Terra Firms ITSM Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Land Firms ITSM Process - Essay Example The guarantee related with document sharing incorporates a capacity to convey records containing significant data securely without bargaining the respectability of the data contained in the document. Document sharing ought to be fit for use to ensure guarantee. The document sharing framework should engage all the partners sharing the records. Site, which falls under video conferencing classification has the utility of giving a scene wherein video conferencing is held. It has the utility of giving a component wherein various partners can convey between field workplaces in U.S, Europe and different spots to the base camp. The guarantee expected is principally the possibility of the website to offer proficient web conferencing through ISDN. Field office help work area, which falls under PC support, tries to give limited client care administration and just call the administrative center for more significant level help. Utility expected is for the field office help work area to offer effective client care support come what may. As a guarantee, the field office help work area should work flawlessly consistently and ought to have the option to address an assortment of issues introduced by the clients. The testing lab falls under Software building. The essential utility incorporates giving proficient and viable testing instruments for creation forms, fabricating, just as data the board frameworks. The normal guarantee incorporates giving cutting-edge testing guidelines, true, and solid arrangement of estimation principles over an extensive stretch. Creation control ought to fulfill the utility of guaranteeing all components of creation adhere to specified guidelines while it offers a guarantee of value and ideal creation consistently.

TV Essays

Television Essays Television Essay Television Essay Television Daydreamed In spite of the fact that the examination of watching somebody playing a computer game and searching for social changes was from the outset captivating, I found the time of perception very uneventful. I guess that is the motivation behind these computer games, to draw in the players such a great amount of, their outside condition is totally disregarded. I discovered this to particularly obvious in littler kids. My first subject was my multi year old cousin. He adores his ninja games and will even give you his moves by actually carrying on what he has realized while playing his games. He doesn?t do this in school or attempts to assault anyone, he basically attempts to dazzle us with expound leg and hand developments. He?s never been fierce or fallen into difficulty, in actuality, he has revealed to me anecdotes around an a couple of menaces at school who he feared. I accept these ninja games assist him with feeling sure about that he can go to bat for himself without resembling a ?sissy? before his companions. What disturbed me about his video playing is the degree to which his psyche goes totally clear during the game. His mom would call him game, video, fierce, games, school, playing, one, never, in light of the fact that, subject, hit, kids, accept, my, viciousness, time, much, man, life, found, amazingly, even, total, been, really, act, about, year, without, while, way, attempts, littler, basically, job

SIPA Scholarships Regional, International Opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

SIPA Scholarships Regional, International Opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog As we near our fellowship aid deadline on January 5th, heres some information about regional, international scholarships. Among SIPA’s scholarships and fellowships are a number that are available to students from (or in some cases, studying) a particular country or region of the world.   Our scholarships are merit-based and competitive. The full list of gifts and endowed funds can be found here.  The Jorge Paulo Lemann Fellowship: Available to Brazilian students, or those of other nationalities who can demonstrate a strong interest in social change in Brazil. The Robert Legvold Fellowship Fund: Available to residents of, or immigrants from, the former Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the former East Germany, Romania, Mongolia, Cuba or Vietnam. The Kathryn Wasserman Davis Fellowship:   This award is available to students from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the former Yugoslavia, China or Taiwan. The Taha Fund:   This award is for students who are residents of Iraq or Turkey, or other international students who have expressed a serious interest in the Middle East as indicated by work experience, language training, course work, etc. The Shetty and Ahmad Endowment: This fellowship is available to students who have resided in India or Pakistan and/or are interested in sustainable development. The Magzhan Auezov Fellowship: The fellowship was established for residents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, or to students studying topics related to that region of Central Asia. The Columbia Scholarship Program for Displaced Persons: Full tuition and living expenses for students displaced as the result of the civil war in Syria. The Rambourg Fellowship:   This new award provides full expenses for students from Tunisia. We also encourage you to view our Financial Aid external funding sources for more information about scholarships from charitable or professional organizations, employers, philanthropic groups, or agencies in other countries. These resources have varying eligibility criteria, deadlines, and contact information. Our financial aid team is dedicated to helping you explore all available means to finance your graduate education. Make sure that you review our financial aid page for more details about financial planning and investing in your graduate education.

SIPA Scholarships Regional, International Opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

SIPA Scholarships Regional, International Opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog As we near our fellowship aid deadline on January 5th, heres some information about regional, international scholarships. Among SIPA’s scholarships and fellowships are a number that are available to students from (or in some cases, studying) a particular country or region of the world.   Our scholarships are merit-based and competitive. The full list of gifts and endowed funds can be found here.  The Jorge Paulo Lemann Fellowship: Available to Brazilian students, or those of other nationalities who can demonstrate a strong interest in social change in Brazil. The Robert Legvold Fellowship Fund: Available to residents of, or immigrants from, the former Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the former East Germany, Romania, Mongolia, Cuba or Vietnam. The Kathryn Wasserman Davis Fellowship:   This award is available to students from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the former Yugoslavia, China or Taiwan. The Taha Fund:   This award is for students who are residents of Iraq or Turkey, or other international students who have expressed a serious interest in the Middle East as indicated by work experience, language training, course work, etc. The Shetty and Ahmad Endowment: This fellowship is available to students who have resided in India or Pakistan and/or are interested in sustainable development. The Magzhan Auezov Fellowship: The fellowship was established for residents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, or to students studying topics related to that region of Central Asia. The Columbia Scholarship Program for Displaced Persons: Full tuition and living expenses for students displaced as the result of the civil war in Syria. The Rambourg Fellowship:   This new award provides full expenses for students from Tunisia. We also encourage you to view our Financial Aid external funding sources for more information about scholarships from charitable or professional organizations, employers, philanthropic groups, or agencies in other countries. These resources have varying eligibility criteria, deadlines, and contact information. Our financial aid team is dedicated to helping you explore all available means to finance your graduate education. Make sure that you review our financial aid page for more details about financial planning and investing in your graduate education.

Death Of Kanye West And Former Chairperson Of Chicago...

On November 10, 2007, Donda West, the mother of Kanye West and former chairperson of Chicago State University’s English Department, was pronounced dead at the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Marina del Rey, California. West’s death was unexpected, and oddly followed surgical procedures she had undergone the day before she was found unconscious in her California home. Since her death in 2007, there has been much speculation as to the cause, bringing about the investigation of Dr. Jan Adams, her plastic surgeon. The various complications that accompany any surgical procedure could have played a role, but there is a much stronger possibility that not only the ethical misconduct of Dr. Adams led to West’s death, but also his clinical misjudgement and malpractice that took place as well. Having gone under the knife for a breast reduction, tummy-tuck, and liposuction, Donda West’s desire to soon relish the results of her newly reconstructed middle-aged body was short-lived. To confirm or deny the many speculations of why she died so suddenly after her procedure, the family and Dr. Adams awaited the coroner’s report. In the meantime, Dr. Adams denied having any part in her death, suggesting that she could have died from â€Å"heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or accidental overdose of painkillers prescribed after the cosmetic surgery.† He also stated, â€Å"When she left my office, there was no problem whatsoever.† However, between then and in the hours leading up to Donda

The Mind Body Problem, By Rene Descartes Essay - 1331 Words

Mind-Body Problem Oluwadamilola Kamson Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy November 2016 INTRODUCTION The Mind-body problem dates back to Plato and was well received by the scholastic philosophers. However, it was Rene Descartes the famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. The mind-body problem is not, of course, a single problem at all, but a large collection of problems which focuses upon the fundamental issue of reality and knowledge in so far as such analysis may clarify the relationship between the mind and body, and the intelligibility of any alleged relationship between them. Cartesian dualism holds the presupposition that man is made of two elements, a body and a soul (mind). This presumption is informed by the notion that man by his ability to think, choose, reason, imagine, etc. cannot just be physical, there must be something in him more than his physical nature which performs those activities A traditional platonic belief that has been adopted by many Christians is that a person is a mind or soul that survives the death of the body.1 But what is the mind and how is it related to the body? What mind and body are, is a question that already took it distinctively modern form in the original inquiries of Rene Descartes, who pursuing the implications he found in the geometric vision of the new sciences of renaissance, constructed human begins in term of thought and extension- the two being taken to such radically differentShow MoreRelatedThe Mind Body Problem : Rene Descartes Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe mind-body problem, which still is debating on what it can be, still goes on today about the difference or similarities between the mind and the body. Rene Descartes had a belief that the mind and body are two different substances that can exist separately on their own, and that one can live without the other. But there is no right or wrong answer for either. Physicalism and dualism, I believe both of these give a good case about the mind-body but there really isn’t a real good answer, but betweenRead MoreDescartes : The Father Of Modern Philosophy1055 Words   |  5 Pagesthe fact that I am something.† (Descartes, â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy,† 182) Rene Descartes is widely considered the father of modern philosophy. He created many new ideas about the self, which is something that has been contested since the dawn of philosophy. Even now, the world is nowhere near a unified thought on the soul. Descartes is most famous for addressing this, and is often summarized by the famous â€Å"Cogito Ergo Sum (I think, therefore I am)†Descartes offers a great deal of importantRead Moresituation in ethic Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind and language.The influences of philosophy and physiology are discover by ancient Greeks such as Aristotle and Plato. In the seventeenth century, Rene Descartes suggested the concept of dualism in which the mind and body exist as two separate entities. Descartes believed that the interaction between mind and body created the experience of reality. Physiology and Read MoreEssay Rene Descartess View on God1300 Words   |  6 PagesRene Descartess View on God      Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1996, songwriter Joan Osborne performed a song called One of Us that was nominated for three Grammy Awards.   What made this song so successful and interesting were the powerful lyrics that basically asked, What if God were a human being?   As she was writing the lyrics to One of Us, she was wondering about God and how the world would be different if God did exist in real life and not just a supernatural force.   You may be asking yourself, What doesRead MoreThe Life of Rene’ Descartes: His Works and His Beliefs in God1578 Words   |  7 PagesWas Rene’ Descartes just a visionary of truth, mathematical equations or was he truly a man that knew he was born to tell the world about life, knowledge, and how it all came together metaphorically? Please see the research on Rene’ Descartes cited accomplishments. Descartes was known as the first modern philosopher. Famous for making a connection between geometry and algebra, which allowed for solving of geometrical problem by way of algebraic equations, which promoted a new conception of matterRead MoreWho is Rene Descartes?721 Words   |  3 Pagesof the early modern fathers of philosophy, Rene Descartes, stressed the importance of attaining knowledge through reason (rational thought). Descartes’ times were those of an Enlightenment movement that flourished through Europe in the seventeenth century. Revolutions in France and the United States, which transformed through this movement, altered the way sciences and mathematics were approached. This affected how even philosophy was scrutinized. Rene was an individual of his times. He argued thatRead MoreThe Theory Of The Mind Body Dualism1232 Words   |  5 PagesRenà © Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher of the 16th Century, who, according to the Encyclo pedia Britannica, â€Å"was one of the first to abandon scholastic Aristotelianism and created the first version of the modern mind-body dualism or emotion† (Encyclopedia Britannica). Born on March 31, 1596, he was dubbed as the Father of Modern Philosophy. His theory on the mind-body dualism, also known as Cartesian Dualism, created a stem of the modern problem of the relationship betweenRead MorePhilosophy Of Rene Descartes860 Words   |  4 PagesRene Descartes is an extremely influential philosopher from the 17th century and is widely considered the father of modern philosophy. One of Descartes’s most famous philosophies is his cogito ergo sum statement: I think, therefore, I am (Descartes, 2008). He believed that because he is a thing that thinks, then he must have some kind of consciousness or awareness of the world. Because he has consciousness, he reasons that he must exist, especially since he is aware that he is a thing that thinksRead MoreRenà © Descartes and Thomas Hobbes Essay1497 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the sixteen hundreds, the French philosopher Renà © Descartes laid the foundations for the beginnings of Cartesian Dualism. In contrast, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued against dualism in favor of materialism. Recently, Cartesian Dualism, and dualism in general has fallen out of favor as materialism arose as a more plausible and explanatory theory regarding the interrelationships between body and mind. The translation Descartes’ writing in the Meditations is far more cryptic thanRead MoreThe Mind-Body Problem Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mind-Body Problem The mind-body problem, which is still debated even today, raises the question about the relationship between the mind and the body. Theorists, such as Renà © Descartes and Thomas Nagel, have written extensively on the problem but they have many dissenting beliefs. Descartes, a dualist, contends that the mind and body are two different substances that can exist separately. Conversely, Nagel, a dual aspect theorist, contends that the mind and body are not substances but different

Essay Topics Upsc Mains 2011 Guide

Essay Topics Upsc Mains 2011 Guide Because it's one of the most prestigious services in India, it encounters virtually every topic available under sunlight. Based on the subject, you may choose among these options that fits best. If you are not able to clear the exam within the initial two decades, nothing to worry as most people clear only after two decades, then you are able to continue to get ready for the IAS exams together with different activities, including job and giving different exams. There are Competitive Exams for which lots of folks apply. From here you are able to secure the specific idea of the exam pattern. Therefore, the notification makes it quite obvious that UPSC is expecting short, precise, accurate and precise discussion on the subject. The UPSC online application can be found on official site www.upsconline.nic.in. In both instances, it's possible to then click on link of that UPSC Result that you wished to read. At the conclusion of that para you're able to write a hyperlink sentence Further, we have to be conscious of the simple fact that Artificial Intelligence poses a significant challenge not just economically, but also ethically. These papers are available on the internet. To be able to find these Competitive Exams question papers nothing much must be carried out. The session includes questions associated with national and worldwide affairs. Though it's tough to strictly compartmentalize a specific topic in one specific area of study, yet a careful study of the title gives us a fairly great co ncept, regarding the area of study it can be related to. The introduction should also mention the approach you're going to take for more discussion. It should not be vague and general like since the beginning of time It should be targeted to the topic. The last outcome of UPSC CAPF is dependent upon the operation of the candidates in the written exam and interview. It's performed by the board of UPSC that's already alert to the aspirant's personal along with professional record. The test is designed to assess the mental calibre of a candidate. The main reason for it is that the most important civil service test is not only about studying. The War Against Essay Topics Upsc Mains 2011 You may have a look at the syllabus for your understanding. The principal exam of the IAS competition is intended to test a deeper degree of knowledge of the rest of the candidates on diverse subjects. As you'll need to study the field in depth and reproduce your knowledge in the IAS mains exam s based on the demands of the question, you ought to have a passion for the subject understanding. The personality test isn't designed to be a test both of the specialized or basic understanding of the candidates that has been already tested through their mains written papers. This step gives you an idea about the type of topic you have decided on and the arguments you're likely to make. That means you will have both sides. A notion of clearing the exam with total decency produces a situation of panic. At the end, there will be insufficient time left. The Downside Risk of Essay Topics Upsc Mains 2011 Vocabulary There is not any need to memorise complex words for writing a very good essay. These steps will guarantee that the transition between paragraphs isn't abrupt. Always adhere to the word limit. Explain every one of them through some examples. It is helpful to read the question in the middle of your essay to make sure that you're not steering away from this issue. It will give a notion of what topic ought to be read and what not. An individual should not pick the topic haphazardly. Always adhere to the topic of the topic. The conclusion should contain a succinct overview of the discussion done in the primary body of the essay. If you're quoting, make sure you write the precise quote in quotation marks. Some practical suggestions offered in the conclusion make the entire essay very powerful. The whole essay must revolve around these crucial ideas. It assists in organising ideas. Most experts think that studying for the test whilst completing graduation is the apt moment. It needs to be spontaneous and arbitrary. Knowing who is qualified for the test and how to get ready for it can develop into the recipe of succeeding. The foremost consideration in producing a choice ought to be the personal interest in that region of study. Thus, the only criteria behind choosing a specific topic must be one's capacity to develop novel and intriguing ideas. The purpose is to learn it by means that is suitable for your understanding capability. In creating a choice the topic should be clearly understood. Whatever the case you'll have certain line of arguments to place your case. Furthermore, the more number of subjects make it harder for students to create choices in optionals. An individual may not make effective arguments without a lot of knowledge. Your arguments ought to be balanced and logical. If development isn't engendered, it's endangered 2. Therefore, learning how to compose an essay is part of the very development of a human being. Hello Everyone, Am content to begin this project that's Completely a completely free support.

Marketing Principles Routines of Decision Making

Question: Describe about the Marketing Principles for Routines of Decision Making. Answer: Introduction A person who purchases a product or services from the market for their own consumption is regarded as the consumer. There are various marketing analysis tools, which the customer can use as they purchase a product. In this paper, the product of choice that will be used for analysis on the consumer decision-making process is the laptop. Moreover, it will look at the process of consumer decision making that needs to be followed when a consumer purchases a product. When the customer buys a good or a service, there is a rise of need that arises(Armstrong, Adam, Denize and Kotler, 2014). It is important to understand in the case of purchase of the laptop there are two aspects to note, the laptop, which is the product and the individual purchasing the product as the consumer(Betsch and Haberstroh, 2014). This essay is aimed to identify the various factors, which influence the consumers on making a decision when buying. Besides, it will look at the level in which the product can be placed o n the theory of Maslows Hierarchy of needs. Steps of the consumer purchasing process The process of the consumer to make decision when purchasing a product is usually complex and it involves various steps(Solomon, 2014). All the consumers usually have their daily needs every day in their life, and the needs makes them to make different decision to satisfy the want. Some of the decisions that are made can be complex depending on the opinion of the consumer in regards to a particular commodity, evaluation, comparison, and purchase of that product. Moreover, it is important to understand and realize crucial issue in the process of decision-making and how to utilize the theories of practice (Betsch and Haberstroh, 2014). The steps of consumer decision-making process are as follows; problem recognition, the information research, evaluation of the various alternatives, purchase decision, and the assessment of post purchase. i) The problem recognition This is the first stage of the model. The appreciation of the problem occurs when an individual realizes on the difference that exists between the actual state of the affairs and the desired state of the affairs. In this case, the consumer may recognize the need to buy the laptop when there is usually the need to carry on its use at different places, and this is more convenient as a comparison to the desktop computer(Pescher, Reichhart and Spann, 2014). The essence of this step is for the consumer to identify that he has a need that is not satisfied and wants to satisfy it. An example, of this, is an undergraduate student who has enrolled for a given degree and has been issued an assignment to work on which has a deadline. The student needs portability of the laptop to work at home and school. This is thus where he recognizes he has a problem, which can be solved by the use of a laptop(Lester, 2013). ii) Information search On the data search, entails where a consumer begins to search information of a particular product to satisfy his or her needs. Two types of search can be undertaken one is internal search example through memory, and the other is the external search where one can get information on the friends and relatives(Lee and Hanna, 2015). Nonetheless, it is important to note that a successful search for the information usually leaves a buyer with a possible alternative. An example of the case of laptop consumer can gather information about the various brand of a laptop like HP, Lenovo, Dell, and Mac(Armstrong, Adam, Denize and Kotler, 2014). iii) The evaluation of the alternatives On the aspect the consumer usually evaluates on the products basing on some criteria, an example is performance, warranty, the price, quality of the product and the after sale services(Lysonski and Durvasula, 2013). An example of this can be to a consumer who has gathered information on the various brands of a laptop like HP, Lenovo, Dell and Mac now need to evaluate these product based on the criteria like price, the speed, warranty of the product and the durability(Solomon, Russell-Bennett and Previte, 2013). iv) Purchase Decision On this, entails choosing the buying alternative that you have identified these include the product, the packaging, and the method of purchase(Solomon, 2014). After the consumer evaluates on the various brand of laptop, he may decide to purchase Mac due to the high speed, and the great battery life it has over the other brand(Solomon, 2014). v) Post purchase evaluation On the post purchase, evaluation they can exists both the positive and the negative purchase behaviors. On the positive entails when the consumers hold feedback that is positive in regards to the product obtained and is happy with the quality(Wen, Prybutok, Blankson and Fang, 2014). An example is when the customer is satisfied with the performance of the Mac Laptop and recommend to his or her friends to purchase the same. On the contrary, entails where the consumer is not satisfied with a given products, and he or she hold a feedback that is negative on the product. An example, a customer who is no happy with the laptop that they have purchased will persuade his friends not to purchase it, as the experience they had was not good(Pescher, Reichhart and Spann, 2014). Factors that impact on the decision making process of the consumer The following are the main factors that affect this process; psychological, personal, social and the cultural factors(Armstrong, Adam, Denize and Kotler, 2014). Psychological factors The psychological factors are primarily divided into various components, motivation, perception, learning, attitude and the belief. A consumer can possess knowledge and attitude towards the various products(Betsch and Haberstroh, 2014). Cultural factors The consumer behavior can be great be influenced by the cultural factors like; the buyer's culture, the subculture, and the social class. These factors can influence greatly affect the consumer behavior and they vary from individual to another(Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick, 2012). Personal factors The individual factors may also influence the consumer decision-making process. Some of the factors that affect the consumer buying behavior are the economic situation, age, personality, and lifestyle. These components can influence the decision the consumer makes when purchasing the product like the laptop(Lysonski and Durvasula, 2013). Social factors The social factors can also influence on the buying behavior of the consumers. Some significant factors affecting the process of making a decision of the consumers are the reference groups, the role, family and status of the individual(Lee and Hanna, 2015). Level of need of laptop on Maslow Hierarchy of needs theory On this theory state that individuals are motivated to achieving a certain needs. When one of the need is fulfilled, the individual may seek to fulfill the next one(Lester, 2013). On the Maslows pyramid of needs, laptop falls on the category of cognitive needs, which are also referred to as higher odd needs. Purchasing the laptop is aimed to satisfy the desire to know things. A consumer may use the laptop for research purposes, work or the willingness to understand various concepts when using the laptop(Lester, 2013). Conclusion The consumer is any individual who intends to purchase a given service or a product in the market place. In this paper, it has looked at the consumer decision-making process when they intending to purchase a laptop. It has elaborated on the steps that are involved, the factors that influence the decision. Moreover, it has looked at the Maslows hierarchy of needs theory where the product in question-laptop can be placed on the pyramid. References Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S. and Kotler, P, 2014. Principles of marketing. s.l.:Person Australia. Betsch, T. and Haberstroh, S. (Eds.), 2014. The routines of decision-making. s.l.:Psychology Press. Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick. F, 2012. Principles and practice of marketing (No, 7th). s.l.:McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Lee, J. M. and Hanna, S. D, 2015. Savings Goals and Saving Behavior from a Perspective of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, pp. 26(2), 129-147. Lester, D., 2013. Measuring Maslow's hierachy of needs. Psychological reports, 113(1), s.l.: s.n. Lysonski, S. and Durvasula, S, 2013. Consumer decision-making styles in retailing: evolution of mindsets and psychological impacts. Journal of Consumer Marketing, pp. 30(1), 43-54. Pescher, C., Reichhart, P. and Spann, M, 2014. Consumer decisio-making processes in mobile viral marketing campaigns. Journal of interactive marketing, pp. 28(1), 43-54. Solomon, M. R., Russell-Bennett, R. and Previte, J, 2013. Consumer behavior: Buying, having, being. s.l.:Person Australia. Solomon, M. R., 2014. Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being. Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Wen, C. R., Prybutok, V., Blankson. C. and Fang, J, 2014. The role of E-quality withing the consumer decision-making process. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, pp. 34(12), 1506-1536.

Disec Essay Example

Disec Essay Welcome note from the chairperson; Hello delegates, it is a pleasure to welcome all of you to the IIMUN. Similar to the famed aspects such as international extremism and nuclear warfare, the militarization of the arctic has also proven to be a matter of grave concern to the UN in recent times To many, we have bought this catastrophe upon us, inconsiderate use of natural resources and depletion of the ozone due to constantly increasing forms of pollution.The melting of polar ice caps is the primary reason we face this situation today. The race to occupy unidentified natural resources, huge untouched land masses, and for formations of military strong holds etc, brings about a question whether or not should the arctic be militarized?. That’s the basic question every delegate has to take a stand on and every resolution must answer.Militarization of the arctic will open various new doors for the world, it shall prove to boost economies and strengthen the defenses of many countries however every coin has two sides, the militarization is ought to bring about great unrests and clashing interests thus proving to be a threat on global peace and harmony International co operation is key, the council must come up with reasonable solutions, which shall look to better the global economy and maintain international stability.With Canada, the US, Russia and a number of Nordic countries all pressing to stake their claim in the Arctic which is likely to develop into an area rich in commerce and natural resources what should the UN do to mediate. Does anyone nation have a right to what lies under the Arctic ice and, if so, how will it be decided? With the Russian Security Council predicting a war within a decade how best should the UN resolve these issues? 1)General presentation and introduction of the issue. The Arctic region is one of the most highly disputed areas in recent times.Global warming has taken a great toll on the Earth, effecting issues in the economy, as we ll as with the melting of polar ice caps, increased hurricanes, etc. Global warming gradually melts the ice sheets causing a progressive opening of the Northwest Passage; which makes Arctic resources available for extraction, Arctic militarization is becoming an increasingly prominent issue. A major challenge to Arctic and global security is the diversity of uncertainties and changes that will alter and change the future of the Arctic ecosystem in the recent times to come.The militarization of the Arctic began during World War II, causing a major rise during the Cold War period, The economies’ necessity for fuel corresponds with the race to claim the Arctic land. Included in the Arctic States are Russia, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and the United States, each seeking to attain supremacy in the region in order to provide for the increasing demand for new energy and mineral sources. Certain areas of the arctic region may prove to be very resourceful when considering a variety of fuels and unprocessed natural commodities.As study indicates, By 2100an average global temperature rise of five and a half degrees is foreseeable. Increasing precipitation, shorter and warmer winters and significant reductions in reflective ice and snow cover are likely to persist for the next few centuries. These trends will contribute to not only rising sea levels, but the warming of the planet as a whole. Rising Arctic temperatures and shorter winters will affect not only the ecosystem, but also Arctic operations.As warming becomes an increasingly significant trend in the Arctic, natural resource extraction and marine activity is likely to escalate. For instance, both commercial and military maritime activity in the Arctic has steadily increased since the late 20th century. The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA), a 2009 Arctic marine activity study conducted by the Arctic Council, found that approximately six thousand ships operated in or around the Arctic region in 2004. Furthermore, in terms of volume of shipping, 2. 3 million tons were shipped in 2007, with transportation of hydrocarbons within the Barents and White Seas peaking at 8. 5million tons in 2006. This issue not only poses a threat not only to regional and global security, but also to northern indigenous communities, sustainable development, and environmental stewardship. The rapidly transforming Arctic geography is directly impacting an area of over 30 million km2, engendering new issues, including territorial rights, potential trade routes, and environmental protection.Cooperation with the Arctic populations is critical to preserving biodiversity and human health, as well as environmental health and global peace. Also due to the unsustainable environments a lack of technological environments have been seen in most of the populated arctic colonies, thus proposing a serious threat from extremist groups and power houses who may seek to take advantage of the situation at hand. Under presen t international law, no single country monopolizes the Arctic region.Instead, the international treaty that suggests Arctic territorial claims, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), mandates that each of the five major Arctic countries, the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark, possesses an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical mileseach adjacent to its Arctic coast, as well as military deployment in the Arctic an extended continental shelf.Yet, the United States and seventeen other nations throughout the world have refused to ratify UNCLOS, each looking to expand their military presence in the arctic region and benefit from natural resources without the consent of geopolitical issues and other environmental hazards. Considering the geopolitical issues and the trend of militarization in the arctic the UN must address the debate of growing military presence in the arctic, should militarization of the arctic be allowed? If yes what types of measures should be implemented to monitor and control the military growth in the wider region of the arctic? )History 2. 1)Arctic Exploration The proliferation of military activity in the Arctic region was a fairly recent development, not reaching significant levels until the mid-twentieth century during and following World War II. Prior to the war, the region was a military vacuum, as countries valued it for neither strategic nor economic utility. As the Arctic ice continues to melt and resources slowly begin to be available the West has decided to begin the militarization of the Arctic zone in a bid to gain control over the precious resources.The 16th century marked the beginning of the exploration of the mystifying lands in the northern part of North America and Eurasia. Lasting for over four centuries, the land was initially taken over by Eskimos and those of the Mongolic origin. Explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Jacques Cartier, and many more performed the earliest voyage s in order to find the newest trade routes to the Orient. However their expedition happened to be more complex than anticipated and very little was gained out of the entire excursion; curiosity of the new area vanished abruptly.The 19th century brought about new, British explorers interested in the land that was forgotten about centuries back, John Ross, John Franklin, and a few others began their own journey into the Arctic territory. In 1845, Sir John Franklin led the Northern Passage, but sadly disappeared in his attempts to investigate the land; decades after, many searched in hopes of finding Franklin and his crew members. Between 1903- 1906 Ronald Amundsen gained power of the Northwest Passage, which separated Alaska and Russia.The Arctic became a primary focus again during the time of World War II and much after that for the transportation of materials and supplies. In 1947, the US began performing flights over the Arctic Ocean in order to create weather reports and oceanogra phic work in Beaufort Sea. Presently, there are accurate maps of the Arctic region available due to the current technology available, and the exploration phase of the past has come to an end. There is now much emphasis on the effects of global warming in the region, and efforts that can be made to preserve the land and its value. . 2)Previous Principles Territorial Claims Exploration of the Arctic Region were performed by many of other countries than those surrounding the region, countries such as the United States, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Russia, and the United Kingdom entered the territory in order to place territorial claims on the vast unclaimed land. During the 20th century, sovereignty rights of the Arctic Region were an element of a legislative vacuum, yet many states in the Arctic border did not recognize it as an imperative matter.All of the countries involved in the doctrine have acknowledged its regulations and use it to base any claims of territory. The doctri ne states the northern boundaries of the region as the northern coastlines of all the countries bordering the Arctic Ocean. The rules have stated that in certain parts of the world, any claims of sovereignty would be accepted only if physical occupation comes along with it. The two theories acknowledging national sovereignty in the Arctic region are as follow, ) res nullius, where no nation could have sovereignty over the Arctic; and b) res communes, where every nation in the world shared an undivided sovereignty right in the region. 3 During the 1920s, extensive sea sovereignty sea claims developed. Norway was the first state to make such claim, only after claiming possession of Svalbard Archipelago, in regards to the Spitsbergen Treaty. Because of this, the Soviet Union and Canada declared that their costal border should reach all the way to the North Pole, bringing forth the same disputes used by many states in the Antarctica situation.Canada’s claims refer to the territor y with longitudes of 60 degrees west and 141 degrees west, including all islands in between the northern tip of Canada to the North Pole. Shortly after, the Soviet Union made claims from the northern coasts of Europe and Asia (from Murmansk to the Chukchi Peninsula). Subsequently, the United States and Norway also made their own claims of the land; between the latter of 141 degrees west and 170 degrees west and 5 degrees east and 35 degrees east. Denmark made similar claims of land from 60 degrees west and 10 degrees west.During the Cold War, the Arctic area was partitioned into the East-West division and the significance of the strategic benefit of the region increased, as it appeared to be the shortest path from the United States and the Soviet Union. The naval build up was the main advantage the soviets would gain by acquiring the Arctic region, however, other than through Alaska; the United States did not have any access to the Arctic waters, making them rely on other states to help build their defense. Canada also claimed rights over the islands not only in the Arctic Archipelago, but the Northwest Passage as well.The United States had approved of the former claim, however they discarded the latter, as their policy was to deem the Northwest Passage and the Arctic Ocean as international waters, thus declaring the unrestricted right of transportation for all vessels. Conversely, Canada believed that the waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago were Canadian territory, through the straight baselines theory. The dispute between the two countries carried on until 1988, when Manhattan (an American Tanker and the world’s biggest commercial ship) voyaged through the Northwest Passage, alarming the Canadians.The Canadians were mainly upset because the ship had not asked for consent for the voyage to take place; the United States did this once more with the Polar Sea, causing the Canadians to be extremely upset. After the second incident, the two countries signed an agreement, â€Å"Arctic Cooperation† agreement where no vessels were to engage in research in the Canadians Arctic waters unless consent was given from the Canadian government. 2. 3)THE COLD WAR The Cold War provided a platform for greater militarization of the Arctic.As tensions escalated between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its allies, led by the United States, and the Warsaw Pact block, led by the Soviet Union, both sides began to turn to the Arctic as one of many regions to station military development programs and operations. Starting just years after the end of World War II in which the United States and the Soviet Union had ultimately fought alongside each other, the Far North soon saw a drastic increase in military activity from both belligerent sides.In the midst of a nuclear arms race, the relatively secluded Arctic became a central location for the United States and the Soviet to play â€Å"cat-and-mouse games† above and beneat h the ice, in which each country tried to outmaneuver the other by expanding their own nuclear programs in the Arctic without hindrance from those of the rival country. By the 1950s, international attention paid to the use and defense against nucleararmed strategic bombers using polar routes was reaching unprecedented heights.To maximize the payload of long-range bombers developed with radii of action of several thousand miles, the United States and the Soviet Union established forward bases along the large circular route over the Arctic, to be used for landing and refueling the bombers. The airspace over the Arctic became a chief route for nuclear-armed bombers. Fears that the Soviet Union would occupy an airfield in the Canadian north as a staging base for air operations emerged in North America, though these concerns were later quashed by the trend of increasing ranges of strategic aircraft and consequent lowering risk-return radeoffs. Nevertheless, awareness of the military sign ificance of the Arctic increased for all northern countries, including Canada, where consciousness of the Canadian northlands reached peaks in the early 1960s and later in the mid-1970s. Still, increased international dialogues were pointing the world in the direction of Arctic peace and security. In 1973, the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III) conveyed after six years of preparation in the Committee for the Sea-Bed, proving essential to changing politico-legal conditions in the arctic.As early as in 1975, broad international consensus had been achieved concerning the right of coastal states to establish 200-mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and to administer the living and mineral resources in those zones, providing guidelines for northern marine activity. Article 234 dealt specifically with ice-covered areas, clarifying boundary delimitation and dispute resolution for Arctic nations. What remained to be established was a norm of adhering to these international regulations in a diplomatic manner. 2. 4)POST-COLD WARDespite decreases in Arctic armament, the Arctic continued to be an area of great geopolitical and economic strategic importance for the United States, the Russian Federation, and other nations in the post- Cold War era. Several trends in military technology and strategic doctrine redirected attention to the Arctic. The development of long-range, air-launched cruise missiles and long-range strategic bombers by both the United States and the Soviet Union revitalized the trend of â€Å"air-breathing† vehicles, spurred by the introduction of cruise missiles and the evolution of more effective ballistic missile defenses.Furthermore, the culmination of the Cold War helped efforts to develop multilateral institutions and arrangements gain traction. In particular, the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) and its successor, the Arctic Council, were created following the Cold War. The Arctic Council, first proposed by the Canadian government on 28 November 1990 and created in 1996, has become particularly central to circumpolar cooperation. However, these efforts have created at best an immature and fractured system, rather than a strong multilateral Arctic organization.Likewise, UNCLOS, while a major institution relevant to Arctic diplomacy, contains relatively little substance specific to Arctic policy, though its general provisions encompass many Arctic issues, being largely maritime in nature. Although little military activity and security concerns transitioned largely from traditional security and confrontation to environmental security and cooperation, military tensions in the Arctic lingered years after the Cold War had ended. 3 Recent Developments UNs role in the situation 3. 1)Legal frame works; a)United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)Currently, UNCLOS is the only aspect of global legislation regarding the rights and obligations states have in respect to w orld seas and oceans. There are five different zones, each containing an official regime. The â€Å"territorial sea† is the first zone, including states bordering the sea or ocean (referencing article 3), stretching at approximately 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the shore. In this particular territory, the state can implement full jurisdiction, but the convention allows the right of innocent passage (article 17) for both governmental and non-governmental ships under certain restriction.Ships involving some sort of nuclear background are allowed in this area, but with proper documentation. The passage is defined (according to Article 19) as â€Å"navigation through the territorial sea for the purpose of: (a) any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the coastal State, or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations; (b) any exercise o r practice with weapons of any kind; c) any act aimed at collecting information to the prejudice of the defense or security of the coastal State; (d) any act of propaganda aimed at affecting the defense or security of the coastal State; (e) the launching, landing or taking on board of any aircraft; (f) the launching, landing or taking on board of any military device; (g) the loading or unloading of any commodity, currency or person contrary to the customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State (h) any act of willful and serious pollution contrary to this Convention; (i) any fishing activities j) the carrying out of research or survey activities (k) any act aimed at interfering with any systems of communication or any other facilities or installations of the coastal State; (l) any other activity not having a direct bearing on passage. †5 The â€Å"contiguous zone†, contains a width of approximately 24 nautical miles from baselines. Ins ide this area, the state can implement control needed to â€Å"prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. The â€Å"exclusive economic zone† can stretch up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines. It has rights in regard to natural resources; it is free to create the manner in which it will manage the resources, however other states must have consent in order to exploit these resources. The state is also allowed jurisdiction over artificial islands, installations, and structures relating to research. The â€Å"continental shelf† is the seabed and submarine part, extending beyond the territorial sea to the edge of the continental margin. The states have the right to explore and exploit natural resources, including mineral and non-living resources.The final area is known as the à ¢â‚¬Å"high seas,† which are open to all states. The rights under the high seas in Article 87 include: (a) freedom of navigation; (b) freedom of overflight; (c) freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines, subject to Part VI; (d) freedom to construct artificial islands and other installations permitted under international law, subject to Part VI; (e) freedom of fishing, subject to the conditions laid down in section 2; (f ) freedom of scientific research, subject to Parts VI and XIII. 6 (source ; United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (Montego Bay 1982). b). The Ilulissat Declaration The Ilulissat Declaration was the outcome of a meeting of the five Arctic states (Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States of America) with the purpose of discussing the future of the Arctic region. The Declaration presents the common position of the five states in therms of maritime safety, climate change and sovereign rights. By this document, the signatory states reaffirm their commitment towards the existing international law regulations governing the aforementioned issues.The countries involved consider the current legal framework provided by the UNCLOS, the International Maritime Organization and the Arctic Council to be most appropriate for tackling these issues. The countries expressed their opposition towards any regime for the Arctic Ocean that would be contrary to the provisions of UNCLOS; therefore, the only provisions that these countries are willing to negotiate are the ones complementary to the current system. c)The Arctic Council One of the most important players in determining the future of the Arctic area is the Arctic Council.The Council was established in 1996 by the Ottawa Declaration and it is an international intergovernmental forum of 8 members: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States. It was invested with the following mandate: â€Å"- provide a m eans for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, with the involvement of the Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common arctic issues*, in particular issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. oversee and coordinate the programs established under the AEPS on the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP); conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF); Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME); and Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPPR). adopt terms of reference for and oversee and coordinate a sustainable development program. disseminate information, encourage education and promote interest in Arctic-related issues. † 3. 2) current situations; Militarization in the Arctic has occurred recently in the Russian Federation.In 2007 during an excursion on the Lomonosov Ridge, a Russian flag was placed on the seabed which allowed Moscow to patrol over the Arctic Ocean . American newspapers noted that Russian bombers infiltrated a twelve mile air defense around Alaska. The Russian army has expressed interest in increasing patrols throughout the Arctic Ocean, but official notice of the distribution of warships in 2008. Russian Navy officers have spoken about their new plans on handling any threats presented in the Arctic and are expanding the Northern Fleet’s radius.In 2009, Vladimir Putin and the head of military and intelligence agencies promoted the likelihood of war (in the next decade) in the Arctic in regards to regions wealthy with their natural resources. Members of NATO responded to the Russian Federation’s actions by resupplying the Thule Air Base in Greenland, with approval of Denmark’s government. The United States, along with Canada, have increased their research and strategies in fortifying the North American Aerospace Defense Command; along with the formation of an Arctic Region Command and Arctic Coast Guard For um.Canada has also publicized the idea of building navy patrols for the Northwest Passage, a deep water port, and military bases. a) RENEWED MILITARY BUILD-UP Despite the emphasis on cooperation in the Arctic in diplomatic dialogues, most Arctic states are actively working on strengthening their northern capabilities through increases in Arctic forces and manufacturing of new combative weapons, after having reduced their circumpolar forces in the 1990s following the Cold War. b) UNDETERMINED ARCTIC MARITIME BORDERS: Despite the creation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) under UNCLOS, many of the Arctic maritime boundaries remain disputed.Maritime disputes between Canada and the United States in the Beaufort Sea, Canada and Denmark in the Lincoln Sea, and Norway and Russia in the Barents Sea are just some of the conflicts that continue to persist. While most oil and gas deposits in the Arctic are not located in these disputed areas, future discoveries resulting from further oil and gas exploration could complicate disputes. c)IMPLICATIONS ON THE ENVIRONMENT Military actions among Arctic nations have yet to embrace a cohesive element of sustainable development.A more comprehensive and environmentally responsible security policy, â€Å"environmentally oriented security,† should be considered, especially in light of the impact of global warming on the Arctic environment. d)ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING AN ARCTIC NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE-ZONE (ANWZ) The reality is that submarines, ships, and nuclear weapons continue to exist in the Arctic. Only nuclear powered submarines are able to stay submerged long enough to operate in the circumpolar region, which the United States, Russia, Britain, and France continue to use to patrol the Arctic.For instance, Russia claims to maintain a fleet of ten missile submarines, six Delta IV and four Delta III class, equipped with a total of 160 submarine-launched ballistic missiles carrying 576 nuclear warheads. These submarines, and the rest of the Russian Northern Fleet, continue to be tracked by American, and possibly British and French, fast-attack submarines. The United States itself has 14 Ohio class Trident missile submarines carrying 1,152 nuclear warheads, Britain has four Trident nuclear missile submarines, and France has four nuclear missile submarines carrying 240 nuclear warheads.Addressing the use of these submarines would be crucial to establishing potentially an Arctic Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. An Arctic Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone has been emphasized as a possibility by the Canadian Pugwash Group in 2007, but three principal challenges to its creation are the routine deployment of ballistic missile-firing submarines by Russia (and resulting tracking by the American and other NATO navies), the location of Russia’s largest naval bases being north of the Arctic Circle, and the positions of the United States and Russia as both Arctic States and Nuclear Weapon States (though the United States possesses irtually no nuclear weapons in the Arctic). Should this build-up of arms continue, the prospects of a nuclear-weapon free and demilitarized Arctic could be in jeopardy. 3. 3)RELEVANT UN ACTIONS The United Nations has spearheaded only a few treaties and resolutions relevant to Arctic military operations, relying mainly on individual groups of regions creating separate multilateral organizations.The most notable of the United Nations’ actions has been the production of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The opening of UNCLOS for signature on 10 December 1982 in Montego Bay, Jamaica marked the end of over 14 years of work integrating contributions from over 150 countries. The Convention delineates a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans and seas, instituting regulations on the use of the oceans and seabed resources.Its 320 articles and nine annexes regulate all aspects of ocean space, including delimitation, environmental control, economic and commercial activities, and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters. Since the Arctic is a largely marine region, many of UNCLOS’s general provisions, as well as Article 234, which is specific to the Arctic region, affect directly northern circumpolar activity. Some of the relevant terms Include: â€Å"Article 234: Ice-covered areas.Coastal States have the right to adopt and enforce non-discriminatory laws and regulations for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution from vessels in ice-covered areas within the limits of the exclusive economic zone, where particularly severe climatic conditions and the presence of ice covering such areas for most of the year create obstructions or exceptional hazards to navigation, and pollution of the marine environment could cause major harm to or irreversible disturbance of the ecological balance.Such laws and regulations shall have due regard to navigation and the protection and preservation of the marine environment based on the best available scientific evidence. † SECURITY COUNCIL â€Å"Coastal States exercise sovereignty over their territorial sea which they have the right to establish its breadth up to a limit not to exceed 12 nautical miles; foreign vessels are allowed â€Å"innocent passage† through those waters. † â€Å"Ships and aircraft of all countries are allowed â€Å"transit passage† through straits used for international navigation; States bordering the straits can regulate navigational and other aspects of passage. â€Å"Archipelagic States, made up of a group or groups of closely related islands and interconnecting waters, have sovereignty over a sea area enclosed by straight lines drawn between the outermost points of the islands; the waters between the islands are declared archipelagic waters where States may establish sea lanes and air routes in which all other States enjoy the right of arc hipelagic passage through such designated sea lanes. â€Å"Coastal States have sovereign rights in a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with respect to natural resources and certain economic activities, and exercise jurisdiction over marine science research and environmental protection. † â€Å"All other States have freedom of navigation and over flight in the EEZ, as well as freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines. † Land-locked and geographically disadvantaged States have the right to participate on an equitable basis in exploitation of an appropriate part of the surplus of the living resources of the EEZ’s of coastal States of the same region or sub-region; highly migratory species of fish and marine mammals are accorded special protection. † â€Å"Coastal States have sovereign rights over the continental shelf (the national area of the seabed) for exploring and exploiting it; the shelf can extend at least 200 nautical miles from the shore, and more under specified circumstances. â€Å"Coastal States share with the international community part of the revenue derived from exploiting resources from any part of their shelf beyond 200 miles. † â€Å"The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf shall make recommendations to States on the shelf’s outer boundaries when it extends beyond 200 miles. † â€Å"All States enjoy the traditional freedoms of navigation, overflight, scientific research and fishing on the high seas; they are obliged to adopt, or cooperate with other States in adopting, measures to manage and conserve living resources. † SECURITY COUNCIL 3 â€Å"States are bound to prevent and control marine pollution and are liable for damage caused by violation of their international obligations to combat such pollution. † â€Å"States Parties are obliged to settle by peaceful means their disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention. † â€Å"Disputes can be submitted to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea established under the Convention, to the International Court of Justice, or to arbitration. Conciliation is also available and, in certain circumstances, submission to it would be compulsory.The Tribunal has exclusive jurisdiction over deep seabed mining disputes. † 3. 4)PROPOSED SOLUTIONS As elaborated above, the question of the militarization of the Arctic actually contains many subsidiary issues. Disarmament and security in the Arctic have implications on more than just the military: they impact the environment, indigenous peoples, and commercial activity, for example. Prospective solutions should consist of a comprehensive and feasible framework within the purview of DISEC, addressing the gaps in current international policy pertaining to the militarization of Arctic.Since there are various bilateral and multilateral cooperative institutions relating to the Arctic, but few international bodies under the United Nations, a thorough approach to international cooperation on a number of Arctic issues should be delineated. The regime set forth should extend beyond environmental and scientific issues, unlike its predecessors, focusing ins

Earthquake Research Paper

Earthquake Research Paper It is a bitter and humiliating thing to see works, which have cost men so much time and labour, overthrown in one minute; yet compassion for the inhabitants is almost instantly forgotten†¦ Charles Darwin (on the ruin of Concepcion in Chile by an earthquake (Robinson 47) People tremble when they hear the word; destruction, mayhem, and tragedy: all words that come to mind when earthquake is heard. They occur without warning and cause millions of dollars in destruction and numerous deaths. For these reasons and more, earthquakes are one of the most unpredictable and devastating occurrences Mother Nature dishes out. Earthquakes usually occur without warning. There is a sudden slip in the earth’s crust, which makes the earth shake causing mass destruction to buildings and people in the surrounding areas. These areas in the earth’s crust are called faults. When the earth â€Å"faults† the ground bends to a certain limit until the point of breaking. When it finally snaps, it sends vibrations up to the earth’s surface where the earthquake occurs (USGS). There are two different types of waves during an earthquake, the P-wave and the S-wave. The P-wave is the primary wave that is the first wave to arrive, followed by the transverse, or S-waves, which arrive after (USGS). Quakes can last for short or long periods of time and are sometimes followed by aftershocks. They are tiny earthquakes that last for a few seconds after the bigger quake. Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology created the Richter magnitude scale in 1935 in order to compare the magnitudes of earthquakes. The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs (USGS). The scale ranges from numbers zero through 10. A number such as 4.6 on the Richter scale would be considered a mediocre earthquake in seismologists’ minds while any number over six would be a large earthquake. Earthquakes under a two rating are not felt by people and are not recorded because no damage is done. Earthquakes of these magnitudes are likely to occur thousands of times a day while one of a ranking higher than eight will only occur once on average in the world each year. Earthquakes have also been measured in equivalence to weights of dynamite. For example, if an earthquake gets a reading between a 6.0 and a 7.0, it is the same as blowing up around 100,000 tons of dynamite (Nuhfer 39). Earthquakes cause massive losses in money for the government when they strike. Buildings are knocked over, streets cracked, and there are many electrical problems that they have to deal with. It takes a lot of time for places to recover from the effects of earthquakes. A new Federal Emergency Management Agency report says that damages from U.S. earthquakes total about $ 4.4 billion a year. California alone accounts for $ 3.3 billion of the total (Fema 9). Another tragic loss we have when earthquakes come around is the loss of our family and friends. Thousands of people lose their lives without ever knowing what hit them. The most devastating quake in United States history is by far the one that â€Å"shook the world† in San Francisco in 1906. More than three thousand lives were taken on that day. The closest death toll to this in the United States was one hundred and fifteen, an earthquake that occurred in Long Beach, California in 1933 (USGS). To try and reduce these loses of friends and relatives, there are steps to reduce hazards in the home. One example if you are in a high seismic-risk zone would be to strap or bolt all furniture to the floor or to the walls so that if an earthquake does occur, it will not harm anyone. Also, the frame should be checked periodically to make sure that it is all in tact. One final precaution would be to use plywood sheathing wherever needed, such as garage door areas, to strengthen the home so that less damage will occur (Bolt 228-29). Most of the earthquakes that happen in the United States occur on the West Coast, especially in California. This is true because of one of the most famous fault lines in the world, the San Andreas Fault. This fault line stretches for over six hundred miles from the Imperial Valley in Southern California to Point Arena on the northern coast and then out to sea. To date more than twenty-five earthquakes have occurred in California. Most of these are because of the San Andreas Fault. And these are only the earthquakes that have been measured on the Richter scale. The most recent damage an earthquake has done in the United States was on February 28, 2001 in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, called the Nisqually earthquake. The quake measured a 6.8 on the Richter scale and shook the earth for a good forty seconds. Even though it was a long earthquake, it was still one of the less damaging earthquakes of this magnitude in the United States. Immediately after the quake, 28 state bridge inspection teams examined about 500 state-owned bridges within a 73-mile radius of the epicenter. There was almost no structural damage, said Weigel, Washington State Dept. of Transportation bridge engineer, to insure safety for motorists using the bridges (News Site). There was only one death contributed to it, a heart attack victim. The damage bill was nothing compared to other quakes. The bill totaled up to around two billion dollars. That may seem like a lot, but when compared to the earthquake in Northridge, California in 1994 it was pennies. This qu ake ranked at 6.7 on the scale and was the costliest earthquake the United Stated had ever had at forty billion dollars. The after shocks of this earthquake caused more damage than the entire Nisqually quake including its aftershocks, which did not reach above a 3.4 (SCEC). This quake was also different from other quakes, as the city of Santa Monica knows first hand. Parts of their coastal city, 21 kilometers south of Northridge and separated from it by a mountain range, had received shocks just as severe as those felt in Northridge (O’Hanlon). Scientists are still stunned about why this occurred, but attribute it to something of a magnifying glass of a rock in the earth’s surface that focused the quake to Santa Monica. The Northridge quake, like all others, brought attention to the way that some buildings were structured. Although not much damage was done to some buildings due to the soft soil around it, others were hit hard. One of the more severely damaged buildings was the six-story Palmer Court Building, an un-reinforced masonry structure located in Seattles historic Pioneer Square district (Staff 10). Although damage to buildings is inevitable during an earthquake, improvements can still be made to buildings so that they do not end up like the Palmer Court Building. Every building, however moves somewhat during an earthquake, no matter its size. During the Loma Prieta Earthquake in San Francisco during the World Series, the seats were seen shaking back and forth along with the entire Candlestick Park. After a few moments of shaking, it regained its original position without much structural damage (Levy 94). Although this is the most recent quake felt by the United States, one that occurred nearly a century ago will not soon be forgotten. The earthquake that occurred in San Francisco on April 18, 1906 ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time (USGS). At around 5:00 in the morning, the northernmost 290 miles of the San Andreas Fault ruptured. Although the Richter scale was not around, it is believed to be one of the most powerful earthquakes to ever hit the United States. The city shook violently for almost a full minute. Fires blazed and approximately three thousand people were killed in this tragic event. So is there anything anybody can do to prepare for another such disaster? There is really no way of knowing when the next earthquake will hit, but seismologists have several methods so that they can estimate approximately when another one will occur. By studying the amount of earthquakes and when they happen in a certain area, seismologist can then guess the probability of another one occurring in that area within a given time (CBC News). This will then give people the time to prepare themselves for another possible quake. Seismologists can also measure how much stress a certain region of the earths crust is under, and how quickly that stress is increasing. This will help them to determine if another quake is likely in that region, but it is a very difficult procedure and far from perfect because a lot of areas lack the equipment and data needed for this. There is no way to stop earthquakes from shaking our earth. It is something that, unfortunately, we will have to deal with for the rest of our lives. Many scientists and seismologists are doing the best they can so that we can be better prepared for another earthquake when it hits. Until the time when we will be able to predict when they will strike comes, we will have to live knowing that at anytime an earthquake can come and shake up the earth as well as our lives.

Middle East Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Middle East Studies - Essay Example This is achieved through networks of charitable organizations that also form the bases for political mobilization of the Islamists. The support for the Islamists stems from the fact that they are active and unified with proper organization in the provision of services to the population. For example, Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan and Egypt are actively involved in the management and development of resources in healthcare, education and infrastructure. Hamas rise and popularity in the Palestinian society can be attributed to the many social services that they provide to the society through its efficient network of social, sports and health facilities and libraries. Therefore, it is no wonder that in the elections held on January 2006, it won a massive 74 out of 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council; thus, becoming the ruling party. The Hezbollah in Lebanon started as a military organization but transformed into a political outf it aimed at preventing the continued settlement of Israelis in parts of Lebanon especially the south. In the early 1990s, it transformed into an outfit for the solution of socio-economic problems of the society through integration into the Lebanese political system specifically the legislature. Their social welfare programs have included the provision of food rations to impoverished neighborhoods. This has increased their popularity in areas that the government has failed to provide utilities (Nicholas 73). The Muslim Brotherhood has been actively involved in the Egyptian civil society by taking up professional organizations making them efficient in the provision of social services. The failure by the state to provide these services to the people has endeared the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood making it involved in electoral politics in professional associations, trade unions and political parties (Haynes 241). War, Political Violence, Terrorism, Counter-terrorism in the Middle East si nce 1967 Since the Cold War era and the end of the Soviet Union, the United States has developed a bipartisan foreign policy known as selective engagement. This requires it to be applied differently depending on certain factors such as the issue at hand, the time of the issue and the preferences of the leader at the time of the occurrence. America’s policy in the engagement of war must be determined by factors such as the protection of national interests, the costs on the American citizen and the time of the engagement. Moreover, there is need for the availability of allies to shoulder the human, physical and financial burdens in the engagement and find a viable exit strategy that leaves the prevailing political environment in the country being stable than before (Lacquement 11) The Arab-Israeli conflict has been widely followed by the US regime through what is known as preventive and constructive diplomacy. Constructive diplomacy has involved assistance in the form of financ ial aid to Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan and the Palestine Authority including Israel. This is achieved through information sharing on matters of terrorism and countering them by offering viable arrangements in addressing the security situation in the region. Russia has also proposed cooperation by the superpowers in the region to mitigate fear in the regions (Breslauer 286). The Iran-Iraq was about religious schisms such as the Sunni-Shia, the

Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems - Assignment Example The Advanced Cost Analysis and Systems involves carrying out Business cycles for Apple Inc, which include Revenue--sales process, sales return, cash receipt Expenditure--purchasing, purchase return, cash disbursement Payroll Fixed Assets--Acquisition, dispose Inventory--production Treasury Cycle Finiancial. The payroll cycle begins by the receipt of time cards from the hourly employees. The time cards depict the number of hours worked by the employees in their respective departments. The head of the department either signs the time card for confirmation or does not sign to indicate rejection. The head of department then submits the time card to the payroll manager who then updates the payroll. The company’s CFO then reviews gives approval leading to the processing and posting of the payroll. Once the CFO authorizes the paychecks, the company then prepares adequate cash for disposal, in covering the amount indicated in the payroll. This triggers the preparation of a payroll voucher to act as a record for the total amount indicated in the payroll. After posting the payroll, the checks are then delivered to the employees. This transaction affects the cash department consequently triggering for the preparation of a disbursement journal. The company then reconciles the ledger informa tion. As depicted in the flow chart showing sales process, the first step is a customer placing an order for the company’s products. The company presents the customer with the details of products before the actual transaction starts. As a legal procedure, customer purchase order forms an inherent part of the transactions and must include company name, customer’s name, fabric, quantities, shipping and billing information. The receipt of the purchase order drives the company to approving the order and accompanied credit carried by the customer for the transaction. in the shipping process, the company makes use of a common

Principle And Practice Of Assessment Theory

Principle And Practice Of Assessment Theory Within unit three of principles and practice of assessment, we as students were required to research the following areas: Principles of assessment, Peer and Self Assessment, Feedback and Questioning and Assessment Record Requirements. Research was completed on the four topics to help increase understanding and background knowledge of the areas. Further examination of these topics would allow me to think about the way in which I teach my students, be able to incorporate the ideas and illustrate the process of teaching and learning using these methods. During the research, it was intended that we explore the topics given, selecting and analysing material and using it to relate to the specialised area in which we teach. Initially, we worked as a group to research the principles of assessment which we were then to present back to other students as a micro teaching session. Petty (2004, pg 219) suggests that group work is active and gives students †¦chance to use the methods, principles and vocabulary that they are being taught. Assessment is a method which measures the extent and degree of learning which has taken place within or outside of the classroom. Skills, knowledge and attitudes can be measured against a pre determined standard set by the tutor or examining body of a subject module or qualification. Dictionary.com (2009) defines assessment as the act of assessing; appraisal; evaluation. As Petty (2004) suggests, assessment serves many different purposes. It can grade the attainment of learners, help to select candidates for jobs or courses, contribute to evidence the effectiveness of a course content and tutors abilities and provide a long term goal for learners. Assessment also allows opportunity to adjust teaching to ensure all targets or criteria is being met. However, it has been argued that assessment is unreliable and inaccurate and is a poor tool of predicting a students future performance. There are various types of assessment methods; these include initial diagnostic, formative, summative, norm and criterion referencing. Assessment starts at the very beginning of a students academic career. The initial or diagnostic assessment can take on many forms such as an informal chat to an entrance essay or examination. The goal is to attempt to find out as much information as possible about the student. The more information we have on the student, the more we can adapt the learning experience, to suit the learners needs. When working with adults with learning disabilities it is crucial that a tutor tries identify the abilities of a student as soon as possible. This is so we can identify their basic literacy and numeracy and as to whether we will have to place extra staff support into the classroom to ensure an inclusive environment. Often a student and tutor will create an Individual Learning Plan or ILP, which will identify learners needs and support they may require as well as any goals they may have for the future. Initial assessment can also help identify a students learning style. Gravells (2008) believes that †¦a key part of initial assessment is to involve your learners in assessing their own skills and knowledge. Formative assessment is continuous and frequent and is a tool used to inform the student and the tutor of students progress and whether they are meeting the objectives of the course. This form of assessment provides information and feedback upon which decisions and adaptations can be made and provides students with directions for future learning. Research has shown, (Petty, 2004) that this feedback while you learn has more effect on student achievement than any other factor. It gives students an intrinsic motivation to learn rather than extrinsic, therefore doing something or learning something because they want to not because they have been told they have to. Generally the results of formative assessment do not contribute to a students final grade but are purely for the purpose of assisting students to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to work towards improving their overall performance. A major barrier to the effectiveness of formative assessment is the fact that t he mark generated doesnt usually count towards a students final grade and therefore students can be less motivated to put a great deal of effort into such assessment. Brown and Knight (1999) suggest that if used in an effective manner, formative assessment can help students to be more autonomous in their learning and to reflect on their performances and take responsibility for their academic growth. As a tutor, I tend to rely on formative assessment with my students; the reason for this is to alleviate any stress or nerves for the student. Due to having a student with autism, the idea of a formal summative assessment would upset that student and impact on their final grade. Summative assessment occurs at the end of a course or academic year. It is often achieved by the means of an examination or test which is †¦designed to differentiate between candidates on the basis of the breadth and depth of their learning. (Petty, 2004 pg 466). Summative  assessment is also seen as formal testing of what has been learned in order to produce marks or grades which may be used for reports of various types.  Ã‚  Research by the Assessment and Learning Research Synthesis Group has shown that the emphasis of formative assessment can help students to learn and be motivated to learn, whereas the use of summative assessment can have a negative impact on pupils motivation. Within the learning environment, norm and criterion referencing is also used. James (2002) suggests that Best practice in grading in higher education involves striking a balance between criterion-referencing and norm-referencing. A norm referenced test compares students achievements relative to other students achievements. This is often apparent with the General Certificate in Education (GCSE). Criterion referenced test does not compare student with student but requires the student to meet a certain set of criteria or targets to be seen as competent. This can be seen in National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). Criterion referencing emphasizes the achievements of a student against a predetermined set of standards rather than comparison to another student. Criterion referencing can provide a tutor with the information of exactly what a student has learnt; therefore identify the abilities of that student. With this information, a student can then fill in any gaps of knowledge they may have missed. Whereas norm referencing can only show a tutor how one student has performed against another. When working with students with learning disabilities, I often rely on initial/diagnostic assessment to ensure I can provide the correct support for that student. Using formative assessment can also motivate my students, Most students with learning disabilities respond favorably too seeing their academic progress charted, and this can become†¦a very motivational tool. Bender, 2002, pg 116). Another area that we researched, through individual research and peer micro teach sessions were peer and self assessment. Petty (2008) believes that Self assessment encourages reflection and purposeful activity towards useful goals, as well as encouraging learners to become responsible for their own learning. Kolb (1984) proposed a four stage cycle of learning and within one of those stages was observation and reflection. This stage allows students to take a step back from the task in hand and review what they have done and the experience of it. Which then moves on to the abstract conceptualisation stage and allows students to plan how they might carry out the task differently. Whilst working with students with learning disabilities, I often use peer assessment. Behaviourist theory suggests that giving feedback whether positive or negative, will enable students to behave in a certain way. Skinner (1974) believed that a learner will repeat a desired behaviour if positive reinforcement follows. During a session with my students I often allow them to assess each others work, students are always almost honest and do not hold back their thoughts and feelings. This often motivates students to work harder or continue that particular behaviour due to the fact they get praise and can encourage self correction. On the other hand, when working with mainstream students, they may not always be honest when assessing each others, worrying in case they upset their peer or being bias because they have issues with the student they are assessing. Feedback and questioning can play an important role in assessing our students. There are many reasons why as a tutor we would use questions, but mainly it is to assess our students learning. Questioning allows us to check understanding and whether learning has taken place. It can also encourage participation within a classroom and allows us to draw on students experiences. Effective questioning is an assessment tool in which I use as a tutor of adults with learning disabilities, as many students cannot portray their ideas or thoughts on paper due to their lack of literacy skills. Using probing questions, either open or closed allows differentiation within my classroom and ensures an inclusive environment. Petty (2008) implies that questioning has a crucial advantage when considering student motivation in the classroom. Nothing motivates quite as much as the glow of satisfaction that a student gets when he or she answers a question correctly. (Petty, 2008, pg 183). Giving rewarding fe edback following this will encourage student learning and they have seen they can succeed. Feedback is a way of communicating information back to the student. We must ensure that when giving feedback to a student, it should be done in a positive manner which enhances, rather than damages their self-esteem. Negative feedback will often demotivate the student and make them feel as though they have failed. Internet site Brooks.ac.uk (2009) suggests that There is a school of thought that praise of a students work will lead to under-performance, whereas criticism will spur them on to greater achievements. There seems to be very little evidence that such a strategy is successful in achieving its goals. While there are dangers in becoming too blasà © about ones achievements, negative criticism can be highly de-motivating. However, it is necessary that as a tutor we must point out the shortcomings of a students work to ensure they meet the criteria set, it is the manner in which we do it to ensure progression. We as a teacher should †¦support the student in finding their own way of correcting problems, and should not do all the work for them. (Rogers, 2001). When giving feedback to my own student, it is essential that it is clear and specific and must not focus on too may aspects at the same time as this may confuse or upset the student. We must also ensure that feedback is delivered in a suitable area or environment so not to distress the student. A feedback session should also conclude with the student and tutor agreeing what should be done for the student to succeed. The final area that was to be researched was the types of assessment records that which would be needed to meet organisational and external requirements. It is important that as a tutor we keep records of our learners, both personal and how they are progressing. Initial assessment records are an essential tool as this would inform us of the students background and where the student expects the course to take him or her. Information received by these methods needs to be recorded in a way that the student, tutor, organisation and external bodies can access at any time. External bodies may need access for funding reasons. They can be stored in a portfolio for the student for ease of access by all concerned. An awarding body such as City and Guilds will monitor the teaching of a course and therefore teachers must keep records of what and how they are teaching, as well as formative and summative assessment records. This will allow a process called internal or external verification to take place to ensure quality teaching and learning is taking place. Formative assessment records will also allow teachers to fill in any gaps of knowledge that their students may have. Learning institutions will often be inspected by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), this is to promote service improvement and ensure an inclusive educational environment for all students. The points which were researched, by group work, individual research and through peer micro teach sessions are areas that tutors need to be aware of and are imperative to successful teaching. As a tutor we need to be tuned in to a variety of issues to ensure that we meet the needs of all learners and organisations.

Understanding Shakespeare :: essays research papers

Understanding Shakespeare: The Power of Footnotes and Paraphrase Objectives: The students will†¦ 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Compare Shakespeare’s language to a moderately familiar foreign language. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Apply the techniques of reading a foreign language to reading Shakespeare. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Translate Shakespeare’s English into modern English by means of class discussion, teamwork and individual study. Methods:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The teacher begins by presenting an identifiable text to the students in a foreign language. The students are to identify this text through the use of prior knowledge and footnotes. The teacher then guides the students to summarize the text in modern English. The teacher connects this exercise to how students should approach Shakespeare’s language. The students then work on a worksheet with a partner where they apply foot notes and careful reading to decipher the Shakespearean Insults handout. The students share their work with the rest of the class. If not all of the quotes were covered during class, the students will translate the quotes at home as homework. Materials:  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overhead projector  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transparency sheet of foreign languages  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overhead pen (optional)  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Copies of Shakespearean Insults handout Outline:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Translation of identifiable text  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 minutes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lecture comparing foreign text to Shakespeare  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 minutes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pair translation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 minutes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wrap up and summary of material  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 minutes Evaluation:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The teacher will evaluate the students’ comprehension of the lesson through the participation of the students in the class discussion, the quality of student responses to the paired translation exercise, and from the homework of the remaining passages to translate which were not discussed in class. Shakespearean Insults 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Make thy sepulcher*,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  And creep into it far before thy time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  * Sepulcher: tomb 2.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Polonius: I will most humbly take my leave of you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hamlet:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More willingly part withal. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What fool hath added water to the sea,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Or brought a faggot* to bright-burning Troy?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  * Faggot: a bundle of sticks used for kindling 4.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do you amend thy face, and I’ll amend my life. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thou wilt be as valiant as the wrathful dove,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Or most magnanimous mouse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  * Magnanimous: brave, courageous 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her beauty and her brains go not together. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whiles like a puff’d and reckless libertine*   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thyself the primrose path** of dalliance*** treads.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  * Libertine: an immoral person   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ** Primrose path: easy and care-free   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  *** Dalliance: to waste time, dawdle 8.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thou wast* not wont** to be so dull.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  * Wast: was or were   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ** Wont: habit, used to 9.

Organizational Control

Organizational control is the systematic process through which managers regulate organizational activities to make them consistent with expectations established in plans, targets and standards of performance (Kuratko, 2001). These organizational expectations are a collection of goals and accountabilities represented in the budget, which help establish performance metrics, document actual performances, allow comparison between the estimated and actual performance, and allow for corrective actions (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Measures of financial performance are those ratios against which actual performance can be meaningfully measured against the expectations of the budget. These measures are objective measures of performance, and a careful analysis of a combination of these ratios may help dis ¬tinguish between firms that will eventually fail and those that will continue to survive, sometimes as early as five years before a firm fails trouble can be detected from the value of these financial ratios (Keating). These performance ratios measure profit, liquidity, leverage and activity and the combination tell a significant story as to the overall health of an organization. Profitability ratios demonstrate the efficiency of the use of resources to generate profits from organizational inputs of materials to value added activities (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). These are Return on investment and Gross Profit Margin. ROI, or â€Å"return on investment,† measures competitive advantage because it allows managers to compare performance against other similar organizations. Although firms will differ on how that calculation is reached internally and what activities are considered profit drivers. For instance, in her 2010 book Open Leadership, Charlene Li argues that a social media campaign goes beyond marketing in that it reduces other costs by not only building affinity but can reduce other costs using Ford Motor Company and Comcast as an example (Li, 2010). Gross Profit Margin is the difference between the amount of revenue generated from the product and the resources used to produce the product. For the current quarter, Apple Computer is projecting an increase in GPM from their expectations of 36% to 37% with further expectation that will increase to 38% next quarter (Barrons, 2011). The iPad generated $4. 4-Billion in revenue last quarter with 80% of the Fortune 100 deploying the computer (Goldman, 2011). With strong business acceptance and revenue performance for a market that didn’t exist a year ago, the GPM associated ith such a product increases far more quickly. Real Networks, on the other hand, has had significant difficulty maintaining its gross profit margin indicating it either cannot control costs or that it has been forced to lower prices (Phillips, 2011). Apple has had no downward price pressure and costs have been kept under control (Hadhazy, 2010). Liquidity ratios measure the overall organizational preparedness to meet the short-term obligations of the organization. The higher the ratio, the greater the organizational ability to cover short-term debts, but a high liquidity ratio also indicates a significant proportion of assets are being used in non-productive ways (Yahoo Finance). Two common liquidity measures are the current ratio and the quick ratio. The current ratio is the difference between current assets and current liabilities and it speaks to the question of whether there are enough assets to pay claims on short-term debts without selling inventory. The ratio expression indicates how much money is available versus how much short term debt is outstanding. A ratio of 2:1 indicates $2 in assets for every $1 in debt. The Motley Fool dissects Real Networks stock performance while determining whether or not to sell the stock. One positive sign for the company is a high current ratio – 3. 13 (Phillips, 2011). However, while the company has â€Å"miniscule† debt, the company’s equity has been shrinking over the past 5-years, so a question to ask is do they have too high a current ratio, bearing in mind that represents non-productive assets? There are enough assets to pay short-term claims, but the stock performance lags the S&P by almost 2/3 – raising the question in my mind if they have too much non-performing assets on hand which need to be reevaluated. The quick ratio answers the question of whether an organization can pay claims without selling inventory. Inventory is not necessarily worth the amount represented on the books, and removing it from this calculation gives a better view of whether or not an organization has liquid assets available. If a company has too much of its liquidity tied up in inventory, it will be dependent on selling that inventory to finance its operations and will have a low quick ratio (Motley Fool). Leverage ratios measure the use of debt or equity to finance operations, with the use of debt becoming problematic if profits cannot cover the interest on the debt (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Two common such ratios are debt-to-assets ratio and times-covered ratio. Debt to assets shows to what extent the organization is financed with debt, with a lower number being more favorable. With a low number, an organization and its investors can be more confident a company can weather difficult times. Real Networks, as discussed earlier, has a debt to equity ratio close to zero, largely because there is close to no debt – this is a company which can weather some difficult times, however while the debt remains low, the equity is decreasing as well signaling there may be some continuing difficult times (Phillips, 2011). The times-covered ratio measures the extent to which a company's can meet its current debt obligations with available net income. If the times-covered ratio declines to less than 1, then the company is unable to meet its interest costs and is technically insolvent (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Activity ratios are a measure of an organizations utilization of resources to create value. For a company to be profitable, it must be able to manage its inventory, because it is money invested that does not earn a return. So, inventory turnover measures how well a company is moving its inventory so the assets are not carried as non-performing assets and days sales outstanding measures how quickly that inventory is converted to payment on what it owed. I worked for a small printing company which was dependent on its ability to collect on outstanding projects – age of account was an important measure of the company’s health and much effort was placed on collecting. Inventory was not an option as each job was unique to the client and was good only for that client. These measures help direct the activities of the organization and help set the goals of the organization. The indicate the health of the company, by measuring the management effectiveness in meeting the organizational goals.