Law for Non Lawyer Essay

As for one action, no matter it is legal or not is not only matches the law clauses, but also complies with the legal principle. Legal principle plays a vital role in the society. In the situation that the existing law would not have the ability to solve the new problems happened in the society, the legal principle can play a part in solving the problem. As for these situations that there are no explicit legal rules to solve the issue, the legal principle would take it. As for the relationship of the agent, the agent can represent the principal to do some things. Even if the contract is formed by the agent and the third party, the principal should take the responsibility finally. Body The Lawï ¼Å' unlike other rules, it is a symbol of authority and power. It relies on the compelling force of the state by different means of punishment. The law can be taking into many different forms, such as public law and private law, civil law and criminal law, common law and statute law, and so on. Public Law regulates the relations between citizens, companies and private associations on the one hand and the state on the other. Generally speaking, public law consists of Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Criminal Law. Private law regulates the relations between citizens, companies and private associations, such as tort law, contract law, land law, commercial law, and so on. Therefore, the law would play a role of guidance to people. For example, according to the criminal law, we can know what we can do and what we can not do. Under the press of the law, based on the fear of the punishment, we can prevent ourselves from committing a crime. Taking contract law for another example, the parties of the contract should bear the responsibility ruled in the contract. The unconstrained agreement is the basic element to a contract. Every party of the contract should comply with the quest ruled by the contract law. As for the application of common law, the judges should follow the previous decisions made in the process of the development of the law through doctrine of precedent. On the contrary, statute law is the laws made by the parliament. As for the use of the law in daily life, legal principle is one of the most important parts. At some situations, the application of the legal principle is more important than the legal clauses themselves. Due to the rapid development of the society and the economy, the evolution of the law can not keep up with the pace of the society and economy. In a result, in some cases, the existing law would not have the ability to solve the new problems happened in the society. So, as for these situations that there are no explicit legal rules to solve the issue, the legal principle is playing a vital role. According to the opinion of Leslie Green, another reason for the use of the legal principle is that law may be beneficial, but only in some contexts and always at a price, at the risk of grave injustice.[1] In general, the legal principle is formed in the process of the development of the law, experiencing a long history. It is always absorb the beneficial historical sources and develop into a useful material to match the need of the modern society for the law. It also develops to apply from an area to another area.[2] There are many legal principles can be used in our daily life. Such as the principle that everyone is equal before the law, signing a contract freely, protecting the public order and good morals, and so on. In the case of the background, although the action asking the friends to attend the party is match the rule of the law of the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties (Fictitious) Act 2010, Derek violates the legal principle of protecting the public order and good morals. As a result, Derek should take some responsibility in the civil law. In the case, Ray, the Manager of a builder’s merchants, asks Derek, a Sales Assistant at the same workplace, to keep an eye on his 5-acre smallholding while he is on holiday in Spain. Derek emails a few of his friends to attend his 21st birthday party in a disused barn on Ray’s farm land. Due to a technical error, the email was sent to his entire email address book. Over 600 people arrive at the party and a neighbor farmer calls the police complaining about the noise. Derek is arrested for breach of the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties Act 2010. For the Act, it applies to a gathering of more than a hundred people on land for a social purpose in which it is likely that alcohol will be consumed. It is a criminal offence to organize such a gathering without the permission of a local magistrate unless the organizer is an exempt person. (James B. Crippin, Jerry Ahern. Peter Squires. 2011) For the birthday party, it gathers over 600 people, it is up to the mustard of rally, that is, (1) particular majority participate; (2) participants have a more consistent motivation and purpose; (3) in the course, it has the serious violations, damage to public order, harm public safety or others. So, it needs to receive the permission of a local magistrate, otherwise, it will violate the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties Act 2010. From the case of the background, we can see Derek and Ray form an oral contract and an agent relationship. In general, a contract is formed at the basic of the mutual assent between the parties.[3] According to the view of Miguel Pickard, the relationship formed among the people is aim at the interests of the parties.[4] The agent relationship formed between Derek and Ray is a typical example. In the stage of the leave of Ray, Derek, as the agent of Ray, would gain some rights as well as some responsibilities. Agent is formed by two parties: the agent, the principal. In the sense of the law, the relationship of agent has three parties: agent, principal and the third party. An agent is the one who is empowered to represent the principal to do some things, either implied or expressly. In the real life, although the contract is signed by the agent and the third party, in fact, the legal relation is created between the principal and the third party. An agency is formed either by express agreement or by implied agreement. In general, the relationship of agent formed by implied agreement is shaped in some necessary or emergent situations or shaped by custom. Such as a person entrusts with others’ property, need to preserve immediately, impossible or extraordinarily difficult to communicate with the principal. Once two people create the agent relationship and publish to public by words or other forms, this means that the third party has the evidence t believe their agent relationship. The agent and the principal can not deny the relationship casually. If the third party believes one person who is actually no authority to represent the principal is the agent of the principal and do some trade or sign an agreement with this person, the principal can ratify the authority afterwards. But there are some limiting conditions for the ratification: the principal who should have the contractual capacity must be informed of all the fac ts of the agency and ratify the authority during a reasonable time; the ratification must be of the entire contract and can be inferred. As long as the authority is ratified, the relation formed between the agent and the third party is binding to the principal.[5]As for the agent relationship, all of the parties should take their own responsibility and enjoy the right. The agent should follow the principal’s instructions. The agent can not make profits in the name of the principal for himself secretly. In general, the right of the agent to represent the principal is limited. If the agent makes profits secretly making use of the benefit of the principal, it is illegal.[6] In order to serve for the principal, the agent would ask for remuneration from the principal. The agent has right to ask for indemnity and reimbursement from the principal as long as injured or hurt during the stage of agency. Once the principal tries to avoid the liability, the agent enjoys the right of lien. The principal should make explicit authority to the agent and give relevant reward to the agent. If the agent does not represent the principal as the follow of the principal, the principal can use some remedies, such as refuse to pay the agent, sue for damage, ask the agent to recover the thing as before. The most important legal effect of the agent relationship is that the principal should take the responsibility of the acts of the agent. In the case of the background, the action of the agent of purchasing the apartment is binding to the principal. The principal should take the responsibility for the agent action. The trade made by the agent and the third party is binding to the principal.[7] In general, the principal is not always disclosing. As for the disclosed principal, the principal is bound by any contract unless the following situations: the agent exceeds their authority, the agent agrees to be liable and the principal is non existent. With respect to the undisclosed principal, the third party can choose one or more to take the liability, while the principal can sue unless the identity of the party is essential to the contract. The agent relationship can be terminated for many reasons. The agent and the principal can make an agreement to end the relationship. The relationship also can be ended by other legal reasons, such as the death of one of the agent or the principal, time is expiring, and so on. In the case of the background, Derek, as the agent of Ray, gets some rights authorized by Ray. Derek can use the smallholding in reasonable means. Although Derek does not need to take the Criminal responsibility, he should bear the civil liability for his action which affects the normal life of the neighborhood around the smallholding. But, according the law about the agent, the principal Ray would be the first defendant. After Ray bears the responsibility for the action of Derek, Ray can ask for Derek to undertake the liability for his action. According to the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties (Fictitious) Act 2010, this Act applies to a gathering of more than a hundred people on land for a social purpose. But it is a criminal offence to organize a gathering if there is without the permission of a local magistrate unless the organizer is an exempt person. In the act, the exempt person means the occupier, any member of his family or his employee or agent of his. In the case of the background, Ray asks Derek to keep an eye on his 5-acre smallholding while he is on holiday in Spain. According to the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties (Fictitious) Act 2010, as the agent of Ray during his holiday in Spain, Derek in entitled to use the smallholding for some purpose. In order to celebrate the twenty-first birthday, Derek asks his friend to attend the party is match the provisions of the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties (Fictitious) Act 2010. Even if Derek does not gain the permission of a local magistrate, he also has the right to hold the party at the reason that he is an exempt person. The reason why Derek is an exempt person is that Derek becomes the agent of Ray in the period of Ray’s leave due to the agreement of both parties. However, even if the action of Derek to ask his friends to attend the party is comply with the quest of the Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties (Fictitious) Act 2010, Conclusion In general, on action can infringe several laws. At the same time, one action is punished either it does not comply with the provision of the law or it does not match the legal principle. At some situations, legal principle plays a vital role in the society. In the situation that the existing law would not have the ability to solve the new problems happened in the society, the legal principle can play a part in solving the problem. As for these situations that there are no explicit legal rules to solve the issue, the legal principle would take it. As for the relationship of the agent, the agent can represent the principal to do some things. Even if the contract is formed by the agent and the third party, the principal should take the responsibility finally. Just as the case in the background, Derek should take the responsibility for his action. Reference ï ¼â€  Bibliography [1] Bolton Partners v Lambert (1889) 41 Ch D 295 [2] Christina Maria Vogerl, â€Å"Unfair Terms in Standard Form Contracts†, European Master Program in Law & Economics. [3] Leslie Green, â€Å"the concept of law revisited†, Michigan Law Review, vol.94; 1687 [4] Lloyd & Grace, Smith & Co [1912] AC 716 [5] Lunghi v Sinclair [1966] WAR 172 [6] Miguel, P 2007,‘reflections on relationships: the nature of partnership according to five NGOs in southern Mexico’, Development in Practice, volume 17, numbers 4-5 [7] P. J. du Plessis, â€Å"The Creation of Legal Principle†, Roman Legal Tradition, 4 (2008), 46–69, ISSN 1943-6483 [8] James B. Crippin, Jerry Ahern. Peter Squires. (2011). â€Å"First Response to Bombing Incidents and Weapons of Mass Destruction†. Chemical Rubber Company Press. [9] Aled Griffiths, â€Å"How are statutes interpreted?†, page617, Law for Non-Lawyers, Second Edition, ISBN 978-0-85776-696-0 ———————– [1] Leslie Green, â€Å"the concept of law revisited†, Michigan Law Review, vol.94;1687 [2] P. J. du Plessis, â€Å"The Creation of Legal Principle†, Roman Legal Tradition, 4 (2008), 46–69, ISSN 1943-6483 [3] Christina Maria Vogerl,â€Å"-$%01234;@EFLRWX_hiwxyÃ… ½Ãƒ µÃƒ ¬Ãƒ  Ãƒ ¬Ãƒ µÃƒ ¬Ãƒ µÃƒâ€Ãƒ ¬Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¬Ã‚ ³Ã‚ §Ã…“? ³Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ ³{ ³m ³aTD ³h–’à ¬hà a «5?CJ aJ mHh ´Chà a «5?CJ aJ h–’à ¬hà a «5?CJ aJ o([pic]hßshà a «5?CJ aJ hà a «5?CJ aJ Unfair Terms in Standard Form Contracts†, European Master Program in Law & Economics. [4] Miguel, P 2007,â€Å"reflections on relationships: the nature of partnership according to five NGOs in southern Mexico†, Development in Practice, volume 17, numbers 4-5 [5] Bolton Partners v Lambert (1889) 41 Ch D 295 [6] Lunghi v Sinclair [1966] WAR 172 [7] Lloyd & Grace, Smith & Co [1912] AC 716

Implementing Change Paper Essay

In any organization, the manager wears many hats. Their responsibilities go beyond just managing a group of people. On top of managing, they have to be communicators, coaches, and advocates, just to name a few of the many hats. Part of being an effective communicator includes reporting and implanting changes that may come down from upper management. Change can bring out many emotions in people, like anxiety. How a manager handles the change and implements it within their department can either make their people feel good about it, or heighten their concerns (â€Å"Managers And Supervisors: Importance And Role†, 2014). What is the manager’s role and responsibility in implementing change in the department? When implementing change within a department, there are specific responsibilities that a manager must uphold. First and foremost, it is important for the manager to inform the employees of what is going on and most importantly as soon as possible. When employees sense th at there may be a change, it often causes panic. When the employees aren’t sure of what exactly is going on, it allows their minds to run wild with all the possibilities and often times they are negative. Therefore, it is important they are given all the necessary information up front before they have time to assume what is going to happen (Scott, 2014). Once all the relevant information has been relayed and the employees understand all the changes that are going to take place, the manager then needs to switch into support mode. They need to be able to support their entire team through the process that is about to unfold. For example, this is important if the change will bring a heavier workload. The manager will need to provide support to the team so that they will adjust to the change as seamlessly as possible. Lastly, overall good management techniques are important when a change is being implemented. Managers should be aware of over and under managing the situation. Also, implementing a rewards program can also help ease the stress of the change (Scott, 2014). How should a manager  successfully handle staff resistance to change? A resistance to the change is bound to happen and should be expected from at least a few employees. A manager’s skills are put to the test when this happens and it is vital that they handle this situation appropriately. Resistance can come in many different forms. For example, there may be an increased number of people quitting, hostility, and in extreme cases, strikes. Any type of resistance can be troublesome for the management teams, which is why it is imperative that it is handled quickly and appropriately. For starters, the management team needs to understand that some resistance is desirable because it will help the change to be more effective. Employees who question the change in a non-malicious manner could ultimately help to refine the plans of change. Secondly, a good manager will realize that not all of their employees will respond the same to the changes and should be treated accordingly. Sometimes the resistance may come because the employees may not understand the purpose of the changes. The fix for this could be as simple as sitting down with those employees that are having trouble adjusting and thoroughly going over everything. This would include explaining why, how, and when the changes will be taking place. Define each step of the change process: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation The change process includes four steps, assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. These steps can help make the change process an easier transition. According to Sull ivan and Decker (2009), â€Å"Emphasis is placed on the assessment phase of change for two reasons. Without data collection and analysis, planned change will not proceed past the â€Å"wouldn’t it be a good idea if† stage† (Sullivan & Decker, 2009, â€Å"Chapter 5, Initiating and Implementing Change, The Change Process†). Change does not have to come from only a problem, it can also come from an opportunity. Once the problem or opportunity has been properly identified, internal and external data can be collected. Many factors will have to be examined, like who would benefit from the changes and the costs associated with the changes. Once all the data has been collected, it is imperative that it gets analyzed. A statistical analysis could prove even more beneficial especially if it is presented visually, with either graphs or charts. Once a direction has been established, the next part in the process can begin. In the planning stage, the who, when, and how of the change are determined and the target area is decided. Those in the target  are should be act ively involved with the planning stage. Doing so will hopefully lessen the chances of resistance later on. In the next stage, which is implementation, the plan is put into motion. There are two different methods for change; changing an individual and changing a group. Information giving is the most common method used in changing an individuals’ attitudes and values. According to Sullivan and Decker (2009), â€Å"providing information is prerequisite to change implementation, but it is inadequate unless lack of information is the only obstacle effecting change† (Sullivan & Decker, 2009, â€Å"Chapter 5, Initiating and Implementing Change, The Change Process†). Just giving information does not give the reason for the change. Another method that can be considered to change individuals is training. This method combines information giving and actual skill practice. As for methods to change groups, â€Å"The greatest influence is achieved when group members discuss issues that are perceived as important and make relevant, binding decisions based on those discussions† (Sullivan & Decker, 2009, â€Å"Chapter 5, Initiating and Implementing Change, The Change Process†). Individual and group methods can be combined. Whichever methods are used, everyone involved should feel as though their input is important and be rewarded accordingly. The final step in the process is the evaluation. It is important to monitor the change to ensure that it the presumed benefits are being achieved financially and qualitatively. Although some outcomes may be undesirable, those too must be examined. If there are problems, they can be reevaluated and corrected. Change is never an easy process to go through. Everyone handles it differently and it often comes with feelings of fear and anxiety. This is especially true for organizations as managers play a large role when it comes to implementing the changes. There are many skills that one must possess in order to do this properly and without much backlash. It is always to be expected that retaliation will come from some in the organization, but the managers have the ability to control the extent of it. By going through the ch ange process and spending quality time on each step, retaliation can be kept to a minimum. Managers and supervisors: importance and role. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-job-roles-mod4.htmNichols, V. (n.d.). How you should handle resistance to change. Retrieved from  http://www.hrzone.com/feature/people/how-you-should-handle-resistance-change/141253Scott, G. (2014). What Is the Manager Role and Responsibility in Implementing Change Within the Department?. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/manager-role-responsibility-implementing-change-within-department-26671.htmlSullivan, E.J., & Decker, P.J. (2009). Effective leadership management nursing (7th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

The Chinese Firework Industry

Introduction: Liuyang is a city known as â€Å"the home of fireworks and firecrackers† in Hunan province of China. Fireworks and Firecrackers have become the pillar industry of Liuyang, where 50 percent of total jobs are related to fireworks and one third of the total workforce lives in fireworks. Out of total 6458 fireworks manufacturers, 2702 are in Liuyang and 2144 in the surroundings of Liuyang. 89 % of total chines production of fireworks and firecrackers comes from Liuyang.China produces 60% of the whole global production. Fireworks and firecrackers are part of Chinese traditions and culture. Chinese display firecrackers and fireworks to celebrate new-year, see off the year, weddings, death. They also use fireworks to scare the evil forces. Pyrotechnics is the formal name for fireworks. Trend has shifted from firecrackers to fireworks. In 2009, only 20 % of the total sales were generated from firecrackers. Fireworks related skills have improved also. First fireworks coul d hardly go 20 meters into the sky, but now it can go even 400 meters into the sky. Firework industry is low-tech and highly labor intensive.Only few processes could have been automated and many key processes are still done with hand. Work place safety is high concern because a tinny spark caused by the drag of chair or dropping of a tool can result into an explosion. Employees are shifting to safer jobs. Skilled employees are insufficient in numbers. Number of engineers is also limited. Industry has to face environmental concerns too. By 2009, 75% of the fireworks imports to Canada were from China. Fireworks industry was banned in one third of Chinese cities but by 2009, all cities removed restrictions. By 2009, fireworks exports reached $675 million. In 2009, Liuyang Fireworks Company was listed on Toronto Stock Exchange. Fireworks industry is facing immense competition.Liling in Hunan province is a community fireworks manufacturer, which is causing price competition. Pingxiang an d Wanzai in Jiangxi province are competing with Liuyang in price and quality. Dogguan in Guangdong province, take advantage of its closeness to Hong Kong and sophisticated management and marketing skills. Dogguan has snatched share from Liuyang. DEEP LIST AnalysisDemographics: Out of 400,000 employees, only small portion is skilled workers. Number of engineers is also small. Skilled worker earns RMB 1200 to RMB 1800 every month. Un-skilled worker earns RMB 500 to RMB 700 every month. EconomicBy 2009, fireworks exports had reached $ 675.Due to economic development, income and standard of living of people is rising. Eventually, people desire for pricier and fancier fireworks over cheap and simple fireworks. This is creating profit opportunities for businesses. EcologicalFireworks are hazardous to environment. Due to environmental concerns, once fireworks were banned in one third of the Chinese cities. But these concerns are still in place. Mass media also high lights pollution related concerns. Political and legalRestrictions on foreign direct investment have been eased. Government’s initiative of encouraging private business ventures is a threat to existing companies. Industry once nationalized but latter was privatized. Fireworks industry remained banned in one third of Chinese cities from 1998 to 2009. Economy was reformed toward market economy. Government agency of Fireworks Industry Department adopted offensive strategy which comprised of 3 steps: 1. Opened local offices in cities of 29 provinces2. Regulated prices that Liuyang could quote and sell in export sales 3. Government to government relationship in order to secure contracts for large public firework displays in each province Till 1998, Chinese fireworks were banned in Canada.Informational Fireworks related accidents are reported and emphasized on mass media before and after and traditional spring festival. Some articles condemn firecrackers and fireworks. Social Chinese use fireworks to cele brate new-year, see off year, wedding and deaths. Fireworks and firecrackers are also used to scare evil forces. But trend is changing now. Many people now like to get married in western style, in church or a scenic view in outdoor meadows. They prefer quiet and happy way of getting married over the traditional noisy way. Red balloons have been identified as a substitute to firecrackers and fireworks in some marriages in Beijing. People now prefer laser beams over fireworks on great openings. TechnologyFireworks industry is low-tech and highly labor intensive industry. Although, some processes have been automated but still, many key processes are performed with hand. Key trends shaping up in the environmentBelow mentioned are the key trends shaping up in the environment. Competition The number of players is increasing due to the low initial investment and government initiative to encourage private business ventures. Increasing competition is causing reduction in prices eventually re duced profits. Social ChangesPeople are shifting from the traditional ways of Chinese culture. People now like to get married in western way, in church or scenic place in green meadows. They also prefer now calm and peaceful environment to the traditional noisy ways. On great openings, instead of using fireworks now laser beams are being used. â€Å"Make believe firecrackers† are the electric tube lights that are now substituting the fireworks. Economic Changes:Foreign direct investment is increasing now. Export $ volume is increasing too. Economy has been reformed towards market economy. Environmental and safety concerns: Employees are now concerned about their safety at workplace. They are shifting to safer jobs. Safety regulations by government are also getting strict now. Ecological concerns of fireworks are also increasing. Fireworks are condemned because of the pollution and accidents caused by them. Political and Legal Changes:Political and legal framework has changed as well. In past, industry was owned by government but now it has been privatized. Even government is encouraging new entrants.

Family Concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Concept - Essay Example Legitimization of children born is of course a universal criterion of marriage. Another factor related to the subject marriage is 'legal paternity'. Dr. Edmund Leach in Europe is of the opinion that no definition could be found that would apply to all the institutions which is commonly accepted as marriage. He referred to ten classes of rights which are related with the word marriage. He is flexible in his approach and states "we ought to feel free to call 'marriage' any institution which fulfils any one or more of the selected criteria". Dr. Leach cites the case of Nayar, the Kerala person in Kerala community. His marriage is not accepted as traditional marriage but a "relationship of perpetual affinity" between linked lineages" (Gough 1955a). The ritual husbands of Nayar girls had no obligation to the brides after the ritual was over. The ritual wife also has no obligation except observing pollution rites at death of the ritual husband... The children born to the woman after marriage have no notion of paternity. . The marriage was basically exogamous with matrilineage character having allegiance to the family of head of the village which might be patrilineal Nayar... Such traditional scattered groups all over the world lost the cohesion of tradition later but kept together by thin thread of kinship. What is the actual family scenario in the western world today The institution of marriage is present but the divorce rate remained as high as 50%. The rate of marriage is coming down and the system of co-habitation started in which men and women live together without marriage. The status of family in this new system is very weak... Couples who once might have wed and then divorced now are not marrying at all. Co-habitation is never good for children because it increases family instability. Cohabiting couples have twice the break up rate of married couples only because there is no family bond between the couples. 40% of children in USA come under this fold of loose family set up. 8.1% of US coupled household are made of unmarried but heterosexual partners. The percentage of children who grow with both biological parents is the lowest at 63%. The divorce rate in USA being one of the highest the family status in this country is the weakest with the highest rate of solo parenting. In this type of a weak family concept and social scenario any university would remain confused about promotion of a well-defined family set up. Therefore my concept of a family set up would be one where there is unity, love and peace among all the family members to promote the objective of everybody's life. Generation has due recognition in any society and family but not from the marginal point of view as it was earlier...We often hear about generation gap. The emergence of global generation that started in 1960s has world wide repercussions today with major development in new electronic communication and international consciousness. The future generation will be uniquely influenced by web technology with the introduction of social networking services like MySpace, social bookmaking sites like Yahoo's del.icio.us, and peer to peer social networks like the blogosphere and the cell phones... Today the word

The use of drones in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The use of drones in the United States - Essay Example However, there is a lot of debate that have been sparked on the legality, efficacy and morality of this practice, even though, capable drones have versatile uses. In the current times, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was ordered by the Obama’s administration to come up with a plan in order to permit unarmed drones within the United States airspace. Such a decision was as a result of the tremendous demand arising from different stakeholders such as Border Patrol, police, agencies, organizations and businesses in their quest to use them in future. This paper addresses the pros and cons of the legalization of drones for commercial use by companies/organizations in the United States. The pros of the use of drones in the United States by border patrol police, agencies, organizations, and businesses. Drones can be used to save lives. These devices can be used to reduce significantly the frequency and exposure of military personnel during war. Another benefit of drones is the low cost. These devices are affordable when purchasing and the costs incurred in maintaining or fueling them are significantly lower compared to ordinary and regular airplanes. Needless to say, there is low risk involved as a result of military hardware since these devices are comparatively smaller and can, therefore, fly at lower altitudes as opposed to the traditional airplanes. There is the benefit of comparatively longer operational hours without any fatigue. This is because drones do not have human pilots and can, therefore, stay in operation for a long time.

Life and Times in the Roman Legion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Life and Times in the Roman Legion - Essay Example C. The ancient Roman army was made up of several legions which included several cohorts of heavy infantry. Although the main legions consisted of Roman citizens there existed some auxiliary units that comprised soldiers who were not Roman citizens. These smaller units served as boosters for the legions. In the early years legions numbered approximately one hundred and twenty soldiers each. There were substantial increases in sizes in later centuries. From the early period military service was an obligation and duty upon Roman citizens, but also a kind of privilege (Campbell, J. B. 4). Soldiers served in the army and were categorized according to wealth and political power. All male citizens in Rome who were healthy and in possession of property were divided into five classes with the purpose of serving in the military. Those with substantial amount of wealth served as cavalry. They also enrolled as equestrians. These men were also dressed in accordance with their wealth and power. They normally wore a spear, sword, helmet, breast plate and round shield. Many members of the cavalry eventually ended up in politics. In comparison to the other classes in the military the cavalry had the least number of men. The three lower classes of soldiers were drawn from among the not so wealthy. They served in the infantry and wore fewer decorations than those persons in the cavalry. They, however, formed the principal unit in the military. The fifth and lowest group composed only of slingers. Since they were the least armed they sometimes acted as scouts. Soldiers were responsible for the acquisition of their weapons. Those citizens who had no property and lacked the resources to acquire weapons were excluded from military service. This classification within the legions changed when Gaius Marius (157 B.C. – 86 B.C) assumed political power. His reform of the military changed it into a more

Media representation of womens body. The change in advertising from Research Proposal

Media representation of womens body. The change in advertising from skinny models to everyday women - Research Proposal Example The Research proposal proves vital for the well being of all women. Just imagine Michael Angelo sculpting an Ally McBeal? Or Rembrandt painting Naomi Campbell? Or even Jane Austen portraying her female protagonist Elizabeth in beautiful gowns with nothing but bones and skin over her body? Besides saving Marble for the statue, paint and material for the painting, and word space to describe her heroine, there seems little achievement in choosing such models to depict the concept of beautiful women, in the field of art, literature or society, be it in the early 1500 century or the 21 century we are living in. But that was a time when there was nothing like the modern media. The society had scope to think for itself. Forms of expressions were for betterment of society and were devoid of manipulations. They were close to reality and in genuine proximity to nature unlike today. Women were a focus of every society although perspectives of representations of females have undergone catastrophic changes through the far reaching tentacles of the seductive, tantalizing and captivating media of modern consumerism and the capitalistic society. Buxom Belles represented beauty and prosperity. The Milkmaid by J Vermeer is admired as a masterpiece of art even today. Not only because of its excellence in painting skills and the superb realistic effects in the painting but also because of the daily life maid, the bulky but beautiful model he has chosen for his painting. Religions the world over revered the natural status of women for child bearing and rearing. Medical fields respected natural biology and the unique metabolism of humans. Sociologists acknowledge the well being of women to be a vital part of a healthy society in a nation. Anthropologists reported buxom bodied women as highly regarded females in native cultures of the world.

Maitaining versus withdrawing life support (Florida General rules) Assignment

Maitaining versus withdrawing life support (Florida General rules) - Assignment Example Since, termination of an individual’s life via withdrawing life support adversely affects even the close relatives despite the law advocating acting in the interests of the patient. Additionally, an individual experiencing persistent vegetative state does not imply one cannot regain full consciousness with the administration of the necessary treatments. This is regardless of the anticipated complications that might arise, which in reality may be contrary (Elliott, 2005). However, these cases may be minimal but I tend to belief that not all surrogates act in the interests of the patient despite prove presented to execute their consent in the withdrawing of life support. Since, investigation may not be adequate to reveal deep hidden malicious intentions of the surrogates where some benefit indirectly. Hence, cause long-term trauma to the loved ones especially the young children or beneficiaries after knowing what happened to their loved ones regardless of whether there was a leg al or authorized substituted judgment (Elliott, 2005). I deem, maintaining life support is a depiction of respect for human life where in withdrawing it, may deny an individual a chance to life who was to regain consciousness and recuperate thus it should be maintained. The decision regarding end of life is the mandate of a sane individual prior the appointed time who in accordance to the law will act in the interests of the ailing (Turan, Goldstein, Garber & Carstensen, 2011). Therefore, I strongly deem and advocate that the right person to act in these cases ought to be a parent or close a relative after meticulous investigation to establish their relations. This shuns any deeds guided by malicious gains where the partakers may benefit either direct or obliquely after execution of the intended end of life procedure (McGowan, 2011). However, in some cases, the parents may not be present or close reliable relatives especially to the married people where their

Book ReviewBrief ReportSocial Systems Analysis Essay

Book ReviewBrief ReportSocial Systems Analysis - Essay Example Kotlowitz is believed to have asked their mother for permission to write about her boys and their family and surroundings. Allowing him to do so, the mother had famously said that there were no children in the Henry Horner Homes meaning that the brutal living conditions prevailing there had robbed the youngsters of their innocence. Alex Kotlowitz's hard hitting tale of the Rivers family exposes Chicago's underbelly and laying bare the harsh truth of the extreme poverty, hopelessness, racial discrimination, violence and insecurity of life that defines the world of the ghetto people. Inadequate schools, welfare dependence, governmental apathy, unemployment as well as lack of skills, drug wars and so on all play a major role in the plight of American inner-city life. The book chronicles the breakdown of the entire community where pain and sorrow is such a constant it is not acknowledged. Where young children harden early having attended more funerals than feasts and needing to run home from school to try and avoid being killed in crossfire and so live another day. Thus in another poignant quote, Lafeyette only 10 years old, observes matter-of-factly that if (not when) he grows up he would like to be a bus driver. In spite of all the seemingly hopeless, directionless confusion, the author believes things can still be turned round and tries to do his bit for the two boys by funding their education. However, this is just a drop in the ocean and drastic measures are required to ensure children are not deprived of their childhood. At another level of analysis, the Rivers family, central to Kotlowitz's story of the 'projects' lends itself to an investigation of the social system that seems to be the norm in areas like Horners Homes. It meets the requirement of Parsons'(Parsons, T. 1951, p5 as cited in Andrew Roberts) definition of a social system that says: A social system consists in a plurality of individual actors interacting with each other in a situation which has at least a physical or environmental aspect, actors who are motivated in terms of a tendency to the "optimization of gratification" and whose relation to their situations, including each other, is defined and mediated in terms of a system of culturally structured and shared symbols." However, this social system fails to hold together when Parsons' AGIL model required for the 'orderly smoothly functioning society is applied to it. For a social system to survive Parson identified four basic needs also called social system needs or functional needs. In other words to strive towards social equilibrium or a smoothly functioning society, any social system would need to have as goals the following: Adaptation, Goal-attainment, Integration and Latency or pattern maintenance Adaptation: This refers to adaptation of a society to its eco-system. This requires a mechanism to allocate resources and in a social system would be directed by the economy. Goal-attainment: To use resources to achieve certain ends, social systems usually rely on political institutions to help achieve the goals. Integration: To maintain internal order, to ensure values are maintained and symbolized, social systems follow various religions. Integration also maintains a solidarity that

Psychosocial Assessment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Psychosocial Assessment - Research Paper Example Rachel begins by describing her disliking of her mother’s idea to take her to a kindergarten: she strongly hates schooling life and doubts the idea that her mother intended for her good by sending her to school. In a way, she hates her mother for this and says that the idea to send her to school was to separate her from her mother. At school, in a kindergarten class, Rachel envies her mate’s drawings and dislikes the idea that their teacher likes her mate’s drawings so much that she (Rachel) maliciously spills dye on them. It is apparent that Rachel unusually hates everything on her way: she hates all teachers; she hates her father; she hates her sister and her mother; she hates food; she hates and quits her job; she hates her husband; and she hates her house (Reiland, 2004, p1-9). It goes without saying that Rachel is undergoing an unusual mental instability because she sees, acts and/or responds in an unusually erratic way to various happenings around her life (Aguirre, 2007, p6). This study has focused on Rachel’s mental condition as portrayed in the book. The main objective of the study is to conduct a psycho-social assessment on Rachel’s realizable symptoms to determine whether she is suffering from BPD. It is quite important to identify a person with BPD because it is a treatable health condition. Later in the study, using DSM IV TR criteria to interrelate Rachel’s symptoms, Rachel’s status with regard to BPD is established and clinical implications and treatment suggestions made or recommended. It is a global concern that many people dismiss BPD as being ‘just another kind of personality’ (Mondimore & Kelly, 2011, p19). BPD can be problematic. For example, as Reiland (2004, p118) puts it, BPD can cause damage not only to the one suffering, but also to their loved ones. It is, however, more of self destructive than it can

Wedding Proposal Essay Example for Free

Wedding Proposal Essay Now that you’ve made the decision to get married you may feel overwhelmed with all of the planning, arranging and organizing that goes into achieving that perfect wedding you’ve always dreamed of. No need to panic, however. I will be with you every step of the way, acting as your advisor when needed, coordinator, confidant, organizer, travel planner, fashion advisor and anything else you might need to make your special day all that you have dreamed of. I will personally see to all of the details, making sure everything stays within budget and comes together as smoothly as possible, with the least amount of delays so that you are left free of stress and able to enjoy the celebration of the beginning of your new lives together. SCOPE: Planning and executing a wedding with all of its intricate parts is a very involved process. I understand this and, as your Project Manager, I will work diligently with you from the beginning until you are happily on your way to enjoy your honeymoon. Every detail, no matter how miniscule or grand, will be effectively and efficiently seen to and followed closely by my expert Quality Assurance and Quality Control practices. I will listen to your wishes and implement as many as feasible, leaving you less stress and more time to enjoy. Consider me your Subject Matter Expert; helping at every stage, from picking the perfect location, bridal gown and groom’s attire, ceremony, reception, music, food, and all of the little things that mean so much to your special day. COST: The average cost of a wedding is around $20,000. This price usually does not include consultant fees (Penn Foster). My goal is to work with you to stay well within your budget, providing you with the best possible wedding day, and possibly having extra left over from your budget to spend on your honeymoon. Approximate time scale leading up to the day of the wedding: * 12 months before: Locate and book the locations for the wedding and reception and order the wedding gown. * 6-9 months before: Choose and order flower arrangements, audition and book the band, choose the caterer and menu, order bridesmaids’ dresses, pick out the wedding party gifts and book the photographer. *4-6 months before: Finalize guest list and arrange guest hotel and other accommodations, order the wedding cake, choose and order invitations and thank you cards, order any other decorations. * 2-4 months before: Finalize the ceremony and vows. * 4-8 weeks before: Send out invitations, bridal shower, finalizing all plans (Little Wedding Guide). IMPLEMENTATION: You and your partner are essential to accomplishing your ideal wedding. Your input, ideas, feelings and cooperation along with my expertise, knowledge, and enthusiasm will help us achieve the greatest results. There are many horror stories describing wedding disasters that leave bride and groom fearful and full of dread, afraid these disasters will permeate their wedding day as well. Rest assured that I am constantly assessing all risks, monitoring each and every situation, and running interference while we ramp up to your event. Together we will plan and execute every aspect, making sure all deadlines are met so that your wedding will go according to schedule and within your budget, giving you peace of mind and a wonderful beginning to your new lives. References Little Wedding Guide. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from http://www. littleweddingguide. com/planning/ Penn Foster Career School. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from http://www. pennfoster. edu/bridalconsultant/index. html Project Management Basics Glossary. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from http://www. allpm. com/

Edgar Linton has more right Essay Example for Free

Edgar Linton has more right Essay The word hero conjures an image in one’s head of a valiant, courageous, strong individual; one who puts the needs of others before their own, a being who defies evil with their handsome charm and fearless nature. However, this stereotypical image does not accurately depict the full extent to which the term hero covers, as there are many different types of hero including the Byronic Hero, Classic Hero, Medieval Hero, and Romantic Hero. Classic Heroes are those in Greek and Roman literature; they are often of royal birth or even like the Titan Prometheus; half mortal, half god. Although Edgar Linton is not of royal descent, he is from a family of the highest social class throughout the country which allows him to fall loosely into this category of noble birth. Heathcliff on the other hand, is from a discernible background and is brought into the household at Wuthering Heights as a ‘gipsy brat’ after Mr. Earnshaw saw, ‘it starving, and houseless, and as good as dumb in the streets of Liverpool.’ Another characteristic of a Classic Hero is that they perform extraordinary feats. Throughout the novel Edgar Linton displays no obvious signs of having done anything extraordinary; he is a calm, weak natured individual who avoids conflict and allows himself to be easily overpowered both by Heathcliff and his wife allowing the latter to mock him, ‘I wish Heathcliff may flog you sick, for daring to think an evil thought of me!’ In contrast to this, Heathcliff performs many extraordinary deeds however, few of which are in any way admirable and for the benefit of anyone but himself for example, after being degraded for years at the abusive hands of Hindley, Heathcliff disappeared for three years and that space of time turned himself into an outwardly respectable and wealthy man. In addition to the former points, a classical hero must be a perfectly ideal individual but for one fatal flaw. One’s opinion of Edgar Linton can be altered to allow him to fit into this category as he is a well-mannered character who is obviously fully devoted to both his wife and his daughter; Nelly Dean observes, ‘I don’t believe he ever did speak a harsh word to her.’ However, his gentle, spoiled upbringing may be his flaw as it has made him subservient character that lacks the confidence and passion Heathcliff possesses and thus lacks the ability to keep hold of Catherine and make her happy. Heathcliff again, does not fit the mould of the Classic Hero as he fails to meet this criterion; he is an abusive, evil, sadistic individual who shows no hint of remorse or of possessing any admirable qualities. Although neither Edgar nor Heathcliff perfectly fit the mould of a Classic hero, Edgar has more right to be called a Classic Hero than Heathcliff does. However, Heathcliff does fully reserve the right to be classed as the Byronic Hero within the novel as he possesses all the characteristics of one of these heroes while Edgar has none of them. These heroes are manipulative, violent and unrepentant. Heathcliff shows his manipulative nature when he allows Isabella Linton to fall in love with him, he tells Nelly, ‘she abandoned them under a delusion’, showing he was fully aware of her feelings and used them to his advantage, employing them as a tool in which he could gain control and ownership over both properties; Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. His displays of violence are prominent throughout the novel, beginning as a young boy and developing into adulthood. As a young child he, ‘seized a tureen of apple sauce’ and threw it over Edgar Linton’s face. As an adult his violence worsens as, ‘he snatched a knife from the table and flung it at’ his wife, Isabella’s head. In addition to this, he comes close to murdering Hindley and even with Catherine, his true love he does not possess the capability to be gentle, ‘so inadequate was his stock of gentleness†¦ I saw four distinct impressions left blue in her colourless skin.’ Heathcliff’s unrepentant nature is evident via the lack of regard he holds toward his victims which stems from his arrogant personality. The height of his arrogance is seen when he tells Catherine in front of Edgar, ‘This lamb of yours threatens like a bull! It is in danger of splitting its skull against my knuckles. By God, Mr. Linton, Im’ mortally sorry that you are not worth knocking down.’ Arrogance is also a common trait of Byronic Heroes. Despite the fact that both men can be called heroes in their own right to a certain extent, it is because of his amiability and good nature Edgar Linton has the right to claim the title of the respectable hero within the novel. However, in saying this looking at all the characters within the novel, it may be argued that neither man deserve the title but a woman does as the women in the novel are strong, independent and highly feministic characters.

Environmental Exploitation Resources

Environmental Exploitation Resources The effects of human exploitation of the natural resources are not limited to deforestation and pollution; it has also affected the diverse animal species of all the earths ecosystems. In recent years scientists have explored the possibility of breeding endangered species in captivity and releasing them into the wild to ensure the species survival in the wild. However, these sorts of programs are not easy to fund or carry out. Several implications ranging from operational problems, to inbreeding within the species make it hard for conservationists to carry these programs out. Captive Breeding of Endangered Animals for Release into the Wild. Humans are the dominant species on earth. We are considered to be one of the â€Å"newer† species, since our species did not evolve until recent times. It is out species ability to adapt and modify its surroundings that has made it the real â€Å"king of the jungle†. Our dominance on this planet makes us completely responsible for all the things that happen and are not directly caused by natural phenomena. Humans are to blame for driving our fellow animal species to the brink of extinction. Our lifestyles and need to consume goods like there is nothing else in the world to do but consume and produce wastes are some of the main causes for the destruction of our natural resources. In recent years the effects of our dwelling in the planet has become more obvious than ever, and the attitude of people is changing. Scientists suggest that a possible solution for the problem could be to have the endangered animals bred in sanctuaries or places where they can be safe and later released into the wild (Meffe and Carroll, 2007). Implications The idea sounds logical and most people think it is the best way to increase the wild populations of some of the most critically endangered species in the world. However, there are several implications that the general public is not well aware of. Ability to Breed in Captivity For example, not all species have the same ability to breed in captivity. Some require very specific conditions that cant be mimicked in captivity. It is estimated that out of all the recovery plans for endangered species captive breeding is only recommended in 63% of the plans in the USA (Mathews et al., 2005). Ability to Be â€Å"Wild† Besides these conditions, some animals lose their ability to be â€Å"wild† when they find themselves in captivity. They lose certain behaviors that are absolutely necessary for their success in the wild regarding their skills to find food, find a mate, successfully reproduce and care for their young. Scientists have attempted to teach captive-bred animals some of these behaviors and have found it extremely hard to do and in some cases impossible (McPhee, 2004). Some animals learn most of these abilities from their mothers or from the interaction with members from their own species. Highly sociable species have another problem besides those listed above; they behave differently to most wild social groups and struggle to be accepted in the group. Species with this problem include African Wild dogs, lions and ungulates in general. Ungulates are animals with hoofs (Gusset, Slotow, Somers, 2006). Hunters Even when the animals are successfully reintroduced into the wild they are not completely safe. When populations recover and they are considered stable, the government tends to take the species off the Protection Act that punished human aggressors. As soon as they are left without federal protection, hunters move in and the cycle begins all over again. Since these populations are not as â€Å"wild† as others of the same species, they may find themselves lacking of abilities to avoid humans. For example, the grey wolf population in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana has increased slowly and has remained stable for a few years now, so they are to be lifted from the Protection Act in those states. This will allow hunters to kill 950-1,500 animals in order to reduce the population to an estimated 1,250 wolves. This decision was reached in favor of the farmers in the area want to protect their livestock from the wolves, but other groups say that this is not a valid reason because farmer are allowed to kill any wolves that attack, or harass their animals as long as they notify authorities within 72 hours (Legislature of the State of Idaho, 2008). Inbreeding Other problems include inbreeding of the endangered species. Since the surviving populations of some endangered animals are small, the interbreeding gives room for inbreeding, which increases the chance of genetically inherited disease or genetic predisposition to health problems that may affect the animals ability to survive and reproduce. Reproduction in the wild once the animals have been released is key to the survival of the species. If they are unable to reproduce and link their genes with those of wild populations, inbreeding will be more likely to occur and affect their ability to succeed (Pluhà ¡Ã„ ek, Sinha, BartoÃ… ¡ Ã…  Ãƒ ­pek, 2007). For example the Florida panther, a subspecies of mountain lion, is highly endangered and despite the efforts of conservationists and zoos, their reproductive success was so low it was estimated that the population would decline to the point of extinction. In order to save this rare subspecies of mountain lion, scientists studied the genetics of other subspecies of mountain lions to find out which one was more closely related to the Florida panther. The findings showed that the panthers in Texas showed a high resemblance, genetically speaking, to the Florida panthers and their populations were linked. This increased the reproduction success rate in a short time, giving the species and new chance of survival (Stokstad, 2005). The Ecosystem When dealing with conservation biology, every single niche of the ecosystem has to be taken in consideration before taking any course of action. When an element of the ecosystem is removed, it affects the other elements of the symbiotic community. Success Stories Black-Footed Ferrets. For example, when Prairie Dogs were exterminated by farmers and the government in the Great Plains area, the Black-Footed ferret, the only mammal of its class native to North America, was the one who suffered the most. These small mammals have one of the most specialized diets of all the mammals. They feed entirely on prairie dogs and live in their burrows underground. These particular species was thought to be extinct until the 1980s when a colony was sighted. Since their re-discovery the have proven to be a real success for conservation biologists. Their numbers are increasing steadily and education has made farmers aware of the importance of protecting these critters and their needs in the wild. They succeeded because not only did the federal government provided funds and resources for the protection of the species. Farmers were also educated and collaborated by protecting their lands and the ferrets living in it (Cubie, 2006). Przewalskis Horse. Another success story is that of the Przewalskis horse, or Mongolian wild horse. These horse species is the only â€Å"true† wild horse species left in the wild. This is the only species of horse that has never been tamed. They suffered the loss of their territory and pasture lands to the hands of the Mongolian farmers and their livestock. These beautiful horses lost their territory and suffered from diseases carried by the farm animals that had contact with them. Several zoos worldwide made a great effort to adopt the remaining individuals in the wild and started breeding programs. By 1960 the species was extinct in the wild and was kept alive in zoos. Their breeding programs started slow but steady and they have been reintroduced into the wild in new territories where they are not to be disturbed (Souris, Kaczensky, Julliard, Walzer, 2007). Scimitar Horned Oryx. A similar case happened with the Scimitar Horned Oryx. This antelopes were hunted for their horns, which are the largest of all the antelopes, to the brink of extinction. These magnificent animals live in the northern African deserts and the Middle East. Their population in the Middle East was affected by the constant armed conflicts that have taken place in the region for over 40 years. The dwellings of this antelope were protected and some individuals were captured to breed them in captivity. Their population recovered greatly thanks to the combined efforts of local park rangers who protected the reserves in which they were relocated to and the breeding programs. It is estimated that if scientists had not stepped in, the species would have become extinct by now (Campbell, 2007). Tigers. Tigers are among the most endangered species on earth and conservation efforts in the wild do not seem to be making any progress. In fact there is no population recovery. The different subspecies are still as endangered as ever and their numbers keep dropping every year. Some tiger sanctuaries in India have not had a single sighting of a tiger in years. These are situations that have pushed conservation biologists to take desperate measures and embark on controversial projects to save the critically endangered species (Ranganathan et al., 2008). Figure 1: Tigers in the Wild by Species (WWF, 2008) A very ambitious project a few years ago broke the scientific world when a pair of captive bred Bengal tigers was â€Å"trained† to become wild in a game reserve in South Africa. These tiger species is the second largest of all the big cats and it is native to Bangladesh and India. The biologists in charge of the project, Dave Salmoni and John Varty, decided to take them to Africa, because it is the continent with the highest success of large predator population recovery in the world. The tigers were taught to hunt, and avoid dangerous prey that was new to them such as Cape buffalo (Living with Tigers, 2004). This particular release project has proven to be effective yet very controversial. Tigers are not native to Africa, so their introduction to this new continent was seen as a bad choice since it would only mean more competition to the native predators. South Africas native predators include other vulnerable species, mainly big cats, such as cheetahs, African lions, and leopards. These felines compete against each other for hunting grounds and prey. The introduction of the much larger Bengal tiger will only increase competition and favor the introduced species since its characteristics make it a better and stronger predator (Living with Tigers, 2004). The second major issue regarding the introduction of tigers into Africa is the fact that the pioneer animal behaviorist, who was head of the project, hand raised the tigers and â€Å"trained† them to be wild. Therefore, the constant contact with humans during their development is more likely to make them seek human contact in the future. The tigers would not be afraid of humans and the villagers of the region could find themselves in dangerous situations with these mighty predators. Villagers are concerned because in case the Tiger Project releases more tigers, it would mean one more predator to watch out for (Living with Tigers, 2004). These issues have been addressed by one of the biologists in charge of the tiger project in South Africa, Dave Salmoni. Salmoni (2007) explains, that the â€Å"unfortunate reality is that tiger conservation in Asia is in a disturbing state. The problems facing the tiger are ones that cannot be overcome at a whim. We would be acting unethically if we started introducing tigers into an area that has not yet solved its conflicts with the tiger. Therefore, a project like this needs to take seed in another country. Once a working model for tiger conservation is established it is then possible to motivate decision makers to begin to start rectifying the problems the tiger faces. [†¦]In my opinion, if I were given the choice to save the tiger in Africa or see it vanish from the earth, I would choose Africa. Saving the tiger in Africa is not the goal of the project. We hope to use the sanctuary as a model for conservation in Asia.† Conclusion Most of the examples I have listed so far may seem to be all failures, but when we take into consideration that all other measures taken have failed, their results are not too bad. Governments around the world tried to protect their wildlife by designating reserves or protected lands. Poaching. The problem with these is that poachers and black-market traders can easily access the endangered animals and hunt them down. The truth is that there are not many options available when dealing with wild animals, especially those whose populations are so small, any sort of disturbance could be fatal. One of the biggest problems is that once the populations begin to recover and scientists back down and let nature take its course, human greed returns to claim their victims. Recent studies suggest that the populations of some of the most endangered animals are declining once again due to poaching and habitat destruction. For example, tigers, leopards and other big cats are killed for their furs, bones and claws. Elephants, rhinoceros and many species of antelope are killed for their tusks and horns. All of these products are used in the production of traditional Chinese medicine remedies, or sold as trophies or art pieces (WWF, 2008). Captive Breeding Solution. It may seem that captive breeding is not the best solution for this problem; nevertheless, it is the only solution that seems to be giving positive results in the long run. Protected areas can only help so much, especially in third world countries which do not have the resources to pay personnel who protect these wildlife reserves and they lack human resources to patrol the large extensions of land to make sure poachers are not entering the protected lands. Zoos help, but the interaction between humans and the wild animals ends up being a problem. Animals raised by hand are less likely to fear humans and therefore become easy prey for hunters or even other animals. Studies show that the loss of â€Å"wildness† of captive animals is not only limited to their learnt behaviors, some species show these changes by losing some â€Å"instincts† that are invaluable in the wild like their ability to avoid predators or techniques for finding food (Mathe ws et al., 2005). Some of these â€Å"learnt† behaviors can be eliminated by introducing the captive bred animals to wild populations from an early age so that they can learn from those who have better developed instincts and survival skills. This can be very hard to do because wild populations are not always receptive to outsiders and may see the additions as threats or future competition and get rid of it. But since there is no other plausible way to teach the captive bred individuals, their gradual introduction to wild populations is the best way to ensure their survival and later reproduction in the wild in order to increase the numbers of a population (Gusset, Slotow, Somers, 2006). In conclusion, no other conservation practice seems to be providing any positive results and captive breeding and releasing into the wild of endangered species are the only projects that have shown tangible results in the last few decades. It may not be the best way to ensure the survival of the many endangered species, but it is the only method that seems to be producing positive results and increasing wild populations numbers. It is important to understand the importance each creature plays in the world and its extinction will only cause changes in ecosystems that will end up affecting human beings as well.

Wedding Speech Delivered by the Bride :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Speech Delivered by the Bride Well, I guess this is slightly unusual – a brides speech - but those of you who know me will also know that the chance of me being able to keep me mouth shut while everyone else does a speech was pretty slim. So I’m sorry for adding another speech to the list but, if it’s any consolation, I’ll try to keep it short. Also, there are a few things that I want to say that no-one else will so please bear with me. If this sounds like a bad Oscar acceptance speech, I do apologise! I’d like to thank Rachael for being my bridesmaid today. She’s been helpful, supportive and all the things a bride could ask for. The only problem is, she looks completely stunning in her dress so I’ve had to sit her as far away from me as possible! Rachael, I’ve got a little something for you. Now, you know someone is a true friend when they re-arrange their holiday so that they can be at your wedding. Sarah (and Andy too of course!) did just that and I will be eternally grateful. Over the past months, she’s been there with a cup of tea and a listening ear whenever I’ve needed her, she’s been with me to dress fittings and on numerous shopping expeditions, she helped get everything ready this morning and, she even offered to do my make-up – and if that isn’t a sign of pure bravery, I don’t know what is. We were actually at school together and suffered numerous French, English and Science classes together so I hope today has been more magnifique than monstrous. I’ve also got a little gift for you. By the way, just to warn you all, this could be the start of the emotional bit so if I start blubbing, feel free to throw me a tissue. Mum and Dad, what can I say? You seen me grow up, you’ve helped me develop and mature into the person that I am today and I hope you think all your hard work has been worth while. I love you both very much and hope you feel happy today rather than sad, for this is only the start of a new chapter, rather than the end of the book. I’ve got a couple of gifts for you – one will help you celebrate you new found freedom and another will, if you look after it like you looked after me, also grow and thrive.

Eating Disorders :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many different types of eating disorders in our world today and many suffer from them. Young women, and the reason is unknown, are the main targets (Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 147). I believe young women are more apt because of the ideal media, newspapers, magazines, etc. That's how they feel they need to live up to, and also they are more emotional and are in that stage of life where things like this matter a lot. There are two very common eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by a person with a body weight less than 85% of what is considered normal weight. Anorexics have a fear of being fat (Sonder, ). Anorexics limit their food intake, which is the same thing as starvation. A person who is anorexic continues to diet even when they are bone thin. They are never satisfied with their appearance. They engage in excessive exercising and long depressions, these are just some of the danger signals that anorexics show. This self-starving behavior can lead to sever emancipation or even death. Anorexics see normal fat (folds of flesh) on the body as fat that needs to be eliminated. They often find sleeping and resting a discomfort because they have lost their normal body fat. Victims of this serious disorder tend to further from family and friends. They want to be isolated. There are many dangers from starving yourself. The body tends to slow down or even stop certain body processes, your blood pressure may fall, breathing rate may drop, and menstruation also stops. They thyroid gland disappears, and this is the gland that regulates your growth. Your nails and hair become brittle, you skin is dry, and you suffer form light headiness, constipation, and swelling of the joints. When fat is reduced, the body temperature begins to fall, and soft hair forms on the body for warmth. Your body chemicals may also be so imbalanced, heart failure may occur. People who suffer from bulimia nervosa also want to be thin, but they do it in a different fashion called binging and purging (Sonder, ). Binging is when a person will eat a bunch of food, exceeding normal calorie intake. Purging is the way they get rid of it. This way you are still able to eat and then still be thin, but this is very dangerous and can often be deadly.

Blue Crush Film Review :: essays research papers

Striving for Respect â€Å"These waves are for the big boys†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My film review is on the movie Blue Crush for my topic â€Å"Women competing with the men.† The movie is directed by John Stockwell and is written by Lizzy Weiss. The basic for the movie is that the main character Anne Marie is a surfer trying to make it big and become sponsored. She has to earn the respect of her friends, herself and the respect of the men surfers who ride the pipeline. She has to overcome her fears and conquer her own limits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anne Marie’s goal is to become a big wave surfer and to do that she needs to conquer her fears and overcome the critics who say a girl can’t ride the big waves like the boys. Anne Marie has many obstacles to overcome through the movie. First she has to take care of her little sister Penny, second she has to make money to pay rent, and third then she has to work and train for the Pipe Masters surf competition. Besides her obvious goals she has to earn the respect of herself to surf with the guys. A quote from the movie is when a guy surfer Eden says to Anne Marie:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"These waves are for the big boys.† (Blue Crush 2002) This shows that the men don’t think she can compete on the same big waves as they do. At one point in the movie when she goes out to try and prove herself to the guys, they clear the wave so that she can take it. She hesitates and doesn’t take the first couple waves. Her fear overcomes her and she looks weak in the eyes of the guys. The fear of failure is the driving force in what holds her back in become a great surfer period. It's not holding her back just in the female surfing world but the male and female surfing world as a whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A strong moment in the film is where she gets the nerve to test the big waves with the guys and before she goes out to the beach she runs into her ex-boyfriend. He obviously doesn’t think she can hang with the guys and questions her:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drew: You really think you can surf it for real out there? Anne Marie: Well, Drew, I dated you, I guess I can do anything. (Blue Crush 2002) This shows how she rises to the occasion in face of the guy telling her she can’t do it.

Automobile Industry Essay

* Detailed analysis of Automobile industry which is gearing towards international standards. * Analysis of the impact of qualitative factors on industry’s and company’s prospects. * Comparison of the Global automobile scene with its Indian counterpart. * Study of the challenges facing the Indian Automobile Industry * Analysis of the implementable strategies to counter the effects of the discussed challenges. PREFACE The Automotive industry in India is one of the largest in the world and one of the fastest growing globally. The Indian Automobile Industry embarked on a new journey since 1991 with delicensing of the sector and subsequent opening up for 100 per cent FDI through automatic route. Almost all the global majors have set up their facilities in India taking the next level of production of vehicles from 2 million in 1991 to 110+ million in 2011. The Auto Sector in India is set to continue in its growth trajectory for the next five years and India is an increasingly favourite destination for Global Majors looking at emerging market. This in turn, has fuelled a boom in the domestic auto market, with close to 10mn vehicles sold in India in 2009-10 The automotive industry is increasingly becoming the cynosure of the manufacturing sector across the globe. Due to its intense forward and backward linkages with several key segments of the economy, the automotive industry has a strong multiplier effect and acts as one ofthe key drivers of growth across the globe. The attention and importance to the automotive industry in the economic development and planning policies of Government and its agencies has also witnessed significant up rise. The industry has been evolving over the years, meeting up with challenges as diverse as transitions, consolidations and restructuring, and thereby adapting to the new market conditions. As of 2011, India is home to 40 million passenger vehicles. More than 3. 7 million automotive vehicles were produced in India in 2011 (an increase of 33. 9%), making the country the second fastest growing automobile market in the world. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, annual vehicle sales are projected to increase to 5 million by 2015 and more than 9 million by 2020. By 2050, the country is expected to top the world in car volumes with approximately 611 million vehicles on the nation’s roads. OVERVIEW The Indian Automobile Industry manufactures over 11 million vehicles and exports about 1. 5 million each year. The dominant products of the industry are two-wheelers with a market share of over 75% and passenger cars with a market share of about 16%. Commercial vehicles and three-wheelers share about 9% of the market between them. About 91% of the vehicles sold are used by households and only about 9% for commercial purposes. The industry has a turnover of more than USD $35 billion and provides direct and indirect employment to over 13 million people. The supply chain is similar to the supply chain of the automotive industry in Europe and America. Interestingly, the level of trade exports in this sector in India has been medium and imports have been low. However, this is rapidly changing and both exports and imports are increasing. The demand determinants of the industry are factors like affordability, product innovation, infrastructure and price of fuel. Also, the basis of competition in the sector is high and increasing, and its life cycle stage is growth. With a rapidly growing middle class, all the advantages of this sector in India are yet to be leveraged. With a high cost of developing production facilities, limited accessibility to new technology, and increasing competition, the barriers to enter the Indian Automotive sector are high. On the other hand, India has a well-developed tax structure. The power to levy taxes and duties is distributed among the three tiers of Government. The cost structure of the industry is fairly traditional, but the profitability of motor vehicle manufacturers has been rising over the past five years. Major players, like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki have material cost of about 80% but are recording profits after tax of about 6% to 11%. The level of technology change in the Motor vehicle Industry has been high but, the rate of change in technology has been medium. Investment in the technology by the producers has been high. System-suppliers of integrated components and sub-systems have become the order of the day. However, further investment in new technologies will help the industry be more competitive. Over the past few years, the industry has been volatile. Currently, India’s increasing per capita disposable income which is expected to rise by 106% by 2015 and growth in exports is playing a major role in the rise and competitiveness of the industry. Tata Motors is leading the commercial vehicle segment with a market share of about 64%. Maruti Suzuki is leading the passenger vehicle segment with a market share of 46%. Hyundai Motor India Limited and Mahindra and Mahindra are focusing expanding their footprint in the overseas market. Hero MotoCorp is occupying over 41% and sharing 26% of the two-wheeler market in India with Bajaj Auto. Bajaj Auto in itself is occupying about 58% of the three-wheeler market. Consumers are very important of the survival of the Motor Vehicle manufacturing industry. In 2008-09, customer sentiment dropped, which burned on the augmentation in demand of cars. Steel is the major input used by manufacturers and the rise in price of steel is putting a cost pressure on manufacturers and cost is getting transferred to the end consumer. The price of oil and petrol affect the driving habits of consumers and the type of car they buy. The key to success in the industry is to improve labor productivity, labor flexibility, and capital efficiency. Having quality manpower, infrastructure improvements, and raw material availability also play a major role. Access to latest and most efficient technology and techniques will bring competitive advantage to the major players. Utilizing manufacturing plants to optimum level and understanding implications from the government policies are the essentials in the Automotive Industry of India. Both, Industry and Indian Government are obligated to intervene the Indian Automotive industry. The Indian government should facilitate infrastructure creation, create favorable and predictable business environment, attract investment and promote research and development. The role of Industry will primarily be in designing and manufacturing products of world-class quality establishing cost competitiveness and improving productivity in labor and in capital. With a combined effort, the Indian Automotive industry will emerge as the destination of choice in the world for design and manufacturing of automobiles. The Indian market offers endless possibilities for investors. HISTORY The first car which ran on Indian roads was in 1897. Until the 1930s, cars were imported directly, but in very small numbers. Embryonic automotive industry emerged in India in the 1940s. Mahindra & Mahindra was established by two brothers as a trading company in 1945, and began assembly of Jeep CJ-3A utility vehicles under license from Willys. The company soon branched out into the manufacture of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and agricultural tractors. Following the independence, in 1947, the Government of India and the private sector launched efforts to create an automotive component manufacturing industry to supply to the automobile industry. However, the growth was relatively slow in the 1950s and 1960s due to nationalization and the license raj which hampered the Indian private sector. After 1970, the automotive industry started to grow, but the growth was mainly driven by tractors, commercial vehicles and scooters. Cars were still a major luxury. Japanese manufacturers entered the Indian market ultimately leading to the establishment of Maruti Udyog. A number of foreign firms initiated joint ventures with Indian companies. In the 1980s, a number of Japanese manufacturers launched joint-ventures for building motorcycles and light commercial-vehicles. It was at this time that the Indian government chose Suzuki for its joint-venture to manufacture small cars. Following the economic liberalization in 1991 and the gradual weakening of the license raj, a number of Indian and multi-national car companies launched operations. Since then, automotive component and automobile manufacturing growth has accelerated to meet domestic and export demands. Following economic liberalization in India in 1991, the Indian automotive industry has demonstrated sustained growth as a result of increased competitiveness and relaxed restrictions. Several Indian automobile manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra and Mahindra, expanded their domestic and international operations. India’s robust economic growth led to the further expansion of its domestic automobile market which has attracted significant India-specific investment by multinational automobile manufacturers. In February 2009, a monthly sale of passenger cars in India exceeded 100,000 units and has since grown rapidly to a record monthly high of 182,992 units in October 2009. From 2003 to 2010, car sales in India have progressed at a CAGR of 13. 7%, and with only 10% of Indian households owning a car in 2009 (whereas this figure reaches 80% in Switzerland for example) this progression is unlikely to stop in the coming decade. Congestion of Indian roads, more than market demand, will likely be the limiting factor. SIAM is the apex industry body representing all the vehicle manufacturers, home-grown and international, in India. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW This class consists of units mainly engaged in manufacturing motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines. Products and Services The primary activities of this industry are: * Motor cars manufacturing. * Motor vehicle engine manufacturing The major products and services in this industry are: * Passenger motor vehicle manufacturing segment (Passenger Cars, Utility Vehicles &Multi Purpose Vehicles) * Commercial Vehicles (Medium & Heavy and Light Commercial Vehicles) * Two-Wheelers * Three-Wheelers Key Auto Segments – Growth Expected to moderate over the next 12 months Financial Year 2012 was a landmark year – both in a positive and negative manner. It paved way for many breakthrough launches – saw the launch of segment defining Fluidic Verna, excellent value for money XUV 500, Hyundai’s entry level offering Eon and many more. It also displayed its sudden love for MPV/MUVs in the Auto Expo – Maruti’s Ertiga, Chevrolet’s Enjoy and Nissan’s Evalia were the most sought after showcase at the expo. We were now exposed to the hard truth as well – that how labour intensive the auto industry is. A labor strike can strike at Maruti shook the entire Auto Industry. The aftermath took its toll on the overall numbers. This was further catalyzed by inflation, consistent fuel hikes and rising auto interest rates. The world’s fastest growing automobile market was now under analysts scanner for its sheer volatility. Demand for cars fell for the first time in three years last July and slumped by the most in over a decade in October. SIAM which had projected a growth of over 20% had to instantly lower its projections. The Industry’s lackluster performance reflected in the overall performance of the country. In a recent report, S&P cut its outlook on India’s BBB- rating to negative from stable. This is surely not a good news for the Indian Industry in overall. The low-end hatchbacks were the ones to take the beating in FY12. For perhaps the first time in many years, small cars reported a decline in growth in 2011-12 (FY12), largely on account of Maruti Alto’s decline. Now, SIAM has forecast 10-12 percent growth in overall passenger cars for this fiscal, but this number may be lower if small car growth is again hindered. SIAM data showed that the mini car segment – which comprises Maruti 800, Alto, A-Star, and WagonR, the Chevy Spark and Hyundai’s Santro and Eon – declined by about 7 percent to 6,42,009 units (6,90,812 units) last fiscal. Sales of the Alto, the single largest selling car in India, had fallen by about 11 percent between April and February 2012. Also, for the first-time ever, bigger diesel cars – the SUVs – are selling more and there is no slowdown in ‘dieselization’. India’s largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, expects car sales to increase by 10 per cent in the fiscal year beginning in April led by diesel models. Diesel car sales are expected to rise by 150,000 in 2012-13 while sale of petrol cars fall by 50,000, said the company. OVERALL HIGHLIGHTS: * Car sales in India rose just 2. 2 percent in FY2012 * Sales of motorcycles rose 12 percent in the previous fiscal year to 10. 1 million vehicles (10,096,062 units). * Scooter sales shot up 24. 5 per cent, to 2,562,841 units. * Total two-wheeler sales were 13,435,769 units in 2011-12 against 11,768,910 units in 2010- 11, up 14. 2 per cent. * Commercial vehicles, Siam said total sales in FY12 were 809,532 units, up 18. 2 per cent. * Three-wheeler segment that saw a decline of 2. 4 per cent at 513,251 vehicles in FY12. PROJECTIONS FOR FY2013: * # SIAM has projected passenger car sales growth at 10-12 per cent in 2012-13. * # Sales of trucks and buses, a key indicator of economic activity, rose 18. 2 percent in 2011/12 and are seen growing 9 to 11 per cent in this fiscal year. * # SIAM has pegged the motorcycle segment to grow 10-12 per cent in FY13 and scooters by 15-17 percent. Two wheeler segment is expected to have a growth of around 14-15%. * # Commercial Vehicles is projected to grow by nine to 11 per cent in FY13. * # SIAM has also projected five to seven per cent growth for Three Wheelers. Domestic car sales – expecting growth to moderate next year SUPPLY CHAIN OF AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY: The supply chain of automotive industry in India is very similar to the supply chain of the automotive industry in Europe and America. The orders of the industry arise from the bottom of the supply chain.ie. From the consumers and goes through the automakers and climbs up until the third tier suppliers. However, the products, as channeled in every traditional automotive industry, flow from the top of the supply chain to reach the consumers. Automakers in India are the key to the supply chain and are responsible for the products and innovation in the industry. The description and the role of each of the contributors to the supply chain are discussed below. * Third Tier Suppliers: These companies provide basic products like rubber, glass, steel, plastic and aluminum to the second tier suppliers. * Second Tier Suppliers: These companies design vehicle systems or bodies for First Tier Suppliers and OEMs. They work on designs provided by the first tier suppliers or OEMs. They also provide engineering resources for detailed designs. Some of their services may include welding, fabrication, shearing, bending etc. * First Tier Suppliers: These companies provide major systems directly to assemblers. These companies have global coverage to follow their customers to various locations around the world. They design and innovate to provide â€Å"black-box† solutions for the requirements of their customers. Black-box solutions are solutions created by suppliers using their own technology to meet the performance and interface requirements set by assemblers. First tier suppliers are responsible not only for the assembly of parts into complete units like dashboard, brakes-axle-suspension, seats, or cockpit but also for the management of second-tier suppliers. * Automakers/Vehicle Manufacturers/Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs): After researching consumers’ wants and needs, automakers begin designing models which are tailored to consumers’ demands. The design process normally takes five years. These companies have manufacturing units where engines are manufactured and parts supplied by first tier suppliers and second tier suppliers are assembled. Automakers are the key to the supply chain of the automotive industry. Examples of these companies are Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda. Innovation, design capability and branding are the main focus of these companies. * Dealers: Once the vehicles are ready they are shipped to the regional branch and from there, to the authorized dealers of the companies. The dealers then sell the vehicles to the end customers. * Parts and Accessory: These companies provide products like tires, windshields, and air bags etc. to automakers and dealers or directly to customers. * Service Providers: Some of the services to the customers include servicing of vehicles, repairing parts, or financing of vehicles. Many dealers provide these services but, customers can also choose to go to independent service providers. EXPORTS: India’s automobile exports have grown consistently and reached $4. 5 billion in 2009, with United Kingdom being India’s largest export market followed by Italy, Germany, Netherlands and South Africa. India’s automobile exports are expected to cross $12 billion by 2014. According to New York Times, India’s strong engineering base and expertise in the manufacturing of low-cost, fuel-efficient cars has resulted in the expansion of manufacturing facilities of several automobile companies like Hyundai Motors, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen and Suzuki. In recent years, India has emerged as a leading center for the manufacture of small cars. Hyundai, the biggest exporter from the country, now ships more than 250,000 cars annually from India. Apart from shipments to its parent Suzuki, Maruti Suzuki also manufactures small cars for Nissan, which sells them in Europe. Nissan will also export small cars from its new Indian assembly line. Tata Motors exports its passenger vehicles to Asian and African markets, and is in preparation to launch electric vehicles in Europe. The firm is also planning to launch an electric version of its low-cost car Nano in Europe and the U. S. Mahindra & Mahindra is preparing to introduce its pickup trucks and small SUV models in the U. S. market. Bajaj Auto is designing a low-cost car for the Renault Nissan Automotive India, which will market the product worldwide. Renault Nissan may also join domestic commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland in another small car project. While the possibilities are impressive, there are challenges that could thwart future growth of the Indian automobile industry. Since the demand for automobiles in recent years is directly linked to overall economic expansion and rising personal incomes, industry growth will slow if the economy weakens. Passenger car exports from India increased 34. 16% in May, riding on the back of robust overseas sales by Hyundai Motor, Nissan Motor and Toyota Kirloskar in non-European countries. According to figures released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), India exported 45,036 cars in the last month compared to 33,570 units in the year-ago period. â€Å"Europe still continues to be a worry, but the growth that we have seen is mainly on account of new markets that the companies have developed,† SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said. In May, the country’s largest exported Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) witnessed a growth of 42. 16% at 23,659 units against 16,643 units in the same month last year. â€Å"On account of slackness in the domestic market in May, we took the opportunity to ramp up the back orders for the export market. We had higher sales of the Eon in Algeria, the i20 in South Africa and the i10 in South America, particularly in Mexico and Columbia,† a spokesperson of HMIL said. However, rival and domestic market leader Maruti Suzuki India’s overseas passenger car sales fell by 9. 42% to 9,363 units from 10,337 units in May 2011, SIAM said. Car maker Nissan Motor India saw its exports from the country going up by over two-fold to 8,157 units last month from 3,937 units in the corresponding month last year. Toyota Kirloskar Motor, which started exports from April this year, sold 1,693 units in May in South Africa, SIAM said. Ford India’s sales in overseas locations, however, dipped 15. 81% to 1,693 units from 2,011 units in May 2011. Homegrown auto major Tata Motors’ exports rose by 32. 38% to 372 units from 281 units in the year-ago period. Exports of all categories of vehicles from India during May 2012 increased by 4. 62% to 2,46,314 units from 2,35,429 units in the same month last year, SIAM said . The two-wheeler segment witnessed exports of 1,74,362 units in last month compared to 1,61,346 units in the year-ago month, up 8. 07%, it added. The motorcycle segment’s overseas sales went up by 5. 16% to 1,63,446 units from 1,55,419 units in May 2011. SIAM said exports of scooters from India increased by 87. 18% last month to 10,660 units from 5,695 units in the same month last year. However, exports of commercial vehicles decreased by 8. 72% to 7,861 units in May 2012 from 8,612 units in the corresponding month last year, it added. MARKET CHARACTERISTICS * MARKET SIZE: The Indian Automotive Industry after de-licensing in July 1991 has grown at a spectacular rate on an average of 17% for last few years. The industry has attained a turnover of USD $35. 8 billion, (INR 165,000 crores) and an investment of USD 10. 9 billion. The industry has provided direct and indirect employment to 13. 1 million people. Automobile industry is currently contributing about 5% of the total GDP of India. India’s current GDP is about $1. 4 trillion and is expected to grow to $3. 75 trillion by 2020. The projected size in 2016 of the Indian automotive industry varies between $122 billion and $159 billion including USD 35 billion in exports. This translates into a contribution of 10% to 11% towards India’s GDP by 2016, which is more than double the current contribution. * DEMAND DETERMINANTS: Interest rate (%) – cuts unlikely to spur demand Determinants of demand for this industry include vehicle prices (which are determined largely by wage, material and equipment costs) and exchange rates, preferences, the running cost of a vehicle (mainly determined by the price of petrol), income, interest rates, scrapping rates, and product innovation. Exchange Rate: Movement in the value of Rupee determines the attractiveness of Indian products overseas and the price of import for domestic consumption. Affordability: Movement in income determine the affordability of new motor vehicles. Allowing unrestricted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) led to increase in competition in the domestic market hence, making better vehicles available at affordable prices. Innovation: Product Innovation is an important determinant as it allows better models to be available each year and also encourages manufacturing of environmental friendly cars. Demographics: It is evident that high population of India has been one of the major reasons for large size of automobile industry in India. Factors that may be augment demand include rising population and an increasing proportion of young persons in the population that will be more inclined to use and replace cars. Also, increase in people with lesser dependency on traditional single family income structure is likely to add value to vehicle demand. Infrastructure: Longer-term determinants of demand include development in Indian’s infrastructure. India’s banking giant State Bank of India and Australia’s Macquarie Group has launched an infrastructure fund to rise up to USD 3 billion for infrastructure improvements. India needs about $500 billion to repair its infrastructure such as ports, roads, and power units. These investments have been made with an aim to generate long-term cash flow from automobile, power, and telecom industries. (Source: Silicon India) Price of Petrol: Movement in oil prices also have an impact on demand for large cars in India. During periods of high fuel cost as experienced from 2007, demand for large cars declined in favors of smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. The changing patterns in customer preferences for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles led to the launch of Tata Motor’s Nano – one of the world’s smallest and cheapest cars. Surprisingly, when overall passenger car sales have run into problems, the sales of luxury cars and SUVs, which are significantly more expensive in India than abroad due to high import taxes, have experienced encouraging growth. The Indian unit of BMW had to raise capacity at its factory four times during 2011, while sales of the high-end Jaguar Land Rover model owned by Tata Motors rose impressively during a period when more affordable passenger car sales were experiencing a downturn. * INTERNATIONAL MARKETS ANALYSIS: The Indian automotive industry embarked a new journey in 1991 with de-licensing of the sector and subsequent opening up for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI). Since then almost all global majors have set up their facilities in Indian taking the level of production from 2 million in 1991 to over 10 million in recent years. The exports in automotive sector have grown on an average compound annual growth rate of 30% per year for the last seven years. The export earnings from this sector are over USD 6 billion. Even with this rapid growth, the Indian automotive industry’s contribution in global terms is very low. This is evident from the fact that even though passenger and commercial vehicles have crossed the production figures of 2. 3 million in the year 2008, yet India’s share is about 3. 28% of world production of 70. 53 million passenger and commercial vehicles. India’s automotive exports constitute only about 0. 3% of global automotive trade. * LIFE CYCLE: The life cycle stage is growth. The market for manufacturing motor vehicles is consistently increasing. The products manufactured by this industry are profitable. Companies have been consistently opening new plats and employing over the past five years. Japanese and European manufacturers of motor vehicles have entered the market. Industry value added has been rising, along with the rise in GDP. Life Cycle Analysis General improvement in availability of trained manpower and good infrastructure is required for sustainable growth of the industry. Keeping this in view, the Indian Government has launched a unique initiative of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) to provide specialised facilities for Testing, Certification and Homologation to the industry. A similar initiative is required for creating specialised institutions in automotive sector for education, training and development. The auto industry has grown in the clusters of interconnected companies which are linked by commonalities and complementarities. The major clusters are in and around Manesar in North, Pune in West, Chennai in South, Jamshedpur-Kolkata in East and Indore in Central India. The Government is planning to create a National Level Specialises Education and Training Institute for Automotive Sector and to enhance the transportation, communication and export infrastructure facilities. The contribution of automotive sector in the GDP of India is expected to double by 2016 through major spotlight on export of small cars, Multi-Utility Vehicles, Two- and Three-wheelers. * INDUSTRY ASSISTANCE: The automobile industry has a defined its target in the Automotive Mission Plan as â€Å"To emerge as the destination of choice in the world for design and manufacture of automobiles with output reaching a level of USD 145 billion accounting more than 10% of GDP and providing additional employment to 25 million people by 2016†. In order to achieve this plan interventions are required from both Industry and Indian Government. The Indian Government would play a key enabling role in facilitating infrastructure creation, promote the country’s capabilities, create a favorable and predictable business environment, attract investment and promote research & development. The role of Industry will primarily be in designing and manufacturing products of world-class quality standards, establishing cost competitiveness, improving productivity of both labor and capital, achieving scale and R&D enhancing capability and showcasing India’s products in potential markets. In order to achieve these goals the following key recommendations have been made in the Automotive Mission Plan to the Indian Government and Industry: Manufacturing and export of small cars, multi-utility vehicles, two- and three-wheelers, tractors, components to be promoted. Care to be taken of negative like and rules of the country with current negotiation of Free Trade Agreement and Regional Trade agreement with countries like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, Egypt, Gulf etc. Attractive Tariff Policy which may follow attractive investment. Specific measures will be taken for expansion of domestic market. Incremental investment of USD 35 to 40 billion to Automotive Industry during the next 10 years. National Road Safety Board to act as the coordinating body for promoting safety. Inspection and Certification system to be strengthened by encouraging public-private partnership. National level Automotive Institute for training on automobile at International Training Institutes (ITIs) and Automotive Training Institute (ATIs) to be set up. An Auto Design Centre to be established at National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad. National Automotive Testing and R&D Implementation Project (NATRIP) to act as Centre of Excellence for Technical Design Data. Integration of Information Technology in manufacturing to be promoted. R&D for product, process and technology to be incentivized. Road Map for Auto Fuel Policy beyond 2010 would be drawn. The profitability of motor vehicle manufacturers has been rising over the past five years, mainly due to rising demand and growth of Indian middle class. Major players of the industry, like Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Motors have been recording profits of 6% to 11% from the past five years. Whereas, earlier profit margins in the industry were only 1. 5% to 3%. Cost of material has reduced from over 85% in the year 2001-2002 to under 80% in the year2008-2009. Wages and salary as a percentage of revenue has been declining and with the increasing labor productivity this is expected to decline further in the coming years. * CAPITAL AND LABOR INTENSITY: The level of Capital Intensity is high. The level of labor intensity is medium. The motor vehicle manufacturing industry requires significant level of capital investment. Value is added through the automated manufacturing and assembly of costly components. Labor input is required in the manufacturing, assembly, and finishing processes. In order to achieve and retain competitiveness, vehicle manufacturing industry depends on its capacity and speed to innovate and upgrade. The most imperative indices for competitiveness in the industry are productivity in both labor and capital. * TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS: The level of technology change is high. The rate of change in technology is medium. Investment in technology by producers has been on the rise. The automobile industry in India has seen an enormous development in the engines which are being used. Carburetor engines have become obsolete and Multi Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) engines are the order of the days in patrol cars. The Diesel engines have also undergone a sea change from the time Rudolf Diesel invented it way back in the 1892. Today Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) is the order of the day. Multi Point Fuel injection (MPFI):The fuel injects were used to meet stricter emission norms as it keeps pollutants to bare minimum and drives the maximum performance out of a vehicle by squeezing out the maximum mileage even from the last drop of fuel that goes into the engine. MPFI system injects fuel into individual cylinders after receiving command from the on board engine management system computer or Engine Control Unit (ECU). This technology results in superior fuel combustion, better fuel management, engine performance and reduced pollution. To get the maximum out from these types of engine one should use Premium petrol like XTRA Premium, Speed, and Power. Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI): CRDI engine cars offer 25% more power than the normal direct injection engine with a superior pickup and torque, offering sometimes up to 70% more power than the conventional diesel engines. They are smooth, less strident, and immensely.