Sunday, December 29, 2019

Wealth Envy in Richard Cory, by Edwin Arlington Robinson...

All too often, those who have little money envy people with more. This is depicted in â€Å"Richard Cory† written by Edwin Arlington Robinson, the narrator describes Richard as if he were royalty; rich, worldly, well spoken, and educated (677). He wished he could be Richard, and live with all the pleasures afforded the wealthy. Is it possible Richard had the reverse in his mind when he ended his life? Money appears to be a key that unlocks happiness to people on the lower end of the financial spectrum. If that were the case, then those who are well-to-do should be measurably happier. Studies give conflicting evidence as to a possible link between wealth and happiness, but for those with lower incomes it is there. While the issues†¦show more content†¦As the level of wealth grows within a community, individuals do not see themselves gaining financial ground on their competitors and neighbors. They only see what they still do not have instead of recognizing how much of a better position they are able to enjoy. This constant comparison and revealing of shortcomings can only lead to feelings of inadequacy and sadness by the thought of failing to measuring up. Keeping up and staying ahead does lead to a temporary form of satisfaction, and at the same time it highlights a new void. Once an object is attained or a milestone is reached, there is another, and another†¦ and so on. An unending string of acquisitions that do not usher lasting happiness into one’s life. In part, this â€Å"Joneses Syndrome† is echoed in a new study conducted by Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. A magic income level was located, about $75,000 annually. People with incomes lower displayed increasingly unhappy tendencies as they moved further below this mark. Above $75,000 a plateau formed, the coupled income and happiness gains stopped. Measurable happiness ceased to increase along with income beyond that number (Luscombe 1). Researchers said that those with lower incomes were more â€Å"ground down† by problems they experienced. A lack of latitude afforded by a higher income could, forShow MoreRelated Edwin Arlington Robinsons Richard Cory Essay example792 Words   |  4 PagesEdwin Arlington Robinsons Richard Cory I have always secretly envied my dearest high school friend Erin.   It was easy to be jealous of Erin since she was tall with beautiful blonde hair that turned many heads.   She possessed grace and style and had the coolest car.   Though people try to resist envy, most succumb to it from time to time.   As people focus on all that they lack, they tend to ignore the flaws in those they envy.   The observers in the poem Richard Cory allow envy to cloudRead MoreGreat Gatsby Compared to Richard Cory794 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Richard Cory† written by Edwin Arlington Robinson is about a man who appears to be admirable on the exterior but no one is familiar with his interior, which is suffering badly. The narrator talks Richard Cory up by stating, he was richer than a king,(line 9) admirably schooled,(line 10) we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place.(lines 11-12) Until an abrupt ending to the poem, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head.(lines 15-16)Read MoreThe Great Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson And Richard Cory1740 Words   |  7 Pageslearn from it till their last days. Although there are many different types of poetry I will focus on one of the many great poems written in 1897 by Edwin Arlington Robinson; â€Å"Richard Cory†. This short sixteen lined story tells us a lot about the human irony that constantly surrounds us, the power of being admired and envied at the same time. Richard Cory is a wealthy man who at the same time was admired and envied by those surrounding him. He had it all, the money, the power, and the people bowing

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Raising the Retirement Age Essay - 1462 Words

Retirement Age The idea of raising the retirement age because of social security concerns is a thought that many did not even consider when social security first started in 1935. As more and more baby boomers are becoming retirement age and can draw social security, less people are paying into the system which will bankrupt or significantly lessen the amount of social security benefits a retiree can draw. The average life expectancy has risen significantly since Social Security first started. Raising the age of retirement because life expectancy has risen will benefit not only the social security system, a person’s health and well-being as well as future generations. â€Å"Americans are living longer and are having fewer children. Together†¦show more content†¦(John, 2010) According to the chart below, the average life expectancy has gone up since 1940 and will continue to rise likely due to better health care coverage and more people taking control of their own healthy lifestyles. (John, 2010) While raising the retirement age would work for some people, for others it would be a strain on their well-being. It would be more demanding on a person with a physically challenging job to work longer. Retiring later in life with a more physically demanding job puts a strain on a person’s health and if they needed to work longer, the wear and tear on their bodies would be detrimental to the healthy retirement living that is envisioned. â€Å"Our labor force is much more intellectually and technologically driven today. The trend of less physically challenging careers could mean that more people are able to work longer.† (Pendola, 2011) What happens to the construction worker who is working hard every day to provide for their family, it is difficult as a person gets older to fulfill the duties assigned. If asked to work longer because of the rise in retirement age in order to collect full social security benefits, their work may suffer and they may end up losing the ir job due to lack of ability. An example is a coworker of mine whose husband lost his job at the age of sixty because he was not able to perform his physically demanding job like he used to. He is not old enough to collect social security benefits. How long does heShow MoreRelatedShould The United States Raise The Age For Social Security1616 Words   |  7 PagesShould the United States Raise the Age for Social Security Payouts? Currently, the United States is contemplating at a forthcoming Social Security crisis. If changes are not forged, the Social Security system will not be able to keep up with the demanded payouts and is estimated to empty the trust fund around the year 2037. In this paper I will review a brief history of the Social Security program, touch upon the eligibility requirements, discuss what economists believe about the future of the SocialRead More Social Security Essay1054 Words   |  5 PagesSecurity Social security, created in 1935, is the most costly item in the federal budget. The program provides old age, survivors’ and disability insurance to a healthy portion of Americans. Workers and their employers fund the system by each paying payroll taxes. The Internal Revenue Service collects the taxes and deposits the money in government-administrated accounts known as the Old Age and Survivors and Disability Insurance Trust Funds(OASDI). The payroll tax revenues are used to pay benefits toRead MoreShould the Social Security Age Requirement be Raised?1570 Words   |  6 PagesShould the Social Security Age Requirement be Raised? In a world where the old are ignored and have no social security to live off from. Where 65 year olds work in restaurants just to make money for basic items to which they survive form. Hoping they never sick because of them know they would never be able to afford medication and surgery. Living with their children in a single home after they are no longer able to work. Their children having their parents are a burn on them after theyRead MoreThe Social Security System1442 Words   |  6 Pagesuncertainties brought on by unemployment, illness, disability, death and old age. In the realm of economics, these inevitable facets of life are said to be threats to one s economic security†- (www. ssa.gov). The 1935 Social Security Act was a giant step towards creating an economic security for the nation. However, as a person who has yet to be in the work force for 10 years I have already begun to realize that my comfort in retirement cannot rely on government funding, there ar e those whoever, who willRead More Increasing Taxes to Bail Out Social Security Essay1268 Words   |  6 PagesFranklin Roosevelt. As part of Roosevelts New Deal, he instituted Social Security, which established an old-age pension system, to be administered by the federal government, and financed by taxes on both employers and employees. This system was to help the older citizens and dependents of workers of the U.S. However, since its inception, Social Security has been turned into a retirement plan of sorts. Many retired and older citizens rely solely on Social Security benefits to live. The program hasRead MoreSocial Security And Retirement Practices1417 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Moody Sasser, â€Å"critics of retirement as it exists today have pointed out to the rigidity of retirement practices. Retirement is typically an all-or-nothing proposition. Would it not be better to have some form of flexibility or phased retirement, in which employees gradually reduce their work hours or take longer vacation? The thinking goes that such an approach might enable older workers to adjust better to retirement and permit employees to make gradual changes instead of copingRead MoreThe Issues Surrounding The System Of Social Security1638 Words   |  7 PagesInsurance). The age for a person to receive full retirement benefits has been gradually going up based on a schedule set by Congress in 1983. It is already raising on its own, however by raising the full retirement age further permanently is a great option to close the funding gap quickly. The age to claim reduced benefits is 62, and that aspect of age could remain the same. However, the benefit monthly for those claiming early would be decreased according to each year that full retirement age increasesRead MoreExamining the Economic Platform of a Political Party Essay examples805 Words   |  4 Pagesprivatized cuts and benefits would make things a lot more difficult for Social Security. An appealing plan for Americans at the age of retirement is that Al gore opposes the raising of the retirement age of 65 to the age of 70. Im in agreement with his choice to oppose this due to the fact that a large majority of the voters fall into this category. Gore plans to fight so that the age isnt increased. Gore promises he wont let guaranteed benefits be lower (Issues 2000). To turn Social Security intoRead MoreBenefits And Benefits Of Retirement Security1371 Words   |  6 PagesRetirement security is a very broad term that refers to the confidence a person has in their economic resources to support them through the end of their life at a standard of living consistent to what they enjoyed prior to retirement. For most people, retirement income will come from personal savings and investments, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Social Security, defined benefit plans, and defined contribution plans (Retirementresourcesusa.com, 2016). Employers have traditionally playedRead MoreBenefits Of Retirement Planning For Retirement860 Words   |  4 PagesWhether you are a recent graduate or a 30 year professional, it is never too early to begin planning for retirement. For years, the age old question has always been how much do you need to comfortably retire? Conventional planning has proposes a benchmark of $1 million to enjoy sustain yourself throughout re tirement. However, since many of us enjoy different lifestyles and varying incomes, 10 to 12 times your final salary can be a more accurate assumption. Yet, as baby boomers are continuously retiring

Friday, December 13, 2019

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Free Essays

The movie â€Å"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind† is the story of a guy, Joel, who discovers that his long-time girlfriend, Clementine, has undergone a psychiatrist’s experimental procedure in which all of her memory of Joel is removed, after the couple has tried for years to get their relationship working right. Frustrated by the idea of still being in love with a woman who doesn’t remember their time together, Joel agrees to do the procedure also, to erase his memories of Clementine. The movie takes place mostly in Joel’s mind, which follow his memories of Clementine backwards in time as each recent memory is replaced, and the process then goes on to the previous one and then erased. We will write a custom essay sample on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or any similar topic only for you Order Now Once the process starts, Joel realizes he doesn’t really want to forget Clementine, so he starts sneaking her away into parts of his memory where she don’t belong that changes other things about his memories also. â€Å"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind† is dealing with the ideas of ownership, truth, time, and presence. For example ownership is represented of having the memory of the one person, truth is shown through spirituality, time is shown by the existence of their memories, and presence is brought out through Joel’s mind of Clementine. The character who is most present in their life is Clementine because she is being present, occurring, and existing in Joel’s mind. The character that is most aware of time is Joel because of the existence and events of Clementine. The central theme of â€Å"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind† is unavoidable romance, but with a difference. The love itself, when it’s finally won, isn’t appealing. It’s not even likely to last, but being in love is the only way these characters feel alive and no void in their brains can get over that. The statement of â€Å"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind† is time because of the events in the past, present, an future of Joel and Clementine’s memories, but also willingness to skip across the memories of forgetting. How to cite Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Development of the Organisational Policy

Question: Write an essay about the Development of the Organisational Policy. Answer: Introduction Each of the organisations set their mission and structures the business activities to accomplish such goals. The policies are thus formulated to achieve these organisational goals and usually written as statements. Fowler (2013) explained that the policies have been developing the documentation of the plans, instructions, processes, and intents of an organisation. More specifically, the formulation of the policies helps in guiding the volunteers, management, and staffs for clarifying the influences and values of the organisational culture. As stated by Morel, Palier and Palme (2012), the policies are needed to be documented in a formal written form, which is required for clarifying the limitation and the expectation of an organisation. The governance process is much relied on the clearly written policies that help in understanding the organisational rules. Hence, breaching of these policies can affect the organisational scenario and the activities of the employees as well. The mainte nance of the flexibility and the responsibility towards the external factors is also needed to be concerned in such cases. The study will be presenting the exploration of the key concept based on organisational development of Toyota Motors. The formulation of the structured policies related to the organisational development will be discussed. The identification of such structured method will be reflecting the importance of such development procedure, which will be leading towards the cost benefit analysis procedure. Depending on such benefit analysis, the outcomes of the process will be analysed. Organisational Background Toyota has become one of the leading brands of the automotive industry in Australia in last 50 years. It is reported that Toyota has captured the top position in selling brand by ensuring the market share of 18.2% in the year of 2014 (Toyota.com.au 2016). The company has the string believe in maintaining the quality parameter of the product features and automobile parts. Therefore, the company has been focusing on the selected people to avail the sketched materials for the automotive cars. However, in developing the organisational practices, Toyota ensures the extension of the safety standards, which will result the formidable package of world-class safety features on boarding of the cars. The company is even concentrating on such central thinking to improve the employees performance. Toyota Australia is the subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporations, which is considered as one of the largest vehicle manufacturer company worldwide. The company has been dealing with almost 50 overseas co mpanies and 26 regional companies. Approximately 317,716 employees worldwide have been engaged with Toyota. Planning the policy development process of Toyota Toyota has been planning for implementing their CSR policies by ensuring the sustainable management process. The company is much focused on establishing the sustainable policy through facilitating the CSR development. The major focus of the company is to undertake the structured policy for developing the innovative automobile parts with higher quality. It has been seen that the effective features and the superior quality of the automobile parts minimises the risks and sets the higher safety standard. Toyota Motor Corporation undertook the sustainable program for facilitating the strengthened competitive position in the business market. However, major issue found out while implementing the CSR policy is the risks associated with the advanced information and communication technologies. The advanced information and communication technology is the main reason of the security breaches and cyber attacks along with other significant threats. The risk is growing since, the information related to the implementation of the CSR policy is an important concern (Hansen 2013). Even the impact of such issues can cause the greater risks for the policy development process. Hence, along with the risk assessment plans, several other organisational procedures are needed to be undertaken. Education Plans The associates or the employees are the key drivers for the organisational sustainability. More specifically, they employees are the main people to execute the plan after it is being prepared by the management. Therefore, it is required to structure educational plan to educate the people who are going to be associated with this policy development procedure. The list of the people and the segments that are required to be included in the training and education process is presented in a tabular form: Who Necessary field Time Process Location Authorised person Employees Communication 1st week Verbal training would be undertaken Office premises PR Executives IT people Information technology and communication 1st to 3rd Week Technical training system Official technology lab Senior system engineers Labours Need training o manufacturing the automobile parts 1st week Training would be provided regarding the manufacturing process Automobile manufacturing factory Higher authority of manufacturing department would be responsible for monitoring and ensuring the process. Table 1: Education Plan The education system undertaken by the authority of Toyota includes the participation of employees, IT people, and labours. It is noted that since the company has been concentrating on upgrading the quality parameter of the automobile parts, it is required to keep the concentration on the manufacturing processes. Apart from this, the company is even concentrating on the CSR policies to maintain the sustainability. This initiative requires the supports of more customers along with the implementation of the advanced information and communication technologies. Firstly, the employees are needed to be trained, as they are the people to communicate with the customers directly or via different means of communication. The recognition of the customers needs is much important for the company. In the first week of the month, the PR executives and experts would provide the verbal communication training to the employees. The training process will be undertaken in the office premises, one hour bef ore the office hours. Another most important area is concerning the engagement of the IT engineers. The development of the policy requires the secure storage and information system to record the details associated with the project. These IT engineers are needed to be much skilled and efficient to tackle each of the information technology and preventing the security breaches. Hence, it is required to keep the concentration on their training process. In the 1st to 3rd week, the senior system engineer would undertake training session in the official technical laboratory. The continuous monitoring and progressive process is also needed to be ensured in this training and development process. The IT engineers need to get the proper education of the advanced technicalities related to the information and communication system. The successful educational approach would determine the prevention of the data lost and the security breaches. The final training and education process would be orienting the manufacturing process of the automobile parts. Due to the establishment the successive sustainability management, Toyota has been developing the CSR policy through improvising the quality parameter of the automobile parts. Hence, the labours that are associated with the manufacturing process in the manufacturing factory also need proper education and training session. In the first week of the month, the higher authority of the manufacturing department would be providing the proper training process to the labours regarding the manufacturing process. The manufacturing factory would be used for the training purposes and the automobile engineers would also be associated in providing the proper training to the labours. The successive approaches related to these segments would be beneficial for implementing a developed policy of CSR management. Cost benefits analysis As per the above table, it is seen that the cost benefit analysis includes the expenses spent for 6months in diversified segments. These segments include cost reduction, revenue enhancements, labour reduction, and decreased overhead. The addition of the total expenses provides the total amount of the total benefit per month. However, the calculations are done (refer to the excel file) by applying the formula of increasing benefits. The formula has been presented to the attached file. Risk management Identification of the Risks: Toyota has been concentrating on developing the CSR policies to maintain the sustainable approaches for the business in the competitive market. The sequential process used for the policy development process has been ensuring the recognition of the probable risks during the implementation of the plan. The major risk that has been recognised in this aspect is the security breaches of the advanced information and communication technology system. It is to be noted that the implementation or development any policies required the structured planning process, which is needed to be recorded for the further monitoring processes (Norton, Zacher and Ashkanasy 2014). The advanced technologies are sometimes much difficult to handle of the proper skills are not there. Moreover, there are high chances of security breaches and revelation of the information, which determine higher risk in this policy development process. Another risk has been identified that the inattenti veness of the associates and the rate of the absenteeism. Analysis and Evaluation of the Risks: The recorded documents and information need continuous monitoring process. In this present genre of the digital technologies, the advanced system utilization is much in trends. However, while using such technicalities, the people are needed to be much skilled and trained. Therefore, due to improper use of such technologies, the information sometimes is revealed and the occurrence of the security breaches is found (Green and Adekanmbi 2015). On the other hand, while providing the proper training and education session to the associates, the company needs to invest the proper amount of the capital that is necessary for the development process. However, it has been seen that many of the associates are not much attentive towards the training classes. More specifically, they are not attending the classes on the proper time and most of the days they are absent. Hence, the interruption in the process is much prominent. In fact, since they are not attendi ng the classes, the resources and the capitals have been wasted. Hence, the risks with such losses are much higher in such aspect. Identification of the Mitigation Strategy: The identified risks are determining the security breaches, data losses, and the wastages of the resource and capitals. Recognising such potential risks, the company need to focus on the mitigation strategies to decrease such risk factors. The first step that the company needs to undertake is to train the IT people in a much skilled process. The advice of the experts would be also much favourable in mitigating such risks (Lowry and Moody 2015). Once the IT people can get the expertise skills and become aware of using such technicalities, it would be easier to protect the confidential data related to the development of the policies. On the other hand, the resource planning is needed to be structured. Firstly, there should be a list of people who need training and the human resource management needs to inform those associates accordingly. The investments of the resources should be based on the confirmation received from these associates. If an y of the associate is not interested, the management would take the further decision. In fact, if any of the associates would fail to participate or being inattentive during the training sessions, the authority would not hesitate to penalize them. Following these aspects would be much beneficial for the successive approaches of this development process by mitigating the possible risks. Communication Strategy The communication strategy is one of the most vital aspects for a company to ensure the sustainability management process. More specifically, in case of developing the CSR policies, the welfare of the stakeholders is the major required field for each of the organisation. The communicational transparency is the key driver to establish the skilful relationship with the stakeholders. It is to be noted that the major responsibility of the manager of the company is to promote the policy specifications to the key stakeholders. Roper (2012) mentioned that the communication strategy is the most significant approach in determining the proper relationship with the stakeholders during the implementation of any organisational policy. The objectives and the purpose of establishing the communication strategy has been focusing on several factors, such as the audiences, media, and messages. Cummings and Worley (2014) opined that the communicating with the customers or any other stakeholders is the e ffective way to understand the basic needs. The identification of the needs will be confirming the relevant process to be undertaken to fulfil them and the customization of the message system is also necessary to be evaluated. Hence, the PR team needs to communicate with the internal and the external stakeholders to understand their requirements and accordingly undertake the proper process. The selection of the media is also much required for Toyota to achieve the objectives of the communication process (Wilensky 2015). In determining the implementation of these processes, the proper budget and the resource investments are needed to be structured. Action plan Objectives: To produce the higher quality automobile parts for implementing CSR plans for sustainability development. Responsible person for planning: Project Manager Action Required Responsibilities Timeline Strategies/Tactics Resource/Budget Education Plan Head of the department of the manufacturing field, the human resource management, PR executives 1st week to 3rd week Training and Development session $30,000 Improvising the information technology Senior System engineer 1st to 2nd week Undertaking the bio-metric process, and advanced technological equipment related to information technology $1,00,000 Communication Strategy Company Executives 3rd week Media broadcasting, messaging, mobile technology, advertisement $2,00,000 Table 3: Action Plan Socio-technical System Diagnosis Work System: According to Jnicke and Weidner (2012) work system is the skilled system, which is required for the humans or machineries to perform any task by suing the information technology or other resources. In case of the implementation of the CSR policy by Toyota requires the association of several information technologies. The policy development practices require the record of each of the activities and to keep the documents safe, these information technologies are needed. Moreover, the enhancements of the quality parameter are also one of the major concerns for the CSR policy development. The development in the manufacturing process also requires the assimilations of the higher quality-based automobile parts. Environmental Analysis: While developing the sustainable CSR policies in the business market, the major focus of Toyota is to make the strategic decisions. The changes in the climate can provide some of the opportunities to introduce the ecological products related to the manufacturing of the automobile parts (Weimer and Vining 2015). The declination of the oil reserves is also much considerable in presenting environmental analysis. The increasing rate of the business emphasis can sometimes be threatening to Toyota. Technical Analysis: Toyota is depended on the technological business. Therefore, the different technological aspects have been determined to develop the policies of the organisation. The increasing demands of the e-commerce business have been considering the opportunities for the business growth. In fact, the emergence of the mobile technologies is also much significant for considering the development opportunities for the business (Dunn 2015). However, the major threat related to the technological factor is the increasing number of cyber crime. Due to such cybercrime, the security breaches are takeing place. While documenting the activity records, the information are sometimes revealed due to such cyber rime. Therefore, it has been signifying the potential threat for Toyota. Social Analysis: The sociological influences on Toyota are much significant. It is to be indicated that the increasing rate of human interest in purchasing the hybrid cars is ensuring the opportunities for Toyota. In addition to this, the increasing demands of the electric cars are also considering the upcoming opportunities for Toyota. However, one of the most recognised threats is the widening structure of the wealth gap. The middle class people are the major sources for purchasing the cars of Toyota. If the cost will increase, the people may avoid purchasing the cars, which may cause the decreasing level of the profitability. Audit process Pre audit: Pre-audit is the very first phase of an audit process. During such phase, it is the major responsibilities of the management to be much committed towards the sustainability approaches and development of the policies (Downs and Adrian 2012). Toyota needs to be much focused on the pre-determined goals and objectives that are highlighting the implementation of the CSR approaches to maintain sustainability purposes. More specifically, the company needs to appoint people for assigning the roles and undertaking the audit process. Onsite audit: The second phase of the auditing process includes the teams with external and internal audits. The association of the KPI, checklists, necessary tools, and other documentations is required in this particular phase (Zadek, Evans and Pruzan 2013). The documentation of the useful records and the information is the most required criteria in this case. The records of the training process, survey, or management reports are also needed to be considered in this phase. The on-site audit process is linked with the interviews with employees and site inspections. Post audit: The third and final audit phase is named as post audit, which is associated with the evaluation of the findings and the recommendations. The last phase is even ensuring the formulation of a structured action plan to follow up the entire process. Conclusion The study has been considering the CSR policy development of Toyota for managing sustainability. The assimilations of the technological approaches, training and development session, and educational purposes are the major requirements for ensuring the development of the CSR policies. The structured planning of the training process has been presented in this study. The establishment of the communicational process has also been specifying the needs of the stakeholders. The environmental, technological, and social influences are also analyzed in this study. The formulation of the action plan is also required to be monitored for accomplishing the objectives. References Cummings, T. and Worley, C., 2014.Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Downs, C.W. and Adrian, A.D., 2012.Assessing organizational communication: Strategic communication audits. Guilford Press. Dunn, W.N., 2015.Public policy analysis. Routledge. Fowler, A., 2013.Striking a balance: A guide to enhancing the effectiveness of non-governmental organisations in international development. Routledge. Green, P. and Adekanmbi, O., 2015. Examination of employee factors influencing organisational productivity: Perspective of a public entity. Hansen, H.F., 2013. Systemic evaluation governance. New logics in the Development of organsational fields.Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration,16(3), pp.47-64. Jnicke, M. and Weidner, H. eds., 2012.National environmental policies: A comparative study of capacity-building. Springer Science Business Media. Lowry, P.B. and Moody, G.D., 2015. Proposing the controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ reactance compliance model (CRCM) to explain opposing motivations to comply with organisational information security policies.Information Systems Journal,25(5), pp.433-463. Morel, N., Palier, B. and Palme, J., 2012.Towards a social investment welfare state?: ideas, policies and challenges. Policy Press. Norton, T.A., Zacher, H. and Ashkanasy, N.M., 2014. Organisational sustainability policies and employee green behaviour: The mediating role of work climate perceptions.Journal of Environmental Psychology,38, pp.49-54. Roper, K. 2012. BIM Implementation: PESTEL Drivers Barriers (Cross-national Analysis). InWorld Workplace 2012. Toyota.com.au. 2016.TMCA - Corporate Sustainability Report Site. Toyota.com.au. 2016.Toyota About The Company. Weimer, D.L. and Vining, A., 2015.Policy analysis: Concepts and practice. Routledge. Wilensky, H.L., 2015.Organizational intelligence: Knowledge and policy in government and industry(Vol. 19). Quid Pro Books. Zadek, S., Evans, R. and Pruzan, P., 2013.Building corporate accountability: Emerging practice in social and ethical accounting and auditing. Routledge.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Assignment #8 Essays - Corporate Law, Management, Board Of Directors

Write an essay (750 word minimum) answering these questions. What is the main point or thesis the author is arguing for? What are the reasons given to support the main thesis? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the authors argument? In what ways do you agree and/or disagree with the author? A student might also write about the underlying assumptions of the authors argument or the unstated implications of the ideas presented. Students are encouraged to develop their own points of view on these issues but need to clearly and fairly state the authors position first. The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits by Milton Friedman The New York Times Magazine, September 13, 1970. Copyright @ 1970 by The New York Times Company. When I hear businessmen speak eloquently about the "social responsibilities of business in a free-enterprise system," I am reminded of the wonderful line about the Frenchman who discovered at the age of 70 that he had been speaking prose all his life. The businessmen believe that they are defending free enterprise when they declaim that business is not concerned "merely" with profit but also with promoting desirable "social" ends; that business has a "social conscience" and takes seriously its responsibilities for providing employment, eliminating discrimination, avoiding pollution and whatever else may be the catchwords of the contemporary crop of reformers. In fact they areor would be if they or anyone else took them seriouslypreaching pure and unadulterated socialism. Businessmen who talk this way are unwitting puppets of the intellectual forces that have been undermining the basis of a free society these past decades. The discussions of the "social responsibilities of business" are notable for their analytical looseness and lack of rigor. What does it mean to say that "business" has responsibilities? Only people can have responsibilities. A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but "business" as a whole cannot be said to have responsibilities, even in this vague sense. The first step toward clarity in examining the doctrine of the social responsibility of business is to ask precisely what it implies for whom. Presumably, the individuals who are to be responsible are businessmen, which means individual proprietors or corporate executives. Most of the discussion of social responsibility is directed at corporations, so in what follows I shall mostly neglect the individual proprietors and speak of corporate executives. In a free-enterprise, private-property system, a corporate executive is an employee of the owners of the business. He has direct responsibility to his employers. That responsibility is to conduct the business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom. Of course, in some cases his employers may have a different objective. A group of persons might establish a corporation for an eleemosynary purposefor example, a hospital or a school. The manager of such a corporation will not have money profit as his objective but the rendering of certain services. In either case, the key point is that, in his capacity as a corporate executive, the manager is the agent of the individuals who own the corporation or establish the eleemosynary institution, and his primary responsibility is to them. Needless to say, this does not mean that it is easy to judge how well he is performing his task. But at least the criterion of performance is straightforward, and the persons among whom a voluntary contractual arrangement exists are clearly defined. Of course, the corporate executive is also a person in his own right. As a person, he may have many other responsibilities that he recognizes or assumes voluntarilyto his family, his conscience, his feelings of charity, his church, his clubs, his city, his country. He ma}. feel impelled by these responsibilities to devote part of his income to causes he regards as worthy, to refuse to work for particular corporations, even to leave his job, for example, to join his country's armed forces. Ifwe wish, we may refer to some of these responsibilities as "social responsibilities." But in these respects he is acting

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The eNotes Blog 3 Places to Find the Help You Need on eNotes,Free

3 Places to Find the Help You Need on ,Free Its almost time to head back to class. Are you ready? Make sure youre set for school with help from ! In this post, were covering the 3 best areas of   to find the help you need with your upcoming classes. Even better: most of the help you find on is completely  free to access. Check out our refresher course below and be prepared for Fall! Dont have an account yet? Sign up here today to create your free account and start searching for expert answers. 1. Annotated eTexts Did you know that hosts over 900 texts online in our eTexts section? From poems to plays, short stories to biographies, weve got hundreds of works that teachers commonly select for assigned reading and which you can read on your computer or mobile device  for free. You dont even have to buy your next assigned novel if you dont want to! Whats better than an entire library at your fingertips for no cost at all? An entire library of  annotated  eTexts. Over the past year, educators have been working hard to provide you with expert annotations on some of the most challenging works of Literature. From Dickens to Shakespeare and everything in between, theyve written comments on important words and passages to help you better understand what youre reading. To read these annotations, hover your cursor over any highlighted words found in any Annotated eText. A comment will pop up explaining the significance of those highlighted words. Annotations could cover glossary definitions, analysis or background informationjust one way that helps you to study smarter. 2. Homework Help Homework Help is the busiest section of , putting students in touch with real teachers and expert assistance. You probably already know that you can ask a question here, but did you know that has more than 250,000 answered questions to search through? Your answer could already be ready and waiting to be discovered. Just type your keywords into the search bar on the Homework Help homepage  here  to find what youre looking for. Looking for questions and answers on one specific work? Thats easy too. Just go to the study guide page for the work, for instance  To Kill a Mockingbird  here, click on More in the top row of links, then select Homework Help. This will take you to a page that displays only the questions and answers for that book. Homework Help isnt just about asking questions, its about finding them too. And searches are always free! Find the answers youre looking for  here. 3. Study Guides Stumped by a difficult book? Do you have the answers you need, but not enough scholarly resources?   study guides  are here to help your every need. Our guides explain in easy to understand terms the characters, themes and plots of thousands of literary works. On top of that, theyre also crammed full of scholarly sourcesarticles you can actually cite in your essays. Other online guides would never be acceptable on a works cited page. But at , we connect you with critical essays from published literary critics  and  show you how to turn those ideas into A-grade papers with advice on suggested essay topics. Everything you need to ace your English class is right  here. study guides are open to subscribers only, but membership costs as little as $4 per month, with special deals on offer all the time. Head to our subscriptions page  here  for more info and to sign up for one month, one quarter, or a full year of expert help and great grades, with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. With , heading back to school is a breeze. Let us help you study smarter and get the grades you deserve this Fall by using our eTexts, Homework Help, and study guides.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Policy, Politics And Public Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policy, Politics And Public Management - Essay Example These are the factors why the size of interest groups in the real estate increases. The impact of these interest groups, who favor moving not just their residential but also their business functions in New Jersey, is apparent in the state's real estate. Since New Jersey is ideally situated in the heart of major cities and seaports in the country, many sectors in the country become part of the interest group, thus providing innovations in the state. According to Thompson (1999), the major impact of the interest groups in the real estate market of New Jersey owes its credit to the manifold factors including the favorable conditions in the state. In his book, New Jersey: A Big Pearl House, Thompson showed that as interest groups increase by 1%, the real estate industry grows by as high as 5%. This analysis showed that the increase in the size of interest groups in New Jersey is four times directly proportional to the improvements in the real estate market of the state. Thompson also showed that the real estate industry accounts for more than 7.8% of the present improvements in the infrastructure which every citizen in the state enjoys. This only proves the huge impact of interest groups not just in the real estate industry but also in the local economy of the state. Smithso

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

John Calvin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Calvin - Research Paper Example This paper briefly analyses the life of John Calvin and his contributions to global culture. â€Å"John Calvin was born in 1509. He died in 1564. John Calvin was the son of a lawyer. He was born in Noyon, Picardy and was therefore a Frenchman† (John Calvin, n. d). John Calvin was very much interested in religious studies and initially he studied theology; however later went for law studies because of the pressure from his father. The death of his father in 1531, gave freedom to Calvin and he started to learn more about humanities and religion. â€Å"Calvin was highly critical of the abuses in the French Catholic church but he never doubted that he was God’s chosen instrument in the spiritual regeneration of the world† (John Calvin, n. d). During the period of Calvin, devotional songs with the help of musical instruments had an important role in worshipping in Roman Catholic Churches. Calvin criticized such customs and argued that such devotional songs actually di stract the concentration of the people from real worshipping. He has pointed out that Bible consists of excellent songs in psalms which should be used during worshipping in churches instead of the songs accompanied by musical instruments. â€Å"He placed great importance on the sermon. ... ed that the New Testament and baptism and the Eucharist had been created to provide Man with continual divine guidance when seeking faith (John Calvin, n. d). Roman Catholic Church teaches the people that a person can get salvation through Mass and pilgrimages. Moreover, Roman Catholics believed or still believe that saints can help people immensely for getting salvation. In most of the Roman Catholic churches, saints are getting almost similar recognition as Jesus Christ is getting. Calvin ridiculed these beliefs and customs and pointed out that such beliefs are against the teachings of God or Bible. He has declared that according to the teachings of Bible, a person can attain salvation only through the belief in Jesus Christ. No other short cuts may help a person in getting salvation. Calvinism was a belief that was dependent on the strength of the individual. You controlled your own goodness on Earth and this depended on the strength of your inner conviction. This was a personal b elief not dependent on the whims of an individual pope or relics, indulgences etc. You may have been a reprobate in the eyes of God but you would not know this and so a person would lead a life for God to fully know him (John Calvin, n. d). Roman Catholics gave more emphasize to rituals and customs in their worshipping whereas Calvinism gave more emphasize to the strength and actions of the individual. Calvinism pointed out that ultimately the activities of an individual decides whether he may get heaven or hell. No custom or tradition alone can save a person if he commits sins and take shelter in customs or traditions for getting salvation. According to John Calvin, the most important thing in getting salvation is the belief in Jesus Christ and strict observance of the life principles

Monday, November 18, 2019

Describe your background in business and accounting, achieved through Personal Statement - 1

Describe your background in business and accounting, achieved through either academic or professional experiences - Personal Statement Example Carey School of Business. I have always believed that it is practical application which will add completeness to the theoretical skills gained in the classroom. In line with this conviction, I chose to spend last summer working as an assistant for a small accounting firm. I was instrumental in preparing financial reports and balance sheets. Those two months of hands-on exposure to real-time accounting has given me a glimpse into the authentic world of Business and has reinforced my belief that Accountancy is my right career choice. As my father is an entrepreneur and international businessman in China, a business background has always been a part of my life. My father has made me his confidant and I am familiar with many of the practical aspects and difficulties of international business. However, I am convinced that a solid academic foundation is the best route to success in any field. I believe that the MACC Program will serve as my stepping stone to success and equip me with the skills I need to become a formidable player in the business

Friday, November 15, 2019

Role Of FDI In Higher Education Economics Essay

Role Of FDI In Higher Education Economics Essay The post-liberalization period witnessed an increasing trend of FDI inflows in India with a high growth rate. The relaxation of policies towards international trade and investment supported by a positive response from capital exporting countries is also considered as a major determinant of FDI inflows into India. Whether it is education sector or information technology or telecommunication sector there is a continuous fluctuation in FDI inflows into these sectors over the years. Thats why FDI in education sector has become a point of discussion among the researchers. India with its diversity fascinates one and all. Indian Education has recently gained world recognition. FDI inflows in the education sector during May 2012 stood at US$ 31.22 million, according to a release by the Ministry of Commerce Industry. Higher education is assuming an upward significance for developing countries, especially countries including India which is experiencing service-led growth. Higher education is all about generating knowledge, encouraging critical thinking and imparting skills relevant to this society and determined by its needs. Education general and higher education in particular, is a highly nation-specific activity, determined by national culture and priorities. The growth of Indias higher educational institutions has indeed been outstandingly rapid. The numbers of universities have doubled since 1990-91, and enrolment has become more than doubled. India is one of the most attractive education markets but historically the government has not encouraged foreign participation in this sector. It faces a massive challenge to provide education to young people, especially in remote locations. According to the National Knowledge Commission estimates, the country needs to build 1,500 universities within a period of five years to endow enough people with the skills to sustain rapid growth. Given this state of higher education in India, liberalization would be considered as the best solution. The major concern regarding such liberalization is that it can lead to commercialization of higher education which may have an effect on a large section of society adversely. The present paper aims to analyse the need of FDI in higher education in India and its implications on the Indian education system and to examine the importance of regulatory bodies in inviting the foreign universities and make recommendations for changing the present scenario in Indian higher education.The study is based on secondary data. Secondary data had been collected from various books and journals. The study covers the thoughts and writings of various authors in the stream of industry, academicia, and research. The study reveals that India must act in its self-interest. India must manage to launch a proposal and commit to areas where there are strategic opportunities to be exploited through trade. Regulation of higher education in India should be achieved through the correct approach. This will ensure that profit making is not exploitative but channeled to raise the quality of education. In short, a pro-active rather than defensive approach is required to benefit from the liberalization of higher education services. Keywords: FDI, Higher Education, liberalization, commercialization of higher education, ROLE OF FDI IN HIGHER EDUCATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES INTRODUCTION Today knowledge explosion is taking place across the world. Knowledge has become the key driving force in economies to become fast moving and rich based on use of knowledge effectively. Knowledge industry is nothing but education and it is becoming a key factor in the process of development of a nation. The Higher education in context with India has become very critical success factor to sustain the economic growth it has experienced in last 20 years which is partly due to knowledge based industries such as IT/ITES. India is moving and will continue to move towards services industry led growth and higher education is the most critical input in that domain. Higher education is all about generating knowledge, encouraging critical thinking and imparting skills relevant to this society and determined by its needs. The growth of Indias higher educational institutions has indeed been outstandingly rapid. The numbers of universities have doubled since 1990-91, and enrolment has become more than doubled. But this has been at the expense of quality, increased rigidity in course design, poor absorption of knowledge, and growing lack of access to laboratory facilities, journals and opportunities for field work, etc. The average Indian graduate compares poorly with her/his counterpart in most countries, including many developing ones. All this calls for reform, administrative changes, more funding, greater flexibility, quality improvement, etc. In 2007, the Indian Government announced a nine fold increase in higher education spending over the next five years. For India to maintain its economic growth in a global market place fueled by the knowledge economy, it needs to nearly double its number of students in higher education by 2012. Fifty-one percent of Indias population is under the age of 25. According to the National Knowledge Commission estimates, the country needs to build 1,500 universities within a period of five years to endow enough people with the skills to sustain rapid growth. India is one of the most attractive education markets but historically the government has not encouraged foreign participation in this sector. Since the impact of privatization, liberalisation and globalisation is penetrating in all sectors of the Indian economy, it is bound to affect education sector as well. Education is no longer need to be viewed only as a charity or social service but should be considered as a necessary input for economic growth. In this effort towards human resource development, the private sectors including foreign players through FDI has to play a major role since it is a major beneficiary of the knowledge industry. Government has proposed 100 percent foreign direct investment in higher education and hinted at making reservation mandatory in the institutions to be set up by foreign universities in the country. Once approved by the Cabinet and passed as law, the Foreign Education Providers (Regulation) Bill will grant deemed university status to such instituti ons. OBJECTIVES The basic aim is to focus on the following aspects: To study the status of Indian higher education system. To analyze the need of FDI in higher education in India. To examine the importance of regulatory bodies in inviting the foreign universities. To find out the implications of bringing in FDI in Indian higher education sector. To study the aspects of FDI entry in different countries in higher education. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY The study is based on secondary data. Secondary data had been collected from various books and journals. The study covers the thoughts and writings of various authors in the stream of industry, academician, and research. The Journals and books have been referred were described in the bibliography. REVIEW OF LITERATURE The importance of FDI and human capital accumulation, education for economic growth or FDI in higher education has largely been discussed in many literatures which are given below: Feenstra and Markusen, (1994), in their studies have highlighted the importance of FDI for economic growth and human capital accumulation. Economic theory recognizes FDI and human capital as two important conduits for economic growth. They found that FDI can contribute directly to the growth of an economy by improving knowledge, technical know-how and technology spillovers, by boosting capital stock and by instigating domestic production and consumption. Stijns (2001,2006) in his study, on the role of natural resource abundance on human capital accumulation in various developing and developed countries suggests that FDI can have a lasting effect on countrys per capita income through a higher human capital stock. Sharma, Rajesh Kumar (2006) in his article FDI in higher education: official vision needs corrections, examines the issues and financial compulsions presented on the consultation paper prepared by the commerce ministry. This article raises four issues which need critical attention: the objectives of higher education, its contextual relevance, the prevailing financial situation and the viability of alternatives to FDI. The conclusion of the article is that higher education needs long term objectives and a broad vision in tune with the projected future of the country and the world. Higher education will require an investment of Rs. 20,000 to 25,000 crores over the next five or more years to expand capacity and improve access. For such a huge amount the paper argues, we can look to FDI. Buegelsdijk et al (2008) have highlighted the impact of FDIs on economic growth and found that FDIs have different impacts on human Capital accumulation and education depending on the type of FDIs. Vertical FDIs or efficiency-seeking FDIs look for cost advantages, mostly cheap low qualified labour. On the contrary, it may lead to specialization into low value added products, thus providing the local population little incentive to participate into higher education. Horizontal FDIs or market-seeking FDIs pursue increased market shares in the host countries, competing directly with one another as well as with the local firms. This is generally synonym to technology transfer, thereby contributing to the host countrys technological upgrading and human capital accumulation. Chaudaha, Rahul (2010) has also conducted a study on the primary motives of foreign universities interest in India and their influence on key Indian higher education trends, and stated that foreign universities would concentrate on metro cities and states that have high demand, pricing power, accessibility and employment opportunities for students. This means that they are not going to start campus in regions that actually require quality institutions. Sharma,Brahm (2012) has concluded in his study India a lucratve destination for fdi in higher education that Higher education in todays global environment , is neither charity nor a purely social objective. Higher education is an economic requirement for the country for growth. Government must consider seriously corporatization of higher education so as to allow corporate houses to enter higher education and deliver education of global standards. This will also facilitate several private universities, research houses, large Corporates to consider foreign direct investment in Indias higher education market. PRESENT SCENERIO OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA The system of higher education now existing in India was originally implanted by the British rulers in the mid-19th century to serve the colonial, economic, political and administrative interests, and in particular, to consolidate and maintain their dominance in the country. It was inherited by the state managers after independence (in 1947) as a colonial legacy, and has been expanded phenomenally during the last five decades. Knowledge is the driving force in the rapidly changing globalized economy and society. Quantity and quality of highly specialized human resources determine their competence in the global market. It is now well recognized that the growth of the global economy has increased opportunities for those countries with good levels of education and vice versa. The first Prime Minister of India considered foreign investment as necessary not only to supplement domestic capital but also to secure scientific, technical, and industrial knowledge and capital equipments. As par t of globalization, the economic reform packages were introduced in India in the beginning of 1991. These reform packages have imposed a heavy compression on the public budgets on education sector, and more specifically on higher education. The Indian education system starts at preschool level and goes on till Post doctoral level. It has core sector which consist of schools and higher education. The noncore sector mainly consists of vocational course such in IT/ITES and in other areas as airhostess training, sales management, and other vocational training etc. The growth of higher education providers in terms of Universities and Colleges had been spectacular since independence. There were 20 Universities and 500 Colleges at the time of independence. Now, India is the third largest higher education system in the world (after China the USA) in terms of student enrolment, with 33, 657 number of institutions (634 universities and 33023 colleges). According to 2011 statistics ,India has 43 Central universities, 297 State universities,129 deemed universities, 15 Institutes of National importance and 17 Institutes established and functioning under the State Act; 33023 colleges including 203 Autonomous colleges. Of these there are 67 unaided deemed universities with enrolments of 60,000 students and 7,650 private colleges with enrolment of 3,150,000 students. The gross enrolment ratio (GER) signifies the health of higher education in the country and indicator of the level of participation in higher education. Indias annual enrolments in higher education have grown since independence but the GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) of 15 % as estimated for 2011 is far below the global average of 26%. After nearly six decades of Independence, higher education is not accessible to the poorest groups of the population. In US and UK, percentage of enrolment in higher education is 82.4 and 60.1 respectively. In India, regardless of recent increment due to private players, current enrolment is merely 12 %. Even South East Asian countries have higher enrolment rate like 31% in Philippines, 27% in Malaysia, 19% in Thailand and 13% in China. To maintain the positive trends and an economic growth rate of 7 percent, Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s higher education gross enrollment ratio (GER) would need to boost from 12 to 20 percent by 2014. The Indian government has set a target of achieving a GER of 30% by 2020.Even with such a huge system in place, higher ed ucation in India is still in a miserable condition. This poses a severe constraint on the supply of qualified manpower. According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), public spending on higher education in India has one of the lowest public expenditure on higher education per student at US 406 dollars, which compares adversely with Malaysia (US 11,790 dollars), China (2728 dollars), Brazil (3986 dollars), Indonesia (666 dollars) and the Philippines (625 dollars). This expenditure in the USA is 9629 dollars, in the UK 8502 dollars and in Japan 4830 dollars. India needs to deal with issues of both quantity and quality. In view of this shortage of public spending, parents and students are increasingly looking to private education for a solution. Every year nearly 0.4 million Indians go abroad for higher studies spending approximately $12bn. This leads to not only loss of foreign exchange, but also Brain Drain, as most of these rarely comes back to India subsequent to completing their courses. The primary reason for a large number of students seeking professional education abroad is lack of capacity in Indian Institution. There is no doubt that the state of affairs in public universities in India is not so good. Also, with increasing enrollment in higher education, it is not probable for the government to provide higher education on its own. But, the private institutions are themselves ailing. Many donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸t have experience and many are trying to just grow money without quality. ROLE OF REGULATORY BODIES AND GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR PROVIDING HIGHER EDUCATION Governments of India has taken several bold initiatives and legislation to allow FDI in India. The Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill, 2010 is such one initiative to regulate the entry and operation of foreign educational Institutions in India which is currently pending with parliamentary standing committee. At present India is allowing 100% FDI in higher education through automatic sector. But, still no university has established a campus here, due to a large no. of guidelines and regulation. Also, many rules are vague. Right now 106 institutions are running programmes in India with collaboration with foreign universities. But, only 2 out of 106 are approved by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). Indian government does not allow foreign universities to honor any separate degree. It could only provide dual degree with collaboration with local institutions. Currently, many degrees given by these foreign universities are not even recognized in their own countries. The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India), which enforces its standards, advises the government, and helps coordinate between the centre and the state. As of 2009, India had 20 central universities, 215 state universities, 100 deemed universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 13 institutes which are of national importance. Most of these institutions are public funded. Some of these institutions have been globally applauded. However, India has failed to produce world class universities like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). If The Foreign Educational Institutional Bill will be passed, it will not only permit foreign universities to set-up campuses and award degrees in India, but simultaneously facilitate Indian government regulation of their operations. The purpose of the bill is to regulate entry, operation and quality of education by the foreign universities. Foreign Education Institutes will have to get a deemed university status by UGC. All Foreign education institutes operating before commencement of the Act (once the Bill is passed) will have to get themselves registered and accredited within 6 months. The programs offered in India have to be comparable to that offered in the country of origin of the Foreign Education Institutes. They will have to maintain a minimum corpus fund of INR 100 million and Foreign Education Institutes may not utilize more than 75% of the income derived for the development of their institution in India and balance 25 % as corpus of fund. FEATURES OF THE FOREIGN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS BILL PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR FDI No foreign institution can provide degree to Indian student unless such institution is confirmed as Foreign Educational Provider by Indian Government. Have to maintain a fund of at least 500 million rupees. At least twenty years of establishment in its own country. Quality of education, curriculum, method of imparting and the faculty employed will be in accordance to guidelines of UGC. Institution has to publish prospectus writing clearly about fee structure, refund norms and amount, number of seats, condition of eligibility with min and max age, detail of faculty, process of admission, min pay payable to each category of teachers and staff, infrastructure and other facilities, syllabus, rules and regulations, etc. at least sixty day prior to date of commencement of admission. In case of violation of any guidelines a penalty of min 10 million and max 50 million rupees along with tuition fees should be refunded to the student. At max 70% of the income raised from the fund can be utilized in the development of institution in India and rest should be added to the fund. No part could be used in any other purpose other than growth and development of the institution established by it in India. Any foreign institution not confirmed by Indian government as Foreign Education Provider which is awarding any certificate to Indian students should submit a report regarding course to the commission. GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES (GATS) AND HIGHER EDUCATION: Beyond the establishment of foreign universities, the bill and the government must deal with the relationship between foreign direct investment and education. In 1995, the Indian government signed the WTO treaty the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The agreement aimed to give the international community access to the Indian services sector by deregulating markets. According to GATS, the private education sector qualifies as a tradable service, and therefore the Indian government is required to remove any barriers to the trade of that service. Several countries are exporting higher education and making huge profits. The United States has shown largest trade surplus in education. The trend of treating education, particularly higher education, as a tradable commodity has affected the economy and education system of many developing countries including India. India has received desires (for opening up of services) from several countries (Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, USA) in education services in the new round of service trade negotiations launched in January 2000 (GATS 2000 round), which mostly focus on higher education, adult education, and other education services. All requests to India are for full market access and national treatment commitments. India has not made any proposal in education services in the GATS 2000 round due to sensitive public good nature. There was a general perception that from January 1, 2005, India is obliged under the WTO to open up its higher education sector to foreign providers and to end public subsidies, with adverse consequences for the quality and affordability of higher education. Its worth noting that India did not schedule education services either in the Uruguay Round or in its revised commitments under the ongoing Doha Round. Hence, India has no multilateral obligation under the WTO to open up higher education services to foreign participation. Whatever liberalization has occurred in this area, such as allowing 100% FDI on automatic route and permitting foreign participation through twinning, collaboration, franchising, and subsidiaries, has been autonomously driven. But its unlikely that India will agree to such demands of liberalization in future. The issue then is largely a domestic one. The impact of opening up higher education services is shaped not by the WTO but by domestic factors, including the domestic regulatory framework and the state of the domestic education system in terms of quantity, quality, costs, infrastructure and finances. In this context, evidence suggests that some of the concerns about opening up education services may not be so misplaced. NEED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FDI IN HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR Developing and transition countries are further challenged in a highly competitive world economy, because their higher education systems are not adequately developed for the creation and use of knowledge. If we look at the problem India is facing in expansion of higher education, one may say that FDI are being acceptable just because we dont have sufficient money to spend on this area. But, the problems are others too which FDI will focus. FDI in higher education will resolve the problem of enrollment rate as we are in a situation of less supply high demand. Some new tools and techniques will be used in teaching. Indian money and talent going abroad will come in check. FDI in higher education sector will improve the Infrastructure. It might happen that India may develop one of its own world class universities. An increase in facilities, both in terms of physical magnitude and geographical spread, for inculcation of vocational skills backed by an increase in the general quality of higher education. India needs to fill the technological lag as fast as it can to compete with China. The resulting competition with local universities would also induce us to become internationally competitive through quality improvements brought about by changes in curricula and other responses to an evolving market. Further, FDI in education would generate employment. Allowing FDI in education might lead to export of Indian education abroad in which there are large potentials There will be better scope for research as foreign universities have different methodology to run and generate revenues. India may move towards practical study based learning rather than rote learning. Existing institutions need to be rebranded to overcome their poor image. NEED FOR ADDRESSING POLICY CONSTRAINTS A brief formulation of one set of policies for Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s higher education could include the following components: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide public funding only for those higher education activities such as RD that have public goods characteristics and which would not be privately funded to the socially optimal degree. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Eliminate all public support for those higher education activities the result of which has sufficient private returns to envelop the costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure equality of opportunity and access to higher education in reply to expressed needs and demands of the population. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The range of disciplines must match the range of skills needed and changing opportunities available in a dynamic economy. A competitive market-liberal system must be allowed to operate instead of central planning. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN RESPECT OF FDI Internationalization of higher education is occurring quickly through the spread of international branch campuses. Most such campuses have been established since the mid-1990s and they are concentrated in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with growth currently occurring in India, China and Central Asia. U.S. and Australian universities have the largest number of branch campuses, with smaller numbers operated by institutions based in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Singapore. Most are branches of universities but some are polytechnics or vocational training colleges. Singapores Ngee Ann Polytechnic, for example, is establishing a campus in Shenyang (China), primarily for Chinese students, but also for their Singaporean students to gain international experience. The Malaysian-based University College of Technology Innovation has embarked on an Indian Ocean strategy, with overseas campuses in Colombo (Sri Lanka), Karachi (Pakistan), Panipat (India) and Perth (Australia). Some Indian institutes have also set up campuses abroad, primarily imparting education in Information Technology (NIIT, Aptech). Even developed countries are continuing with reforms in higher education. Despite the fact that the USA has the finest system of higher education in the world, it has set up a commission to ensure that America remains the worlds leader in higher education and innovation. For this purpose, the USA intends to make an investment of US $134 billion in higher education over the next ten years. Faced with deteriorating standards and low accountability in its public sector higher education, UK government has now allowed the universities to compete for students and charge variable fees, bringing an end to the regulated fee regime in the UK. In many developing countries in Asia, (Japan, Philippines and South Korea) and Latin American (Chile, Brazil and the Dominican Republic) private higher education has become the main venue for increasing access to higher education. These c ountries have majority enrolment in private sector. Agarwal (2006) has discussed that two trends in higher education have been observed worldwide: (i) towards transformation from elite to 9mass (or even universal) and (ii) privatization. Countries have responded to these challenges in various ways. Some examples are: KOREA: Korea has one of the highest gross enrolment ratios in higher education in the world with more than 80 per cent of it being in the private sector. In 1995 the Government began loosening controls since the problems from serious regulation were becoming uncontrollable. The government gave small incentive grants to reward act and introduced competition among universities and colleges by making them more autonomous and more competitive. MALAYSIA: Foreign Universities can set up campuses as branches by invitation. Twinning Arrangements with Universities abroad is also possible. Five foreign Universities have set up Branch Campuses, namely Monash, Curtin and Swinburne Universities of Australia, SAE Institute of Australia and University of Nottingham, UK. There are17 public Universities, including 6 university colleges with enrollment of 300,000. In addition, there are 600 private institutions with similar levels of enrollment. Private institutions can be set up by: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Large corporations or organizations closely linked to Government (e.g. Petronas Technology University, Telekom Malaysia etc.) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Large corporations that are public listed companies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Political Parties (e.g. MICs TAFE College Seremban, MCAs Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman, and UMNOs UNITAR etc.) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Independent Private Colleges à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Local branches of Foreign Universities CHINA: China is creating new universities of different kinds to supply to different needs. The government has confirmed education, science and technology to be the strategic driving forces of sustainable economic growth. It is now working towards loosening of statutory control over their higher education systems. The most recent legislation governing FEPs in China was released in 2003. The legislation governing FEPs in China (2003) contains the following features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foreign institutions must partner with Chinese institutions; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Partnerships must not seek profit as their objective; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ No less than half the members of the governing body of the institution must be Chinese citizens; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The post of president or the equivalent must be a Chinese citizen residing in China; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The basic language of instruction should be Chinese; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tuition fees may not be raised without approval. However, this is not the whole story. There are a number of institutions in China (including NIIT from India), which provide education on commercial terms. Moreover, there is inadequate data on the scale of activity of FEPs in China. There are a total of 72 joint programs that are approved by the Ministry of Education (Garrett, 2004). In addition, there are a number of other non-approved programs or those programs that are approved at other levels of government (Municipal, Provincial or Local Governments). This is made amply clear by the data from the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee (AVCC) in May 2003, which states that 27 Australian Universities offer 200 current offshore programs in China, 157 (79 percent) of which involve either Australian bachelors or masters programs. It is reasonable to assume that America, United Kingdom and other major source countries are also offering non-approved degree provision on a similar scale. Hence the level of FEPs activity is far in excess o f that reported by the Ministry of Education. It appears that the regime for FEPs is far more liberal and flexible than that indicated above. SINGAPORE: There is no regulation governing FEPs and Singapore has also not offered any

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

American Indian Stories Essay -- essays research papers fc

In American Indian Stories, University of Nebraska Press Lincoln and London edition, the author, Zitkala-Sa, tries to tell stories that depicted life growing up on a reservation. Her stories showed how Native Americans reacted to the white man’s ways of running the land and changing the life of Indians. â€Å"Zitkala-Sa was one of the early Indian writers to record tribal legends and tales from oral tradition† (back cover) is a great way to show that the author’s stories were based upon actual events in her life as a Dakota Sioux Indian. This essay will describe and analyze Native American life as described by Zitkala-Sa’s American Indian Stories, it will relate to Native Americans and their interactions with American societies, it will discuss the major themes of the book and why the author wrote it, it will describe Native American society, its values and its beliefs and how they changed and it will show how Native Americans views other non-Natives. Before the introduction of the â€Å"pale face† Native Americans lived a calm and serene life. They lived in big communities and help one another in order to survive. They had a form of religion, poly-theistic, that would be their main form of salvation. They had chiefs and warriors. They had teepees that would allow them to quickly pack up and move. The Native Americans were a nomadic, primitive people that did not live up to the whiter man’s view of â€Å"civilization†. However, the white man, pale face, felt the need to change the Native Americans barbaric ways of life. The Americans were smart in their efforts in trying to convert the Indians. They would go after the kids because they were still young and gullible. â€Å"Yes, my child, several others besides Judewin are going away with the palefaces. Your brother said the missionaries had inquired about his little sister... â€Å"Did he tell them to take me, mother† (40). The children were impressiona ble. In this first story, the daughter gets hooked on going with the missionaries because they said they had apple trees and being that she has never seen an apple tree, she begged her mother to go not knowing that her mother did not want to send her away. Some Indians enjoyed leaving with the Americans; others did not because of what the Americans had done to the Indians. The mother in this story had told her daughter stories of what the paleface had done and how they had killed most... ...ew that the Americans came in and killed their ancestors and forced others to leave their lands. They knew that they were taking their children away and brainwashing them into thinking that their families were savages and that the Americans had more to offer them. They knew that the Americans were making their kids forget about their ways of living and their beliefs. The children, however, saw the Americans invitation as a way to better themselves and their families. The children would happily go away with the American strangers thinking that everything would be better for them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zitkala-Sa tried to show how her people were treated by Americans in her book American Indian Stories. She showed how the Indians life was before the Americans and how it had changed after the introduction of the Americans. She proved that not all of the Indians liked the white people. She proved that most of the children that left did not remember their family’s way of life. She proved that when the Americans came they not only took the Indians’ land, they also took their people. Works Cited Zitkala-Sa. American Indian Stories. University Of Nebraska Press. Lincoln and Lo

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Information Based Decision Making Essay

Summary The objective of this report is to look at information based decision making and demonstrate how the decisions have been made. I will look into what sources of data is needed to generate the information required for effective decision making. The information gathered is then analysed and presented. The investigation is based on the effectiveness of student use or training within in the educational environment of purchasing a Pacojet. Pacojet is a professional kitchen appliance that micro-purees deep-frozen foods into ultra-fine textures (such as mousses, sauces and sorbets) without thawing â€Å"(Wikipedia, 2012). The recommendation which will be made to the Hospitality Head of Department where the decision making process responsibility lies is; Pacojet is a modern piece of equipment used in restaurants worldwide. Students with access or experience with a Pacojet would be beneficial in the hospitality industry as the students’ knowledge would enhance creativity within themselves and in the long run save their future employers training costs. Pacojet is versatile with ingredients, produces a superior end product, saves time with labour, raw material and if operated efficiently the Pacojet would pay for itself within three months. Introduction â€Å"Pacojet is a dynamic professional kitchen appliance that makes it easy to prepare high-quality dishes while saving time, labour and reducing food waste. Tens of thousands of chefs worldwide rely on Pacojet to produce exquisite mousses, sauces and ice creams at the press of a button. No matter what the season, your culinary creations will be complimented for their intense, natural flavours.† (Studios, 2012) As gaining personal experience with the Pacojet while working within the industry, sharing my experience with the students during practical classes verbally and with diagrams does not effectively engage the students with the learning experience. Having comparable products within the practical class where the students could make the items themselves using two processes, one being the Pacojet. The products would then be compared visually, taste and the cost effectiveness thus enhancing the learners experience with in the practical kitchen. The data sources used were chosen because as the information needs to be fit for purpose. It needs to be relevant, current, adequate, timely, reliable, and of course cost effective. There are two types of information that can be collected; primary and secondary. Primary information is data collected first hand whilst Secondary information is published data and the data collected in the past or other parties. The primary information selected in this report is survey replies from experienced Head Chefs working within various areas in the industry, as well as information gathered from the manufacturer and suppliers. The secondary information that has been collected are various types of media releases related to the year 2012, also articles discussing key equipment changes within the kitchen when updating or starting new. Additionally case studies and personal recommendations on purchasing Pacojet equipment have been resourced as well. Quantitative information is data that is numerical information (numbers). The Quantitative data gathered is the data gathered from the survey replies, also the data on the Pacojet cost, as well as the pay back calculation in relation to sales and profit. The qualitative information is, â€Å"data that approximates or characterizes but does not measure the attributes, characteristics, properties† (Dictionary, 2012) The qualitative information collected is the non-numerical details such as the survey results before being graphed and just based on an individual opinion. Also the operation information on the Pacojet and additionally case studies and personal recommendations While collecting, analysing and storing data legal requirements must be adhered to. The key principles in the Data protection Act are; †¢Data will be processed fairly and lawfully. †¢Personal data gathered for specific and lawful purposes. †¢Data will be adequate and relevant. †¢Personal data will be accurate and in date. †¢Personal data shall not be kept for longer than necessary. †¢Personal data if used unlawfully will have consequences. †¢Personal data should not be transferred outside the European Economic area. Further information on the Data Protection Act can be found at www.ico.gov.ik The methods of communicating the information found are a PowerPoint presentation, following a practical demonstration within a classroom. â€Å"Some people are auditory learners, and some are visual learners, which simply mean they process and retain information better by either hearing it or seeing it. One of the advantages to PowerPoint is that it presents information simultaneously to both styles of learners† (Dowell, 2012) The practical demonstration will provide a hands on approach to show the ease of operating a Pacojet, as well as offering a comparison of products produced be the Pacojet. The practical demonstration consisted of comparing ice cream, sorbets and a variety of savoury sauces made the traditional method the Pacojet. The outcome was favourable towards the Pacojet. Recipe costings, tasting and presentation were all succeeded towards the Pacojet. â€Å"A high-quality decision helps an organization accomplish its strategic goals and also meets the needs of the organization’s employees, executives, stockholders, consumers, or suppliers† (Unknown, 2012) The decision making models applied during this report were the Decision Tree, and the OODA Loop Sequence. The Decision Tree â€Å"provides a highly effective structure within which you can lay out options and investigate the possible outcomes of choosing those options. They also help you to form a balanced picture of the risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action.† (Anon., 2012) In creating the decision tree, this allows thought and reflection regarding the Pacojet and the data that will be collected. This also acknowledges the visualisation on outcomes or solutions that have not been considered, as well as the areas focused on. The benefits of constructing a Decision Tree are the clarity of the problem is focused on as well as providing a framework to determine the values of outcomes and the possibilities of achieving them. The OODA Loop sequence: 1. Observe – collect current information from as many sources as practically possible. During this stage looking out for new information is required. The more information gathered will result in being more precise in your observation. 2. Orient – analyse the information, and use it to update your current reality. This is the interpretation of the situation. Each individual is influenced when analysing the situation. â€Å"John Boyd former US Air Force Colonel identifies five main influences. †¢ Cultural traditions. †¢ Genetic heritage. †¢ The ability to analyse and synthesize. †¢ Previous experience. †¢ New information coming in.† (2012) 3. Decide – determine a course of action. As cycling the OODA Loops new information or decisions made can change past decisions and actions. The outcome is that learning occurs during the orient stage, in which influences the decision making process. 4. Act – follow through on your decision. The decision is applied and the cycle repeats back to the observe stage where the effects of the decision making can be observed. The OODA Loops sequence is a fast paced decision making model. Here you should have a fast momentum in which you orient and reorient based upon new information coming in. There should be a smooth transition between the stages. This allows you a proactive approach in quick decision making which is beneficial in keeping on top of your competitors. Conclusion/Recommendation In conclusion the information gathered and presented will not have a formal decision made upon by myself. The information is presented and passed on the Head of the Department. Here a decision will be made and then a purchased order place. The information selected in this report is survey replies from experienced Head Chefs working within various areas in the industry, as well as information gathered from the manufacturer and suppliers. The information that has been collected are various types of media releases related to the year 2012, also articles discussing key equipment changes within the kitchen when updating or starting new. Additionally case studies and personal recommendations on purchasing Pacojet equipment have been resourced as well. The information collected though not all stated within the report gave a solid background and self-confidence within when presenting the PowerPoint and practical presentation. The final recommendation remains; Students with access or experience with a Pacojet would be beneficial in the hospitality industry as the students’ knowledge would enhance creativity within themselves and in the long run save their future employers training costs. Pacojet is versatile with ingredients, produces a superior end product, saves time with labour, raw material and if operated efficiently the Pacojet would pay for itself within three months.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Sam Shepards American Siblings essays

Sam Shepards American Siblings essays True West is an intense dramatization of the relationship between two brothers: Lee and Austin. As each scene progresses, the brothers rivalry and animosity towards each other become more and more apparent, building towards a single emotionally involving climax. Throughout the play, the characters undergo subtle changes as each brother subconsciously attempts to absorb the part of the other brothers life which he feels might complete him. This role reversal is the pivotal instrument in which Sam Sheppard shows the intensity of sibling rivalry. The play starts en medea res. Lee and Austin have not talked to each other in some time, and Lee obviously resents Austin. In the conversation Lee almost has something to prove to Austin. A few sentences into the conversation, Austins estimation of Lee and Lees hostile resentment of this view become apparent: AUSTIN: Ive got too much to deal with here to be worrying about- LEE: Yer not gonna have to worry about me! Ive been doin all right without you. I havent been anywhere near you for five years! Now isnt that true? (P. 8) Austin clearly thinks of his brother as a responsibility, and does not think of him as an equal, much less as someone who can take care of himself. For Lee on the other hand, being looked down upon by his younger brother is insulting. Lees reaction to his brother is immediately defensive. When the subject of Lee staying at their mothers house comes up, Lee snaps at Austin: AUSTIN: Well, you can stay here as long as Im here. LEE: I dont need your permission do I? LEE: She mightve just as easily asked me to take care of her place as you. LEE: I mean I know how to water plants. (P.7) Throughout this scene, Lees hostile attitude towards Austin constantly disrupts the flow of the conversation, and is a continual reminder that these two men have an u...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Germany Analysis Essays - Economy Of Germany, Free Essays

Germany Analysis Essays - Economy Of Germany, Free Essays Germany Analysis INDUSTRY IN GERMANY Country Issues Country issues related to Germany are addressed in four contexts. The areas of consideration are (1) cultural, social, and demographic trends and concerns, (2) political/governmental concerns, (3) exchange rate issues, and (4) macroeconomic issues. Cultural, Social, and Demographic Trends and Concerns Germany is the slightly larger then the combined size of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. (137,691 square miles.) Germany is a nation of 81.5 million people (Hunter, 1997). The rate of population growth in Germany approximates one-percent per year. The head of the government is Chancellor Gerhard Schroder (elected on October 27,1998). The official language is German. The principal religions are Protestant (Evangelical Lutheran) and Roman Catholic-Christianity. German workers are among the best educated, best trained, and most productive to be found anywhere in the world. Germany's modest population growth tends to produce market stability, as opposed to market growth. Thus, automobile manufacturers in Germany tend to look to exports for sales growth. Germany's chief commercial exports include machinery, automobiles (Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Audi), chemicals, iron, and steel. Political/Government Concerns Germany is a parliamentary democracy. A proportional representation system assures that smaller parties are represented in the Bundestag. The governing conservative coalition, the Christian Democratic Union (all states other than Bavaria) and the Christian Social Union (in Bavaria where the Christian Democratic Union does not stand), has held power since 1982 (Hunter, 1997). The reunification of East Germany and West Germany into a single state has produced economic, political, and social problems. While not all of these problems have been completely solved, they do not represent a source of instability in the country. Exchange Rate Issues The currency in Germany is called Deutsche Mark. The economy in Germany is the strongest in Western Europe and is an important member of the European Union. The principals of the social market economy guide its economic activity. Germany has pursued a monetary policy of that emphasized the control of inflation, relatively high interest rates, and a strong mark, often to the complete dismay of the country's European Community partners. Monetary policy emphasizes interest rates and money supply management. Germany is a key player in the drive toward European Monetary Union. The mark remains strong at DM1.84/US$1 and DM3.07/61 (Financial Indicators,1998). Germany will qualify for monetary union and the single European currency as of 1 January 1999 (Maastricht Follies,1998). Taxation in Germany The federal government and its States (lands) try to coordinate their policies through such advisory bodies as the economic council and the finance planning council. But the central government cannot order the States (lands) to follow its policy, largely because it has no monopoly on taxing power. In, all the central government receives around 55 percent of all taxes but makes then 45 percent of all expenses. On the other hand the States, spend more then they receive and the federal government makes up the difference. Macroeconomic Issues Per capita gross national product is US $28,760, gross domestic product is US $2.1 trillion (Hunter, 1997). Germany's GDP growth in 1997 was 2.4 percent Economic Indicators, 1998). Foreign Trade remains the essential pillar of Germany's prosperity. It is one of the world's leading export accounts for over half of it manufacturing jobs. Germany is very sensitive to world economic climates because, its GDP is made 38 percent of exports. Germany's international trade balance is traditionally in the black (Hunter, 1997). Exports typically exceed imports by approximately five-percent. Germany's international trade balance is compared with that of Japan and the United States in Table 1. Table 1 International Trade Balance Comparison: Germany, Japan, and the United States [billions of US$] ________________________________________________________________ Country January-March 1998 April 1997-March 1998 Germany + 4.62 + 70.5 Japan +8.79 + 103.8 United States -18.80 - 199.4 [Source: Financial Indicators, 1998] ________________________________________________________________ Germany's exports 46.4 percent of total exports to members of the European Union, these include top two: France at 11.2 percentage and the United Kingdom 8.7 percentage. The United States receives 9.2 percentage of Germany's exports. Germany's imports the most from France 11.2 percentage of total imports and then followed by the Netherlands at 8.4 percentage. The United States imports 8.1 percentage of the total imports of Germany. German monetary and fiscal policy emphasizes the control of inflationary pressures. Consumer prices in Germany have risen by an average of approximately 1.5 percent over the past