The Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Oil Industry - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the oil industry is not a modern development. It traces back its history to ancient ages. The only problem that has necessitated changes pertains to refinery and exploitation of oil. The modern oil industry emanated from an invention by Colonel Edwin Drake. It involved a steam-driven rig for drilling. This set up an expensive machine that most individuals could not be acquired. The only strategy was to harness resources for acquiring such machines. The machines became more expensive to acquire as time progressed since the demand for oil necessitated very quality product. The first companies progressed to attain revenues that offset their high costs. In this sense, they became monopolies. The main reason of monopoly pertained to the fact that it was becoming difficult to attain the minimum efficient scale.   The established companies were experiencing economies of scale. However, this trend stalled on the formation of unions such as o ligopoly.   The OPEC was composed of Middle East Asia countries and Venezuela. They emerged to form a substantial influence on the market. In spite of the fact, oil was a unique product, it could be refined to several products. These products helped create companies such as shell and BP who later influenced entry of other companies. In spite of the domineering presence of unions such as OPEC, prices usually shift in response to notable factors... There are notable factors that affect the demand of oil. To begin with, there is the concept of the cyclical demand of oil. This pertains to demand of oil that swings according to growth of economies. As economy grows, the demand of oil rises to the same. This is because oil is an essential input of many industries. It is vital to note that oil forms a core part of the production chain. The growth of economies is proportionate to growth of industries. In turn, the industries are triggered to increase production in order that the same meets the increasing demand out of surging income. A relevant example concerns with the case of China. Its demand of oil has substantially increased because of the growth in its economy. In addition, the price of substitutes is a core determination of oil’s demands. This pertains to produc5ts such as gas and coal. In the long-term strategies of many countries, they seek possible alternatives for oil. In this sense, the demand of oil would reduce. For instance, there was a demand of oil in 2004 to 2006 that led to substantial research into its possible alternatives. Additionally, change of climate serves to affect the demand of oil in the countries that experience the four seasons. This is eminent in European countries, USA and Russia. In this sense, there is high demand of oil during winter. This is because individuals require substantial energy in heating systems. For instance, there is increased demand of oil, for heating houses and work places, during fierce winters. In addition, speculative forces influences demand in distinct ways. Due to its imitable qualities, there are always speculations of rise in prices of oil. In one of the most recent instances, individuals rushed to attain

Air force fume billboard Essay Example for Free

Air force fume billboard Essay Air force fume billboard Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1943 John Garfield, John Ridgley, Gig Young â€Å"The troop of an Air Force† bomber disembark in the Harbor in the outcome of the Japanese assault and is mailed on to Manila to provide a hand with the attack of the Philippines (Suids, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are observable characteristics, which attract customers to the product. Basing our argument on the above film are lifestyles, standards, color, physical appearance, taste, motivations, opinion, and desires. These take account of distinctiveness such as cheerful, preservationist, and safety-cognizant, value-oriented, class-driven. In our case, color attracts ones attention such that the distant-customers move closer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Color information is supportive in identifying objective. It can be, sometimes, misleading. One of the tribulations with regard to images is the equivalent objects might have dissimilar colors and intensities when the illumination situation changes or there are dimness. It occurs predominantly often in our assignment. The billboard images for patterns were taken independently in a different circumstance from the unambiguous game in the video progression. However, in the live match dissemination, the lighting condition is diverse and they even revolutionize often during the match (Toyoshima, (2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, there are numerous shadows caused by the players ahead of the billboards. When we to make use of the template color as the sample color and try to come across areas with the related color in the edge. The tolerant level is sky-scraping, a lot of gratuitous area will be incorporated and the diminution in searching area is not very considerable; on the other hand, if the lenient level is low, we have the risk of ignoring the main area. The brightly brown color captures awareness to the customers. The billboards exhibit great advertisements to fleeting pedestrians and even drivers. Characteristically, screening outsized, apparently amusing slogans, and distinguishing visuals. The billboards are exceedingly noticeable in the summit in market places. The bulletins are the leading modern-size billboards. They are located mainly on major highway, expressway and market zones to attract or capture peoples’ attention (Toyoshima, 2008)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More so, imagery as a stylistic device applies during advertisement. For instance, â€Å"AIR FORCE† here implies war. This is the war of the crew against the Japanese as explained on synopsis. This type of film designed in such a way that it entails different styles. Since it is in a class of luxury has to be standard and specially designed to reach the test of customers. Primarily a good copy communicates to the ideal clients. In this case, the copy creates a great physical impression to the customers. In so doing more, sales are systematical done due to its unique appearance on the customers’ eyes (Suid, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Addition to that, customers like a description on the product in the market. Therefore, the synopsis contained on the copy gives customer detailed-evidence information in the copy. Furthermore, copywriter includes power words, which are very patting to the clients. ssOccasionally, these words are termed as power words which a very influential to the customer. They are advisable to apply in the language. In the above copy, â€Å"AIR FORCE† is an example of power words. Edges are very noteworthy illustration features in image processing. They are the points with high passion contrast and portray margins of objects contained in an image. Using periphery information of a copy also significantly condenses the amount of data while preserving the essential structural properties of an image. This gives a good impression to sight hence encouraging more purchases (Toyoshima, 2008). References Suid, L. H. (1996). Sailing on the silver screen: Hollywood and the US Navy. Annapolis, Md: Naval Inst. Press. Suid, L. H. (2002). Guts glory: The making of the American military image in film. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. Toyoshima, Y. (2008). Japanese movie billboards: Retro art from a century of cinema. Tokyo, Japan: DH Publishing Inc. Source document

FDI and Balance of Payment Relationship in Canada

FDI and Balance of Payment Relationship in Canada Chapter One Introduction History of FDI Foreign investment was very common in the late nineteenth century. It was a strategy from British to provide fund for economic development in other nation, as well as to gain ownership of financial assets. Godley 1999 mentioned in his research that the bulk of FDI that was based on British manufacturing industry before 1890 was in industrial goods sector. He also mentions that most investors failed as a result of narrow focus and their major concern his to enhance British market. Singer Manufacturing Company was an exception due to its commitment to FDI and being the first biggest and modern Multinational Corporation in the world (Moosa, 2002). During the era of interwar in the twentieth century, FDI declined and later rose but there was an astonished development in that period, British status was lost as a world creditor, and USA became the economic and financial power and FDI was favoured by USA tax law. After the world war, FDI increased as a result of two reasons: firstly, good technology in the area of communication and transportation that eliminate distance barrier. Secondly, the need of reconstruction of war damages by European countries and rest of the rich nation around the world. (Moosa, 2002). In the 1980s, there was a decline in FDI (outward). This was due to the fact that most host countries started resisting U.S control and ownership of domestic firms. Also, host countries recovered by initiating FDI in USA which affect US net inflow. In the 1970s, there was a big fall in the U.S FDI but British was back to FDI business as a result of North sea oil boom and the abolition of foreign exchange controls in 1979. In 1980s, changes in FDI occurred in which USA became a net debtor nation and major recipient of FDI with an unfavourable net international position. This was caused by depreciation of U.S dollar, restrictive trade policy and low saving rate in U.S economy. This disenabled the U.S in financing its own investment in its economy, giving rise to needs of FDI from other nations like Germany and Japan. Also, in the 1980s Japan became a major supplier of FDI to U.S.A, Europe and South East of Asia. Most countries embrace Japanese investors because of its provision of chea p labour. The revolution of FDI in the 80s can be attributed to globalization. (Moosa, 2002). In the 1990s, there was reasonable improvement in the investment climate which exposed most countries to the benefits of FDI. Some of the reasons that led to the improvement FDI of are: removal of FDI obstacles, changes in attitude and increases in FDI intensive. The removal of local hindrances through deregulation and privatization was favourable to FDI. Another remarkable thing that happened in the 1990s was the fall in the importance of Japan as a front runner of FDI. This caused economic doom in Japanese economy. Finally, FDI has gone through many reforms from countries to countries, in the late 90s, the number of treaties for the avoidance of double tax reached a total of 1871. In 1998 and 1999 some measures like protection, liberalization and promotion was brought in by the host nation (policies) on FDI. (Moosa, 2002). Globally, the economic development of deeper and more sophisticated internal and international financial market, improvements in information network and technological advancement have made contribution to sound financial and economic integration. For a nation to partake in any of the economic gains arising from these processes it need to adopt reform policies to improve efficiency. Most countries advocate FDI to encourage economic development because of its indirect impact in the host economy due to increase in competition, technical know-how and technological spill-over via multinational corporations to domestic firms. Gorg and Greenway (2002, stated in Morris 2008, p.4) that a possible channel is one in which domestic firms are thought to imitate the technology used by the companies. This will result to better ways of local firms of making their production. Competition is another positive effect of FDI. The entry of foreign companies compels the domestic ones to be more efficient in all ramifications. The latter gains better skill will from employee training through new improved technology requirement in the production process. (Morris 2008). FDI helps local firm to bypass government bureaucracy, legality and financial obstacles encountered in the host economy. International organisations always recommend that less developed countries rely mainly on FDI as a source of external finance. Hericourt Poncet (2008, p.1) confirm that the development of cross border relationship with foreign countries help private domestics firms to bypass both the financial and legal obstacles that they face at home At the same time, many may not be pleased with the policies that encourage FDI which might be unfavourable to host economy since foreigners will have share in domestic economic activity. According to Holden (2007), there was an argument that foreign-controlled investments may be bias and not act in the best interest of locals and nationals; that profit may be exported out of the country; and that foreign ownership could have national security implications in situation where industries or products are of strategic importance. These concern links to energy and natural resource sector. The concerns may lead to countries to place restriction on investment in sector that involves strategic importance. Canadian Chamber of Commerce had an annual general meeting in 2007. A resolution was passed Attracting FDI to Canada, among the issues discussed in the meeting was an advise for Canadian government to adopt policies that encourage foreign investor to Canada, even though some call for tighter restrictions for FDI due to its demerits (Morris, 2008). Canada was among the countries that provided a shield for his economy with the provision of 1985 Investment Canada Act. This Act states that any proposed foreign direct investment above a certain amount is subject to review and approval from the industry Minister. For the proposed investment to be approved, it must demonstrate that its proposed investment provide a net benefit to Canada, some of the things the industry Minister will consider are; employment, investment in Canada to compete in the world market, the compatibility of the investment with national industrial, economic and cultural policies and many others (Holden, 2007). Using Canada (a country that has benefited from FDI in all ramifications from the perspective of macro economics level down to the micro level, from one sector to another sector) as a case study. It is obvious that Canada has gained so much in FDI both in forward linkages and backward linkages. According to the Daily (May 6, 2008), the stock of FDI in Canada sky rocketed in the last eight years, and the sector that had the biggest share were the resource based industries. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting (2007) passed a resolution titled Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Canada. The meeting called for the Canadian government to send a clear and positive message to foreign investors that Canada wants inbound investment through a proactive investment strategy and promotion champagne (Morris, 2008). Aim Most previous studies focused on the role of FDI on economic growth but their findings shows that FDI is not significant to economics growth. Carkovic and Levine (2002), prove that FDI does not independently influence on economic growth. However, economic growth and balance of payment (BOP) as a macro-economic objectives of any rational nation, in which there is sort of trade-off in both objectives.(this will be explain in the literature review section ).(pass et al. 1995). Countries calls for FDI coming between the two objectives as result nation rationale of protectionism ( quotas ,high import duties and embargo) to resolve balance of payment problem, and to achieve import substitution and export promotion agenda. Keynesian economic growth model, which is measured with Gross Domestic Product (GDP), have many component such as government expenditure, consumption level, investment, and export minus import (BOP current account). Changes in any of these components will have multiplier effect on the economic growth. (Moosa, 2002). FDI will have direct effect on host nations balance of payment which will indirectly impact the host country growth. The question being asked in this research is there any relationship between FDI and BOP? The aim of this dissertation is to determine the relationship between FDI and Balance of Payment in Canada over the period of 1990 to 2008. This aim will be achieve by building a model to explain the casual relationship between dependent variable and independent variables to figure out the relationship between FDI and BOP. Also, hypothesis will be formulated to test some of the objectives of the study. Robin says in Saunders (2007) that with deductive research its necessary to deduct a hypothesis. The study explores six possible issues: Objectives To determine the proportion of Canadian Capital account explained by growth in FDI in Canada over the period of 1990 to 2008. To determine the proportion of Canadian Current account explained by growth in FDI in Canada over the period of 1990 to 2008. To determine the proportion of Canadian Import explained by growth in FDI in Canada over the period of 1990 to 2008. To determine the proportion of Canadian Export explained by growth in FDI in Canada over the period of 1990 to 2008. To ascertain the relationship between Canadian FDI and Canadian BOP over the period of 1990 to 2008. To examine the major (countries) contributor to Canadian FDI over the period of 1990 to 2008. Significant of the study The significant of this study is to know the role of FDI in achieving one of the macro economic objective. This to ascertain if FDI will affect BOP in Canada positively or negatively. If the effect is positive, there will be needs of improving scope or magnitude for FDI in Canada for the future .However; if it is negative there may needs for government policies to restrict the inflow of FDI to Canada so as to achieve a favourable bop. The consecutive chapters will structure in the following ways: chapter two discusses the theoretical background information related to FDI, chapter three examines the academic literature relevant to the topic and also describes the methodology while chapter four presents the empirical analysis and discusses the econometrics result. The concluding chapter provides a conclusion of the research work. Chapter two Literature Review Theoretical Background (Moosa,2002) defines Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as the process whereby residence of a country (the source country) acquire ownership of asset for the purpose of controlling the production, distribution and other activities of a firm in another country (the host country). It involves the transfer of financial capital, technology and other skills such as managerial, marketing, accountancy, and so on. International Monetary Funds Balance of Payment Manual defines FDI as an investment that is made to get a long lasting interest in a organisation operating in an economy difference the investor. (Canada Statistics, 2008) defines FDI as a component of a nations international investment position which explains a countrys investment position: the difference between aggregate financial assets and aggregate financial liabilities. Direct investment, portfolio investment and other investment are the component of financial asset and financial liabilities. (Frankel and Romer, 1999) describe FDI as one of the crucial catalysts for economic growth in a nation especially in less developed countries. This statement describes the significance of FDI to a nation. FDI can also be described as a company from one country making physical investment into building a factory in another country. It is the establishment of an enterprise by a foreigner. (UNCTAD, 2002) defines FDI as investment made to acquire lasting interest in enterprise operating outside the investors economy. In short, a business or firm that undertake FDI become a multinational national company (MNCs) because of it ability to own many subsidiaries in many foreign countries. Foreign Direct investment (FDI) plays a crucial role in any host economy in the aspect of economic prosperity and building wealth. It also leads to increase in capital flow and, highly skilled human power, and reduction in unemployment and importation of advanced equipment and technology to enhance output level. This has a direct impact on the nations gross domestic product by promoting economic development. Mutenyo (2008), said most less developed countries now adopt policies that encourage FDI. Among these po licies are privatization, trade and exchange rate liberalization, and, tax rebate and incentives for foreign investors to enjoy the business environment. FDI is different from other components (such as international financial assets, portfolios and so on) of international investment. International Monetary Fund (IMF 2003, p.6) define FDI as a category of international investment that reflects the objective of a resident in one economy (the direct investor) obtaining a lasting interest in an enterprise resident in another country (p.6). IMF further explained that a direct investment is established when a foreign investor has more than 10% ordinary share or voting right of a host country enterprise (IMF 2003, p6-7). In Canada, direct investment is measured as the total value of equity, net long-term claims and net short-term claims held by the enterprises border (Canada Statistics, 2008). FDI has been increasing globally over the last two decades. Especially in the 90s, FDI increased more than the world economic growth. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data collection pertaining to FDI regulations in 1991, it shows that between January 1991 and December 2002, total of over 1600 measures were introduced by 165 countries; more that 90% of them was in favour of FDI in terms of changes; the nature of the introduced measures ranging from security for investors, to liberalization of rules governing the inflow of foreign investors, to measures that are promotional in nature(UNCTAD, 2003). The measures were extended to the international level through double taxation treaties (DTT) and bilateral investment treaties (BIT). Over the last four decades, FDI have gone through series of transformation in Canada. Gellaty 2006 (in Morris, 2008, p6) explained the reason for the emergence of the Foreign Investment Review Agency (FIRA). Due to growing concern of FDI in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Foreign Investment Review Agency (FIRA) was established to regulate and monitor FDI. The regulation governing FDI and FIRA was replaced with Investment Canada in 1985. The regulation was aimed at protecting and promoting FDI in Canada. There was also an implementation of Canada-U.S Free Agreement (CUFTA) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to promote FDI further in Canada. FDI appear to be a topic that covers both narrow and broader area. Feenstra (1999,quoted in Liebscher 2007, p.3) expresses FDI as the combination of both international trade in goods and international financial flows, and as a phenomenon more complex than either international trade or international financial flow. From micro-economics perspective, FDI raises the issues of location consideration and ownership. From the macro-economics angle, FDI considers the fear of unemployment and the loss of freedom. For Policy makers, FDI is an issue to balance the benefits of spillovers with growing concern of the public. The concern authorities will be rational in policies that will favour FDI and all concern parties. FDI is one of the key features of the modern globalized world. According to (Peter 2008), most industrialists believed that there is international links in the late medieval and early modern era. They were also of the opinion that multinational firms became crucial in numerous ind ustries in the late nineteenth century but the period since World War II and in particular, since 1985 have seen an explosion in FDI both in relative and absolute terms to the levels of trade and gross domestic product. However, economic theory provides an extensive economics literature which was developed to investigate the causes, nature and consequences of FDI. One of the reasons for the creation of FDI is as a result of cheap cost of production in the host economy. FDI occurs when the benefits of producing in a foreign market out weighs the cost of economic of scale from producing exclusively in the firms home plant (Neary 2008, p.13). This benefit can be explained by the concept of proximity –concentration trade-off. That is foreign firms take advantage of trade off in production in home countries which will expose them to high exportation cost and international trade barriers relative to proximity to customer and low transportation cost. There are some conflicting predictions about the effect of FDI on economic growth. Blomstrom and Kokako (1998, quoted in Mutenuyo 2008, p.3) explain that spillover occurs if the entrance of multinational enterprises (MNE) result to efficiency and produc tivity benefit to the domestic firms in the host country and MNE is not able to internalize the full value of these benefits. On the other hand, negative externalities exist if the activities of FDI result to loss in efficiency, productivity and profitability among the local firms and the alien investors do not compensate them for their loss. In a nutshell, FDI can be detrimental to an economy. MNE are assumed to compete favourably with the more advanced local firms since the local firms will have an edge over the foreign investors in local market share, skills, export contracts, cordial relationship with suppliers and the customer and so on. On the other hand, the foreign firms may be more advance in technological know-how, research and development, and the financial resources for their home economy.(Hericourt and Poncet ,2009) confirms that the development of cross-border relationships with foreign companies helps private firms to bypass both the financial and legal hindrance that they face at home. Types of FDI The types of FDI can be considered from dual angle: from the perspective of foreign investor country and from the perspective of host country. Since the study is focused on Canada, FDI will be examined in both ways. There are three types of FDI- vertical, horizontal and conglomerate- from the perspective of the source nation (investors). Vertical FDI: (Hill,1998) provides a clear illustration of vertical FDI by dividing into two: Forward vertical FDI and Backward vertical FDI. The former is applicable in a situation where a local firm invest into another industry abroad that sells the output product of the local firms production process, while the latter is used when the foreign sales of a firm provide inputs for the downstream operation of the local firms. Horizontal FDI: is applicable when the goods produced in the host country are the same as in the home country for horizontal expansion (Caves, 1971). (Hill,1998) defines it as firms invest in the same industry as the same operational activity in their homeland. Conglomerate FDI is the combination of horizontal and vertical FDI. That is, firm operating in separate business, (Luladhar 2008). FDI FROM THE ANGLE OF HOST ECONOMY Export-increasing FDI: is caused as a result of items produced in host country as an input for home country; such as raw material or intermediate goods. This type of FDI will enhance the exportation of the host nation if there is high demand for the raw material or intermediate goods from the home country. Import- substituting FDI: This type of FDI is applicable when the goods previously imported from the home country are now been produced from the host economy which will generate more employment .This is caused as a result of host government policy on trade barriers, market size, labour cost and so on. Government initiated FDI: This is when the policy makers provide some incentive that attracts foreign investors into the host economy. This incentive could be tax holiday, tax discount and so on. The Determinant of FDI (Motives) There are four motives that determine FDI. These determinants provide reason why firms should use FDI to tap in business globalization. These motives are acquired inputs (raw material orientation), market orientation, cost orientation, and strategic asset seeking motives orientation. Raw Material Orientation: According to Dunning (1993), availability of raw material is the bed rock of any firm, especially the manufacturing firms. Usually the cost of importing raw material from the source to where is needed is outrageous, even the duration cost of getting the raw material to host firm is another visible problem that affects the overall performance of production. Therefore, it is more economical for firms to produce in an environment that has easy access to raw material.s (Atik et al., 2008). Market Orientation: This is when firms produce goods in a host country instead of shipping it directly from the home country. This occurs when foreign market is protected by the government restriction goods importation or high importation duties. It will cost less to produce in the host economy market to avoid international restriction and unnecessary cost. Market orientation draws foreign supplier closer to the buyers in the host economy. (Atik et al., 2008). Cost- Orientation Motive: Cost minimization is one the firms strategy to optimize profit. Porter (1998, stated in Atik et al.2008, p 29) explains that among the generic strategies of a firm, cost leadership is the best strategy. In cost leadership strategy, a firm will prefer to become the lower cost producer in its industry. So firm prefer to site their location where they will enjoy the lower cost of factors of production. Good examples of this firm from developed nation prefer to locate their firms in less developed nation because of cheap labour and other cost of production. Asset Seeking FDI: Foreign firms prefer to have access to gain industrial asset in host country which will more profitable to have in there home country. The foreign firm will sustains or advance its international competitiveness, technological advancement, and opening up the new market though its asset accusation from the host nation (Atik et al., 2008). There fore, a firm that owes foreign asset is better positioned in global market competition compare to its counterpart. Theories of FDI Most literature reveals why investors prefer to produce abroad instead of staying in the home country. Dunning 2003 p.278) assert that the growth of existing foreign value activities in service might require a different set of explanations than to follow initial decision to invest abroad. There are some theories that explain FDI and MNEs in global business especially in goods sector. (Helldin ,2007) is of the opinion that FDI theory is fragmented and consists of various economic theories. There are no complete theories that explain FDI; it was just the bits by bits from numerous authors. Hymer was one of the first authors to explain the theory of FDI in 1960(mention in Na, Lv Ligthfoot, 2006). Hymer believes that the multinational national companies (MNCs) have the potential to expand the business due their oligopolistic nature. He said MNCs have firm specific advantages that create market power on global market due to their technical know-how, product differentiation, RD and so on. Dunnings Eclectic Paradigm (Professor John H. Dunnings 1977 OLI-framework also called Dunnings eclectic paradigm) Dunning 1977,Helldin 2007, p8), explains that the three factors that constitute to MNEs location in host country. These factors are Ownership Specific Advantage (O), Location-Specific Advantage (L) and Internalization Advantage (I). Ownership specific are business advantages such as capital, advance technology, well known brand names and product with dominant standard (p8). It further explained that the higher the level of business competitive advantage are compare to foreign competitors on a specific location the more the business will be involved in foreign production. Location will also be based on the countries competitive advantage, originated in the partners home countries (Helldin, 2007). Ekstrom (1998 stated in Helldin 2007) is of the opinion that the combination of O with L is why a specific location is chosen to make FDI. The third (internalization) advantage is meeting demands on global market by trading. (Dunning 1977, Helldin 2007, p8). Ownership Specific Advantage (O): MNEs enjoys business advantage in some area such as size, established position, and monopoly power. MNEs also have some specific advantage in some business area such as capital, advance technology, research and development, highly skilled human capital, trade marks, receipt of government grant and property right over intellectual property (Bennett, 1999). Location Hypothesis (L): This hypothesis explains the existence of FDI which is a result of international immobility of factors of production: labour, natural resources and weather. The immobility factors result to location-related differences in the cost of production. Horst (1972b, quote in Moosa, 2002, p.33) used this hypothesis to explain US FDI in Canada. Most MNEs prefer to locate their production facilities in an area where there is cheap labour. Lucas (1993) proves that there is inverse relationship between FDI and wages. He explained that a rise in wages in the host economy will increase the cost of production and have adverse effect on production and FDI. This will shift the host economy from labour incentive to capital incentive and will also encourage FDI Lucas (1993). The advantages of location specific (L) include low transport cost, low purchase input, economics of large scale, good communication, low labour cost, near to market advantage, availability of local business support ( market research firm) and the avoidance of trade restriction (artificial barriers) impose by host nation to reduced import (Bennett, 1999). Internalization Hypothesis Internalization hypothesis explains that FDI arises due to the impact of MNEs. MNEs is established to replace market (external) transaction with internal transaction. Coase (1973, says in Moosa, 2002) is of the opinion that market cost can be saved by forming a firm (p, 32). He gave an example of bottleneck encountered in purchasing oil product while compelling a firm to buy a refinery. These problems are caused by market failure and imperfection in intermediate goods, including technical know how, marketing and management enterprises (Moosa, 2002). MNEs invest in host countries in order to boycott expensive suppliers and distributors. Foreign government import restrictions will be avoided through local subsidy rather than exporting direct. Also the marketing aspect will be managed and controlled by the producing firm; there will be no intermediate sales or Value Added tax (Bennett, 1999). According to Dunning (2003), internalization incentive advantages are to protect or exploit mar ket failure (p.99). The Product Cycle Theory The theory was invented by Vernon in 1966. This theory explains the competitive advantage possessed by MNEs or potential MNEs originated in a country instead of another. The competitive advantage move from a stage of local production in home market, to exportation, and then to FDI (Dunning 2003). His theory was a based on U.S. directs investment in import substitution producing activities standards and economics structure. Also the ownership advantages of firms that produces or supplies a product had a little say about the advantages of common governance (Dunning, 2003). The theory is more useful in analysis of MNEs in FDI activities such as capital exportation, services activities, inward outward investment and so on. Core –Asset Theory Core Asset Theory was propounded by Hymer in 1976. Dunning said the theory explains the territorial expansion of a firm in terms of its exclusive or privileged possession of intangible assets, which it perceived could be utilized in a foreign country Dunning (2003, p.279). Several writers have to identify which O specific right were the most significant in determining the ability of MNEs to compete in foreign market. The theory examines the role of Foreign Service firms in market seeking sector, which is different from Product Cycle Theory focus on resources based industries or manufacturing sector. Also the theory was less concerned with where firms or MNES are located. According to Dunning (2003), the theory underestimates the important of the organizational mechanism by which the competitive advantage (Product Cycle Theory) is exploited (Dunning, 2003). The theory is limited to FDI or MNEs in technological advancement ,RD, position, product quality and so on, but it just examines the growth in foreign firms in global oriented and integrated service industries (Dunning ,2003). Strategy Related the Theories Knickerbocker, in 1973, was the first person to examine the strategy of MNEs. His analysis was that MNEs activities will be a function of high seller concentration. Dunning (2003) stated that Knickerbocker hypothesized that MNE activity would tend to be concentrated in industries characterized by high seller concentration, and that firms in those industries will engage in follow my leader tactics in the timing of their foreign investments, to protect or advanced their global competitive position (Dunning, 2003, p.280). Most studies on MNEs, the area of extraction, manufacturing and the likes was in support of this theory but the theory was less relevant in foreign firms activities in service industries because of its less oligopolistic nature (Dunning, 2003). However, these theory was fragile in MNEs with high level of diversification since one of the main aims of MNEs is expansion and diversify in area like service sector which may be outside their main activities which will create problem for the theory. The Risk Diversification Hypothesis The theoretical background of this hypothesis can be traced back to the theory of portfolio selection by Markowitz (1959) and Tobin (1958). The risk diversification hypothesis was propounded by Grubelin in 1968, but the idea was revisited and made known by Rugman in 1979. The hypothesis was that MNEs reduces the portfolio risk by diversification, which is investment in foreign assets that usually consist of service industries like banking, insurance, communication and so on. Most construction firm may want to make their working capital active by buying financial assets (Dunning, 2003). This kind of investment is not capital intensive. The Aliber Thesis Alibers (1970 1971, quoted in Dunning, 2003, p.280) seek to determine why firms pay their foreign assets in local currencies when they produce abroad. The theory explains that foreign firms take advantage of the home stronger currency to acquire ownership of assets in host economy due to their weak currency. Albert also argues that fluctuation in foreign exchange market that result to undervaluation or overvaluat

Misconceive?o By John Leo :: essays research papers fc

Misconceive’o by John Leo John Leo is a columnist and contributing editor that has been writing for U.S. News & World Report since 1988. Prior to that he worked for Time magazine and The New York Times covering topics such as social sciences and popular culture. The thesis of John Leo’s latest U.S. News & World Report article, â€Å"Fu Manchu on Naboo,† does not leave the reader any room to guess what his discussion is going to be about. He drives the point home from the beginning of the article. The central idea is very direct and easy to locate. It appears at the end of the first paragraph and simply states â€Å"Episode I: The Phantom Menace is packed with awful stereotypes.† Mr. Leo wrote this piece not only for informative purposes, but also to convince a particular audience that, whether intentional or not, characters have taken on harmful images some may find offensive. He is not speaking only to his fairly educated, loyal readers, but also to those who may have taken part in producing the movie. Mr. Leo makes visible to his readers what he believes to be stereotypes in the film. People may not have noticed these before, so he makes clear definitions and comparisons. To the rest of the audience, those who had a hand in making the movie, he makes a plea not to redevelop these characters in future films. Mr. Leo uses several analogies and examples in his presentation, and they are all tied to his thesis. He points out some images that strikingly resemble stereotypes that are commonly found in society today. He uses movie characters from Star Wars, such as Watto to support his claim. Mr. Leo finds that â€Å"Watto, the fat, greedy junk dealer with wings, is a conventional, crooked Middle Eastern merchant.† He goes on with other character references as evidence: Jar-Jar Binks as the inferior black, the Neimidians as sinister Asians. One of the problems with this argument is that not everyone in society identifies with these stereotypes. If the audience does not find the characteristics to be true they could shut off thought, thereby defeating his purpose for writing the article. There are no statistics presented in this article. The lack of statistics or other evidence, such as results of surveys, could lead Mr. Leo’s audience to believe that these are his own perceptions. In the seventh paragraph, Leo makes references to Catholics, Asians, Republicans, and Africans.

HM Prison Service Essay

British is a very big company and its offices are all around the world and this why I think that the Chain of Command is more horizontally because its Directors and Managers are all over the places. They might have a Chief Executive from whom the orders are passed to directors. The number of workers in a chain of command id important to the efficiency of the business. But too long can make it difficult to communicate. HM Prison Service: Security – The department’s duty is to secure the prison so the other employee feels safer when they are working in this department and the other department.  Finance – Finance Department relates to every other department because every department has employee working in and they have to be paid by the Finance Department.  Operations – This Department relates because when an operation is going to happen they pass the information to the other departments. Personnel – This department relates to other departments because whenever a person is required for the Job for any department. The person is recruited by the personnel department.  Prison Health – This department relates to other departments because when an employee or a prisoner is injured or not feeling well, it means that they have to be taken to the Health Department.  Operational Policy – This department relates to operations department because when an operation is about to happen they have to pass the policies to the Operations Department. They have to be well organised to make all their aims and objectives possible and to make it an even easier place to work so that it can be more productive. There are different teams of people who are split into different functional areas so they are able to make the business operate more efficiently. All of the functional areas aren’t dependent on each other but have to work closely together to operate. There are six different functional areas of a business. I think because the organisation is not very large which means it has a very small and vertical Chain of Command. The more workers you have in the chain of command, the more specialised it becomes.  Segregation Unit – The purpose of the segregation is to maintain safety, its necessary to help prisoners address negative aspect of their behaviour and return to normal location as soon as possible. Example if someone is found breaking the rule, so they will lose privileges. Chaplaincy- The Chaplaincy provides spiritual care for all prison and all the staff, the team normally by an Anglican chaplain who will be responsible for the whole team including all the religions.  Education and Training – Educational and trainer services are available for all prisoners, assessing their skills and teaching basic and key skills. Some prisoners are offered further education. Housing Block/Accommodation – Prisoners live in housing blocks or residential accommodation.  Recreation Area – This area is responsible for the health and welfare of all of the prisoners. Some prisons have health care units where 24 hour nursing care is provided, whilst other prisons only provide primary care.  Workshop/Gymnasium – Workshop vary, and include contract cleaning, sewing, brick laying, car maintenance and light engineering work. Some prisons have craft workshops where anything that made by the prisoners may be sold for local charity. Health Care – This responsible for the health and welfare of all of the prisoners. Some prisons have health care units where 24 hour nursing care is provide, whilst other prisons only provide primary care.  Reception – Usually within housing blocks and has facilities such as TV rooms, pool tables and general open areas where prisoners can freely mix with each other. Visitors Centre – This varies from prison to prison, but usually provides an area where drinks and snacks can be bought. It’s usually where pre-visit checks take place, i.e. the name of the prison being visited and whether they are entitled to a visit. In the case of convicted prisoners, the visitor must be in possession of a valid visiting order which will show the name and number of the prisoner and the name and address of the person’s visiting. The Gate-House – Responsible for checking the ID of all staff, prisoners, visitors and contractors who are going into or out of the prison. This is noted to maintain in the correct roll of the prison. This usually confirmed with reception at any time.  Size – The larger organisation is the more formal the structure tends to become, in order to coordinate larger numbers of workers, departments and diversity of products. Because the BA organisation is a huge company and therefore the organisational structure is very long which makes it hard for BA to communicate with each others. This is where Technical and Operations area is most important because if that is not there they would not be able to communicate. Strategic plans – The type of structure depends on the strategic aims and plans of the business. For example, BA seeks to become more market oriented which will develop structures that place an emphasis on marketing and customers focus. External factors: Environment – BA has many competitors such as Ryan Air. Ryan Air are continually changing, what they have to offer. They may lower prices, bring out new products; engage in exciting new advertising campaigns, and a range of other activities. This is effect BA because they will loose their customers because they are getting better deals from Ryan Air.  Political – Example of Political factors for BA is that the government has put up taxations for BA which makes BA to increase the price of their flight which would affect BA to loose customers. Economic – The economy consists of businesses, individuals working in the functional areas and the government. Because it’s an international airline and BAA is getting the passengers from every corner of the world. This makes BA to pay for its resources such as labour and raw materials. Businesses are continually affected by changes in the economy.  Technological Factors – These factors result from the development of new techniques. Example, New types of products. For example in recent few there I massive change in IT which has transformed the way we run our lives.

Hockey’s Influence on Canada Essay

Sometimes it is easy to forget the game played on frozen ponds and backyard rinks, and get lost in the overwhelming professional sport known as hockey. However, we strive to remember that hockey became Canada’s game because it made our never-ending winter months more bearable . The game gradually became a sport, then an entertainment industry. It seems like the lockout was one of the biggest news stories of the year. Part of the amazing nature of the game is that it’s origins are fairly vague. However, we always remember that hockey is our game. It may not be our official sport, like lacrosse is, but hockey is what Canada seems to be most well-known for, and it continues to have immense influence on our free society, with its unique style and attraction. We invented it, we had the best players, and have so many cultural ties between the game and the people. Hockey has had and still has an incredible influence on Canadian culture. Canadians are hockey crazy. The people love the ever-changing game, and the land and the winter are every where. One reason why everyone is so attracted to it is that we really needed a sport we could claim as ours, that we could play yearlong. Canadians are out where they shouldn’t be, doing what to others seems to make no sense. Only a few scruffs of trees and buildings distract the eye from its vastness. What we needed to tie us together had to have a feeling that travels throughout the country with attributes we all have in common, things we care about, things that help us make sense out of what we are. It is a hard feeling to achieve. It seemed that so much about Canada set us apart: topography, distance, language, climate, rivalries and cultures. Hockey became a winter passion for both players and watchers. It kept coffee row humming. It was a means of winter fitness, and the driving force behind the building of community centres, the way in which widely separate communities connected with each other. Before there were malls, kids would hang around in hockey arenas. Before Zambonis could be found in every hockey rink in our land, it was the kids who would fight for the right to clear off the rink so a barrel of hot water could be wheeled out for the flooding. The origins of hockey are vague, but it seems that the early game was a combination of lacrosse and rugby on ice. Not very exciting to watch, but  rugby and lacrosse players used it for winter recreation. The championship system spurred the game’s popularity. The Stanley Cup created natural rivalries between teams and cities. All the while, rules changed to make the game faster, rougher, and more exciting. Professional leagues grew all over the country. The great rivalries between Toronto and Montrà ©al drew in loyal, rabid fans [Dryden]. It is tempting to glamourize the years before the NHL expanded, and before the rest of the world discovered hockey. The terrific Canada-Russia series of 1972 showed that international hockey could generate the same excitement and fan loyalty as the domestic game. Canadian hockey fans remember with pride that hockey remains Canada’s most significant contribution to the world of sports. Hockey has been a part of life in Canada for over one hundred years. Thousands play it, and millions follow it. Hockey’s evidences are everywhere. In Canada, hockey is one of winter’s expectations. It is played in every province and territory. It is hockey’s reach into the past that makes hockey such a vivid instrument through which to view Canadian life. In little more than a century, hockey has moved from pickup games on rivers to amazing games televised on Hockey Night in Canada. Another impressive detail we must acknowledge is that the games greatest players had pure Canadian heritage, which made hockey’s popularity soar. Canadians know that we’re good at what we do, and that’s why hockey has been incredibly important in our society. For instance, Wayne Gretzky. Born in Brantford Ontario, he is well known for his record-breaking all time point record of 1,850 goals. This fact is irrefutable. Gretzky also coached the men’s’ 2002 Olympic team [World Almanac & Book of Facts]. When he was traded for multiple Los Angeles players in 1988, Canada was set into somewhat of an emotional earthquake. This shows how dedicated we are to supporting our home-grown players. Another hockey great, who was purely Canadian, and proved his worth in the game of hockey, is the amazing Rocket Richard. He was known for his excellence, but was also just as well known for his great spirit and love for the game. He, as well as Gretzky, was given the honour of being among the best in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1955, Richard was, without thought, suspended from the league, Canada, especially Montrealers, went into  complete uproar, inducing numerous death threats upon the president Clarence Campbell, as well as what has been called the worst riot in Canadian sports history. This example really shows how dedicated Canadians are when backing up their own players, the ones they know are the best. Yet another great example of hockey’s influence on Canadian culture is the legendary Bobby Orr. Orr was born in Parry Sound, Ontario, and was well known for his excellent defensive skills. Although Bobby played most of his career for Boston, he has not been forgotten as having Canadian birth, and that is something Canadians hold very important in their heart. They love him so much for his homeland, despite the fact he played for our toughest opposition. He is another great player that attracted a lot of attention, specifically in Canada, to the game. That attention still lives on. Another profound reason for hockey’s great influence on Canada is that there are so many cultural ties from our society to the game. A great example of this is Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons has one of the most successful marketing operations in Canada. Tim Hortons stores are plentiful in Canadian cities and towns; it is said that you can find one within four or five blocks wherever you are in any city. The chain has expanded aggressively across urban Canada and also into small rural towns. There are now over 2,350 outlets in Canada. [Skogan] Due to its powerful and effective branding, â€Å"Timmy’s† has established itself in the top class of restaurants in Canada and in the heart of Canadian culture. Tim Horton, the founder of the chain, was known for his excellence on the rink as a professional hockey player. Because one of hockey’s greatest players founded the most well-known food chain in Canada, it gives it another tie to Canadian culture, which weaves into people’s lives, even when they go to buy a coffee or donut. One also associates the game of hockey and the NHL with Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC). A cultural institution since it was first broadcast on radio in 1933, HNIC has been a TV mainstay since 1952 and is today one of those rare programs that still appeals to a wide cross-section of the population, and draws around 2.1 million viewers a week on average [Cox, Damien]. The satisfying double-header of hockey action is drawing roughly 6.7% of the nation’s population. That is, until the lockout, which is driving Canadians mad. Another instance of our life without hockey is how angry the hockey fans were when they learned that Ron Maclean, sidekick to Don Cherry, was not to get his contract renewed as the program co-host for the 2003 hockey season. CBC was blanketed with thousands of complaints and petitions when they made the press release, and they lost the support of the executive producer of HNIC, Joel Darling [Wilson-Smith]. From this it is obvious Canada backs HNIC with love, and HNIC is just one foundation that makes the game’s impact and grip so strong on Canadian culture. Finally, one of the greatest reasons why hockey has such an influence on Canadian culture is because we have been lucky enough to have experienced culturally defining moments within the sport. Hockey has been enjoyed for approximately a century now, and that left many opportunities for our athletes to shine at our favourite sport. The 1972 Summit Series was probably the most recognized milestone in Canadian hockey, when Canada’s best played eight games against Russia, with the final game being won by Paul Henderson of Canada, in the last few seconds, for a 6-5 win, giving them the series [Wilson, par. 10]. Another great example of how crazy Canadians have been for hockey over the years is the 2002 Olympic Gold. It was an excellent win over the U.S, and re-established our reign of power in the hockey world. Within the excellent story of the ’02 gold medal, there is a more heartfelt story of Trent Evans, an ice-maker, who embedded a loonie at centre ice, for a little extra luck [Proctor]. This dedication is what helps Canada stand out, and what gives it aa place in our culture today, because of all the amazing moments in the past. Hockey has had and still has an incredible influence on Canadian culture. So many things factor into Canada’s fascination with the sport of hockey. We discovered it, and took the time to practice and dedicate ourselves, giving us some of the best players in history. We linked our country as a whole to the sport, fortifying it as a national symbol, and we succeeded, with many  moments that stand out in hockey history, to reminisce, and reflect on for the future. It’s a wonder why it isn’t our national sport.

10 Facts About Frogs

10 Facts About Frogs Frogs are the most familiar group of amphibians. They have worldwide distribution with the exception of the polar regions, some oceanic islands, and the driest of deserts. 10 Facts About Frogs Frogs belong to the Order Anura, the largest of the three groups of amphibians. There are three groups of amphibians. Newts and salamanders (Order Caudata), Caecilians (Order Gymnopiona), and frogs and toads (Order Anura). Frogs and toads, also referred to as anurans, represent the largest of the three amphibian groups. Of the approximately 6,000 species of amphibians, about 4,380 belong to the Order Anura.There is no taxonomic distinction between frogs and toads. The terms frog and toad are informal and do not reflect any underlying taxonomic differences. In general, the term toad is used to apply to anuran species that have rough, warty skin. The term frog is used to refer to anuran species that have smooth, moist skin.Frogs have four digits on their front feet and five on their rear feet. The feet of frogs varies depending on their habitat. Frogs that inhabit wetter environments have webbed feet while tree frogs have discs on their toes that help them grasp to vertical surfaces. S ome species have claw-like structures on their back feet that they use for burrowing. Leaping or jumping is used as a means for evading predators, not for normal movement. Many frogs have large, muscular back limbs that enable them to launch themselves into the air. Such leaping is rarely used for normal locomotion but instead provides frogs with a way of escaping predators. Some species lack these long muscular back limbs and instead have legs better adapted to climbing, swimming, or even gliding.Frogs are carnivores. Frogs feed on feed on insects and other invertebrates. Some species also feed on small animals such as birds, mice, and snakes. Many frogs wait for their prey to come within range and then lunge after them. A few species are more active and follow in pursuit of their prey.The life cycle of a frog consists of three stages: egg, larva, and adult. As the frog grows it moves through these stages in a process known as metamorphosis. Frogs are not the only animals to undergo metamorphosis, most other amphibians also undergo remarkable changes throughout their life cycles, as do many species of invertebrates. Most species of frogs have a large visible ear drum on each side of their head called a tympanum. The tympanum is located behind the frogs eye and serves to transmit sound waves to the inner ear and thereby keep the inner ear protected from water and debris.Each species of frog has a unique call. Frogs make vocalizations, or calls, by forcing air through their larynx. Such vocalizations usually function as mating calls. Males often call together in a loud chorus.The largest living species of frog in the world is the Goliath frog. The Goliath frog (Conraua goliath) can grow to lengths of 13 inches (33 cm) and can weigh as much as 8 lb (3 kg).Many frogs are at risk of extinction. Many frog species are at risk of extinction due to habitat destruction and infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis.

the ear essays

the ear essays The ear is an organ of the body that is used for hearing and balance. It is connected to the brain by the auditory nerve and is composed of three divisions, the external ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The greater part of which is enclosed within the temporal bone. The ear is looked upon as a miniature receiver, amplifier and signal-processing system. The structure of the outer ear catching sound waves as they move into the external auditory canal. The sound waves then hit the eardrum and the pressure of the air causes the drum to vibrate back and forth. When the eardrum vibrates its neighbour the malleus then vibrates too. The vibrations are then transmitted from the malleus to the incus and then to the stapes. Together the three bones increase the pressure which in turn pushes the membrane of the oval window in and out. This movement sets up fluid pressure waves in the perilymph of the cochlea. The bulging of the oval window then pushes on the perilymph of the scala vestibuli. From here the pressure waves are transmitted from the scala vestibuli to the scala tympani and then eventually finds its way to the round window. This causes the round window to bulge outward into the middle ear. The scala vestibuli and scala tympani walls ar e now deformed with the pressure waves and the vestibular membrane is also pushed back and forth creating pressure waves in the endolymph inside the cochlear duct. These waves then causes the membrane to vibrate, which in turn cause the hairs cells of the spiral organ to move against the tectorial membrane. The bending of the stereo cilia produces receptor potentials that in the end lead to the generation of nerve impulses. The External or Outer Ear - comprises of the auricle or pinna which is the fleshy part of the outer ear. It is cup-shaped and collects and amplifies sound waves which then passes along the ear canal to the ear drum or tympanic membrane. The rim of the auricle ...

Celta Focus on Learner

She followed her husband to the UK with her children. Her husband is doing a PhD. at Oxford University and has a couple of years further study before he finishes. xxxxx is currently working at Primark as a shop assistant. She learnt some basic English while at school, however much of this was listening, reading and writing based and the opportunity to speak with fluent English speakers was limited. Her motivation to improve is initially based on her need to communicate better at work and in everyday life activities, such as shopping. She would also like to do some further study in England but realises that her level of English needs to improve before she would be accepted onto a course. She sees the benefits of her improvement and this motivates her to learn more. She is very much a concrete learner. She enjoys the oral interaction and believes this is how she learns most effectively. She believes her strengths are in reading and listening. She says she understands most things she reads and hears but struggles when trying to express herself orally. She believes her vocabulary could be significantly improved; and from listening to her I believe her pronunciation could also be improved. Part of the reason for this is her lack of social interaction with native English speakers and also her lack of confidence as she believes this is her weakness. However the challenges of a Nepalese person to differentiate some consonant clusters, stress values, vowel sounds and diphthongs alluded to below needs to be taken into consideration. xxxx enjoys the oral interaction exercises most of all. She doesn’t particularly dislike anything in the lessons, referring only to doing nothing while waiting for others to finish an exercise. Analysis To help xxxxx I believe some focus on speaking to give here more practice and improve her confidence would be appropriate. Also some work on pronunciation would be beneficial. xxxxx tends to be monotonic and sometimes mumbles (maybe due to her lack of confidence) so I believe an exercise forcing attention to stress and maybe intonation would be helpful. I noticed in our chat, and also in lessons, that she uses present simple forms when past simple is the correct form. For example she will say we speak about or we talk about rather than we spoke about or we talked about. I will address improving speaking as a skill and incorporate into this the correct use of past simple. I will address pronunciation as a language area. In particular stress. The extract for a NELTA Journal below gives an example of the challenges a Nepalese person encounters when pronouncing English words. Activities Speaking For improvement of speaking I have selected 2 exercises from 700 Class Room Activities Instant Lessons for Busy Teachers by David Seymour and Maria Popova. These are speaking exercises with an emphasis on past simple forms. Sequences p 93 – this is an interactive exercise where the students take it in turns to ask and reply to questions relating to what they have done in the past. This will encourage speaking with a partner and provide for a good feedback section where the students relay what they have found out about their partner’s past activities and give the teacher a good opportunity to also correct grammar and pronunciation. The Last Time p94 – this exercise places students into pairs where they take it in turns to ask each other â€Å"when was the last time they did a particular activity†. This exercise promotes an excellent opportunity for speaking and again the promotion of the correct us of the past simple form. Feedback session would enable the teacher to correct any grammar and pronunciation errors. Pronunciation For improvement of pronunciation I will address stress as the key area. I have selected Pronunciation: Stress from Just Right Upper Intermediate by Jeremy Harmer and Carol Lethaby. Exercises 26 to 30 on p 12. In exercise 26 the students listen to some sentences and circle the words which are stressed. Exercise 27 gives the students an opportunity to then repeat these sentences using the same stresses. There is also opportunity in feedback to move the stress points around and gain input from the students on which other variations could be used and when. Exercise 28 gives the students practice in the use and emphasis of â€Å"so† and â€Å"such† in response to bad news. Drilling them to apply the appropriate stress would be employed. Exercise 29 is a pairs exercise giving the students turns in using appropriate stress in sentences expressing sympathy. This will give the students an opportunity to practice and reinforce what they have learnt in the lesson so far. Feed back to the class enables the teacher to correct and drill where necessary. Exercise 30 is a variation on 29 but where the student has to be more creative and devise their own scenarios. Again the exercise reinforces the lesson learning points.

The differences between the English and Spanish colonies in the new Essay

The differences between the English and Spanish colonies in the new world - Essay Example There is need to compare the two colonial masters in an effort to identify differences. Religion played an important role in the administration of the colonial territories. Both masters embraced Christianity. The Spanish rule however integrated Christianity in their administration. On the other hand the British acknowledged Christianity but had no role in administration. The Spanish rule ensured that Catholic was the only denomination in their territories. The British encourage Protestantism as their form of religion (Elliot 184). Religion in both colonial territories was used as a tool of strengthening their territory as a common agenda made user each territory shared the same religious ideologies. Religion then played an important role in these colonies as it influenced indigenous cultures. The British colonies exercised tolerance as other denominations where allowed into the region (Elliot 186). The Spanish on the other hand ensured the modern religion was the only religion practices in their territories which were different in British colonies where indigenous cult ure was tolerated. Administration was an important element in the two territories as it was a tool that differentiated the two colonies in the ‘New World’. According to Lange et al (2006) Spanish colonies experienced direct rule. This meant that rulers where appointed by the royal administration in Spain. The rulers answered directly to Spain any action was to be undertaken with a directive from Spain. The direct rule was enhanced by the Spanish government to sponsor settlers in their new territories (Strayer, 633). The Imperial companies that enhanced exploration of the ‘New World’ by the British meant that there rule was independent and formed governments different from the royal rule in Britain. The two systems meant that the indigenous individuals where to be the subjects

Challenges faced by the USA in China and the East Asian Region Essay

Challenges faced by the USA in China and the East Asian Region - Essay Example The twenty-first century is mainly about policy decisions the governments make and the counter-policies that major economy governments like the USA and China make regarding them.   They are the most influential countries regarding military endowment, economic might, and political superiors. Even as this is true, other countries fit into the jigsaw and the relationship these two countries have towards the others and between each other is important in running the global economy and stability.The rising China economy has contributed a lot to globalization and has become almost the single most important factor that is shaping the fast-changing geopolitical landscape in the 20th century. This rise has shifted the focus of the developing world towards the East Asia, something that has undermined the reputation of the USA among the developing countries. China has emerged as the world’s largest manufacturing platform and has compelled the global manufacturing networks and national e conomies. For instance, the US missile defense efforts, only the Japan is supporting it while China strongly opposes the move while the South Korea remains a bystander. Japan is strongly championing for the Asian Monetary Fund, and a seat in the United Nations is slowly complicating the United States leadership in the Asian region.  As much as Japan’s plan seems to benefit the greater East Asian region, China still finds this as a stumbling block as it is determined to cripple Japan’s regional and global influences  

European Union's State Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Union's State Development - Case Study Example (Boromisa 2004).A thorough knowledge of the impacts of the monitoring and evaluation of the candidate countries is indispensable for a the success of the upcoming talks in 2009 for Croatia.This is because the progress of the candidate countries is monitored and evaluated regularly once a year by the European Commission and its main findings are published in Regular Reports.Even after the candidates are have signed the Accession treaty they are still monitored.This evident from the recent "Monitoring Report of the European Commission on the State of Preparedness for EU Membership of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia" (European Commission, 2004c).When Croatia was given the candidate status it was stated by the European Council at Brussels stated that "The European Councilconfirms that the negotiations will be based on Croatia's own merits and that the pace of accession will depend solely on Croatia's progress in meeting the requirements for membership". (European Commission, 2004c).As it can be seen that Croatian candidature was already dependent upon the evaluation of its functioning of the ideals of liberty, democracy and human rights (parliament, executive, judiciary). A stable political and economic system is thus the key to Croatia's success in achieving the timely membership of the EU.For Croatia then the ultimate integration into the EU will means inclusion into the internal market, i.e. free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. (Boromisa, A. and Miki, M., 2003).Also there will be an impact upon the trade patterns followed by the removal of trade barriers (e.g. tariffs, quotas, voluntary export restrictions) and harmonization of policies (e.g. agriculture, competition, trade and industrial).Finally there will also be a multilateralization of individual free trade agreements which will require substantial adjustments to the local investment policy and regulation. It also has to be taken into account that there is a risk of delays in the ratification procedure rises with the number of the EU member.states vying for EU membership increasing. (Boromisa, A. and Miki, M., 2003). Also Croatia might have to deal with some politically tough decisions which may form the basis for the requirements for the EU like decreased public expenditure. (Frederik Sorensen 2001 ) .Current issues faced by the EU include the controversy relating to open skies agreements, and state investor disputes. The issue of Open Skies recently created many headlines and in the context of Croatian membership it can be seen that the matter is no longer economical or legal. The issue is purely political. (Frederik Sorensen 2001 ). This became a tug of war that took place between EU and USA authorities over the recent Open Skies Agreement. The Agreement aims to liberalise transatlantic airspace yet European transport Ministers were reluctant to agree to it at first as they felt it gave the US an unfair advantage over European interests and its

The Confession of Saint Patrick Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Confession of Saint Patrick - Essay Example He narrates the story of his life from his childhood through to adulthood and right up to the time before his death. This account by St. Patrick gives us an insight into the background of the prevailing times and also lending focus to the legends and the myths that shrouded his personality. This biographical account is edited by Whitely Stokes and was compiled by Beatrix Fà ¤rber and Benjamin Hazard. The language used by the author was Latin. His father was Calpornius, who was a deacon in an era much before celibacy became the rule for priests. He was a Romanized Briton. Patrick’s mother came from an upper-class Gaulish family of Martin of Tours, though Patrick does not pride himself for the fact. As time gradually rolled by, Patrick’s enslavement had a great impact on him and strengthened his faith in the Christian religion. At the very impressionable age of sixteen, he admitted in his ‘Confessions’ that he was captured and brought to Ireland to serve as a slave to a Druidic chieftan named Milchu in Dalriada, at the County Antrim. But at the age of twenty two he escaped from there and once again reunited with his parents at Britain where later he became ‘one of the first Christian clergymen in Ireland, being preceded by men such as Pallidius (c.380-457/61). His first convert was his patron Dichu, who gifted him a huge barn (sabhal) where a church was constructed and the site still retains the name of Sabhal that is pronounced as â€Å"Saul.† In Ireland, Patrick was not the first Christian missionary, because much before him were missionaries like Secundus and Pallidius who continued their active work in the south of the island. But even so, Patrick is given a lot of credence as one of the best missionaries because his teachings had a great impact especially in provinces like Ulster and Connaught where there were no Christians before. He came across as a man who possessed a deep love for God and courageous enough to face

Writing a critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Writing a critique - Assignment Example One of the most notable depictions of Othello was took place in 1988 at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this play, director Janet Suzman uses Shakespeare’s Othello as means of addressing the divisive South African issue of apartheid. This essay functions as a critique of Suzman’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s Othello the Merchant of Venice, with specific emphasis on the play’s function as an underlining metaphor for South African apartheid and racial tension. One of the first instances one witnesses director Suzman’s thematic intentions occurs when Othello first comes on stage. While the appearance the racial clash between Othello and Desdemona’s father Brabanzio always makes this a dramatically compelling scene, Suzman’s Othello is more than simply non-white. Actor John Kani is also non-European, with clear African descent. It’s not difficult to ascertain that this choice has been made deliberately to align the Othello character with Africans facing apartheid. Indeed, a number of critics have noted Suzman’s use of Kani’s non-European, African descent in this regard as, â€Å"a South African actor whose first language is not English and who therefore not only looked but – more than black British and American Othellos – sounded different† (Hankey, pg. 93). It’s this Afrikanerdom that Kani exudes which sets Suzamn’s Othello on a trajectory that situates the play n ot as concerned with the inter-racial relationship tensions as much as its 20th century overarching political concerns. While this critique does not function as a literary analysis, there are a number of notable characterizations of Suzman’s contemporary overarching political concerns that coincide with Shakespeare’s text. For instance, when Barbanzio encounters the all-white, general counsel about Othello’s marriage to Desdemonia, Othello is characterized as having utilized magic or illicit methods to gain

European Union's State Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Union's State Development - Case Study Example (Boromisa 2004).A thorough knowledge of the impacts of the monitoring and evaluation of the candidate countries is indispensable for a the success of the upcoming talks in 2009 for Croatia.This is because the progress of the candidate countries is monitored and evaluated regularly once a year by the European Commission and its main findings are published in Regular Reports.Even after the candidates are have signed the Accession treaty they are still monitored.This evident from the recent "Monitoring Report of the European Commission on the State of Preparedness for EU Membership of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia" (European Commission, 2004c).When Croatia was given the candidate status it was stated by the European Council at Brussels stated that "The European Councilconfirms that the negotiations will be based on Croatia's own merits and that the pace of accession will depend solely on Croatia's progress in meeting the requirements for membership". (European Commission, 2004c).As it can be seen that Croatian candidature was already dependent upon the evaluation of its functioning of the ideals of liberty, democracy and human rights (parliament, executive, judiciary). A stable political and economic system is thus the key to Croatia's success in achieving the timely membership of the EU.For Croatia then the ultimate integration into the EU will means inclusion into the internal market, i.e. free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. (Boromisa, A. and Miki, M., 2003).Also there will be an impact upon the trade patterns followed by the removal of trade barriers (e.g. tariffs, quotas, voluntary export restrictions) and harmonization of policies (e.g. agriculture, competition, trade and industrial).Finally there will also be a multilateralization of individual free trade agreements which will require substantial adjustments to the local investment policy and regulation. It also has to be taken into account that there is a risk of delays in the ratification procedure rises with the number of the EU member.states vying for EU membership increasing. (Boromisa, A. and Miki, M., 2003). Also Croatia might have to deal with some politically tough decisions which may form the basis for the requirements for the EU like decreased public expenditure. (Frederik Sorensen 2001 ) .Current issues faced by the EU include the controversy relating to open skies agreements, and state investor disputes. The issue of Open Skies recently created many headlines and in the context of Croatian membership it can be seen that the matter is no longer economical or legal. The issue is purely political. (Frederik Sorensen 2001 ). This became a tug of war that took place between EU and USA authorities over the recent Open Skies Agreement. The Agreement aims to liberalise transatlantic airspace yet European transport Ministers were reluctant to agree to it at first as they felt it gave the US an unfair advantage over European interests and its

Writing a critique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Writing a critique - Assignment Example One of the most notable depictions of Othello was took place in 1988 at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this play, director Janet Suzman uses Shakespeare’s Othello as means of addressing the divisive South African issue of apartheid. This essay functions as a critique of Suzman’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s Othello the Merchant of Venice, with specific emphasis on the play’s function as an underlining metaphor for South African apartheid and racial tension. One of the first instances one witnesses director Suzman’s thematic intentions occurs when Othello first comes on stage. While the appearance the racial clash between Othello and Desdemona’s father Brabanzio always makes this a dramatically compelling scene, Suzman’s Othello is more than simply non-white. Actor John Kani is also non-European, with clear African descent. It’s not difficult to ascertain that this choice has been made deliberately to align the Othello character with Africans facing apartheid. Indeed, a number of critics have noted Suzman’s use of Kani’s non-European, African descent in this regard as, â€Å"a South African actor whose first language is not English and who therefore not only looked but – more than black British and American Othellos – sounded different† (Hankey, pg. 93). It’s this Afrikanerdom that Kani exudes which sets Suzamn’s Othello on a trajectory that situates the play n ot as concerned with the inter-racial relationship tensions as much as its 20th century overarching political concerns. While this critique does not function as a literary analysis, there are a number of notable characterizations of Suzman’s contemporary overarching political concerns that coincide with Shakespeare’s text. For instance, when Barbanzio encounters the all-white, general counsel about Othello’s marriage to Desdemonia, Othello is characterized as having utilized magic or illicit methods to gain

Legal Considerations in the Business Environment Essay Example for Free

Legal Considerations in the Business Environment Essay While there are many legal factors to consider as XYZ Construction (XYZ) transforms from a private to a publicly owned company and expands operations globally, this paper will focus on the employment and labor laws, along with legal considerations that influence company operations. It is important to keep in mind that XYZ uses a mix of manning methodologies throughout the company; a full time staff as the core of the company, while maximizing the use of contracted labor in the execution of projects. Employment Law Employment law is a broad category of law that encompasses all areas regarding employee/employer relationships except for the negotiation process and collective bargaining, which is covered by the narrower focused category of labor law. Employment laws consist of thousands of federal and state statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions that are designed to govern the rights and duties of employers and workers. The US Department of Labor (USDOL) reports that there are 180 federal laws alone managed by 28 different agencies within the department. (United States Department of Labor [USDOL], 2014) Employment laws are focused on providing a safe and fair work place for employees and employers, alike, and have their origins in the constitution. They were founded based on public outcry against oppressive practices during the industrial revolution. The first laws founded in the 1920s were focused on fair wages, compensation for injuries, a standard work week, and on eliminating child labor. In the 1960s and 70s, statutes focused on anti-discrimination and unsafe work environments. Current issues involve employee health care, equal pay for men and women and the current debate on raising the federal minimum wage. There were also several issues addressed by the US Supreme Court of great importance to employment law including workplace discrimination and retaliation (Brill et al, 2013). The predominance of employment law disputes fall into two categories: wage and hour violations and discrimination in the workplace. Federal law provides for baseline rules regarding wage and hour standards, to include a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and 40 hours as the standard work week. Many states have passed laws that establish a higher minimum wage, which is within their constitutional right. In these situations, XYZ is compelled to pay the higher minimum wage of that state. There is an emerging effort across the United States to raise the federal minimum wage to $9.50 per hour. In some  cases, this will place the federal wage higher than some states, meaning XYZ would have to pay the federal wage as it would trump the state legislation. It is prudent for XYZ to negotiate appropriate compensation on multiyear contracts as this new legislation works through the process. The standard work week, on the other hand, is prevalent across the United States and any worker that exceeds this threshold is entitled to overtime pay compensation. These rules exist to control the work environment for employees and mandates that time and a half be paid on every hour exceeding 40 within a given work week. The law also stipulates that XYZ will maintain basic payroll records and post notices to the workers regarding changes in the work environment. As XYZ experiences delays within projects, the pressure to push the work crews to make up these delays grows. While working overtime to meet customer requirements and project timelines are acceptable, supervisors must ensure adherence to the various employment laws; not doing so could lead to unfair labor practice disputes and costly legal battles (Brill et al, 2013). Another area that is a basis of employment law disputes is discrimination in the workplace. Prohibiting discrimination based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, age, or disability was established with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and refined with subsequent legislation throughout the years. The Supreme Court handed down two significant decisions in 2013 that clarify evidentiary standards for discrimination claims, both are viewed as beneficial to the employer. First, the courts ruled that retaliation with discrimination as a motivating factor was not sufficient. The plaintiff must prove that discrimination was the basis for the retaliation, making the burden of proof much greater (Brill et al, 2013). Second, the courts clarified the definition of a supervisor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. They ruled that the title of â€Å"supervisor† is limited to those who have authority to take a tangible employment action, meaning â€Å"a significant change in employment status, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment with significantly different responsibilities, or a decision causing a significant change in benefits.† (Brill et al, 2013, p.4). Having the authority to direct daily work was not sufficient to link the supervisor to the company in regard to damages or actions tied to a law suit or dispute. However, the company is still liable for discriminatory actions of non-supervisory employees,  especially if it was notified and failed to take action to stop the behavior. This is significant considering that the majority of XYZ’s work force is contracted labor. As such it is imperative that XYZ maintain viable and proactive policies focused on preventing workplace discrimination and include a review of these policies prior to initiating any employment agreement. Labor Law Conducting business in a union environment provides for another layer of complexity to company operations. XYZ’s leadership must be aware of and understand the basics of labor law and the collective agreements negotiated with the unions representing the workforce. Failure to operate within the parameters of the agreement will result in an unfair labor practice dispute, which affects the profit margins of the shareholders. Labor law, also governed by federal law, state law and judicial decisions, provides statutes that mediate the relationship between workers, employers, unions, and the government with the goal of equalizing the bargaining power between employers and employee (Legal Information Institute [LII], 2014). Collective labor laws focus on the rights of employees to unionize, collectively bargain, arbitrate, and strike, while individual labor law focuses on employment contracts between employers and employees (Caraway, 2009). Collective bargaining consists of negotiations between an employer and a group of employees, typically represented by a union, to determine the conditions of employment and results in a collective agreement. The main body of law governing collective bargaining is the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which was passed in 1935 (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011). It explicitly grants employees the right to collectively bargain and join trade unions. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is the entity that hears disputes between employers and employees that falls under the purview of the NLRA. The General Council, established by the NLRA, independently investigates and prosecutes cases against violators of the act before the NLRB (LII, 2014). Another aspect of labor law is the act of arbitration, a method of dispute resolution, which is commonly used as an alternative to litigation. A third party arbiter is designated and has binding decision authority for the dispute. While the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) is not applicable to employment contracts, the Uniform Arbitration Act of 1956 was  adopted by 49 states making arbitration enforceable under state and federal law (LII, 2014). There were two key decisions rendered by the Supreme Court that impact labor law, specifically arbitration clauses and class action waivers in contracts (Brill et al, 2013). The Court held that the FAA directive to arbitrate and the arbitration clauses written into employment contracts take precedence over federal requirements to prosecute disputes through the courts. Additionally, this decision strengthens the ability to enforce class waivers written into contracts. While this appears detrimental to employers, the Court balanced this decision with language further defining the rules surrounding class waivers. The court ruled that a class dispute (one brought by more than one plaintiff) can be settled if the primary plaintiff reaches settlement (Brill et al, 2013). In essence, if an XYZ employee files a dispute that is then applied to a class of employees, but a settlement is reached with the initial plaintiff, then the class action is terminated. Effectively, the Supreme Court ruling strengthens the company’s position in regard to employment contracts and protects the company from overzealous claims. As such, arbitration agreements written into XYZ employment contracts should be carefully worded in order to take full advantage of the Court’s decision. Laws specific to the construction industry Several Department of Labor agencies administer programs that are specifically related to the construction industry. Specifically, the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), the Wage and Hour Division, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance all have specified areas of emphasis that regulate XYZ’s primary line of business. OSHA administers all the occupational safety and health standards for the industry. Given the risk to employees across XYZ’s work sites, OSHA regulations are critical to maintain and pose a significant element of cost to the company. While it is prudent to conduct cost-benefit analysis on enacting safety and health policies, sacrificing employee welfare for the bottom line is a dangerous endeavor and can result in unfair labor practices or criminal charges in the extreme. As XYZ competes and wins government construction contracts, there are several statutes that dictate certain conditions for doing business with the federal government that are administered by the USDOL Wage and Hour  Division and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. The Davis-Bacon Act requires that companies pay the prevailing wages and benefits of the region. Wage rates and other labor standards for employees are set by the McNamara-O-Hara Service Contract Act. The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act requires materials and supply contractors to pay minimum wages and meet other labor standards. Executive Order 11246 requires equal employment opportunity by all construction contractor firms. Lastly, the Copeland Act’s anti-kickback section precludes any persuasion of an employee to sacrifice any part of their required compensation (USDOL, 2014). These dictated standards all affect the cost of projects and, if not accounted for in the bid and estimation process, will detrimentally impact the profit margins of the company as federal construction contracts are executed. Legal Considerations As XYZ begins the global expansion, it is important to realize that US labor laws are not binding in other countries in regard to foreign workers; the host country laws are in play (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011, p.938). However, Congress expressly extended three US labor laws to expatriates working abroad for US firms. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Title VII all extend extraterritorially (Nie, 2012). While XYZ’s staff is well versed in US employment and labor law, foreign labor law is country dependent and it is prudent to conduct targeted research on the specific country’s legal environment considered for expansion. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has drafted 182 conventions and 190 recommendations in their effort to standardize labor practices globally. Enforcement of these efforts is a country responsibility, and as such, there are still large gaps in adoption and application of the various standards (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011). While it is enticing to reduce expenses by sacrificing some of the more costly US labor law practices while abroad, this practice could damage the company’s sterling reputation negatively affecting all future business ventures. As countries in Asia make the transition to democratic states, the door has been opened for improvements in collective and individual labor law, resulting in the creation of unions and the strengthening of workers’ rights. However, unions in developing counties depend upon government  support and, as such, are politically focused keeping the gap between internationally acceptable collective labor practices and reality relatively large (Caraway, 2009). Across Asia, individual labor rights are in a better position. There is a direct correlation between the wealth of a country and the enforced rights of its workers (Caraway, 2009). The most notable impact of this situation is the prevailing wage in each country and the impact on XYZ’s financial position on projects. Using the field support offices at the forward locations to gather this information is crucial to accurate project estimation and contract bidding. As the company transitions from privately owned to publicly held, there are considerations to keep in mind. First, corporate governance will adjust to account for a larger base of stockholders. There is risk that the focus of the company will also shift to a more stockholder centric view, discounting the requirements of the stakeholders (the employees) (Ecchia et al, 2012). This has the potential to lead to the creation of unfair labor practices as priority shifts from maintaining collective agreements to maintaining larger profit margins for the stockholders. Second, shareholders with large equities could pressure the company to offload portions of the workforce or reduce the employee’s benefits in order to improve profitability (Ecchia et al, 2012). As the union leadership monitors corporate business practices, this could lead to a revolt in the workforce and create an environment ripe for a strike thereby shutting down operations until resolved. Any financial gains made by the reduction would be lost to stagnated operations, and as such should be managed carefully. Conclusion Conducting business in the 21st Century is comparable to traversing the proverbial minefield. Legal missteps can cause insurmountable fines and legal fees as a company struggles to maintain good business practices. Understanding employment and labor law is paramount to maintaining a strong and viable company through transformation and expansion that produces profits for its shareholders. References Banks, K. (2011). Trade, Labor and International Governance: An Inquiry into the Potential Effectiveness of the New International Labor Law. Berkeley Journal Of Employment Labor Law, 32(1), 45-142. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 67233021 Barnum, Darold T. (1971) From Private to Public Relations in Urban Transit. Industrial Labor Relations Review. 25(1), 95-115. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 4459252. Brill, Edward A., Fant, Laura M., and Baddish, Noa M. (2013) U.S. Supreme Court Wrap-Up: Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law. Employee Relations Law Journal. 39(3), 3-8. Business Source Complete, Accession Numbe:r 91640070 Caraway, Tara L. (2009). Labor Rights in East Asia: Progress or Regress?. Journal of East Asian Studies, 9(2), 153-186. ProQuest Research Library, Accession Number: 43381256 Ecchia, Giulio, Gelter, Martin, and Pasotti, Piero. (2012) Corporate Governance, Corporate and Employment Law, and the Costs of Expropriation. Review of Law Economics. 8(2), 457-486. DOI: 10.1515/1555-5879.1357 Katten, Betsy. (2013) U.S. Supreme Court to Address Labor and Employment Matters in 2013-2014 Term. Employee Relations Law Journal. 39(3), 48-51. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 91640075 Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. Retrieved from: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/employment Nie, Carrie. (2012). Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Employment Laws: Clearing the Murky Conflicting Foreign Laws Defense. International Lawyer, 46(4), 1027-1043, OmniFile, Accession Number: 90233860 Northcentral University (2011). SKS 7000-Executive Concepts in Business Strategy. Custom edition. Retrieved from: http://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/ United States Department of Labor. (2014) Retrieved from: http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/lawsprog.htm