Jedp Theory Essay Example

Jedp Theory Essay Since the eighteenth century, scholars have researched, â€Å"Who wrote the Pentateuch? †, and more specifically who was the author of Deuteronomy. The Documentary Hypothesis asserts that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses, but was composed from four distinct narratives and woven together into one final version centuries after Moses had died. When these documents were put in chronological order, it appeared as the following: The Yahwist (J) The Elohist (E) The Deuternonomist (D) The Priestly Source (P) JEDP is the acronym for the theory. Each of these letters represents a source of oral and written traditions about the history of Israel. The Documentary Hypothesis was developed in the 19th century by several scholars. One of the first was Jean Astruc who speculated that Moses used existing written or oral sources to write the Pentateuch. Other scholars, such as Eichhorn and DeWette elaborated upon his ideas. However, K. Graf and Julius Wellhausen are recognized as the scholars who put the sources in the JEDP order; they also determined there was an editor, also called a Redactor, who carefully combined the four accounts together into one unified text. We will write a custom essay sample on Jedp Theory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Jedp Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Jedp Theory specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In his book, Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel, first published as the History of Israel in 1878, Wellhausen argued that the Pentateuch was written by numerous people over a long period of time. To substantiate his claims, he used earlier research to try to prove each document had its own vocabulary, literary style and point of view, among other criteria. He believed that the Bible is an important source for historians, but cannot be taken literally. â€Å"The Deuternonomist (D)† represents the source from the Deuteronomistic history. It received its name because, according to 2 Kings 22-23, King Josiah instituted some religious reforms based on an unidentified â€Å"Torah scroll† discovered in the Jerusalem temple during renovations. Upon closer inspection, most likely the discovered scrolls was the book of Deuteronomy. The scholar W. M. L. DeWette has gone as far to state the document was written in the time of King Josiah and conveniently â€Å"found† in the Temple at the perfect time to validate Josiah’s reforms. Even the literary placement of Deuteronomy — between the Pentateuch and History books, a pivotal connection from the wilderness to the Promised Land — is of great import, as if Deuteronomy was edited specifically to be the introduction to the Deuteronomistic History. From this perspective, Deuteronomy is valued, not because it is the final book of the Pentateuch, but how it affects the books that follow it: Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings. These books portray Israel’s history from the point of view of the laws found in Deuteronomy. The people and the rulers were judged according to how they followed those laws or not. The contemporary idea of the documentary hypothesis has broadened to accept any understanding that the Torah is probably a composite of various sources. Many modern scholars accept some version of this theory. One of the contemporary scholars who embraces this theory is Richard Elliot Friedman, as can clearly be seen in his book Who Wrote the Bible? He states that editors updated the books of Moses to eliminate what may have appeared to be conflicts or historical errors. In the process he tries to identify the authors of each JEPD source. Scandanavian scholar Ivan Engnell believes the whole Torah was passed along by word of mouth until the post-exilic period, when it was finally written down by one person. Another scholar Gerald A. Larue writes, â€Å"Back of each of the four sources lie traditions that may have been both oral and written. Some may have been preserved in the songs, ballads, and folktales of different tribal groups, some in written form in sanctuaries. The so-called ‘documents’ should not be considered as mutually exclusive writings, completely independent of one another, but rather as a continual stream of literature representing a pattern of progressive interpretation of traditions and history. † (Larue, Old Testament Life and Literature) The documentary hypothesis has been criticized for its validity. Conservatives consider it irreverent, almost heresy, to even think that Moses may not have written the Pentateuch. Both Jewish and Christian tradition view Moses as the author of the first five books of the Bible, and onsider Deuteronomy as one of the five â€Å"books of Moses. † Even the New Testament and Jesus refer to the writings of Moses (See Matthew 19:8; John 1:45; 5:46-47). As can be seen, tradition and the Bible itself associate these books with Moses, but there are no absolutes that Moses wrote every word. For example, it is obvious that someone else, perhaps Joshua, wrote the description of Mose s’ death. The documentarians and traditionalists have few, if any, points of agreement. Thus, there is little that the evangelical position of the Old Testament can learn from this theory. However, for the sake of argument, evangelicals can be more aware of the value of the book of Deuteronomy, no matter who may have wrote it, as long as God is recognized as the ultimate author. In other words, does it really matter if Moses wrote every single word of Deuteronomy? Is God not able to inspire anonymous authors as well? Take, for example, the first six verses of Deuteronomy (1:1-6). The first five verses appear to have been written by someone else since Moses is referred to in the third person. Then, suddenly, in verse six, Moses speaks in the first person. Does it matter that the first five verses were written by someone else? Does that distract from the authentic unfolding of God’s truth? It must be stated clearly here, there can be no wavering in the truth that God authorized and inspired the writers. It appears the church often disregards Deuteronomy, perhaps thinking that the â€Å"law† is outdated, when, in fact, it is worthy of careful study. The Deuteronomistic history emphasizes how Deuteronomy affects the books following it. More distinctly, throughout the Old Testament — such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Micah — there are references to the words found in Deuteronomy. Even Jesus and Paul quoted from its pages regularly. Its call to authentic holiness and to pass along the tradition to the generations that follow is a call we all should heed. There are several harmful affects perpetuated by this theory. (1) The Creation, the Flood, and Babel are considered myths, adapted from ancient Mesopotamian mythology. The Patriarchs, Moses and the Exodus are regarded as legends trying to sanctify their origins. Finklestein, Searching for Israelite Origins) (2) Scholar Julius Wellhausen himself declared that he does not believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible. If God did not inspire the words as proclaimed in 2 Peter 1:21, then the Bible is simply another book, and everything Christians have believed about His Word is a hoax. (3) Too much history is created and revised in the process of explaining awa y the history recorded in the Old Testament. Such tendencies is simply unnecessary. Herbert Livingston goes even further, listing the consequences if one chooses to believe in the documentary hypothesis: (a) Mosaic authorship is rejected, with only bits of the Pentateuch attributed to the Mosaic period; (b) for many of the scholars who accept the Wellhausen view, the men and the women of the Pentateuch were not actual human beings — at best they were idealized heroes; (c) the Pentateuch does not give us a true history of ancient times, but it reflects instead the history of the divided kingdom through the early part of the postexilic period; (d) none of the people in the Pentateuch were monotheistic, and it was the postexilic priests who made them look like believers in one God; (e) God never spoke to any individuals in ancient times, but again, it was the work of the priests that gives that impression; (f) very few of the laws in the Pentateuch were prekingdom, and many were postexilic (i) all claims in the Pentateuch that God acted redemptively and miraculo usly in behalf of Israel are erroneous; (j) any concept that the present structural unity of the five books was original with Moses is erroneous; and finally (k) the skepticism inherent int he theory creates a credibility gap with the ordinary layman to the extent that the Pentateuch becomes practically useless to him. (Livingston, The Pentateuch in Its Cultural Environment) NOTES Finkelstein, Israel, â€Å"Searching for Israelite Origins,† Biblical Archaelogy Review 14 (Sept/Oct 1988) pp. 34-45, 58. Friedman, Richard Elliott. Who Wrote the Bible? , Harper and Row, San Francisco, CA, 1997. Friedman, Richard Elliott. The Hidden Book in the Bible, Harper, San Francisco, CO, 1998. Larue, Gerald A. Old Testament Life and Literature, Allyn Bacon, Inc. , Boston, MA 1968. Livingston, G. Herbert. The Pentateuch in Its Cultural Environment, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI 1974. McDowell, Josh. More Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Historical Evidences for the Christian Scriptures, Here’s Life Publishers, Inc. 1981, p. 45.

The Economic Impact of Terrorism on September 11

The Economic Impact of Terrorism on September 11 The economic impact of terrorism can be calculated from a variety of perspectives. There are direct costs to property and immediate effects on productivity as well as longer-term, indirect costs of responding to terrorism. These costs can be calculated quite minutely; for example, calculations have been made about how much money would be lost in productivity if we all had to stand in line at the airport for an extra hour every time we flew. (Not as much as we think, but the line of reasoning finally provides a rationale for the unreasonable fact that first class passengers wait less. Maybe someone is guessing, rightly, that an hour of their time costs more than an hour of others). Economists and others have tried to calculate the economic impact of terrorism for years in areas beset by attacks, such as Spains Basque region and Israel. In the last several years, most analyses of terrorisms economic costs begin with an interpretation of the costs of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The studies examined are fairly consistent in concluding that the direct costs of the attack were less than feared. The size of the American economy, a speedy response by the Federal Reserve to domestic and global market needs, and Congressional allocations to the private sector helped cushion the blow. The response to the attacks, however, has been costly indeed. Defense and homeland security spending are by far the largest cost of the attack. However, as economist Paul Krugman has asked, should the expenditure on ventures such as the Iraq war really be considered a response to terrorism, or a political program enabled by terrorism. The human cost, of course, is incalculable. Direct Economic Impact of Terrorist Attack The direct cost of the September 11 attack has been estimated at somewhat over $20 billion. Paul Krugman cites a property loss estimate by the Comptroller of the City of New York of $21.8 billion, which he has said is about 0.2 % of the GDP for a year (The Costs of Terrorism: What Do We Know? presented at Princeton University in December 2004). Similarly, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) estimated that the attack cost the private sector $14 billion and the federal government $0.7 billion, while clean-up was estimated at $11 billion. According to R. Barry Johnston and Oana M. Nedelscu in the IMF Working Paper, The Impact of Terrorism on Financial Markets, these numbers are equal to about 1/4 of 1 percent of the US annual GDPapproximately the same result arrived at by Krugman. So, although the numbers by themselves are substantial, to say the least, they could be absorbed by the American economy as a whole. Economic Impact on Financial Markets New Yorks financial markets never opened on September 11 and reopened a week later for the first time on September 17. The immediate costs to the market were due to damage to the communications and other transaction processing systems that had been located in the World Trade Center. Although there were immediate repercussions in world markets, based on the uncertainty engendered by the attacks, recovery was relatively swift. Economic Impact of Defense and Homeland Security Spending Defense and security spending increased by a massive amount in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Glen Hodgson, the Deputy Chief Economist for the EDC (Export Development Canada) explained the costs in 2004: The US alone now spends about US $500 billion annually20 percent of the US federal budgeton departments directly engaged in combating or preventing terrorism, most notably Defense and Homeland Security. The Defense budget increased by one-third, or over $100 billion, from 2001 to 2003 in response to the heightened sense of the threat of terrorism – an increase equivalent to 0.7 per cent of US GDP. Expenditures on defense and security are essential for any nation, but of course they also come with an opportunity cost; those resources are not available for other purposes, from spending on health and education to reductions in taxes. A higher risk of terrorism, and the need to combat it, simply raises that opportunity cost. Krugman asks, regarding this expenditure: The obvious, but perhaps unanswerable, question is to what extent this additional security spending should be viewed as a response to terrorism, as opposed to a political program enabled by terrorism. Not to put too fine a point on it: the Iraq war, which seems likely to absorb about 0.6 percent of America’s GDP for the foreseeable future, clearly wouldn’t have happened without 9/11. But was it in any meaningful sense a response to 9/11? Economic Impact on Supply Chains Economists also assess terrorisms impact on global supply chains, the sequence of steps that suppliers of goods take to get products from one area to another. These steps can become extremely costly in terms of time and money when extra layers of security at ports and land borders are added to the process. According to the OECD, higher transportation costs could have an especially negative effect on emerging economies that have benefited from a decrease in costs in the last decade and thus on countries ability to combat poverty. It does not seem entirely far-fetched to imagine that in some instances, barriers meant to safeguard populations from terrorism would actually amplify the risk: poor countries that might have to slow exports because of the cost of security measures are at a greater risk because of the effects of poverty, of political destabilization, and of radicalization among their populations.

UK Luxury Fashion Online Retailer Net-A-Porter Coursework

UK Luxury Fashion Online Retailer Net-A-Porter - Coursework Example From this paper it is clear that Net-a-Porter is a luxury fashion retailer that provides products and services to customers online. The main USP of the company’s website is that it is designed like a magazine. Presently the company has many brands popular that it retails including  Yves Saint Laurent,  Diane von Furstenberg and Stella McCartney.  Although the economy of UK and US is experiencing a general slowdown after the global financial crisis, the company shows no signs of holding up operations. It has recently launched a beauty products segment, a new publishing business, and planned logistics expansions in the Asia-Pacific regions. The company also  added a dedicated sportswear section to their website.This discussion highlights that the company presently operates in three offices located in two countries, US and UK. It is headquartered in London and it has distribution centres in US. The business model of Net-a-Porter is e-commerce based and hence it provides 2 4/7 services to customers. It has 2600 employees and it is also planning to expand full-scale operations in emerging economies such as China where the demand is very strong. The main products of the company may be classified into major segments, apparels and accessories. Different types of luxury clothes are offered by the company including beachwear, coats, bridal, Denim, gowns, jumpsuits, shirts, sportswear, premium suits, jeans and jackets. The accessories include products like belts, gloves, jewellery, hats, shoes, etc.      

Project Management - Bubble Bee Case part 3 [sap21] Essay

Project Management - Bubble Bee Case part 3 [sap21] - Essay Example Perhaps the most significant value that understanding cash flow provided in six (6) months is in building investor confidence so that the capacity of the company to meet future operating expenses is determined. The Cash flow Bubble Bee ensures that every cash flow item happens at the acceptable seniority to items. Categories of cash flow items present Bubble Bee case with comparison of Cash flow Statement in the bubble gum Project Finance Model. Activities are budgeted depending on the needs and intensity of work. Trial procedure is more costly than logistics. During the first month, much of the cost went into product development and requirement and needs survey. The second month saw costs distributed to product development, trial and logistics. The sixth month had most of the costs going into compliance (food, drug and administration approval, product planning, protection and ramp up). The cash flow statement gives details that can be enthusiastically evaluated from an external investor’s dimension, whereas the cash flow bubble bee gives information that can be analyzed by the banks. The screenshot shows a higher level graphics of a cash flow statement. When categories are compared with the structure, the differences in costs and baselines can be identified. This ensures cash allocations are done according to item seniority and intensity. This is especially significant in scenario analysis or downside sensitivity in which the operating cash flows are highly stressed. The cash flow bubble bee also shows daily and weekly spending and calculates the net movement in the cash balance, within the project hence predicting cash closing balances. Including integrity checks to cost line signifies the possibility of Closing Cash Balance (Balance C/f) being negative. This is a critical element to project completion. Cash flows help in reinforcing integrity check which is added a project to funding by identifying negative cash balance which determines a practical

Design a study to show relationship between body mass index to asthma Research Paper

Design a study to show relationship between body mass index to asthma in both children and adults - Research Paper Example ethical issues that face experimental and quasi-experimental designs and is suitable for the study that only seeks to observe body mass index among asthma patients. Treatment and control would be impossible in the study because the variables are natural phenomena. Weakness in investigating causal relationships is the design’s major limitation but the study is only interested in investigating a relationship and alternative quantitative methods are infeasible. Non-experimental design is also easier to implement because it is limited to observation variables in their natural occurrence. These justify the design’s selection (The University of Southern Alabama, n.d.). The study seeks to investigate potential relationship between body mass index and asthma. It further identifies two sub groups of research participants, children, and adults. This therefore identifies three variables in the study. The first variable is incidence of asthma in a research participant and will be considered as the independent variable in the study because of the limited ability environmental factors such as body mass index to determine its occurrence. The measure will be determined on a nominal scale, a qualitative scale that has only the identity property. The measure will further have two levels, existence of asthma and absence of asthma. Participants will be interviewed on previous experience of asthma symptoms and experience with the symptoms will be categorized with the symbol 1 while absence of asthma symptoms will be categorized with the symbol 2. Interviews will be used to measure the variable and its advantages ability to gather comprehensive information, flexi bility, and ability to clarify interview questions and to verify responses justify its selection. Interviews also allows for collection of secondary data on a subject matter and for consideration of interviewee’s potentials such as intellectual capacity (Kothari, 2004). Body mass index is another variable and will be

Business Opportunities In Ethiopia Economics Essay

Business Opportunities In Ethiopia Economics Essay As there are lot of business opportunities in Ethiopia in different sectors, as it is not possible to address all of them. But try to concentrate and search opportunities on some of basic and important business sectors for foreign investors 3.1 Business Opportunities in Manufacturing Sector The manufacturing sector plays an important role in economy of Ethiopia it has almost a share of 5% of GDP and 37.8% to the annual output value of industrial production in 2008/09 (Central Statistical Agency Statistical Abstract 2009). The important manufacturing sectors in Ethiopia are  production of food, beverages, tobacco, textiles and garments, leather goods, paper, metallic and non-metallic mineral products, cement and chemicals.  The production of textile and garments, leather products and agro-processing are one of the most important areas for investment, because of its geographical advantage of easy and fast access to Middle-East and Europe. In manufacturing section we discussed on business opportunities in textile and garment industry and leather product. 3.1.1 Textile and garment In 1939 under the Italian government supervision and technology, the first textile factory was opened. Presently the current textiles industry involves in the process of spinning, weaving and processing. Ethiopia has five public textile factories producing mostly work-wear garments for the domestic market. Numerous privately-owned factories produce shirts, suits, work clothes and uniforms for national and foreign markets. Ethiopias textiles and clothing industry is undergoing major development, aided by the presence of a cheap, skilled and highly-motivated workforce. This surge has been helped by the countrys impressive economic growth over the past years. Ethiopias enormous export potential is made possible by the wide availability of raw cotton and other natural fibers and Ethiopias access to domestic, regional and international markets. The basis for the full cycle of business opportunities and the enormous growth potential for the textile industries is the local production of cotton. Large-scale production is carried out under irrigation, mainly in the Awash Valley, which has more than 50,000 hectares under cultivation. Another 45,000 hectares of high-quality cotton is cultivated by small-scale farmers. There still exists huge potential for the expansion of cotton cultivation in Ethiopia, especially in the Omo-Gibe, Wabi Shebelle, Baro Akobo, Blue Nile and Tekeze River basins. The production of cotton is well integrated into the textile sector, with garment factories relying heavily on domestically produced cotton. Available within Ethiopia are all essential ingredients for a competitive textile industry: raw materials, low wages and low energy costs. This gives the country a comparative advantage over other countries and regions. The Ethiopian Government is actively promoting the further modernization of the textile sector with the aim of attracting foreign investors that can penetrate the global market. Output and Products Ethiopias textile manufacturing industry embraces both medium and large public and private enterprises. Their main activities include spinning, fabric formulation, dyeing, finishing and sewing. The Ethiopian textile industry is the third largest manufacturing industry, only second to the food processing, beverage and leather industry. In the fiscal year 2000/01, with a total output value of 699.91 million birr (1USD=8.6 birr), the contribution of textile industry to GDP was 1.35% and 8.31% to the output value of the manufacturing industry. The Ethiopian textile sector mainly produces 100% cotton textiles. Each enterprise produces one product range, such as cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, bed sheets, blanket, knitwear etc. All the cotton yarn in the Ethiopian market is supplied to the local handlooms. It is estimated that the annual hand-loomed fabric is around 95 million square meters. Supply of raw material and accessories Out of the raw materials used by textile enterprises, cotton is widely grown in Ethiopia and it is easily available from local suppliers. Other materials including chemical fiber, wool, dyestuffs and chemicals as well as a small share of lint depend on imports. Export Market Data from Ethiopian Export Promotion Agency show that the fiscal year 2000/01 witnessed apparent increase over the previous year both in the variety and quantity of textile export. Variety increased from 6 kinds, mainly cotton yarn and bleach cloth made from pure cotton, to over 20 kinds including gray cloth pure cotton, bleach cloth, knitwear, bedding products etc. Among them, gray cloth made from pure cotton is the major export item, roughly contributing to 2/3 of the total export quantity. Ethiopias textile export is mainly targeted at European and African markets. In Europe, the export destinations for Ethiopian textiles are Italy, Sweden, and Belgium etc. African major export destinations are Djibouti, Kenya, and Swaziland etc. Ownership and geographical distribution of textile enterprises Due to the reform undertaken by the Ethiopian government in recent years, such as privatization and the favorable conditions for the inflow of foreign and domestic private investment into the textile sector, ownership of the industry has diversified. Various type of ownership, such as public enterprises, privately owned enterprises, shareholding corporation, partnership enterprise and individual enterprises etc have come into being and developed. Broadly classifying the enterprises into public and private, there are currently 19 public and 16 private enterprises which makes a total of 35 enterprises. Most public enterprises are large scale, playing leading roles, as evidenced by the number of enterprises and employees, total output values, income from sales etc. Most textile enterprises are situated in  densely populated large or medium cities. Out of the total 35 textile enterprises in Ethiopia, 18 are in Addis Ababa, the capital city. Textile enterprises located in Amhara and Southern (S.N.N.P) regions are 6 and 5 respectively. Marketing System of textile products Products such as yarn, fabric and blanket made by Ethiopian textile enterprises are usually distributed by private trading companies to the local market. The export of the product is mainly handled by the enterprises themselves. Imported textile hold a large market share in Ethiopian market and nearly one thousand small-scale family-owned trading firms and a small number of large trading companies are engaged in the import business of textile. Favorable Conditions for the Development of the Textile Sector in  Ethiopia Abundant Cotton Resources Ethiopia covers an area of 1.1036 million square kilometers and boasts vast fertile land, rich geographical and weather conditions, and abundant water resources. Domestic cotton production has already developed to a certain scale and for a long time it has made major contribution to satisfying the requirement of fiber by the textile sub-sector. Ethiopia has a large area of irrigated farmland which is very suitable for planting cotton. There is also great potential for further expanding the cultivation and increase the current yield. Abundant cheap labor resource With a population of more than 70 million, and with cheap cost of labor, Ethiopia can provide sufficient labor force with cost-competitiveness for the development of labor intensive textile sub-sector. The cost of labor in the Ethiopian textile sector is not only lower than some Asian nations with developed textile sector, such as China, India, Pakistan but also than some African countries such as Tunisia, Mauritius, Kenya, etc. Support through policy and incentives Ethiopia identifies textile as the key industry to the development of industrialization as well as the exploitation of local resources to promote export in accordance with the policy of  ¡Ã‚ ° Agriculture Development led Industrialization (ADLI). ¡Ã‚ ± The long-term strategy of the Ethiopian government is not only to develop the textile and garment industry and expand shares in domestic market, but also to develop a competitive, profitable industry in the export market. The Ethiopian government has been steadily pushing towards market-oriented reform by means of developing the private sector, deregulating rigid control over the economy, liberalizing foreign exchange, lowering tariff rate, etc. Given that export promotion is of paramount importance, the government has issued a series of export incentives. All in all, in terms of macroeconomic policy, the Ethiopian government has created an enabling environment for the development of textile sub-sector. Investment policy and incentives According to the newly revised investment policy, the minimum capital required for foreign investors has been lowered, creating a conducive investment environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The minimum capital requirement for foreign investors on a single investment project has been reduced to 100, 000 USD from 500, 000 USD for solely invested projects and for joint venture it has been lowered to 60, 000USD from 300,000USD. In addition, a series of investment incentives have been put in place, such as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Remittance of foreign currency of profit and dividends from investment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exemption from income tax from 1-5 years etc. In order to promote export, various flexible taxation encouragement measures have been undertaken such as export tax refund, tax coupon and bonded warehouse. Simplified procedures have greatly shortened customs clearance time. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has launched textiles and garment export forum to attract domestic textile and garment exporters into the discussion of issues and future development for textile and garment sector in order to promote the export of textiles and garments.   Increased Domestic Demand Ethiopia has a large territory with a large population. The growth rate of the population is 2.7%, creating a large potential market. According to the country economic development program, the average growth rate of GDP in the coming years will reach around 7%. As a result of the development of economy and the progress in reduction of poverty as well as the improvement of people ¡Ã‚ ¯s living standards, it is believed that not only the present market demand would increase, but also a new market demand will arise. Currently the Ethiopian per capita fiber consumption is roughly 1kg, which is far below the worlds average level of 8.7kg and Africa average level of 3.2 kg. It is estimated that domestic fiber demand will increase at an annual rate of 5% and the large and continuously increasing domestic market will fuel the development of the textile sector. Easy access to international market In the latter half of the 20th  century, the consumption of fiber products all over the world has increased five times, while the world population has increased only 1.4 times.  Ã‚  The improved living standards quality of human beings has created 2/3 of the increase in fiber production. In recent years, along with the revival of world economy, particularly the economic growth of U.S.A, Europe and Japan, the market demand has increased. In 2000, import volume of textiles in the world amounted to US $167.13 billion. The United States and EU were the two largest textile importers,  Ã‚  occupying 39.2% of the world ¡Ã‚ ¯s textile import value. Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) In May 2000, the United States approved Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) to give sub-Sahara region of Africa, specifically 48 countries, special preferential trade policy. In August 2001, Ethiopia was entitled AGOA qualifications and is one of the 18 beneficiary countries which can export textiles and garments to the United States free of duty and without quota restrictions. Everything but Arms of the European Union The European Union (EU) has given preferential trade policy to the Lesser Developed Beneficiary Countries (LDBC) including Ethiopia. Accordingly, Ethiopia is a beneficiary of Everything but Arms initiative of the EU in which all Ethiopian export products except arms can enter the EU market free of duty and without quota restrictions. Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Ethiopia is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) agreement embracing 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa with a population of approximately 353 million. Exports and imports with member countries enjoy preferential tariff rates. Bilateral Agreement Ethiopia has signed bilateral trade agreements with 16 nations such as Russia, Turkey, Yemen etc which provide legal framework for enjoying most-favoured-nation treatment and removing tariff barriers. According to Generalized System of Preference (GSP), most of the products made in Ethiopia enjoy tariff treatment in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Japan and the majority of EU member nations. 3.1.2 Leather products Ethiopia exports processed and semi-processed hides and skins to the world market. Some of the products, such as Ethiopian highland sheepskin (which has gained an international reputation for making gloves), are known for their quality and natural characteristics. Ethiopian hide and skin exports include pickled sheep skin, wet blue sheep skin, crust sheep skin, wet blue goat skin, crust goat skin, crust cow hides, finished garment leather, finished glove leather, lining/upper leather, suede leather, full grain leather, embossed leather and patent leather.   The manufacturing and export potential of finished leather and leather products (such as leather garments, footwear, gloves, bags and other leather articles) is also highly promising. Production capacity of hides and skins Ethiopia has a major comparative advantage in the raw materials sector needed for the leather sector which makes it in principle very appropriate for leather product exporting: Ethiopia has the largest livestock production in Africa, and the 10th  largest in the world. Ethiopias livestock population is currently estimated at 35 million cattle, 21 million sheep and 16.8 million goats. Annually it produces 2.7 million hides, 8.1 million sheepskins and 7.5 million goatskins.[1]  This comparative advantage is further underlined by the fact that the cost of raw hides and skins constitute on average between 55 to 60% of the production of semi-processed leather (Kiruthu 2002). These data are provided by LLPTI and ETA. Muchie (2000: 539) provided slightly different estimates for the late 1990s: 30 million cattle, 24 million sheep and 19 million goats, while CSA (2002) provided diverging figures for 2000/01, especially in the case of skins: 35.4 million cattle, 11.4 million sheep and 9.6 million goats. Leather processing categories and suppliers With in the leather sector, the CSA distinguishes two broad categories. The first one is the tanning/dressing of leather, manufacture of luggage and handbags, while the second concerns the manufacture of footwear. The footwear enterprises are more numerous, but smaller in terms of employment than the former category. For example, in 1999/2000 out of 53 leather establishments, 38 (72%) were in footwear, employing only 49% of the total persons engaged (CSA 2002). Since the downfall of the Derg, a rapid expansion has been taking place in the tannery sub-sector. In 1990 there were only eight tanners, consisting of six public and two private plants. In November 2002, 19 tanneries were registered with the Ethiopian Tanners Association (ETA): 15 private and 4 public ones; the latter are in the process of privatisation. Furthermore, six private tanneries are in development. The annual sheep and goatskin production of an estimated 15.6 million skins falls below the capacity of the 19 tanneries (LLPTI). According to the ETA, the current daily capacity of the tanneries of 133,450 skins is being utilized for only 50.1%, while this percentage is higher for hides (65.6%), albeit of a much lower daily capacity of 5,055 hides. All but one tannery can produce skins, while only half of them have the capacity to produce hides. Regarding small-scale footwear producers in Addis Ababa, some studies have been undertaken (e.g. Tebarek 1997, Tseguereda 2002 and Zewdie et. al. 2003, this volume). There is a clear cluster of such producers in a specific part of  Merkato, the largest open-air market in Africa. Within this cluster (i.e.Woreda  5), there is a sub-cluster called  Shera Tera, where there are not only many producers, but also the largest concentration of suppliers of almost all raw materials necessary for shoe production. The very existence of a well-developed system of suppliers in the footwear sector represents one of the main assets of small shoe producers. The ability of suppliers to manufacture a wide variety of products with short delivery times allows the shoe producers to postpone to the last moment their purchase of inputs. Products Sheep and goats skins represent the bulk of Ethiopian leather production. Ethiopian highland sheepskins (cabretta), in particular retain a high reputation in international markets for some natural characteristics of clarity, thickness, flexibility, strength and compact texture which make them especially suitable for high quality gloves, sports equipment and garments.  Goat skins classified as  Bati-genuine  and  Bati-typeare characterised by thick, highly flexible and clean inner surfaces and are in high demand for the production of fashion leathers, especially suede (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Hides, in stead are not regarded as particularly attractive in international markets due to the poor quality and the small size of the  zebu,  the most common bovine in Ethiopia. (Bini 2002: 17). The Ethiopian leather and leather product sub-sector produces a range of products from semi-processed leather in various forms to processed leathers such as shoe uppers, leather garments, stitched upholstery, school bags, handbags, industrial gloves, and finished leather. Such leather products have been exported to markets in Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan and the Far East. There is also export to countries in Africa, in particular to Nigeria and Uganda, as well as to the near East, i.e. Yemen. The market for leather products is mainly international and not domestic. Export During the past two decades leather and semi-processed hides and skins have constituted the second major export product of the country with between 10 and 20 % of total foreign earnings, second only to coffee with between 50 and 60% of earnings (apart from the late 1990s when it was just under 10%). The percentage has been fluctuating, and the most recent figures indicate a  decrease  in exports. In 2000/2001, 12,170 tons of skins and hides were exported, generating 618 million Birr (almost US $ 73 million); this accounted for 17.2 % of total foreign earnings. However, in the 2001/2002 fiscal year a smaller volume (10,462 tons) of skins and hides were exported, and, as a result, only 481 million Birr was obtained, accounting for 14.1 % of total foreign earnings (Addis Tribune 2002). It has to be said though that the year 2000/2001 witnessed a peak in the foreign earnings in this sector. The largest share of the foreign earnings comes from sheepskins; in 1995 sheepskins, mainly in pickles, accounted for 66% of the total of US $ 61.3 million in foreign earnings by the leather sector, while this percentage was 18% for (wet-blue) goatskins and 16% for hides and other skins (Muchie 2000: 549). It is also sometimes claimed that the large majority (i.e. 90%) of all the sheepskins that are produced in Ethiopia are exported. The importance of Ethiopian exports relative to other African countries, can be indicated by the share Ethiopia contributes to total African skin exports: 51% in the case of sheep and 30% in the case of goats. Exported products go in particular to the UK and Italy; in 1996 these countries took up 27% and 26% respectively (Kodama 2001 and Muchie 2000). Constraints for development Supply A major problem with the leather sector is the by-product status of hides and skins: Cattle, goats and sheep are mainly used for meat (cf. Kodama 2001 and Worku 2002). Thus, the product, i.e.  hides and skins, arrives when meat is needed,not when it is appropriate for leather processing. In Ethiopia meat is needed in three waves because of religiously induced fasting seasons and festivals; for example, in Amhara, which provides the largest volume of sheepskins, these festivals are Easter (April), Ethiopian New Year and Mesqal (September), and Christmas and Timqat (January). Quality As a result of this by-product status, not enough attention is paid to maintaining the quality of the hides and skins. Different serious problems at the source impacting on the leather quality are: flay cuts, putrefaction, animal diseases (ekek), branding, poor pattern, dirt and dung, hides/skins are not sold when prices are considered to be too low (deteriorating quality), etc. Estimates of the loss to the Ethiopian economy due to such problems reach US $ 14 million per year. In order to address these problems, (pilot) projects are underway with the participation of ESALIA, CFC, UNIDO, FAO, UNIC and others. At the same time, meat consumption, especially in the rural areas, is intertwined with the system of food security. Unless the food security of peasants is ensured, the meat consumption will not increase. Berhanu and Kibre (2002) have made an interesting study of competitiveness in the Ethiopian leather sector. For the tanning sector, they have concluded that the main factors affecting  competitiveness are: low capacity utilization; the poor economic infrastructure: inefficient infrastructure and inefficient bureaucratic structures combined significantly raises the transaction costs of firms, making it difficult to compete nationally or internationally; the technology employed is not updated (regularly), in particular the lack of learning in production management; the lack of hard currency to purchase spare parts and inputs; the relative lack of export support and/or promotion services For the leather footwear firms, the main factors affecting competitiveness are the poor quality of domestic leather, and the high cost of (imported) inputs. They conclude that resource endowment is not enough for competitiveness, and that, similarly, the availability of cheap and abundant labour by itself does not seem to be sufficient to compete internationally. Labour costs in Ethiopia, for example, are estimated to be lower than those in China: the basic wage in Ethiopia is around US $ 0,7 per day, or almost 6 Birr, while it is around US $ 1 in China. Most relevant with respect to technology is the lack of timely and efficient maintenance, modification, and innovation. This has in particular to do with the lack of spare parts (foreign currency shortage), and unsatisfactory learning effort exhibited by labour and management. 3.1.3 Recommended Modes of Entry in Manufacturing Sector Recommend mode for Textile and Garment Industry Leather products The government of Ethiopia invites companies to participate in the investment of Ethiopias textile industry. Foreign companies can participate in this industry in the following three forms: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By setting up wholly-owned (sole) enterprises by themselves. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By setting up enterprises in joint venture with Ethiopian companies. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By establishing cooperation with Ethiopian public enterprises. These enterprises, which are in the process of privatization by the government, have their own future prospects and plans. Some wish to expand their enterprises by installing new and modern machinery and equipment, some would like to develop their human resources through training. Some would like to study new market opportunities, etc. Therefore, there are various ways of cooperation with these enterprises, which may require discussion with specific enterprises. However, there are three forms of cooperation which applies to all enterprises which foreign investors can participate. These are: a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joint venture b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wholesale ownership c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contract Management d) Direct investment 3.1.4 SWOT Analysis Strength Availability of excellent resources/huge domestic raw material base Abundant and inexpensive labour force Attractive investment incentive packages and tax structure Substantial growth industries: average of circa 10-30% per sector. Weakness Lack of trained management and skilled worker Quality of finished product Lower Productivity in various segments.   Industry is highly dependent on Cotton and raw leather. Lack of Technological Development that affect the productivity and other activities in whole value chain Opportunities Large, Potential Domestic and International Market. Product development and Diversification to cater global needs.   Scope for move toward garment infrastructure and value added production Scope for effectively exploiting markets with phase out quota regime effectively Scope for Technology up gradation on equipment front Threats Continuous Quality Improvement is need of the hour as there are different demand patterns all over the world. International labor and Environmental Laws.   To balance the demand and supply. To make balance between price and quality.   3.2 Business opportunities in Agriculture Sector Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy. The sector contributes about 43% of the GDP and 86% of exports.   The export of Ethiopia is dominated by coffee and oil seeds, which together accounted to 50.6% in 2008/09. Other principal export commodities are chat, flowers, pulses, and live animals. Ethiopia with 18 major agro-ecological zones and various agro-ecological sub-zones has a suitable climate for growing over 146 types of crops. 3.2.1 Food and beverage crops Maize Maize is an important crop in Ethiopia. It is grown in the mid highland areas of the country. There are huge tracts of land in all regions suitable for maize farming. Maize is mainly produced in SNNPR and Oromia regions where there are about 1.77 million hectares under cultivation. Wheat and Barley Farming Wheat and barley are mostly grown in the highlands and mid highland areas of the country mainly in Oromia (Bale and Arsi Zones) and some parts of Amhara (North Gondar and North Shewa) Regions.   Wheat and barley are the main cereal crops in the country with about 1,095,436 and 1,398,215 hectares under cultivation, respectively. The potential for the private sector in agro-processing and out growers scheme of development is significant. It offers excellent opportunities for production of wheat under irrigation in the Afar, Gambella, SNNPR and Somali Regions. Oil seeds and pulses A variety of oil seeds (e.g. sesame, rapeseed, linseed, groundnut, sunflower, Niger seed, cotton seed, etc.) are grown in Ethiopia. The demand for sesame has been increasing in the global market making sesame an increasingly important export commodity in Ethiopia. In 2008/09, Ethiopia exported 287,000 tons of sesame valued at 356.1 million USD, accounting for 24.6% of the total export earnings. Rapeseed, linseed, groundnut, sunflower, Niger seed and cotton seed also serve as raw materials for the domestic edible oil industry.   Cultivation of pulses like beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, etc. is also common in Ethiopia. Cultivation is carried out in both the highland and lowland areas of the country mainly by peasant farmers. Currently, the country exports a large quantity of pulses to the international market. There are also a number of factories that process pulses in the country. Rice Farming Rice could suitably grow in many parts of the country. The predominant potential areas are:- West central highlands of Amhara Region (Fogera, Gonder Zuria,Dembia, Takusa and Achefer); North West lowland areas of Amhara and Benshangul Regions (Jawi, Pawi, Metema and Dangur); Gameblla regional state (Abobo and Etang Woredas) South and South West Lowlands of SNNPR (Beralee, Weyito, Omorate, Gura Ferda and Menit); Somali Region (Gode); South Western Highlands of Oromia Region (Illuababora, East and West Wellega and Jimma Zones). Spices The major spices cultivated in Ethiopia are ginger, hot pepper, fenugreek, turmeric, cummins, cardamoms, corianders and black pepper. Currently, there are nearly 122,700 ha under spice farming. Spice production reached 244,000 tonnes per year. The potential areas for the cultivation of spice are Amhara and Oromiya, SNNP and Gambella regions. The potential for low land spice farming is estimated to be 200,000ha. Coffee Ethiopia is one of Africas leading exporters of coffee generating most of its export earnings. Coffee is grown over 600,000 hectares, the largest of these areas lie in the south and south western highlands of the country.   More than 60% of Ethiopian coffee is produced as forest or semi-forest coffee. The four main coffee growing regions in Ethiopia are: Harrar, Ghimbi, Sidama /Yirgacheffe, and Jimma/Keffa. The country has more genetic diversity among its coffee varieties than any other county.   Nine different varieties are cultivated in the four major growing areas.   Tea Ethiopian tea is some of the best quality tea in the world. Ethiopias current annual tea production from three private estates is approximately 7000 tons of black tea per annum. The total area covered by tea plantation is 2700 ha and the country only produces black tea but has potential to grow all types of tea. Investment potential exists in large-scale commercial tea production and modern tea blending and packing industries. The tea industry in Ethiopia has been lacking investment. The Government has been proactive to increase private investment in tea plantations. As part of its privatization program for state owned enterprises, in 2000, two estates covering 2,109ha for $27milliom USD were sold to private investors. Moreover, an Indian company that owns and runs the Tata Tea Estate has signed an agreement with a domestic owned private company to manage the tea estate. The company will transfer the latest technology of tea planting, growing, harvesting and manufacturing of black te a, assist in planting tea in 5,000 hectares of land and also have the option of investing in the equity of the company at a future date. 3.2.2 Horticultural crops Due to Ethiopias good agro-climatic circumstances it is able to produce fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Both the low- and highland areas offer good opportunities. The major fruits and vegetables growing areas of the country are summarized as follows East Hararghe (eastern part of the country) with vegetables dominating, East Shewa (Central Ethiopia in Oromia Regional State) produces both fruits and vegetables including tomato, green beans, orange, mandarin, papaya West S

Aldous Huxley :: Biography Biographies

Aldous Huxley Many talented twentieth century writers have been overshadowed by classical writers such as Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare. Novels dealing with classical topics are often more recognized than works that tackle controversial topics. Aldous Huxley defies this stereotype, for his controversial works gained great fame while influencing many people. Huxley was not just a successful writer; he was a complex person whose ideas and novels influenced many people. Aldous Huxley was born July 26, 1894 (It’s Online-Aldous Huxley) in Godalming, Surrey, England (Aldous (Leonard) Huxley). Huxley was born into a prominent family. His grandfather, Thomas Henry Huxley, was a biologist who â€Å"helped develop the theory of evolution.† Huxley’s aunt, Humphrey Ward, was a novelist. His mother was the niece of Matthew Arnold, a poet, and the granddaughter of Thomas Arnold, a famous educator and headmaster of Rugby school (Aldous Huxley-Biography). When Huxley was fourteen years old, his mother died of cancer. He said his mother’s death â€Å"gave him a sense of the transience of human happiness† and â€Å"he felt that heredity made each individual unique, and uniqueness of the individual was essential to freedom† (Aldous Huxley-Biography). From 1908 until 1913, Huxley studied at Eton College (Aldous (Leonard) Huxley). While at Eton, Huxley developed a condition of near blindness that plagued him until hi s death (Philosopher’s Corner Presents: Aldous Huxley). After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in English at Balliol College, Oxford, Huxley worked in the War Office in London and taught at Eton and Repton (Aldous (Leonard) Huxley). While at Oxford, Huxley was introduced to the literary world and became good friends with D.H. Lawrence (Aldous Huxley-Biography). In 1916, Huxley published his first book of poems, The Burning Wheel (Philosopher’s Corner Presents: Aldous Huxley). From 1920-1921, he was a part of the editorial staff of the Athenaeum under Middleton Murray. Through the years, Huxley also worked as a drama critic for the Westminster Gazette, was an assistant at the Chelsea Book Club and worked for Conde Nast Publications (Aldous (Leonard) Huxley). Huxley married Maria Nys in 1919. In 1920 they had a child named Matthew. The family split time between London and Italy and traveled around the world in 1925 and 1926 (Aldous Huxley-Biography). In 1955 Maria died of cancer, and a year later Huxley married Italian violinist and psychotherapist Laura Achera (Brooke 199).

Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman Essay

In the article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power† the author attempts to compare and contrast the convictions and beliefs of Charlotte Gilman and, her great-aunt, Catharine Beecher. One of the most important factors that is seen repeatedly in the article, is the concept that the environment encompassing the home is the center of all commerce for a woman. This thought process continues to build and establishes the idea that what begins in the home continues to radiate out into the lives of the woman and her family. Each female author further attempted to define the roles of a woman directly corresponding with the roles beginning in a woman’s private life and extending into the public life. Although Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Gilman had completely different interpretations of this ideology, the fact that the foundation of the argument was the same purports that the concept, regardless of interpretation, could have some b asis on reality. The author of this article, Valerie Gill, very thoroughly cites from not only Catharine Beecher’s books â€Å"A Treatise on Domestic Economy† and â€Å"American Woman’s Home,† but also from Charlotte Gilman’s book â€Å"Moving the Mountain† and several of her lectures and articles including an article titled â€Å"Applepieville.† Gill (1998) states, that â€Å"Like Catharine Beecher, Gilman links the role of the women to the general health of the social system; the dependent and isolated situation of women in their homes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 2). Gill (1998) goes on to further state that â€Å"In spite of their different strategies for defining and locating women, however, Beecher and Gilman share an interest in the topography of female experience† and that â€Å"Both writers conceptualize the identity of women in spatial as well as socioeconomic terms, assuming that the fulfillment of their own sex can be quite literally mapped o ut.† (p. 2). The article then moves into much greater detail, analyzing each woman’s many forms of printed material. The extent and degree of information and detail written in this article about each represented author and their contributing works can ultimately be  seen as one of the articles main strengths. However, although this article gives a vast amount of information on the women’s opinions and beliefs the article at times seems disassembled and erratic. The flow of the article is somewhat hard to follow, and without an increased measure of concentration, the ability of the reader to comprehend and decipher whom the author is speaking of can be lost. Also, with the extensive amounts of information and detail that each female author contributes to the argument, readers are bombarded with data to interpret and distinguish upon. With the author of the article not decisively choosing the strongest points of argument from each author, the information becomes overwhelming and possibly confusing at times. The article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power† attempts to give readers two different perspectives of a woman’s role in her home and how this affects her presence in society. Readers are given a multitude of supporting facts from both women’s interpretations on the topic. This fact, in certain circumstances, proves to be not only a strength of the article but also a weakness. Regardless of how each woman author interpreted these ideals, the simple fact remains clear that each assumed the role and presence of a woman becomes clearly defined as beginning in the home. References Gill, V. (1998). â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power†. Journal of American Culture, 21 (2). Retrieved from http://ctcdns02.ctcd.edu:2122/search/multiSearch.do;jsessionid=F6C4B68D9202464AFE8BAF1AC27987B8

Analysis of Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko essays

Analysis of Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko essays In the novel, Silko explores the gender roles of four women and the significance to the development and actualization of Tayos character. These four women are Tayos birth mother, Auntie, old Grandma, and Tseh (a Montano). Because Tayo is of mixed ancestry, half white and half Native American, Tayo discovers he has a natural cultural flaw imposed upon him at birth, which would linger and expand into adulthood. At four years old, Tayos birth mother left him with his Aunt and Grandmother so they could raise him as their own due to her alcohol addiction and vicarious life-style. He didnt remember much: only that she (mother) had come after dark and wrapped him in a mans coat it smelled like a man and that there were men in the car with them . . . he clung to her because when she left him, he knew she would be gone for a long time . . . there were tears all over his face and his nose was running (Silko 65-66). Nonetheless, Tayos sense of emptiness and abandonment began. Auntie raised Tayo and was the mother figure he lacked. However, Auntie reluctantly accepted this responsibility because she could not bear to raise a child that brought the reservation shame by his mothers mistake. On the other hand, Auntie willingly accepted Tayo to conceal the shame of her younger sister (Ibid 29). This contradiction, made Auntie hesitant toward Tayo as he was not her real son and was also a half-breed. For Tayo, this only added to his feeling of displacement and the feeling of being invisible (Ibid 14). Auntie would give her affection and attention to her natural son Rocky, and would intentionally make Tayo feel excluded. It was a private understanding between the two of them. When Josiah or old Grandma or Robert was there, the agreement was suspended, and she pretended to treat him the same as she tr...

Pension Plans in the United States After Retirement

Pension Plans in the United States After Retirement Pension plans are one of the key methods to successfully saving for retirement in the United States, and though the government does not require businesses to provide such plans to its employees, it does offer generous tax breaks to companies that establish and contribute to pensions for their employees. In recent years, defined contribution plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) have become the norm in terms of small businesses, self-employed individuals, and freelance workers. These monthly set amounts, which may or may not be matched by the employer, are self-managed by the employees in their personal savings accounts. The primary method of regulating pension plans in the United States, though, comes from its Social Security program, which benefits anyone who retires after the age of 65, depending on how much one invests over the course of his or her life. Federal agencies ensure that these benefits are met by every employer in the U.S. Are Businesses Required to Offer Pension Plans? There are no laws that require businesses to offer their employees pension plans, however, pensions are regulated by several governing agencies in the United States, which largely helps define what benefits larger businesses must offer their employees - like health care coverage. The  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Department of State  website details that the federal governments tax collection agency, the Internal Revenue Service, sets most rules governing pension plans, and a Labor Department agency regulates plans to prevent abuses. Another federal agency, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, ensures retiree benefits under traditional private pensions; a series of laws enacted in the 1980s and 1990s boosted premium payments for this insurance and stiffened requirements holding employers responsible for keeping their plans financially healthy. Still, the Social Security program is the greatest way in which the United States government requires businesses to offer their employees long-term pensions options - a just reward for working a full career before retirement. Federal Employee Benefits: Social Security Employees of the  federal government- including  members  of the military and civil service as well as disabled  war  veterans- are offered several types of pension plans, but the most important government-run program is Social Security, which is available after a person retires at or above the age of 65. Although run by the Social Security Administration, the funds for this program come from payroll taxes paid by both employees and employers. In recent years, however, it has come under scrutiny as the benefits received upon retirement  only cover a portion of the income needs of its recipient. Especially because of the retirement of many of the post-war  baby-boom generation early in the 21st century, politicians feared the government wouldnt be able to pay all its obligations without increasing taxes or decreasing benefits for retirees. Managing Defined Contribution Plans and IRAs In recent years, many companies have switched over to what is known as defined contribution plans wherein the employee is given a set amount as part of their salary and is thus tasked with managing their own personal retirement account. In this type of pension plan, the company is not required to contribute to the savings fund of its employee, but many choose to do so based on the result of the employees contract negotiation. In any case, the employee is responsible for managing his or her salary allotment intended for retirement savings. Although it is not difficult to set up a retirement fund with a bank in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), it can be daunting for self-employed and freelance workers to actually manage their investments into a savings account. Unfortunately, the amount of money these individuals have available at retirement entirely depends on how they invest their own earnings.

Wall Mart - Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wall Mart - Community - Essay Example Wal-Mart is American Public Corporation that came into existence in 1962. Although it began as a grocery retailer, in now operates as a major chain of large discount stores and warehouses. Its various stores offer a wide variety of products, all of which are priced lower than its competitors. Although price is a major criterion, upon which many customers make buying decisions. Offering the lowest price and remaining profitable has many challenges. Wall Mart has over the years remained one of the largest retailers, and therefore becoming one of the leading private employers. There is a need therefore to investigate the claims made by the community so that the actual influence of Wall Mart on the community (Hicks, pg 2). The history of the problem can be traced from the concerns that most corporations have focuses on profit maximization at the expense of the interests of the community and employees who gives the economic power to such companies. The primary data I used to get a good understanding of how Wall Mart operates and the nature of issues facing included visiting a number of branches to observe the shoppers, employees and to interview employees and customers. I also observed the type of customers by age and interviewed about their perception of the impact made by Wall Mart to the local community. The secondary data I used included scrutinizing the annual consumerism report that compiled by organizations that represent employees and consumers. Majority of the people we interviewed were of the opinion that Wall Mart has over the years made a significant contribution to the local communities and the American economy in general. Many believed that since Wall Mart was founded based on offering the lowest price for all social groups; it has made important contributions to their lives, which can be categorized as follows. Wall Mart entered the market to offer

Eminent Domain and the Taking of Private Land by Governmental Entity Term Paper

Eminent Domain and the Taking of Private Land by Governmental Entity - Term Paper Example Brigham, that the right to own property and to possess it is a valuable and protected right. It is within this context that the right to made whole is interpreted. In making the owner whole under eminent domain, the courts must not confine quantification of damages to mere compensation for the value of the property. The courts must also take account of the expense that the proceedings will undoubtedly put on an unwilling private owner. It therefore follows that in making the owner whole, the government must take responsibility for all costs incurred by the owner in challenging the proceedings and proving damages.3 Therefore the significance of the right to own property is reflected in substantive and procedural laws that accompany eminent domain. As demonstrated in the Dade County ruling, the mere taking of property with compensation for the value of the property will not amount to just compensation. Compensation understandably must put the owner in the position that he or she would have been in but for the takings. This means the expenses that the owner is forced to undertake pursuant to the takings’ proceedings must be accounted for. Thus the constitutional basis of property rights is supported by the property owner’s right not to be deprived of his or her property without due process. Specifically, Article 1, Section 2 of Florida’s Constitution provides that â€Å"no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law†.4 Due process has been established to mean that the individual in question shall be accorded the opportunity to be heard and to challenge any intended action to deprive the individual of his or her private property.5 Thus procedural fairness is required in the deprivation of private property under Florida’s Constitution. Therefore reasonable notice and the administration of justice via a fair hearing are prerequisites for the taking of private property by the state in Florida purs uant to Florida’s constitution. Procedural due process however, can have different implications depending on the legal context. This is because procedural due process is tied to substantive due process.6 The connection between procedural fairness and substantive fairness lies in the general imposition of the right to challenge governmental taking of private property.7 Procedural fairness refers to the process that official must follow in depriving a citizen of his or her property. In this regard, the degree of procedural fairness typically corresponds with the severity of the proprietary right at risk. Substantive fairness proceeds on the basis that the law permitting deprivation of property is constitutional and presumes that any law that encroaches upon human rights is unconstitutional and therefore not valid.8 Deprivation of property conceivably invokes two different legal contexts, both of which can be deemed serious proprietary rights: police powers and eminent domain. P olice powers refer to the right of states to legislate for the protection of safety, health and morals.9 Thus police powers do not technically deprive the individual of his or her property, but rather deprives the individual of the right to use his or her property as he or she sees fit.10 Police powers are typically associated with ordinances and regulatory frameworks relative to zoning, building codes, health/safety standards, rent controls and city planning.11 These police powers are