Escape From Poverty Essay

Introduction Poverty is a serious situation where the majority of individuals have experienced in their daily life. Poverty is the inability to maintain standard of living. Poverty is hunger and lack of shelter. Poverty is a lack of basic necessities such as clothing, housing, water and health services. Parents living in severe poverty affect the education of young children. This is because they might be selling for their parents to get some money to maintain themselves, or also the parents are unable to pay for their child’s education. Many children are not attending school due to the lack of money for textbooks, uniforms and tuitions. Therefore, some children tend to suffer for a situation they cannot avoid, being poor. Due to this problem, it is the responsibility of the government and family alike to ensure that a child receives an education. Therefore, their education is likely their only escape from poverty. Aims and Objectives The aim of this research is for the researcher to become aware of the factors influencing the education of these children and also to make the public and government officials aware of this serious situation. The main objective of this research is to find some type of solution or help which will benefit both the parents and the children. The people in this village that are of higher standard of living can come together and help the people that are more in need since it is the lives of young children that is being affected. The government should invest their money in this village by helping parents get books, uniforms and paying tuition for the children. Also they should have more job opportunities since many parents are unemployed and without a job they don’t have money to cover the school expenses. Purpose of Investigation The researcher conducted a research on the Factors affecting the education of young children in the village of Trial Farm. Many children in this village  do not have the opportunity of attending school and having an education. This is a serious factor that should be dealt with immediately since it is affecting the lives of young innocent children. In order for the researcher to know the reasons why this is becoming a serious issue, interviews were held, questionnaires were issued out to the different people and surveys were made. This research will help the researcher and the public become aware about the reasons why children stay home and not go to school. Every child has the right to attend school and to become someone in life. However, this is not so in the village of Trial Farm since parents are not capable of sending their young ones in school or high school. This investigation will be like an eye opener to the researcher and to everyone. Method of Investigation In conducting my research on the â€Å"Factors affecting the education of young children in Trial Farm Village† there were numerous methods used. Firstly a survey was conducted, in the form of informal interviews. A total of fifty randomly selected people were asked questions in terms of the reasons why children are not attending school and why the parents are not capable of sending their children to school. The questionnaires were issued to the parents since they are the ones who can state the reasons for their children not attending school. The parents were allotted about ten minutes to complete the questionnaire. According to the respondents, majority of the children are unable to attend school because of the cost of education. For the informal interviews being made, most of the respondents agreed that the area that generated the most is the cost of purchasing books, paying tuition and getting uniforms for their children. The researcher also used secondary data as a method of research. Some information was obtained from newspapers, articles and a website to get statistical information about this research. The website was www.cso.gob.bz.com(government statistics office). Some informal interviews were also attempted to different parents whereby they corresponded very satisfactorily. This was done to get personal views and opinions by parents. Their answers were used to further analyze and study the factors that affect education in this village. Procedures used to collect data The researcher had gone to the village of Trial Farm in order to conduct a research by conducting a survey. The researcher distributed fifty questionnaires to each individual in the village and was given five minutes to answer it accurately. After collecting the questionnaires, the researcher gathered the information and analyzed the information given by the respondents. After analyzing the data collected the researcher presented the findings of the investigation. As a result, the respondents really helped the researcher in the survey being conducted. They gave accurate responds which assisted the researcher in the survey. Presentation and Explanation of Data Figure 1.1 shows the percentage of children both males and females not attending school. The pie chart above shows 20% of females not attending school, 20% of males not attending school due to many causes as the researcher did its investigation in the village of Trial Farm. Therefore, there are 50% of both males and females not able to attend school. Figure 1.2 shows how many parents both Father and Mother do not have a job. As shown above, both father and mother does not have a job. Out of 15 parents there are 10 fathers not employed and 5 mothers not being employed as the researcher did its investigation on unemployed parents in the village of Trial Farm. Figure 1.3 shows that what the people of Trial Farm believe what causes their children from not attending school. As shown above, there are 10 people who believe that unemployment causes their children from not attending school, 6 people believe that poverty causes it and 4 people believe that the government causes the children from attending school. Interpretation of Data In the village of Trial Farm, there are a number of young children not attending school because their parents are unable to pay due to financial need. After analyzing the data being collected, there is a total of 50% of children both males and females not attending school due to many causes.  There are 20% of females and 30% of males not attending school in the village of Trial Farm. Due to this, it is because of their parents not having a job to sustain the family; therefore, it leads to unemployment where it affects the children. In total there are 15 parents both mother and father not employed. There are a total of 10 males and 5 females not being employed. So it leads to several causes that affect the children in not attending school. This leads to unemployment where parents do not have the opportunity to have a job; it leads to poverty where parents do not have enough income to sustain the family and deals with the government. This may cause the children not able to go to scho ol because of transportation; government doesn’t provide a bus for those children who are not able to buy a bicycle to go to school. Government does not help in purchasing textbooks, stationeries and trying to pay half of the tuitions for those children. Finding 1. Poverty affects the life of many; children go to school without breakfast or even enough money to buy a suitable meal for lunch. 2. When it comes to education of a child, some families are unable to afford sending their child because of the cost of education in terms of purchasing textbooks, paying tuitions and the sewing of uniforms. 3. The researcher had encountered that poverty is a situation whereby many families cannot avoid, mainly because they are born into it and they cannot help themselves, therefore, they seek low paying jobs, and force their children to sell for them in order to sustain their life. 4. Conducting the research in the village of Trial Farm, the researcher saw many homeless people wandering around the streets; women and their children, and men. 5. Poverty neglects many things for families; education, proper schooling, and shelter. Recommendation 1. The researcher had seen how sad is to see people living in poor conditions whereby children are unable to attend school. 2. Government together with the Ministry of Education should try to provide a home for many of the disadvantaged children, by giving them an opportunity by sending them to  school and by giving scholarships to those children who are in need of an education because it is very important for a child to get an education so that they would have something to defend themselves in the longer run when they are finding a job. 3. As a country and as a person, we should find different ways to be a supportive system for these people, because they are just like any ordinary people who have hopes and dreams in life. 4. We should help each other to move forward so our country can progress and be a better place to live in. Questionnaire Greetings in the name of the lord! My name is Maritza Vasquez and I am a student of University of Belize, the researcher. The researcher is investigating on the topic â€Å"Factors affecting the education of young children in the village of Trial Farm† hence; I am kindly requesting your assistance by YOU filling out this questionnaire. This questionnaire will assist the researcher by giving accurate and direct data that will be used for my research project. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance. May God Bless you! 1. Do you have a job in order to sustain your family? Yes No If yes what type of job? _______________________ 2. How much do you spend a day? $0-$2 $2- $5 $5- $10   10 & above 3. Are you in need of basic necessities? Yes No If yes, state what basic necessities you are in need of ___________________________________________________________ 4. Have you been helped by other individuals? Yes No 5. Have you ever experienced a financial need? 6. Yes No If yes, state why? _____________________________________________________________ 7. How many children do you have? 1, 2, 3, 4 and above 8. Are your children attending school? Yes No 9. If your child isn’t attending school, state what they do on their free time and why? _______________________________________________________________ 10. Why are you unable to send your child to school? _______________________________________________________________ 11. Have you ever heard your child say that he/she wants to go to school? Yes No 12. If there was an opportunity for your child to go to school, would you let him/her go to school? Yes No If no, state why? ______________________________________________

Development and Diversity Essay

When a child is conceived they begin to develop in the mother whom and continue to develop until adulthood. Today we look at these developments and find new ways to teach children that all develop at different rates. Throughout history child development was ignored and little attention was paid to the advantages in their early abilities such as language usage, and physical growth that occurs during childhood and adolescence. Throughout the years there has been many people have come up with theories that support the growth of the development of children. I will talk about one of these theories here. B. F. Skinner, who carried out experimental work mainly in comparative psychology from the 1930s to the 1950s, but remained behaviorism’s best known theorist and exponent virtually until his death in 1990, developed a distinct kind of behaviorist philosophy, which came to be called radical behaviorism. He also claimed to have found a new version of psychological science, which he called behavior analysis or the experimental analysis of behavior (Richard Culatta) The behaviorist theory is a worldview that operates on a principle of â€Å"stimulus-response. All behavior caused by external stimuli all behavior can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness. Originators and important contributors of this theory are John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, B. F. Skinner. The behaviorist theory is based off of positive and negative feedback to students in a classroom. It is a way to train the students in learning the correct way so they can keep moving onto the level of their education. An example can be a mouse in a cage that is really thirsty. Well the mouse will do and try anything to get out of that cage to get something to drink but when it finds the feeding bottle and see that all it has to do is push the little tab on the end to get some water the mouse is satisfied. The same go for students and children. Children will fight tooth and nail to try and get out of anything that they do not like but if they see a reward at the end they will stay with it to get the reward. This keeps them focused and controlled at the same time. There are three main contributors to this theory John B.  Watson, Ivan Pavlov, B. F. Skinner. These three have all contributed to this theory in one way or another. John B. Watson conducted research on animals, children, and advertising to further the theory. Ivan Pavlov conducted research on temperament of children, conditioning and involuntary reflex actions. Finally B. F. Skinner invented his own philosophy called radical behaviorism. All of these men have helped to improve on the theory to help us understand children’s learn and development better so we can teach them in better ways. Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten† (B. F. Skinner) The theory of behaviorism can be used in a classroom setting in many ways. It is the way that it is used that will determine if it works for the teacher and the student or hurts the teacher and the student. Giving children goals at an early age to accomplish tasks in the classroom can be a really good thing. Children always want a reward for the things they do. They are taught that at a very early age with their parents when doing thing like picking up their rooms and getting a reward for that at home. Well that carries into the classroom setting also. To reward students is giving them very positive feedback on their work many teachers use the star system. A large chart on the wall with all the student’s names and stars for the good work they have done. This gives students a little push to do their best because they want those stars so they can be proud or even get a reward for the most stars. This is a great idea in most cases but teachers need to be careful with this also because it can backfire on them. If you have a student that is a slower learner and does not receive stars like the others this can hurt that student and their learning. Yes there has be negative feedback with positive feedback but if all the child gets is negative feedback it can lead to them just giving up and we do not want that. So we have to walk a fine line when it comes to using different techniques in the classroom. All students are different and learn different so we have to work around that so all of our students receive the same education as the other. You can use activities in your classroom that go along with behaviorism and that will benefit your students in many ways. For example take ten sentences that go along with your lesson plan. Say you are teaching about animals in your class this week you can make up ten sentences and leave one word out of each sentence. Then you would list the missing words out of order and have the children fill in the blanks with the words that are off to the side. You can give rewards for their work to stimulate them in doing their best by giving a sticker for each one they get correct. This is a good way to do it because you have a really good chance of getting at least one sticker and all are happy but most of the kids will do well because they are going to try for more than just one. There are many different theories in education that can help a teacher in the classroom. These all work to give the student a better learning experience. It is the way you use them that will determine if they work or not for you and your students. With behaviorism you need to give positive and negative feedback to your student it is that you have to walk a fine line so you do not discourage your students from learning but make them want to be the best student they can be.

Aurthur Millers The Crucible and McCarthyism

Miller's message conveys what centuries of life are like centuries ago and what theme is in those eras. Just like today's social and political issues. All three generations have intolerance, hysteria, reputation, and empowerment. This is one of the reasons they are in contact with each other. Teenagers learn much from Crucible 's information, including Puritan' s intolerance to those who do not comply with their religious beliefs, or who think different from themselves. The theme of The Crucible is in the bustle and Arthur Miller talked about the terrible story of Salem witch hunt in 1692 and combined it with McCarthyism of the 1950 's. The drama reflects Miller's view and McCarthy's view, and what he considers to resemble Salem witch hunting. Proctor is the hero who Miller uses to reflect the unfairness of Salem and McCarthy's trial and how the fact died in the 1950s. In Arthur Miller's Chura, feminism is not only allowed but also encouraged. This book shows myriad examples of femin ism and shows the life of a Puritan woman during the trial of Salem Witch. The definition of feminism is the theory of gender, politics, and social equality. It is thought that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Feminism - Webster) During this time, women were considered unfair In this article, I will analyze the historical background of crucible and its relevance in today's society. I believe Arthur Miller 's life and McCarthyism' s experience had a strong influence on the writing of Yuzu. McCarthy named after Joseph McCarthy was an era of intense anti-communism that took place in the United States from 1948 to 1956. During this period, the US government persecuted Communist US, its leaders, and many others suspected of being communists. Krugersburg was written by Arthur Miller in the McCarthy era. McCarthyism was led by Senator Joe McCarthy who searched Communists in America in the 1950s or who did hunting witches. This hunting witch indirectly reveals ... ... one of the most strangest and most fearful chapters in human history. Arthur Miller's Chura is a dramatic story about the true story. In the 17th century ... - similarity between crucible theme and McCarthshire In 1692, Arthur Miller's crucible depicted people who saw harmless people because they did not commit a crime. A magician hanged. Crucible provides an accurate history of witch hunting, but its true outcome lies in the many important problems that it deals with. Aurthur Millers The Crucible and McCarthyism Miller's message conveys what centuries of life are like centuries ago and what theme is in those eras. Just like today's social and political issues. All three generations have intolerance, hysteria, reputation, and empowerment. This is one of the reasons they are in contact with each other. Teenagers learn much from Crucible 's information, including Puritan' s intolerance to those who do not comply with their religious beliefs, or who think different from themselves. The theme of The Crucible is in the bustle and Arthur Miller talked about the terrible story of Salem witch hunt in 1692 and combined it with McCarthyism of the 1950 's. The drama reflects Miller's view and McCarthy's view, and what he considers to resemble Salem witch hunting. Proctor is the hero who Miller uses to reflect the unfairness of Salem and McCarthy's trial and how the fact died in the 1950s. In Arthur Miller's Chura, feminism is not only allowed but also encouraged. This book shows myriad examples of femin ism and shows the life of a Puritan woman during the trial of Salem Witch. The definition of feminism is the theory of gender, politics, and social equality. It is thought that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Feminism - Webster) During this time, women were considered unfair In this article, I will analyze the historical background of crucible and its relevance in today's society. I believe Arthur Miller 's life and McCarthyism' s experience had a strong influence on the writing of Yuzu. McCarthy named after Joseph McCarthy was an era of intense anti-communism that took place in the United States from 1948 to 1956. During this period, the US government persecuted Communist US, its leaders, and many others suspected of being communists. Krugersburg was written by Arthur Miller in the McCarthy era. McCarthyism was led by Senator Joe McCarthy who searched Communists in America in the 1950s or who did hunting witches. This hunting witch indirectly reveals ... ... one of the most strangest and most fearful chapters in human history. Arthur Miller's Chura is a dramatic story about the true story. In the 17th century ... - similarity between crucible theme and McCarthshire In 1692, Arthur Miller's crucible depicted people who saw harmless people because they did not commit a crime. A magician hanged. Crucible provides an accurate history of witch hunting, but its true outcome lies in the many important problems that it deals with. Aurthur Millers The Crucible and McCarthyism Miller's message conveys what centuries of life are like centuries ago and what theme is in those eras. Just like today's social and political issues. All three generations have intolerance, hysteria, reputation, and empowerment. This is one of the reasons they are in contact with each other. Teenagers learn much from Crucible 's information, including Puritan' s intolerance to those who do not comply with their religious beliefs, or who think different from themselves. The theme of The Crucible is in the bustle and Arthur Miller talked about the terrible story of Salem witch hunt in 1692 and combined it with McCarthyism of the 1950 's. The drama reflects Miller's view and McCarthy's view, and what he considers to resemble Salem witch hunting. Proctor is the hero who Miller uses to reflect the unfairness of Salem and McCarthy's trial and how the fact died in the 1950s. In Arthur Miller's Chura, feminism is not only allowed but also encouraged. This book shows myriad examples of femin ism and shows the life of a Puritan woman during the trial of Salem Witch. The definition of feminism is the theory of gender, politics, and social equality. It is thought that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Feminism - Webster) During this time, women were considered unfair In this article, I will analyze the historical background of crucible and its relevance in today's society. I believe Arthur Miller 's life and McCarthyism' s experience had a strong influence on the writing of Yuzu. McCarthy named after Joseph McCarthy was an era of intense anti-communism that took place in the United States from 1948 to 1956. During this period, the US government persecuted Communist US, its leaders, and many others suspected of being communists. Krugersburg was written by Arthur Miller in the McCarthy era. McCarthyism was led by Senator Joe McCarthy who searched Communists in America in the 1950s or who did hunting witches. This hunting witch indirectly reveals ... ... one of the most strangest and most fearful chapters in human history. Arthur Miller's Chura is a dramatic story about the true story. In the 17th century ... - similarity between crucible theme and McCarthshire In 1692, Arthur Miller's crucible depicted people who saw harmless people because they did not commit a crime. A magician hanged. Crucible provides an accurate history of witch hunting, but its true outcome lies in the many important problems that it deals with.

Argument Paper - President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Essay

Argument Paper - President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize - Essay Example The news media has variously spoken in favor of the prize and against it, and ordinary citizens are equally divided. There is little question, however: Barack Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize, as Alfred Nobel envisioned it, is awarded to â€Å"champions of peace† who genuinely contribute to bringing peace to the world (â€Å"A fitting prize† para. 6). During his acceptance speech, Obama commented, â€Å"Throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes† (Schneider para. 7). In other words, Obama himself is apologizing to those who do not think he deserves the prize, saying that he has momentum even if it appears he’s not going anywhere. This is a gracious way to accept this prestigious prize, but might indicate that Obama himself is questioning the motivations of the Nobel Committee, just as detractors have in the press and on the news. One of these detractors has even gone so far as to state, â€Å"Anyone saying the Peace Prize Committee does not have a political agenda needs to consider the timing and nature of these choices more carefully† (Reid-Henry para. 2). The Prize committee’s timing was cut a little close: the nomination was made two weeks after Obama’s inauguration. Not only had Obama had no time to accomplish any of his lofty goals at the time of the award, he had barely put his toothbrush in the White House medicine cabinet at the time of his nomination. As a political slap in the face to the previous administration, the Nobel Committee’s message could not be more clear. The committee is indeed investing its â€Å"extraordinary faith, a belief even, in the powers of politicians to lead and to thereby solve the ills of the world† (Reid-Henry para. 7). The Peace Prize Committee may believe that

Business Economics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Business Economics - Coursework Example The explanations of three different markets are given and also the relationship between them is given in it. In the research methodology the methodology adopted to conduct research is explained. The stock market, the currency market and property market are perhaps the three largest markets in terms of size of business transactions in a country. People around the world invest money in these commodities with the expectation of getting a fair return on their investment.. The first item of commodity to be traded was undoubtedly the property market. This was followed by the stock market in the 1750's and followed by the present form of currency market in 1973. This paper studies the predictability, relations and correlations between the stock, currency and the property markets. It is true that there exists a relationship among the three. It has to be seen whether a rise or fall in the stock value affect the other two or will a change in the value of the currency market affect stock market or property market. Similarly will a change in the property market affect stock and currency market. The stock market and its early days: Evidence show that trading in stock in the United Kingdom existed even in the sixteenth century. Trading in stocks during that period was much higher in Amsterdam and Paris and oldest share issue in history is the issue of was in 1606 in Amsterdam by the company Camere Amsterdam and it was called Dutch Vereinigte Oostindische Compaignie (VOC) share certificate. After another two years he could safely assume that besides the second VOC share (held by the Amsterdam Stock Exchange) and other securities from the company, his piece was the oldest share certificate in the world. (Oldest Share in the World. 1606). Though no stock exchange existed till the opening of the London stock exchange, there was a market for securities and it was known as the Royal exchange. In those days most companies formed out of joint stock was engaged in international trade and shipping. The East India Company, The Hudson Bay Company and the Royal African Companies were the major existing at that time. Gradually, joint stock companies in other areas of business like banking and water supply Till 1689, only about fifteen joint stock companies existed in Britain, but this rose rapidly to 150 within a span of seven years. The French Revolution caused the economy in France to collapse and as a result, trading in stocks increased on volume in England The London Stock Exchange was officially started in 1772 with the purpose of a properly organized structure to control the growing number of companies and the volume of trade in securities. "In the eighteenth century company shares continued to be an important driving force behind the expansion of the securities market in London". (Michie P. 17). Even though a majority of stock trading ins done in Europe US and Japan, in recent years many countries from Asia have also become large markets. Property and Property Markets: The most sought after form of investment in the world before the advent of the stock and currency was in property. Property is defined as "ownership; right of possession, enjoyment, or disposal of anything, esp. of something tangible: to have property in land." (11 result for property. 2006). Here property refers to land and property market is trading in property. Prop

Let's protect environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Let's protect environment - Essay Example Increasing human activities in the name of achieving economic growth and happiness is a major contributor of global warming. In his article, McKibben acknowledges the fact that Carbon dioxide constitutes 72 percent of the green house gases in the atmosphere. We have created the crisis of global warming ourselves. This is through increased human activities that release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere McKibben also records that there is a direct relationship between Carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere and economic growth. The more we are living large, the more Carbon dioxide we are releasing into the atmosphere. Our world population is also increasing. To support such a growing population, there has to be enough resources most of which are derived from the environment. To support such, a population there has to be enough food as well as fuel. We are therefore, compromising our environmental health in the name of achieving economic growth. China has a very big population. It also has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, the impacts of these population and economic growths on the environment cannot be overlooked. In the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau for example, glaciers are melting, temperatures rising and the rainy seasons have become very unpredictable. Qinghai province in Mado County used to have about 1000 lakes; now there are less than 300 (Wen 8). I t hink this is a good teaching to us. Climate change is real and the more we focus on economic growth, we are contributing to increase in global warming. Most villagers believe that the disappearance of lakes is just the normal seasonal shifting. It takes us sometime to realize that we are having fewer lakes as compared to some years back. The high population in China has put a lot of pressure on the natural resources. Water deficiency is expected to worsen with increased global warming. We are therefore, suffering because of our own activities. China

E-Business Report on HMV.CO.UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

E-Business Report on HMV.CO.UK - Essay Example "e-commerce is just, when all is said and done, another kind of business. As with businesses that have come before it, there are countless "right" answers, endless combinations of business models and infinite permutations of key themes and approaches. There will be no magic bullet. No matter how often consultants and academics pretend that business is more science than art, every practitioner knows that business is almost all art, just as the genius of nearly every corporate strategy lies in its implementation." (Rayport, 1999). Indeed, these are strong words that have to be taken seriously when it comes to doing business on the Web. The reason behind these truthful remarks lies in the fact that not long ago, shortly after the increasing popularity of the Internet as a new technology, the infamous "Dot-Com Bubble" made e-marketers think and act much more cautiously regarding the real potentialities of the new technology as a profit-making tool. Rayport states it as follows: "Business models themselves do not offer solutions; rather, how each business is run determines its success. So the success of e-commerce businesses will hinge largely on the art of management even as it is enabled by the science of technology. The scarce resource will be, as it is in practically all of business, the building block of free enterprise: entrepreneurial, and increasingly managerial, talent." (Rayport, 1999). The "Dot-Com Bubble" sprang out of Amazon's new concept of dintermediation that would eventually make successful any online enterprise by eliminating the middleman. (InternetNews.Com, 2001). The concept of reintermediation was not considered into the new marketing mix as InternetNews.Com states it clearly: "Disintermediation is not a myth, but it is just one half of a process that any significant change in technology brings about. The other half is reintermediation, the introduction and reshuffling of players in the supply chain. Access to suppliers and information resources has become easily available; expertise and service cannot be downloaded." (InternetNews.Com, 2001). In spite of the negative effects of the "Dot-Com Bubble", Teri Robinson (2002) finds some lasting benefits of the sudden crash in the e-market. In her article published in E-Commerce Times, Robinson interviewed AMR Research analyst Louis Columbus who emphasised that the concept of integration surfaced to centre stage as a result of the "Dot-Com Bubble". Columbus said that "enterprises found that to develop a comprehensive e-commerce strategy, their applications had to work together seamlessly." (Robinson, 2002). The concept of integration is fundamental for any e-business model in the widest meaning of the word. It means integration at all levels of business operations. On the other hand, Robinson finds other key indirect benefits that surfaced as a real issue as a result of the e-market crash known as the "Dot-Com Bubble": "Referring to the Internet as a once-in-a-generation

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Sociology - Essay Example Humans acquire of their behavioural traits from nurture thus come a philosophy called tabula rasa or blank slate. In recent years, both nature and nurture have been recognized to play interacting roles in development. These two are tied in mutually in ways that many of us do not see. Both are important influences to a person as they are developing their traits. What we have inherited is essential basis of what kind of person we are, but our environment can alter and develop us even more. In acquiring or altering traits in a person, these two factors are important. Some psychologists agree that nature and nurture are both major influences to the development of behaviour. Psychologist Robert Plomin said, "†¦. But the genetic influence on traits and behaviors is only partial: Genetics account, on average, for half of the variance of most traits. That means the environment accounts for the rest." Though we receive genes from our family, our surroundings and nurturing can alter that if strong enough, as an influence. We might not notice it, but  nature  and  nurture  are mixed in with each other, influencing traits of everyone. 2. What are the common themes in the ideas of Freud, Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan, Mead and Erickson? In what ways do their theories differ? The common theme in the idea of the Freud, Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan, Mead and Erickson is child development. They all believed that society played a vital role in the development of the person. However, they all developed variety of concepts in the psychoanalytic point of view. Sigmund Freud developed the elements of personality. He declared humans had two basic needs or drives:  eros, a need for bonding and  thanatos, which related to a drive for death. Freud's perspective combined both these basic needs and the influence of society into a unique model of personality. Freud’s work highlights the internalization of social norms and the importance of childhood experiences in the so cialization process and the development of personality. Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development centred on human cognition or how people think and understand. He identified four major stages of cognitive development: sensory motor stage, post-industrial societies, concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage. Lawrence Kohlberg developed a theory of moral development. He used Piaget’s theory as a facilitator for a study of moral reasoning. He suggested three stages: preconventional stage  based on pain and pleasure, a  conventional stage  (in the teenage years), where right and wrong is understood within cultural norms, and a  postconventional stage, where abstract critique of the social order is possible. However, his work is gender limited to boys only. Carol Gilligan in response to Kohlberg’s theory developed the theory of gender and moral development. She concludes that males and females make moral judgments in different ways. Ma les use a  justice perspective:  "It's wrong if the rules define it that way". Females use a  care and responsibility perspective:  "It's wrong if it damages relationships." Her recent research on self-esteem demonstrates that female self-esteem begins to slip during adolescence as they encounter more authority figures who are men. George Mead developed the theory of social self. Mead's analysis focuses on mental processes and is often referred to as  social behaviourism. He emphasized that the key to developing the

The strategy of international business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The strategy of international business - Essay Example The concept of liberalization involves the easing of trade regulations and relaxing any restrictions related to overseas trading. The government often intervenes with the trading policies of nation and makes necessary changes on the grounds of economic, political and social policies. Such intervention is mostly taken by the government to improve the national economy and to facilitate free trade (Danbolt, 2004). This paper is focused on the liberalization and how it has impacted the domestic firms by increasing the competition in the industry. It also discusses about different ways in which the domestic firms can face the competitiveness posed by the global firms. In several cases, in order for an industry to be fully liberalized, it takes several years to complete the process or in some cases may take decades. The liberalization virtually shortens the national boundaries and enables free trade between nations. This as a result allows several private firms from overseas locations to expand their business in the host countries which in turn helps the government to earn revenue through taxes paid by the foreign companies. Moreover, entry of foreign firms also increases the employment condition of the host economy along with infrastructure of the nation in certain cases. Liberalization in the UK allowed privatization of several sectors such as oil and energy sector, telecommunication, etc. The privatization has facilitated to reduce the monopoly business that was being conducted without the presence of any competition. Liberalization also allows the firm to improve the product and service quality and engage in innovative products. Liberalization creates a competitive environment and as WTO (2001) stated that competition is necessary to ensure that the firms are trying to achieve competitive advantage and in the process generates higher value for the

Orange plc Financial Statement Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Orange plc Financial Statement - Coursework Example The company’s return on equity ratio was 25% in 2014 and 8.74% in 2015. The return on equity ratio measures the company’s performance in earning return to its shareholders. Despite the company having a low ratio in 2015, it had significant high performance in 2014 by having a fair return to its shareholders. The return on assets was 3.21% in 2015 and 10.48% in 2014. The return on assets ratio measures the company’s performance in generating sufficient profits from its total assets. The company had a low ratio in 2015 desspite the high ratio it had in 2014. This showed a tremendous decline in the company’s performance. The maintenance of a 100% mark up between the two years was a desirable aspect of the company performance. There was a decline in the return on capital employed between the two years using the the two different methods of computing. This trend is undesirable and should be changed since it shows a decline in the company’s performance. The company’s current ratio was 2.05 in both 2014 and 2015. This ratio measures the company’s liquidity by determining the extent in which the company’s current assets can offset its current liabilities. The company maintains a current ratio that is above in both the two financial years implying that the company’s liquidity position is at a fair place since it can easily offset its current obligations with its current assets. The maintenance of this ratio is thus a positive indicator of the company’s liquidity position. The company’s quick ratio was 1.27% in 2014 and 1.31% in 2015. The quick ratio measures the company’s liquidity in a similar way like how the current ratio does but it does excludes the inventory from the current assets. There is exclusion of inventory from the current assets since it is not easily converted into cash like the other current assets. This means basing the company’s liquidity on inventory is

Disneys Mission & Values Essay Example for Free

Disneys Mission Values Essay For a company like Disney, maintaining its brand name and reputation is a daily struggle. With its mission statement, value, and approach to social responsibility, management does their best to ensure that no one tarnishes Disney’s good name. Every shareholder, critic, and citizen keeps a close eye on Disney, as the name resonates greatly among children and parents worldwide. So, every year they release a statement presenting and explain their goals online. Last year, it was under the title â€Å"Citizenship Targets 2012. † The following goals and vision will discuss these goals more in depth. Disney’s vision is â€Å"to be the most admired company in the world: equally admired for the integrity of our people and the way we behave as citizens of the world, as we are for the quality of our exceptional entertainment experiences (Citizenship at Disney, 2012).† By acting with integrity, professionalism, and goodwill, Disney work to earn the public trust daily. During the 2013 BCS National Championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama, broadcasters Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit spotted 23-year-old Katherine Webb among the 90,000+ fans attending the game. What followed was a conversation in which both parties recognizing a woman’s beauty (Nordyke, 2013). Many believed that both men were creepy and over the top, prompting ESPN to immediately apologize to the fans for Musberger’s remarks (Soltys, 2013). Though the actual comments were not derogative in any sort of way, because ESPN is under Disney’s control, should management not acted the way they did, the corporation’s reputation would take a hit. Since Disney’s vision is oriented towards family values, this minor incident might have impact the way people see this organization. Aside from this incident, Disney stakeholders have very little reason to complain about their company’s actions throughout the years. Corporate has proven to be transparent on their yearly reports. They first point out that â€Å"working with stakeholders enhances our ability to address issues†¦We actively listen to and learn from stakeholders and provide them with information to better understand our actions and intentions (Corporate Citizenship, 2010, pp 9).† By conducting yearly meetings, providing surveys, and distributing contact information, Disney has done everything in their power to actively engage stakeholders and their concerns. It is rarely seen that a company is so active in connecting with their clients. Yesterland’s founder Werner Weiss shares his experience from the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: â€Å"The meeting began with a nicely made video about Walt Disney’s connection to Missouri, including his childhood in Marceline, his later childhood in Kansas City, and his pre-Hollywood career in Kansas City. I didn’t expect to learn anything new at the meeting. A shareholder meeting is not a forum for announcements about new attractions or movies. And when a shareholder asks a question about something that might happen in the future, the executive who answers will not knowingly disclose a company secret. Actually, there was an announcement. Disney President and CEO Bob Iger announced Heroes Work Here, a program to provide at least 1,000 jobs throughout the Disney Company for returning U.S. veterans over the next three years (Weiss, 2012).† This is almost expected from Disney when conducting meetings with stakeholders and clients alike. No information is held back. There are no surprises. Since stakeholders invested in the company, such as Weiss’s 38 shares, Disney is upfront to everyone, minimizing any misinterpretation and confusion about their vision towards the future. At the beginning of the year, Disney will set goals on many topics such as waste, water, corporate giving, diversity, and safety. From the 2010 Corporate Citizenship Report, Disney will lay out their goals according to their three main principles: Act, Champion, and Inspire. They work their due diligence to accomplish these goals and look ahead into the future. When the report is finalized and published, Disney does an excellent job in showing both progress and setbacks of these projects. An illustration is shown here (Disney, 2013): According to its 2010 report, for example, Disney’s long term goal is to â€Å"send zero waste to landfill.† To accomplish this, their short-term targets are to â€Å"decrease solid waste to landfill to 50% of 2006 baseline by 2013† and â€Å"increase percentage of purchases that include post-consumer recycled material (Disney â€Å"Environment†, 2013).† From 2009-2010, Disney fell short of their target of 150,000 tons of its waste target. Information such as this gives stakeholders a chance to present ideas in meeting this goal or focus elsewhere. Any company can give positive highlights financially and illustrate their involvement to the community. Yet, how many companies show their failures as well? Among other positive developments coming from their citizenship report (Frost, 2011): * â€Å"Announcement of a comprehensive set of commitments and metrics that address Disney’s worldwide business impacts and opportunities. * Global expansion of programs aimed at inspiring kids, parents, and communities to make a difference in the world. Disney Friends for Change, now in 19 countries, has rallied 2.5 million kids to take pledges for the environment. Disney Magic of Healthy Living, launched in September, partners with parents and kids to make healthy choices simple and fun. * Investment of $15.5 million in carbon offset projects around the world as part of Disney’s Climate Solutions Fund, the Company’s internal carbon pricing program. * Release of Disney’s Human Rights Policy Statement, with the aim of more clearly articulating the Company’s commitment to respecting human rights. * Detailed data and progress updates on Disney’s supply chain and environmental footprint * Corporate charitable contributions of $198 million, and more than 548,000 hours of VoluntEAR service contributed by Disney employees.† With these actions, stakeholders have first-hand information needed when electing officials, and presenting ideas in which to improve the company overall. Not only are they worried about putting a great product, but they also want the see the company’s growth, impact on society, and how they deliver on their missions and values. This, in the end, will affect the bottom line for stakeholders. Disney furthers its goodwill with stakeholders with launching a â€Å"Heroes Work Here† campaign in 2012. This program allows for military veterans to transition to a career in security, finance, legal, information technology, or many other areas that fits their experience. For the next three years, there will be over 1,000 jobs available (Disney â€Å"Heroes†, 2013). It’s Disney’s way of expressing gratitude for those who served this nation. Leading the front in appreciating veterans is ESPN. The sports juggernaut visit military posts, and even host sporting events at their facilities. This past year, ESPN announced a college basketball game featuring Michigan State and North Carolina aboard San Diego Harbor’s USS Carl Vinson. Popular show First Take televised an episode inside Fort Sam Houston near San Antonio, TX. Also, ESPN worked with USO in donations for soldiers serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan (Team ESPN, 2013). Disney Initiative At Disney, we are committed to improving the welfare of the environment. Our goals and actions reflect that idea. Though much progress has been made during the past few years, we acknowledge that we have a long way to go in preserving our habitat. As you’ll see on our 2010 Citizenship report, we have an outline on what we can accomplish with your help. Our strategies in preserving our environment will focus on the following: energy, waste, and water. Energy Our long-term goals are to â€Å"achieve zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions† and â€Å"reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption.† In order to accomplish that, we achieve to reduce consumption by 10% with our current assets by 2013, and to pursue â€Å"renewable sources of electricity to reduce emissions from electricity.† In 2010, our energy consumption decreased to 6.6% from 2006 (Disney â€Å"Environment†, 2013): Waste In order to help the environment, Disney is targeting a zero waste to landfill long-term. By 2013, we are targeting a 50% solid waste to landfill, which is over 137,556 tons. During this time, we have increased our focus in recycling programs in all venues associated with Disney. For example, all merchandise bags at our resorts are made from 100% recycled plastic. Here is our progress so far (Disney â€Å"Waste†, 2013): Water One of Disney’s most important resources of daily operations is the consummation of freshwater. We are striving to save water for future generations. Without it, we will be unable to supply human needs, ensure healthy ecosystems, and maintaining business security. Disney has begun implementing water consumption plans in 2012. An example lies in our resorts, as new efficient washers were installed in 2010. The new technology has improved efficiency by 20% since then (Disney â€Å"Water†, 2013). With these three programs, Disney is working at making a positive impact on the environment. Your help and contributions can help make a difference. References Disney. (2013). Waste. Retrieved January 17, 2013 from http://corporate.disney.go.com/citizenship2010/environment/overview/waste/ Disney. (2013). Climate and energy. Retrieved January 17, 2013 from http://corporate.disney.go.com/citizenship2010/environment/overview/climateandenergy/ Disney. (2013). Water. Retrieved January 17, 2013 from http://corporate.disney.go.com/citizenship2010/environment/overview/water/ Disney. (2013). Overview. Retrieved January 17, 2013 from http://heroesworkhere.disney.com/overview Frost, J. (2011, March 22). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://thedisneyblog.com/2011/03/22/disney-company-releases-2010-corporate-responsibility-report/ Nordyke, K. (2013, January 08). Espn apologizes for brent musburgers comments about aj mccarrons girlfriend. Retrieved from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/espn-apologizes-brent-musburgers-comments-410134 Soltys, M. (2013, January 08). Twitlonger [Twitter message]. Retrieved from http://www.twitlonger.com/show/k l9vfj Team ESPN. (2013). Heroes work here. Retrieved January 17, 2013 from http://team.espn.com/top_menu/vets_military Weiss, W. (2012, March 16). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.yesterland.com/wdcmeeting2012.html

Creation †Scientific View Vs. Biblical View Essay Example for Free

Creation – Scientific View Vs. Biblical View Essay The advancement of science has raised questions over the biblical view of creation. A lot of scientists are now questioning the authenticity of the long-held beliefs about creation. According to Mark 10:6, ‘Jesus said: But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female†. ’ Also, John 1:1-3 says, â€Å"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God†. If the dates are added up as per the bible, Adam was created 6000 years ago. Therefore, the earth was created approximately 6000 years ago. Evolutionists, on the other hand, believe that the whole Universe and life itself arose by chance between 3 and 15 billion years ago. They came up with a theory called Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe. According to the big bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. Extrapolated into the past, these observations show that the universe has expanded from a state in which all the matter and energy in the universe was at an immense temperature and density. Physicists do not widely agree on what happened before this, although general relativity predicts a gravitational singularity. The term Big Bang is used both in a narrow sense to refer to a point in time when the observed expansion of the universe (Hubbles law) began — calculated to be 13. 7 billion (1. 37 ? 1010) years ago ( ± 2%) — and in a more general sense to refer to the prevailing cosmological paradigm explaining the origin and expansion of the universe, as well as the composition of primordial matter through nucleosynthesis as predicted by the Alpher-Bethe-Gamow theory. From this model, George Gamow was able to predict in 1948 the existence of cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). The CMB was discovered in 1964 and corroborated the Big Bang theory, giving it more credence. In 1927, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaitre was the first to propose that the universe began with the explosion of a primeval atom. His proposal came after observing the red shift in distant nebulas by astronomers to a model of the universe based on relativity. Years later, Edwin Hubble found experimental evidence to help justify Lemaitres theory. He found that distant galaxies in every direction are going away from us with speeds proportional to their distance. The big bang was initially suggested because it explains why distant galaxies are traveling away from us at great speeds. The theory also predicts the existence of cosmic background radiation (the glow left over from the explosion itself). The Big Bang Theory received its strongest confirmation when this radiation was discovered in 1964 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who later won the Nobel Prize for this discovery. Creation theory according to Genesis 1:1 states, â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. † Evolutionists believe that the entire solar system was formed from clouds of gas and dust. If so, the Sun, planets and moon should be made of gas and dust. It has been proved scientifically that the sun is 98% hydrogen or helium. If we believe this theory, then the planets should orbit the sun and the moon should orbit the planets. This is true. Theory of Darwin further accentuated the evolutionists’ theory. Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist who proposed and provided evidence for the scientific theory that all species have evolved over time from one or a few common ancestors through the process of natural selection. This theory was fully accepted by the scientific community in the 1930s, forming much of the basis of modern evolutionary theory. In modified form, Darwins theory remains a cornerstone of biology, providing a unifying explanation for the diversity of life. Natural selection is the evolutionary process by which favorable traits that are heritable become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable traits that are heritable become less common. Natural selection acts on the phenotype, or the observable characteristics of an organism, such that individuals with favorable phenotypes are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less favorable phenotypes. If these phenotypes have a genetic basis, then the genotype associated with the favorable phenotype will increase in frequency in the next generation. Over time, this process can result in adaptations that specialize organisms for particular ecological niches and may eventually result in the emergence of new species. Ironically, many of the scientists in question did some early work on the mechanisms of evolution. Though biological evolution of some sort had become the primary mode of discussing speciation within science by the late-19th century, it was not until the mid-20th century that evolutionary theories stabilized into the modern synthesis. Some of the historical scientists marshaled by creationists were dealing with quite different issues than any are engaged with today: Louis Pasteur, for example, opposed the theory of spontaneous generation with biogenesis, an advocacy some creationists describe as a critique on chemical evolution and abiogenesis. Pasteur accepted that some form of evolution had occurred and that the Earth was millions of years old. The contribution of famous scientists like Mendel and Avery laid the foundation for genetics. Gregor Mendel’s research revealed that distinct traits were inherited in a well-defined and predictable manner. In the 1940s, the identification of DNA as the genetic material by Oswald Avery and colleagues, and the articulation of the double-helical structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick, provided a physical basis for the notion that genes were encoded in DNA. Since then, the role of genetics in evolutionary biology has become increasingly central. Many fields of science have provided a wide range of evidence for evolution. The most prominent of these are fossil records, which can show the many life forms that have existed. The fossil itself reveals the organisms structure, and the age of the fossil reveals when its species existed. In addition, studies involving anatomical and genetic comparisons between present day species serve as evidence for evolution. Paleontology, the study of fossils, supports Darwins original idea that all living creatures are related. Fossils also provide evidence that accumulated changes over long periods have led to the diverse forms of life we see today. Strong evidence for evolution comes from analysis of homologous structures that no longer perform the same task. One example involves the comparison of the forelimbs of mammals. The forelimbs of a human, cat, whale, and bat all have strikingly similar bone structure. However each of these four animals forelimbs performs a different task. Such a design makes little sense if they are unrelated and uniquely constructed for their particular tasks. The scientific explanation for such homologous structures is that all four animals shared a common ancestor, and that each has undergone mutations over the course of a large number of generations. These changes have resulted in slight modifications in the structure, so that each species has a forelimb adapted for a different task. This is what Darwin described as descent with modification. The main points of difference between the two theories are: †¢ If Creation is true – there is a Creator, and there are rules given by God. If Evolution is true – there is no Creator, and there are no rules. In fact, we make them up as we go along, according to the majority vote. †¢ If Creation is true – there is a purpose to life. If Evolution is true – there is no Creator, and no purpose to life. We are evolving creatures. †¢ If Creation is true – we are a fallen race, and we need a Savior. If Evolution is true – there is no sin, and we do not need a Savior. The scientific view of creation is more plausible than the biblical view. There are a lot of discoveries and inventions that have made the understanding of our earth, evolution of life and universe possible. However, scientists have a long road ahead of them to convince people. References: 1) Wikipedia 2) Dr. Kent Horvind, Creation Science Evangelism.

The Sugar Industry of India

The Sugar Industry of India INTRODUCTION Sugar industry is one of the most important agro-based industries in India and is highly responsible for creating significant impact on rural economy in particular and countrys economy in general. Sugar industry ranks second amongst major agro-based industries in India. As per the Government of Indias recent liberalised policy announced on 12th December, 1986 for licensing of additional capacity for sugar industries during 7th five-year plan, there will be only one sugar mill in a circular area of 40 sq km. Also the new sugar mill is allowed with an installation capacity of 2500 TCD (Tonne Sugar Cane crushed per day) as against the earlier capacity norms of 1250 TCD. Similarly, the existing sugar mills with sugar cane capacity of about 3500 TCD can crush sugar cane tothe tune of 5000 TCD with a condition imposed that additional requirement of sugar cane be acquired through increased productivity and not by expansion of area for growing sugar cane. Cane sugar is the name given to sucr ose, a disaccharide produced from thesugarcane plant and from the sugar beet.   The refined sugars from the two sources are practically indistinguishable and command the same price in competitive markets. However, since they come from different plants, the trace constituents are different andcan be used to distinguish the two sugars. One effect of the difference is the odor in thepackage head space, from which experienced sugar workers can identify the source. In the production scheme for cane sugar, the cane cannot be stored for more thana few hours after it is cut because microbiological action immediately begins to degrade the sucrose. This means that the sugar mills must be located in the cane fields. The raw sugar produced in the mills is item of international commerce. Able to be stored for years, it is handled as raw material shipped at the lowest rates directly in the holds ofships or in dump trucks or railroad cars and pushed around by bulldozers. Because it is not intended to be eaten directly, it is not handled as food. The raw sugar is shipped to th e sugar refineries, which are located in population centers. There it is refined to a food product, packaged, and shipped a short distance to the market. In a few places, there is arefinery near or even within a raw-sugar mill. However, the sugar still goes through rawstage. The principle by-product of cane sugar production is molasses. About 10 15% of the sugar in the cane ends up in molasses. Molasses is produced both in the raw-sugarmanufacture and also in refining. The blackstrap or final molasses is about 35 40% sucrose and slightly more than 50% total sugars. In the United States, blackstrap is used almost entirely for cattle feed.   In some areas, it is fermented and distilled to rum or industrial alcohol. The molasses used for human consumption is of a much higher grade, and contains much more sucrose. Sugarcane characteristics: Sugarcane contains not only sucrose but also numerous other dissolved substances, as well as cellulose or woody fibre. The percentage of sugar in the canevaries from 8 to 16% and depends to a great extent on the variety of the cane, its maturity, condition of the soil, climate and agricultural practices followed. The constituents of ripe cane vary widely in different countries and regions but fall generally within the following limits: Constituent Percentage range Water 69.0 75.0Sucrose 8.0 16.0 Reducing sugars 0.5 2.0 Organic matter other than sugar 0.5 1.0 Inorganic compounds 0.2 0.6 Nitrogenous bodies 0.5 1.0 Ash 0.3 0.8 Fibre 10.0 16.0 Organic matters other than sugar include proteins, organic acids, pentosan,  colouring matter and wax. Organic acids present in cane are glycolic acid, malic acid,  succinic acid and small quantity of tannic acid, butyric acid and aconitic acid. SUGAR INDUSTRY OF INDIA Introduction Sugar is extracted from two raw materials beet root and sugarcane, both produce identical refined sugar. Sugar cane accounts for two-third of the raw material used for sugar production in the world and beet root one third balance of the world production. India is the second largest producer of sugar in the world with 10 to 12% production of the world.( Brazil is the first) In India sugarcane accounts for the key raw material for production of sugar. Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh account for majority of produce of sugar in India. Sugar industry is the 2nd largest agro-processing industry in India accounting for 1 % of India s GDP for fy2005. Indias cultivation area of 4-4.5 million hectare accounts for Indias 2.7% cropped area. The production of sugar has always been in deficit over the demand with production of only 17.5 million tonne over the 19 million tonne consumption for the year 2005-06 a factor leading to industry attractiveness. Key Characteristics of Sugar industry: Capital intensive Government regulated Seasonal fluctuation in the industry(demand increases during festive season) Raw materials constitute major cost No proper substitutes Key success factors (key performance indicators) Capital utilization Optimum utilization of by-products for additional revenue Captive power generation Sugar is one of the oldest commodities in the world and traces its origin in 4th century AD in India and China. In those days sugar was manufactured only from sugarcane. But both countries lost their initiatives to the European, American and Oceanic countries, as the eighteenth century witnessed the development of new technology to manufacture sugar from sugar beet. However, India is presently a dominant player in the global sugar industry along with Brazil in terms of production. Given the growing sugar production and the structural changes witnessed in Indian sugar industry, India is all set continue its domination at the global level. The report provides a comprehensive picture of the Indian sugar market. The status of Indian sugar industry has been compared with the rest of the world in terms of raw material availability, crushing period, size of the sugar mill, production cost and prices in the report. The advantages that Indian sugar mills have over others in cost terms have been emphasized too. Indian sugar industry is highly fragmented with organized and unorganized players. The unorganized players mainly produce Gur and Khandari, the less refined forms of sugar. The government had a controlling grip over the industry, which has slowly yet steadily given way to liberalization. The report provides comprehensive analysis about the structure of Indian sugar industry by explaining the above facets. Besides the classification of sugar products and by- products like molasses, their uses too have been extensively covered. The production sugarcane is cyclical in nature. Hence the sugar production is also cyclical as it depends on the sugarcane production in the country. The report provides extensive information on the production of sugarcane, sugar and other sweeteners in the country in the recent years along with trends and analysis. This also includes a discussion about existing capacities in the country, trends in capacity additions, imports and production of by-products of sugar (molasses and cogeneration of power). The report features a detailed demand analysis discussing the actual demand for sugar and other sweeteners, gur and khandari and their per capita consumption in India. This includes a trend analysis in demand in various regions of the country. The role of exports in the sugar industry has also been discussed. The report gives an exhaustive cost analysis along with the pricing practices. Dual Pricing System is adopted in the Indian sugar industry, which includes sugar price in Public distribution system and the free sale sugar price. An analysis has been provided on the relationship between Indian and international sugar prices. As the industry is a fragmented one, even leading players do not control more than 4 percent market in India. However, the situation is changing and players offlate are striving to increase their market share either by acquiring smaller mills or by going for green field capacity additions. Another notable trend is the shift from Gur and Khandsari to sugar in the rural areas. This should further increase the per capita consumption of sugar in India (currently around 15.6 kg). Besides the Indian urban market is slowly moving towards branded sugar. The potential in this segment seems to be very high. These trends along with the other trends like increase in the production of by-products have been captured in detail. The market shares of the leading players and financials of following players are given in the report. Balrampur chini mills ltd, Bajaj Hindustan Ltd, Andhra sugars ltd, Thiru Arooran Sugars Ltd and Dhampur sugar ltd The major revenue drivers like change in the governments policies and increasing per capita consumption have been comprehensively pictured in the report. The reports ends with outlook for the sugar industry both at the Indian and POLITICAL IMPACT ON SUGAR INDUSTRY Sugar row accentuates Indias political fragility Sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh are yet to begin crushing for this season, which typically begins in November, due to non-availability of raw materials. Reports suggest that sugar mill owners have agreed to pay Rs 180 per quintal for sugarcane, which is Rs 50 higher than the fair and renumerative price fixed at Rs 129.84 per quintal. Farmers are demanding Rs 280 per quintal and have stopped supplies in anticipation of a higher price. Meanwhile, Parliament was adjourned on the first day of its winter session due to protests by opposition parties against the Centres sugarcane price move that discourages states from fixing higher prices. Thousands of farmers protested inDelhiagainst the low, state-controlled sugarcane price. The protests highlights the rural discontent over the governments sugar ordinance. Raw-sugar prices have almost doubled this year, with future contracts recording a 28-year high in September. Sugar stocks tumbled on news of a delay in the crushing season and protest by farmers outside Parliament. Bajaj Hindusthan, Balrampur Chini, Dhampur Sugar, Dharani Sugars, Dwarikesh Sugar, Shree Renuka, and Triveni Engineering fell 5-8%. Andhra Sugar, EID Parry, KCP Sugar, Oudh Sugar Mill, Ponni Sugars (E), Simbhaoli Sugar, Upper Ganges Sugar, and Uttam Sugar were down 2-4%. Ambareesh Baliga  of Karvy Stock Broking says the risk-reward ratio is not in favour of sugar stocks. If you assume that the sugar prices will move up 10-15% from here, Balrampur Chini or Bajaj Hindusthan could possibly move another 10-15% more from here. But if you see the sugar prices coming down 20% over the next 4-5 months, these stocks will crash by more than 30-40% because the good news is already there in stock prices. Sugar prices move in cycles and this is clearly a cyclical industry. We have seen a good part of that over the last 6-8 months. Going ahead, whatever adverse news comes, it will actually batter these stocks. The routine reopening of the parliament has suddenly emerged as an awkward test for the Congress-led governments ability to push reforms such as price deregulation in the face of opposition from its rural base. Tens of thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh protesting against low state sugarcane prices forced the postponement of the winter session of parliament on Thursday in a major political headache for the government, re-elected in May. Now, a once-divided opposition seemingly unable to recover from election loss have vowed to disrupt parliament until the government reverses a policy aimed at bringing in more market forces to the sugar industry, one of Indias biggest cash crops. On Friday, the opposition forced an adjournment for a second day, with lawmakers running into the house shouting slogans. The massive street protest that brought much of central Delhi to a standstill also reflected the fragility of political stability in India, with its myriad caste, class and ethnic issues always simmering among its 1.2 billion people. Such a display of opposition unity, has rarely been seen outside parliament, The Economic Times commented on Friday. The UPA government has only itself to blame for giving an issue to the opposition on a platter. The ruling  United Progressive Alliance  coalition has given states greater autonomy in fixing sugarcane prices to help lift restrictions on the heavily regulated sugar sector and stop sugar mills bearing the fiscal brunt of subsidised prices. But a backlash has played into hands of the opposition, including the Hindu nationalist  Bharatiya Janata Party. Bye-bye global politics Only a week ago, domestic politics appeared to be playing second fiddle to international issues, such as global climate change negotiations and Prime Minister Manmohans Singhs visit to Washington D.C. next week. That mood has changed. Buoyant from the closure, protesters say the ball is now in the governments court. The government may hold an all-party meeting on Monday over the issue. We have now adopted the policy of wait and watch for next two to three days, Anil Singh, national secretary of the National Alliance of Farmers Associations. The response to Thursdays rally was satisfying. Now the government has come to its knees. It signals the reform in India will not be plain sailing, despite a large majority for the Congress-led coalition. Singh has promised economic reforms such as the deregulation of state-run sectors, introducing more foreign investment into areas like insurance, and boosting spending on infrastructure to allow India to compete with the likes of China. But some reforms face endangering the Congress partys pro-poor inclusive growth manifesto and dashing hopes of a major revival in Uttar Pradesh, where Gandhi scion  Rahul Gandhi  has reached out to the poor in high-profile campaigns. Any reforms face the stark fact that two-thirds of Indias population lives in villages. One reform, bringing in foreign investment in retail, has already floundered because of opposition in rural areas. Indeed, Gandhi was reported to have phoned Singh over worries that the sugarcane issue could derail Congress inroads into Indias most populous and politically important state. The protest does not mean all of the Congress partys reforms will be in trouble. It still has a clear majority in parliament. For example, most analysts expect the government to raise limits of foreign investment in the insurance sector, a policy aimed at allowing Indias near 40 percent savings rate to be recycled into investment and sustain higher growth rates. Disinvestment, etc, will go on, even though there will be protests as usual, political analyst Amulya Ganguli said. The opposition is delighted to have got an issue. In the evening, the Prime Minister finally gave into political pressure saying that he would amend the sugarcane pricing ordinance in farmer interest. In a latest development it has been learnt that both the houses of the Parliament have againbeen adjourned on sugarcane price issue. Is it the death of FRP or is it just a temporary stalling? How will sugar companies do with or without FRP next year? While Narendra Murukumbi Managing Director at  Shree Renuka Sugars  hails the FRP concept, Investment Advisor  SP Tulsian  considers it to be an ill-conceived move and says that the farmers should be happy with Rs 210 per quintal. However, Murukumbi says, â€Å"We are currently paying Rs 230 per quintal in Karnataka.† Cane prices need to be resolved bilaterally—two-third share to farmers would be fair, he adds. Sugar deficit is a global phenomenon.â€Å"Last year there was a deficit of about nine million tonne. However, this years deficit is probably five-six million tonne and prices have reacted accordingly,† says Kingsman Sas Managing Director Jonathan Kingsman. Though the situation is expected to remain tight, there is a possibility that we move to a surplus from a deficit in 2010-11, according to Kingsman. He expects prices to be maintained in the next few months. On the global footing, Kingsman says the industry knows it has to work together. So in most countries like Thailand and Brazil, there is now a revenue sharing system in place, where in roughly about two-thirds of the revenue go to the cane growth and about one-third to the millers. †That has taken a lot of the politics and a lot of the conflict out of the situation.† Sugar stocks were seeing huge selling pressure on news of sugar companies yet to begin crushing for the season. There were reports that sugar mill owners have agreed to pay Rs 180 per quintal for sugarcane. The farmers were demanding Rs 200 plus for the same. The crushing could not start as farmers have stopped supplies in anticipation of higher price. Bajaj Hindusthan,  Balrampur Chini,  Dhampur Sugar,Dharani Sugars,Dwarikesh Sugar,  Shree Renuka  and  Triveni Engg  fell 5-8%. Andhra Sugar, EID Parry, KCP Sugar, Oudh Sugar Mill, Ponni Sugars (E), Simbhaoli Sugar, Upper Ganges Sugar and Uttam Sugar were down 2-4% Q: What should one expect from our neck of the woods? A: On day one and probably through first few days this entire battle of sugarcane prices will dominate the Parliaments Winter Session. Sugarcane farmers have picketed the Parliament and the entire opposition  Mulayam Singh Yadav  to  Ajit Singh  to Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)is also united on this one issue. I think this will be a precursor to wider debate that is likely to take place on Parliament on rising prices per se. However, this opposition unity, which is critical, is unlikely to hold because of the Pension Bill. The one economic legislation that, perhaps, could be at least debated in this session of the parliament, at least the government says it is determined to put it before parliament is the Pension Bill. So when that bill comes across will this unity within the Parliament stay, particularly, in the Rajya Sabha led by the Left and prevent legislation from going through? That is the space we will have to see, but at the moment, it seems that rising prices will create some element of opposition unity in the first few days of Parliament. Q: Was it a surprise that insurance did not make it this time or was is expected that it wouldnt get taken up for discussion in the Winter Session? A: What is happening is that the government is going step by step.  Pranab Mukherjees strategy is to try and get legislation through in an incremental manner. The fact is that the Insurance Bill is still before a Standing Committee and there is still discussion going on. So rather than bring it in the Winter Session, when it seems unlikely that it will go through, it will probably come up in the next sessionthe budget sessionin February. However, it seems at the moment that governments focus as far as economic legislation is primarily on the Pension Bill, can it get that bill through? I think that will be a test of the governments attempt to build some kind of consensus on critical economic reforms. Q: There has been a fairly clearly laid out divestment policy as we step into the Winter Session, might that come up for discussion or is that a done deal and the government will go about its business? A:  Pranab Mukherjees strategy is to do this by stealth, which means you dont necessarily have to bring any legislation when it concerns disinvestment before Parliament. There could be a debate on it; but the government is now determined to use the Cabinet route rather than the Parliament route to pass contentious economic legislations. I expect in the next couple of months many more PSUs to be on the chopping block. The government is very clear, before the next budget in February at least three-four more PSUs will be part of the disinvestment roadmap that the Finance Minister has drawn for himself. Q: So from our part of the world do you expect a likely dull session or exciting? A: The good news is that politics seem to mater less and less. The fact is that you have got a government which has a remarkable victory in the general elections and then again inMaharashtra, it has led to some element of complacency and the opposition is still to get its act together. In that situation, I dont see many political contentious issuesbeing raised in the Parliament ona regular basis. It will be a relatively dull session barring the fact that you have got all the sugarcane farmers picketing the Parliament on day one and there by providing  Ajit Singh  his 15 seconds of glory. Q: That is important though because there are fairly liquid well-tracked sugar stocks in the equity market. Will the government have to blink on this one? A: They might have to because Uttar Pradesh is the one state which is being looked at very seriously by the government in terms of the congresss future prospect there. Already we are told today there could be an Rs 7,000 crore package for Bundelkhand in the Cabinet meeting later today. The sugarcane farmers issue is one which even Congressmen are saying that farmers need to be provided higher price for sugarcane and then this ordinance which this government is planning to bring is not acceptable.Sharad Pawarhimself leads a powerful sugar lobby inMaharashtraand he will have to a do a balancing act between the demands that the sugarcane farmers are placing on him. So you will perhaps see the government bending on the issue of sugarcane pricing. Thousands of farmers protesting low state-controlled sugarcane prices forced the postponement of the first day of the parliamentary winter session on Thursday, highlighting rural discontent over government policy. Some 5,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Indias biggest cane producing state, marched to the opening of the parliament to demand higher state-set prices for sugarcane. Parts of the capital was disrupted by the protests, that were backed by opposition parties. The Congress-led coalition won re-election with a stronger mandate in May, raising hopes of quick reforms, but it has moved slowly and is still answerable to a reform-shy rural base. It faces political opposition to rapid change and deregulation as protests on Thursday highlighted. The government has given the states greater autonomy in fixing sugarcane prices, one of Indias biggest cash crops, in order to lift restrictions on a heavily-regulated sugar sector. But many farmers are unhappy with those state-set prices, saying they benefit sugar firms. The government has set a series of reforms ranging from the financial sector to law and order and gender equality as priorities for the winter parliament session. Investors are following whether Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh  will follow up on his pledge to push ahead with difficult financial reforms, particularly in the insurance and pension sectors. The state government has fixed the price the mills must pay to farmers at Rs 165-170 (USD 3.55-USD 3.66) per 100 kg, and farmers have been seeking a higher price that corresponds more to the rise in retail prices. We demand at least Rs 215 as the cane price, Anil Singh, national secretary of the National Alliance of Farmers Associations, told Reuters. Sugar output in Uttar Pradesh is likely to fall below estimates as the weakest monsoon in more than three decades has hit sucrose content in cane. As Pakistanis face an acute shortage of sugar, some families have found an easily available alternative to sweeten their tea: instead of a spoonful of sugar, they dissolve sweets in their tea. Shaikh Kashif, an embroiderer for a boutique in Karachi, said his favourite was a  Cadbury  Eclair. We cant live without tea so we had to do something, said Kashif, 27, from his small workshop in an upmarket city neighbourhood. It just costs a rupee (Pakistan rupee) per candy and is easier to get these days than sugar, he said. Pakistan is facing a shortage of more than 1 million tonnes of sugar largely because of a poor crop of sugarcane. Supplies have been particularly scarce since last month when surging prices led to a Supreme Court order to millers to sell sugar at Rs 40/kg (48 U.S. cents), compared with the then-market price of about Rs 46/kg. Government attempts to implement the court decision have led to confusion, sparking even higher market prices. Authorities are trying to get cheap supplies out to shoppers but sugar has almost disappeared at main retail markets in Karachi. Where it is available, it sells for as much as Rs 70 a kg. Thats not a problem for Kashif who said the sweets he put in his tea gave it a chocolaty taste. Some in my family didnt like that so theyre using a local candy which melts easily when you put it in a hot cup of tea, he said. We had to think of something to replace sugar and its worked for us. SOCIAL IMPACT ON SUGAR INDUSTRY Sugar Industry in India Indian sugar industry is the 2nd largest agro-industry with approximately 50 million sugarcane farmers and a large number of agricultural laborers (7.5% of the rural population) involved in sugarcane cultivation and ancillary activities. Though consumption of sugar in India has been growing at a steady rate of 3%, and is currently at 23.1 million tones, per capita consumption at 18 Kg (lower than world average of 22 Kg) indicates potential upside from a demand standpoint. Raw Material (Sugarcane) n India, sugarcane is the key raw material, planted once a year during January to March. It is the major cost driver for the production of sugar. It being an agricultural crop is subject to the unpredictable vagaries of nature, yielding either a bumper crop or a massive shortfall in its cultivation from year to year Industry Structure About 50% of the sugar capacity is controlled by Cooperatives Public sector mills. There are 566 sugar mills installed in the country, of which about 100 (mostly cooperatives) are not in operation. Almost half of the operational sugar cooperatives are in Maharashtra alone. Though most private players have been moving towards larger and integrated complexes, most cooperatives are still much smaller in capacity, and are standalone sugar mills. This has resulted in their becoming uncompetitive as compared to private mills. Government Policies Sugar has historically been classified as an essential commodity and has been regulated across the value chain. The heavy regulations in the sector artificially impact the demand-supply forces resulting in market imbalance Sensing this problem, since 1993 the regulations have been progressively eased. The key regulatory milestones include de-licensing of the industry in 1998 and the removal of control on storage and distribution in 2002. Value drivers Economical impact UP sugar mills agree to pay Rs 205-210 a quintal for cane  Sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh have offered to pay Rs 205-210 a quintal of cane for the ongoing 2009-10 crushing season. This is against the state advised price (SAP) of Rs 165-170 a quintal. The UP Sugar Mills Association (UPSMA) had on November 14 agreed to pay Rs 180 a quintal for regular cane and Rs 185 for early varieties. When this failed to enthuse growers, the mills announced an additional Rs 10 as incentive, taking the effective cane price to Rs 190-195. On Sunday last (November 29), they offered a further increase of Rs 10, translating into a price of Rs 200-205 a quintal. But these sweet offers failed to placate the growers, particularly in the western UP belt and the stir by farmers of the region culminated in a hugely attended sit-in at Shamli in Muzaffarnagar. On Tuesday (December 1), all the mills in western UP have accepted a new rate of Rs 205-210 per quintal. Following this offer, the farmers have also called off their stir and the industry hopes crushing will resume in full swing. The state has a total of 132 running sugar mills, out of which 90 are private mills. Last year mills in UP paid a SAP of Rs 140-145 a quintal. However, with more than 100 per cent jump in sugar prices due to a 43% drop in production in the year ended September 2009, farmers have been pressing for a higher price of Rs 280 per quintal. Sugar output in India, the worlds second largest producer, may fall short of the earlier estimate of 16 million tonnes in 2009-10 season. Sugar prices have touched Rs 40 a kg in the cities and with the hike in sugarcane prices, retail prices of sugar is bound to go up further. UP sugar mills enter price war to procure cane Low availability of cane and higher price realisation force mills to pay more. Low availability of sugarcane and high price realisation have forced a majority of sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to enter into a price war quite early in the 2009-10 season (October-September). The mills are paying Rs 10 a quintal higher than the price of Rs 190-195 a quintal agreed unanimously by the private millers last week. UP is the second-largest sugar producing state after Maharashtra and top producers such as Bajaj Hindusthan and Balrampur Chini have all their operations in the state. A majority of sugar mills in western UP districts such as Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur are now paying a price of Rs 200-205 a quintal for sugarcane. The state government had announced a state advised price (SAP) of Rs 165-170 a quintal. However, farmers association in the state led by the likes of Mahendra Singh Tikait and V M Singh have been protesting and seeking a price of Rs 280 a quintal since sugar realisation has moved to a record of Rs 33-34 a kg. Last year mills had paid a SAP of Rs 140-145 a quintal. However, with more than a 100 per cent jump in sugar prices due to a 43 per cent

Management Functions Essay -- essays research papers

In today’s business world managers follow certain rules that help them be better at their job and also contribute to the success of the business. The functions of management are established to help managers see the business operations with more clarity and understanding. This report will look at the four functions planning, organizing, directing and controlling. In business managers are divided into three parts: top-level, middle managers and first-level managers. Each level of management uses the four functions of management to do their job better. Management success is gained through accomplishment of mission and objectives. Managers fail when they do not accomplish mission and objectives. Success and failure are tied directly to the reasons for being in business, i.e., mission and objectives. However, accomplishing mission and objectives is not sufficient. Success requires both effectiveness and efficiency. Managers who accomplish their mission and objectives are said to be effective. Efficiency describes the relationship between the amount of resources used (input) and the extent to which objectives were accomplished (output). If the cost of accomplishing an objective is prohibitive, then the objective is not realistic in the context of the firm's resources. Additional planning is necessary. Management is defined as the process of setting and achieving goals through the implementation of some basic management functions. These functions include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. By using these key tools, one can create an organization as a whole consisting of unified parts acting in harmony to achieve goals, both successfully and proficiently. It is common knowledge to many managers and employees today that the very goal of one organization is to be as efficient and effective as possible. Planning, which can otherwise be known as the â€Å"first† function of management, places the groundwork in position for the other functions of management. Planning is a constant process that entails determining courses of action to respond to the questions of what should be done, by whom, where, when, and how. By planning properly, one will devise a proposal for the organizational activities necessary to reach the objectives one has set for themselves or their team. There are three basic management skills: technical, human and conceptual. A technical skill is t... ...in an organization or company. Management is basically just creative problem solving. Creative problem solving can be accomplished by using the four functions of management. The managers duties may vary but the basic functions of management remain the same. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are the four functions of management. How they are implemented and used in an organization is the responsibility of the manager. Planning is an ongoing process that develops the company’s mission and objectives it also helps to determine how they will be accomplished. Planning is something that we all do practically everyday. We have to plan each day accordingly to accomplish our most important task. By planning we are less likely to have any surprises and by knowing what our tasks are for the day we are more likely to get those tasks accomplished. Resource: UOP (2005): Resource; Week One Reading Assignment. Retrieved on April 26, 2005 From University of Phoenix www.ecampus.phoenix.edu Lemire. J (2005) Week One reading: Course material newsgroup; UOP Retrieved on April 26, 2005 from www.ecampus.phoenix.edu James Higgins, The Management Challenge, Second edition, Macmillan, 1994 Management Functions Essay -- essays research papers In today’s business world managers follow certain rules that help them be better at their job and also contribute to the success of the business. The functions of management are established to help managers see the business operations with more clarity and understanding. This report will look at the four functions planning, organizing, directing and controlling. In business managers are divided into three parts: top-level, middle managers and first-level managers. Each level of management uses the four functions of management to do their job better. Management success is gained through accomplishment of mission and objectives. Managers fail when they do not accomplish mission and objectives. Success and failure are tied directly to the reasons for being in business, i.e., mission and objectives. However, accomplishing mission and objectives is not sufficient. Success requires both effectiveness and efficiency. Managers who accomplish their mission and objectives are said to be effective. Efficiency describes the relationship between the amount of resources used (input) and the extent to which objectives were accomplished (output). If the cost of accomplishing an objective is prohibitive, then the objective is not realistic in the context of the firm's resources. Additional planning is necessary. Management is defined as the process of setting and achieving goals through the implementation of some basic management functions. These functions include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. By using these key tools, one can create an organization as a whole consisting of unified parts acting in harmony to achieve goals, both successfully and proficiently. It is common knowledge to many managers and employees today that the very goal of one organization is to be as efficient and effective as possible. Planning, which can otherwise be known as the â€Å"first† function of management, places the groundwork in position for the other functions of management. Planning is a constant process that entails determining courses of action to respond to the questions of what should be done, by whom, where, when, and how. By planning properly, one will devise a proposal for the organizational activities necessary to reach the objectives one has set for themselves or their team. There are three basic management skills: technical, human and conceptual. A technical skill is t... ...in an organization or company. Management is basically just creative problem solving. Creative problem solving can be accomplished by using the four functions of management. The managers duties may vary but the basic functions of management remain the same. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are the four functions of management. How they are implemented and used in an organization is the responsibility of the manager. Planning is an ongoing process that develops the company’s mission and objectives it also helps to determine how they will be accomplished. Planning is something that we all do practically everyday. We have to plan each day accordingly to accomplish our most important task. By planning we are less likely to have any surprises and by knowing what our tasks are for the day we are more likely to get those tasks accomplished. Resource: UOP (2005): Resource; Week One Reading Assignment. Retrieved on April 26, 2005 From University of Phoenix www.ecampus.phoenix.edu Lemire. J (2005) Week One reading: Course material newsgroup; UOP Retrieved on April 26, 2005 from www.ecampus.phoenix.edu James Higgins, The Management Challenge, Second edition, Macmillan, 1994

Autonomy, Education, and Societal Legitimacy Essay -- Educational Pape

Autonomy, Education, and Societal Legitimacy I argue that autonomy should be interpreted as an educational concept, dependent on many educative institutions, including but not limited to government. This interpretation will improve the understanding of autonomy in relation to questions about institutional and societal legitimate authority. I aim to make plausible three connected ideas. (1) Respecting individual autonomy, properly understood, is consistent with an interest in institutions in social and political philosophy. Such interest, however, does require a broadening of questions about institutional and societal legitimacy. (2) Individual autonomy can and should be re-conceived as a multi-institutional educational notion. We must appreciate the manifold institutional process. There are diverse questions about legitimacy as institutional and societal authority that generate normative demands binding on the individual. (3) There is some uncertainty about which institutions do or should educate for autonomy. The shift to an e ducational, multi-institutional model of autonomy renders more questionable and probably de-emphasizes the role of blame and punishment as paradigmatically institutionalized expressions of respect for autonomy in educating for autonomy. Nonetheless, such an educational model does not eliminate concern about autonomy, blame and punishment. Rather, it broadens questions about the legitimacy of the normative function of various institutions, and of society as a whole. I This paper is intended to make it plausible to believe three connected propositions. The paper is about the variety of social institutions that educate persons (for good or ill) about normative issues. It is about some connections betw... ...cially p. 57. (12) Interestingly, Joel Feinberg is aware of the possible future decay of the nation-state, and he concedes that this might require some adjustments in our thinking about the analogy between autonomous individuals and autonomous states. Feinberg, however, does not seem to favor or even entertain the idea that if there were fundamental institutional changes, we might do well to modify our reliance on analogies between individual persons and states so far as the theory of autonomy is concerned. See Harm to Self, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1986, pp. 50-51. Feinberg is here commenting on autonomy as the "sovereign authority to govern oneself". His position seems puzzling for many reasons, especially in its unsupported assertion that even if a sense of world community grows, we ought to continue to model individual autonomy on the nation-state.