki , 2009. P. 177) in a decade. Though very important, the geological potential does not itself guarantee comparative and competitive advantage in any appreciable further downstream processing. For instance, Chile, the worlds largest copper producer, accounting 34 percent of world mined copper output and 17 percent of wor ld refined copper output, yet its use of refined copper is less than 1 percent of the world total (World Bank, 2011.8) 3.4 Mitigating Downstream Activities-Associated Risks and the Way Forward Value-addition is critical to ensuring greater benefits and competitiveness for countries incorporated in the global economy (Mtegha and Minnitt, 2006 p. 236) hence further downstream processing should be encouraged and driven by state incentives taking cognizance of the external environment. A strong manufacturing base has to be developed if any significant expansion of copper value-addition activities is to grow. In order to grow and sustain a downstream fabrication sector and even beyond, new sources of accessing competitive foreign direct investment and the continual adaptation and innovation of technology which is critical to maintaining technological competitive edge globally are ideal prerequisites. Moreover, demand is indispensable in industrial development and therefore any effort in that regard must first address the market end of the value chain ranging from local, regional to global levels. The ability to create a clear niche advantage is required if the copper downstream activities are to undergo substantial growth. Ideally, attaining global competitiveness is the single most important driver in mitigating risks ranging from further downstream processing or fabrication. While this may possibly be a long term growth and development goal in the downstream sector, the provision of adequate energy, communication and other infrastructure coupled with the effective and judicious use of economic returns from copper mining for diversification in new comparative advantage industries would in the papers view set the foundation for any competitive industrialisation in the long run. From table 1 below, South Africa is better positioned to cease any downstream copper fabrication and market opportunities at regional level and at the global level, China. 4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The study explored the scope of downstream linkages in the Zambian copper industry and examined the risks of engaging in downstream fabrication as well as the opportunities and suggested ways for mitigating the risks. The study reveals a small and modest fabrication activity producing a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. The decision in going downstream beyond primary metal processing encapsulates political and economic dimensions hence, requires striking a balance between both dimensions. Shaping a competitive mining industry alongside conscious efforts to diversify into other industries which gradually grow to shake off the initial copper-based dependence is a policy option and at the same time revitalizing the national science, technology and innovation policy to provide the foundation for long term skills and knowledge development. Chile, having built a competitive minin g industry, diversified its economy into other competitive sectors which propelled its growth. In the short to medium term, developing a competitive copper mining industry is plausible and more realistic in comparative advantage terms while mapping out strategies to attain competitiveness from national, regional to global scales which will mitigate further copper processing or fabrication risks.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Leader-Follower Relationship :: leadership, motivation theories

Leadership is studied and analysed so that the effective practices can be taught and applied in today’s organizations. The concept of leadership has been expanded to discuss the follower’s role in the leader-follower relationship. While leading is often considered an active role, following can have a negative connotation, especially when seen as a passive, subordinate position. However, following can be a choice, and the difference between the leader and follower is the activities, rather than abilities (Wren, p.201). An organization possesses effective followers is just as important for success as having effective leaders. Hersey and Blanchard describe this relationship as dynamic and use Situational Leadership (R) as a model for the leader’s to improve the performance of their followers. Manz and Sims describe a historical view of leader types which has evolved to view the superleader as the most effective type for our current culture. The role of the superleader is to empower followers to become self-leaders themselves. The Situational Leadership model may contain the word â€Å"Leadership†, but it is mostly about effective management practices and does not address developing the role of the follower. There is a difference between managing and leading. In Managerial Roles, H. Mintzberg describes 10 roles, grouped under the categories of interpersonal, informational and decision roles, that a manager should posses. An effective leader should have those skills as well, in addition to having an overall vision, clearly communicating those goals and motivating their followers to work towards it (Wren, p.378). Leadership is also about directing change. Without change, leadership is only management of the status quo (MacNeil, Cavanagh, Silcox, p.6). There is nothing wrong with begin a successful manager, just as there is much value to be an effective follower. The role of the follower and subordinate is very different in terms of ability and choice. Subordinates are considered passive, lacking in initiative and responsibility. The image of sheep comes to mind, where as followers are more active, and engage in more critical thinking (Wren, p.195). Robert Kelley further describes the effective followers have good self-management skills, abilities and motivation, which are exactly the same qualities apparent in effective leaders. That relationship between leader and follower is defined by the role they play, since an effective follower has the skills to switch positions with the leader.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Conclusion: Hotel and Customer Loyalty

Recommendations According to my research, brand image as direct affect customer loyalty. As a five-star hotel have a good brand image is important for customer loyalty and long-term business. Brand image also affect customer loyalty through use customer satisfaction as the medium. If you are selling to people who are willing to pay a premium price for choose your hotel, you have to have a quality in you brand. Without a hotel brand image which in some way you will get the wrong customers or in the extreme case, no customer and this will lead to you making no money and therefore no profits.After my research have clearly relationship between hotel brand image and customer loyalty. Here I will give some recommendations to hotel. The way to improve hotel brand image Hotel should pay more attention to customer’s perceived value as they would like to get affordable price, quality service for the product and service they pay for. To attract more customers, hotel can have regular VIP or member customer’s appreciation activity. Hotel also can have advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Brand image is not fixed in customer’s heart.It is changed every times, such as this time stay in this hotel have new feeling of brand image take over before brand image in customer’s heart. Thus, it still has some ways to improve hotel brand image. 1, First impressions which hotel give customer is important. The hotel has prominent logo with fresh color and sample design. When customers fist time see that can easy to memories. As simply speaking, human nature dictate that people will often substantiate their first decision or impression by focusing on the positives and even overriding or blocking out any negative points.Hotel needs customer fist time to confirm their brand image. Hotel brand image should be based on what their customer expects. Hotel brand shout speak to their market in a way that they like to be spoken to. Hotel need to define their b rand fonts, color, and logo shape appears. For example the Shangri-la hotel, they said that Our ‘S' logo, which resembles uniquely Asian architectural forms, suggests majestic mountains reflected in the waters of a tranquil lake†. All these little things together will create a highly successful brand image for a five-star hotel. . Brand values are very important to improve a brand image. Creating a predefined set of values is extremely important in getting hotel brand to work. Decide which values apply first and foremost to hotel business. For Shangri-la hotel, they give the slogan is â€Å"a luxurious sanctuary for the discerning traveler†. For this sentence, not only give a promise to their customer, but also as a standard for hotel staffs. These also can instantly be able to convey to your clients how hotel operate. It will be a useful way for hotel to improve their brand image. 3.The aim to highlight the benefit such hotel can provide quality service to custom er and put it on the forefront of any marketing. This is what they’re most interested in. How will spending money with hotel benefit. According to research data analysis shows that customer think the most importance element when they choose a five-star hotels is product quality. Then hotel should highlight their quality at any marketing activity and advertisement. This means that hotel have set out why customers should choose your hotel and therefore why customers shout pay your price. 4. Hotel can share their business growing with their customer.They can put the hotel growing history in their web side. The time will come where hotel business grows to a size where hotel brand image no longer accurately reflects and how much customer have stayed in this hotel, how long time the brand have created. At this point it’s worth looking at re-branding. It can get customer approved. Let customer feel that he joins the hotel growing and feel kind with your hotel brand image. 5. Differentiate yourself from your competitors. Nowadays have many different five-star hotel brand image. How to let customer can memories your hotel brand?Everything from the vocabulary your use to the tone of your advertisements and the color and shape of your logo should be distinctly yours. The customer can easy find the shining point from your brand and live a deep impression in their heart. Your hotel brand image can give the different feeling to customers. Therefore, in order to create a successful brand, marketing managers should be more devoted on building brand image, customers’ satisfaction and customer loyalty as the most important parts of branding strategy. By strengthening and maintaining the brand images will hopefully position the brand positively in the customer mind.The target market of Five-stat hotel From research, the majority of customers are middle age and the purpose is for business or leisure. It also shows a high personal income to support five-star h otel consumption. Thus, hotel should pay more attention to male, middle age customers who are 40-49 years old, and consumers who have a diploma or degree and who and high personal income for increasing market share. Look at the guest database and define your target market and desired amenities. Developing a business plan for an existing business or conducting a feasibility study for a new venture requires a through analysis of market conditions.The correct target market is importance for success a hotel business. We can know that hotel need to focus their target market at middle age group people. List the business goals for your hotel. For these group customers, hotel need to know what is they pay attention to when they stay in a hotel. It is advisable to improve hotel meeting facilities, room facilities and quality service. Making pointed references plan for business and leisure and give many meeting or leisure package to customers. Improve customer loyaltyAccording to the research data analysis, brand image and customer satisfaction affect customer loyalty. As a hotel, improve customer loyalty from these two aspects. From literature review and analysis we understand that customer loyalty is important for a hotel operation and market. First of all, to improve customer loyalty need to focus on brand image. A good brand image is conducive to get more customer loyalty. Hotel finds the correct way to improve brand image, therefore the customer loyalty will increase. The customer loyalty is directly proportional to how good brand image in customer’s mind.On the other hand, is having customer satisfaction. To get customer satisfaction, hotel should provide good service, high quality facilities to let customer feel is worthy of expense their money in your hotel. Hotel also can do some regular customer research to get fresh feedback information about customer satisfaction and can timely find problem and vulnerabilities then solve it. Conclusion The research ha s shown the importance of brand image benefits on customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. The finding supports H1, the five-star hotel brand image is a direct path.For H2, brand image is also a factor that significantly affects the customer satisfaction then finally effect customer loyalty in five-star hotel. For H3, the positive hotel image increase customer loyalty in five-star hotel. Based on my research results, hotel brand image is as a determinant of customer loyalty in five-star hotels. The hotel brand image also affects customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction has strong impact on customer loyalty. With regard to satisfaction and loyalty, it is important for five-star hotels to measure customer’s satisfaction in order to analyze their product or service image performance.Hotel satisfied customers are willing to recommend their branded hotel product and service to others as well as having the intention to purchase their product and services in the future. Th e research findings of this study showed that hotel brand image plays the most important role in creating and maintaining customer loyalty in five-star hotel industry markets. As a five-star hotel have to specifically focus on these factors in order to build a long-term and mutually profitability relationship with customers. Hotel also needs to create loyalty as competitive advantages in the market.To identification of five-star hotel brand image benefits of their branded product and service will help to establish effective marketing strategies. Marketing managers should consider the roles of hotel brand image in creating customer loyalty. The brand image target in hotel business is the target customers of the brand. Nowadays, the customer oriented marketing theory requires an enterprise to take customer satisfaction into account when making decisions and establishing brand image. Establishment of brand image in hotel industry lies in customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.Hotel need to improve internalize the value of brand image. Establishment of brand image in hotel industry is to firmly establish a brand image basis. Therefore, when the core value of brand image spreads to customer will the brand image in the hotel business is clearly established in the bran of the customer. This research endeavored to help hotel marketing practitioners better understand the key drivers. Creating and maintain customer loyalty in a highly competitive market. The important point of brand image in hotel industry is the customer benefit brought by brand.When the brand positive hotel brand image was aggressively improved, the hotel business would be able to in maintain their current customers and loyalty. Truly loyal customers are manifestly satisfied. With the five-star hotel have a positive image towards the hotel. Therefore, hotel should always strive to ensure that their customers are very satisfied and improve their hotel brand image to get more customer loyalty. The s econd of limitations of my research is that data quality can be compromised via a number of potential routes, such as cultural and other type of bias.We all have biases, whether we are conscience of them or not. Bias is when a place, things or person is viewed or shown in a consistently inaccurate way. It is usually negative, though one can have a positive bias as well. During my research, different people have different opinion about brand image and customer loyalty. So, it must be acknowledge that is a kind of limitation in my research. The sample was collected from a group of consumers in certain area Malaysia. Future research need to extend to diversified samples in order to ensure the full applicability to other settings in this model.Future research In future I plan to continue to work on analysis about marketing; research could use a different design to examine the causal relationships posited by the theories, such as relationship quality or marketing mix which is 4Ps to expl ore other antecedents on hotel industry customer loyalty. It also continues my research will be conducted in other industry, such as transport industry, club med industry or casino industry. In addition, for my future research plan can focus other different countries or different global regions. It till can focus on a limitative group person.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed?

Creativity refers to intuitive solutions that are of genuine value. A characteristic seen as most desirable, linked to problem solving and expertise (Garnham and Oakhill,1994). Additionally, Weisberg(1993) believed intended originality is involved with creative thinking. Despite its difficulty to define, creativity has been studied in diverse disciplines, often in conjunction with intelligence testing. According to Mooney(1963), the study of creativity arises from 4 perspectives; creative people, creative processes, products of creativity and creative places.The psychometric approach attempts to predict creative achievement and identify the products of creativity. Several established tests have been administered to creative people, to explain differences between intelligence, as measured by IQ and creativity tests. Guilford(1956) derived a hypothesis regarding this difference, differentiating between convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking seeks to find the correct ans wer to specific problems, a strategy for solving most well-defined problems.Conversely, divergent thinking requires flexibility and originality, leading to many possible solutions which aid solving ill-defined problems. Guilford identified the process of divergent thinking as important for creativity, since involving indirect and productive thinking. However, research has indicated only slight correlation between performance on divergent thinking tasks and other measures of creativity.Additionally, its mixes creativity with intelligence or originality therefore is difficult to establish. The autobiographic and biographic approaches focus on the products of creativity. Unlike above, assumptions that intelligence and creativity correlate are ignored, as they are based on observation. Wallas(1926) proposed a four stage account of creative insights. Beginning with; perception, preparatory work on a problem; incubation, internalisation of problem into the unconscious mind.Followed by the most crucial stage, inspiration, the solution begins to appear in conscious awareness, in the form of flash of insight. Intimation occurs, feelings of the solution about to emerge; sensitivity is crucial in order to avoid distraction. Finally, verification is when the solution is applied and elaborated, ensuring the problem is solved. Wallas considered creativity to be a legacy of the evolutionary process, allowing humans to adapt to rapidly changing environments. What Is ‘Creativity’ and How Can It Be Assessed? Creativity refers to intuitive solutions that are of genuine value. A characteristic seen as most desirable, linked to problem solving and expertise (Garnham and Oakhill,1994). Additionally, Weisberg(1993) believed intended originality is involved with creative thinking. Despite its difficulty to define, creativity has been studied in diverse disciplines, often in conjunction with intelligence testing. According to Mooney(1963), the study of creativity arises from 4 perspectives; creative people, creative processes, products of creativity and creative places.The psychometric approach attempts to predict creative achievement and identify the products of creativity. Several established tests have been administered to creative people, to explain differences between intelligence, as measured by IQ and creativity tests. Guilford(1956) derived a hypothesis regarding this difference, differentiating between convergent and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking seeks to find the correct ans wer to specific problems, a strategy for solving most well-defined problems.Conversely, divergent thinking requires flexibility and originality, leading to many possible solutions which aid solving ill-defined problems. Guilford identified the process of divergent thinking as important for creativity, since involving indirect and productive thinking. However, research has indicated only slight correlation between performance on divergent thinking tasks and other measures of creativity.Additionally, its mixes creativity with intelligence or originality therefore is difficult to establish. The autobiographic and biographic approaches focus on the products of creativity. Unlike above, assumptions that intelligence and creativity correlate are ignored, as they are based on observation. Wallas(1926) proposed a four stage account of creative insights. Beginning with; perception, preparatory work on a problem; incubation, internalisation of problem into the unconscious mind.Followed by the most crucial stage, inspiration, the solution begins to appear in conscious awareness, in the form of flash of insight. Intimation occurs, feelings of the solution about to emerge; sensitivity is crucial in order to avoid distraction. Finally, verification is when the solution is applied and elaborated, ensuring the problem is solved. Wallas considered creativity to be a legacy of the evolutionary process, allowing humans to adapt to rapidly changing environments.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Was Thomas More a medieval, essays

Was Thomas More a medieval, essays Sir Thomas More was an Englishman who lived from 1478-1535. During that time period, he was a well revered and respected man, a chancellor of England who served under Henry VIII. He his most known for two acts; the writing of his book Utopia, and for dying for what he believed in. More was also a Christian Humanist, many of which now view him as a martyr of their cause. Based historical facts, and actions he took, More can be considered more of a rather modern man than a medieval man. Luthers ideas and reforms on Christianity were in direct conflict with the Catholic Church. These ideas, reforms, and thoughts on faith was the spark plug that started the Protestant Reformation. Luther began his career as an Augustinian Monk in the Roman Catholic Church. Consequently, Luther was initially loyal to the papacy, and even after many theological conflicts, he attempted to bring about his reconciliation with the Church. But this didnt last long because Luther waged battle with the papacy. Luther was to become a theologian. This is where he wrote the Ninety-Five Theses. It is usually considered to be the original document of the Reformation. Basically, this document exposed all the wrongs of the Catholic Church from indulgences to immoral behavior of priests. When Thomas More wrote his book, its name showed people how he felt on the subject. He called it Utopia, which means literally nowhere. Why would More write a book on an ideal civilization, and call it nowhere? Most scholars believe, that he was trying to show the people of his time how far they were from an ideal society, and at the same time implying the hopelessness of the human race to ever achieve a Utopia. He deemed it A good place which is no place. Mores book dealt widely on the faults of mankind, and almost nothing with religious aspects. If More was truly a medieval man,...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Mental Lexicon Definition and Examples in English

Mental Lexicon Definition and Examples in English In psycholinguistics, a persons internalized knowledge of the properties of words. Also known as a mental dictionary. There are various definitions of mental lexicon. In their book The Mental Lexicon: Core Perspectives (2008), Gonia Jarema and Gary Libben attempt this definition: The mental lexicon is the cognitive system that constitutes the capacity for conscious and unconscious lexical activity. The term mental lexicon was introduced by R.C. Oldfield in the article Things, Words and the Brain (Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, v. 18, 1966). Examples and Observations The fact that a speaker can mentally find the word that he/she wants in less than 200 milliseconds, and in certain cases, even before it is heard, is proof that the mental lexicon is ordered in such a way as to facilitate access and retrieval.(Pamela B. Faber and Ricardo Mairal Usà ³n, Constructing a Lexicon of English Verbs. Walter de Gruyter, 1999)The Dictionary Metaphor- What is this mental dictionary, or lexicon, like? We can conceive of it as similar to a printed dictionary, that is, as consisting of pairings of meanings with sound representations. A printed dictionary has listed at each entry a pronunciation of the word and its definition in terms of other words. In a similar fashion, the mental lexicon must represent at least some aspects of the meaning of the word, although surely not in the same way as does a printed dictionary; likewise, it must include information about the pronunciation of the word although, again, probably not in the same form as an ordinary dictionary. (D. Fay and A. Cutler, Malapropisms and the Structure of the Mental Lexicon. Linguistic Inquiry, 1977)- The  human  word-store is often referred to as the mental dictionary  or, perhaps more commonly, as the  mental  lexicon, to use the Greek word for dictionary. There is, however, relatively little similarity between the words in our minds and the words in book dictionaries, even though the information will sometimes overlap. . . .[E]ven if the mental lexicon turns out to be partially organised in terms of initial sounds, the order will certainly not be straightforwardly alphabetical. Other aspects of the words sound structure, such as its ending, its stress pattern and the stressed vowel, are all likely to play a role in the arrangement of words in the mind.Furthermore, consider a speech error such as The inhabitants of the car were unhurt. where the speaker presumably meant to say passengers rather than inhabitants. Such mistakes show that, unlike book  dictionaries, human  mental dictionaries  cannot be organized solely on the basis of sounds or spelling. Meaning must be taken into consideration as well, since humans fairly often confuse words with similar meanings, as in Please hand me the tin-opener when the speaker wants to crack a nut, so must have meant nut-crackers.(Jean Aitchison,  Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon. Wiley-Blackwell, 2003) An Australians Mental LexiconEven with hard yakka, youve got Buckleys of understanding this dinkum English sentence, unless youre an Aussie.An Australian has no difficulty understanding the above sentence, while other English speakers might struggle. The words yakka, Buckleys, and dinkum are in the vocabulary of most Australians, that is, they are stored as entries in the mental lexicon, and therefore an Australian has access to the meanings of these words and can consequently comprehend the sentence. If one possessed no mental lexicon, communication through language would be precluded.(Marcus Taft, Reading and the Mental Lexicon. Psychology Press, 1991)

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Architecture and System Integration

The report has been made on the topic of architecture and system integration. The use of architecture and system integration would assist the operations of the organization. The case study selected for understanding the integration of the architecture and system is RetailCo. The existing system of RetailCo was outdated and slow. It created a hindrance for the development of new opportunities and globalization. The use of better technological equipments and techniques would provide the organization with scope for development and improvement. The following repot consists of five sections and each section has provided a unique diagram for the proposed system of RetailCo. The analysis has been done for being able to make the system context diagram, architecture overview diagram, logical architecture view diagram, component relationship diagram for sales operation, component interaction diagrams for sales operation, logical operational model diagram for infrastructure, and logical operational model diagram for sales operation.) The context level diagram is useful for understanding the boundary between the system and parts of system. It shows the environment of operations of the infrastructure system and the entities that are related to the system. The context level diagram for RetailCo has shown the various entities and their relationship with the Systematic Information System Infrastructure. The architecture overview diagram is helpful for getting a better visualization of the system architecture. The components of the diagram are in the form of blocks providing a better overview of the information system. The architecture overview diagram has divided the system components and operations in terms of users, channel, operations, data, and technology. The logical architecture diagram is useful for analysis of the system components by categorizing them in separate tiers/class (client, access, service, presentation, and data). The logical architecture diagram of RetailCo has been used for making the tiered structure of the organization’s infrastructure. Each of the tier has some services (security, persistence, runtime, and integration services) included for the information system of RetailCo. The component relationship model diagram is the study of the relationships of the components of the infrastructure system. The sale operation has been used for making the component relationship model for RetailCo and it has shown the manual and online shopping activities of the customers at RetailCo. The component interaction model diagram is the study of the interaction among the components of the infrastructure system. The sales operation has been used for making the component interaction model for RetailCo and it has shown the interactions among the components of the system with the operation included in sales process. The Logic Operational Diagram is used for making the model of business infrastructure and it consists of both data and process model of RetailCo. The use of the modeling technique is useful for understanding the difference between process model and data model of the business infrastructure for RetailCo. The Logic Operational Diagram has been used for understanding the sales operation of RetailCo and it consists of both data and process model of sales operation. The use of the modeling technique is useful for differentiating between process model and data model of the sales operation for RetailCo. The report had been made for the analysis of the new information system and business architecture of RetailCo. The project had the time duration of 5 years and budget of 1.2 billion US dollars. It has taken almost 5 years of time duration for completing the project and implementing the new information system and business infrastructure. The report has provided with many diagrams that would be helpful for understanding the operations and functions of the new information system. The analysis of the information system would assist the business organization for implementing any further development. The context level diagram has shown the boundary between the system and parts of system and the architecture overview diagram has provided a better visualization of the system architecture and divided the system components and operations in terms of users, channel, operations, data, and technology. The logical architecture diagram has analyzed the system components in a tiered structure. The component relationship model diagram has studied the relationships of the components of the infrastructure system. The Logic Operational Diagram consists of both data and process model of business infrastructure and sales operation of RetailCo. Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T., 2016. A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research. In  Enacting Research Methods in Information Systems: Volume 2  (pp. 169-190). Springer International Publishing. Cai, G., Wang, B., Chen, B.M. and Lee, T.H., 2013. Design and implementation of a flight control system for an unmanned rotorcraft using RPT control approach.  Asian Journal of Control,  15(1), pp.95-119. Chong, S., 2014. Business process management for SMEs: an exploratory study of implementation factors for the Australian wine industry.  Journal of Information Systems and Small Business,  1(1-2), pp.41-58. Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J. and Reijers, H.A., 2013.  Fundamentals of business process management  (Vol. 1, p. 2). Heidelberg: Springer. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014.  Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Gonà §alo, T.E.E. and Morais, D.C., 2015, October. Agent-Based Negotiation Protocol for Selecting Transportation Providers in a Retail Company. In  Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), 2015 IEEE International Conference on  (pp. 263-267). IEEE. Kim, Y., Koh, J., Xie, Q., Wang, Y., Chang, N. and Pedram, M., 2014. A scalable and flexible hybrid energy storage system design and implementation.  Journal of Power Sources,  255, pp.410-422. Li, S., Zhou, M. and Yu, X., 2013. Design and implementation of terminal sliding mode control method for PMSM speed regulation system.  IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics,  9(4), pp.1879-1891. Malhotra, A., Melville, N.P. and Watson, R.T., 2013. Spurring impactful research on information systems for environmental sustainability.  MIS Quarterly,  37(4), pp.1265-1274. McCormack, K.P. and Johnson, W.C., 2016.  Supply chain networks and business process orientation: advanced strategies and best practices. CRC Press. McKusick, M.K., Neville-Neil, G.V. and Watson, R.N., 2014.  The design and implementation of the FreeBSD operating system. Pearson Education. Merriam, S.B. and Tisdell, E.J., 2015.  Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons. Neves, D., Silva, C.A. and Connors, S., 2014. Design and implementation of hybrid renewable energy systems on micro-communities: a review on case studies.  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,  31, pp.935-946. Roth, L.J., 2016. Successful Business Process Management in Retail. Shin, J., Shin, S., Kim, Y., Ahn, S., Lee, S., Jung, G., Jeon, S.J. and Cho, D.H., 2014. Design and implementation of shaped magnetic-resonance-based wireless power transfer system for roadway-powered moving electric vehicles.  IEEE Transactions on Industrial electronics,  61(3), pp.1179-1192. Sousa, K.J. and Oz, E., 2014.  Management information systems. Nelson Education. Stair, R. and Reynolds, G., 2013.  Principles of information systems. Cengage Learning. Venkatesh, V., Brown, S.A. and Bala, H., 2013. Bridging the qualitative-quantitative divide: Guidelines for conducting mixed methods research in information systems.  MIS quarterly,  37(1), pp.21-54. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016.  The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley & Sons. Zolnowski, A., Weiß, C. and Bà ¶hmann, T., 2014, January. Representing Service Business Models with the Service Business Model Canvas--The Case of a Mobile Payment Service in the Retail Industry. In  2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences  (pp. 718-727). IEEE.

Friday, October 18, 2019

The British Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The British Constitution - Essay Example It is also mostly embedded in the written form through various statutes, judgments and treaties apart from the conventional principles. In countries like the USA whose democratic origin has been very recent, writing constitution for a new country after their independence from British rule was a necessity. But, parliamentary democracy in Britain has a very long history and the Parliament of UK is one of the oldest democratic institutions in the world. After the merger of the Parliament of Scotland in 1707 and Ireland in 1801 with the English Parliament, it has been known as the Parliament of the United Kingdom.   The country has an established judiciary system with a long history and the system has been evolving over the period of time mainly based on precedents in the legal landscape.   Parliamentary sovereignty is the fundamental principle of the un-codified British Constitution. There were controversies at the time of UK’s accession to European community based on the con cerns that law-making functions could eventually be transferred to the EC Commission and the Council of Ministers. After the accession of the UK to European Economic Community, European common law has gained preeminence in the UK which is inevitable. In Thoburn v Sunderland City Council [2002] it was observed â€Å"All the specific rights and obligations which EU law creates are by the ECA incorporated into our domestic law and rank supreme: that is, anything in our substantive law inconsistent with any of these rights and obligations.... In Thoburn v Sunderland City Council [2002] it was observed â€Å"All the specific rights and obligations which EU law creates are by the ECA incorporated into our domestic law and rank supreme: that is, anything in our substantive law inconsistent with any of these rights and obligations is abrogated or must be modified to avoid the inconsistency†.   (Baili, 2002) But, it is important that the EU law for this purpose should originate from and authorized by the Parliament. It was asserted in the case that there is nothing in the ECA which allows the Court of Justice, or any other institutions of the EU, to touch or qualify the conditions of Parliament's legislative supremacy in the United Kingdom. In the Thoburn case there was criminal conviction of Steven Thoburn, a green grocer and other defendants for various offences inter alia calibration of weighing machines and the use of unapproved instruments or measures. In such cases which deal with constitutional issues, politica l and legislative implications are also involved. Drewry, G. (2007, p.112) states â€Å"the political and parliamentary implications are every bit as important as the legal ones. Both (one of which is Thoburn’s) cases, in their different ways, were concerned with important areas of national and European public policy, and with legislation that is a product of political processes’. The written constitutions in such cases are likely to pose adaptation problems as the issue covers various aspects of international importance and cross border activities. The establishment of European Court of Justice and its growing significance in the legal system of the United Kingdom and the supremacy of EC law in the event of conflicts with the UK laws have caused a great deal of discussions and

Fast 5 movie review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fast 5 movie review - Essay Example This paper analyzes the film’s plot, the observed character personalities, the mood and emotions identified, and the outstanding thematic issues, among other film elements. The film begins with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) being moved to Lompoc penitentiary in a prison bus. Mia (Jordana Brewster), that is, Dom’s sister, with the help of his friend Brian (Paul Walker) attacks the bus and free Dom. Following the prison break, the authorities in the US begin an intensive search for Dom, Mia and Brian prompting the fugitives to seek refuge in Brazil’s capital of Rio de Janeiro. The three collaborate with Vince (Matt Schulze) an ally of theirs and formulate a plan to steal cars from a moving train. Even though they successfully steal the cars, they engage in an altercation with DEA agents in the train since they previously did not know that the train was transporting seized cars. The death of DEA agents in the train heist instigates the dispatch of a U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) team led by agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to Rio with the principal aim of capturing Dom’s team and extraditing them to face murder charges in the US. Hobbs’ team successfully tracks Dom and his accomplices in the former’s safe house, but they manage to escape since the place is under attack by Reyes’ (a drug lord) men (Fast Five). After realizing that they are running not just from gangsters, but the law as well, and when Mia tells Brian that she is pregnant with his child, Dom’s team decides to stay united and plan a final heist to start a comfortable new life. They decide to steal from Reyes, having acquired proof of where his money was in the prior train heist. The assembled heist team comprises of Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Ludacris), Han Lue (Sung Kang), and Vince (Matt Schulze) among others. However, before their plans materialize, Dom,

Interpretation of contract indemnity provisions Essay

Interpretation of contract indemnity provisions - Essay Example Indemnity can be broadly defined as the promise to pay money; with one party to a contract making a promise to be responsible for any losses which are suffered by other parties to the contract and this occurs when there has been a breach of a contract or a warranty. In the event that one party suffers a loss, the other party may have provided a guarantee in the contract to make up for such losses and would then be obliged to make good the losses which have been suffered, whether through damages or any other kind of loss which occurs. These losses can be compensated in the form of cash payments, repairs or a replacement of the item that has been lost or damaged. This study proposes to examine how indemnity differs from warranties and exclusion contracts and how the manner in which the indemnity provisions are spelt out can influence the manner in which such provisions are interpreted. According to Parker and Slavich, an indemnity is a contract between two parties in which one party agrees to be liable for the losses or damage that are sustained by another party, whether the party is a signatory to the contract or a third party, on the basis of a specified act or a condition or the damage that results from a claim or a demand1. The purpose of a contractual indemnity is to ensure that the risk inherent in the performance of the contract is distributed among all the parties to the contract, although in reality, the net result will be based upon the relative bargaining power of the parties. One of the different forms of the indemnity provision in contracts is the survival provision, whereby the survival of representations, warranties and indemnities are limited to an agreed period of time from the execution of the contract. Another aspect of indemnity contracts are releases, i.e., releases of claims and liabilities Indemnity clauses are offered in

Thursday, October 17, 2019

A Critical Analysis of Some Processes in the Cultivation Effect by Research Paper

A Critical Analysis of Some Processes in the Cultivation Effect by Robert Hawkins and Suzanne Pingree - Research Paper Example The methodology adopted by the researchers, including detailed description of control variables introduced, is comprehensively explained. Any similarities, as well as the differences, in researchers’ approach with Gerbner and Gross’s method, are pointed out. The qualitative as well as quantitative data is properly explained and the researchers’ justifications for the deviant data values are also analytically evaluated. The findings, which stated that the very young audience is not psychologically mature enough to get ‘cultivated’ by television, and perception of a ‘violent’ world is associated with the amount of crime related dramas and cartoons seen by the children, are adequately explained. Any shortcomings in the researchers’ approach and logic, such as, small research period, and generalized control variables, are discussed. Proper recommendations, for instance, advanced study of preconceived notions in children over a long pe riod of time, are provided. Introduction In 1976, while exploring the continuing effects of extensive television viewing on American audience, George Gerbner and Larry Gross introduced the ‘cultivation theory.’ The primary conclusion of their research was that prolonged exposure to violence related material on the television, results in the formation of a societal reality in the minds of the viewers, which further dictates their thought formation and alters their social behavior (Gerbner and Gross, 1976). To further this hypothesis, Robert Hawkins and Suzanne Pingree, in 1977, conducted a detailed research, to study how exactly cultivation effect takes place, and what variables can enhance or diminish it. In 1980, they documented their findings in a publication titled â€Å"Some Processes in the Cultivation Effect,† which is the subject of this paper. This paper will analyze how Hawkins and Pingree, in the light of ‘cultivation hypothesis’, formulate d their thesis, conducted research, and interpreted qualitative and quantitative data. Furthermore, this paper will suggest any revisions, deemed necessary, to their adopted research methodology, along with the recommendations that can enhance their findings. Hawkins and Pingree’s research was based on the already established fact that the viewers highly exposed to television programming, both aggressive and non aggressive, would carry a certain amount of prejudice in their social outlook. They were also influenced by the contrasting and contradicting studies conducted by various researchers in other parts of world, controlling numerous variables, such as Doob and McDonald’s study of cultivation effects among various demographics in Toronto, Canada (1979), and Wober’s research in Great Britain (1978). These studies showed that the effect of television on viewer’s perception is certain, however, what is still unknown is the exact ‘size and importance of that effect’ (Pingree and Hawkins, 1980). Generally, it was observed that, when controlling a third variable, there was no strong relation between watching violent programming and fearing that viewer himself would get involved in a similar scenario. One of the reasons could be that people in other parts of the worlds were unconsciously aware that their society was different than that of America, and therefore, were not impacted that much by American programming. Furthermore, not much research had been done involving controls that would illuminate the exact process of cultivation in the children. There had been studies involving age as a variable, and discovering that children in the learning stages are usually more susceptible to the television messaging systems, as compared to very young and an older audience (Drabman et

Case Analysis of Nationwide Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Analysis of Nationwide - Research Paper Example Aside from these core values, management has likewise signified adherence to other core values which include honesty, integrity, trust, and respect. The current discourse hereby aims to present a brief case study on Nationwide in terms of discussing the organization’s goals and strategies that was deemed formulated to help it maximize its total value; prior to presenting an explanation of the company’s abilities and market opportunities that help it create value for its stakeholders. Likewise, a Porter’s Five-Forces analysis would be conducted to incorporate the basic framework of value-driven strategy. Finally, a discussion on how the company can apply the Christian worldview of money, morality, and social responsibility to impact the business would be expounded in both the sort-term and long-term. Company’s Goals and the Strategies that Maximize its Total Value The vision statement of Nationwide is explicitly disclosed as follows: â€Å"to be the truste d advocate for U.S. consumers and businesses by protecting what matters most and building a secure financial future† (Nationwide, 2013, par. 1). ... g the things considered most important to clientsm through superior customer service; (2) providing solutions for the protection through various products and services that cater to varied needs; (3) providing stable, reliable, and diverse business portfolios; (4) providing greater access to products and services through varied and greatly accessible means; and (5) provision of support to the local communities within the organization’s vicinity (Natiowide, 2013). The the effective implementation of these strategies, it was therefore revealed that Nationwide generated as much as $22,650,000 in total revenues in 2012 and a net income of $940,000 in the same year (Nationwide, 2012). Company’s Abilities and Market Opportunities that Create Value for its Stakeholders Spulber (2009) has emphasized that â€Å"the abilities of the organization are its resources and competencies† (p. 161); where resources were explicitly defined as the â€Å"tangible physical assets†¦and more complex information resources† (Spulber, 2009, p. 161). Concurrently, the firm’s competencies are its â€Å"technological expertise, process capabilities, functional skills, and other firm-specific abilities† (Spulber, 2009, p. 161). These abilities are therefore evaluated using internal analysis. On the other hand, through external analysis of the macro-environment, the organization is able to determine the opportunities which abound and which could be tapped or capitalized to create value to its stakeholders. For Nationwide, the firm’s resources could be determined through a closer evaluation of its physical assets, which could be viewed it in balance sheet items. As of December 31, 2012, its total assets equal $168.3 billion. Other financial highlights which prove Nationwide’s strength include

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Interpretation of contract indemnity provisions Essay

Interpretation of contract indemnity provisions - Essay Example Indemnity can be broadly defined as the promise to pay money; with one party to a contract making a promise to be responsible for any losses which are suffered by other parties to the contract and this occurs when there has been a breach of a contract or a warranty. In the event that one party suffers a loss, the other party may have provided a guarantee in the contract to make up for such losses and would then be obliged to make good the losses which have been suffered, whether through damages or any other kind of loss which occurs. These losses can be compensated in the form of cash payments, repairs or a replacement of the item that has been lost or damaged. This study proposes to examine how indemnity differs from warranties and exclusion contracts and how the manner in which the indemnity provisions are spelt out can influence the manner in which such provisions are interpreted. According to Parker and Slavich, an indemnity is a contract between two parties in which one party agrees to be liable for the losses or damage that are sustained by another party, whether the party is a signatory to the contract or a third party, on the basis of a specified act or a condition or the damage that results from a claim or a demand1. The purpose of a contractual indemnity is to ensure that the risk inherent in the performance of the contract is distributed among all the parties to the contract, although in reality, the net result will be based upon the relative bargaining power of the parties. One of the different forms of the indemnity provision in contracts is the survival provision, whereby the survival of representations, warranties and indemnities are limited to an agreed period of time from the execution of the contract. Another aspect of indemnity contracts are releases, i.e., releases of claims and liabilities Indemnity clauses are offered in

Case Analysis of Nationwide Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Analysis of Nationwide - Research Paper Example Aside from these core values, management has likewise signified adherence to other core values which include honesty, integrity, trust, and respect. The current discourse hereby aims to present a brief case study on Nationwide in terms of discussing the organization’s goals and strategies that was deemed formulated to help it maximize its total value; prior to presenting an explanation of the company’s abilities and market opportunities that help it create value for its stakeholders. Likewise, a Porter’s Five-Forces analysis would be conducted to incorporate the basic framework of value-driven strategy. Finally, a discussion on how the company can apply the Christian worldview of money, morality, and social responsibility to impact the business would be expounded in both the sort-term and long-term. Company’s Goals and the Strategies that Maximize its Total Value The vision statement of Nationwide is explicitly disclosed as follows: â€Å"to be the truste d advocate for U.S. consumers and businesses by protecting what matters most and building a secure financial future† (Nationwide, 2013, par. 1). ... g the things considered most important to clientsm through superior customer service; (2) providing solutions for the protection through various products and services that cater to varied needs; (3) providing stable, reliable, and diverse business portfolios; (4) providing greater access to products and services through varied and greatly accessible means; and (5) provision of support to the local communities within the organization’s vicinity (Natiowide, 2013). The the effective implementation of these strategies, it was therefore revealed that Nationwide generated as much as $22,650,000 in total revenues in 2012 and a net income of $940,000 in the same year (Nationwide, 2012). Company’s Abilities and Market Opportunities that Create Value for its Stakeholders Spulber (2009) has emphasized that â€Å"the abilities of the organization are its resources and competencies† (p. 161); where resources were explicitly defined as the â€Å"tangible physical assets†¦and more complex information resources† (Spulber, 2009, p. 161). Concurrently, the firm’s competencies are its â€Å"technological expertise, process capabilities, functional skills, and other firm-specific abilities† (Spulber, 2009, p. 161). These abilities are therefore evaluated using internal analysis. On the other hand, through external analysis of the macro-environment, the organization is able to determine the opportunities which abound and which could be tapped or capitalized to create value to its stakeholders. For Nationwide, the firm’s resources could be determined through a closer evaluation of its physical assets, which could be viewed it in balance sheet items. As of December 31, 2012, its total assets equal $168.3 billion. Other financial highlights which prove Nationwide’s strength include

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay Example for Free

Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay Virginia Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony are two of the North American Colonies. These colonies have a lot of similarities especially in their government since they are under the governance of Northern America but differ in their ways of living and social structure. The Massachusetts Bay Colony and Virginia Colony are governed under their constitutions. The legislature under these colonies, called the General Court, consists of a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 160 for Massachusetts and 100 for Virginia, all elected for two years. The legislature meets annually. The governor is elected for a four-year term (Brown, 2006). The lieutenant governor, secretary of the commonwealth, treasurer, and receiver general, auditor, and attorney general are also elected to four-year terms. The governor is assisted by an executive council of eight members, elected for two years. The judiciary is headed by the Supreme Judicial Court of seven justices. Other courts include the appeals court, trial court, and minor courts. All judges are appointed by the governor and council and serve until age 70 (Brown, 2006). In addition, during the next decade of Massachusetts, several small fishing settlements grew up along the Massachusetts coast. Moreover, it is a predominantly a manufacturing area. The most valuable products are machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, instruments, and fabricated metal items. Printing and publishing are also major endeavors. Other economic activities include the processing of foods, the production of beverages, and the making of rubber and plastic goods, paper products, chemicals, clothing, and textiles (Brown, 2006). It has the most valuable fisheries and is one of the leading colonies in the nation in the value of its catch. The catch includes flounder, haddock, cod, whiting, Pollack, tuna, herring, scallops, lobsters, and clams. On the other hand, Virginia’s economy is based heavily on government 9federal, state, and local), wholesale, and retail trade, services, and manufacturing. Together, they account for more than 80 percent of all nonagricultural employment. Its manufacturing accounts for about a fifth of the colony’s nonagricultural employment. Chemicals and chemical products are of outstanding importance (Morris, 2001). Chief among these are synthetic fibers, such as nylon, and polyester. Tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, are also important. Foods, including dairy products and canned and preserved fruits, vegetables, and seafoods, are processed in many localities. Virginia also has a number of textile mills. Moreover, livestock and livestock products, mainly cattle and milk, provide nearly 60 percent of all farm income. Beef and dairy cattle are raised throughout the area, but are most numerous on the northern Piedmont and in the valleys west of the Blue Ridge. The raising of turkeys and broilers is a major activity (Morris, 2001). In conclusion, Virginia was the site of the first permanent settlement and colony in North America. Virginians were prominent among the nation’s founding fathers and played major roles in the Revolutionary War while Massachusetts was one of the New England states of the United States. These two colonies contributed much of the history of the United States in terms of its state governance and economic contributions to the nation. Reference: 1. Brown, R. D. Massachusetts: a Bicentennial History (Norton, 2006). 2. Morris, Shirley. The Pelican Guide to Virginia (Pelican, 2001).

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Population Of Azerbaijan Cultural Studies Essay

The Population Of Azerbaijan Cultural Studies Essay I was born and raised in Azerbaijan and currently I live in Texas, United States. Geographically Azerbaijan is located where East meets West, therefore it is not surprising that the culture in Azerbaijan has been influenced by Western and Eastern set of values. Ive always believed that Azerbaijan has a very unique culture compared to other countries that share the same demographics and religion with it. To the outside world the Azerbaijan culture may seem very modern and Westernized however if one spends considerable amount of time living in Azerbaijan they will realize that the culture in this country is rather conservative. The culture in Azerbaijan has been considerably shaped due to globalization especially during the last two decades. The population of Azerbaijan consists of one racial group leaving very little space for diversity. People that are different race that reside in Azerbaijan are from foreign countries and speak a foreign language. Therefore Azerbaijanis are not very open minded and are not used to being around people that are different than them. Discriminating different races or cultures is considered something acceptable due to lack of exposure to other cultures. In addition to the social circumstances of Azerbaijan acts as a major influence on Azerbaijani society, morals and values. Islam is practiced by 90% of the population and controls every aspect of a persons life. Market exchanges and great religious associations integrate the social system of Islam, and although Islam is the core influence on the life of Azerbaijanis. I was born into a Muslim family and I still practice Islam. I believe the reason behind the conservative nature of Azerbaijani culture is that religion is still taking very seriously in this area. Every culture has negative and positive aspects to it. One of the positive aspects of my culture is that families are very close to each other and are always there for each other. I like and admire this about my culture. However, there is a downside, which is that there is a very little sense of privacy. Everyone always wants to know everything about each others personal life and they feel that they are entitled to know whats going on in other peoples personal lives. In other words there is no respect for privacy and I find this to be quiet embarrassing about my culture. Living in the United States has exposed me to a lot of new things including different social norms. One thing that I really admire about the culture here is how people are professional and organized. I believe being able to deal with all kinds of circumstances in a professional manner shows good manners. I also like how people are organized; it helps society to function better and more efficiently. Most of the people in Azerbaijan are racist towards black people, simply because they have never really interacted with them. A couple of years ago Azerbaijani soccer teams started recruiting African soccer players. This resulted in a number of African soccer players living on my native hometown Baku. Unfortunately they were not very welcome by the local population. People would stare at them, laugh at them and make rude remarks about them. I made friends with couple of them and would hang out with them on regular basis. During these times people would often stare at us and make rude comments. I would always make sure to stand up for my friends and explain that it is wrong to act this way towards them. A few years earlier we a had a class project regarding Geography and everyone was free to come up with a creative idea that involved some foreign country. Every stood in front of the class one by one and explained their project. When it was turn for one of my classmates he opened a map of the world with Middle East and North Korea crossed out in it. He then explained that he would drop a nuclear bomb on North Korea and Middle East and kill everyone that lives there. No one in class said anything including the teacher. I was shocked and wanted to say something but kept quiet. If this incident happened today I would definitely stand up and let him know that he was being ignorant and offer him more information about Middle East. In addition to the social circumstances of Azerbaijan, religion acts as a major influence on Azerbaijani society, morals and values. Islam is practiced by 90% of the population and controls every aspect of a persons life. Market exchanges and great religious associations integrate the social system of Islam, and although Islam is the core influence on the life of Azerbaijanis. The moral value system of Islam is based on the absolute equality of man, irrespective of race, wealth or lineage. The only distinction in Islam is based on piety. I believe that Azerbaijans reaction to westernization has been a negative one due to the fact that previous Western culture has failed to penetrate it. The reason for the Azerbaijans rejection of globalization is because of their social circumstances. Socially, Azerbaijani culture is the opposite of what the fundamentals of globalization are. In Azerbaijan people are interdependent individuals, highly family oriented and they think analytically. In addition, Azerbaijani people do not base their activities on a timeline and are far more lenient in terms of tardiness or leaving a business setting to converse with a friend. Azerbaijani people embody the idea of putting someone else needs before their own as well as choosing to do business amidst their own social circles. The culture of Azerbaijani people to not do business with a stranger is one of the core reasons why globalization does not work there. In order to give a better understanding of how people there view doing business with in their own social circle Id like to tell a story of man whose friends frequent his uncles taxi company and would rather walk if there are not taxis available opposed to calling upon the services of another company. In order to sum up how culture influences each generation differently Ive divided them into three categories. 1-Those who reject westernization as the highest stage of imperialism and cultural invasions based on the idea that it is designed to dominate, intimidate and destroy a cultures heritage. 2-Those who welcome the scale of globalization as the age of modern science, advanced technology, global communications and knowledge-based information. This second group of thinkers debate that its people can no longer remain confined to the boundaries of their heritage 3-Lastly, the third group does not agree with the idea of globalization nor does the group disagree with it. It can be described as a group that is positive neutrality and has a variation of attitudes when it comes to globalization. The reaction of westernization depends of which group of population it is affecting. It seems the first group mentioned above is that of the elderly group around the age of grandparents. This group is made up of individuals who still hold on to tradition and religion allowing it to determine every aspect of their life. With this group Islam is the practiced religion and the traditions of Islam go against the idea of westernized globalization. The third group is made up of those who are middle aged, who at the moment feel indifferent about the idea of globalization. These people still allow specific parts of religion and tradition to dictate their lives yet they still entertain the thought of allowing the change to take place. It is safe to say that this group agrees with Frank Griffel who quoted, Instead of rejecting globalization, the Islamic world is finding its own way of globalization. The two processes use the same means and the same tools and are indeed inseparable. Lastly, the second group is primarily made up of the younger generation. The younger generation is a lot more respectable to the change of things merely because that is the age in which he or she was born and raised in. Since the third group entertains the prospect of utilizing everything good in globalization, that is the idea the middle aged (parents) are passing on to the second group (children of the third group). To the first group the religion of Islam plays a major role in how globalization is reacted upon, however, the way the world is changing and the younger the generations, globalization will soon outweigh the power of religion.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

William Godwins Attack on the Law :: European Europe History

William Godwin's Attack on the Law Laws: We know what they are, and what they are worth! They are spider webs for the rich and mighty, steel chains for the poor and weak, fishing nets in the hands of government. - Proudhon1 On the surface, William Godwin's Caleb Williams (1794) is merely an entertaining murder mystery and detective story. The tale of an unfortunate servant who learns the truth of his master's past and flees for fear of his life, it has thrilled generations of readers. However, Godwin designed the work "to answer a purpose more general and important than immediately appears on the face of it."2 Written immediately after the publication of Godwin's first and most famous work, Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1793), Caleb Williams serves as a vehicle for Godwin to introduce his philosophy to the general public. The issue he addresses in the novel is that of "things as they are... While one party pleads for reformation and change, the other extols in the warmest terms the existing constitution of society."3 There can be no mistaking Godwin's position. He uses Caleb Williams to launch a full-scale attack against things as they are and "the modes of despotism by which man destroys his own kind - principally through prisons, law, and wealth."4 The law plays a particularly important role in the novel. It affects almost every major character, always aiding the oppression of the weak by the mighty and serving as a tool of tyranny. Godwin's opinion of the law is as interesting as it is extreme. His goal is to force the reader to "conclude universally that law is an institution of the most pernicious tendency," as he argues in his Political Justice.5 In his attack on the law, he makes use of common criticisms of the law from the late eighteenth century that were more often used as a call for its reform than for its abolition. In addition to these, however, he introduces arguments that successful reform is impossible and that the law by its very nature will inevitably serve as a tool of injustic e, tyranny, and oppression. Godwin's attacks on the law occur continuously throughout Caleb Williams, as its complex plot slowly evolves. The first victim of the law is the tenant farmer Hawkins, whose pride leads him imprudently to offend his landlord, Mr. Tyrrel. When Tyrrel orders him to abandon his farm, Hawkins's pride again gets the best of him and he refuses: "I have got a lease of my farm, and I shall not quit it o'thaten.