Ethics in Contracts Essay

Abstract: When creating a contract, a negotiator is not only doing so to reach an agreement between two or more parties, but to create an agreement that is durable; whereby parties of the contract are legally bound and committed to its promises . â€Å"A legally binding contract is defined as an exchange of promises or an agreement between parties that the law will enforce, and there is an underlying presumption for commercial agreements that parties intend to be legally bound† [1]. When a contract does not expressly address a contingency that occurs, the morality of breach is assumed here to depend on what the contract would have said had it addressed the contingency. Morality in contracts becomes crucial to parties entering into a contract. This is where the role of ethics comes in. Introduction: The etymology of â€Å"business† relates to the state of being busy either as an individual or society as a whole, doing commercially viable and profitable work. The most common form of business all around the world is corporation. There are more than 2 partners who either wholly or has limited liability over the business. In such a scenario the need to bind by certain terms arose both within the organization by the stakeholders and outside the organization with the suppliers and wholesalers. This dire need gave rise to â€Å"contracts†. The leaders of the organization cooperate with a set of written rules bounded by every other stakeholder. HOW CONTRACT? It all started as an idea of shaking hands, the idea it expresses has had greater impact on Business ethics. Just a simple handshake denotes the idea of agreement in economic contexts. A contract is an agreement entered voluntarily by two or more parties, each of whom intends to create one or more legal obligations between or among them. The elements of a contract are offer and acceptance by competent persons having legal capacity who exchanges consideration to create mutuality of obligation, and, in some circumstances, do so in writing. A contract is always enforceable by law and has the following essentials.[2] 1.Intentions to create a contract 2.Offer and acceptance 3.Consideration 4.Capacity to enter into contract 5.Free consent of the parties 6.Lawful object of consideration Being Ethical in contracts is behaving in accordance with social conventions, religious beliefs and law where the humans are basically evolved in a moral sense and possess the ability to engage in moral behaviour. The law here is aforesaid liability in contracts where the generic importance is of getting a fair share in corporation profits. That is why it becomes extremely important to maintain ethics in contracts. The lawful object of consideration is considered very important in the contract and ethics related to contract. This is because in case of contract breach ethically or non-ethically reimbursing the value of lawful object of consideration is hereby treated as lawful. It is therefore imperative that contracts are created to be as durable as possible so parties are unable to find legal ‘loopholes’ and use their power, wealth, ignorance or cultural differences in setting contracts aside. Apart from that the ethical behaviour of the parties involved in contract adds an extra layer to the contract thereby keeping the best interest of people involved in contract. The following factors seem to affect the ethics involved in contracts. Cultural Flexibility Japanese culture for instance, the creation of a contract symbolises formation of a working relationship, and not a legally binding agreement. Some groups will regard the contract as being flexible in terms that if any problems or issues arise, the parties will reassess the obligations of the agreement and negotiate ways to preserve the relationship. Being Ethical and professional at the same time is viewed with high regard by the Japanese. However, this is not generally the ‘Western’ view on contracts. In relation to the ethical issue of cultural relativism, a business is obliged to operate in a manner acceptable to the host country, both legally and morally. The example cited here dealing with Shell portrays the fact of having contract as per the ethical behaviour of the host country. In those cases, there arises a question, is it morally wrong for a Western party to hold a Japanese party to the contract when it is known that the Japanese party would not have intended to be legally bound? Or is it unethical or immoral of the Japanese to sign such an agreement, even though they mean well when signing it, knowing the Western party intended to be legally bound by the contract but themselves see the contract as more of a flexible agreement? 1.Shell Oil : Brent Spar incident Popularly known as the Nigeria/Spar episode which taught the company to be ethical in its host country. In its action to maximize profits Shell articulated roundtables of 14 countries which brought together 159 shell executives and 145 external participants including opinion leaders and journalists. In this meet Shell articulated a contract which ensured its commitment to health, safety and environment. It set the same as the goals of the company. The step to the goal was supposedly implemented immediately by setting up safety team to manage HSE and Shell publicly announced its commitment towards human right and health safety[4]. Shell’s initiatives in the wake of Nigeria and Brent Spar signalled a fuller recognition of subtlety of ethics. With the completion of a pipeline connection to the oil terminal at Sullom Voe in Shetland, the storage facility had continued in use but was considered to be of no further value as of 1991. Brent Spar became an issue of public concern in 1995, when the British government announced its support for Shell’s application for disposal in deep Atlantic waters at North Feni Ridge (approximately 250 km from the west coast of Scotland, at a depth of around 2.5 km)[3]. This put issues of societal expectation in sharp relief. These incidents forced shell to recognize that people around the world come to place a heightened value on conservation of natural resources. Nigeria on the other hand had distinctively non European ethical expectations for companies. The evolving ethical attitudes of emerging economies, made Shell recognize that unless it changes global and regional changes in attitudes it cannot draw a line between ethical and unethical behaviour. Nigeria and Brent Spar forces shell to realize the importance of social contracts that framed business activities. Shell later on monitored the changing communal understandings as they played a growing role in company’s actions. Shell started to factor social contracts into ethical decision making process. Ethical games in business are played with different rules in different countries. In companies multinationals and corporations’ racial gender and world, questions of clash and compatibility between family and work are now assumed to be proper province of corporate management. Shell with its troubles it faced in early 90s due to Brent spar incident stands as a perfect example to approaching ethical issues in business. The differences in cultural expectations can predictably lead to the more economically powerful party attempting to negotiate that all breaches will be dealt with ultimately by courts from their own culture, applying their own cultural and legal rules. This then highlights the issue of different legal rules existing in different countries which enable contracts to be set aside. The list of exceptions to finality of contracts varies from one jurisdiction to another, and this is often placed under the label ‘frustration of contracts’. Some jurisdictions, notably Australia, Israel and India, imply a term of good faith into contracts. A final way in which terms may be implied due to fact is through a previous course of dealing or common. The Uniform Commercial Code of the United States also imposes an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in performance and enforcement of contracts covered by the Code, which cannot be derogated from. [5] Lack of Informed Consent Some acts cannot legally take place because of a lack of informed consent. Another person is generally authorised to give consent if an individual is unable to. These cases sometimes result in a party refusing to comply with the terms of the contract. This usually is exploited by many unethical behaviour. 2.This was the case in Gerbert and Gerbert (1990) FLC 92-137 [1], where a husband settled for 10% of assets against his probable entitlement to 40%, and it was held that there was no miscarriage of justice as the husband acted feely and was advised to seek legal advice. In cases where an individual is provided limited facts, serious ethical issues may arise. It is unethical to hold someone to a contract when they clearly had no awareness of exactly what they were signing and committing themselves to, due to ignorance. It is unethical for a lawyer to encourage the signing of a document if they are clearly not fully understanding of the document. Wealth If the chance of success and money is opportune to a wealthy person, their capacity and willingness can give rise to alleging various legal justifications for breach. A few years of legal expenses may only be a small proportion of their empire, and the resulting attrition and disparate investment in the conflict may eventually encourage other parties to renegotiate the disputed In terms of moral relativism, most people would agree that it is ethically wrong to use wealth to control a situation and to ‘force’ people into renegotiating clauses in contracts if they are unable to afford the legal bill accompanying a dispute. In situations such as these, the ‘little man’ usually loses out and will ultimately succumb to the power of the other party or parties. 3.Gujarat Housing Board vs Vipul Corporation on 21 June, 2004 [6] Housing Board was awarded a contract to Vipul Corporation for Water Proofing work of 360 Middle Income Group Houses at Valsad on 22.11.1994, being highest bidder, on accepting the tender. It appears that at the last moment, when work was about to be started, the work was obstructed. Housing Board was sincerely trying to create an atmosphere which may enable the contractor to perform the contract. It appears that the Housing Board also took the defence of frustration of the contract as per sec. 56 of the Contracts Act. Vipul Corporation lost the case but it hardly did anything to their business that they were able to pay the indemnification amount in the contract and started bidding for other contracts as if nothing had happened with their wealth. This was because of the large amount of accumulated wealth. Undue Influence Undue influence is an equitable doctrine that involves one person taking advantage of a position of power over another. The law presumes that in certain classes of relationship there will be a special risk of one party unduly influencing their conduct and motives for contracting. The general rule is whether there was a relationship of such trust and confidence that it should give rise to such a presumption 4.An example of such a case is Odorizzi v. Bloomfield School District CA Ct of App 54 Ca Rpt 533 [1964]. The plaintiff was under contract as a teacher. He was arrested, and the next day he allegedly was pressured by his superiors to sign and deliver his resignation. He was cleared of the criminal charges, and then he sought to be reinstated by the school district. They refused, so he sued to rescind his resignation. He claimed that his resignation should not be enforced because, among other things, he signed it under the â€Å"undue influence† of his superiors. When a party has placed their confidence and trust in another and this relationship is broken, the view of moral relativism will generally see this situation as being wrong. Here we see that the implications of Ethics in contracts being ignored. Ensuring Ethics of Contracts †¢A longstanding relationship –a contract with them raise incentives to perform †¢Avoiding making contracts with cultural groups that view contracts as the ‘beginning of a relationship’, rather than a legally binding agreement [1] †¢Clarifying whether ‘yes’ means ‘maybe’ or ‘no’ and whether signed and detailed contracts are considered to be binding, morally, legally and/or in reputation, †¢How any future misunderstandings and problems will be addressed to be discussed at the time of the contract †¢Only going into contract with parties that are stable and reliable †¢Attempting to reduce buyer’s remorse by †¢Making congratulatory speeches about the agreement’s benefits †¢Never agreeing quickly to any clauses †¢Adding post-agreement gifts and bonuses †¢Publicize the deal by mutual agreement. A wider audience will then place expectations on all parties to perform, or risk losing face and credibility in future arrangements. Most people have a strong desire to act consistently with their own clear commitment Signing a contract We focus so much on deal substance and style that we often lose sight of the problems that can arise at the most critical time of all—when pen is hitting paper. If a lawyer mishandles contract execution, it can lead to a malpractice claim, professional discipline and a very angry client (or, more likely, former client) A DEAL ISN’T â€Å"DONE† UNTIL YOU SEE A FULLY SIGNED AGREEMENT (or, better yet, cash in the bank) 5.As a great example of this, see International Telemeter v. Teleprompter, 592 F.2d 49 (2d Cir. 1979). Kirsch’s client told Kirsch that it had signed a settlement agreement, but Kirsch didn’t get the signed copy into his possession. Kirsch then relayed the alleged good news to the other side. However, Kirsch’s client had a management change before delivering the signed copy, and the new management balked at the settlement. This left Kirsch in the middle—he had told the other side that the agreement was done (and had authority to do so), but his client had reversed course and was saying the deal was never signed. Not only did Kirsch’s eagerness cost Kirsch a client (he resigned), but he has very few defences if his former client sues him for malpractice based on being committed to a deal they didn’t want. This issue also comes up with press releases—no public announcements of a completed deal until you see the fully signed contract. 6.ONGC vs Streamline Shipping Co. Pvt. Ltd. on 22 March, 2002 [7] On 19-2-1999 the appellant floated a tender for manning, running, operating, repairing and maintenance on hire of three vessels under Group IX i.e. Samudrika 2, Samudrika 7 and Sindhu 9. The respondent was one of the tenderers. On 30-12-1999 a contract was signed between the appellant and respondent for vessel Samudrika 2 for the primary term of 2 and half years from 9-12-1999. Clause 1.10.1 of the agreement provided. In the case above a contract was floated between ONGC and Streamline shipping co. for maintenance of three vessels. The vessels were damaged pretty badly in an exploration expedition and ONGC sought their help as per contract. But the streamline shipping company due to the high cost that may be incurred, viewing their personal interests acted unethically in contract and avoided to repair. In the 1990s, this issue reached a zenith as lawyers scrambled to obtain equity in clients, either as part of undertaking the representation or as directed shares when clients were lining up for an IPO. Seeking big payoffs, some lawyers took pretty aggressive interpretations of the rules to engage in these transactions, but it would be a mistake to relegate this behaviour to the dot-com boom. Instead, doing business with clients occurs in all aspects of the legal profession, and it poses significant risks in every format. Parties’ concern of breach Still another reason why it may be rational for parties not to take pains to include many contingent provisions in a contract concern the general possibility of renegotiation of their contract. The reason why we would expect only limited use of contingent provisions is that our legal regime, under which parties usually are able to commit breach and pay damages, serves as an implicit substitute for contingent provisions. Under this regime, a party will be motivated to perform if the cost of so doing is not high, in order to avoid paying damages; whereas he will be led to commit breach if the cost of performing is high, because paying damages will be less expensive than performing. This behaviour – performing when the cost is below a threshold and not performing when the cost would exceed a threshold – is in at least qualitative alignment is considered unethical. Still another reason why it may be rational for parties not to take pains to include many contingent provision s in a contract concerns the general possibility of renegotiation of their contract. The parties can anticipate that if they do not provide for a troublesome contingency and it occurs, they will often be able to renegotiate and resolve their problem. If, for instance, the seller finds that it would be unexpectedly costly to perform when the contract requires that, he might be able to obtain a release from his obligation by paying the buyer some bargained-for sum. Of course, the outcome of such renegotiation may be uncertain and it may introduce an added risk into a contract. The question of the morality of breach is when contracts are incomplete. To ascertain whether a breach in a contingency that was not explicitly provided for is moral or immoral under our definition, one needs to determine whether performance would or would not have been required had the contingency been expressly addressed, and whether the parties to the incomplete contract know this. The morality of breach of incomplete contracts occurs when damages equal the expectation measure. When sellers have to pay damages for breach, they will be motivated to obey the contract if the cost of performance is less than the damages they would have to pay for a breach. If, though, the cost of performance exceeds the damages they would owe for a breach, they will have a financial reason to commit breach. Hence, they will tend to commit breach if and only if the cost of performance exceeds the measure of damages. Ethics comes in this aspect when the sellers has the cost of performance exceeds the damages they have to pay. The ethical aspect is whether to perform the contract or not. Since the penalty is very less compared to the cost of performing the work, the contractor tends to do violate the contract and pay the penalty. This should be avoided by corporations to create a good reputation within its peers. In order to avoid this circumstance, the contracting parties now-a-days agree to have the compensation amount to be greater than the cost of doing the actual work. The case regarding the state of Kerala precisely portrays this part of the ethics in contracts. 7.State Of Kerala vs United Shippers And Dredgers Ltd. on 15 July, 1982 The Government of Kerala through Superintending Engineer, Irrigation Central Circle, Trichur, entered into a contract with the respondent on 19-9-1975 to do the work of improvements to Champakkara Canal-Dredging works and allied works. The work was agreed to be completed on or before 15-7-1976. The agreement also required the contractor to maintain progress in work as prescribed in the schedule in Clause 3 of the agreement. There was also a provision in the contract to enable penalty to be levied in case of failure on the part of the contractor to maintain stipulated progress. The contractor did not maintain stipulated progress and extensions of time were granted on contractor’s requests as per supplemental agreements. Or account of the delay in maintaining agreed progress in the work; penalties were levied against the contractor at the rates prescribed. After the completion of the work end the drawing of the final bill, disputes arose between the contracting parties and as provided in the agreement. From withheld amount a sum of Rupees 7,35,000/- (Rupees seven lakhs and thirty five thousand only) shall be refunded to claimant by the respondents.†. The United shippers Ltd. performed the breach on account of the cost of compensation being higher than the cost of performing contract. The ethical aspect of this made contracts thereafter to rewrite them in lieu of having the cost of compensation and the cost of lost profit to be included in the terms of contract. Had the parties been ethical, it wouldn’t have required the contracts to reinvent their terms for this sake. For example, if the measure of damages is $125 instead of the expectation of $200, breach will occur whenever the cost of performance exceeds $125. Consequently, if breach occurs when the cost is between $125 and $200, for instance when it is $150, the complete contract would have insisted on performance. Such breach would be immoral and unethical, if the seller realizes that the true expectation is $200. Given the conclusions reached in the prior section, what can be said about whether the breach that we see in practice is moral or immoral? If damages tend to be fully compensatory, we could say that breach tends to be moral, as breach should occur if and only if contracting parties would have allowed non performance had they addressed in their contracts the contingencies that engendered breach. But if damages are not really compensatory, breach might be immoral. Situations portraying Ethics Damages tend not to reflect the often considerable delays that victims of breach suffer. The legal costs are not compensated. In view of the foregoing, the practical reality seems to be that breach could be immoral or moral, that we have to inspect the reasons for breach and the knowledge of the party committing breach to know which the case is. To gain an understanding of these issues, a small-scale survey was conducted [8]. The number of respondents were 41. The survey consisted of four questions, each of which asked about the morality of breach and could be answered as follows: (1) definitely unethical; (2) somewhat unethical; (3) neither ethical nor unethical; (4) somewhat ethical; (5) definitely ethical. Assigning a score of 1 to definitely unethical, a score of 2 to somewhat unethical, and so forth. Hence, the lower score, the less ethical a respondent felt breach would be. The first question was designed to ascertain whether respondents believe that breach in general is unethi cal. It was as follows: 8. [8]â€Å"Suppose that a Renovator has made a contract with a construction company to do a Home decor. The Renovator then discovers that the job would cost him a lot more than he had anticipated because the price of decor equipment has risen sharply – so the Renovator would lose money on the job. Is it unethical for the Renovater to break his contract with the company?† Note that the question does not mention whether damages would be paid. The average answer score was 2.41, meaning about midway between somewhat unethical and neither ethical nor unethical. Also, 38 of the 41 respondents found breach unethical or ethically neutral; only 3 of respondents answered that the breach would be somewhat ethical (none as definitely ethical). 9.[8]â€Å"Suppose that a Renovator has made a contract with a construction company and finds that his costs have risen sharply due to an increase in the price of decoration equipment. Suppose too that the Renovator and the company did not discuss this unlikely possibility when they made their contract. However, the Renovator knows what they would have agreed to if they had discussed this possible large cost increase in advance: They would have agreed that the contract would be cancelled if there was a large cost increase – the Renovator would be excused from the contract. Under these assumptions, is it unethical for the Renovator to break his contract?†The average answer score was 3.0, meaning ethically neutral. Also, 17 of the respondents found breach more ethical in this question than they had in the first question; none of the respondents found breach less ethical than in the first question. 10.[8] â€Å"Suppose that a kitchen Renovator has made a contract with a construction company and finds that his costs have risen sharply due to an increase in the price of decoration equipment. Suppose too that the Renovator and the comapany did not discuss this unlikely possibility when they made their contract. However, the Renovator knows what they would have agreed to if they had discussed this possible large cost increase in advance: They would have agreed that the contract would remain in force despite a large price increase – the Renovator would still have to do the job.† The average answer score for this question was 1.56, which is to say, midway between definitely unethical and somewhat ethical. All but three of the respondents found breach to be somewhat or definitely unethical, and the other three considered it ethically neutral. Further, 31 of the respondents found breach to be less ethical than in the prior question where the hypothesis was that performance would not have been agreed to. 11.[8]â€Å"Suppose that a kitchen Renovator has made a contract with a construction comapny and finds that his costs have risen sharply due to an increase in the price of decoration equipment. If the kitchen Renovator breaks his contract with the company, suppose that (as contract law says is required) he compensates the construction company for his losses – for delay, inconvenience, having to hire another renovator, and so forth. Is it unethical for the Renovator to breach his contract?†The average answer score for this question was 3.56, which is about midway between ethically neutral and somewhat ethical. In summary, the individuals participating in the survey found the simple, unqualified fact of breach to be unethical on average (2.41 was the average for question 1). In other words, the felt reaction to the fact of breach is that it is an unethical act. However, when individuals were prompted by being told what contracting parties would have agreed to had they discussed the particular contingency that arose, individuals tended to change their evaluation of the morality of breach, finding it better or worse in the expected way. When informed that if the problematic contingency had been discussed, the contracting parties would have said no duty to perform, individuals found breach ethically neutral (3.0 was the average for question 2). When apprised that if the problematic contingency had been discussed, the contracting parties would have said there was still a duty to perform, individuals found breach to be quite unethical (1.56 was the average score for question 3). And when told that breach would be accompanied by full damages payments, individuals again changed their opinion of breach, finding it to be somewhat ethical (3.56 was the average score for question 4). An important normative aspect of many commentators’ writing on breach is their moral advice. Their writing often suggests that individuals and corporations ought to feel a general ethical duty to obey contracts, that is, a desire to obey contracts above and beyond that due only to having to pay damages for breach. If we could shape individuals’ moral feelings, we would want corporations to put a thumb on the scale in favour of contract performance. According to a perfectly calibrated and flexible moral system, the moral sentiments would come into play if and only if they are needed to correct the too-great incentive of a â€Å"bad man† to commit breach, when the personal benefit from breach would exceed damages but not the true value of the expectancy. This ideal moral system is consistent with the spirit of traditional advice, and is inconsistent with the spirit of efficient breach theory, in that morality has a useful role to play. The actual moral system, however, is not as flexible as the ideal one. The moral impulses probably cannot be freely tailored to turn on for this kind of contract breach and to turn off or that one. The implications for moral advice about breach become complicated, for when giving moral advice, we have to consider the degree to which the advice will be understood as special to the circumstances of the breach, or as having a more general effect, and thus entailing the implicit disadvantages just mentioned. A striking instance of such thinking is that underlying the approach of the German Civil Code to contract performance, according to which the general remedy for breach is supposed to be specific performance. Had it been that contracts are to an important extent incomplete promises and thus on reflection that the morality of promise-keeping does not imply that performance should always occur. Damages are inadequate because it is time-consuming and expensive for the legal system to resolve what would often be contentious proceedings about subjective elements of loss from breach. It may be that our legal system works better avoiding the costs of ascertaining these problematic elements of loss, relying on moral forces, such as they are, to fill the gap in inducing appropriate performance. Conclusion The implications article for the general normative thrust of the writing of traditional commentators concerned with the morality of breach and also of the efficient breach theorists. Assuming that the social objective is to promote an corporate measure of social welfare, one based on individuals’ utilities. In particular, our moral feelings which have been portrayed as Ethics throughout will have a direct effect on social welfare because they are themselves components of corporate utilities and they will also exert an indirect influence on social welfare because they provide incentives toward socially desirable behaviour. In any event, the belief that there is a clear and overarching moral reason to alter contract law to enhance the keeping of contracts appears to me to be the product of an over simple view of the moral sentiments and of a related failure to take into account the importance of the incompleteness of contracts. List of references 1.http://www.bond.edu.au/law 2.Course material on Indian Legal System-IIMC 3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Spar 4.Ties that Bind- Donaldson and Thomas 5.http://contracts.uslegal.com/elements-of-a-contract/ 6.http://www.indiankanoon.org/docfragment/927021/?formInput=gujarat%20housing%20board%20vs%20vipul%20corporation 7.http://www.indiankanoon.org/docfragment/1617242/?formInput=ongc%20vs%20streamline%20shipping 8.A Social Contracts Approach to Business Ethics By Thomas

Dalit Discourse in Indian Education Dhanaraju Vulli Essay

Abstract There are two types of school system India in the issue of medium of instruction i.e the regional language system and the English language system. There is a clear cut division between the uppers castes elite children and Dalit children in getting of English medium education in Indian society. The Dalits children are given education in regional language schools while English language school education is meant for the upper castes children. This division has always been reflecting between government and private English medium schools. In the name of mother tongue the state and the upper caste elite always compel the regional medium of instruction in the policy making. This was one of the current problems in Indian Educational system. This paper can be divided into four parts. The first part will highlight the language policy after Indian Independence. The second part discusses the concept of mother tongue and its importance in the contextualizing of educational discourse in India. In the third part I would highlight the current debate on language policy and its importance in the Indian educational system. This is very important in the understanding of politics of medium of language in the present educational discourse. The last part deals with the response of the Dalits towards the English education and how they attack the upper caste nature towards regional medium education. In an attempt to locate the importance of educational policy in the wider socio-historical and political context, I will address an  ideological deconstruction of politics of mother tongue in the present Indian educational system. Keywords: English education, language, mother tongue, globalization. Introduction The question as to which language should be used as a medium of instruction in country like India is a debatable subject. The question is often posed in binary terms: Should the medium of instruction be a regional language or English? Language is a vehicle for learning as well as expression of ideas. An advanced language (English) helps in mentally provide people to  communicate each other across the world. On the other hand, an underdeveloped language has its limitations. It keeps people underdeveloped, more so those in deprived sections. The school system is divided into two types in the context of medium of instruction i.e the regional language system and the English language system. There is a clear cut division between the  uppers castes elite children and Dalit children in getting of English medium education in Indian society. The dalits  cholderns are given education in regional language schools while English language school education is meant for the upper castes childr en. This division has always been reflecting between  government and private English medium schools. In the name of mother tongue the state and the upper caste elite always compel the regional medium of instruction in the policy making. This was one of the current problems in Indian Educational system. India. In the third part I will highlight the current debate on language policy and its importance in the Indian educational system. This is very important in the understanding of politics of medium of language in the present educational discourse. The last part discusses the response of the Dalits towards the English education and how they attack the upper caste nature towards role of mother tongue in the Indian education .In an attempt to locate the importance of educational policy in the wider sociohistorical  and political context, I will address an ideological deconstruction of politics of mother tongue in the present Indian educational system. Historical View of the Language Policy in Indian Education The historical view of the evolution of the language policy in India let know us how the importance of English and its role in Indian Education. India is multilingual country. It has been reflecting in the formulation of the language policy. The Indian constitution has provided that the primary education must be taught through the mother tongue or regional language. However, a status survey of language instruction in the country exposed that of the 1652 mother tongues listed by the 1961  Census, there are 51 languages which are spoken by more than The present paper can be divided into four parts. The first part 100,000 people each. Of these 51 languages, 16 have no script of will highlight the language policy after Indian Independence. their own, and only the remaining 35 languages are accepted as The second part discusses the concept of mother tongue and its media of instruction at the school level1. English is a common importance in the contextualizing of educational discourse in  language and it is an obligatory language in the higher education The National Council of Educational Documented the demand and importance of English language in  the position paper in connection with the National Curriculum The Indian  government has been following three-language Framework (2005) as they stated: â€Å"English in India today is a formula in Education as the National Commission on Education symbol of people’s aspirations for quality in education and fuller 1964-1966 recommended. Subsequently three-language formula participation in national and international life†¦ The level of in Education was reflected in the National Education Policies of introduction of English has now become a matter of political 1968 and 1986. The Commission said that the three-language response to people’s aspirations, rendering almost irrelevant an system is an appropriate formula for the Indian school education academic debate on the merits of a very early introduction†. and it can be good approach to accommodate different language The Commission also mentioned that â€Å"English will continue to people but it has been criticized by the different sections in the enjoy a high status so long as it remains the principal medium of society on the implementation. The Dravidain movement in education at the university stage, and the language of Tamilnadau is the preeminent instance as they vehemently administration at the Central Government and in many of the states. Even after the regional languages become media of  opposed the imposition of Hindi language on south India. Higher education in the universities, a working knowledge of There is no proper planning for formulating language policy in English will be a valuable asset for all students and a India. It can be seen as a question of status planning rather than reasonable proficiency in the language will be necessary for achievement planning. Finally, the three- language formula has those who proceed to the university†. been emerged as a policy after elaborate debates and discussions among political and academic peoples with interest of national However, there is controversial about the English as a medium of instruction in Indian educational system. The contradiction of multilingual languages. The National Focus Group on Teaching of English has taken a  strong position in connection with ‘English language question’: The Central Advisory Board on Education also discussed on the â€Å"English is in India today a symbol of people’s aspiration for issue of English language and recommended that English must quality in education and a fuller participation in national and be compulsory subject in the schools from 6th class onwards and international life. Its colonial origins now forgotten or students must acquire enough knowledge of English so as to be irrelevant, its initial role in independence India, tailored to high able to receive education through this English in the higher education now felt to be insufficiently inclusive socially and education. There is another development took place in the linguistically, the current state of English stems from its development of language policy in India. The first National overwhelming presence on the world stage and the reflection of Education Commission had studied the recommendations given this in the national arena†4. by the Central Advisory Board on Education. Finally they came up with conclusion that three-language formula must be included There is an astonishing faith among all sections of the society in in the context of  multilingual Indian educational system. I argue both rural and urban areas that English has the transformative that once upon a time the English language was important part of power language. English is seen not just as a skill language, but a mechanism of exclusion language due to upper caste as a means of a better life, a pathway out of exclusion and nationalists’ creation as they differentiated native language and suppression from the unequal society. The English language has alien language but now it can be seen as a tool of inclusion. In emerged as a powerful agent for social change in India. the post modern India the English language is important factor to include all the sections of Indian society. The main reason is an Mother Tongue as the Medium of Instruction increasing demand for the language which is an important tool There is a popular perspective that advocates the use of mother for the progress and development of the country. Encourage linguistic diversity in schools. This perspective argue that mother tongues are not merely speech varieties but are  languages that provide social and emotional identity to  individuals, express the essence of their cultures, and give them a sense of rootedness. Schooling in the language of the child reflects respect for her and an appreciation of her culture. The exclusion of the mother tongues from school hence is seen as ‘harmful to the child’s self esteem’. According to Pattanaik5 children are thereby â€Å"reduced to  minorities in their own homes†. Extending the realm of  pedagogy, the argument links the acknowledgement and  acceptance by the school of the language and culture of the child to a positive identity of self and thereby to effective educational achievement. As Edward says, â€Å"the rejection of a child’s language is unlikely to enhance feelings of self worth which are important for educational success†6. Further, this perspective argues that â€Å"the right to education in a language that the child understands is a basic human right and an essential ingredient of equality in education†. Pattanaik forcefully observes that to â€Å"control and dictate the language of access† to knowledge is a â€Å"positive suppression of human talent. It deprives individual and society of free choices, curbs creativity and innovativeness and restricts participation or potential participation in mul tiple spheres of human interaction, thus imposing limits on freedom†. Current Debate on Medium of Instruction Current language politics in India is an exemplary case of the issues and controversies surrounding linguistic globalization. A primary characteristic of linguistic globalization is the increasing spread and domination of the English language, which we can  capture by the term ‘global English’8. As a post-colonial democracy, India provides a context for examining linguistic globalization that is generalizable to other cases. Furthermore, in juxtaposition to the homogenizing tendency of global English, India embraces multilingualism; its federal system is based on its linguistic diversity. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, a modern  socialist at heart and one of the premier leaders at the 1955 Bandung conference, was utterly convinced of this linkage  between the English language and technology and modernity9.  Yet he also â€Å"discovered India† through its rich and enduring diversity. He valued the adivasi, or tribal, cultures of India as much as, if not more  than, for example, the Bengali bhadralok, an early middle-class intelligentsia that emerged under colonial The Chennai Declaration (2012) has emphasized the importance rule. of mother tongue in the multi-lingual country like India as â€Å"One 10 of the significant commonalties of the Common School System As well documented by Robert King (1998), Nehru, as well as will be the plurality of mother tongues in dynamic interface with many others feared that the major regional languages of multilingualism of child’s neighborhood. This would duly independent India, such as local languages, could be divisive by include Braille and other sign languages as well. According to fomenting narrow identities, leading to â€Å"fissiparous tendencies† this radical and dynamic conception of language education, that could tear India apart. The narrative of English as the mother tongue with a multi-lingual interface is acknowledged as language of modernity and regional languages such as regional the most potent medium of education to enable the child to i. as pre-modern, parochial and even reactionary was well given the nostalgia for  think, analyze and act; ii. acquire, internalize and transform established in Nehruvian India. Today, modern language knowledge critically; iii. Learn other the caliber of Nehru’s leadership , such Nehruvian narratives languages, including English, proficiently; iv.catalyze cultural still resonate. Indeed, many of India’s political and economic and literary renaissance; v. Negotiate with the dominant process leaders today espouse the Nehruvian language ideology. of alienation with advantage, thereby avoiding being pushed-out; and vi. Question and resist oppression and explore the path of Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys Company has put it; in India today English is a symbol of an economy comes of  age12. It is the language of international business, science and This approach believes in quality education. The quality research. In contrast, Nilekani depicts supporters of Kannada in education begins with mother tongue. Mother tongue is very the English-versus-Kannada controversy as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"chauvinistic† and important that gives high levels of ability in learning many ideologically and politically motivated. As part of Nilekani’s languages in India. Indian constitution also acknowledged the accusation of the ideological nature of pro-Kannada forces is the importance of mother tongue language as the National Curricular claim that they are denying access to English to those who have Framework, 2005 and the Right of Children to free and historically been the have-nots in Indian society, in particular the Compulsory Education Act, 2009 provided the mother tongue as lower-castes and the lowest-of-the low, the Dalits or tool for development critical thinking. However, for most Untouchables. children, particularly for the tribal and minority language children, there is no provision for education in the mother This language ideology of English as a skill, a ‘key’ or tongue. Education of such children imposes an unfamiliar school ‘passport’ critical for â€Å"upward mobility† fits in with a larger language on them, which often leads to large scale dropouts. narrative on globalization. This globalization narrative depicts Mother tongue based multilingual education for at least 6 to 8 globalization as inevitable, a force on its own with no one or no  entity directing or controlling it. Globalization, in this narrative, regional language schools cannot therefore think of achieving is an autonomous, â€Å"invisible hand† process. The linguistic anything in the globalised economy†. dimension of this process is one where English is seen as neutral Accordingly, â€Å"the divide between the English medium schools and inevitably spreading globally. The regional language schools is a caste-class divide†, which In this context, one of the most prominent public intellectuals in can be overcome by the marginalized â€Å"hijacking† the tool of India today, Ramachandra Guha differs with Nandan Nilekani exclusion, English17. As the leaders of a Dalit Association in and claim that support for Kannada is not chauvinistic, except Hyderabad Central University, put it: â€Å"The middle class and the when the private sector is obligated, or forced, to use it. It is rich can afford to send their children to private schools. For the legitimate and indeed preferable for the government to endorse poor and Dalit, the only option is government schools. Then why and approve of changing the official name of Bangalore to the these people were denied an opportunity to learn English†18. For more Kannadiga â€Å"Bengaluru,† according to Guha; it is not these Dalit leaders, those opposing English in state schools are legitimat e for regional language enthusiasts to economically â€Å"regressive and biased† English, and the pro-English linguistic disenfranchise migrants from other parts of India, as for example globalization narrative, are seen as empowering the powerless pro-Marathi fanatics in Bombay have attempted A similar, and a necessary tool for upward mobility. â€Å"soft† liberalism reasoning seems to have been the basis for the Karnatak High Court decision in the summer of 2008 against the In the central schools the medium of instruction is where the state government mandating Kannada as the medium of upper castes and other central government employee children get instruction in private schools13. The court’s decision repeatedly the education. Even though the children of a few reserved referred to the freedom of parents to make choices for their category employees’ children benefit from these schools, the children, i.e., the freedom of the individual and, by extension, divide between the English medium schools and the regional the market based on individua l choices. Language schools is a caste or class divide based on social and economic category. The divide itself was created by upper caste More recently, Kannada activists have been seeking classical intellectuals for their own vested interest. Since the days of language status for Kannada-a further central governmental Indian national movement the upper caste intelligentsia argued categorization. This is the political space opened up for investing  that the colonial rule particularly Lord Thomas Macaulay had Kannada speakers with the â€Å"moral content of a community.† In introduced English education that convert local people into other words, to act politically, i.e., to make political claims, clerks to serve in colonial government. The real character of the regional language activists need to build community, and invest English education was emphasized by Lord Machulay often that community with moral content. There is indeed Kannada quoted ‘flourish India in blood and the colour but European in chauvinists who preach an exclusive Kannadiga identity14, task and manner’, the educational enterprise of the Government giving a â€Å"divisive and dangerous†15 or â€Å"particularist at all levels of education remained within the confines of protectionist† content to their politics. But we need not condemn colonial needs and did not break the limits of colonial interest. all pro-local language politics as such. Language politics in India With this concept, colonial education elevated western is contested because of the moral content with which many local knowledge and culture that represented the colonizer. For language activists have been able to imbue the community, i.e., instance, Grants, the East India Company officer stated that ‘for with a political transformation that is empowering and moral. the continuation of British rule it was necessary to create a cla ss of Indians’ that people brought about only from the western knowledge. This perhaps, was a natural consequence of the ideas Dalit Discourse on Medium of Instruction References 17. Aggarwal Kailash S., ‘English, Laloo: a Bihari Story’, The Independent, (Bombay), 23rd September, (1993) Chaturvedi M.G and Mahel B.V., Position of Languages in School Curriculum in India, NCERT, New Delhi, (1976) 18. Interview with Mr. Gummadi Prabhakar and Dara Suman leaders of Ambedkar Students’ Association, Hyderabad Agarwal S.P. (ed )., Commissions and Committees in India, Central University, Hyderabad, Dated: 12th May, (2013) Vol. 5, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, (1993) Government of India., Report of the National Knowledge 19. Terry Eagleton, Ideology,( Longman, New York), 13,(1996) Commission, New Delhi, (2007) NCERT National Council of Educational Research and 20. Dalit Freedom Network http://www.nd Dalit network. org/go?/dfn/about/C33/, Accessed on 22 May, (2013) Training, National Focus Group Position Paper on Teaching of English, NCERT, New Delhi, 1, (2006) International Science Congress Association

Post-processual archaeology (burial) Term Paper

Post-processual archaeology (burial) - Term Paper Example To find objective information or to conduct research from an objective perspective when it comes to skeleton, it would only be achieved if there were absolutely no information of the skeletons or cadavers excavated. In addition, objectivity is not achieved following the presence or absence of a number of aspects that directly relate to demographics as archeologists first seek information prior to taking action in excavation. This way, they acquire historical facts and demographic information as can be seen in the case of the Nile Valley, where excavation is based on historical information (Larsen 120). This way, the race and typing of demographics, as well as classification of skeletons found denies archeology a chance to be objective. This is due to the bias of already having particulate information on skeletons making sure that the morphological differences are identified and used prior to making new findings, which is hardly ever the case. This is especially in making new findings considering that there is already existent information regarding these skeletons based on their morphology and composition, which include factors of race and other classifications. Objectivity is further influenced by the methods used in examination of skeletons, where the margin of error means a lot in collection of information, which is similar to the earlier mentioned case. As such, there are definite methods used in collection of data such as examination of bones, where based on initial findings, personal bias in a scientist can lead to the entire turning subjective. Evidence of this can be seen in the collection of data regarding osteoarthritis, which has been found in almost every place in the world, where the prevalence is deemed to be influenced by local circumstances. Historical data referring to the prevalence of osteoarthritis points to men being more affected than women, which is a potentially subjective perspective due to lack of information from all areas, despite the mention of it being â€Å"nearly universal† (Wright and Yoder 46). Another factor to put into consideration is the influence of culture and scientific research, as well as science on culture, where the two seem to create a challenge for bio archeology. This is then related to the concept of objectivity looking into how those relate to one another, especially considering that culture and history are central to research interests of bio archeologists. With this in mind, cultural perspectives serve as a central motivator towards the scientific methods and processes used in the formulation of hypotheses relating to archeological finds. As such, research being a scientific process, relies heavily on cultural; and social experiences in the formulation of hypotheses and researchers also look into their own knowledge prior to having archeological research done. This is enough ground to show that culture bears a bearing in scientific findings pertaining bio archeology, especially wit h the use of history and economic activities as has been seen with inclusion of agriculture in research to identify the circumstances surrounding archeological finds (Fleming 188). With this in min

College course appeal letter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

College course appeal letter - Assignment Example Time wastage is another reason why I feel that this course should be transferred. At the current state, I will be required to dedicate a lot of time attending classes, doing assignments and other projects required under Course 123 that I did under Course ABC. I therefore believe that redoing this course will be a duplication of efforts and I could spend the time on other course units and related activities such as academic research. In addition, the university ought to acknowledge a credential course certificate from another university and further approve the transfer of such a course for any student. Lastly, the university should allow for the transfer of this course because I not only completed it but also passed and having to repeat it will be a demoralizing experience for me. I hope you will give me the chance to have the course transferred. Thank you for considering this

The Impact of Tourism on Indigenous Communities Essay

The Impact of Tourism on Indigenous Communities - Essay Example However in the mass tourism trade, large hotels are built, theme parks are developed, etc, all of which can impact the people who usually live in the areas, this can increase or decrease employment, and they can affect the development of the land. For example, as according to the Austrian Preparatory Conference for the International Year of Ecotourism (APCIYE), 2001, the development of national parks, such as the Lake Rara National Park in Nepal. This resulted in the replacement of four hundred villagers, the Chhetri people, from their native land. This movement was fueled by tourism and the people who are the land’s natural inhabitants did not have right to say no. However, in Ecuador, the Tambopata reserve integrates the people who inhabit the forests and the forest area itself for outsiders to observe. The main problems of this type of commercial tourism, by creating the national park, this creates new incentives for individuals to move into the areas, cut down more of the land, or claim status to live. Furthermore, creating a park creates a dilemma of what should and should not be included as concluded by APCIYE, 2001. The impact of tourism on indigenous communities can often be destructive because tribal and minority groups in developing countries are often targeted as objects to be looked at instead of people (Neale 1999). For example, according to WTO, 2005, for the people in Masai in Kenya, who live near safari parks, the natives themselves have not benefited from the tourists themselves. The Masai were presented as part of the â€Å"safari’ package and tourists were invited to observe their lifestyle, which many anthropologists refer to as â€Å"staged authenticity,† where people expect to see the exotic, remote, and new, given they have travelled a long distance (Forsyth 2002). Though it doesn’t necessarily mean that the people visiting are causing harm to the natives, however, it can increase the barriers between the minority and majority groups who live in the country as a whole.  Ã‚  

Choose drug(s) classified as narcotic analgesics Research Paper

Choose drug(s) classified as narcotic analgesics - Research Paper Example The trend puts patients in chronic pain at risk. According to Otto, â€Å"the target of many criminals is Purdue Pharmas OxyContin, a sustained-release oxycodone product. Specifically formulated to meet the needs of patients with chronic, intractable pain, OxyContin is being crushed by abusers to make the full dose immediately available when they inhale, swallow, or inject it† (par. 3). As emphasized by the USDHHS, â€Å"Oxycodone can be habit-forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or take it for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor† (par. 6). Just like any other narcotic analgesics, the tendency for drug abuse is strong and therefore needed precautions are to be observed to prevent addiction to the drug. However, the drug has been proven to be effective in â€Å"the treatment of moderate to severe diabetic neuropathy, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial reported in the March 25 issue of Neurology† (Controlled – Release, par. 1). Further, the same report indicated that â€Å"although opioid tolerance and physical dependence have been reported during chronic opioid therapy, neither phenomenon was demonstrated in this 42-day study† (par. 6). The information reveals that when used in a controlled environment with specific medical instructions applied, the adverse effects of addiction and habit forming is, in fact, prevented. The drug has been specifically recommended for diabetic patients who experience pain from moderate to severe neuropathy, especially in lower limbs and extremities. The risk of burglaries and notorious reports on the drug has severe repercussions in terms of limited supply for patients who are in need of them. Further, Otto averred that â€Å"the number of deaths linked strictly to oxycodone has been exaggerated in the press, noting that in most cases abusers die from taking many drugs at the

Introduction to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Introduction to Business - Essay Example In addition, the increase of female employees has illustrated this as it has been seen to increase sales to female customers raising their bottom line, and creating a family like environment where every employee is appreciated hence more work done. The Lorraine motel, which is now a National Civil Rights Museum, is located in Memphis and picked by best buy in conducting training to its employees. Moreover, the motel being where Dr. Martin Luther King, who was a great fighter for black human and civil rights in America was assassinated, makes it an ideal location for training racial diversity employees. Therefore, Best Buy employs immersion techniques here to enable employees understand the importance of cultural and racial diversity as presented in Memphis. The Memphis environment is ideal in giving managers and employees some of the following: first, managers and employees should understand better the struggles for civil rights and generate respect for individuals of different races in the workplace and customers. Another effect is that it helps employees generate and appreciate cultural diversity among the different races in the world. In addition, this appreciation enables them to understand each other and be aware of how d ifferent races cultures perform in work environment hence appreciate it. Therefore, the trip also highlights the need for equality among different races and that no employee is greater than the other in the workplace. A diverse workforce in racial and gender senses has been analyzed to have positive effects on a company’s bottom line in the following manner. First, race and gender diversity caters for customer of all races and gender, hence customers are able to get more personalized services from racially and gender diverse employees who understand them, enhancing their shopping experiences encouraging more sales and consumer loyalty. Moreover, diverse gender in

Dionaea Muscipula As A Carnivorous Plant Research Paper

Dionaea Muscipula As A Carnivorous Plant - Research Paper Example This gives the plant a small boost of nutrients hence promoting growth. Like any other plant that exists, the Venus flytrap also performs photosynthesis. The Venus flytrap’s leaves perform photosynthesis. The plants make use of the sunlight’s energy in creating sugar for fueling the plant. The broad leaves that are just below the traps act as the solar collectors. There is a very close relationship that is in existence between the plants’ activities of insect trapping and the plant’s rate of photosynthesis. The rate of photosynthesis on the Venus flytrap plants tends to slow down during as well as after the closure of the trap. Although the Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant, photosynthesis is essential for the survival of this plant. The above discussion gives an analysis of how the bio system of the Venus flytrap works. It is a plant with unique characters. It is evident that its carnivorous status acts as an adaptive feature of this plant in its boggy environment. It grows in an environment that lacks very crucial nutrients. Digestion of the insects helps the plant to extract these nutrients hence supplementing the deficiency of these nutrients in the plants. These nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorous. The plant requires these nutrients so as to survive. It is hence evident that the plant has to trap insects and feed on them so as to survive. The electrical properties of the Venus flytrap are essential in the built environment as they help in responding to stress, which might be experienced in the environment.

The Aurora Shootings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Aurora Shootings - Essay Example July 20th, 2012 was marked with unbelievable horror, violence and sorrow which will be remembered for a long time due to the loss of lives and the fearful scars it left on the surviving individuals. The screening of the English movie â€Å"The Dark Knight Rises† at one of the movie theaters in Aurora, Colorado, was converted from an exciting and fun-filled event into a deadly massacre spreading fear and panic everywhere. The shooting resulted in the death of 12 and the injury of 58 people in the theater; according to the police reports, nearly every injury was the outcome of gunshots (Pearson 2012). This rampage has been covered by media extensively elaborating each and every detail, number of victims and survivors, aftermaths of the shootings, government actions and emotional stories of the massacre victims and their mourning relatives. James E. Holmes, the suspect of Aurora shootings, entered the movie theater through a rear exit door, armed with a gun and wearing ballistic helmet and protective gear over his body, shot at random in the movie theater. According to the law enforcement agencies, Holmes also threw a tear gas; however, the substance is still under suspicion. Holmes was arrested within first seven minutes of the panic calls from the movie-goers, while the victims were hurriedly sent to the nearby hospitals (Pearson 2012). The Aurora shootings left many questions lingering amongst the people regarding security of movie theaters that how could an armed person enter a theater and many questioning eyes were raised against the gun ownership laws of the United States. On the other hand, reasons that provoked Holmes towards a merciless shooting spree are also being investigated and researched.

Peace Cultures in Action Today Essay Example for Free

Peace Cultures in Action Today Essay In â€Å"Peace Cultures in Action Today†, the author argues that some small isolated societies manage to create a culture of peace that often ends or is severely modified when they begin interacting with outside cultures. The argument then is that the greater society of the world is less peaceful than these small isolated societies. This theory warrants further study, especially in the area of how these societies react when confronted with societies that do not have the same values. For example, when the Zuni and Inuit are confronted by the larger populace of the United States, do they become more competitive? The interesting question here then is, â€Å"Is competititiveness and aggression a learned behavior? † In the piece, â€Å"To Construct Peace† , Elise and Kenneth Boulding too argue that peaceable existence is a learned behavior and that it can be taught. Elise was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for this theory, but it does not seem particularly sound. Even their own pacifist leanings led to conflict. Though the conflict was in the court systems over the right to become a citizen without an oath to bear arms for the country and a battle over their refusal to sign anti-Communist statements during the McCarthy era, it was still a conflict based on their moral standing. Therefore, it is safe to believe that even in people who believe in and are taught to live in peace, conflict may be inevitable when dealing with the real world. Later the same peace cites Thomas Merton and his poetry and meditations against war and his disappointment that the church could support a â€Å"just war† theory. This again is an interesting position that requires more exploration. Should society allow tragic events to continue because of a belief in peace or should war become a tool of peace? The moral and social ambiguities are clear. If a person is being oppressed and his pacificits nature is being used to subjugate or eradicate him, isn’t there some point at which man must fight for his own survival? This is the point that all of the essayists seem to miss. Peace for peace’s sake is a good thing and being taught to attempt peaceful coexistence before immediately turning to aggressive behaviors may be appropriate. However, if the species is to survive, at some point base instincts overcome learning and the fight for survival becomes more powerful that the desire for peace.

Main Factors That Attract Tourists To The Caribbean Tourism Essay

Main Factors That Attract Tourists To The Caribbean Tourism Essay Tourism has long been the primary industry on the majority of the Caribbean islands due to the largely incredible natural beauty and wildlife which attracts hoards of vacation hungry visitors all year long. (Sophia Southern, n.d.). Tourism accounts for a large amount of the Caribbeans economy and work force. The most important tourist centre in the Caribbean are Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Island, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Barbados. Tourists are attracted to the Caribbean for many reasons some of the main factors are: Geography The Caribbean which extends from the southern tip of Florida, pass the Gulf of Mexico and down to the north-eastern tip of South America, attracts a lot of visitors each year. The Caribbean has numerous landforms such as islands, mountains, waterfalls etc. Weather -The Caribbean has a tropical marine climate which gives it an all year round sunshine and this makes it perfect for the winter visitors. The equator gives the Caribbean temperatures `between 27-32Â °C. It is called marine because of the influence of the sea. During the day the sea is usually cooler than land. Winds blowing from the sea. This is one of the biggest reason why tourists are attracted to the Caribbean, The climate attract tourist to the Caribbean during the winter period their country Tourism activities in the Caribbean have traditionally centre around the promoting of coastal attractions: beaches, coral reefs, coastal water. Beyond the beauty of the beaches, its sparkling blue water and attractive coral reefs, there are lush tropical rainforest, volcanic, a rich cultural heritage Culture and Sandy Beaches The Caribbean culture is The white sandy beaches of the Caribbean islands are a magnificent sight to see and parallel to none. The Caribbean is well known for its fine grained, soft white sand The opportunities of water sports When tourist come to the Caribbean they want to try water activities such as swimming, sailing, and snorkelling Community-based Tourism Community tourism is not a recent phenomenon, it dates back to the early days of travel when travellers were accommodated in monasteries, inns, homes and hostels. Community tourism is dependent on the community itself its attitude towards tourist is recognition of the value of tourist business and the steps it takes to stimulate and promote it. It requires the involvement of the community as a whole and a strong working relationship with the tourism sector. Community-Based tourism exists and can only be successful when there is a participation of the community in which the product is located. There can be full participation meaning that the community controls tourism in their local or limited participation of the community personnel. (Teaching Tourism in the Caribbean, December 2000) Why Community Based tourism Jamaicans sometimes feel left out from the tourism industry and do not believe that they benefit from the tourism therefore it is important for individuals to become stakeholder as they will now have a reason to protect and sustain the industry. Community tourism is identify as an avenue to sustain growth, environmental sustain-ability enhanced visitor experience and community development. This would result in it being an inclusive industry where the benefits from tourism are spread more widely. (Team Jamaica, 2000) Benefits of Caribbean based tourism Increased employment both directly and indirectly. Increased opportunity for social and cultural intercourse. Increased income the improvement of infrastructure and enhancement of the community Improve quality of life Principles of Community Tourism Community Tourism is a new appearance. It is a spirit that spread throughout all sectors of the tourism industry. Community Tourism is about levels of relationships between the host country and the visitor. What is appealing to the visitor is found among the varied natural attractions, local resources and talents, and indigenous attributes of a community or area. Through visitor-community interaction, respective cultures are explored, ideas and information are exchanged, and new friends are made. (http://www.communitybasedtourism.info/en/community-based-tourism/community-based-tourism.asp, n.d.) Community Tourism fosters opportunities at the community level for local people wishing to participate more fully in the tourism industry. This may range from organising bed breakfast accommodation in a rural home to creating income-generating tourism opportunities for an entire village. Community Tourism is managed tourism in its profoundest sense, taking into account evolving travel trends in such areas as the environment, study and research, seniors travel and other special interests. Community Tourism products and services are geared to address these trends and to satisfy the interests of emerging travel markets. Key clientele includes: The mature market Study and Research groups, including schools, universities, colleges and research based organizations Church groups Environmentalists, botanist, ornithologists and nature lovers The independent traveller Afro-Americans Caribbean Nationals at home and abroad The vision of Community Tourism is to expose the local resources and talents, and make the concept a reality for local people. Community Tourism embraces eco-tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, recreational tourism, geo-tourism, heritage tourism, health tourism, farm tourism and all the popular special interest tourism. Community-based tourism, therefore, is a combination of tourism products offered at a community-level to domestic or international visitors. In the Jamaican context, community-based tourism usually refers to visitor interaction with local people in the rural areas outside of the traditional resort areas. Community-based tourism does not mean that the rules that apply to traditional tourism sub-sectors do not apply them. The principles of health and safety for visitors drive tourism regardless of the setting in which the product is offered. Community-based tourism, however, offers a unique opportunity for Jamaica. The process of community-based tourism development if managed effectively has the potential to alleviate poverty and illiteracy. Community-based tourism also has the potential to develop the natural creative energy of Jamaicans by transforming average citizens into entrepreneurs. It can be used to develop strong partnerships by twinning existing traditional tourism entrepreneurs with aspiring non-traditional tourism entrepreneurs. It can be combined with the existing tourism product offerings to create a uniquely Jamaica experience. Community-based tourism can be a stand-alone venture or a partnership of the traditional and the non-traditional products blended with Jamaican charm, culture and heritage to create a community tourism spirit that culminates in a truly Jamaican experience. Community-based tourism can bring out the best in the Jamaican people In developing community-based tourism products it is essential to understand that: Local conditions, culture and knowledge will influence the outcome. Each community has its own identify and values. Tourism works within a system. The tourism system defines the rules for local tourism. Developing a business is a process. International standards play a significant role in product development and marketing. Each agency on the team has a specific role to play in the development of the community-based tourism product. Failure to learn the rules and to manage effectively and efficiently the process results in failure at the local and national levels. External Challenges Global competition for tourism business The forces of globalization advocate the free movement of goods/services, capital and labour by opening up the world markets for trade. Globalization has expanded global corporate reach and control. The challenge is that the region now has to invest in meeting international standards. Worldwide the hospitality industry is having difficulty attracting motivated and dynamic employees because of its image as primarily offering low pay, low status jobs, with long, demanding working hours and difficult working conditions. Modern technology is rapidly changing the way business is conducted in travel and tourism. With the increasing use of computers by businesses to gain competitive advantage and the dramatic increase in the use of the Internet by travellers, tourism businesses have to invest in the new technologies and train their people in the use of these technologies to remain competitive. The use of distance learning is revolutionizing campuses worldwide as, through the use of multiple technologies. Special attention needs to be paid to addressing the human resources needs of small, medium and micro tourism businesses in the region which make up the bulk of the sector, and which are locally owned and managed for the most part.. (Morgan, CTO, 2001)

Computer Service and Upgrade :: Business Plans Proposals

Computer Service and Upgrade World has not been the same since the invention of a smart machine called a computer. These days, computer has become an irreplaceable tool for human from manufacturing to online banking. People use computers to do various tasks and enjoy leisure times such as playing games, scheduling agenda, communicating via webcam, sharing files, and many others. Thus with the increasing use of computers, the possibility of having problems with computers becomes naturally higher. For instance, your computer can be easily infected with a virus program through insecure internet connection or your computer can even crashed frequently by some unknown reasons. In those cases, you may want a professional to help you figure out the real problems. Due to a high demand in computer services, five of us decided to establish a computer repair and upgrading company called ISU. ISU stands for Iowa Service and Upgrade which is founded recently on the 14th of June 2004. Our main office is located close to Maple dormitory which can be easily recognized by its brown brick color. The office can be reached easily through the main road in Ames called Lincoln Way. From Lincoln Way, you have to turns north onto Wallace road and then turn west onto Richardson Court. Below is the picture of our company’s logo: The blue figure represents the state of Iowa. We marked our company’s name inside the state figure so it symbolizes that our company is located in Iowa. Our slogan is â€Å"your friend is not the expert.† Many people who do not know about computers usually ask for help from their friends instead of using a professional service. Even though using professional service far more efficient compare to â€Å"friend† without any proficient knowledge or experience. Most of the time, bigger problems can occur if your friend did not fix the computers properly. What we are trying to say here is that you should not trust anybody except us, the professionals. Our services will include the following: First, we repair hardware from all brand of desktop and laptop computers. We presumed that most of our customers will want to ask us to do hardware compatibility check; given that a computer is consisted of many parts and those parts are connected to each other organically. Incompatibility makes it easy for the computer to be out of order, especially on a laptop computer with its integrated keyboard, monitor, and hard drive.

Technology Implementation at Bead Company :: Computer Technology Business

Anyone who owns there own business knows there is so much work and dedication involved. You have to be on the ball at all times to ensure every choice you make is going to better you and your business. With today’s technology, there is so much of an opportunity to really learn how to excel you business nationwide. Having computers to help run your business is a great idea. This allows for you to connect better with other employees who may be located in different states. Meredith who is the founder of Bead Bar realized that she needed to make some updates to her company in order for her to succeed. Bead Bar is a company who specializes in allowing customers to visit the store and they can create their own bead jewelry. The founder of this fantastic company is Meredith, which was started in 1998. Her very first store was located in New Canaan, Connecticut. Since then she has been able to really make her company grow. Today she now has three divisions which are: studios, franchises, and Bead Bar on Board. There are a total of six studios. These studios are responsible for oversees the company’s six bead bar studios they have. The franchises sell beading supplies to the businesses that want to open their own bead studio. The newest division is the Bead Bar on Board. This division is designed for cruise ships! There is an average of 35 employees located at each store. The down fall for this company is they still use paper based forms. This is hurting the company with trying to keep up with the demand in the product. They have even lost orders, had incorrect invoicing, a nd delays in fulfilling orders. With this company growing like it is, having a computer system set up is the best decision for the company. This is a presentation to how the Bead Bar could use a computer network to help there business excel! One of the first steps needed when starting your plan of bring in computers is how many and which ones. There are all types of computers out there, you want to ensure that you choose the best choice for your company. You want to count the number of employees that will need a computer, also include some back up’s in case you hire additional employees or there are technical issues with another.

Strongman by Tony Curtis and Mid-term break by Seamus Heaney :: English Literature

Strongman by Tony Curtis and Mid-term break by Seamus Heaney deal with the subject death of a family member. Compare both poems showing how the poets introduce their subjects. Which poem did you prefer and why? One of the poets, Tony Curtis, is Welsh, whilst, Seamus Heaney is Irish. Seamus Heaney has grown up on a farm in Northern Ireland with his brothers and his parents. The whole family has taken on the family business of farming, while Seamus Heaney received an education. Both poets are still alive today. These two poems describe the deaths of a family member. The "Mid-term break" is the tragic death of Heaney's four-year-old brother and the poem progresses over twenty-four hours. "Strongman" is describing the author's strong, caring father who dies naturally in "his final hour". While the "Mid-Term Break" had an awkward and devastating mood the "Strongman" has a more positive outlook on the family member's death as it looks back into the younger, happier times. There are a few other comparisons that can be made, whilst the "Mid-Term Break" is a death that shocked people, the "Strongman" was a peaceful and easy to accept death. In this essay I intend to look at the differences and similarities in the poems. The first poem I intend to discuss is "Mid-Term Break" by Seamus Heaney. The title "Mid-Term Break" suggests the poem is about children as we associate a mid-term break with school holidays. Other first impressions given in this poem relate to poor health or death. We relate to this due to the use of nouns such as "sick bay" and adverbs describing school bells as "knelling". This could also be reflecting the emotions of the child in the sick bay; at this point we are not sure. The structure is interesting, because at first glance we see that it has a regular pattern to it, which are three lines to each stanza. This possibly implies that the events that take place in the poem are predictable. However, the final line is a stanza on it's own, drawing you to it and creating a large impact on the audience. In the second stanza an awkward atmosphere and tone is introduced. The poet meets his "father crying"; this is one of the factors that make this stanza awkward. Men in the days when this poem was written (1966) were stereotypically thought of as strong people emotionally and physically, therefore, for the young poet to see his father crying on the porch would have made him feel uneasy. Furthermore, the dash at the end if each line causes the lines to flow as one sentence, this is

50’s Pop Culture Essay

Pop culture is commercial culture based on popular taste. Today’s pop culture consists of rap/ hip hop music, sagging jeans, high-top shoes, and 3D movies. In the 1950’s fashion, music, and technology was worlds apart from how it is today. Rock & Roll, Hot Rods, black leather jackets and rebellious teens are iconic images often imagined when mentioning the 1950’s in the US. History repeats itself. This fat is perhaps the most obvious when it comes to fashion. Fashion today is heavily influenced by the fashion during the 1950’s. Girls wearing bright colors, flow dresses, tight blouses, and high-waist shorts are common now, and were during the 50’s. Guys wearing fancy suits/ dress shirts, with khakis are undoubtedly coming back into style especially among â€Å"hipsters. † The â€Å"rebel† style of the 50’s with blue jeans (which everyone wears today, but were unacceptable for young women to wear) T-shirts under leather or jean jackets, with boots and long hair is becoming quite common for the youth today. Music has played a huge role in American society for over a hundred years. In the 1950’s the fastest growing genre was Rock & Roll. Largely because of teens, and they’re need to express themselves and be noticed. Music in the 50’s was one of the only things in this time embraced it fully. Country singers like Johnny Cash stayed above water because of their ingenuity, ability to adapt, and pure talent. Blues and soul artist like James Brown and Ray Charles are icons for their ability to touch people through music on a personal level. No essay about American 50’s pop culture would be complete without mentioning â€Å"The King of Rock & Roll† Elvis Presley. Almost every aspect of pop culture in the 50’s was heavily influenced by the era of Rock & Roll. Cars were no exception. Hot rods were very popular among the youth, but seen as death traps by adults. In reality â€Å"adult cars† like the Lincoln Continental were far more dangerous. Car advancements were huge during this time, like the growth of automatic transitions. Cars were simple to work on making it a hobby for many young adults. Racing and car shows became common. Learning about pop cultures from different is not only interesting but important too. It helps you understand how todays pop culture became the way it is. People that ask questions about why fashion is the way it is, or how music became how it is, can study past pop cultures for answers. 50’s pop culture changed music, fashion and technology forever!

3 Basic Beliefs and Integrity Walmart Essay

Walmart was founded on three basic beliefs: service to our customers, respect for the individual and striving for excellence. Our adherence to these principles has created a unique work culture at Walmart. No matter where you go — to any of our stores and offices in any of our brands around the world — our associates live these values. * Service to our customers * Respect for the individual * Striving for excellence A Foundation of Integrity Our basic beliefs are built on a foundation of integrity — our values of honesty, fairness and objectivity guide how we apply these beliefs to the workplace. In other words, we strive to: * Be honest by telling the truth and keeping our word. * Be fair by using our business influence appropriately and creating an open environment for raising questions and concerns. * Be objective by making decisions based on Walmart’s interests, rather than personal interests, and by avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. 1. Service to Our Customers Every associate — from our CEO to our hourly associates in local stores — is reminded daily that our customers are why we’re here. We do our best every day to provide the greatest possible level of service to everyone we come in contact with. But what do we mean by service to our customers? * We serve our customers by making them our first priority. * We support our associates so they can best serve our customers. * We give to the local community in ways that connect to our customers. 2. Respect for the Individual From Walmart’s earliest days as a small discount store, we have emphasized the importance of respect for every associate, every customer and every member of the community. But how do we show respect for the individual? * We value and recognize the contributions of every associate. * We own what we do with a sense of urgency, and empower each other to do the same. * We communicate by listening to all associates and sharing ideas and information. 3. Striving for Excellence The key to our success is constantly looking for ways to improve ourselves and improve our business. We strive to lead not just our industry, but also each other to the next level of success. But how do we strive for excellence? * We innovate by trying new ways of doing things and improving every day. * We model a positive example as we pursue high expectations. * We work as a team by helping each other and asking for help. Business Model Value proposition Walmart’s value proposition is based on offering Everyday Low Price (EDLP). This is the core of Walmart’s Business Model, and the rest of the key features of Walmart’s Business Model are aligned to keep the everyday low price. This proposition implies that the customers do not need to wait for sales to have the best deal possible (Manning et al., 1998). Besides, not only the sells convenience is associated by providing the wide range of products and services to choose from, but also with one-stop is possible to make all the shopping needed, from groceries to pharmacy (Basker, 2007). Walmart’ customers save time and money. Distribution channel To deliver its value proposition Walmart communicates with and reaches its customer segments with its distribution channels which are owned and direct, and brings higher margin. Walmart also is corresponding with its customers mainly through mass media and other ways which have a low cost, such as internet. Customer relationships & Customer segment Walmart establishes a customer relationship is based on self-service and automated and towards co-creation of some products once it is possible. Walmart tends to reach to the mass market toward mass customisation. Walmart’s customers can be divided into three groups: â€Å"brand aspirations†, people with low incomes who are obsessed with brand; â€Å"price-sensitive effluents† wealthier shoppers who love deals; and finally â€Å"value-price shoppers† who like low prices and cannot afford much more (Barbaro, 2007). Key activities The key activities which are needed to run Walmart’s business model are: ï‚ · Purchasing goods ï‚ · Their delivery ï‚ · Total cost control Other activities would be to create products that will cover needs of a specific customer segment and to control the brand, which has been developing lately. Walmart’s technological edge is in its inventory control, logistics, and distribution (Basker, 2007). The ability to move products place to place quickly and efficiently keeps the costs down as well as the time system in combination with logistics force permits Walmart to have accurate time information of the products in the stores shelves that allows restocking automatically (Tierney, 2004). In addition the logistics involves the suppliers and workforce of 85000 employees, 147 far reaching distribution centers, transportation offices, more than 100.000 tractors and trailers and 8.000 drivers (Walmart logistics facts sheet). Key resources The key resources of Walmart classified in 3 categories. First, the physical resources which are owned by it like stores and logistics. Second its human resources, experienced managers and stores managers, and finally the company culture. Walmart culture is based on restless effort at constant self-improvement, discipline and loyalty (Fishman, 2006). Key partnership Key partnership is a strong buyer-supplier relationship in which suppliers were considered as close partners of Walmart. They also are part of the value chain of each other and it provides suppliers the chance of accessing to a large market. However it made suppliers, who wish to take advantages of its broad market, to keep their prices and costs low and therefore, suppliers give the control of their own business and negotiation advantage to Walmart (Parnell and Lester, 2008). Walmart also creates economies of scale that optimizes its cost structure. Revenue stream Walmart Revenue Streams that generated from its customer segments are basically come from retail sale, such as music downloading with fixed menu pricing. Walmart also drive revenue from selling its own brand, produces by others to cover a segment not cover by other suppliers. Moreover, it takes advantage of selling goods before paying to its suppliers. Cost structure The Cost structure is cost-driven model since it is focused on minimizing costs wherever it is possible and it is characterized by economies of scale. The expansion of Walmart allowed it to benefit from economies of scale and reducing its cost besides its technology let it to grow and caused to lower its costs; hence, economies of scale at both the chain levels and stores strengthen Walmart’s advantage, rather than being its root cause (Basker, 2007). Walmart’s financial discipline is well known as well as their tendency to pass operating costs to suppliers.

A Knights Tale

a knights tale [pic] â€Å"A knight’s tale† is a movie that was based in the medieval time. The movie focussed on jousting and gives us an outlook on medieval time. This essay about the movie will explain what is fact or fiction. The topics that will be covered are; songs in the movie, Dancing, jousting, transport and hair style. Hair styles in the movie are like some of them from the medieval times but most of the hairstyles in the movie are modern hairstyles.Such as, people in medieval times use to were these head dresses and they couldn’t dye their hair all these different colours like modern day people can because they didn’t have the materials to dye hair. Music in this film was modern, an example includes the song ‘we will rock you’ by Queen however, in the proper medieval times music was played at dinner time and at parties. They used to play little songs about kings and adventurers.Jousting in the medieval time was pretty dangerous and when you fall off the house the jouster’s would have to sword fight till one of the knights would yield but in the movie the characters just kept jousting until one of them got hit off the horse then the other person won the tournament or every time one of them got hit one of the people put a stick in with a white bit of cotton In this wood thing so u could keep score of how many times they got hit and if they get to 5 the guy that hits the other dude 5 time wins.In the movie a knight’s tale at the start they were on a boat that was connected to a chain an people on the other side of the river were pulling the chain to make the boat come across the water but in medieval time they would have used ores to paddle across the water instead of peasants pulling the boat/ barge and only rich people have horses because they cost a lot. Most people in the medieval times would wear woollen clothing with ndergarments made of linen. Brighter colours better materials and a longer j acket length were usually signs of greater wealth. But in the movie clothing was a bit modern that they made look like it was from back then. In conclusion the movie a knight’s tale was mostly a fairly modern movie with a bit of real things that did happen back in the day like getting hanged and locked up in cages and there was jousting, sword fighting and some other things like that

Wikipedia

Wisped is a valuable research tool for university students How do I do my research: Online source Firstly, I opened Google Search Engine and printed there the key words: Wisped – valuable – research. Then I used related terms as reliable, credible, source. My next step was to read background information on different sites and look for main ideas and issues being discussed, the terminology is being used. I built my statements: 1) Wisped AND credibility; 2) Value no Wisped; 3)Wisped AND credible OR valuable OR reliable OR trustworthy AND source OR resource.I used the sites of different universities, because I consider them as the most suitable and credible. The main reason why Wisped isn't a valuable research tool is: anyone who wants can post material, and the expertise of the posters is not taken into consideration. How do I do my research: Offline source To start with, I should find some articles on the following topic. First source I found is the article of Thomas Che ney, 2006. â€Å"An empirical examination of Wisteria's credibility,† First Monday, volume 11, number 11 (November), where he states that Wisped hasn't got ‘high' credibility, but it certainly is not ‘low'.His survey shows that 13 percent of Wisteria's articles have errors. Then I searched for another article to have a wider view on this theme. I took a look at the work of Magnums, P. D. , Assistant Professor at the University at Albany, (2008), â€Å"Early response to false claims In Wisped† ; First Monday, 13(9). There he points that Wisped Is a reliable research tool because even If there are some Inaccuracies they are being deleted within 3 hours or less.

Security Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security Audit - Essay Example Also, some team members violated integrity and confidentiality assertions by disclosing information to external parties. This paper entails the details and implications of security audit procedures carried out and observations noted. Conducting audit Lafleur has a complicated network of information systems in place, with various remote offices and centralized IT function. Therefore, to evaluate this complex system, detailed audit procedures were planned including manual as well as automated assessments. Manual assessments mainly comprised interviewing procedures, performing physical checks and security scans and reviewing effectiveness of application and logical controls at different levels of organization. We prepared system notes after developing comprehensive understanding of company’s business activities. Thereafter, we conducted meetings with IT personnel to identify weaker areas requiring more attention and discuss IT policies and procedures. An exhaustive review of orga nogram was conducted to ensure proper segregation of duties were in place between employees holding influential or connected positions such as COO and CIO or programmer and end-user. Automated assessments were computer-aided techniques whereby software was used to assess reporting and change management capabilities of system. All operating systems, physical equipment and applications were appraised for their technical specifications and development capabilities. Contingency and disaster recovery planning for each office was reviewed for effectiveness, physically inspecting for any alternate site and analyzing backup procedures for critical data. Physical security controls, including key cards and biometric devices to different offices were checked for any loopholes allowing unauthorized access. Moreover, environmental controls were also verified to be in place, regulating appropriate temperature and providing adequate fire-fighting equipment and uninterrupted power supply. Additiona l physical security checks were checked and recommendations were made accordingly, such as bodyguards, locks, single entry points and surveillance systems. Due to remote offices and presence of wireless networking, interception during transmission of data was a crucial issue and was tested through procedures. It was ensured that networks are accessible and available at all times to all offices since there is a centralized IT function. (http://www.aurco.com/images/security_audit.png) Recommendations Based on findings and observations noted during fieldwork, we made some voluntary and mandatory recommendations to improve information system controls. We recommended that encryption be adopted to avoid intrusion of sensitive data during transmission on wireless networks. Often malwares limit the passage of traffic allowed on network. To combat this, we recommended that firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus applications must be installed promptly. We highlighted more focus on protecting information flowing on enterprise systems, mail servers, intranet networks and host applications that are accessed by customers. Since this company relies heavily on wireless networks, we suggested that dual-control access keys must be designed, maintaining them on system that is exclusively accessible to authorized personnel only (Saint-Germain, 2005). We laid great emphasis on monitoring closely all activities being carried out on the network,