Russian Foreign Policy

Russian foreign policy: priorities, challenges and perspectives According to the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation drawn up by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia should become a balancing factor in conditions of global turbulence in the development of global civilization. Due to some factors the world now is getting unstable and unpredictable.Among these factors are the global crisis, a powerful catalyst of deep changes in the geopolitical landscape, the weakening of the role of the UN, the strengthening of trans border challenges and threats, where threats in the information space are key items and the tendency towards the re-ideologization of international relations. Nevertheless, Russia is given the unique role of a balancing factor in international affairs and the development of the world civilization.So, Russia will build its foreign policy in accordance with several top priorities. The main goal is to help save the world economy, to promote the formation of a fair and democratic global trade-economic architecture. In addition, Russia should fight interference in countries' internal affairs; seek respect for human rights and liberties with regard for the national, cultural, and historical characteristics of every country.Also Russia must prevent military interventions and other forms of interference. Russia's second top priority is  the European Union (special emphasis is on the introduction of a visa-free regime). It concerns Russia's major partners in Europe (Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands) with which Russia is actively working in the gas sphere and cooperation with the OSCE, NATO, and the countries of Northern Europe, the Baltic States, and the Balkans.The third top priority of Russia is the U. S. , from which Russia will seek legal guarantees that the missile defense systems will not be targeted against Russian nuclear restraint forces and the observance of international law, including the principle of non-interference in countr ies' internal affairs. In the meantime, the development of friendly relations with China and India is an important area of Russian foreign policy.

Natural disasters Essay

BTA’S overseas offices work closely with the British diplomatic and cultural staff, the local travel trade and media to stimulate interest in Britain. In the UK it has partnerships with other organizations such as the British Council. The National Tourist Boards (NTB’s) These were established in 1969 when the Development of Tourism Act was passed. The English Tourism Council (ETC) replaced the English Tourism Board in 1999 These are responsible for promoting domestic tourism in their own countries. There are 4 main tourist boards. They all have similar objectives which include: Advising on matters of tourism   Contribution to the economy by creating wealth and employment   Making a good image for their countries as tourism destinations   To help the sustainable tourism development   And to research the consumer requirements in travel and tourism The Voluntary Sector These are usually non profitable or charity organizations and are done by volunteers. Examples include the Tourism Concern and the National Trust. The national trust was founded in 1895 and their aims are to preserve historic places or natural beauty permanently for the nation. The tourism concerns aim is to campaign for fair and ethically traded tourism. New Technologies Travel and Tourism is dependent on technology in the 21st century in order to keep up with consumer expectations and to be able to operate in an efficient way. Many use the Computer Reservations Systems (CRS) or the Global Distributions Systems (GDS) which are explained earlier in the project. The 4 main GDS are:   Sabre   Amadeus   Galileo   Worldspan External Pressures Travel and Tourism is also vulnerable against the external pressures for which it has no control over such as: Currency Fluctuation. State of the Economy Government Legislation Climate Changes   Natural Disasters   War and Acts of Terrorism Currency Fluctuation The exchange rates are always changing. When the value of the pound increases this encourages the outbound tourism as the strength of the pound against the other currencies means holidaymakers get more for their money Legislation Tax revenue also has a big impact on the travel and tourism industry. When air passenger duty (APD) introduced in 1997 every flight from the UK to Europe has had i 10 added on to them and outside of the EU i 20. EU Legislation has had a big impact as well. The EU directive on packaged holidays means that any company that is an organization must have a bond or other financial protection in place or they could be prosecuted. Climate Change When the UK has a poor summer it leads to a bad effect of tourism in the seaside destinations. With the use of the internet people can see what the weather can be like in advanced and if it is bad then those people are likely to looks elsewhere. Natural Disasters Natural Disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes and floods all affect tourism. For example the hurricanes that hit Florida would have affected the tourism there in the summer months. War, Acts of Terrorism Travel and Tourism is vulnerable to war and terrorism acts. The Middle East and the events of September 11th in the USA has affected peoples confidence of flying and travelling to these parts of the world especially. Impact on Host Communities There can be usually a positive and negative impact on host communities. There are Economic, Social and Environmental impacts on tourism. Economic Travel and Tourism has a big impact on the UK economy in the income generated, numbers employed, and balance of payments. A lot of industries benefit from direct and indirect income generated by visitors to the area. Indirect income is brought in from the multiplier effect and this is when money spent by visitors is taken into the local economy. This can also be applied to numbers employed. The opposite to this is leakage Social The local communities can also benefit from public, private and voluntary sectors. Services such as restaurants, shopping complexes and transport services are all examples. Also areas that are neglected are usually done up in order to impress. However, the impact on tourism on host communities are often more negative than positive. Environmental. There are big concerns about what tourism is having on the environmental side of tourism. This has led to big demanding of sustainable tourism. Type of Impact Positive Impacts Negative Impacts Economic Multiplier Effect Jobs Foreign Currency Earnings Money to Develop the area and infrastructure Leakage Jobs can be part time Seasonal Low Paid Visitor Management costs Rise in House Prices Social/Cultural Supports Culture Lead to crime/vandalism Language Dress Music Conflict Environmental Improve and Maintain tourist places Improved infrastructure Preserve Wildlife Pollution Noise Litter Resource Depletion Overcrowding. Lead to crime/vandalism E2 – Scale of the UK Industry and its Economic Significance For E2 I am going to find out statistics on each of the sectors of the travel and tourism industry. I will try to find out the numbers employed in each of these components and the number of participants in these components as well as the consumer spending. I will also show the source from which I obtained these statistics from Component Numbers Employed Number of Participants Consumer Spending Accommodation and Catering Hotels and other Accommodation – 318,7000 Restaurant and Cafi ‘s 356. 0000 Bars, Pubs, Clubs 364. 1000. Source: Office for National Statistics This shows the consumer spending in accommodation in percent Hotels 41% B&B 8% Flat/Chalet 9% Youth Hostel 1% Camping 2% Source: www. staruk. com Travel Agents Below are some branches and how many there are. Lunn Poly 797 Going Places 738 Thomas Cook 390 Another example is the CO-OPERATIVE WHOLESALE SOCIETY LTD with 289 branches this employs around 35,200 people Source: AbtaResearch. com 7. 2 million UK residents book their holidays person to person in travel agents but this is been out done by the internet which is getting 10. 9 million Source: www. staruk. com Tour Operators 83. 5000 people employed in travel agencies and tour operators. Source: Office for National Statistics 257 million visits overall Source: staruk. com Transport There are 87,000 people employed in this type of work Source VisitBritain. co. uk This shows the percentage of trips. Car 73% Train 12% Bus 4% Coach 1% Caravan   Motor Cycle Bicycle   Plane 5% Boat/Ship Other 2% Source: www. staruk. com   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ less than 1% Visitor Attractions Libraries, museums, culture 77. 0000 Source: Office for National Statistics Alton Towers 2,650,00 Tower of London 2,422,181 Lego Land 1,620,000 Flamingo Land 1,197,000 Source: www. staruk. com. Tourism Development There are 450 people employed and 60% of these are employed in overseas markets Source: Visitbritain. co. uk The government participate in tourism development and promotion because without it they would lose out on money from tourists Source: Visit Britain. co. uk Incoming Tourists 24. 2 million trips made spending around i qq. 7 billion Domestic Tourists 167. 3 million trips made and spending around i 26. 6 billion Outgoing Tourists 24. 18 million trips made spending around i 11. 618 million Business Tourism Another significant part of the travel and tourism industry is the business tourism. The table below shows the amount of trips that were made by business tourism and the spending in this for the UK residents in the year of 2001. Trips (Millions) Spent (i Millions) 22. 8 5,670 Source: United Kingdom Tourism Survey / International Passenger Survey E2 – Scale of the UK Travel and Tourism Industry Travel and Tourism is a multi-billion pound industry in the UK. Visit Britain estimates that domestic and overseas tourists spent a total of around i 26 million in 1998. 60% of this spending was covered by the Accommodation and Catering sector. The scale of the industry can be established by looking at: Travel and Tourism revenue and its contribution to the national economy Employment Statistics   Inbound, Outbound and Domestic tourist numbers within the UK Travel and Tourism Revenue Inbound and Domestic tourism contributes to the national economy   A wide range of industries benefit from direct and indirect income, this of which is generated by tourist   The Travel and Tourism industry contributes to the economy by tourists paying VAT and taxes o products   Local Travel and Tourism industries contribute to local government finances through payment of business rates Contribution to the Balance of Payments. The Balance of Payments refers to the difference in the nations economy between the income generated from exports and the cost of imports   It is harder to measure in tourism as tourists are paying for services rather than products and therefore it is described as being invisible   Inbound Tourism is seen as an export because overseas tourists are bringing money into the UK economy. They are buying British products and services   Outbound Tourism is seen as an import because it is taking money out of the UK economy There is a deficit in the balance of payments when the cost of imports is greater than the income of exports. Outbound UK tourists spending more money abroad than the Inbound (overseas) visitors do in the UK   There is a surplus in the balance of payments when the income of exports is greater than the cost of imports. Inbound tourists spending more money in the UK than the money taken out by outbound tourism   More money is being spent by the British abroad than overseas visitors to the UK and therefore there is a deficit in the balance of payments   The British Government is trying to resolve this by encouraging more overseas visitors to the UK. E2 – Scale of the UK Industry and its Economic Significance. This is a multi billion pound industry and has a major influence on the economy in the terms of consumer spending and employment. Examples of organizations that produce statistics are:   Government statistics   British tourist authority National and regional tourist boards   Industry bodies such as ABTA, Mintel and Keynote To assess the scale of the UK industry and its economic significance we have to analyse the UK travel and tourism revenue and its contribution to the national economy and also look into employment statistics and research into inbound, outbound and domestic tourism in the UK. Visit England states that in the year of 1998 the UK industry was worth i 61,201 million making the UK the fourth largest earner of foreign exchange. This is what the money was spent on Trips (Millions) Spending (i m) UK Residents 122. 3 14,030 Overseas Visitors 25. 7 12,671 Total 148. 0 26,701 This information was taken from the Collins text book on Travel and Tourism An example of a visitor attraction for which I have found statistics on is Flamingo Land. This visitor attraction employs about 375 staff a year and work either full time or part time from March to November. Flamingo Land has been able to increase its employment as well because of the opening of a 26 bed roomed staff accommodation block and this has brought in staff from as far away as Wales and Scotland. Most of the staff who are employed at Flamingo Land though are from closer in and in the local areas of Scarborough, Malton, York, Whitby and Pickering E3 A Full Explanation of the Present Structure of the Industry In order to give a clear explanation of the industry I am going to describe the role of the 6 components within it using a case study for each to explain the components role. I am also going to explain the chain of distribution within the industry. The 6 components are: 1. Accommodation and Catering 2. Tour Operators 3. Travel Agents 4. Transport 5. Visitor Attractions 6. Tourism Promotion and Development 1. Accommodation and Catering Accommodation can be either serviced or self-catering Serviced Accommodation Hotels and serviced accommodation are all different in terms of size, quality, turnover and facilities. National tourist boards use classification systems for hotels, bed and breakfast’s and guest houses. They are awarded star ratings for the range of facilities and services provided Examples of serviced accommodation are:   Hotels   Lodge   Bed Only   Bed and Breakfast   Half Board   Full Board All Inclusive Self Serviced Accommodation (Self-Catering) There is a wide range of self serviced accommodation available. Examples are:   Camping Youth Hostels   Apartments   Villas/Chalets Boat   Cottages   Guest House Especially popular are places with self catering accommodation combined with activities and entertainment. Examples of this are Center Parcs and Butlins Catering Examples of catering are:   Fast Food Outlets – McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King. Restaurants – Frankie and Bennies Cafi ‘s   Pubs – Rose and Crown   Takeaways – Dominos Pizza   In-house Restaurants (Supermarkets) – Asda, Tesco’s   Road-side Catering – Burger bars outside football grounds Restaurant and takeaway markets have continued to grow partly down to the popularity in ethnic restaurants and takeaway shops. Pub meals have remained popular. An example of accommodation and catering is the YHA (Youth Hostel Association) and this operates a network of over 227 youth hostels in the UK. It takes in groups and individuals. This is an example of a voluntary organization. 2. Tour Operators Tour operators arrange the following:   Transport Accommodation   Leisure Activities Holiday packages are usually sold through travel operators and the travel agencies receive a commission for been the one who sells the product for them. Tour operation markets provide products and services for three main categories of tourism which are:   Outbound   Inbound   Domestic Outbound Operators The majority of outbound operators are situated in the UK and they organize packaged holidays. Examples of outbound operators are:   Thomson Holidays   First Choice Holidays   Airto.

Writing activities Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing activities - Article Example as a role in influencing corporate activities and consumer spending is good for the economy, but, on the other hand, I disagree that shopping is good for the soul all the time if it becomes the predominant end of a materialistic life. I agree with Livingston that purchasing power is a tool by which consumers can influence firms to become more environmentally-conscious and responsive to consumer demands, and that consumer spending can improve the economy by driving demand that influences employment and investment. Consumers, by choosing what to buy and not to buy, can definitely impact corporate activities. An example is when consumers stop buying certain brands that the media exposes as coming from firms who conduct harmful environmental practices. By boycotting these products, the consumers directly affect corporate decisions, such as when companies stop these harmful practices and change them to regain consumer trust. Aside from forcing corporations to be environmentally-conscious, consumers are also compelling companies to care for what the former care about. Consumers are now using their purchasing power to change unethical corporate practices. For instance, when Americans knew about the sweatshops of Nike in Indonesia and China, consumers forced Nike to change their contractors’ workplace conditions and wages when they boycotted the company’s products (Nisen). These are only some of the many examples how consumer power is social and political power too. Furthermore, consumer spending is a significant component in affecting economic growth. Personal consumption is currently 70% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Mathews). Clearly, consumption has a large impact on economic performance because it increases demand that drives investment and jobs. Aside from these points, I no longer agree with Livingston that shopping is good for the soul all the time if it becomes the principal end of life, instead of a means to better ends. Livingston argues that

Families in society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Families in society - Essay Example In today’s generation, the ideal family structure of two parents, father solely being the breadwinner and two to three children has drastically changed. Nowadays, especially in the United States, we come across all types of families; single parent; both working parents, no children by choice, multiple parents etc (Kesner & McKenry, 2001). The fact that both parents have started to work, children are neglected in comparison to the attention they received in previous times. Since a mother is putting the same amount of time at the workplace as the father, she thinks her additional responsibility at home should also be shared. But fathers usually do not like the idea of getting involved in domestic housing issues. Another problem suffered is the amount of stress which an individual goes through besides his normal hectic work routine. This fatigue is somewhat passed on, in some way or the other, to the entire family. Besides structural composition, the basic diversity of US based f amilies has also changed. For instance, more of gay and lesbian families have come into existence since late. But such family dynamics are strictly opposed by traditional religious groups. Some of the most common family problems are discussed in this section. For instance, US is a country which has the most number of people behind bars. Therefore, families of such prisoners suffer badly as kids are deprived of their fathers’ support, while wives also dearly miss their respective partners. Another common issue is the negative impact on kids due to constant rifts between married partners. Frustration gathered from the workplace also has a role to play in such activities. Due to such parental fights, kids start to lose confidence and trust in both parents (Leroy & Symes, 2001). After reading the whole article I concur with most of the facts mentioned about family life, with some

Human Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Capital - Essay Example The qualification, skills and experience of an employee has an economic value for his employer as well as for the economy as a whole. Human Resource Practices are defined as those methods, processes, rules and procedures used in the field of HR. Examples include recruiting, hiring, firing, training, monitoring, reviewing performance, performance appraisals etc. Human Resource Behavior refers to interdependence of individuals in co-coordinating their activities in order to perform at a higher level. Firm Performance is usually measured in terms of financial health of a firm. There are numerous contributing factors which effect firm’s performance. Some of the prior mentioned variables are also leading factors which influence firm’s performance. Finally, Overlapping Tenure is the amount of time employees have worked together in order to achieve common performance outcomes. Relationship among prior mentioned variables Extensive researches have been performed in order to exa mine the relationship among these variables. Aldehayyat & Twaissi (2011) examined a strong positive relationship between Financial Performance and Strategic Planning. The empirical results of this research also supported the practice of firms’ strategic planning in small and medium sized business firms. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) studied the relationship between Overlapping Tenure and Firm’s Performance. In this study, Leana & Van Buren, (1999) focused on the overlapping tenure that is the amount of time employees have spent in working with each other as well as with their manager. The authors stated that it may take time for individuals to form relationships with their-co-workers and allows them to work for common goals. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) stated that some studies found positive long term relationship between the two while other found negative relation between overlapping tenure and firm’s performance. Research conducted by Carmeli & Schaubroeck, (2005), Takeuchi, Lepak, Wang, and Takeuchi, (2007) and Lopez-Cabrales, Valle & Herrero, (2006) found positive relationship between firm performance and human capital. These studies employed industry accepted measures of human capital in order to investigate the relationship between performance and human capital. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) conducted a study to determine overlapping tenure and its relation with firm’s performance. In this study, the main area of focus was the amount of time employees have worked with each other and the amount of time they have worked with their manager. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) concluded that human capital is influenced by stability of employees’ relations. By having flexibility and promoting stability among employees, organizations may enhance their social capital. Study of Huselid (1995) stated that firm performance and high performance work reduces employee turnover and increase employee performance. Also, high performance work by employees leads to greater organizational performance (financial and productivity) (Huselid, 1995). The behavioral perspective of human resource behavior facilitates relation between organization performance and human resource practices. Human resource practices are utilized to improve and control the behaviors and attitudes of human resource. Behavioral perspect

Problems and disadvantages of agile software development Literature review

Problems and disadvantages of agile software development - Literature review Example Application of the software requires much input from individual and team members. Agile development requires constant adjustments to the processes for the purposes of reflecting situations as hand. In this case, the software requires individuals to constantly switch roles as needed alongside adapting to work environment. Such a domain makes processes secondary to people (Eran and Hillel, 2011). Additionally, agile does not allow for application of narrow responsibilities, policies, processes and multi-purpose methodologies. Consequently, there is much difficulty in merging agile with some organization cultures since it requires identification of a team capable of working independently from the rest (Highsmith and Cockburn, 2001). Those included in such a team are always not subject to same rules as the rest of the organization. At the same time, the constituted team cannot fit well within traditional organizational culture. The implementation of the software requires change in organi zational leadership and culture. Agile is considered a highly participative style of software development hence affecting efficiency of the processes owing to the number of participants involved. The software restricts the size of the team involved in a project which naturally extends project sizes. Barlow et al., (2011) asserts that agile team can be applicable in large projects where the project is sub-divided into relatively independent sub-projects. Such approach has negative consequences since it requires recruitment of higher-level project management capable of coordinating smaller teams (Rizwan, 2012). Development of agile software calls for sub-division of complex project based on architecture. Such division yields different results as opposed to division according to features. The software emphasizes on the use of face-to-face and spontaneous communication which limits its applications. In office environment it requires that the

Comparative Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Comparative Financial Reporting - Essay Example Material misstatements are misstatements that can affect users' decisions on the financial statements of a company. The auditor may either issue an unmodified opinion (when the financial statements are not materially misstated or a modified opinion (when the financial statements are materially misstated). (McMeeking, 2006). This paper examines contemporary issues between International Financial Reporting IFRS and the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles GAAP. The IASB / FASB project on revising the conceptual Framework has removed ' substance over form'. (IASB / FASB May 2008, Exposure Draft, Conceptual framework for Financial Reporting ) . The explanation is: BC2.19. The Boards concluded that faithful representation means that financial reporting information represent the substance of an economic phenomenon rather than solely its legal form. To represent legal form that differs from the economic substance of the underlying economic phenomenon could not result in a faithful representation. Accordingly, the proposed framework does not identify substance over form as a component of faithful representation because to do so would be redundant. However, the fair value view assumes that market are relatively perfect and complete and that in such a setting financial reports should satisfy both the interest of passive investors and creditors by stating a current value derived from the current market prices. An alternative view to this doctrine assumes that markets are imperfect and incomplete and that in such a market settings, monitoring requirements of shareholders should be catered for. To conclude therefore, in the words of Whittington (2007), the practical supports of two views is unrealistic as in a realistic market setting; the search for a universal measurement method may be fruitless. According to Whittington (2007), a more appropriate approach to the measurement problem might be to define a clear measurement objective and to select the measurement that best meet the objective. 1. 2.0 Identify and comment on what you regard as the 4 most significant accounting policy differences between IFRS's and US GAAP ' (200 words) International Accounting Standards (IAS/IFRS) are a set of accounting standards promulgated by the International Accounting Standards committee (IASC) and intended to be used as a basis for cross-border capital raising and listing in global financial markets. (Asbaugh, 2001). The main goal of the International set of Accounting Standards is to standardise the financial and accounting method disclosures of firms in different nations. That is, if firms follow the same set of accounting standards, their external financial reports will provide more uniform disclosures and thus investors would make more use of the variables inherent in the financial statements. (Asbaugh, 2001). Also, firms and investors would benefit from financial statements prepared following an international set of accounting standards. (Asbaugh, 2001). In meeting with the above objectives, the European Union issued regulation 1606/2002 of July 19, 2002 requiring that all companies listed in the European Union and European listed companies in other countries to adopt international accounting standards in their Financial statements from 1st January 2005 onwards. The regulation also gave member states the

The Lawrence Textile Strike, known as the Bread and Roses strike Essay

The Lawrence Textile Strike, known as the Bread and Roses strike - Essay Example The paper tells that for many decades, Lawrence has been one of the most important centres of textile manufacturing in USA. In 1900s, the textile industry in the area was well developed. The American Woollen Company ‘owned the mils in Lawrence and employed approximately 40,000 people’. In the context of the industrial revolution, the company decided to proceed to the mass replacement of skilled workers with un-skilled workers, the compensation of whose could be quite low, compared to the skilled workers. At the same time, the rents in the buildings where the workers were staying, were continuously increased leading the workers to severe concerns in regard to their capability of covering their basic needs. Workers in other regions were also suffered similar problems. The owner of the mills, the American Woollen Company, had no intention to step back in regard to the demands of the workers, as it was made clear through its reaction to the workers’ efforts. The reluc tance of the company to provide fair wages, to keep the working hours stable and to ensure health and safety in the workplace has led to the development of the Lawrence Textile strike, known as the ‘Bread and Roses’ strike, the success of which was just temporary, as explained below. The union that joined the workers, the Industrial Workers of the World, has failed in securing the duration of the strike’s benefits, a fact that led to the decrease of the union’s power globally.... At the same time, the rents in the buildings where the workers were staying, were continuously increased leading the workers to severe concerns in regard to their capability of covering their basic needs (Brenner et al. 2009). Workers in other regions were also suffered similar problems. The owner of the mills, the American Woollen Company, had no intention to step back in regard to the demands of the workers, as it was made clear through its reaction to the workers’ efforts. The reluctance of the company to provide fair wages, to keep the working hours stable and to ensure health and safety in the workplace has led to the development of the Lawrence Textile strike, known as the ‘Bread and Roses’ strike, the success of which was just temporary, as explained below. The union that joined the workers, the Industrial Workers of the World, has failed in securing the duration of the strike’s benefits, a fact that led to the decrease of the union’s power gl obally (Greenberg and Watts 2009). 2.2 Key events of the strike - Parties The strike in Lawrence has begun in the 11th January of 1912 by workers in Everett cotton mills (Brenner et al. 2009) as ‘a reaction to the reduction in wages’ (Brenner et al. 2009, p.146). More specifically, the Polish women working in Everett cotton mills noted that their wages in January was further decreased, with no previous notice of the company. The women responded immediately: they left the workplace (Brenner et al. 2009, p.146). Shortly, workers in other regions joined the strike; the union, the Industrial Workers of the World, decided to take initiatives: a letter was sent to the company with the demands of the workers; the company did not respond (Lib organization 2006). The union decided to organize

The Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties Essay

The Interpretation of Umbrella Clause in Investment Treaties - Essay Example However, umbrella clause has been widely debated in academic discussions and arbitral practices during the recent years4. Commentators have illustrated the argument in terms of interpretation the umbrella clause in investment treaties that derived from different tribunals in order to know whether breaching contractual obligations amount to violating treaty obligations. Within the context of this argument, tribunals will be able to know if they have the jurisdiction to hear claims arising from an alleged investment contract breach. This essay aims to analyse the interpretation of umbrella clause in investment treaties. In the subsequent part of this paper first, the definition of umbrella clause has been provided according to some commentators, and different formulations of the umbrella terms have also been included in the part. Subsequent to that, the background of umbrella clause is accounted for. ... 1. Definition of Umbrella Clause Some authors and commentators tried during the last decade to explain the meaning of umbrella clause. Dolzer and Schreuer represented it as â€Å"a provision in an investment protection treaty that guarantees the observation of obligations assumed by the host state vis-a-vis the investor†.5 Moreover, Gallagher and Shan introduced the umbrella clause by revealing that the clause is taken its name from its main objective namely in order to â€Å"oblige the host state to observe any commitments it has entered into with regard to foreign investors†.6 Some also assume that the umbrella clause could be extended to beyond what it created for, as F.A. Mann stated that the umbrella clause â€Å"is a provision of particular importance in that it protects the investor against any interference with his contractual rights, whether it results from a mere breach of contract or legislative or administrative act†.7 As a matter of fact, umbrella cl ause is also known as ‘mirror effect’, ‘pacta sunt servanda clause’, ‘parallel effect’, ‘elevator’, ‘respect clause’ and ‘sanctity of contract’. Yet, the limit of subject matter rationale materiae jurisdiction does not remain uniform under the BITs.8 Some BITs encompass disputes pertaining to an ‘obligation under the agreement’ only for claims of violations of BIT. Other BITs extend the jurisdiction to ‘any dispute relating to investments’. Some others construct an international law obligation that a host state shall, for instance, ‘constantly guarantee the observance of the commitments it has entered to’; ‘observe any obligation it has assumed’, in respect to investments.9 Thus, a breach of such an obligation may consist of

Write short notes on four of the followings Essay

Write short notes on four of the followings - Essay Example This is because the psychological laboratories that were developed later on took the structure of Wundt’s laboratory. The experiments that Wundt conducted mainly were ground-breaking in nature since they were deviating from the conventional methods of studying psychology to new ways that were not focused on the sciences of nature or the philosophical point of view (Bembenutty 2007). Wundt engaged in experimental methods towards approaching psychological studies. He believed that the reality or the fundamentals of the changes that occurred in an organism relied on an interaction of the two essential processes, which combined to form a psychophysical reaction. The two include; the physiological process that depends on the body functions and the psychological process that depended on mental factors (Hochstetler 2007). Wundt was the initiator of the conception of the identification of occurrences in the mind in relation to external stimuli that could be measurable. In his view, the human mind needs to be considered as an action rather than an object (Harvey 2007). This view was focused on the perceptio n that psychology was not just a subject, but a complex one too that comprised a philosophical perspective in the manner that people perceive issues. In Wundt’s perspective, psychology that encompassed the physiology was understood as a study that was focused on the processes of reactions that originated from exposure of the sensory cells to stimuli, leading to the motivation of the brain and then the muscles of the body leading to a particular behavior in reaction to the stimuli (Bembenutty 2007). This process was paralleled by the contemplation of an individual’s thoughts which defined the events of the mental activities in life. This contemplation was what Wundt based psychological experimentations. In other words, introspection was fundamental to the success of the works of Wundt (Shana

Different types of business information Essay Example for Free

Different types of business information Essay Verbal Communication Speaking verbal to someone is speaking out loud. This includes talking face to face, in a meeting or in an interview. The advantages of verbal communication are it is a fast way to reach information but this information can be easily forgotten. Another advantage is that speech is direct and straight to the point. Another advantage is that if you ask a question you get answer straight away no need to wait around. However they are some disadvantages if you are talking to someone it may not be legal to talk to about specific topics. Another disadvantage is they are no proof to say you have spoke to that person. Also if you are speaking to someone who does not speak English it is going to take time and money to get a translator. Also another disadvantage is not everyone is listening. Face to Face Speaking face to face is a good way to communicate because you are they talking to them and you can ask those questions and get a reply straight away, also if you didn’t understand something you could just ask them to repeat themselves. However they are some disadvantages, if the person you’re talking to speaks a different language, words can be misunderstood. Phone Call Making a phone call to someone has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of a phone call is you can tell someone information quick and easy and you would get an answer straight away. Another advantage is that you can get straight to the point and you can make a phone call anywhere. The disadvantages of making a phone call is your words could be misunderstood and your line could break up. Non-Verbal Communication Digital Email Email is very quick and a very easy way of getting in touch with other people. Once you send an email its sends instantly, so they will receive it a lot faster than if you would have sent it by a letter in the post. There are some disadvantages you need a secure internet link to send emails, also you have to type the correct email address in these complications mean many people prefer to make phone calls instead of emails. Non Digital Written Communication This is an old fashion way of communicating with other people, the advantages there is none we have faster and better technology to communicate. The disadvantages are is slow, the postal service takes up to 3 days just to deliver the letter that’s if it even gets to the address because nowadays post can get lost in the system.

The Future for Londons Museums: Development Strategies

The Future for Londons Museums: Development Strategies THE FUTURE OF LONDON’S MUSEUMS Q. What does the future hold for London’s museums? ABSTRACT The following research paper investigates the present condition of London’s museums, focusing upon three aspects: their historical development, their present issues and debates, and their strategies for ensuring future survival and prosperity. To ascertain these facts five senior management figures from five leading London museums were interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires discussing the themes mentioned above. The research focuses at much length upon the decision of the present Labour government to introduce free admission to London’s museums and to finance this policy with funds from the National Lottery. Another key aspect of the research was to determine the level of competition posed to London’s museums by European, American and other international museums; further, to discover how London’s museums might raise their performance to match this competition. A third central aspect of the research, viewed both from the sides of museum management and from the government, is the question of the strategies that London’s museums will pursue in the twenty-first century. The survival and success of London’s museums will very much depend upon the decisions made regarding such strategy and its efficacy once put into place. The present research assesses the likely efficacy of such strategies, and the consequences that their implementation will have upon the public’s ‘museum experience’. The results of the research paint double-sided picture: on the side, of optimism regarding the increased admissions figures witnessed since free admissions began, and, on the other side, a gloomy scene dominated by the London museums’ lack of financial support and by the negative consequences of the government insistence of putting attendance figures before a qualitative artistic and cultural experience. CONTENTS PAGE (Jump to) Abstract Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Literature Review Section 3: Methodology Section 4: Results Analysis Section 5: Conclusion Section 6: Bibliography Section 7: Appendixes Section 1: Introduction Since the foundation of the British Museum almost two hundred and fifty years ago, London has had an international reputation as the museum capital of the world, as the city with the finest collections, the best specialists and the most to offer the fascination of the public. In addition to the British Museum, London can boast the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the London Transport Museum, the Victoria Albert Museum and the Theatre Museum amongst numerous other world-class museum-experiences. In their early decades London’s museums flourished through the generosity of private donations and gifts, and through royal and government funding; these ample resources gave museums such as the British Museum unrivalled funds for the construction of magnificent architecture and the gathering of the most splendid specimens and pieces from across the globe. But by the early 1990’s, and reflecting Britain’s changed economic circumstances, London’s museums found themselves in need of considerable new funds to pay for refurbishments and developments so as to keep pace with other museums in the capital cities of Europe and in America. The advent of the National Lottery in 1994, and the terms of its constitution whereby a majority of its funds would go to museums and galleries, apparently offered the very chance to bring about a revival in the fortunes and prosperity of London’s museums. Thus between 1994-2003 more than  £13 billion was given to good causes by the National Lottery and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.3);  £1 billion was given to six hundred museums across the country (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.3). These funds were intended for the construction of new buildings and exhibition halls, and to compensate museums and galleries for the loss of revenue that they would incur onc e free admission was introduced. A few smaller museums were also enabled to open in London because of grants from the HLF. The next radical step in the recent history of London’s museums came when the Labour Party in their 1997 manifesto, promised that when elected they would introduce free admission into London’s museums — a move that it was anticipated would greatly increase attendance from members of the general public. In the event, this prediction turned out to be just right, particularly in the two years immediately succeeding the introduction of free admission. The government minister then in charge of museums in 2001, Estelle Morris, spoke of 2000 as ‘an unprecedented season of openings and flourishing’ (DOC, 2000) for London museums. The year 2000 witnessed nine major construction or refurbishment projects in London’s great museums and a total of  £379 million spent on this ( £193 million of which came from lottery sources) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.4). The most spectacular of these projects was the construction by Norman Foster of the Great Court at the British Museum costing  £110 million (of which  £47 million was derived from lottery sources) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.5). All in all, it seemed that the lottery was proving a vital fertilizing force in the rejuvenation and restoration of London’s great museums. This optimism was very clearly reflected in the visitor figures following free admission. In 2001/2002 London museums that had previously received capital funding from lottery sources noticed a staggering rise in visitor numbers of 5.3 million when compared with the 1999/2000 season; in 2002/2003 this figure jumped again to 6.3 million extra visits compared with 1999/2000 (this representing an increase of 89%). In stark contrast London museums that did not receive lottery funding say they annual attendance figure drop by 7% in 2001/02 and 13% in 2002/03 when compared to the 1999/00 season. To take an individual instance, the Victoria Albert Museum witnessed an increase in attendance from 75,773 in November 2 000 to 132,882 in November 2001 (this figure even jumped 270% by March 2002). Likewise, attendance figures at the Science Museum rose by 120% and the National History Museum by 74% in the same period (All figures: Selwood Davies, 2005: pp. 6-10). Nonetheless, this stream of incessantly impressive and rising admissions figures masked a major concern unsettling many of the managers and director’s of London’s leading museums. These figures of course welcomed lottery funding as a vital means of rejuvenating London’s museums and making them competitive with museums found in New York, Paris, Berlin and elsewhere. Nonetheless, the advent of free admission introduced at the same time a far greater degree of vulnerability and uncertainty in the financial arrangements and security of London’s museums. It was obvious to museum strategists and directors that a great deal of lottery money would be needed to compensate for the loss of revenue endured once free admission was introduced. Crucially, it would be paramount that lottery contributions of the levels of 2001 would be sustained for the long-term; nothing would be worse that one spectacular year for two of prosperity and massive investment followed by ten or twenty years of under investment and decline. It is recent charge imputed by many museum directors against the government and the HLF directors that they were naà ¯ve in profoundly underestimating the levels of investment that would e required to sustain not only the rejuvenation of London’s museums but merely also their survival. The British Museum alone, for instance, according to its director Neil MacGregor stands to lose  £80 million over ten years from lost revenues and reclaimed VAT. Increased attendance figures are welcomed naturally by all museum directors on the absolute condition that sufficient funds are made available to pay the costs of this increased attendance. Selwood and Davies calculated that since the advent of free admission and 7.3 million extra visitors each of these visitors cost London’s museums on average  £3.56 per visitor —  £3.56 extra that has to be found by the museums from non-lottery funding (Selwood Davies, 2003: p.8). Thus free admission has had a bitter sting in its tale, and it may be said that presently a great many of London’s famous museums find themselves in financial difficulties, unable to pay for restorations and improvements; unable to compete with American and European museums for the finest pieces and exhibitions, unable to attract the brightest researchers and curators — and ultimately in danger of losing the great reputations that some have nurtured for as long as two centuries. It is clear to all, museum directors and government officials alike, that the present funding arrangements of London’s museums are precarious and that a serious strategy needs to be devised to offer such museums long-term financial security and thus a platform to compete with the other leading museums of the world. This present dissertation conducted interviews, by way of questionnaires with five senior figures from five of London’s leading museums — the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the London Transport Museum and the V A museum — to ascertain their thoughts and attitudes regarding the present state and the likely future state of London’s museums. These senior figures were questioned on their beliefs regarding the lottery funding of museums, on the advent of free admission, on the extent of government funding, on international competition, and on future strategy. The picture that emerges from these interviews is one of profound uncertainty over the future survival and prosperity of London’s museums; buffeted on the one side by the loss of revenue from free admission, and on other sides by the short-fall in promised lottery investment and the present government’s obsession with the quantitative aspect of museum attenda nce at the expense of the quality of the visitor’s experience. Section 2: Literature Review It perhaps appropriate to preface this literature review with a few remarks about its undertaking. Often when undertaking research that refers to relatively recent events, the researcher finds that the academic world has not yet had time to catch-up in print and publish scholarly books and articles covering these events. With the present research however the proposition was entirely opposite; even though the subjects of lottery funding, free admission and so on are relatively recent, there is nonetheless an abundance of literature dealing with the specific question of the future of London’s museums. The task of the researcher was thus to sift this material so as to isolate its most pertinent and relevant parts. Another unusual aspect of this present literature review is its wide use of government documents and announcements. An overriding theme throughout the present paper is the intimacy of the relationship between the government and museum managers and directors. Naturally, the government perspective upon events is not published through academic books and journals, but by speeches, white-papers, press releases and so on. This research of course made much use of the outstanding museum journals, pre-eminently Curator: The Museum Journal. Of the several articles from this journal used in this dissertation, one was of seminal importance in providing statistical and analytical evidence of the impact of lottery funding and free admission upon London’s museums, this being: S. Selwood and M. Davies (2005) ‘Capital Costs: Lottery Funding in Britain and Consequences for Museums. The article excellently articulates the dilemma that has crept upon London’s museums now that the inadequacy of lottery funding to meet extra visitors numbers has become apparent. There are hints in the above article to possible solutions to the funding crisis facing London’s museums, and these solutions are discussed in greater depth in R. Baron’s ‘Reinventing a State Program for Museum Funding’ (2003). Question marks as to the thoroughness and efficacy in practice of the governmentâ€⠄¢s free admissions policy is raised in several places: Freudenheim’s ‘That Politics Problem’ (2005), Babbidge’s ‘UK Museums; Safe and Sound? (2000) and Sharp’s ‘Controversy and Challenge: British Funding Increases Nationally, But Not to National Museums’ all echo the apprehensiveness and fear felt by many museum directors and staff towards the financial liabilities that would arise in the wake of free admissions (2006). Freudenheim, in particular, highlights a certain naivety in government’s attitude towards the workings of national museums; citing in particular the government’s inveterate insistence upon the increasing of admissions figures no matter what the effects of this upon either museum costs or the aesthetic museum-experience of visitors. The government’s position, and its obvious delight and sense of fulfilment at increased attendance figures since free admission, is given in a number of documents. Principally, the paper London Cultural Capital – Realising the Potential of a World Class City published by the London’s Museums Agency (2004) establishes the governments intentions and strategy towards the future of London’s museums. The paper gives fifteen government policies, under the headers value, access, creativity, and excellence by which the government’s museum strategies will be delivered in future. The government, in association with the National Lottery, has written in several places of its satisfaction at the results of the introduction of the policy of free admissions. In particular, the paper One Year On Visitor Numbers Soaring At National Museums Following Abolition Of Entry Charges published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1 January 2003 gives a sense of the euphoria and achievement perceived by the government. Also, the paper Two Years On Free Admission to National Museums Draws Even Bigger Crowds again published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 9 March 2003 gives much the same impression. In each of these documents the government stresses its loyalty and commitment to the principle of free admission and to the extension of this principle as far as possible. At the same time, there is little reference in these documents to the nervousness and trepidation felt by museum directors and managers about the future prosperity of the institutions they preside over. It is in this absence of self-criticism, that the reader perceives the origins of the discrepancy between that government’s perception of the financial condition of London’s museums and the reality of their condition. The possible consequences of such as disparity increasing, and of a competition gap widening between London’s museums and th ose in America and Europe, are well delineated in Cain’s article ‘Museums and the Future of Collecting’ (2005). In short, the extant literature paints the present picture of London’s museums as a time of grave uncertainty with respect to their financial predicament and thus their world-class legacies and reputations. These sources also acknowledge the considerable benefits already brought by lottery funding and free admission, and point also to the great future potential of these schemes; they instil in the reader at the same time a warning that idealism must be checked by pragmatic considerations before London’s museums can attain the future they deserve. Section 3: Methodology The principal method of primary data collection for this research was the interviewing, by way of questionnaires, of several senior figures at five of London’s leading museums. The decision to interview senior management and directing figures, rather than members of the public, had the obvious advantage that the answers obtained would be the specialist opinions of people with an intimate knowledge of the subject matter of the research. Members of the general public, especially those living in London, often show much interest and curiosity towards the subject of the prosperity and fate of London’s museums, but at the same time are not professionals with direct experience of the key debates and consultations. To arrange these five meetings, the researcher wrote fifteen letters to major London museums. Of these fifteen requests for an interview, seven positive responses were returned to the interviewer, of which five eventually furnished the opportunity of an interview. In requesting these interviews letters were sent to the director of each museum, irregardless of the sex, race, or religion of the person. Of the five eventual interviewees, three were men and two women; their ages ranged between forty-one and sixty-three. At the behest of interviewees, all of whom preferred to speak off the record due to the sensitivity of many of the issues of discussion, neither their names nor their titles are given in the final publication of this research. Thus, in the transcripts presented in the appendix of this research, each of the five interviewees are referred to as ‘a senior figure’ and ascribed a coded number following the simple scheme 001-002-003-004-005. This sensitivity, arising from the various present tensions over funding between London museums, the HLF and the government, clearly raises certain ethical questions about the present research. Above all, is it permissible to expose senior figures to possible embarrassment or worse, for the sake of the findings of this research. In answer to this question, the present researcher would say two things: firstly, that explicit consent for every interview was obtained by the researcher before the commencement of each interview, thus all interviewees participated at their own volition; secondly, following Utilitarian principles of seeking ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’, the researcher decided that the possible positive benefits and improved public understanding of the topic that might arise from this research could justify the slight ethical risks associated with the carrying-out of this research. It is a belief of the researcher that by informing the academic com munity and the public of the chief issues and controversies now affecting London’s museums, that the debate generated from this knowledge will lead to greater consideration on all sides being shown towards the preservation and improvement of London’s world-famous reputation as a museum centre. A number of criticisms may be levelled at the methodology discussed in this section. Firstly, it might be asked, with some justification, whether or not the interviewing of only five museum figures can produce results characteristic of attitudes and opinions of London’s museums as a whole. Naturally, critics might ask how the researcher can infer from the collection of five opinions general trends governing the many hundreds and thousands of senior figures working for the management of London’s museums. Likewise, why does the report interview exclusively figures from museum management and not from the government or from the National Lottery? In response to the first question the reply must be that with limited resources and limited time, it seemed most prudent to the researcher to restrict the field of investigation to a narrow focus, where the results obtained could be subjected to a significant scrutiny and analysis — something which resource constraints would have rendered impossible had the field been extended much wider. Moreover, whilst only five persons were interviewed, these figures preside over London’s five largest museums which between them see greater attendance figures and government investment than all of London’s other museums combined. Thus the opinions of the figures interviewed actually are far more representative of London as a whole than would first appear likely. In response to the second question, a similar answer might be given: only museum directors were interviewed because they are the persons with the most intimate knowledge of the matters under discussion. If the present researcher were in future to extend the present research, then the opinions of others outside of museum management would certainly have to be included. As it was, the present report incorporates sufficient expert opinion, to make its findings relevant to the better academic and public understanding of the issues affecting the future of London’s museums. Section 4: Results Analysis The aim of the present research was to investigate the likely future of London’s museums; this research was undertaken by way of interviews with five senior figures from five leading London museums. From the information gained from the literature review undertaken by the researcher it seemed most appropriate to question these museum directors on five main subjects: lottery funding, the advent of free admission, international competition, future strategy and the employment of new researchers and curators. The expectation of the researcher was that the general opinion of these senior figures would have initially been one of welcome to the proposed lottery funding, but that this initial welcome would have turned to mild scepticism in the wake of free admission and the provocation of severe uncertainty following the extra costs incurred by increased visitor numbers and lesser-than-expected lottery investment. What opinions then did these results produce in actuality? (1) Lottery Funding. The five interviewed senior figures unanimously (5 of 5) welcomed the original government proposals to aid London’s and Britain’s museums through funds made available by the national lottery. Museums such as the British Museum, with its newly built Great Court, was given considerable lottery funding amounting to  £47 million (Selwood Davies, 2003: p.3). Museum directors were quick to concede that such developments would have been impossible without these lottery funds — or an extremely large, but unlikely, private donation. In short, museum directors were united in their praise for proposed lottery investment. (2) Free Admission. The chief feature of the respondents’ answers to questions posed about free admission were twofold: on the one hand, respondents welcomed the opportunity to open their doors to ever greater numbers of people, thus disseminating cultural and scientific experience as far as possible; on the other hand, words such as ‘apprehension’ and ‘scepticism’ were used liberally by nearly all of those interviewed. What most strongly prompted this apprehension was the ‘twining’ of free admission introduction with the compensation for lost revenue by lottery funding. Directors confided that when allowed to charge admission fees their museums did at least have a degree of self-sufficiency and so could determine their own future strategies and successes. But lottery funding conditioned by the introduction of free admission policies has subjected London’s museums to a profound financial vulnerability and loss of independence. These museums, now depend upon the HLF for often as much a half of their income; if controversies or difficulties arise with the lottery directors or with the ministers directing them, then the museums are forced to abide by outside instruction and policy. Moreover, the great fear that lottery investment would not be sustained appears to have come true for all of the five museums whose for whom senior figures were interviewed for this research. So too, insufficient lottery funding has been made available to compensate for the extra costs incurred by the vastly increased visitor numbers experienced after the introduction of free admission. Interviewees hinted at a certain naivety and lack of preparation on the part of ministers and lottery managers with respect to the projected visitor increases following free admission and the costs that would be incurred by this. (3) International Competition. On the question of international competition there was further unanimity of opinion amongst the senior figures interviewed. Each respondent vigorously asserted that the collections of the museums he or she presided over as a manager were the equal of any equivalent museum anywhere in the world. Managers from the British Museum and the Natural History Museum, not to mention others, could rightly boast that their reputations were pre-eminent amongst international museums. At the same time, three of the figures interviewed (the exceptions presided over specialist museums with little international competition) confided that many American and European museums simply had far better funding and so purchasing-power than their own London museums. For the immediate future, this gap will mean that these international museums will continue to purchase new pieces of exceptional public interest whilst London’s museums will have to remain content with their exi sting impressive but static collections. In the medium- and long-term future, if this purchasing disparity continues then a qualitative difference will emerge ever more clearly between the museums of London and those of America and Europe. (4) Recruitment. When embarking upon the present research the researcher did not anticipate that ‘the difficulty of recruiting new researchers and curators’ would be a major concern to London’s museums regarding their futures. Nonetheless, as the searching through the literature review proceeded and as the topic came into better perspective this problem seemed to be a central concern for several of the major London museums. Specialist museums like the V A and the Theatre Museum do not, according to results, face such problems; but senior figures from the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the Science museum may all face crises over recruitment in the near future. According to these figures the recruitment of new staff has been a subject neglected by the government in their ceaseless quest for higher admission figures and in ‘measuring the value’ of a museum-goers’ experience. The science museum can no longer attract top scientists and researchers because they are paid so little:  £20,000 as a starting salary, peaking at  £50,000 ( ). Commercial companies and American museums offer far better salaries and improved facilities. If this ‘brain-drain’ continues for much longer, then it may prove to be the greatest of all dangers to the future prosperity of London’s museums. These institutions are sustained not only by their pieces and specimens, but by the care and expertise of their curators and other staff; it is this expertise and the respect that arises from it that gives these institutions their world-class reputations. If this expertise evaporates, then no amount of increased admission or funding or improved strategy will protect the legacies and future prosperity of London’s museums. But towards the re-capture and enticement of these experts the government and the lottery fund seem somewhat blinded; given the extent to which London’s museums now rely upon government fun ding, it is precisely with the government that the responsibility lies for providing sufficient funding for home-grown and international experts to crave as they used to the opportunity to work in the prestigious museums of London. (5) Future Strategy. The senior figures interviewed for this research are nearly as one when they declare that future strategy has to be built around the attainment of financial stability; this is to be sought through an improved, more efficient and more effective relationship with the government and the HLF. A better balance has to be struck between the government’s ardent desire for ever increased admissions and the practical and pragmatic methods by which these extra admissions, dragging with them their extra costs, will be paid for. If a resolution and balancing is not achieved here then the obvious and inevitable path down which London’s museums must slide is that of ever greater debt and so lesser purchasing-power for new pieces and so a general decline in the standing and reputation of London’s museums. The reality of this predicament is brought home, even as this dissertation is written-up, by the announcement today of the London Theatre Museum (BBC, 2006 ) that they face imminent closure unless a major cash injection from the lottery fund is received. The alternative strategies are these: firstly, an abrupt about-face by the museums whereby they begin to charge for admission. This path is unattractive as there are numerous legislative, ethical and civil obstacles to this policy’s reinstatement. Another alternative is increased public funding from a source other than the lottery; this however looks most unlikely in the short-term. Thus, setting aside the remote chance that a massive private donation will save them, museums must, in their strategising come to agreement with the government about how extra funding from the lottery may be obtained. In short, the results obtained from this present research point to two things: firstly, that senior figures from the five museums interviewed welcomed in general lottery funding as a means to achieve rejuvenation and restoration; secondly, that this optimism changed to apprehension and tentativeness once it became clear the extent to which lottery funding would be dependant upon free admissions policies. Thirdly, it is obvious from all the interviews, that London’s museums are at a cross-roads and a defining moment in their illustrious history. To the left, is the danger of an ever greater financial disparity caused by increasing visitor figures and inadequate lottery funding; to the right is offered a sound financial structure that will ensure the continuation and prosperity of London’s museums’ world-class reputation. Section 5: Conclusion In the final analysis, it seems mo

Qualities of a Good Humanitarian

Qualities of a Good Humanitarian This autobiography Three Cups Of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin goes through the life experiences of Greg Mortenson in his quest to build schools for disadvantaged children in the desolate parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This essay investigates the qualities that Mortenson possesses that have helped make him a contemporary symbol of humanitarianism. How does Mortensons story show the qualities necessary for a good Humanitarian? To answer this question, this essay makes a thorough analysis of this autobiography by analyzing the things that Mortenson has done and what persuaded him to do them. With that in mind this essay is intended to try and decipher which qualities or traits have guided him thus far, qualities which seem extremely beneficial to his quest. In the essay, each trait has been explored in depth, looking at the ways Mortenson has demonstrated that particular trait and how it helped in the end. This autobiography has been supported by some secondary sources from the internet that include book reviews that have been posted along with interviews that have been conducted with him. Therefore with these sources, I have made generalizations as to what qualities make a good humanitarian. Upon conclusion, I discovered that with the right amount of compassion, desire to succeed and being able to blend into different cultures then one can be a good humanitarian. INTRODUCTION Power is the ability to achieve purpose. Power is the ability to effect change; these were words spoken by the legendary Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King and from these words, one can gather that there is some extraordinary power that any individual can possess, as long as they have the ability to make a difference in the lives of others, it does not matter whether on a large scale or not. Throughout history there have been great men and women who have been known to possess this extraordinary power, such as mother Teresa who dedicated her life to helping the poor but amongst these people is Greg Mortenson, a man who from being a mere nurse has risen above all odds and has become a world renowned humanitarian who has done development work in Central Asia (Pakistan and Afghanistan). Most of his work has been the construction of schools for both the Pakistani and Afghani children but it also extends to giving a helping hand at refugee camps in these areas. To date, Mortenson has built over one hundred and thirty schools and some of them catering to just girls. Greg Mortenson, along with the award winning journalist David Oliver Relin have written an autobiography of Mortensons life Three Cups Of Tea one mans mission to promote peaceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦one school at a time from the time he discovered his true calling through all the ensuing events, sharing in detail how he tackles every obstacle that comes his way. How does Mortensons story show the qualities necessary for a good humanitarian? For most people it has been a mystery as to what qualities must be possessed for an individual to become a humanitarian and exercise charity. I think Mortenson is one of the best people to help illustrate these qualities because he started from nothing but has now become a man to whom even the US Military looks to for advice. How is it that this ordinary man who failed to climb K-2 has achieved so much in life? This topic is significant in that as much as most people might want to help the needy, they may not know where and how to start and the qualities that may help them in their quest. Even universities have started offering courses that help create great humanitarians and aid projects, courses like development work and development theory finance. Just the mere prospect of having these courses offered at universities shows that this is a booming industry and observing people like Greg Mortenson can help a lot of people who are interested in helping others. Other humanitarians like Sir Edmund Hilary have seen this advancement in humanitarian efforts coming, and in his book School House In The Clouds, Hilary spoke of the need for aid projects in the worlds poorest places he says, Slowly and painfully we are seeing worldwide acceptance of the fact that the wealthier and more technologically advanced countries have a responsibility to help undeveloped ones (pg 53). Mortensons philosophy is also that of Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen whose idea is that, You can change a culture by giving its girls the tools to grow up educated so they can help themselves (pg 234). In Mortensons case, these schools were not built overnight; Mortenson encountered problems but he persisted and in the end the results were very rewarding. Mortenson has shown that an ordinary person like himself can make a difference in the world by having the right amount of compassion, determination and the ability to rise above prejudices and work within another culture. COMPASSION The poor do not need our sympathy and pity: the poor need our love and compassion. These were words spoken by the Nobel Peace prize winner, Mother Teresa, one of Mortensons idols. From the beginning, our introduction to Mortenson is of a man who doesnt pity the needy but tries to help them as much as possible. The source of this good-heartedness can be traced back to his parents who were also generous people. Irvin Mortenson (Gregs father) was an army veteran-turned schoolteacher in Tanzania who while there threw every molecule of himself into the great achievement of his life-raising money for and founding Tanzanias first teaching hospital, the Kilimanjaro Christian medical center (36). Also, his mother, Jerene Mortenson, laboured with the same single-mindedness to establish the Moshi International School (36). With such parents, it is no wonder Greg Mortenson turned out the way he did. Mortensons compassion is easily noticeable in the sacrifices he has undertaken for the sake of his family. The Mortensons lived in Africa for most of Gregs childhood and although they had done so much for the Tazanians, when they went back to America they were struggling financially and Greg Mortensons compassion is well illustrated when after graduating from high school, he enrolled himself in the army just so he could bring in some money. To show how rare this trait is Mortenson says: The kids at my school were amazed Id even consider the military. But we were broke (40). Christa, Mortensons sister, was epileptic and for the sole purpose of finding a way to help her, Greg studied neurology (42). Not only that but when they were growing up, Mortenson made sure that no one made fun of Christa. After college, Mortenson wanted to start working as soon as possible but because he wanted to spend time with his sister, he took a year off-not many people could do that which is why when Christa died, Mortenson took it really hard but wanted to honour her memory by climbing K-2, a mountain in central Asia infamous for being one of the toughest to climb in the world (42-43). Another clear depiction of Mortensons compassion is when he offered to quit school when his father was dying of cancer so that he could take care of him in his last days (42). Mortensons compassion can also be seen in the sacrifices he makes for others and his desire to satisfy everyone. This whole idea of building schools started in a village called Korphe where Mortenson was taken after he had been lost on K-2 Mountain and had seen about eighty children trying to teach themselves on the ground without a teacher and had made the promise to build them the school (33). While there, Mortenson distributed all he had to the people of that village and had gone out of his way to help their sick, hence earning his name Dr. Greg (30). On his way to fulfill his promise, the people of other villages were trying to bribe him into opting for their village and not Korphe and the guilt that Mortenson felt knowing that he could not help them frustrated him which is why he ended up promising to one day build the school for them, no matter what it took and this signifies his compassion to the extreme (91). Also, going out of his way to organise teachers and paying salaries along with calling in an eye specialist for the children and elderly of refugee camps that strained to feed, shelter and educate hundreds of thousands of people is an extreme act of compassion that clearly shows his big heart (208). Further, whenever there was a war happening, Mortenson was usually robbed of sleep worrying about those poor people (214). He used to spend nights reading about Pakistani history and trying to learn more and this shows a man whose good-heartedness made him even forget the necessities of life like sleeping. Perhaps the best way he has demonstrated his compassion is by fulfilling most of his promises; he promised to build a school for the Korphe people and he did that and even more, he also built them a womens vocational center fully equipped with sewing machines (193). He also promised to build a school for the people of the villages who were trying to bribe him and he did; not only for them but for many other villages. DETERMINATION It is usually said that a leader has a clear idea of what she or he wants and he would do anything to get it regardless of any obstacles that he may face and likewise, Mortenson was a leader who, in his cause to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, has come across a lot of setbacks that would make most people give up but because he had a lot of determination Mortenson just pushed on and can now be identified as a well respected humanitarian. His determination is easily portrayed in the sacrifices he makes in order to raise the necessary funds for the construction of the schools. These acts include struggling to write many requests to as many potential sponsors as possible so that he could build the first school (47). We learn that, he wrote to every U.S. senator. He haunted the public library, scanning the kind of pop culture magazines he would never otherwise read, in search of sponsors and this just shows his eagerness to succeed ( 49). To save money while he was trying to raise funds for the school, Mortenson decided not to rent an apartment and chose to live in his car and to take showers in the bathrooms of a climbing club that he was a member of ( 49). At night he would be bothered by the police so he had to hunt for parking places where the police would not find him (49). What person in their right mind would do something like that, especially for people he did not have exceptionally strong ties with, unless they were really determined to succeed and even going to the extremes of starving himself (51)? In like manner, while he was in Pakistan with the necessary funds for the school, he lived in an eight-by-eight-foot glassed in cubicle on the hotels roof that seemed more like a garden shed than a guest room (57). Here again the image is of a man who is prepared to endure all the hardships that come his way (57). He could have just used the money he had on him and checked into a proper hotel but no, he had to try and save as much as possible. Before he had left America, Mortenson converted everything else he owned into enough cash to buy his plane ticket(56). What if everything in Pakistan did not work out and when he got back, what would he have? Nothing, but because he knew what he wanted he did it anyway. Mother Teresa once said: We ourselves feel like what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean but the ocean would be less without that drop. Mortenson believed in this saying and strived in every way to make sure that the drop he was adding was at its best hence why he even started reading books on development theory finance so that he could be a better manager and along with this he even flew to Southeast Asia so that he could learn more from other programs that did the same job that he did (234). Only a man who really wanted to make things work would go this far. In the time that Mortenson has been in Central Asia, he has taken great risks, risks that had he been somebody else, he would have left without any delays and these risks include exposing himself to the conflicts that are taking place there. In 1996, Bin Laden (a leader of the Talibans Islam extremist) called for an armed struggle against any Americans, and when this happened Mortenson was still there and ended up being held hostage for some time before he was released; but the terrifying prospect that he kept delaying leaving Asia although he knew how dangerous it was, shows his pure determination along with his love for these people (156). Patience is a prevailing attribute that Mortenson seems to possess and in physics; a spring can be stretched and return to its original place, but there is a limit to that stretching (elasticity limit), and when this point is reached then the spring will never go back to its original position. Greg Mortensons patience is synonymous to this spring and the similarities are easily noticeable because throughout, his patience has been tried at different turns and this patience helps to eloquently demonstrate his determination. The fact that Mortenson only received a single reply from the letters he wrote and all his grant applications had been turned down after waiting over six months; the fact that Mortenson still continued even after this major setback is a clear indication of his determination (52) As with the physics analysis, however, at some point Mortenson almost had a mental breakdown because after struggling for over two years to get a hold of the funds required to build the first school, when he arrives at Korphe to begin the building project, he discovers that before they can begin they have to build a bridge to carry across the necessary building materials. This required him to go back to America to get more money for the construction of the bridge. Looking back at the way he had struggled to get the first twelve thousand dollars, obviously it wasnt going to be easy to get the extra funds. Predictably, he did struggle and this failure led to him almost giving up hope. He was just on the brink of giving up but the words of a fellow mountaineer, Dr. Louis Richardt brought him back: Pull yourself together, Greg. Of course youve hit a few speed bumps but what youre trying to do is much more difficult than climbing K2(106). These words gave him the strength to continue. Thi s pure act showed a lot of determination on his part. Again, Mortensons determination can be seen in the problems he faces and the way he overcomes them. After the formation of the Central Asia Institute (CAI) which was founded by a single sponsor Jean Hoerni who covered all the expenses, Mortensons work in Pakistan advanced extremely, but following the death of the sponsor, the company started having monetary problems. Mortenson refused to hire an assistant because of fear of dipping into CAIs funds (228); he also refused an offer of a salary increase along with refusing to hire office space. All these things show a man who is determined to continue in his cause and was desperate to save as much as possible so that his work can continue. During this time of hardships in the company, Mortenson started to hold seminars where he tried to raise awareness for his work and get funding, but sometimes he faced a sea of empty seats (228) but the fact that he still continued to go to every state in America as planned shows that he had hope that at some point he would get lucky and the message would be out and his determination is enormously conveyed in this way. Now, some rich people wanted to flaunt Mortenson to their peers and look good with the promise that they would fund his company and because Mortenson was desperate, he had no choice but to play along. At some point he even went to Canada with one of them but in the end he got nothing in the form of funds from him. He tried everybody, even the people whose legitimacy he doubted. An old lady who said she had money to give called Mortenson over and he obliged because of his desperation but this woman turned out to be just a lonely old lady who just yearned for company (231). A person who would do all this is indeed determined to get to his destination. ABILITY TO RISE OVER PREJUDICES AND WORK WITHIN ANOTHER CULTURE It has been said that Good intentions and money are great, but it is partnerships and great personal relationships at the grass roots level that gets things done in a third world country and from the onset Mortenson has proved himself to be one of those people who are extremely sociable and form partnerships quickly. Throughout his quest, what Mortenson has been doing the entire time is building his rapport and trying to gain the trust of the natives of the countries he was trying to aid. His individualism and non-affiliation with both big NGOs and the political systems in any country are the factors that may have helped him reach so far as compared to all other development charities that have tried to help these people. Of course there were a number of barriers that hindered his progress and these include the language barriers because at first he had not learned their language; the custom barriers that also hindered his progress because if he went against custom, his work may be cut-off; and lastly the religious beliefs. The education of girls in that part of the world is taboo and people in Pakistan and Afghanistan believe it goes against their religion. According to BBC News, when parents were asked why they didnt pay for their female children to go to school, the parents would say Because its wrong, its irreligious, its improper they should stay at home and prepare for their real lives, their married lives. Mortenson was going against this taboo in every way and this caused a lot of problems for him. I have heard that an infidel has come to poison our Muslim children, boys as well as girls; with his teachings. Allah forbids the education of girls. And I forbid the construction of this school. (152) These were words spoken by one Haji Medhi who, along with his men went to Korphe and were trying to stop Mortensons work. Also, Greg learned that the Sher of Chakpo had declared a fatwa against himà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Pakistan is ruled by civil law, but also by Shariat, which is a system of Islamic law (184) . It wasnt only this once that a fatwa was issued against him but twice. After an issue of a fatwa has been made, the courts have to decide what to do, but luckily on both counts he was not implicated but rather the courts saw his work as a gift to their children. From the onset, we see Mortenson as a man who is able to quickly gain the trust of the people around him. George McCown, a board member of the American Himalayan Foundations once said: Greg is a guy you immediately like and trustà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦watching all those people work with himà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It was obvious they loved him. He operated as one of them and I wondered how in the hell an American had managed that (122-123). How indeed has he managed that? The answer to that mystery might be that Greg has an eagerness to learn peoples ways, he tries in every way not to offend them and he does not distinguish himself from them but sees them as his equals, he sees everybody as his equal. His eagerness to learn their ways is easily noticeable when during his second visit to Pakistan, he asks the tailor who was putting together his outfit to teach him how to pray (62). What business of his was it how these people prayed? This eagerness to pray is also accentuated when he tries to pray with the religious leader of Korphe (67). For him to even enter the compound where the Korphe religious leader lived was a problem because he did not want to offend him; he understood that he was a non-Muslim (infidel) trying to educate the children of Korphe and he didnt know how the religious leader would take it (67). This trait of not wanting to offend is also signified with the guilt he felt when he had worn their traditional dress inappropriately and was therefore scolded for it (62). Again, unlike big organizations that just throw in millions without requesting anything from the locals, Mortenson required that each village donate land and labour and this is one of the things that might have helped him gain the trust of these people involving them. Mortenson says: Ive driven past dozens of schools in Northern Afghanistan that have been set up by conservation Corps or USAID(United States Agency For International Development), and you see a beautiful school building but no one in it Also, although Mortenson was offered large sums of money by the US Military, he had to refuse because he understood that his credibility in that part of the world depended on not being associated with the American government, especially the military (295). Had the people thought he was associated with them, they would shut him out. The American military never really stopped to ask what the people of Pakistan or Afghanistan wanted but just did what they wanted without consulting with their elders. In an interview for MSNBC(a television network), Mortenson says that following an earthquake in Pakistan in 2005, tens of thousands of tents were sent over and most of them implosive and the people would huddle in them with kerosene lanterns for light and hundreds of tents imploded and hundreds of people died and some were burned. But had anybody asked what they wanted they could have said they could make their own canvas tents if they send over canvas and sewing machines Mortenson on the ot her hand asks what they need and he would rather supply them with that than anything they did not ask for. CONCLUSION When investigating this research question How does Mortensons story show the qualities of a good humanitarian? it is easily discernable that by showing the qualities that Mortenson possessed, this story Three cups of tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin clearly shows that it all begins with the amount of compassion that one possesses. If one does not have a desire to help the needy then they would not succeed because how could one do something they do not really have the desire for? Then comes the degree to which they are willing to bend their will in order to help make that particular act a success. They need to be ready to make a lot of sacrifices along the way, sacrifices that could mean they have to live differently from the way they are used to. Mortensons experiences show that in most cases the journey will not be easy but with the correct amount of determination and eagerness to succeed, eventually you will get there. Usually the people who require most help are the people in remote parts of developing or undeveloped countries and most of the time these people have customs that most outsiders are not familiar with and may even be a whole different ethnic group all together and most of the time aid organizations or humanitarians are going to have to try and learn their ways. Finally, listening to them, incorporating them in the decision-making process is also a wise move because that way, their needs are catered for. There have been great humanitarians like Mortenson who have possessed these qualities: Mother Teresa, Fred Cunny, Per Anger, Dalai Lama many others. By reading autobiographies of such people, these artifacts of our culture can give aspiring humanitarians the necessary qualities for being great humanitarians.

British Telecom Essay -- GCSE Business Management Studies Essays

British Telecom My aim in this investigation is to discuss whether or not British Telecom has successfully grown and developed since its Privatisation to compete on a world scale. In addition to this has it any long-term strategies for future growth and development of products. According to the 1996 Budget Red Book, more than 50 major businesses have been privatised since 1979 and the state owned sector of industry has been reduced be two-thirds. British Telecom was privatised in 1984, with no major restructuring. This meant that a public monopoly was transferred directly into private hands, this natural monopoly benefited from having economies of scale. Of course this move had it's advantages but there were also disadvantages. These were mainly among the staff who now had much less of an 'easy time' in work. Not only this but as a result of privatisation the company obviously became cost effective and jobs were lost in order to reduce costs. 'Privatisation is seen as a way of reasserting consumer sovereignty, raising standards of provision, of increasing efficiency and of reducing costs.' There are many reasons to why the Government chose a course of denationalisation. State monopolies create inefficiency, are poor in innovation and restrict consumer choice; instead of the consumer being sovereign, power has been transferred to the state and its bureaucracies. Before privatisation all nationalised companies had to have their expenditure passed by the Treasury, because of this they found it difficult to raise money. During these years almost 250,000 people who wanted a new phone line couldn't get them and BT didn't know what to charge the people who did have them. Privatisation gave companies t... ...nge' from Mercury and have seen their share price rise from an initial 130p back in 1984 to an incredible 1351p now. BT, while being a natural monopoly in Britain realise that their position is being challenged. Although their share of the land-line market has still nearly been all encompassing they have seen that the market as a whole decrease as almost half of the UK population have gone out and bought mobile phones. In answer to this threat BT have taken up a strong position in the mobile phone market themselves, competing alongside the big guns such as Orange and Vodafone. Through several acquisitions they have established themselves as a leading company with 7 million UK customers and very sound plans for the future, which they see as being a unification of the latest mobile phone technology along with the immense power the Internet has to offer.

A Character Analysis of Daisy Miller :: Daisy Miller, Henry James

In Daisy Miller, Henry James slowly reveals the nature of Daisy"s character through her interactions with other characters, especially Winterbourne, the main character." The author uses third person narration; however, Winterbourne"s thoughts and point of view dominate." Thus, the audience knows no more about Daisy than Winterbourne." This technique helps maintain the ambiguity of Daisy"s character and draws the audience into the story. At first glimpse, Daisy is portrayed as a "pretty American flirt" whose innocence Winterbourne is unsure of, and yet he says he was "almost grateful for having found the formula that applied to Miss Daisy Miller" (James 1563)." Like many people do in first impressions, Winterbourne feels the need to label Daisy right away." In the beginning, the stereotype seems to fit." Daisy is young, unsophisticated, chatty, and brags about all the society, especially gentlemen"s society she had in New York (1562)." She enjoys teasing and getting reactions out of people just for the sake of it." For example, the second time she and Winterbourne meet, late one evening in the garden, she asks him if he wants to take her out in a boat on the lake." Of course, her mother and the courier protest while Daisy laughs and declares, "That"s all I want " a little fuss!"She had no intention of going; she just wanted to get a rise out of someone." Bidding good-night to Winterbourne, she says, "I hope you"re di sappointed, disgusted, or something!" (1572)." She is being flirtatious, but this kind of teasing is also just part of her sense of humor. Daisy Miller may be uneducated, as Winterbourne and his aunt describe her, but she is witty." One illustration of her humor takes place at Mrs. Walker"s party when Winterbourne is criticizing her for her relations with Giovanelli." He says they don"t "understand that sort of thing here"not in young married women."Daisy cries, "I thought they understood nothing else!" and goes on to say, "It seems to me more proper in young unmarried than in old married ones."Daisy typically speaks and behaves frankly, almost in a child-like fashion, but this shows, as the narrator describes it, a "startling worldly knowledge" (1587)." Daisy is somewhat rustic but smart." She has a "natural elegance" and a mixture of" "innocence and crudity," and yet, as seen in her response, her character proves to go beyond the boundaries of this character type of the natural beauty (1564 and 1574).

Socioeconomic Class and the History of South Africa :: African Africa History

Socioeconomic Class and the History of South Africa In any historical account gender, race, socioeconomic class and many more issues are closely interwoven. In fact, to try and separate them would be not only onerous but also a specious task because the resulting account, although perhaps straightforward, would be at best only partial. However, when considering the history of Southern Africa, the most encompassing account would be that of socioeconomic class. The motives behind the historical events of Southern Africa have been strongly socioeconomic, even if the motives then evoked racial or gender based issues. Thus, if one had to choose a way to understand South African history, it should be socioeconomically. The motivation for colonization was economic. It eventually became more economically efficient for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) to build its own port than to continue trading with Africans on its way to Eastern Asia (Ross, 21). Dealings between settlers and Africans were based on socioeconomics, whether the interaction was buying and selling cattle and sheep or a conflict over the amount of land that settlers were taking from the Xhosa. For Africans, using a large amount of land for grazing one’s cattle was a symbol of high status because it meant that you had many cattle to graze and that you could protect a large amount of land (Ross, 22). The settler’s invasion was an economic blow. Also, the Great Trek was caused because Afrikaaners felt that they did not have the socioeconomic status they desired. Their land was being divided into small pieces, so they decided it would be better to go out and find other land than to continue to live as they were in the lower class. This was no mass movement of the â€Å"Afrikaaner People,† but only a number of small groups setting out to claim â€Å"free† land for themselves (Ross, 39). The wars between the Africans and Trekkers at these times were fought as the Africans realized that these people were coming to stay on their territory, and as the Trekkers realized that they would have to kill to keep the land they needed to secure wealth (Ross, 40).