Concept analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Concept analysis - Research Paper Example In the field of nursing, a number of variations of Wilson’s model of concept analysis are adopted to explain concepts. Wilson’s model of concept analysis is an 11-step approach to permit its users to gain a relative degree of clarity in thinking and perception and to cogently express a concept which may prove to be tricky. The technique is of great usefulness when it is employed to analyse a concept which may have multiple meanings. Wilson’s technique is followed to get to the root of the problem and the solution is reached when the results of the concept analysis can be displayed in language (Thompson, 2005). This paper will attempt to carry out a critical analysis of a problematic concept in literature. For this purpose, an empirical research article will be selected from a scientific journal and two major concepts in it will be identified. Then one of the major concepts will be analyzed using the 11-step technique proposed by Wilson. The article chosen for con cept analysis is an empirical research article written by McCabe, Ricciardelli and Banfield (2009). The article, titled ‘Depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning in preadolescent children’, was retrieved from Depression Research and Treatment. The aim of the study was to find out the fraction of children who are at-risk of depression or clinically depressed and to see what effects depression has on them. The authors selected a group of 510 children (270 boys 240 girls) and inspected them for signs of depression. The authors focus on a specific set of variables to find out their relation. There are two major concepts used in the paper. These are depression and at risk. In order to carry out a concept analysis, the concept is thoroughly examined and its meaning probed from a variety of sources. This paper will discuss the concept of depression and analyze it critically. The aim of the concept analysis will be to come to a clear and concise meaning for depression a nd its use in routine life. The word depression does not have a clear definition and people have differing views regarding it. The expression and perception of depression is influenced by a number of factors such as culture, context, social gatherings etc. According to Wilson, the first step in the process of concept analysis is the identification and isolation of the questions relating to the concept. These questions can be grouped into three main categories: facts, values and meanings. When analyzing depression, various questions regarding its nature and meaning arise. For example how is depression defined? What are the signs and symptoms of depression? Is depression different than unhappiness? Should depression of every kind be treated? According to Wilson, factual questions regarding the concept should be tackled by focusing on the existing literature. Questions relating to value and encompassing ‘shoulds’ are to be answered by considering the perception of influent ial figures or the society. The third set of questions is those concerned with meaning and is best dealt with when the questions are analyzed in the context of the concept behind them (Meleis, 2007). Having formulated the questions, the next step in Wilson’s technique of concept analysis is to identify the correct answers to the questions and discuss the important elements in them (Meleis, 2007). Depression has various uses depending on the context it is used. For example it is used in medicine to define a

Demand Curve and Supply Curve Essay Example for Free

Demand Curve and Supply Curve Essay Demand and supply have been generalized to explain macroeconomic variables in a market economy. The Aggregate Demand-Aggregate Supply model is the most direct application of supply and demand to macroeconomics. Compared to microeconomic uses of demand and supply, different theoretical considerations apply to such macroeconomic counterparts as aggregate demand and aggregate supply. The AD-AS or Aggregate Demand-Aggregate Supply model is a macroeconomic model that explains price level and output through the relationship of aggregate demand and aggregate supply. It is based on the theory of John Maynard Keynes presented in his work â€Å"The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money†. It is one of the primary simplified representations in the modern field of macroeconomics and is used by a broad array of economists, from libertarian, monetarist supporters of laissez-faire, such as Milton Friedman to Post-Keynesian supporters of economic interventionism, such as Joan Robinson. Brief history of demand curve and supply curve According to Hamid S.  Hosseini, the power of supply and demand was understood to some extent by several early Muslim economists, such as Ibn Taymiyyah who illustrates- â€Å"If desire for goods increases while its availability decreases, its price rises. On the other hand, if availability of the good increases and the desire for it decreases, the price comes down†. In 1691, John Locke worked on some considerations of the consequences of the lowering of interest and the raising of the value of money. It includes an early and clear description of supply and demand and their relationship. In this description demand is rent: â€Å"The price of any commodity rises or falls by the proportion of the number of buyer and sellers† and â€Å"that which regulates the price of goods is nothing else but their quantity in proportion to their rent. † The phrase supply and demand was first used by James Denham-Steuart in his Inquiry into the â€Å"Principles of Political Oeconomy† which was published in 1767. Adam Smith used the phrase in his book â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† (1776) and David Ricardo titled one chapter of his work â€Å"Principles of Political Economy and Taxation† (1817) On the Influence of Demand and Supply on Price. In The Wealth of Nations, Smith generally assumed that the supply price was fixed but that its value would decrease as its scarcity increased, in effect what was later called the law of demand also. Ricardo, in Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, more rigorously laid down the idea of the assumptions that were used to build his ideas of supply and demand. Antoine Augustin Cournot first developed a mathematical model of supply and demand in his 1838 Researches into the Mathematical Principles of Wealth including diagrams. In1870, Fleeming Jenkin in the course of Introducing the diagrammatic method into the English economic literature published the first drawing of supply and demand curves including comparative statics from a shift of supply or demand and application to the labor market. The model was further developed and popularized by Alfred Marshall in the textbook â€Å"Principles of Economics† (1890). The Standard demand curve and the aggregate demand curve The standard demand curve represents the quantity of a good that a consumer will buy at a given price, holding all else constant. For example, consumer A might buy zero oranges at $1 each, one orange at 75 cents each, and two at 50 cents each, while consumer B might buy one at $1, two at 75 cents, and three at 50 cents. When charted on a grid with price on the vertical axis and quantity purchased on the horizontal axis, these points form the individual demand curves for consumers A and B. The aggregate demand curve represents the total quantity of all goods (and services) demanded by the economy at different price levels. An example of an aggregate demand curve is given in Figure 1. The vertical axis represents the price level of all final goods and services. The aggregate price level is measured by either the GDP deflator or the CPI. The horizontal axis represents the real quantity of all goods and services purchased as measured by the level of real GDP. Notice that the aggregate demand curve, AD, like the demand curves for individual goods, is downward sloping, implying that there is an inverse relationship between the price level and the quantity demanded of real GDP. The standard supply curve and the aggregate supply curve The standard supply curve is a graph showing the relationships between the price of a good and the quantity supplied. The supply curve slopes upward because other things equal, a higher price means a greater quantity supplied. The aggregate supply curve shows the relationship between the price level and the quantity of goods and services supplied in an economy. The equation for the upward sloping aggregate supply curve, in the short run, is Y = Ynatural + a (P Pexpected). In this equation, Y is output, Ynatural is the natural rate of output that exists when all productive factors are used at their normal rates, â€Å"a† is a constant greater than zero, P is the price level, and Pexpected is the expected price level. This equation holds only in the short run because in the long run the aggregate supply curve is a vertical line, as output is dictated by the factors of production alone. An aggregate supply curve is shown in Figure 2. The aggregate supply curve equation means that output deviates from the natural rate of output when the price level deviates from the expected price level. The constant, a, shows how much output changes due to unexpected deviation in the price level. The slope of the aggregate supply curve is (1/a) which depicts the short-run aggregate supply curve and the long- run aggregate supply curve. The vertical axis is the price level. The horizontal axis is output or income. The short-run aggregate supply curve is downward sloping with slope equal to (1/a) while the long-run aggregate supply curve is vertical with no slope. The reason that the short-term aggregate supply curve is upward sloping is a bit more complex. Factors that determine the slope of AD-AS curve model The slope of AD curve reflects the extent to which the real balances change the equilibrium level of spending, taking both assets and goods markets into consideration. An increase in real balances will lead to a larger increase in equilibrium income and spending, the smaller the interest responsiveness of money demand and the higher the interest responsiveness of investment demand. An increase in real balances leads to a larger level of income and spending, the larger the value of multiplier and the smaller the income response of money demand. This implies that the AD curve is flatter, smaller is the interest responsiveness of the demand for money and larger is the interest responsiveness of investment demand. Also, the AD curve is flatter; the larger is the multiplier and the smaller the income responsiveness of the demand for money. We know that aggregate demand is comprised of C(Y T) + I(r) + G + NX(e) = Y. Thus, a decrease in any one of these terms will lead to a shift in the aggregate demand curve to the left. The first term that will lead to a shift in the aggregate demand curve is C(Y T). This term states that consumption is a function of disposable income. If disposable income decreases, consumption will also decrease. There are many ways that consumption can decrease. An increase in taxes would have this effect. Similarly, a decrease in incomeholding taxes stablewould also have this effect. Finally, a decrease in the marginal propensity to consume or an increase in the savings rate would also decrease consumption. The second term that will lead to a shift in the aggregate demand curve is I(r). This term states that investment is a function of the interest rate. If the interest rate increases, investment falls as the cost of investment rises. There are a number of ways that investment can fall. If the interest rate rises, say due to contractionary monetary or fiscal policy, investment will fall. Similarly, in the short run, expansionary fiscal policy will also cause investment to fall as crowding out occurs. Another interesting cause of a fall in investment is an exogenous decrease in investment spending. This occurs when firms simply decide to invest less without regard for the interest rate. The term variable that will lead to a shift in the aggregate demand curve is G. This term captures the whole of government spending. The only way that government spending is changed is through fiscal policy. Recall that the budgetary debate is an ongoing political battlefield. Thus, government spending tends to change regularly. When government spending decreases, regardless of tax policy, aggregate demand decrease, thus shifting to the left. The fourth term that will lead to a shift in the aggregate demand curve is NX(e). This term means that net exports, defined as exports less imports, is a function of the real exchange rate. As the real exchange rate rises, the dollar becomes stronger, causing imports to rise and exports to fall. Thus, policies that raise the real exchange rate though the interest rate will cause net exports to fall and the aggregate demand curve to shift left. Again, an exogenous decrease in the demand for exported goods or an exogenous increase in the demand for imported goods will also cause the aggregate demand curve to shift left as net exports fall. An example of this type of exogenous shift would be a change in tastes or preferences. The aggregate demand curve also can shift right as the economy expands. When the aggregate demand curve shifts right, the quantity of output demanded for a given price level rises. Therefore, a shift of the aggregate demand curve to the right represents an economic expansion. A shift of the aggregate demand curve to the right is simply affected by the opposite conditions that cause it to shift to the left. A change in one or more of the following determinants of aggregate supply will shift the aggregate supply curve in the short run. Change in the input prices (domestic or imported resources price), change in productivity, change in legal institutional environment (business taxes and government regulation). An increase in short-run aggregate supply will shift the curve rightward; a decrease will shift the curve leftward. The long run aggregate supply curve is vertical. Similarities between the Ad-AS curve model and the standard demand-supply curve model The conventional aggregate supply and demand model is actually a Keynesian visualization that has come to be a widely accepted image of the theory. The Classical supply and demand model, which is largely based on Says Law, or that supply creates its own demand depicts the aggregate supply curve as being vertical at all times. The both demand curve and the aggregate demand curve is negatively sloped from left to right and both curves represent the law of demand. The short-run aggregate supply curve or SRAS curve has similarities the standard supply curve. Both are positively sloped. Both curves relate price and quantity. Differences between the Ad-AS curve model and the standard demand-supply curve model In aggregate demand curve, there is no substitute effect because we cannot substitute all goods. But in standard demand curve it exists. The aggregate demand curve has no income effect because a lower price level actually means less nominal income for the resource suppliers’ e. g. lower wages, rents, interests, and profits. But in standard demand curve it exists. The major differences between the standard supply curve and the aggregate supply curve are as follows- for the market supply curve, the vertical axis measures supply price and the horizontal axis measures quantity supplied. For the short-run aggregate supply curve, however, the vertical axis measures the price level (GDP price deflator) and the horizontal axis measures real production (real GDP). The positive slope of the market curve reflects the law of supply and is attributable to the law of diminishing marginal returns. In contrast, the positive slope of the short-run aggregate supply curve is attributable to: (1) inflexible resource prices that often makes it easier to reduce aggregate real production and resource employment when the price level falls, (2) the pool of natural unemployment, consisting of frictional and structural unemployment, that can be used temporarily to increase aggregate real production when the price level rises and (3) imbalances in the purchasing power of resource prices that can temporarily entice resource owners to produce more or less aggregate real production than they would at full employment. Conclusion Whereas the standard supply and demand curve model discusses on individuals, the aggregate supply and demand curve model works with the whole economy. This model is built on the assumption that prices are sticky in the short run and flexible in the long run. This model also highlights the role of monetary policy. This model shows how shocks to the economy cause output to deviate temporarily from the level implied by the standard model. By this model, we can observe the economy more efficiently than before.

Water in Architecture and Spaces

Water in Architecture and Spaces The paper focuses on how the presence of water – either as a feature or a function – enriches the design of public buildings, and how this relationship is perceived through sensory human experience. Four case studies are used. Case study one is the Roman bath complex at Bath, Avon; case study two is an early Modernist design of a glass pavilion by Bruno Taut; case study three is an example of a Post Modernist piazza in New Orleans designed by Charles. W. Moore; and case study four is the contemporary design of a thermal baths in Vals, Switzerland by Peter Zumthor. In each case there will be an analysis of the architectural design including aspects such as symmetry and balance, colour, texture, materials, form, and scale. Findings will include how water is used in the design space and its effect upon the human senses. The study expects to see a strong relationship between the presence of water and the surrounding design of the building. Furthermore, the study hopes to establish a difference in the relationship between the sensory experience of the two case studies where water is used as an aesthetic feature and has no practical function compared to the two baths where water is used to bathe in. The studies are ordered chronologically to enable clear identification of the evolving architectural differences between the ancient bath building, and the two twentieth century examples. Investigation aims to explore the potential of water as an instrument to aid the architects attempts at creating illusion. Aspects such as colour, and representation of form will be analysed in the two twentieth century examples. The study will culminate with the contemporary innovation and dynamism so supremely represented in the work of Peter Zumthor. In this fourth and most important chapter the work aims to identify how contemporary developments in architectural design – in comparison with the older case studies – expands and enriches the relationship between water and the human senses. Methodology The data for this study was collected through documentary research. Chapter one draws from Barry Cunliffes Roman Bath Discovered as a primary source and archaeological context.The baths went through several stages of development before they were abandoned: this study will use the simple plan of the first stage as an example to avoid any confusion. Because of the age of the case study it is not possible to replicate with certainty the exact nature of the sensory experience of using the baths. Therefore some suppositions had to be hypothetical based on the archaeological and architectural evidence used. Throughout the dissertation I will draw on Veronica Strangs book The Meaning of Water (2003) which provides a useful insight into the nature of the element in discussion. In the study of Bruno Tauts glass pavilion the sensory experience will also have to contain a hypothetical element based on documentary research as the pavilion itself no longer stands. For chapter four, internet sourc es were used in conjunction with journals and books to locate a firsthand account of the sensory experience of Peter Zumthors baths. As a fairly recent design of a relatively unwritten about architect it was difficult to locate a diversity of sources for the baths so the chapter will draw mainly from articles both from internet sources and from publications. IntroductionThe first chapter will look at the Roman Baths in Bath, Avon. It will explore the relationship between the architectural design, the materials used, and the human senses, focusing on the original plan of the baths in their first phase as depicted by Cunliffe (1971). This chapter will introductory to the study as it will bring into discussion aspects such as the relationship between the interior and exterior of the building as perceived through human sensory experience, and the atmospheric effects created by thermal waters which will be explored more thoroughly in the final chapter. It will evaluate aspects of the Roman design such as symmetry, colour, and decoration and how these might have enriched the bathing experience. Chapter two uses the case study of a glass pavilion, imagined by the poet Paul Scheerbart, and designed by Bruno Taut in 1914. The ornamental structure was designed to be exhibited at the Werkbund exhibition and was demolished soon after. The water feature is centrally placed, designed to reflect the changing light through the multicoloured glass panels of the surround. Its vision of a Utopian form of architecture using glass prisms provides a unique contrast to the functionally aesthetic Roman baths. It will be used to develop the idea of architecture testing the boundaries between the perception of interior and exterior and between public and private space. The presence of the water and its interaction with the light from the pavilions coloured glass means that these concepts are explored through sensory experience. Using relevant source material this chapter constructs an independent interpretation of Bruno Tauts design, focusing on its inner circular form and tiered space.In Chap ter Three the case study used will be the Piazza dItalia built by Charles W. Moore between 1974 and 1978 for the Italian community of New Orleans. The Post-Modernist design is characterised by Moores ironic interpretation of historical forms of architecture placed around a fountain in the shape of Italy. The study provides a useful contrast to the previous examples – it raises questions of how symmetry in architectural design affects the sensory perceptions. The focal point of the structure is the water feature which serves as a paradoxical unifier and separator of the experience. Furthermore, this example brings into discussion the concept of a more complex relationship between the human senses and water in architecture which will culminate in the final chapter. Chapter four concerns the thermal baths at Vals, Switzerland, designed by Peter Zumthor in 1996. This last and most important chapter aims to bring together aspects of the three previous examples through analysis of a contemporary design. The focus will be on Zumnors imaginative interpretation of the use of water in a natural environment. Research into his combination of technical innovation and sensitive perception hopes to establish how water can be used in contemporary architectural design to enrich the sensory human experience. Study will also focus on aspects of the design such as the careful attention paid to achieving balance and unity – through features such as the combination of different materials used. Features of the earlier case studies – such as the ambiguity of form in Moores piazza are discussed in light of Zumthors design of the baths interior. Finally, the study will assess how successful Zumthors example is in uniting traditional concepts in a contemp orary space. The Roman Bath Buildings at Avon, Bath. During the first century AD the Temple of Minerva and the baths were built at Bath over a thermal spring. As part of the building process an enclosed reservoir was constructed with the point at which the water poured into the drain being open with a flight of large steps from a platform above, allowing visitors to get close to the source of the water. The opening through which the water was accessed boasted an impressive archway creating the impression of the steaming water flowing through the mouth of a cave from the centre of the earth. (Cunliffe 1971, p.26). The original entrance hall boasted three massive windows through which could be seen the sacred spring and the altar beyond. The Great Bath would originally have been covered by a masonry vaulted ceiling also with large windows in its second tier plate xxiv cunliffe. Roman glass was translucent so the baths would not have been lit as well as an open air pool. This means that there would have been no views from the windows and little sun, resulting in minimal interaction between the experience of being inside the building and the conditions outside. It appears that the lighting of the establishment took second place to the organisation of space within the interior. Aside from the Great Bath the block contained two smaller chambers – the calidarium (hot room), and tepidarium (a warm acclimatising room) (Rook 1992, p.23-4), and another smaller swimming bath now known as the Lucas bath. (Cunliffe 1971, p.45). High vaulted spaces covered the thermal waters of the Great Bath to allow the steam to rise.As Macdonald says of this style of Roman roof, the chief key to the kind of sensory reaction or emotional response evoked by these buildings was the capacity of their concave shapes to induce an impression of expanding or rising hollowness.'(1982, p.176) The perception of space inside the baths would indeed have been altered as the bather left the small heated changing rooms and entered the area of the Great Bath. The warm bubbling water, with the cooler tranquil space above would have created two contrasting, yet complementary, sensory experiences. This design meant that the activity of the water environment could be enjoyed while the eye followed the path of rising vapours, travelling upwards to the still serenity of the domed roof. Allowing the eye to travel, while bodily remaining in the same place would have been an integral part of the relaxation process. The height of the ceiling would have also added to the ambience by causing sounds to echo. White limestone surrounded the bath which would have been smooth to the touch, and excavated evidence suggests that statues and other shrine-like images decorated the interior, with a fountain in the centre. It is possible to imagine how the continually changing state of the waters would have played upon the surrounding surfaces of the decoration, appearing to produce variations in colour and texture. As Veronica Strang says in her publication on water: The mesmeric qualities of water are of particular interest in considering sensory perception and the creation of meaning. Schiffman (1996:101) notes that the eye is automatically drawn to flickering or moving stimuli, and Gell (1992) and Morphy (1991, 1992, 1994) have shown that shimmering or visually exciting patterns can stimulate affective responses in many different cultural contexts. The shimmer and brilliance of water provide visual stimuli that are quite different from those of most objects. The visual interest of inanimate objects is gleaned by the eye actively tracing the form and colour and detail. With water (†¦) the eye is presented with a luminescent image it cannot hold. Instead, it must simply absorb all of the rhythms of movement and the tiny shifts and changes. (2003, p.51). As in contemporary swimming baths it is likely that the Romans would have enjoyed sitting beside the water to watch the play of light and absorb the atmosphere. From the remains found at Bath it appears that the design included viewing areas: the bath itself lay in the centre of an aisled hall 109ft long by 67ft wide, divided into a nave and two side aisles, or ambulatories, by continuous arcades framed with pilasters and entablature like those in the entrance hall. Each ambulatory was provided with three exedrae, a central rectangular recess with semicircular ones on either side, each framed by piers supporting arches in harmony with the main arcades. (Cunliffe 1976, p.45). These recesses, placed within a symmetric plan, would have provided places for people to sit and view the baths, while the continuous arcades would have led the line of vision around the interior, with the effect of there being no beginning or end. This continuity of form in the main area reflects its function as a unifying space in two ways: one, architecturally linking the four different areas of the building, and two, providing a public space befitting of the social function of bathing itself which brought people together. To aid the concept of bathing as a social and a sacred experience certain features were designed to appeal to the human senses. The floors and walls were decorated with mosaic patterns in different colours; contrasts of colour being common in Roman architecture (Macdonald 1982, p.176), and as part of the roof structures there stood tall columns in the decorative Corinthian style. As a sacred place, dedicated to Minerva, the healer, visitors were tempted to throw offerings into the sacred water of the spring in hope of their wishes being granted. The act of parting with money or something dear is a ritual made possible by the spring being situated beneath the main entrance hall. Excavations in 1878 by Mann discovered valuable offerings including pewter ornaments, a gold earring, and a pin with a pearl attached. (Cunliffe 1976, p.28). The presence of the water source provides an enticement to the baths within, and moreover the motion of the spring beneath would have created a rich bubb ling pool easily transforming the solid masonry and concrete walls into an aesthetically pleasing yet functional space. The architecture of the baths building appears to have been entirely devoted to the ritual of bathing itself which occurred inside. As Michael Wheeler says in Roman Art and Architecture (2001):you went to the baths in great numbers to talk to and about your friends and to work off the night-before. But one thing you certainly did not do; you never glanced at the untidy complex of domes and gables outside as you entered. It was the inside of the building that mattered, with its towering wall-spaces that stretched the minds of architect and sculptor and gave a sense of well-being to patron or client. (p.16). The experience of bathing was completed in a series of stages. The bathers first entered the dressing room to change, then after being anointed with oil proceeded to the series of main bathing rooms that varied in temperature (net ref. 1). In the calidarium bathers had their bodies scraped of oil and perspiration, before entering the frigidarium (cold room), where there was a small cold pool. The bather then entered the Great Bath. The Romans had no quantitative measurements for temperature, (Rook 1992, p.13) and despite the use of the walls as heating in conjunction with under floor heating there would have been relatively little control over humidity compared to contemporary bath complexes. Walls would have been damp from capillary moisture seeping up through the porous building materials and from condensation when warmer humid air came into contact with colder surfaces. This meant that the light and heat of the bath might have varied according to how many other people were using i t at the time. Certainly, these baths were designed to look their best when full of people – when the waters were moving and the steam rising and breaking in the space above. The baths were unique in that they provided a highly esteemed environment (baths were often owned by emperors) where personal ritual could be conducted in a public space – which only the presence of the water would allow. The baths were peoples palaces, providing a cultural focus where everyone could enjoy luxury on a regal scale every day. (Rook 1992, p.20). It is not difficult to imagine the many different smells – of different scented oils, steam, and hot bodies. The baths complex was a wealth of money, leisure and sensual experience, and the different materials used in the design reflect this. In the hall of the Great Bath lead lined the pool which met with the limestone beside it. This contrast of material was continued throughout in the broken forms of mosaic pattern interspersed with bronze objects such as a bronze sluice in the north-east corner of the main bath. (Cunliffe 1976, p.45).As expected there appears to be a close relationship between the design of the baths at Avon and the sensory experience of the spring water which was both a functional and an aesthetic feature.These two aspects appear to have been integral to one another and it will be interesting to see how the relationship between architectural design and the human senses alters in the next case study where water within the glass pavilion is present purely for aesthetic reasons. The Glass Pavilion designed by Bruno Taut for the Werkbund Exhibition, 1914. This case study looks at the interplay between water, light, and the senses in the early Modern Expressionist design of Bruno Tauts glass pavilion. The construction was commissioned by poet Peter Scheerbart who dreamed of a soaring glass architecture as a freeing up of architectural design. (Crasemann Collins 1962, p.12). It was a fourteen-sided prism roofed by a dome with blue, green, and gold glass panels which reflected the sky. (Ward 2001, p.65). Inside was a seven-tiered chamber whose walls were made of glass panels lined with glass mosaic, and a circular staircase – an unreal, unearthly flight of stairs that one descends as if through sparkling water (Pehnt 1973, p.76). On the lower level there was a rotunda with a pool and water cascading down layered steps so that the travelling sound of water would have echoed up to the highest tier. Taut claimed that the structure had been designed in the spirit of a Gothic cathedral. As Kenneth Frampton (1994) says, In effect a city crown, that pyramidal form postulated by Taut as the universal paradigm of all religious building, which together with the faith it would inspire was an essential urban element for the restructuring of society. (p.116). This comment is reflected in the use of water as a symbolic unifier in two ways. Firstly as a physical presence that mirrors the refracted light from the glass panels, creating a harmonic balance between floor and ceiling and a sense of unity within the structure, and secondly as something that all living things and people need and understand as an essential part of life – an essential ingredient if you like of Tauts Utopian ideal. When standing at the top of the water cascade it was possible to see upwards through the circular space in the middle to the arching space of the upper tiers beyond. This provided a visual contrast between the fluid downward movement of water and the arching pyramidal form of the roof above. Further visual delights were to be found in the wealth of colours used in the design. The cascade of water travelled over pale yellow glass, terminating in a recess of deep violet in which pictures were projected from a kaleidoscope. (Pehnt 1973, p.76.) The pres ence of the water served to unify peoples experience of the light into one visual component. Because this construction was not designed to be a permanent structure it did not need to meet the heavy physical demands of wear and tear. Thus it is more aesthetically pleasing than the roman bath building, which in many ways was more functional.The aisled hall of the baths had a basic rectangular form surrounded by solid stone masonry which gave the building a sense of permanence. In contrast, the circular form of Tauts skeletal structure would not have stood by itself: the upper hall was domed with different coloured glass panels set into reinforced concrete ribs and relied on the stiffening effect of the panels for stability. The aesthetic function of the arched roof has not changed since the time of the Roman baths at Avon; in both structures the opening out of the roof provides space in which the mind is set free to experience the sensual delights of the interior. Yet what differs in Tauts pavilion is the temporality of the structure. The height creates a paradoxical feeling o f temporary permanence – a brief feeling that one is almost liberated from the confines of earthly structures into the realm of the sky – while the presence of the running water beneath reminds the viewer that they are still on earth. In a 1928 essay on The Aesthetics of Architecture, Bruno Taut spoke of his love for clean smoothness (quoted from Ward 2001, p.56.) This philosophy is echoed in design of the pavilion where the light which is cast down through the glass surrounds hits the lower tier and is immediately washed away and diffused by the running water. As Strang (2003, p.50) says, the most constant quality of water is that it is not constant, but is characterised by transmutability and sensitivity to changes in the environment. Thus it is possible to picture the experience of the pavilion: the senses being continually stimulated by the changeability and echo of the water, the shifting light through the glass and its reflection in the water, even the smell of the humidity – all of which are simultaneously and subtly changing according to the nature of the conditions outside. It is not hard to imagine how a glint of sun might suddenly have transformed the pavilion into a thousand glimmering pieces. F urthermore, the seven tiers allow the spectator to control their sensory experience by moving as close and as far away from the changing light patterns as they desire. Differing levels which induced different experiences was not a feature of the design in the Roman baths but a parallel can be drawn between this aspect of the pavilion and the galleried hallway of the baths where the public could view the spring beneath. In the comparison between the two case studies so far, the ritual of bathing with its associated sensory delights becomes replaced by the ritual of aesthetic and sensory appreciation alone – without the water having any practical function whatsoever. It provides an essential focal point, detracting attention away from what would otherwise be a cold empty space. As Strang (2003) says of the properties of water: Physically, it is the ultimate fluid, filling any containing shape and, equally easily, shrinking and disappearing into the earth or evaporating into the ether. It has an extraordinary ability to metamorphose rapidly into substances with oppositional qualities, that is, the highly visible, concrete solidity of ice, and the fleeting dematerialisation of steam. Each state is endlessly reversible, so that this polymorphic range is always potentially present. (p.49). It is this changeability and potential of water that enables the pavilion to function as a dynamic public, yet personal, building. The tiered levels above allow room for private contemplation in a public space. It is clear that the function of the water differs to that of the Roman baths, however, the aesthetic experience in both fulfils a maxim quoted by Walter Gropius – that art is none other than the transformation of supramundane thoughts into objects of sensory perception. (quoted from Pehnt 1973, p.35). In terms of the baths at Avon and Tauts pavilion, what could have been an ordinary mundane experience – the act of bathing, the observation of an ornamental structure, – is transformed by the design of the building in conjunction with the presence of water and its effect on the senses into something extraordinary. The circular form of the interior creates a bubble where the spectator becomes isolated from the outside world; the changing light and the movement of water creating a sense of timelessness. As Simon Urwin (2003, pp.125-6) says: every body has around it what might be called a circle of presence that contributes to its own identification of place. When a body is in relationship with others, their circles of presence affect each other. When a body is put into an enclosure or cell its circle of presence is also contained and perhaps moulded. If this is true then the sensory experience of the individual in the pavilion would be shaped by the circular presences of the tiers and the water below culminating in a rich and lasting personal experience. In the roman bath building we see a fine contrast to this experience – where the functional aspect of the water would have caused Urwins circles of presence to be broken down so that public and private space become one. Indeed Taut himself stared that he demanded no distinction between public and private buildings. (quoted from Jencks 1985, p.61). As a final point for the case of the pavilion, it is worth considering the very structure itself and the space it contains. Its function – although not practical like the baths – is to provide an intermediary place between the exposure of the outdoors and the confines of the indoors, a space out of time. The use of different coloured glass creates a fascinating interplay between light and water while creating an enclosure without the feeling of being enclosed. This brings up interesting issues relating to the boundaries of interior and exterior which will be looked at in greater detail when comparing these studies to Zumthors work later on. The next case study explores an open air piazza the design of which provides a stark contrast to Tauts pavilion. The chapter aims to identify the evolving complexity of the relationship between architectural design, water and the senses – moving on now to an example built in 1974.

Pericles Uplifting Speech -- Cultures Athens Public Speaking Soldiers

Pericles Uplifting Speech Works Cited Not Included To stand in front of thousands; to speak the words aimed at persuading a crowd; to believe, and have them as well, a seemingly just cause - this is what a leader must do. Every era has its trouble, its own conflict, and along with it, its own leader who will do what he can to unite his followers. In 431 BC, Athens was in the midst of a war, and from that war came a speech, said by Pericles, that to this day, remains the model for any leader seeking to persuade his citizens and have them believe and act in favor of their land. Throughout United States' history, various leaders have used the format of his speech in efforts to reach their citizens. Many of the values and personal responsibilities that Pericles spoke of remain important in today's American society. Pericles stood in front of hundreds of Athenians the day he made his speech. He initially felt he was not worthy, that "the worth which had displayed itself in deeds would be sufficiently rewarded by honors also by deeds" (28). However, he spoke that day, discussing first the nation's ancestors, paying homage to the forefather's of Athens. Pericles then moved on to speak of the fallen soldiers of the Peloponnesian War. He paid tribute to them, proclaiming their deaths were both purposeful and appreciated by Athens. Pericles finished by discussing the duties a citizen has to his land. This is the general outline of the "Funeral Speech." "I shall begin with our ancestors: it is both just and proper that they have the honor of the first mention on an occasion like the present" (28). Pericles gave the founding fathers of Athens the honor of being mentioned before all in his speech. He spoke of Athens' fa... ...to motivate his people to take an active role in society. Many of the thoughts and ideas stated in this piece have been used by other leaders throughout the world to stimulate interest within their societies as well. The Ancient Greek society, which Pericles was a part of, has had a large impact in the development of the United States. America's values are very similar to that of the Ancient Greece. They believe that freedom is an essential part of society and that the military can be a proper way to enforce this freedom. However, due to advancements within daily life, Americans are less politically active. Pericles would refer to these Americans as "useless," they obviously would not be rewarded in his society. Despite some differences, many of the values and personal responsibilities possessed in Ancient Greek society are similar to those in the US today.

Pakistan: Recent Economic Developments and Future Prospects

Most of the news emanating about Pakistan in the Western media relate to terrorism, bomb blasts, Islamic fundamentalism, nuclear non proliferation, military rule etc. Seldom does one see a positive story appearing about Pakistan’s remarkable economic turnaround. But the fact of the matter is that despite such negative image Pakistan is one of the favored destinations for foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment flows have surged by 95 percent during July – February 2007 and are expected to touch $ 5 billion or 3. percent of GDP – several times higher than FDI flows to our large neighbor in relative terms.Pakistan’s international bond issues and equity floatations through GDRs have been consistently oversubscribed and are priced at fine margins. Standard Chartered Bank has made acquisition of a domestic private bank for around half a billion dollars. China Mobile – the largest mobile company in terms of subscriber base – has bought out majority shareholding in one of the local cellular phone companies for over $ 400 millions.Philip and Morris has entered into an agreement to purchase 50. 2 percent shares of the second largest Cigarettes Manufacturing Company of Pakistan for US 339 million. A number of other similar mergers and acquisitions are in the pipeline. 2. What is that inspite of such adverse publicity, perceived security risk and travel advisories the global investors, fund managers and international financial institutions from the United States, Europe, East Asia and Middle East all look upon Pakistan favorably and show such tremendous amount of confidence in the economy.Sophisticated investors from all over the world are willing to purchase billion of dollars of sovereign paper issued by Pakistan for 30 year duration. There must be something right the country ought to be doing which fails to reach the radar screen of the popular and highly influential western media. 3. As an international developmen t economist I can venture a number of reasons for this apparently highly paradoxical situation. First of all, Pakistan is a country of 160 million people which is growing at an average growth rate of 6-7 percent for the last five years.Thirty million Pakistanis earning $ 10,000 – $ 15,000 (PPP terms) constitute a large and solid market for purchase of goods and services of all kinds. There are very few markets except China, India and Indonesia that are underpinned by the size and scale that the fast growing Pakistani middle class offers. Projections show that if the current growth A paper presented at the IPRI-RUSI Conference on â€Å"Pakistan: Strategic Challenges & Prospects† At Royal United Service Institute London on April, 17 2007 ates are attained for the next ten years, Pakistan’s per capita income will double in real terms by 2020. At that time the size of the middle class will rise to 50 million enjoying purchasing power incomes of average $ 30,000 â₠¬â€œ equivalent to those of some of the European countries today. Goldman Sachs has placed Pakistan in the next eleven category of largest economies among developing countries for its long term projection. The requirements of energy, infrastructure, goods and services of these 50 million will have to be met at world class standards.Multinational firms and holders of capital with excess liquidity, eyeing these prospects in emerging countries and feeling saturation in advanced economies, are rethinking their strategies and repositioning themselves. Pakistan along with other Asian countries is one of the beneficiaries of this strategy. The changing demographics of a youthful population and labor force in Pakistan staring against the stark reality of ageing population in Europe, Japan, and US and after a while China reinforce these promising prospects for the future.Of course, none of this will be either automatic or easy and good policies, good governance and good luck will be needed t o realize this scenario. 4. Second, the economic performance in terms of macroeconomic stability, growth, poverty reduction and employment generation has been stellar. Economic growth rates have risen from 1. 8 percent in 2000/01 gradually to average 6 -7 percent a year in the last four years making Pakistan one of the fastest growing economy in the Asia region. For Pakistan these rates are not spectacular but a reversion to mean.The average growth rate of GDP ver 50 year period of Pakistan has been 5. 2 percent per annum. Manufacturing sector output growth was over 15 percent, exports have doubled in US dollar terms in these five years, and an open trade regime has allowed imports from all over the world to triple. Tax revenues have risen by 14 percent a year reducing fiscal deficit which used to average 7 percent a year in the 1990s to average 4 percent. Current account turned around from chronic deficit to a surplus for three successive years mainly due to renewed export growth a nd resurgence of workers’ remittances.Although it has become negative since 2005/06 due to phenomenonal growth in imports of machinery and equipment and increase in world oil prices it is being fully financed by foreign capital flows. Inflation rate during the first four years of the current government remained below 4 percent but oil price pass through and food shortages have led to 8 percent on average since 2004-05. External debt burden has been halved from 52% to 26% of GDP and is projected to be on a declining path.The country’s capacity to service its debt has considerably improved as debt servicing ratio which used to preempt almost 60 percent of public revenues is now down to 28 percent. Poverty incidence has fallen from 34 percent to 24 percent and unemployment rate is down to 6. 5 percent from 8. 4 percent. These movements are in the right direction but they are not acceptable as one in every fourth Pakistani is still living below the poverty line. Table-I su mmarizes the changes in the key economic indicators between October 1999 and June 2006. 5.Third, the basic premise of policy reform agenda was that macroeconomic stability will remain short lived if it was not accompanied by structural reforms to remove microeconomic distortions and by bringing about improvement in economic governance. Pakistan has successfully implemented the first generation of structural reforms that have made the economy more efficient and resilient to face unanticipated exogenous shocks. The main thrust of these reforms was to allow greater freedom to the private sector to own, produce, distribute and trade goods and services while gradually withdrawing the public sector from this arena.The promotion of public private partnership in large infrastructure projects as a policy initiative is likely to overcome some of the problems that are inherent in private infrastructure projects at the same time easing the financing constraints faced by the public sector. The r ole of the state in Pakistan has been redefined as a facilitator, enabler, protecter and regulator rather than directly managing and presiding over the commanding heights of the economy. Government intervention is justified for social protection of the poor, provision of public goods or when there is a clear case of market failure i. externalities, imperfect market structure etc.6. Fourth, Pakistan occupies a key strategic location that links India with Iran, Afghanistan and the Central Asian States, provides access to sea for land locked countries of Central Asia, Afghanistan and Western China, acts as the energy and transit corridor and opens up to the oil rich Gulf States next door. This strategic location alongwith the completed and new investments in ports, highways, pipelines, etc. will throw up vast new opportunities that can be highly attractive.Risk-return relationship in these projects is highly favorable and a number of foreign firms are keen to take the first mover advan tage by locating their investment particularly in Gawadar port area. 7. Leaving aside the current situation that I have described I would like to address two important questions this afternoon that agitate the minds of all potential investors and businessmen – domestic or foreign in respect to Pakistan. First whether the stability and growth that have so far been achieved will prove to be transitory in nature or will be sustained over time.Second, a question that has attracted a lot of attention is whether the September 11,2001 events have much to do with the economic turn around of Pakistan or whether the changes are more fundamental. To examine these two questions we have to look at the strength of economic policies, depth of structural reforms and the quality of economic governance. Before addressing these two questions let me make two broader points to set the context for our subsequent discussion. SUSTAINABILITY OF GROWTH .It should be reiterated that widespread economic reforms in Pakistan were initiated in 1991 by the Nawaz Sharif Government, continued under the Benazir Bhutto Government and further intensified and implemented under the Musharraf Government. Thus there should be no doubt in any body’s mind that the major direction of economic policies being pursued in Pakistan presently enjoys wide political consensus and support among all the leading political parties of Pakistan.The underlying philosophy that the Government should not be in the business of running businesses but regulating the markets and laying down the enabling policy framework has been demonstrably practised by all the successive governments in the past. Deregulation, liberalization, privatization and private sector – led development have been consistently followed for the last 16 years, and there is very little doubt in my mind, that these will remain the pillars of future economic policy in Pakistan irrespective of which political party assumes power.Of cours e, there will be differences in approaches, tactics and nuances, episodes of point scoring, distancing from the specific transactions of the previous governments, coming up with new modalities but the substance and thrust of economic policies will remain the same and transcend partisan politics. 9. The second important point that should be kept in mind is that Pakistan has a long, uninterrupted history of an open, non-discriminatory and liberal foreign investment regime. The Government of Mr. Z. A.Bhutto in early 1970s nationalized domestic manufacturing industry, banks and insurance companies but did not touch foreign investment. Not only that the risks of expropriation and transfer are almost zero the level playing field that is afforded to foreign investors is unparalleled in developing world. This is a deliberate policy measure as Pakistan is squeezed between two economic giants – China and India – and we cannot afford to keep the same bar on the entry of foreign i nvestors as our great neighbors have placed.We have to be much more accommodating and keep the door wide open to allow foreign investors to help our economy by bringing in capital, managerial skills, transfer of technology and integration into global markets. This policy of liberal foreign investment regime is solidly grounded in the political ethos and economic imperatives of Pakistan. 10. Now let me take up as to how a combination of strong economic policies, structural reforms economic governance and good luck has changed the economic landscape of Pakistan in many fundamental ways. Strength of economic policies 11.The bane of Pakistan’s economic problems stemmed from fiscal indiscipline over a decade that plunged Pakistan into a debt trap. This root cause had therefore to be surgically removed so that the likelihood of its further recurrence in the future is minimized A Fiscal Responsibility Law has been approved by the Parliament, which keeps a lid on the future governmen ts’ propensity to borrow their way out. Debt / GDP ratio has to be reduced by 2. 5 percentage points each year and the Debt/ GDP ratio cannot exceed 60 percent. Any deviation has to be explained to the Parliament and need its approval.This law will hopefully act as a major restraint on fiscal recklessness in the future. 12. Monetary policy is now operated by an independent central bank keeping the objective of price stability, financial stability and growth in mind. Although it involves a fine balancing act and inflationary pressures have surfaced during the last two years the Central Bank is committed to pursue a monetary policy that keeps inflation under control. Indirect market- based policy instruments have replaced credit ceilings, caps on deposit and lending rates, preferential treatment to government and directed credit to priority sectors.Interest rates and exchange rates are market determined and credit allocation decisions are made by the individual banks based on o bjective criteria but guided by prudential regulations. 13. External debt management policy was focused on (a) reprofiling of the stock of official bilateral debt, (b) substituting concessional loans for non-concessional from international financial institutions, (c) pre-paying expensive loans and (d) liquidating short term liabilities.Debt ratio has thus been reduced from 100 percent of GDP to 56 percent in five years time. This restructuring of debt has put Pakistan on a firm footing as the debt and debt servicing ratios are on a declining path. This has provided scope and enlarged the capacity of the country to meet all its future foreign exchange liabilities and obligations without much difficulty. Credit worthiness indicators have all improved and Pakistan is no longer that vulnerable to external shocks as it was in 1998 at the time of the nuclear tests. 14.Trade policy in Pakistan has been categorized by the World Bank as one of the least restrictive in South Asia along with S ri Lanka and this policy has gradually provided incentives to exporters to increase their market share in the global markets. Exchange rate policy is pursued to maintain stability in the foreign exchange markets while at the same time keeping the competitiveness of Pakistani exports intact. Large accumulation of foreign reserves played an important role in stabilizing the exchange rate and cushioning the economy from the adverse and abrupt exogenous disturbances.One of the tests that the country successfully met in the last two years was to absorb the oil price hike from $ 25/ barrel to $ 75/ barrel without any serious dislocation of economic activity or any loss of foreign reserves. Five years ago if this escalation had happened the exchange rate would have tumbled and inflation rate would have hit double digits. 15. Pakistan has also made significant efforts in unilaterally liberalizing its trade regime since the 1990s. The maximum tariff rate has declined from 225 percent in 1990 -1 to 25 percent; the average tariff rate stands at just 9 percent compared to 65 percent a decade ago.The number of duty slabs has also been reduced to four. Quantitative import restrictions have been eliminated except those relating to security, health, public morals, religious and cultural concerns. The statutory orders that exempted certain industries from import duties or provided selective concessions to privileged individual firms have been phased out and import duties on 4,000 items were reduced. Protection to domestic industry is no longer a policy objective and a uniform, across – the board, transparent regulatory regime with level playing field has been put in place.These measures have brought down effective rate of protection, eliminated the anti-export bias and promoted competitive and efficient industries. A number of laws have also been promulgated to bring the trade regime in conformity with World Trade Organization regulations. These include anti-dumping and countervailing measures and protection of intellectual property rights. This unilateral opening up to global trade has benefited the domestic firms in improving their efficiency and making themselves competitive.STRUCTURAL REFORMS 16. It was realized by the policy makers that stability will remain elusive and short lived if it was not accompanied by structural reforms to remove micro economic distortions and by bringing about improvement in economic governance. Concurrently with the debt restructuring, the country embarked on the fiscal policy reforms and consolidation by raising tax revenues, reducing expenditures, cutting down subsidies of all kinds and containing the losses of public enterprises.Tax reforms were undertaken to widen tax base, remove direct contact between tax payers and tax collectors, introduce value-added tax as the major source of revenue, simplify tax administration and strengthen the capacity of the Central Board of Revenue. Although these reforms are still u nderway, the adoption of universal self assessment followed by random audit of selected tax returns, automation and reorganization of the tax machinery have begun to help improve tax collection.Tax-GDP ratio in Pakistan is lower in comparison to other developing countries and has to be raised in the next five years to reach the average level of comparator countries. 17. As one of the sources of fiscal problems was the losses and inefficiencies of public enterprises the Musharraf Government actively pursued an aggressive privatization plan whose thrust was sale of assets in the oil and gas industry as well as in the banking, telecommunications and energy sectors, to strategic investors, with foreign investors encouraged to participate in the privatization process.Pakistan’s record on privatization since 1991 has been impressive but the transactions completed in the last few years have yielded $ 3 billion stopping the hemorrhaging of public finances that were used to underwrite the losses of these enterprises. These privatized banks are now contributing substantial sums to the national exchequer as they have all become profitable. 18. As Pakistan would continue to rely on foreign capital flows for augmenting its domestic savings it had to demonstrate its seriousness in encouraging foreign investment.There has been a major and perceptible liberalization of the foreign exchange regime. Foreign investors can set up their business in Pakistan in any sector of the economy – agriculture, manufacturing real estate, retail trade, services, banking etc. , bring in and take back their capital, remit profits, dividends, royalties and fees etc. , without any prior approvals. Foreign companies are allowed to raise funds from domestic banks and capital markets.They are treated equally with national firms in all respects and can bring in expatriate staff to run their businesses. 19. Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) can also enter and exit the market freely witho ut any restrictions or prior approvals. In the Karachi Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of US$50 billion and over 650 listed companies corporate earnings were on average in 20-25 percent range much higher than those in most emerging countries. This makes Pakistan an attractive place to invest for foreign portfolio investors too.As part of this liberalization, non-residents and residents are allowed to maintain and operate foreign currency deposit accounts, and a market-based exchange rate in the inter-bank market is at work. 20. Financial sector reforms in Pakistan were also initiated early in the 1990s when new banking licenses were granted to private domestic banks to set up their shops along with the nationalized commercial banks and foreign banks. Although these reforms were implemented with fits and start, they were accelerated since 1997.The Central Bank was granted autonomy and the control of the Ministry of Finance over banking institutions was diluted. More deep rooted reforms were undertaken since 1999 when net non-performing loans of the banking system were brought down to less than 3 percent of total advances and loans, minimum capital requirements were raised to $100 million, the quality of new loans was improved, mergers and consolidation of financial institutions eliminated a number of weaker players and the range of products and services offered by the banks was widened.But the most crucial policy action taken by the Government, in my view, was the privatization of Habib Bank, United Bank, and Allied Bank – three large nationalized commercial banks of the country. As a result of these reforms, the share of the private sector ownership of the banking assets has risen to 80 percent and the banking sector is facing a healthy but strong competitive environment. The banks are highly profitable and the average lending rates have declined considerably as automation, on-line banking and multiple channels of delivery have improved the efficiency of services in response to market competition.1. Agriculture credit, SME financing, consumer loans and microcredit have become mainstream products of the banking industry and the borrower base of the banking system has multiplied from 1 million to 4 million households. The middle and lower middle class which had been completely shut off from access to banking services are now enjoying car loans, mortgages, credit cards, consumer durables. Small farmers are using bank credit for buying chemical fertilizers, certified seeds, insecticides, small implements and hiring tractor services.Small and medium entrepreneurs are expanding their fabrication and manufacturing capacities and upgrading technology. Landless labor and poor women in the rural areas are receiving loans for poultry, small livestock, sewing machines, etc. The main beneficiaries of these reforms are the customers of financial services although it must be recognized that market determined deposit rates have also d eclined significantly. But as the lending rates are surging upwards, deposit rates are also going to depict an upward movement with time lag.The outreach of banking sector is still very sparse outside the urban areas and has to be extended to cover at least 50 percent of rural households if any meaningful results are to be achieved in poverty reduction and urban – rural income inequalities. 22. Deregulation of oil and gas, telecommunication and civil aviation sectors have also brought about significant positive results. Oil and gas exploration activity has stepped up in recent years and constant discovery and production from new gas fields operated by private sector companies have added new capacity to meet the growing energy needs of the country.Independent power producers – both domestic and foreign private companies – have played a critical role in filling in electricity generation requirements of Pakistan since 1996. Telecommunication has witnessed a boom si nce the private sector companies were allowed licenses to operate cellular phones. One million new cellular phone connections are being added every month and the number of phones has already reached about 50 million or a penetration rate of almost 33 percent.Long distance international and local loop monopoly of Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation has been broken and new licenses including for wireless local loop have been issued. The customers are reaping rich dividends as the prices of phone calls – local, long distance, international – are currently only a fraction of the previous rates. One of the advantages of privatization of the state monopoly, i. e. , the PTCL would be felt in form of higher bandwidth penetration that has lagged behind other Asian countries. Economic Governance 23.The most significant shift introduced by the military government is in promoting good economic governance although we have still a long way to go. The reforms in some of the most important federal institutions – the Central Board of Revenue (CBR), Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Pakistan Railways – initiated some years ago – are already beginning to take some hold and making a difference as far as governance is concerned. Discretionary powers have been significantly curtailed but corruption at lower echelons of the Government is still widely rampant.Freedom of press and access to information has had a salutary effect on the behaviour of decision makers but this has not trickled down to the lower bureaucracy yet where implementation of the policies takes place. The post 2003 period has witnessed some decline in the Transparency International ratings of Pakistan compared to the 1999-2002 period. 24. The cornerstone of the governance agenda is the devolution plan which transfers powers and responsibilities, including those related to social services from the federal and provincial governments to local levels.This plan was put into effect in 2001. The main premise of the devolution plan is the belief that development effort at the local level should be driven by priorities set by elected local representatives, as opposed to bureaucrats sitting in provincial and federal capitals. Devolution of power will thus strengthen governance by increasing decentralization, de-concentration, accountability and people's participation in their local affairs. However, in the meanwhile the transition has created its own set of dislocations and disruptions in the delivery of services that need to be addressed. 25.Other essential ingredients for improving economic governance are the separation of policy and regulatory functions which were earlier combined within the ministry. Regulatory agencies have been set up for economic activities such as banking, finance, aviation, telecommunications, power, oil, gas etc. The regulatory structures are now independent of the ministry and enjoy quasijud icial powers. The Chairman and Board members enjoy security of tenure and cannot be arbitrarily removed. They are not answerable to any executive authority and hold public hearings and consultations with stakeholders. 6. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been functioning quite effectively for the last five years as the main anti-corruption agency. A large number of high government officials, politicians and businessmen were sentenced to prison, subjected to heavy fines and disqualified from holding public office for twenty-one years on charges of corruption after conviction in the courts of law. Major loan and tax defaulters were also investigated, prosecuted and forced to repay their overdue loans and taxes. 27.Civil service reforms aimed at improving recruitment, training, performance management, career progression, right sizing of ministries and attached departments, and improving compensation for government employees are part of the second generation reforms of the go vernment for building strong institutions in the country. Proposals have been developed to depoliticize recruitment, promotions and career development, enhance the independence and responsibilities of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) and systematically introduce merit based recruitment and promotions.The Civil Service Act has to be amended to reflect performance based career progression enabling the government to reward efficient and competent civil servants. The public sector educational training infrastructure is also being restructured to strengthen skill based training of civil servants at all levels. These are highly demanding reforms and a consensus has to be built among the stakeholders before they can be accepted and implemented. 28. Reforms in access to justice, under implementation since 2001 will deal with delays in the provision of justice, case management, automation, and court formation systems.In addition, human resources, management information systems an d the infrastructure supporting judicial system are being revamped and upgraded. Small Causes Courts have been established to provide relief to the poor who have small claims. Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanisms have proved to be successful in bringing expeditious disposal of commercial and tax disputes and are being replicated for wider application. IMPACT OF SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS. 29.A large number of observers and casual empiricists both within and outside Pakistan have been making bold but untested assertion that it is the massive aid flows and debt relief resulting from Pakistan’s participation in the war against terror after September 11, 2001 that has been responsible for the large reserve accumulation and economic turnaround. It is true that September 11 did help in diverting workers’ remittances from open market to inter bank, in providing some debt relief and new loans and grants, in removing official sanctions, but there were also huge costs incurred by Pa kistan.Export orders of more than $1 billion were cancelled. Visits by foreign buyers were suspended and are still avoided due to travel advisory, higher war risk premium was charged on freight and insurance premiums were raised. 30. The data presented in Table-II shows that even if we assume the extreme case that all official transfers, debt relief and all foreign loans/ credits represent the â€Å"gift† of September 11 to Pakistan, this combined amount represents only 8. 5% of total Foreign Exchange Earnings of the Country in FY-06.At its peak in FY-02, this amount was 21. 6%. But this entire amount is not a direct fall out of September 11 because Pakistan has been receiving foreign loans and grants every year since the 1950s. For example, in FY-00 and FY-01, the two years prior to September 11, we received 16 per cent and 19. 9% of Foreign Exchange Earnings in form of foreign loans and grants. The country had a positive overall balance and positive current and capital acco unt balances in FY 2000-01 much before September 11, 2001 occurred.Even in FY 1999-00 the deficit on overall balance was quite small less than 1% of GDP. Pakistan’s reserves had started accumulating in FY 2000-01 and SBP’s own reserves had almost doubled after paying off foreign currency deposits of almost $1. 7 billion to the non-resident and institutional holders and $. 2. 8 billion in debt servicing to external creditors. Thus, this perception that every thing good that has happened to the country is a direct consequence of September 11 is not only incorrect but highly exaggerated for the reasons described below. 1. It should be recognized that any external financial relief such as provided in the aftermath of Sept 11 would dissipate quickly and thus remain temporary and transitory in nature until it is accompanied by fundamental structural reforms that clean up the economic landscape, unshackle the entrepreneurial energies of private economic actors, lay the founda tions for competitive markets under the vigilant eyes of regulators and expand the productive and foreign exchange earning capacity of the country.As pointed out earlier unless the reforms of financial sector, liberalization of trade and tariff regime, improvement in tax policy and administration, deregulation of oil and gas and telecom sectors and privatization of state owned enterprises were put in place it would not have been possible to take advantage of the situation offered by Sept. 11 for its contribution to the dynamism of the economy and sustained growth during the last four years. 32.The data presented in Table-II clearly demonstrates that Pakistan’s foreign exchange earning capacity has expanded from $ 15 billion annually to $ 40 billion during the last six years or 33% GDP from 20% of GDP. Contrary to popular perception, it is the Pakistani businesses and nationals working abroad who provide the bulk of the foreign exchange earnings of the country. It is totally f allacious to argue that if the foreigners particularly Americans withdraw their financial assistance then the country will be in dire trouble.Less than $ 3. 5 billion are received through all types of foreign assistance while about $ 30 billion are generated by Pakistani businesses and nationals and the remaining amount accrues from foreign direct investment, privatization and international markets. If this pattern of foreign exchange earnings persist in the future the relative share of foreign assistance in form of grants or loans from United States, other friendly bilaterals and multilaterals will continue to decline and will become insignificant in the next 5-10 years. 3. In order to further evaluate the veracity of the assertions of the theory of dependence of our economy on the US, four key indicators are selected (a) US assistance as percent of Pakistan’s total budgetary expenditure (b) US assistance as percent of Pakistan’s total foreign exchange receipts (c) US assistance as percent of total current account receipts of Pakistan and (d) US assistance as percent of total value of imports of Pakistan.These indicators have been carefully chosen to see as to how much damage will accrue to our balance of payments and fiscal accounts if the US for one reason or the other abruptly decides to withdraw its assistance of all types. 34. The results of this analysis shown in Table III indicate that even under the worst case scenario of zero aid flows and no reimbursements for logistics services rendered to the US troops the diminution in foreign exchange receipts or budgetary resources would be insignificant – varying between 4. 5% of total foreign exchange receipts to 7. % of total budgetary expenditures. The other two indicators i. e. the proportions of total value of imports and current account receipts financed by U. S. assistance account for 6. 4 % and 5. 8% respectively – not worrisome amounts. 35. There is no doubt that the Govern ment of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan do very much appreciate the financial and moral support demonstrated by the U. S Government at the critical moment of Pakistan’s economy. Several other collateral benefits accrued to the economy as a result of the U.S bilateral debt forgiveness, strict scruntiny of remittances through informal channels, the US EXIM Bank and OPIC’s highly positive initiatives towards Pakistan and the withdrawl of all different types of economic sanctions. U. S Administration played a helpful role in ensuring larger volume of concessional assistance to Pakistan through the IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The prompt and generous response to the Earthquake of October 2005 by the U. S Government, private sector and on-governmental organizations left a very favorable impressions in the minds of Pakistanis. 36. US is an important trading and investment partner of Pakistan and we should continue to remain friends with this superpower. The purpose of this analysis is not to show that we care little for our friendly relations or do not cherish friendship with the Government or the people of the United States. As a matter of fact we should expand our relations with the United States in the areas of higher education, science and technology transfer, trade, investment and labor flows.We should also seek duty free market access for the products exported from the Reconstruction opportunity Zones (ROZs) in the Tribal areas as part of our joint strategy to provide economic benefits to the 3 million population living on the porous border with Afghanistan. But the main argument of this analysis is that the pundits in the US who believe that they can use the leverage of US official aid to paralyze Pakistan’s economy are sadly mistaken as they have an exaggerated sense of the importance of these official flows.Any attempt to impose conditions that impinge upon the sovereignty of Pakistan or conflict with our own national interests can be resisted without creating a serious dislocation to our macro economic stability or growth prospects. 37. Despite these reforms, Pakistan is facing many difficult challenges and will continue to face new unforeseen challenges. There is no room for complacency. One fourth of the population still lives below the poverty line.Human Development Indicators remain low as almost half of the population is illiterate, infant and maternal mortality rates are high, access to quality education and health care particularly by the poor is limited, income and regional inequalities are widespread, infrastructure shortages and deficiencies persist, skill shortages are taking a toll in the economy's productivity while at the same time, there is high unemployment and underemployment. Most worrying to me is that Pakistan's image abroad is quite negative.Foreigners are reluctant to visit Pakistan as they perceive the country to be a dangerous place. The worldwide preoccupation with the l arge economies of China and India and the ever-increasing quest to enter these markets is also working to the disadvantage of countries such as Pakistan. But the lesson we have learned is that there is no point in complaining and whining about this but to get on with the job, to work even harder, to overcome these deficiencies and constraints and to hope for the best.

Free Essays on How To Be Saved

Romans 3:23-24 in the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible tells us that â€Å"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.† We are all sinners, and we all need justification. The Bible tells us this in many places, and most people believe that there is a right and a wrong. Therefore, if there is a right and a wrong, there must be a way to make the wrongs right again. Jesus provided the way to do this by dying on a cross. John 3:16 says, â€Å"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.† (NIV) So, one must believe, accept, and next, spend time with God. The most important part of the plan is probably the most simple. It requires only one thing, and that is to ask. â€Å"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Joel 2:32). After asking, one should make a public declaration that they want to be saved, and follow the Lord. Baptism is what Jesus did, and he set an example for us to follow. Paul tells us in Acts 22:16, â€Å"And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.† The salvation plan is simple. It is clear, precise, and possible for most any to understand. Believe in God, repent, ask, and declare. There really isn’t anything that is difficult to understand, but yet it is hard for me to comprehend. Not the how, but why Jesus would do this for us. We killed him by nailing his hand to a tree. That has to hurt very badly. I don’t understand why someone would do this for me, and for the people that actually pierced his skin. We humans are terrible, and I would find if incredibly hard to die for anyone on this earth, but yet God died for the most terrible of people. I recently had an experience that helped me understand the whole salvation plan a... Free Essays on How To Be Saved Free Essays on How To Be Saved Romans 3:23-24 in the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible tells us that â€Å"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.† We are all sinners, and we all need justification. The Bible tells us this in many places, and most people believe that there is a right and a wrong. Therefore, if there is a right and a wrong, there must be a way to make the wrongs right again. Jesus provided the way to do this by dying on a cross. John 3:16 says, â€Å"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.† (NIV) So, one must believe, accept, and next, spend time with God. The most important part of the plan is probably the most simple. It requires only one thing, and that is to ask. â€Å"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Joel 2:32). After asking, one should make a public declaration that they want to be saved, and follow the Lord. Baptism is what Jesus did, and he set an example for us to follow. Paul tells us in Acts 22:16, â€Å"And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.† The salvation plan is simple. It is clear, precise, and possible for most any to understand. Believe in God, repent, ask, and declare. There really isn’t anything that is difficult to understand, but yet it is hard for me to comprehend. Not the how, but why Jesus would do this for us. We killed him by nailing his hand to a tree. That has to hurt very badly. I don’t understand why someone would do this for me, and for the people that actually pierced his skin. We humans are terrible, and I would find if incredibly hard to die for anyone on this earth, but yet God died for the most terrible of people. I recently had an experience that helped me understand the whole salvation plan a...

Political Issues essays

Political Issues essays Actions that stem directly from political issues can almost always be critiqued and criticized by the general public. However, one might come to contemplate about what might such notorious philosophers, such as Machiavelli, Locke, and Hobbes, say about a political movement such as a protest against war. The minds of these great thinkers varied in distinctive ways however their thoughts conveyed or at least had similar focal points. What will be analyzed and deduced from their writings is what each philosopher would probably comment about a protest held against a war with Iraq. However, what must be noted are the origins of the war and the many possible reasons in which the protest is being held. This is very essential because the opinions of these philosophers will sway greatly if the motives of the war differ from what the U.S government claims. The first assumption that must be made is that the reasons for going to war would be to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. The reason being security for themselves as well as other countries in which Iraq could possibly harm. A second assumption would be in order to gain control over oil, a natural resource, that is held in Iraq. The third and last noted reason would be to save and free the people of Iraq from the brutal force of the government that are taking away their natural human rights. One must also assume that the alternative from going to war would be peaceful negotiation. The following arguments will be made assuming that the protests are being held against the United States from going to war with Iraq for the acknowledged reasons. The first argument made will be assuming that the protests are against the United States going to war with Iraq in order to disarm them from weapons of mass destruction in order to protect the U.S as well as other countries. The protests are held in order to avoid death that will occur in the chance of war as well as the possibi...

French Pronunciation of Vowels (Voyelles Française)

French Pronunciation of Vowels (Voyelles Franà §aise) A vowel is a sound that is pronounced through the mouth (and, in the case of nasal vowels, the nose) with no obstruction of the lips, tongue, or throat. There are a few general guidelines to keep in mind when pronouncing French vowels: Most French vowels are pronounced further forward in the mouth than their English counterparts.The tongue must remain tensed throughout the pronunciation of the vowel.French vowels do not diphthong. In English, vowels tend to be followed by a y sound (after a, e, or i) or a w sound (after o or u). In French, this is not the case - the vowel sound remains constant: it does not change into a y or w sound. Thus the French vowel is a purer sound than the English vowel. Hard and Soft Vowels A, O, and U are sometimes called hard vowels and E and I are soft vowels, because certain consonants (C, G, S) have a hard and a soft pronunciation, depending on which vowel follows. Nasal Vowels Vowels followed by M or N are usually nasal. Nasal pronunciation can be very different from the normal pronunciation of each vowel. Accents Accents may change the pronunciation of vowels. They are required in French.

Diagram Common Financial Statements Research Paper

Diagram Common Financial Statements - Research Paper Example Organizing financial statements this way lessens the bias that can arise when analyzing companies of different sizes. It also permits for the analysis of a firm over various times, revealing, for instance, what percentage of the sales is the cost of goods sold and how that particular value has changed with time. For example, a common-size balance sheet will report all of the balance sheet amounts as a percentage of the "Total Assets" amount. If Cash was $80,000 and Total Assets were $1,000,000 then Cash will appear as 8% and Total Assets will appear as 100%. If the Current Assets were to be $3,500,000 they will seem to be 35%. If Current Liabilities were given as $1,800,000 then on the common-size statement show it as 18%. By having all of the balance sheet amounts as a percentage of Total Assets, you can compare your company's current asset percentage (and all other line items) to your industry's percentage or to any other company's percentages. It will not matter if the other firm was smaller or larger than your company, since all totals are in percentages of theTotal Assets. This brings the name "common-size." A common-size income statement will display all of the income statement sums as a percentage of net sales. ... Horizontal analysis is a process in fundamental analysis whereby an analyst associates line items or ratios in a company's fiscal statements over a given period of time. In this process, the analyst will use his preference when selecting a particular timeline; nevertheless, the choice is often centered on the investing time horizon under deliberation. In this scenario, when revenues increase by let’s say 10 percent this quarter, horizontal analysis must have been used. Horizontal analysis can be employed in any item that is in the company’s fiscals. This analysis is crucial in relating the performances of several companies (Bragg, 2007). Horizontal analysis is also used when converting the balance sheets and the available income statements the desired change statements. Horizontal analysis bears a resemblance to vertical analysis in the sense that it also converts financial statements balances into percentages. However, instead of computing financial statement amounts i nto percentages of the total assets, or gross sales, it converts the percentage changing income stamen balances and balance sheet numbers from a given period to the next one (Albrecht, 2009). Horizontal analysis can be carried out on ratios such as price earnings ratio, earning per share, dividend payout among others. This analysis can be performed in one of the below methods, that is, Percentage Comparison and Absolute Comparison. Absolute Comparison involves performing horizontal analysis in making comparisons in the the absolute currency aggregates of some pieces over the given period of time. For instance, cash in hand at the closure of an accounting period

Leadership and Managed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Leadership and Managed - Essay Example Leadership is the ability to provide vision to the organization where as management is the ability to put that vision into practice thus managerial roles follow leadership and do not take precedence. The earlier literature on leadership suggested that leadership is a process which emerge out of the in-born capabilities of the leaders thus it was concluded that the leaders are born and cannot be developed however later research suggested otherwise and put forward different theories of leadership which attempted to define it in different contexts as compared to the old school of thought on the leadership. The subsequent theories put forward an entirely different interpretation of the leadership and recent thoughts on leadership seems to have borrowed much from the leadership concepts of Religion such as Christianity and Buddhism as the leaders are now considered as servants and not someone with the absolute authority of punishing and rewarding the employees. Leadership is one of the most important management concepts which have much different significance to the overall success of the business. It has always been argued that the success and failure of an organization largely depend upon the effectiveness of the leadership. The better the leadership is, the more successful the organization may be. Leadership is now considered as one of the most contempora... and emergence of leadership and in this regard various theories have also been put forward which attempted to define what leadership is and how it emerges. Based on these theories and processes, there emerged different leadership styles suited to different organizations at different time and the process continue to evolve as literature on organizational leadership has greatly improved in terms of its orientation as well as scope as the subsequent studies have defined leadership from multiple perspectives and from a larger view of the different organizational frameworks. This literature review will undertake a detailed overview of the concepts of management as well as leadership and how both differentiate from each other and how they corroborate with each other in order to achieve success for the organization. What is leadership There is an ambiguity surrounding what we perceive as leadership and this factor also lead us to difficulties in teaching leadership also.(Barker,1997). Leadership is considered as a revitalizing and energizing force that is critical to the success of the organization.(Frank, Gertz & Porter, 1996). Thus leadership is something upon which the success and failure of the organization is largely dependent. However, what actually leadership is and how it emerges is still an undecided question as many research studies have attempted to define leadership from different perspectives. Peter Druker defined leadership as something which has followers whereas John C Maxwell defined it as nothing but sheer influence. (Thorson, 2005). Leadership can also be defined as "Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this

The Psychology of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Psychology of Marketing - Essay Example This might not have been possible without the existence of those valuable possessions. This approach depicts a unique psychology of the consumers, which would be discussed in details in this essay. This trait or characteristics which the consumers portray can be evaluated within the domain of the consumer behaviour. The psychology of consumers cannot be understood without referring to the personal values. Though consumer researchers have largely ignored the importance of value in consumer behaviour, but consumer value has shown signs of being a challenging area in consumer research. Personal values have significant implications for the consumer researchers. The term value means different things in different disciplines. In anthropology value signifies the social elements which drives out or provokes reaction from an individual. In case of sociology, value means to focus on the customs or ideologies. It is a concept which groups together to form a mode of behaviour in the society. Psy chology examines value from the perspective of personal motives and attitudes. Values are accountable for the assortment and protection of the goals which human beings struggle to achieve and at the same time regulate the manner and the method in which the struggle takes place (Vinson, Scott, and Lamont, 2002, p. 44-45). Possession reveals the characteristics of the possessor. So if possession is measured in terms of material values, then a relationship can be drawn between personal values and possession. The link between these two aspects is materialism. Materialism is actually the value which symbolizes the perspective of an individual regarding the position possession should have in his/her life. It has been discussed that the individual holding solid material values put possession and also acquisition of such as a centre of their lives. Value possessions are means to achieve happiness and acts as an indicator of success for the possessor. Thus it can be said that materialism is closed tied to value possession and its usage in an individual’s life (Richins, 1994, p. 522). In this context the difference between personality and value can also be studied. Value has an evaluative component which lacks personality and it relates to our belief that we should do. Personality on the other hand involves those things that we naturally do, without pretending what we are doing. Personality traits of an individual do not conflict with each other, but values do (Parks, and Guay 2009, p. 677).The perception, values, attitudes, self-concept affects the consumption pattern of an individual. It reflects the type of products or services the consumer is willing to use or required. The consumption pattern is also largely affected by personality traits of an individual such as aggressiveness, compulsivity, etc. Apart from this self-identity, or self concept also affects consumption. The elements of value such as ethics, materialism, influence the buying behaviour or consu mer behaviour largely (Ruvio, and Shoham, 2011, p. 1089-1091). There are three psychological terms that needs to be discussed in this context are the self-image, self-identity and self concept. It becomes important to discuss these concepts which evaluating the significance of personal values and possessions. Self image denotes the total subjective insight of oneself, which includes the impression of the individuals’ personality and capabilities. It has been also said that self-image is the mental

Monique and the Mango Rains Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Monique and the Mango Rains - Essay Example The case of the Minianka women of Mali is an example of where society ranks the man above women prior to using stratification to develop a hierarchy of the women. There are several factors that are anthropologically linked to the existence of social stratification in society, and they include the family, division of labor, sex, economy, religion, and gender responsibilities among others. Depending on the nature of the society, the degree of stratification varies; thus communities are classified into hunters and gatherers, horticultural, pastoral, agricultural, job-specific, and industrialized, among others. Gender roles, family, and reproduction are factors that affect social stratification in the social context. Society is responsible for defining the roles and responsibilities of its members. The inequality that stems from the gender roles and responsibilities follows the anthropological view of the man being stronger to the woman. The men are burdened with the responsibilities of provision, security, and management of the family unit in the Malian community, common to most African societies. The society, supported by anatomy, accredits women to the growth of the family, and consequently society. The capability of the female gender to give birth is evaluated in most scenarios, with the blame of infertility being highly alleged as the woman’s fault. Although men have been established, by science, as the sex determinants and equally responsible for infertility, women bear the wrath of society. Conventionally, the woman is inherently responsible for the nurturing role in the famil y unit and society collectively. Beliefs of society, with regards to men versus women, contribute to the establishment of levels where the accomplishment of responsibilities set by society improves one’s position (Holloway & Bidwell 58). Stratification occurs in a social context under gender responsibilities, family, and reproduction, under different social groupings such as girls, ladies, mature women, married women, and mothers, just to mention but a few.