Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Psychology Of Hate Crime Offenders - 1564 Words

Psychology of Hate Crime Offenders Melissa K. Mark University of Phoenix September 2015 Abstract This study investigated data regarding criminal offenses categorized as hate crimes that â€Å"are motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender s bias against a race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or disability and are committed against persons, property, or society†, (Hall 2013) with a speculative focus upon the psychological typology of the offender. Findings yield five major categories of the offender: â€Å"thrill-seeking, reactive/defensive, retaliatory, mission, and bias peripheral/mixed† (Freilich 2013). The study yielded that individuals who commit hate crimes are not diagnostically mentally ill, but they do share characteristics of high levels of aggression and antisocial behavior, with childhood histories of parental or caretaker abuse, and use of violence to solve family problems. Findings are considered in terms of clinical intervention and risk assessment practices with hate crime offenders using a chi-squared test for nominal (categorical) data to determine whether an association between two categorical variables in a sample is likely to reflect a real association between these two variables in a population. Hate crime generally refers to a â€Å"criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation†, (Hall, 2013).Show MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hate Crimes On The Victim And Their Community1305 Words   |  6 Pages The Effects of Hate Crimes on the Victim and their Community Maritza A. Salvador Psychology 25 Professor Fitzpatrick 02 December, 2016 Abstract This paper will explore the long-term effects a hate crime has on the victim and his or her community. The victims and communities are directly and indirectly affected by the crime. Victims suffered long term effects such as negative mental and physical health, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of PTSD. The affected communitiesRead MoreThe Long Effects Of A Hate Crime Essay1289 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper will explore the long-term effects a hate crime has on the victim and his or her community. The victims and communities are directly and indirectly affected by the crime. Victims suffered long term effects such as negative mental and physical health, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of PTSD. The affected communities were victimized solely for sharing the same characteristics and beliefs of the victim. The long lasting effects of the hate crime influence every aspect of the victim’s life andRead More Profile of a Hate Crime Offender Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesProfil e of a Hate Crime Offender Sterilized from emotion, hate crime, also called bias crime, is those offenses motivated in part or singularly by personal prejudice against other because of a diversity-race, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity/national origin, or disability. Hate crimes are committed out of anger, ignorance, and lack of knowledge of another’s ideas and beliefs. There are many causes for an individual to commit a hate crime. Also, many differentRead MoreHate Crimes. Criminologist Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesHate Crimes Meshanda Rolland-Avera COM/172 March 21, 2012 Ms. Valery Reed Hate Crimes Hate crimes are many different criminal acts such as vandalism, arson, assault, and even murder. Many hate crimes are based on an individual’s race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and disabilities. Everyone can be potential victims of hate crimes. Anyone from any social class can be considered targets for hate crimes. If you or a group believes in a different religion or speaks a differentRead MoreHate Crime Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesThe term hate crime became part of the American lexicon in 1985 when it was coined by United States Representatives John Conyers and Mario Biaggi. Although the term hate crime and societal interest in it are relatively recent developments, hate crime has deep historical roots. Throughout U.S. history, a significant proportion of all murders, assaults, and acts of vandalism and desecration have been fueled by hatred. As Native Americans have been described as the first hate crime victims, hate crimesRead MoreEssay on ha te crimes661 Words   |  3 Pages Defining Hate Crimes Hate crimes has become an increasing problem here in the united states ranging from racial hatred to gender discrimination but what are hate crimes? According to Dr. Jack McDevitt, a criminologist at Northeastern University in Boston Hate crimes are message crimes, Hate crimes are defined as crimes that are violent act against people, property, or organizations because of the group to which they belong or identify with. The coined term â€Å"hate crimes† was first used No matterRead MoreCriminal Psychology : A Glimpse Into The Mind Of A Criminal1523 Words   |  7 PagesCriminal Psychology: A Glimpse into the Mind of a Criminal Are you interested in solving crimes, wanting to be part of the community, and help bring justice to families? Are TV shows like CSI and Criminal Minds intriguing to you? There’s a job that could suit your interests without all the blood and gore. Criminal/forensic psychology is a career for people interested in solving crimes and working to help people in the community. A forensic psychologist has many tasks that they might be involvedRead MoreSexual Offenders And Sex Offenders1567 Words   |  7 Pagessex crimes and has resulted in a lack of reintegration options for these alleged criminals. The term â€Å"sex offender† needs to be reserved for those individuals who best represent the meaning of the term. (Colbert, 2011, p. 1) According to US Department of Justice, a sex offender is anyone convicted of an offense of a sexual nature under the law of any jurisdiction, this also includes juveniles fourteen years of age and older. (Colbert, 2011, p. 1) In the United States, the term sex offender is tooRead MoreEvaluating and Refining Solutions: Hate crimes can be described as criminal activities that are1000 Words   |  4 PagesEvaluating and Refining Solutions: Hate crimes can be described as criminal activities that are perceived to be fueled by prejudice against and hostility towards the victim based on an individual characteristic. In most cases, hate crimes are motivated by gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, identity, and religion or faith. The increase in hate crimes in the recent past has not only made it a major issue that needs to be addressed in the modern society but has also attracted several legislativeRead MoreIs Psychology A Science?2038 Words   |  9 Pagesparts of our lives? â€Å"Like all science, psychology is knowledge: and like science, it is knowledge of a definite thing, the mind† in this quote by James Mark Baldwin, it states that psychology is a science, a science that is being used in many different ways. Unlike usual science, that teach us about cells, rocks, and animals, this science gives us a glimpse of something that everyone has and something that everyone has questions about†¦ the mind! Psychology helps us in many different ways, and one

Monday, December 23, 2019

Sambian Partners Why Are We Losing All Our Good People

Why Are We Losing All Our Good People Background: Sambian Partners founded by Peter Gasbarian in1975. Gasbarian idea was to build top notch architecture and engineering firm. Helen Gasbarian took charge of Sambian Partners as CEO in1997. The case begins with the resignation of Tom Forsythe, an assistant director. Mary Donillo, the head of human resources was opposed to Tom s decision. According to Adrienne Perle, one of the engineers at Sambian Partners people was quite unhappy. When this came into light, Mary Donillo asked her opinion regarding the current situation at the firm and from here she came to know the dissatisfaction among the employees with the current working conditions, mainly from the higher-ups in the organization.†¦show more content†¦The CEO and Mary decide to choose the later, ask Adrianne what is on her mind. After idle conversation the question is asked, Is Tom Forsythe talking to you? And are these rumors true? After a few awkward minutes, the truth is reviled. No, Tom is not talking to Adriann e, but she is quite simply unhappy with the current working conditions, mainly from the higher-ups in the organization. Final decision:- From the above evidence we say that Sambian should establish an open-door policy so that employees know that they can talk to someone above their supervisors if they have a complaint. Helen must personally guarantee that feedback will be taken seriously. The employees might be experiencing an imbalance between work and life. The corporate culture should be clearly defined and the employees surveyed should analyze how far they are separated from the same. The employees also felt that there were inadequate career opportunities where they can grow. There was lack of recognition to their higher order needs. Jean Martin, executive director of the Corporate Leadership Council, gave the professional opinion of this article. According to her advice, the issue does not fall on what Mary is asking; it is How she asks it. It will be a harmful for a company when large groups of employees are migrating from it. In such

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Hannibal’s Crossing of the Alps Free Essays

Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps is one of history’s most remarkable military achievements even to this day. There are many accounts of the crossing of the Alps and what happened during those weeks and we can only speculate and use the sources and information that has lived through the decay of time. Our main primary sources that historians use to piece together the crossing of the Alps are by two of Rome’s most famous historians, Polybius and Livy. We will write a custom essay sample on Hannibal’s Crossing of the Alps or any similar topic only for you Order Now Polybius was a very rounded and mostly non-biased historian who got out of his way to travel to his locations to document facts and information which he used in his text and who lived during the time of the First and Second Punic Wars. On the other hand we have Livy who was a very pro-Roman historian who had documented his facts based on other historians who were before him as he lived almost 200 years after the Punic wars. When we compare the two accounts by both historians we tend to believe and rely more on the accounts made by Polybius as we know him as a reliable and fairly non-biased source whereas Livy was very biased towards Rome and based his information off of other historians. Although we see Polybius as the more reliable source, Livy does come up with some points that concern the crossing that are quite conflicting with the information presented to us by Polybius. By analysing both of these accounts we can get a better understanding of the crossing of Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps. Polybius who was a very reliable historian who we know lived around 200-118 BC during the time of the two Punic Wars provided a very detailed account of both Punic wars and Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps. Polybius is known for his determination to get actual factual evidence and firsthand knowledge of events that occurred. He resided in Rome for most of his life and occasionally undertaking long journeys throughout the Mediterranean to get knowledge on historical sites and interview primary sources who were actually at the events. Polybius’s works (The Histories) documents the events between 264 and 146 BC which mainly involved the rise of the Roman Empire and the effort in which they went to subdue their rival Carthage. Polybius documents the First and Second Punic wars with incredible detail and is our main source for the wars, although Livy also provides some very important facts and information. Titus Livius Patavinus (59 BC – AD 17) (more commonly known as Livy) we know as to be a very pro- Roman historian who can be seen as very biased towards the Romans and paints them in an honourable and almighty glow within his texts. Some of his texts we can see as just plain lies and so we are reluctant to solely use Livy’s information to base our research and understanding around. Livy wrote a complete history of Rome from its very foundations all the way up to the reign of Augustus in Livy’s own time but the only surviving work of his is the â€Å"History of Rome†. During the reign of Augustus Livy wrote his texts emphasizing the accomplishments and triumphs of Rome, and wrote everything with a pro-Roman view to promote a new type of government which was implemented by the emperor Augustus. With that being said a lot of Livy’s texts and accounts mislead to reader into taking a Roman view and often cut out pieces of information which would downgrade the view on Rome, and so we have come to rely more on Polybius’s accounts than Livy’s, although Livy does also provide many accounts and descriptions of events that are unavailable elsewhere and so his texts and reports are still highly valued is one of the main sources we have. Both Polybius’s and Livy’s accounts of Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps can be seen to have many similarities and so we can determine that the same source and information has been used. Although there are many similarities between the two there are also some differences which can be seen throughout both texts. For example when Hannibal is crossing the Alps and he soon finds his path blocked by a pile of rocks Livy states that he uses Vinegar and Fire to break through the rock. Polybius says nothing of the subject and up to this day there has been no evidence of rock that has been carbonized at the site in which Livy had stated. Livy’s accounts of the crossing were very much the same as Polybius’s although we can see in some parts of Livy’s work that his Roman bias has written the work for him. When Hannibal was making a speech to his men after their crossing of the Rhone Polybius wrote that Hannibal spoke of their past achievements and that the hardest part of their journey was already over, but according to Livy Hannibal told his men that they were going to be fighting against the most powerful and grandest city in the world. This was not the case in Hannibal’s time and so we can clearly see that Livy had just created a false fact and account just to paint Rome in a brighter light. Livy’s biased for Rome is something that constantly alters Livy’s accounts. Much of Hannibal’s ascent and crossing of the Alps documented by Polybius and Livy are very similar with only a few minor alterations in the accounts of some events which took place. The main reason why the accounts of some events are different is mainly because of Livy’s biased and attitude towards Rome which makes him document the account and alter it in such a way that it paints Rome in a sense of glory and success. Another main reason which dictates the differences of the accounts is that Polybius who lived during the time of these events could go to places and get a firsthand experience and knowledge of the event by interviewing the people involved and taking notes on the actual location whereas Livy who lived a long time after the crossing had to rely on other peoples accounts and could not get firsthand knowledge on a lot of the events. The crossing of the Alps is a fairly well documented event during the Second Punic war and one that is the most remarkable. Polybius and Livy both have very detailed accounts of the crossing and we rely on this information to piece together Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps. Although some of the facts of the crossing remain disputed and unknown we have sufficient information between both sources to have a good understanding of the crossing. Both historians give a lot of information on the crossing although we tend to use Polybius’s account as it is more reliable and he had firsthand experience and knowledge whereas we know Livy to be a very pro-Roman and did not live during the event but many years later. Both accounts of the crossing have proved to be very useful for our understanding of Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps. How to cite Hannibal’s Crossing of the Alps, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Corporate Sustainability Environment Planning

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Sustainability for Environment Planning. Answer: Introduction Corporate sustainability is a business approach that helps an organization to create a long-term relationship with the customers and the employees as well as to maintain a green strategy that aims to take care of the environmental issues. It is a dual concept that not only concentrates on its organizational and its people but also focus on the society and the environment. It considers the natural environment and operates its business by managing the social, economical, and economic environment. It is considered as a sustainable development of the organization and its resources. Such practices and techniques must be used in every organization so that it can achieve sustainability in the same. It helps to create better conditions to work not only for today but also for tomorrow. It teaches the organization to have eco- friendly solutions for the problems. It helps the organization to enrich the value of the shares and goodwill in the market. It also assists to curb the competition present in the market and industry. Background From the last two decades, the governments of countries are expressing concern about the environmental conditions of the world. In the mid-70s, the government of Australia showed its concern on the need for national environmental reporting. Afterward, the procedure was initiated to bring sustainable development in the country. The main aim was to implement and evaluate the policies related to the environment. Many of the Australian state and territory government have aggregated the policies and strategies for environment. Some states are monitoring the existing plans and making suitable changes according to the current requirements. The data is extracted from the environment protection authorities like water boards, pollution checkers, resource departments, etc. these indicators help the government to identify the problems regarding these areas (Thiele, 2013). The main aim of the Australian government is to clean the environment in the best way they can do so. For this, they have formed an army called as green army. They work to promote and support the Australian local environment and heritage projects. Emissions Reduction Fund is a program initiated by the Australian government to emit pollution. This fund helps businesses and households of Australia to take action against emissions. For the future generation, they protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef. This information and data mutually help the government to maintain the planning and development of the environment. The study gives knowledge about the Environmental Planning and management in Australia, the urban development, management of resources, sustainable development, etc. Situation Analysis Through this study, one can analyze the environment planning done in Australia. Environmental planning helps to forecast the future tragedies and to find the solution for the same. Planning also constructs a bridge between where we are and where we want to go in future. Environment plays a vital role in an individual as well as in countrys life. It provides us all the relevant resources that are required to survive (Feng, 2012). The Australia government is very active in managing the natural environment as they value the same. Australia is a healthy and wealthy country. However, there is a need to improve certain things to enhance its health and wealth. There are many policies adopted by the government of Australia to manage their natural resources. The government has passed certain acts that work for the natural environment of the country. These acts directly or indirectly handle the development of rural areas into urban cities and towns. The government has focused on the ecological sustainability and management of resources for the future generations. They have developed many polices that help the individual to generate their knowledge about the natural environment. The information and data of an environment must be spread to all over Australia so that people become aware of the planning of environment. Environmental Management and Planning in Australia Environment planning and management of Australia is very effective and efficient in nature. Not only the government but also the individuals are aware of their natural environment (Wadley, David A. 2012). Environmental planning is all about: Safeguards the natural ecosystems of an environment: A system that aim is not only to protect and conserve the natural resources but also to meet the political, cultural and socioeconomic needs of future generation is known as ecosystem management. The priority of this management is the efficient and effective use of scarce resources. It helps the people to make an ethical use out of all the natural assets. It is one of the holistic approaches that bring significant changes in the environment. There are approaches to maintain the ecosystem like strategic management, adaptive management, etc. Protect the biodiversity: Biodiversity refers to the quality and variety of life of any region. So there is a need to conserve the diversity in Australia as it is declining on a very fast rate. The individuals of a country directly or indirectly depend on the living system. They are responsible in maintain our health and well-being. The diversity of Australia is under threat. More than 1700 species are at a risk of extinction. There is a vast degradation of the environment. Many of the ecosystems are about to collapse (Searle, 2012). The reasons behind declining of biodiversity are: Loss of habitat Degradation and fragmentation Unsustainable use of resources Climatic change Enhance the quality of air, land and water resources: It is vital for every country to maintain the quality of natural resources as they are the needs of human being. The government of Australia has to adopt measures to remove the pollution from such resources (Dannenberg, et.al, 2011). Reduction in waste, pollution, and garbage: There are various ways by which a country can manage its garbage and waste. There are sustainable solutions to meet the current and future need for management of garbage. They are: Reduction in waste Less packaging Recycling Reuse Promotion of Sustainability: Sustainable Australian report says that the country has made a drastic change over the last 30 years. There is a progress in many sections. The lifestyles, education, health, etc. are getting better. However, there is a decrease in the health of the environment and an increase in inequality among people. One report mentioned that the decision making and planning take place according to the future Australians generations. Not only the Australians but also the world has an impact of sustainable development (Taylor, et.al, 2012). In Australia, the National Sustainability Council is a separate body which manages the sustainability issues for the country. It was established in 2012. Decline the impact of man-made or natural hazards: Australia experienced a vast range of natural distastes like floods, earthquakes, landslide, etc. These distastes results in financial and natural hardship for all the people. The government has to take effective measures to control the same (Hundloe, et.al., 2012). Conservation of resources: The Australian government has design and implements such policies that help to protect the environment. It provides safety to the water sources, heritage, landfills, etc. Some plans are made to provide an adequate affordable, cheaper and reliable source of energy to meet the future needs of people. Urban development in Australia: Sustainable urban growth helps to ensure that there is a sustainable development of the cities and towns of Australia. It has become a priority for the developers of the modern world as most of the people constantly flock to urban areas. The cities and towns of Australia are expanding at a very high rate. Planning of urban area plays an important role to ensure the development of the country as well as for the urban world. The designs of cities and towns are very exclusive and high-performing. In Australia, there are many experts who design economic and well-established communities (Wilson and Piper, 2010). In a nutshell, the experts are developing cities in a sustainable manner (Bray, 2015). Experts are using their experiences to develop the rural area into urban area either through the renovation of old towns or by developing large-scale plans. For this, they need cooperation from both public and private institutions to achieve the goals. There is a responsibility on government and developers of Australia to invest their money into smart, green cities and buildings so that there is a sustainable future growth. An organization named as Australian Pacifics Rapid Urbanization that helps to enhance the urbanization in the country. It includes the development of brand new cities, innovative ideas on water and energy supply to households (Australia.gov.au, 2015). Conclusion The 2014 latest report on Australia shows that there is some progress that has been done since past years to safeguard the natural environment. Natural resources are declining, and the quality of environmental factors is also variable. It helps to support the findings in the reports and research. There are many relevant challenges faced by the government and developers to manage the environment. It is due to the proper implementation of strategies, innovative solutions to the problems such as sustainable development of cities and towns, an effective management of resources, etc. The natural environment of Australia is in a moderate and balance state. However, there is a scope to manage it in a better way to bring a steady growth. There is a need to coordinate between development and sustainability. There are certain factors which help to manage the environment, i.e., good quality, relevant, accessible and updated information and also assist to study the changes in the environment. The Environment Protection Authority of Australia recommends that there should be some development plans and strategies to deliver the most effective and efficient information of environment. It will help to allocate the environmental information needs, coordinate, integrate and prioritize the collection of data. It also enhances improvement in accessing and communicating the available information about the environment. Recommendations There is a need to improve the knowledge and information of people about the environment. There is a need to monitor the condition of natural resources. An effective collection of information and data that helps to analyze the quality and quantity of natural resources is required. There must be consistency in the improvement of environmental aspects. There is a need for better and effective visualization of information about environment. References Australia.gov.au, 2015, Natural disasters in Australia, [Online], Accessed on: 14 September 2016, Available at: https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/natural-disasters Bray, M., 2015, Sustainable Urban Development, [Online], Accessed on: 14 September 2016, available at: https://www.arcadis.com/en/australia/what-we-do/our-capabilities/design/master-planning-and-sustainable-urban-development/sustainable-urban-development/ Christine Crawford (Ed.), The value of water in a drying climate (pp. 17-25) Collingwood, VIC Australia: CSIRO Publishing. Cook, et.al., 2012, Managers consider multiple lines of evidence important for biodiversity management decisions, Journal of Environmental Management, 113 341-346. Dannenberg, et.al., 2011, Making Healthy Places, Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2011, Print. Feng, Zhuo, 2012, Cultural Difference In Television Programs, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2012, Print. Humphrey, et.al. 2012, The independent effects of environmental, social and governance initiatives on the performance of UK firms, Australian Journal of Management, 37 2: 135-151. Hundloe, et.al., 2012, The principles of sustainability and economics, In Tor Hundloe and In Tan Yigitcanlar, Kostas Metaxiotis and Francisco Javier Carillo (Ed.), Building prosperous knowledge cities: policies, plans and metrics (pp. 60-73) Cheltenham, U. K.: Edward Elgar. Searle, 2012, Globalizing: what makes Australian information technology companies go global?, Taylor, et.al. 2012, Uncertainty and ambiguity in environmental governance: water quality in Great Barrier Reef catchments, In Thomas Measham and Stewart Lockie (Ed.), Risk and Social Theory in Environmental Management (pp. 161-173) Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Pubishing. Thiele, Leslie Paul, 2013, Sustainability, Cambridge: Polity, 2013, Print. Wadley, David A. 2012, Australia/New Zealand/Pacific and transnational organisations, In Joseph P. Stoltman (Ed.), 21st century geography: A reference book (pp. 647-662) Washington DC, United States: Sage Publications. Wilson, et.al., 2010, Spatial Planning And Climate Change, London: Routledge, 2010, Print.

Corporate Sustainability Environment Planning

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Sustainability for Environment Planning. Answer: Introduction Corporate sustainability is a business approach that helps an organization to create a long-term relationship with the customers and the employees as well as to maintain a green strategy that aims to take care of the environmental issues. It is a dual concept that not only concentrates on its organizational and its people but also focus on the society and the environment. It considers the natural environment and operates its business by managing the social, economical, and economic environment. It is considered as a sustainable development of the organization and its resources. Such practices and techniques must be used in every organization so that it can achieve sustainability in the same. It helps to create better conditions to work not only for today but also for tomorrow. It teaches the organization to have eco- friendly solutions for the problems. It helps the organization to enrich the value of the shares and goodwill in the market. It also assists to curb the competition present in the market and industry. Background From the last two decades, the governments of countries are expressing concern about the environmental conditions of the world. In the mid-70s, the government of Australia showed its concern on the need for national environmental reporting. Afterward, the procedure was initiated to bring sustainable development in the country. The main aim was to implement and evaluate the policies related to the environment. Many of the Australian state and territory government have aggregated the policies and strategies for environment. Some states are monitoring the existing plans and making suitable changes according to the current requirements. The data is extracted from the environment protection authorities like water boards, pollution checkers, resource departments, etc. these indicators help the government to identify the problems regarding these areas (Thiele, 2013). The main aim of the Australian government is to clean the environment in the best way they can do so. For this, they have formed an army called as green army. They work to promote and support the Australian local environment and heritage projects. Emissions Reduction Fund is a program initiated by the Australian government to emit pollution. This fund helps businesses and households of Australia to take action against emissions. For the future generation, they protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef. This information and data mutually help the government to maintain the planning and development of the environment. The study gives knowledge about the Environmental Planning and management in Australia, the urban development, management of resources, sustainable development, etc. Situation Analysis Through this study, one can analyze the environment planning done in Australia. Environmental planning helps to forecast the future tragedies and to find the solution for the same. Planning also constructs a bridge between where we are and where we want to go in future. Environment plays a vital role in an individual as well as in countrys life. It provides us all the relevant resources that are required to survive (Feng, 2012). The Australia government is very active in managing the natural environment as they value the same. Australia is a healthy and wealthy country. However, there is a need to improve certain things to enhance its health and wealth. There are many policies adopted by the government of Australia to manage their natural resources. The government has passed certain acts that work for the natural environment of the country. These acts directly or indirectly handle the development of rural areas into urban cities and towns. The government has focused on the ecological sustainability and management of resources for the future generations. They have developed many polices that help the individual to generate their knowledge about the natural environment. The information and data of an environment must be spread to all over Australia so that people become aware of the planning of environment. Environmental Management and Planning in Australia Environment planning and management of Australia is very effective and efficient in nature. Not only the government but also the individuals are aware of their natural environment (Wadley, David A. 2012). Environmental planning is all about: Safeguards the natural ecosystems of an environment: A system that aim is not only to protect and conserve the natural resources but also to meet the political, cultural and socioeconomic needs of future generation is known as ecosystem management. The priority of this management is the efficient and effective use of scarce resources. It helps the people to make an ethical use out of all the natural assets. It is one of the holistic approaches that bring significant changes in the environment. There are approaches to maintain the ecosystem like strategic management, adaptive management, etc. Protect the biodiversity: Biodiversity refers to the quality and variety of life of any region. So there is a need to conserve the diversity in Australia as it is declining on a very fast rate. The individuals of a country directly or indirectly depend on the living system. They are responsible in maintain our health and well-being. The diversity of Australia is under threat. More than 1700 species are at a risk of extinction. There is a vast degradation of the environment. Many of the ecosystems are about to collapse (Searle, 2012). The reasons behind declining of biodiversity are: Loss of habitat Degradation and fragmentation Unsustainable use of resources Climatic change Enhance the quality of air, land and water resources: It is vital for every country to maintain the quality of natural resources as they are the needs of human being. The government of Australia has to adopt measures to remove the pollution from such resources (Dannenberg, et.al, 2011). Reduction in waste, pollution, and garbage: There are various ways by which a country can manage its garbage and waste. There are sustainable solutions to meet the current and future need for management of garbage. They are: Reduction in waste Less packaging Recycling Reuse Promotion of Sustainability: Sustainable Australian report says that the country has made a drastic change over the last 30 years. There is a progress in many sections. The lifestyles, education, health, etc. are getting better. However, there is a decrease in the health of the environment and an increase in inequality among people. One report mentioned that the decision making and planning take place according to the future Australians generations. Not only the Australians but also the world has an impact of sustainable development (Taylor, et.al, 2012). In Australia, the National Sustainability Council is a separate body which manages the sustainability issues for the country. It was established in 2012. Decline the impact of man-made or natural hazards: Australia experienced a vast range of natural distastes like floods, earthquakes, landslide, etc. These distastes results in financial and natural hardship for all the people. The government has to take effective measures to control the same (Hundloe, et.al., 2012). Conservation of resources: The Australian government has design and implements such policies that help to protect the environment. It provides safety to the water sources, heritage, landfills, etc. Some plans are made to provide an adequate affordable, cheaper and reliable source of energy to meet the future needs of people. Urban development in Australia: Sustainable urban growth helps to ensure that there is a sustainable development of the cities and towns of Australia. It has become a priority for the developers of the modern world as most of the people constantly flock to urban areas. The cities and towns of Australia are expanding at a very high rate. Planning of urban area plays an important role to ensure the development of the country as well as for the urban world. The designs of cities and towns are very exclusive and high-performing. In Australia, there are many experts who design economic and well-established communities (Wilson and Piper, 2010). In a nutshell, the experts are developing cities in a sustainable manner (Bray, 2015). Experts are using their experiences to develop the rural area into urban area either through the renovation of old towns or by developing large-scale plans. For this, they need cooperation from both public and private institutions to achieve the goals. There is a responsibility on government and developers of Australia to invest their money into smart, green cities and buildings so that there is a sustainable future growth. An organization named as Australian Pacifics Rapid Urbanization that helps to enhance the urbanization in the country. It includes the development of brand new cities, innovative ideas on water and energy supply to households (Australia.gov.au, 2015). Conclusion The 2014 latest report on Australia shows that there is some progress that has been done since past years to safeguard the natural environment. Natural resources are declining, and the quality of environmental factors is also variable. It helps to support the findings in the reports and research. There are many relevant challenges faced by the government and developers to manage the environment. It is due to the proper implementation of strategies, innovative solutions to the problems such as sustainable development of cities and towns, an effective management of resources, etc. The natural environment of Australia is in a moderate and balance state. However, there is a scope to manage it in a better way to bring a steady growth. There is a need to coordinate between development and sustainability. There are certain factors which help to manage the environment, i.e., good quality, relevant, accessible and updated information and also assist to study the changes in the environment. The Environment Protection Authority of Australia recommends that there should be some development plans and strategies to deliver the most effective and efficient information of environment. It will help to allocate the environmental information needs, coordinate, integrate and prioritize the collection of data. It also enhances improvement in accessing and communicating the available information about the environment. Recommendations There is a need to improve the knowledge and information of people about the environment. There is a need to monitor the condition of natural resources. An effective collection of information and data that helps to analyze the quality and quantity of natural resources is required. There must be consistency in the improvement of environmental aspects. There is a need for better and effective visualization of information about environment. References Australia.gov.au, 2015, Natural disasters in Australia, [Online], Accessed on: 14 September 2016, Available at: https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/natural-disasters Bray, M., 2015, Sustainable Urban Development, [Online], Accessed on: 14 September 2016, available at: https://www.arcadis.com/en/australia/what-we-do/our-capabilities/design/master-planning-and-sustainable-urban-development/sustainable-urban-development/ Christine Crawford (Ed.), The value of water in a drying climate (pp. 17-25) Collingwood, VIC Australia: CSIRO Publishing. Cook, et.al., 2012, Managers consider multiple lines of evidence important for biodiversity management decisions, Journal of Environmental Management, 113 341-346. Dannenberg, et.al., 2011, Making Healthy Places, Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2011, Print. Feng, Zhuo, 2012, Cultural Difference In Television Programs, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2012, Print. Humphrey, et.al. 2012, The independent effects of environmental, social and governance initiatives on the performance of UK firms, Australian Journal of Management, 37 2: 135-151. Hundloe, et.al., 2012, The principles of sustainability and economics, In Tor Hundloe and In Tan Yigitcanlar, Kostas Metaxiotis and Francisco Javier Carillo (Ed.), Building prosperous knowledge cities: policies, plans and metrics (pp. 60-73) Cheltenham, U. K.: Edward Elgar. Searle, 2012, Globalizing: what makes Australian information technology companies go global?, Taylor, et.al. 2012, Uncertainty and ambiguity in environmental governance: water quality in Great Barrier Reef catchments, In Thomas Measham and Stewart Lockie (Ed.), Risk and Social Theory in Environmental Management (pp. 161-173) Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Pubishing. Thiele, Leslie Paul, 2013, Sustainability, Cambridge: Polity, 2013, Print. Wadley, David A. 2012, Australia/New Zealand/Pacific and transnational organisations, In Joseph P. Stoltman (Ed.), 21st century geography: A reference book (pp. 647-662) Washington DC, United States: Sage Publications. Wilson, et.al., 2010, Spatial Planning And Climate Change, London: Routledge, 2010, Print.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Break down of compromise between 1820 and 1860 leading to the civil war free essay sample

Time periods of American history are analyzed closely to the extent that it is essential to understand the motives and basis for future events and to recognize social patterns. Among events that have affected the United States, immigrations, wars and political dispute are three of the chief categories that most directly affect the state of the nation as well as each other. The war class has been easily liked to both political and social changes in the domestic atmosphere and is therefore subject to analysis of the varying origins and causes. And no other war has affected the United States like the Civil War due to the sheer number of deaths and the complete reconstruction of the nation during the aftermath. Just as important as the war itself would be the transformations that took place among the people was a newfound lack of compromise concerning the admission of new territories and whether or not they would be free or slave. We will write a custom essay sample on Break down of compromise between 1820 and 1860 leading to the civil war or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This failure to agree was chiefly the fear of public and congressional imbalance. This and dispute over the legitimacy and abuse of popular sovereignty would cause quarrels and accusations attributed to the constitutionality of documents passed and the course certain events took, mainly, the Missouri Compromise, the South Carolina Nullification Crisis, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Presidential election of 1860, the main contributors to the breakdown of compromise seen in this era. In the years leading up to the Missouri Compromise of 1820, tensions began to rise between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions within the U. S. Congress and across the country. They reached a boiling point after Missouri’s 1819 request for admission to the Union as a slave state, which threatened to upset the delicate balance between slave states and free states. In order to maintain peace, Congress created a two-part compromise, which granted Missouri’s request but also admitted Maine as a free state. Congress also passed an amendment that drew an imaginary line across the former Louisiana Territory, establishing a boundary between free and slave regions that remained the law for decades. This demonstrated a great deal of bias and  false senses of self-righteousness from both sides of the argument as they intended to hide their greed for political power behind the morality of slavery, with the exception of the radical American Anti-Slavery society who called for immediate emancipation such as in Document B. This was especially displayed by the fact that Congress refused to consider any petitions during the 1830s that related to the subject of slavery showing complete disregard for the issue they presently hid behind, as seen in Document C, written by the House of Representatives. In 1854 the Missouri Compromise was repealed as part of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. At the time, debates were occurring over where the transcontinental railroad would run and Illinois senator Stephen Douglass desired it to run through Chicago for which he would need Southern support. The deal struck would leave the position regarding abolition in Kansas and Nebraska up to popular sovereignty, which only angered both sides, and further divided them among sectional lines. The Brooks-Sumner affair especially demonstrated the contribution that the Kansas-Nebraska Act made toward lack of compromise. Southerner Andrew Butler was deeply offended when Charles Sumner denounced the â€Å"crime against Kansas† and Butler’s cousin Preston Brooks beat him horribly with his cane. This made the north out to be innocent supporters of the martyr and the south to be violent haters of compromise. Document E was most likely drawn by a northerner as the assailant is drawn as barbaric and violent while Sumner is defending himself with only his pen, showing he is the more sensible and logical. This illustrates how compromise wouldn’t be reached until blood was shed, or until the Civil War was over. The reasons for why compromise broke down as a result of the South Carolina Nullification Crisis are routed in the fact that the North was mainly industrial while the South remained agricultural. In 1828, Congress passed a high protective tariff that infuriated the southern states because they felt it only benefited the industrialized North. For example, a high tariff on imports increased the cost of British textiles, which benefited American producers of cloth but shrunk English demand for southern raw cotton and increased the final cost of finished goods to American buyers. This tax and others resulted in the South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification where the South attempted to nullify the tariff, thereby breaking federal law. President Jackson rightly regarded this states’ rights challenge as so serious that he asked Congress to enact legislation permitting him to use federal troops to enforce federal laws in the face of nullification. Fortunately, an armed confrontation was avoided when Congress led by the efforts of Henry Clay, revised the tariff with a compromise bill. As seen in Document A, Clay attempted to lighten the severity of what South Carolina had done by imposing that South Carolina hadn’t ever attempted to secede. This statement is clearly subject to a bias examination, as it seemed he meant to protect primarily the first southern bastion of a war from demolition, as he himself was a southern Democratic-Republican. The effects of this entailed Southerners questioning whether Jackson and the democrats really represented Southern interests. The further sectional division made the South more united as they found a common enemy in the northern states. The tipping point and the ultimate break of compromise between the North and the South was the election of 1860 as in the years leading up to it, the raids of John Brown on southern plantations brought the question of slavery into serious debate. Four candidates were nominated. The Republican Party, which fielded its first candidate in 1856, was opposed to the expansion of slavery. Abraham Lincoln, the partys nominee in 1860, was seen as a moderate on slavery, but Southerners feared that his election would lead to its demise, and vowed to leave the Union if he was elected. As noted in Document F, the southerners held the value of slavery as essential to their way of life and viewed the northern states as a â€Å"conglomeration of greasy mechanics, filthy operatives, and moon struck theorists. † Lincoln proposed in his speeches that the whole agitation that had to do with slavery spawned from biased and power-hungry politicians as distinguished in Document G. Lincoln’s bias however was neutral as is the reason for his perspective on slavery originating in terms not of morality, but of his view on the supposedly corrupt politicians on both sides of the slavery argument. As he was the candidate closest to the emancipation end of the political spectrum, (despite John Bell), he was viewed by the south as an African-American himself noted in such cartoons such as â€Å"Abraham Afrikanus. † The Democratic Party split during their April convention, and the Southern delegation walked out in protest against the partys failure to endorse a federal slave code for western territories. Northern Democrats reconvened in Baltimore, where they nominated Stephen Douglas, while the Southern faction of the party held their own convention in Richmond and nominated Vice President John Breckenridge for president. The Constitutional Union Party, a moderate party composed of former Whigs and remnants of the Know-Nothings and other groups in the South, organized just before the election of 1860 and nominated John Bell. Bell carried Virginia and Breckinridge had the most votes in western Virginia. Lincoln won the election without carrying a single Southern state, the limited support he received in Virginia coming almost exclusively in the Northern panhandle as seen in document H. Almost immediately following his election, Southern states began withdrawing from the Union, setting the stage for a civil war and the creation of a new state. These events concerning the Missouri Compromise, Kansas-Nebraska Act, South Carolina Nullification Crisis and the Election of 1860 are the prime contributing factors to the breakdown of compromise in the years leading up to the Civil was. The factors of corrupt and biased politicians and the choices they made created a social division that became less and less economically oriented and more in regard to the issue of slavery. However, ultimately it was necessary for there to be a war to decide the fate of the United States, as the decision rested upon the people voting into office a new candidate and the most sensible course of action taken was a full fledged secession of southern states and an invasion by the North. The fighting would be quelled just as any other war would, however what distinguished this among other wars was the sheer grisliness of the combat and the number of lives lost. Dispute still resonates about the necessity and morality of the war, but the majority still views it as an essential American miscarriage that outlined the views and ethics of our people at the time.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Essay on QuestionsEssay Writing Service

Essay on QuestionsEssay Writing Service Essay on Questions Essay on QuestionsSituation A: You have been asked to facilitate a meeting in which you have an opinion about the subject. You are considering whether or not you can facilitate the meeting and remain neutral. What kinds of things do you need to consider and reflect upon in order to possibly approach the task without bias? Include in your discussion your beliefs and attitudes about perception and what kinds of things you might have to say or do to help some people find common ground on this polarizing topic.The meeting involving a polarizing topic should be bias-free to avoid the subjective approach to the particular subject. To stay on the objective ground and avoid biases, I should conduct the detailed study of the subject from different standpoints. For example, I can take a stance concerning the subject and prove its righteousness. After that I should try to disapprove my stance and take the contrary position. The strongest position is likely to be the right one. At the same time , to facilitate the meeting, I would suggest participants to present clearly their positions on the subject and discuss pros and contras of each position in the context of organizational goals. In the course of the discussion, participants of the meeting will come up to the plausible decision that will meet interests of all parties.SITUATION C: You have a mixture of older and younger members of your team from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and ages. What differences might you make for the group in the way of providing visuals, using questions and techniques that emphasize the reason why, etc.?The diverse group requires the application of universal visuals that do not evoke any contradictions or multiple interpretations. They should be straight forward, clear, succinct and have no other implications but the specific meaning they are supposed to convey to the audience. In this regard, it is possible to recommend using simple but not simplistic visuals that may use clear messages and symbols, which may simplify complex concepts. In addition, it is important to avoid too up-to-date issues or too old ones along with very specific issues, which are comprehensible for the specific cultural group only. The diverse group may fail to understand a very specific cultural context.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Theories of Goal-Oriented Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories of Goal-Oriented Communication - Essay Example Talented, the movie portrays John as not socially awkward, able to maintain friendships, and a healthy dating life. In this way, the viewer sees John as what many would consider being the very picture of a hopeful and bright future; he has friends, is incredibly smart, and the future itself is bright and open to whatever task he may set his mind to. Yet, as one who has watched the movie and analyzed its contents, the viewer can readily see that the filmmaker is merely relating the beginning of a story of which this first part of John’s life will not be the key determinant. Yet, beyond the story of mental disability that he suffers, the movie also represents an undercurrent of struggle that the protagonist has with accepting and understanding the reality around him. In this way, the following analysis will examine three theories of interpersonal communication and apply and relate them to the film in question. The first theory which will be discussed in relation to the film is k nown as relational patterns of interaction theory. Within this theory, it is understood that communication is oftentimes best understood and exhibited based on certain key determinants; such as the relationship or pattern that exists between the individuals involved in the communication. In this way, the manner in which John interacts with his wife and his family is oftentimes shown to be far more helpful than the manner in which he interacts with unknown individuals within the workplace (Goldreich 65). Similarly, a secondary theory that applies to the given case is with regards to symmetrical relationships. Due to the fact that John suffers from an acute case of schizophrenia, the viewer is led to assume that he will be unable to function in the world any longer.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Observe, Analyze and Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Observe, Analyze and Report - Term Paper Example What are the unique characteristics and behaviors of the members of each group? These are just some of the questions which one hopes to answer after observing the social groups in a school canteen. The observation day was conducted on a Monday at around lunch time. From one’s conversation with some students, one learned that it was an exam week for high school students. One sat at a corner table of the canteen. It was around 11:30am, minutes before the students’ lunch break. One was ready with a pen and paper where the observations of the groups will be written. A few minutes later, students started arriving at the canteen, right after finishing their tests in two subjects. They will be having two more long tests in the afternoon from two different subjects. This information was volunteered by one student whom one got to talk to. The first group that arrived was a group of five Asian American girls who were talking in their native tongue while entering the canteen. They all had slanted eyes, fair complexion and dark hair. Their clothes were simple and modest. They wore shirts, denim pants and sneakers. They all carried back packs. Aside from the back packs, they have books and folders on their arms. They sat down on one of the corner tables of the canteen and put down all their bags and books on the table. One expected them to bring out their lunch boxes or go to the counter to get their food but they did not. Instead, they were discussing in English, the test questions from the tests that they just took. After around 20 minutes of talking to each other, two of the girls stood up and went to the food counter. The remaining three girls meanwhile brought out their lunch boxes. Two girls brought out what looks like rice and a viand. While the other one brought out a cup of instant noodles soup with chopsticks. The two girls who went to the food counter then came back with sandwiches, milk and juice. They all started to eat their lunch with conversati ons in between. One then focused one’s attention to a group of ten rowdy boys and girls who entered the canteen. They were obviously sports jocks as evidenced by their sports jackets. They wore branded rubber shoes. They were masculine and handsome teenage boys. They were with some pretty blonde girls who were fashionably dressed and with make-up on. They were giggling and teasing each other, oblivious of the crowd in the canteen whose eyes all turned to them when they entered the canteen. From observation, one can conclude that two pairs from the group were in a relationship. One pair was holding hands while the other pair seems extra sweet to each other. The group chose the center table at the canteen and connected two other tables to make one long table. Being an exam week, this group of students does not look like they care about their studies. Although they also carried books, one sees no sign of them discussing anything about the tests that they have just taken or revie wing for the other two exams for the afternoon. Theirs was a carefree attitude, the exact opposite of what one observed from the group of Asian American students. After socializing with each other, they all went to the food counter. Most of the boys got a hamburger and fries while the girls got salads and fruits. The third group of students that one got to observe is a group of four male nerds. This is the group known in the school as the weird, intelligent guys who lacked social skills. One knows that this is the nerd group because

Monday, November 18, 2019

Discourse Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discourse Analysis - Essay Example These advertisements promote an ideal way of life and manipulate the audience into accepting those ideals as their reality. This analysis intends to break down how agencies have reformed the idea of beauty through countless magazine articles, billboards and other media. They do this by enforcing the stereotype that those beauty products are a better way of life. They send the message that youth is beauty, and that beauty is very important yet they set the bar for beauty so high that clients would always depend on their products. The people behind these advertisements have found ways of controlling peoples’ minds using language in the advertisements. The focus on this study is print advertisements done by Nivea, a company synonymous with the manufacture of beauty products allover the world. They portray a message that they care deeply about the real people and their beauty through their advertisements. Introduction â€Å"Discourse refers to the codes, rules and systems that un der-gird a particular message and thus shapes its meaning and interpretation†. Language is all around us whether written or spoken. It is a core part of our day to day activities and has a profound effect on people and how they behave. This influence is seen in the field of advertising and marketing. Language is employed in these two fields to relay certain messages to the public. Language is used as a tool to not only pass on information about a product but also convince and influence the product choice of the customers. The competition for consumers is very high among product manufacturers. This has led to the revolution of how advertisements are designed. They use not only words but color, pictures and lighting to appeal to the consumer. It is the use of such tools as visual and linguistic means to persuade their audience that has led many a scholar to argue that, â€Å"advertising is the most influential institution of socialization in modern society† (Jhally, 1995) . Cook (2001) points out that advertisements inform, persuade, remind, influence and perhaps change opinions, emotions and attitudes. It is used to emphasize the uniqueness of a product and give reasons why a person should consider it over others already in the market. Advertising can be seen on food packages, billboards, newspapers, magazines, on buses and the Internet just to list a few. This kind of aggressive advertising ensures the audience is aware of a product at all times and remembers it. Advertising is â€Å"any type of form of public announcement intended to direct people’s attention to the availability, qualities and/or cost of specific commodities or services† (Fairclough, 2001). The stakeholders of the products are responsible for what we see in these advertisements. They reserve the power to use advertising to further their goals, good or otherwise. They pick advertising media according to their target audience. Magazines are popular with the youth and a slightly older demographic. The Internet on the other hand is popular with the younger generation. The language and depictions used in advertisements is also influenced by the target population. Advertisements have evolved from direct methods being shouted by mouth to the public in open spaces to being transferred indirectly form of print, videos, audio messages in the radio or sound and video together.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

International Expansion Strategy for Snow Mobile Business

International Expansion Strategy for Snow Mobile Business Entry into new markets Pirilla is a company newly set up in Scotland. The company manufactures snow scooters (which, for the sake of this report, will be synonymous to snow mobiles) and is pondering whether to go international, and if so, where to, and how to go about it. Pirilla produces two basic models, a 125cc and a 400cc model in six colours As far as the internationalisation goes, the markets under scrutiny are Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Russia, and Luxemburg. According to a recent feasibility study, the budget only allows for two countries to be entered in an initial wave. In general, there are four basic ways of entering foreign markets: Exporting Licensing Joint venture Direct investment Of course these can come in hybrid forms as well, but by and large these are the main types that one would take into consideration when wanting to go international. The four modes are listed in ascending order of involvement in the respective foreign market, i.e. exporting the snow mobiles to any of the countries would ceteris paribus mean less local involvement than licensing etc. Exporting is very often the initial mode of entering a foreign market, especially if no structured approach has been driven in the past (i.e. structures such as those of e.g. large pharmaceutical companies, which tend to allow for immediate licensing agreements in the target country at the very least). The export approach can be a quick and dirty way of tapping a foreign market, but it may well be a sustainable way of handling foreign business if it turns out there really is no point in high degrees of local engagement. Licensing involves production abroad, but carried out by another party, i.e. the licensee. Just like exporting it does not involve any direct investment, so if the licensee is trustworthy and knows how to employ the (intangible!) assets placed at his disposal – i.e. production know-how, brands, sales strategies and areas etc – this way can turn out very beneficial as local expertise is teamed up with the licensor’s product. The downside is obvious: It is crucial to find a licensee that meets the required standards. Joint ventures do entail quite a bit of involvement in the foreign market. They are ideal if there are a number of large players and we need to gain a certain size quickly, and the partner is reliable and has similar strategic goals. However, there are many downsides to this structure. If both partners share a common competitive goal, chances are both will try to prevent the other one from getting ahead at all, which may be counterproductive as resources and up being used on controlling/confining the partner rather than on furthering the common cause. Many time joint ventures are formed for certain parts of the value chain only, e.g. for RD inbound and/or outbound logistics. The entry mode requiring most commitment is usually the one that involves foreign direct investment (FDI). The trade-off is between control and resources that have to be available. Given the high level of resources that go abroad in this case, the company should be pretty sure about what it is doing and how it is going about it. For this reason, FDI is not usually the mode of first choice for new companies. The most apparent argument in favour of a foreign entry is the limited size of the market at home. No figures are available for the number of snow mobiles registered or sold in Scotland or the UK, but it does not take much ingenuity to figure out which are the countries that provide better opportunities than the home market in terms of potential sales figures, i.e. Scandinavia, and, as far as Europe goes, probably Russia. This intuition is first of all simply based on the climate. When was the last time you saw a snowmobile in the UK? In fact, the economic impact of snowmobiling in the Scandinavian region is around USD 1.6bn per year, third behind the USA and Canada (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Snowmobiling Facts: Snow Facts, n.d.). McDonald’s has opened drive-through restaurants for snowmobiles in northern Sweden. This is possible because the vehicles have to stay on marked tracks (US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, 2002). International coverage means higher sales number, which can lead to economies of scale. The learning associated with higher output will enable the company to cut costs and produce at more efficient levels, which will ultimately put it in a position where it can position itself in a competitive market without having to forego profit margins. According to data by the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, there are 409 snowmobile dealerships in Scandinavia. Rather than to wait for the pull of the market which may or may not come if Pirilla were to confine itself to operations and sales in the UK, the company should induce that pull by an initial push to the market. In other words, it would be advisable to penetrate the market at sufficiently high levels, i.e. to be present in large numbers of these dealerships. Having achieved this initial level of penetration, the company could then operate from a solid base and take further marketing activities from there. As far as cons to going international go, the first that comes to mind is the relatively low degree of operative experience currently prevalent within the company. Internationalisation always adds another dimension to the business, and it is easy for newcomers to make mistakes. Or in more optimistic terms, the learning curve is steep in this area. Taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, I would advise the company to go international and benefit from the business potential abroad, but to do so by only exporting the snowmobiles at first (with a slight â€Å"twist† though – see underneath). The countries I would go for are Sweden in Finland. The rationale for Sweden and Finland is compelling, I believe. As pointed out earlier, Scandinavia commands high sales in snowmobiles, which is no surprise at all, given its climatic situation, particularly in the northern parts, where snowmobiles are a substitute for cars. Seeing that I have to limit my choice to two countries due to budgetary constraints, these two are the one I would choose. Sweden is my first choice, and Finland makes a convenient second given the similarity in climate and landscape. Also, both countries are members of the European Union, which tends to make exporting business easier. In the target countries I would try to find an exclusive importer/distributor so as not to make things too complicated. As I pointed out earlier, there are a number of hybrid forms when it comes to modes of entry to foreign markets, and for the given situation, and in another scenario, one could also invest a small portion of FDI to create a central export hub that makes logistic sense to ship the vehicles to (i.e. somewhere north of Lulea, at the border of Sweden and Finland). From this hub the vehicles could then be further shipped to their final destination. Note that there is also an alternative to this logistical package, i.e. if feasible, the ship could call at several ports en route. But this scenario would mean further logistical involvement in the target country, and at this stage I think we should rather avoid that. Hence I would stick with the aforementioned option of an exclusive importer/distributor. I would suggest segmenting the market into Private riders Professional riders Institutions Private riders buy snowmobiles mainly for recreational activities, partially as substitute for their cars. According to a survey conducted by a number of universities in western USA, the reasons for owning a snowmobile (in the USA) are: To view the scenery To be with friends To get away from the usual demands of life and to do something with the family To be close with nature (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Research Uncovers a Great Deal of Interest in Snowmobiling, n.d.). 67% of all riders are below 50 years old, with the average age of all snowmobile owners being 41 and having family and one kid (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, Snowmobiling Facts: Snow Facts, n.d.). Professional riders are people who may find it difficult to get to certain destination the â€Å"conventional† way and prefer (or, given the road situation, have) to use snowmobiles, or people who use them as part of their profession in the first place. Doctors, vets, hunters, ski instructors, and people in the tourism industry spring to mind. The third group, institutions, are bodies affiliated in some way to the state, such as law enforcement units (police, mountain police, rangers etc), and institutions in the corporate sector with employees/members (in the widest sense) exposed to outdoor work. The three groups will of course require different marketing approaches particularly with regard to the promotion policy. Production I am going to base my model for the export markets Sweden and Finland on Swedish statistics and will extrapolate the Finnish case, based on the rationale that many of the variables will be the same in both countries. It is difficult to make a compelling case for the UK market, if there is indeed such a thing. According to the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, there are about 2.6mn registered snowmobiles in the world: 1.69mn in the USA, 601,000 in Canada, and 318,000 in Scandinavia (Facts and Statistics about Snowmobiling, n.d.) . This pretty much adds up to (slightly above) the 2.6mn, which means that the number of snowmobiles in the rest of the world is negligible, and including the UK. My model is based on the specific demographics of Sweden. According to the information provided by the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce (2004), there are currently about 130,000 snowmobiles in Sweden (or one for every 69 inhabitants). 8,000 units are sold every year. If these were only replacement purchases, the useful life of a snowmobile would be around 15 to 16 years. Whether these ARE in fact only replacement purchases or not does not really matter (of course parts of these 8,000 units are sold to first-time owners) – the relevant bit is the ratio of new sales in terms of existing units in the market, which is 6.67%. In other words, the turnover of existing numbers is 6.67% per year. Given the similarities between Sweden and Finland not the least in connection with climate and culture, I have extrapolated the demographic parameters of Sweden into the Finnish case (i.e. one snowmobile per 69 inhabitants, 6.67% of total units sold every year). My estimate puts the total number of snowmobiles in Finland to 75,000 (based on an estimated 5.2mn inhabitants in Finland, as given by the CIA (CIA World Factbook, n.d.)), and taking into consideration the annual sales ratio of 6.67%, I have come up with annual sales of a total of 5,000 snowmobiles in Finland. The four largest producers of snowmobiles are based overseas: Artic Cat, Bombardier Recreational Products, Polaris Industries, and Yamaha Motor Corporation. All of them sell to Scandinavia, but while those that have all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in their product range sell them in the UK, I have not found a dealership that sells snowmobiles in the UK. My advice is to assume a markets size of about 10% of the Scandinavian model. For Scotland, the market size thus works out at 7,400, and annual sales could come in at around 500 (N.B. I am assuming that the market for snowmobiles in England is negligible in size). Traditionally the ratio of the market share of the three largest players has been 4:2:1 (see also Ries Trout, 2001). And it is safe to say that the top three spots have been taken by the aforementioned large producers, and a quick search on the web shows that there are a few smaller players as well. So our goal should be to achieve a market share of 5% in the three markets we are going to enter (i.e. UK/Scotland, Sweden, Finland). Hence the annual sales targets are: Sweden: 5% x 8,000 = 400 units Finland: 5% x 5,000 = 250 units Scotland: 5% x 500 = 25 units Let’s top it up by an additional 25 units in case the base case for Scotland/UK is too pessimistic, and we end up with an annual sales target of 700 units, which will also be our production target. Unfortunately no data have been provided with regard to any preferences for the 125cc or the 400cc model. I would strongly suggest to carry out some market research in this particular field, otherwise we run a large risk of producing the wrong article. However, if you say you are willing to take that risk, I would advise you to split the production two thirds to one third in favour of the 125cc units (i.e. 467 125cc’s and 233 400cc’s). This way the capital tied up in production and storage of finished products is less than in the case of a 50/50 split. Also, my guess is that the market for private (i.e. recreational) riders is probably largest, and they may be more reluctant to go for the substantially more expensive option – as opposed to professional riders and institutions, who might find it worthwhile to invest in the faster package. But again – I strongly recommend additional market research in this area. Most of the snowmobiles currently in the market are above 500cc, so both of our models will create a niche. If we position the models well, we may attract new first-time buyers (see below, â€Å"Advertising/Promotion†). As far as the colours are concerned, the same is true: We have too little data to base a decision on. In contrast to the aforementioned issue of 125cc vs. 400cc, I would suggest to build equal numbers of all colours. Pricing I understand that marginal costs of production are GBP 6,450 for the 125cc model, and GBP 8,990 for the 400cc model. I am not sure if you are aware that these costs are already above the SALES prices of all but the most expensive models made by the top four producers! The one 125cc model available in the market is for kids and is priced at GBP 1,800, although I don’t believe an adult version would change much in terms of pricing. The 500cc to 600cc models on the market are in the region of GBP 5,000 to 7,000. There are two options: First, we can try to cut costs. Given that we are new to the market, I doubt that we can achieve prices that are higher than those of our competitors – let alone prices that are 50% to 75% above those in the market! The second option, in general, to achieve a price that is beyond anything in the market is to convince the target buyers that our product is unique. As I pointed out earlier, our product is unique in that its engine size is smaller than those on the market, and we can use this to our advantage. However, I believe that we can throw all the money we want at advertising agencies, but trying to make people buy snowmobiles that are effectively inferior in terms of performance to those on the market at 50% mark-ups, that is the proverbial horse that won’t run. Even more so as we are new to the market – why should anyone trust us? So my advice is to go back to the drawing board and cut costs to an extent that we can afford a mark-up of 20% on top of marginal costs and still be in the range of other producers (i.e. around GBP 5,000 to a maximum of 6,000). There are no large price differentials among the three markets we have targeted (and certainly not among the two Scandinavian countries), so my advice applies to all of them. Distribution channel As pointed out earlier, I would advise the company to find a reliable dealership with nationwide coverage (or partners) and sign a contract of exclusivity with him. This way we could benefit from existing infrastructure, and we would not have to worry about the â€Å"final mile†. Another option would be to have the ship call at numerous ports and thus avoid an exclusive agreement. This option would come with increased levels of flexibility, but at the same time it would require more planning on our side (N.B. the same goes for the building of a central hub at the Swedish-Finnish border, which would also involve a small portion of FDI, as pointed out earlier). For a start, I would prefer to sign a one-year exclusivity agreement. This would also have to include a reliable form of on-site after-sales service for cases of warranty etc. Advertising/Promotion There are numerous magazines that deal with snowmobiling on a purely â€Å"funs-sports† or a more technically advanced level. These will have to be our no.1 medium of advertising. We should also support our exclusive dealer in his efforts to sell our products – i.e. POS advertising on his premises and at downstream dealerships he may sell to. On top of the snowmobiling magazines, we should advertise in trade magazines of the professional groups I identified as potential buyers earlier on: Hunters, vets, doctors, ski instructors. There could also be publications of regional associations, which would allow us to find our target groups more easily (as we want to address hunters in northern parts of Sweden and Finland – no point in targeting these groups in, say, Malmà ¶). I doubt that radio, let alone TV commercials are within our budgetary limits. The institutional group should be addressed by a sales person directly. We may want to stress the fact that our product is unique in that it is probably more economical and hence environmentally agreeable due to the comparatively small cubic capacity. This could be our niche, as there are hardly any snowmobiles with said specifications on the market (most units are above 500cc). Entry into new markets We should try to consolidate our experience before rolling out into other markets. The top players are already there, so it is no question of capturing any first-mover advantage. I would suggest to enter Norway next, and Russia in a subsequent wave. Norway is similar to Sweden, and it is part of the EEC, so any lessons learnt in Sweden and Finland can probably be easily implemented in Norway. Russia will be a different animal altogether and should not be tackled before we have all structures safely in place. Reference list CIA n.d., The World Factbook. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Facts and Statistics about Snowmobiling. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http://www.snowmobile.org/pr_snowfacts.asp International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Research Uncovers a Great Deal of Interest in Snowmobiling. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http://www.snowmobile.org/pr_research-06-aug.asp International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Snowmobiling Facts: Snow Facts. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http://www.snowmobile.org/facts_snfcts.asp International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association n.d., Snowmobiling Facts: Snowmobiling in Europe. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http://www.snowmobile.org/facts_europe.asp Porter, ME 1998, Competitive Advantage, Free Press, London. Ries, A and Trout, J 2001, Positioning: the Battle For Your Mind, McGraw-Hill Education, London. US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, International Market Insight: Snowmobiles, 2002. Retrieved 27 August, 2006, from http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr111748e.html

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Animal Testing Essay -- Animal Testing

Animal Testing Speaking Outline: Animal Testing Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience about the three major ways of how scientific experiments on animal is inhumane. Introduction I. Put yourself into an animal’s position. Imagine that you are being poked and probed by needles for the benefits of humans. II. Animals are being abuse more and more everyday in scientific experiments. III. I have pets and I’m against animal testing, so knowing that animals are used in research is appalling. IV. Some research and scientific experiments are impractical and immoral. Animals are being overly abuse. V. Today, I am going to discuss to you about the three major ways of how scientific experiments on animal is inhumane: there is unnecessary abuse, it is unethical, and most of the experiments are unneeded. Body I. The first major way of how scientific experiments on animals are inhumane is the unnecessary abuse. A. Animals are in an unnatural environment. 1. They are constantly being locked up, so they can’t grow normally like others in their species. B. Animals are injected with unnatural, man-made chemicals. 1. The Environmental Protection Agency plan to do a test to evaluate the effects of industrial chemicals on the human hormonal system by looking at animals reproductive system. a. Between 600,000 and 1.2 million animals will be killed for every 1,000 chemical tested. b. They estimated that between 5,000 and 87,000 chemicals would be tested. c. There’s a non-animal screening...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Principle Agent Moral Hazard

The major issue was that the commercial banks overstressed in such mortgage backed securities. Another part of the story Is that Basel I accords are credited with giving seeds to the idea of all things that could lead to recession and Basel II Is credited with magnifying Its Impact. Formed In 1988 and adopted by 1992, Basel I accords were a set of rules and regulations, to be adopted by GIG countries, that allotted different risk ratings to various types of assets held by banks. Assets, here, referred to bonds, mortgages undo etc.It took a long time for the economies to realist the problems associated with such types of system. For example, in such a framework a commercial bank was permitted to keep aside no liquid capital if it had all government bonds or gold as assets. This was so because such assets were considered safe. Further, it was required of them to keep aside small percentages of capital for every mortgage, commercial loan or bonds they Issued. With the introduction of Ba sel 2, the list was expanded to bonds backed by debts like ar or property loans and yet had to keep only a 2 percent of spare capital.Flip side to this was that the bonds ought to have AAA or AAA credit ratings from the government. Statistics tell that Just prior to the recession, 81 percent of all Mortgage backed securities held by the commercial banks had AAA credit rating. Further, 93 percent of all mortgage-backed securities held by these banks had AAA credit rating or held bonds Issued by a government-sponsored enterprise. Now this Is where the role of moral hazard comes Into play.When Basel I and abstinently Basel II accords were Introduced, the primary aim of the developed economies was to encourage consumer spending and Investments by the banks. It was not completely unforeseeable for everyone to realize that backing debt or junk manipulating credit ratings, economies tried to create a self-fulfilling system that provided for feed as well as fed upon its own. The bankers wer e in turn incentives to take risks of high magnitude, with all the depositors' money in hand, believing that there is a government always backing them.Soon the entire system gave away. This created a bigger moral hazard. How to minimize such problems? TO reduce such a problem of Principal Agent problem leading to recession, it is imperative that the regulators are on their toes. In USA, SEC did not take proper steps to ensure that the Rating agencies don't rate securities high without any strong backing to do so. Also the FIDE, the Fed, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Office of Thrift Supervision relied blindly on the ratings given by the Credit rating agencies.Therefore, all rules and regulations given under law should be implemented properly and Justly by the regulators. The government should also ensure the timely passage of relevant legal provision and bills. Also, although Basel Ill accords have been adopted and implemented by most of the countries and the deadline is 2019 for it, the present market conditions show that the Minimum Capital requirements need an overhaul as well. Hence, Basel 4 could be started to be worked upon with refined changes and the governments should follow the rules under such requirements.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Death Penalty5 essays

Death Penalty5 essays Imagine a man who commits murder, and is given a fifteen year jail sentence and is returned to the streets where he kills again. He is imprisoned again only to be released. This could happen since almost one in ten death row inmates has been convicted of murder at least once. That means that some death row inmates have had more than one opportunity to rehabilitate, yet continue to commit crimes. Should the U.S. justice system continue to let violent criminals back on the streets where they are likely to commit murder again? Capital punishment is one of the oldest forms of punishment. Most societies have thought it to be fair punishment for severe crimes. American colonists used capital punishment before the U.S. was a country, and most states still use it today. Currently, however, there has been a controversy surrounding the death penalty. Capital cases are long and expensive, and there are arguments in support and against capital punishment as a deterrent. If the laws con cerning capital punishment were modified so that it would become consistent, perhaps then it would be effective. But if that took place, would capital punishment be morally permissible? From a utilitarian standpoint, some crimes are so outrageous, such as murder, that it is by enacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life that society affirms the highest value of human life. Thus, if capital punishment is the most beneficial option to society, then the ends justify the means. One argument states that the death penalty doesn't deter crime. Dismissing capital punishment on that basis requires one to eliminate all prisons as well because they don't seem to be any more effective in the deterrence of crime. During the suspension of capital punishment from 1972-1976 research shows that "in 1960, there were 56 executions in the U.S. and 9,140 murders. By 1964, when there were 15 executions, murders had risen to 9,250. In 1969, there were no e...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on Teens Anarchy Caused By Stress

â€Å"A mental disorder is an illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person, preventing him or her from leading a happy, healthful and productive life† (Merki, p238). Many children and adolescents have mental health problems that interfere with their daily life. Some mental health problems are minor, while others are more severe. Some mental health problems last for only short periods of time, while others can last a lifetime. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in ten children and teens suffer from mental illness severe enough to cause problems in their daily life. â€Å"Mental disorders are estimated to affect 16% of U.S. children and youth. This figure reflects on difficulties severe enough to interfere with a child’s daily functioning, including problems with schoolwork, social contacts, and adjustments† (Pardes, p702). Studies show that 8 % of teens suffer from depression. In the past 40 to 50 years, adolescent depression has increased drastically. The average beginning age has dropped. While the number of childhood cases diagnosed are equal between boys and girls, twice as many teen girls are diagnosed as boys. Recurrence of depression occurs in half of depressed teens within seven years. The symptoms of child and adolescent depression are very similar to those of adult depression, but since children may not be able to describe what they’re feeling, so they might show their feelings through behavior. Youth with depression are most likely to show it through phobias, anxieties, or behavior disorders. Teens with depression can show irritability, aggressive behavior and talk of suicide. Depression is caused by heredity as well as their environment. It could be triggered by bad parenting, stressful experiences, or a negative world view. It is also associated with family history of mood disorders and other... Free Essays on Teens Anarchy Caused By Stress Free Essays on Teens Anarchy Caused By Stress â€Å"A mental disorder is an illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person, preventing him or her from leading a happy, healthful and productive life† (Merki, p238). Many children and adolescents have mental health problems that interfere with their daily life. Some mental health problems are minor, while others are more severe. Some mental health problems last for only short periods of time, while others can last a lifetime. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in ten children and teens suffer from mental illness severe enough to cause problems in their daily life. â€Å"Mental disorders are estimated to affect 16% of U.S. children and youth. This figure reflects on difficulties severe enough to interfere with a child’s daily functioning, including problems with schoolwork, social contacts, and adjustments† (Pardes, p702). Studies show that 8 % of teens suffer from depression. In the past 40 to 50 years, adolescent depression has increased drastically. The average beginning age has dropped. While the number of childhood cases diagnosed are equal between boys and girls, twice as many teen girls are diagnosed as boys. Recurrence of depression occurs in half of depressed teens within seven years. The symptoms of child and adolescent depression are very similar to those of adult depression, but since children may not be able to describe what they’re feeling, so they might show their feelings through behavior. Youth with depression are most likely to show it through phobias, anxieties, or behavior disorders. Teens with depression can show irritability, aggressive behavior and talk of suicide. Depression is caused by heredity as well as their environment. It could be triggered by bad parenting, stressful experiences, or a negative world view. It is also associated with family history of mood disorders and other...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Knowledge managment MBA Level Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Knowledge managment MBA Level - Assignment Example It is because of these problems that knowledge management (which entails generation and Embedment of knowledge into the operations of these construction organisations) has been enhanced. Regardless of the fact that generation and Embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges such as mistrust, and poor management of knowledge among others. Introduction Construction projects have become very dynamic and complicated in the recent times such that managers of these projects face great challenges in managing the current projects (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). Normally, construction companies as well as their employees perform activities as well as tasks associated with project management based on the past experience instead of following or using approaches prescribed in textbooks (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). They also prefer these carrying out project management activities based on their past work expe riences to utilizing analytical approach. Also, costs associated with retaining, recruiting and attracting employees who are talented and experienced is normally high. This fact is further complicated by fact that in the recent times construction companies have been losing some of their most talented, skilled, experienced and knowledgeable employees to other industries as well as to other competing construction companies (Bektas, Heintz, & Wamelink 2007). One of the ways of ensuring that the skills, knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are retained is by knowledge management. Knowledge is normally considered is one of the most essential factors in project management as well as managements associated with decision making processes (Anumba , Egbu & Carillo 2005). Knowledge also ensures that construction companies have competitive advantage while carrying out construction projects. Therefore, knowledge management would ensure that knowledge and experience related to managing these projects are distributed and utilized accordingly (Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi 2004). Regardless of the fact that generation and embedment of knowledge in these organizations is of great importance, their implementation is also faced with challenges and threats. This research paper, therefore, aims at identifying challenges and opportunities that confront project-based organisations. The research paper will also identify some of the challenges that face generation and embedment knowledge into the operations of these organizations in the construction industry. Challenges facing project-based organizations Before discussing the challenges that face project based organizations it is important that the meaning of expression â€Å"project-based organization† is understood. According to Sydow, Lindkvist, & DeFillippi (2004), project-based organizations are those organizations that involve themselves with temporary projects or temporary project tasks such as co nstruction activities. These organizations are the common phenomenon in construction industry, and are normally faced with a number of challenges. The challenges or dilemmas that normally face project-based organizations are discussed in the preceding paragraphs. One major challenges that faces project-based organization is dilemmas associated with their practices and the need theory. According to Syd

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Tax advantages on buying your own home in Canada Research Paper

Tax advantages on buying your own home in Canada - Research Paper Example Home ownership is a critical subject that needs to be handled with care; in the recent past, most Canadians have never had the coveted opportunity of owning a home. Nevertheless, with the tax advantages in place more Canadians are having the opportunity to own a home. Every time one requires to purchase a house such a person must consider of the tax benefits involved in such an investment. The government has made frantic efforts to ensure that citizens are empowered to own homes. Therefore, households which purchase houses usually make a great deal in savings. However, several restrictions and procedures control the tax benefits. It is therefore, critical that deliberate efforts are taken by potential homeowners to consult with several tax professionals such as accountants to help them to fully understand the benefits of owning a home. The subsequent paragraph illuminates the tax benefits of owning a home in Canada as well as Professor Tristani’s view that owning a home may no t be advantageous after all. Tax Benefits of Owning a home Deductions on mortgage interest are one tax benefit that comes with owning a house in Canada. The Government in a bid to ensure that more households own homes has partnered with several commercial financial institutions such as banks with a view of effecting deductions on mortgage interest when the applicants meet some standards set (Canada, 2006). In fact, it is very possible for individuals to be offered tax deductions for the interest payable on mortgage taken for purchase, of home or for improvement of home. It is worth noting that although there are several deductions on mortgage interest the procedures involved are quite elaborate. Therefore, expert guidance is required so that a potential homebuyer does not miss the benefits that come with it (Andersen, 2009). Access Access to mortgage is one critical achievement that the government can take credit for removal of the many restrictions that had barred several people fr om owning homes. For example, currently Canadians are not required to offer collateral on mortgagees, and this means that even people with average income who do not have assets have the opportunity of owning a home. Moreover, the many bureaucracies that characterized application to obtain a mortgage have been reduced considerably. What is more, even the rate of interest on mortgage is at all-time low at 4%. The other tax benefit of owning a home can be realized from the deductions that are pegged to home improvement and repairs. Improvement and repairs to home are crucial in the sense that they result in increasing the value of the house, make it to be used for a different purpose, or increasing its value. However, homeowner must be alive to the fact that ordinary cost incurred with maintaining the home do not qualify for deductions (Higgins, 2004). It is currently possible for people to secure loans for repairs and improvement of the value of the house. This possibility has gone a long way to ensuring that majority of Canadians lengthen the useful period of their homes. When the individual applying for the mortgage follows the right procedures and meets the requirement for reduction, the individual will be offered a deduction on interest for a mortgage taken to facilitate repairs and maintenance of the house. Deducting of points and closing of costs is yet another tax benefit that is inherent in home ownership. Every other time when one secures a mortgage, such a mortgage is charged costs referred to as lender points. The faster the one pays up the mortgage and accruing interest the more points he is awarded. This means that depending on the points one has he can qualify for deduc