Rationalism and Empiricism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Rationalism and Empiricism - Essay Example It is about the psychological side that Pinker claims, "The past tense is the only case I know in which two great systems of Western thought (rationalism and empiricism) may be tested and compared on a single rich set of data, just like ordinary scientific hypotheses." But Searle argues among other things that the debate about the past tense is not a case in which "two great systems of Western thought (rationalism and empiricism) may be tested and compared on a single rich set of data." Searle argued that the features that make them "great systems of Western thought" are left unaffected by the discussion of the past tense. Their debate also included history, computation and information processing in relation to rationalism and empiricism where both thoughts oppose each other. The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy which Searle (in Pinker & Searle, 2002) thinks is standard, defines rationalism as the position that reason presides over other ways of acquiring knowledge, or that it is the unique path to knowledge. It is most often encountered as a view in epistemology, where it is traditionally contrasted with empiricism, the view that the senses are primary with respect to knowledge (Audi, 1999). Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that asks the question "How do we know what we know" (Epistemology n.d.). This is a nature/nurture debate then, with Rationalists going for nature and Empiricists going for nurture. Some scientists think that people behave as they do according to genetic predispositions or even "animal instincts." This is known as the "nature" theory of human behavior. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the "nurture" theory of human behavior (Powell, 2006). Plato and Descartes were famous Rationalists, John Stuart Mill and David Hume were famous Empiricists. The following can be said to be the levels by which rationalism and empiricism may be differentiated. DIFFERENCES Etymology and emphasis. According to Carlo Sini (2004), the name Rationalism obviously derives from the word 'rational' which goes back to the Latin, 'ratio' meaning 'calculation'. This in turn goes back to another Latin word, 'ratus', which is the past participle of 'reor', meaning "think', 'deem', 'judge'. What runs through all of these is the emphasis on mind, an emphasis connected with the word 'rational' as well: rationalise, rationality, and similar terms. 'Empiricism' derives from another English word, 'empiric', meaning, 'derived from experience.' The term "empirical" was originally used to refer to certain ancient Greek practitioners of medicine who rejected adherence to the dogmatic doctrines of the day, preferring instead to rely on the observation of phenomena as perceived in experience (Sini, 2004). The doctrine of empiricism was first made by John Locke in the 17th century. Locke argued that the mind is a tabula rasa ("clean slate" or "blank tablet"or" white paper") on which experiences leave their marks. To Locke, the mind is like

Hindustan Unilever Ltd Essay Example for Free

Hindustan Unilever Ltd Essay Hindustan Unilever Limited, a fast moving consumer goods company, manufactures and sells home care, personal care, and food products in India and internationally. The company offers soaps, detergent bars, detergent powders, detergent liquids, scourers, etc.; and personal products, such as oral care, skin care, and hair care products, as well as deodorants, talcum powders, color cosmetic products, and Ayush health care and personal care products and services. It also offers packaged foods, such as atta, salt, bread, etc.; ice creams and frozen desserts; culinary products comprising tomato based products, fruit based products, soups, etc. ; and beverages, including tea and coffee. In addition, the company exports marine and leather products, as well as offers chemicals; Pureit in-home water purifiers; and salon services. It offers food products primarily under the Annapurna, Brooke Bond 3 Roses, Annapurna, Brooke Bond Red Label, Brooke Bond Taaza, Brooke Bond Taj Mahal, Bru, Kissan, Knorr, Kwality Wall’s, Lipton, Magic, Magnum, and Modern brand names; personal care products under the Aviance, Axe, Breeze, Clear, Clinic Plus, Closeup, Dove, ELLE 18, Fair Lovely, Hamam, Lakme, Lifebuoy, Liril 2000, Lux, Pears, Pepsodent, Ponds, Rexona, Sure, Sunsilk, TRESemmà ©, and Vaseline brand names; and home care products under the Active Wheel, Cif, Comfort Fabric Conditioner, Domex, Rin, Sunlight, Surf Excel, and Vim brand names. The company was formerly known as Hindustan Lever Limited and changed its name to Hindustan Unilever Limited in May 2007. Hindustan Unilever Limited was founded in 1931 and is based in Mumbai, India. As of July 4, 2013, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Unilever plc. Many challenges for HULs new boss Cheap Flights from New Delhi to Toronto As low as Fares Have Reduced, Book Your Flight Now! Yatra.com www.Yatra.com Ads by Google Add to My Page Read more on: Hul | Fmcg | Mena | Hindustan Unilever | Sanjiv Mehta Nitin Paranjpe RELATED NEWS Diageo stirs USL in bid to shake Indian market Shreekant Sambrani: Gandhis truth Then and now ITC looks away from fairness for men in personal wash Cabinet to take up ordinance on convicted netas on Oct 2 Rahuls opinion well taken in party, govt: Cong SBI Life Insurance Plans 1 Cr Life Cover @ Rs 543* pm Only Save upto 50%, Get Free Quotes Now!www.policybazaar.com/Tax_Saving IDFC Mutual Fund Invest in a wide range of Funds. Meet an Advisor in Your City Now!www.idfcmf.com Ads by Google Sanjiv Mehta has cut himself an unusual career for a chartered accountant. Rather than move up the echelons of finance management, he was part of crisis management at his first employer, and then the commercial head of home and personal care products and, lately, chairman of MENA (Middle East and North Africa) for Unilever, the second-largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company in the world. As he takes over as chief executive at Unilevers India arm, and the countrys largest FMCG company, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), on Tuesday, he will be the first to not have had a stint in Indian business before doing so. The current slowdown has not spared FMCG companies and though fortified on the back of an open offer and a reinforced supply chain, HUL has challenges of its own to battle. If not for these, all Mehta had to do was ensure continuity to ride out the gloom. However, he will now have to iron out creases at one of its bread and butter segments, skincare, at a time when HULs top brass drive on premiumisation is seeing resistance due to sobering consumer sentiment. Comparisons The company is different from the HUL in April 2008, when predecessor Nitin Paranjpe had taken over as CEO. Paranjpe, who joins the Unilever Leadership Executive, took on the role of president, home care, moved up the ranks in  laundry and home care and then personal care, right from being an area sales manager to being the executive director. He took the company out of the woods during the previous slowdown that India had faced. Jyothy Laboratories joint managing director, Ullas Kamath, says: Nitin breathed new life into HUL by doing away with power brands, increasing rural and semi-urban reach and, most important, building a team that worked hard, stayed together in the past five years. I wish Sanjiv all the best; he should strive to not undo what has been done so far. Another industry peer points to the internal changes under Paranjpes watch and what Mehta would do well to preserve: He brought Leena Nair on board and rehauled the human resources at HUL, with a young team which was answerable for bringing about results and members rotated every three years for a rounded experience. Various programmes also led to low-cost production and an extensive distribution in the hinterlands. It is like HUL is now on auto-pilot and process-driven in a way that people are more aware of the company than the man behind it, which is the mark of a leader. Observers are perhaps worried about the new CEO’s rallying skills because Paranjpe did it very well. One of Paranjpe’s peers and batchmates says, â€Å"HUL will have to be mindful of the drain of human capital to other organisations. ITC is also of a similar size but it does not suffer as much. Paranjpe knew the system and got the top people on his side. He was quiet. Rather than be visible outside like Banga (CEO before him), he was visible inside the organisation and, hence, could influence top guys more.† Mehta has not worked with the Indian team so far but taking over without rocking the boat at this time will be crucial. So far, in various interviews, he has spoken about empowering people and developing them. Nirmal Jain, chairman, India Infoline (IIFL), says: â€Å"Mehta will have to reinforce the strategy so far, so that the morale of his team remains high. He is from an emerging markets background, so he will understand the focus on market share, volume growth and spends on brands.† Challenges One of Paranjpe’s peers and batchmates says, â€Å"Mehta might need to reassure shareholders on not losing margins. He would have to think of ways in absorbing the pressure on volume growth in these times. One of these could be telling them that HUL would take a hit on volume but maintain margins since it can afford to do so.† IIFL’s Jain wants Mehta to focus on innovation and relaunches. Nikhil Vora, managing director at IDFC, says: â€Å"Paranjpe has been able to restrict market share losses and even grow in some categories. But the biggest challenge remains the absence of a funnel of new products, especially because its core categories are only expected to grow weaker.† Jain says going into a service-led business of water purifiers rather than sell bottled water amounts to HUL playing in a niche category, whereas it is better geared to succeed in mass segments. The clamour for innovation can also be linked to how one of HUL’s erstwhile blockbusters has run into trouble of late. Fair and Lovely, a Rs 1,500-crore brand in personal care, a segment that contributes nearly 30 per cent to HULs revenue, is in a category (fairness) which is not growing. â€Å"It shows a consumer disconnect with the brand,† says Vora. Food remains a challenge. Analysts like Vora point to a lack of investment in the category. â€Å"It has been historically coy with introducing innovation in snacks, foods and dairy. These are categories in which its competition has been active with innovation. It needs to get into these categories to stay formidable in the years to come.† Ahead In his Bangladesh stint, Mehta was known to take risks and alter the operating style to turn around a troubled loss-making business, in two and a half years. He is also aware of the cultures in Southeast Asia and West Asia. In his first job with Union Carbide, he was part of the crisis management team after the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984 and remained till 1992  before joining Unilever in Dubai. Nitin Mathur, consumer research analyst with Espirito Santo Securities, says: â€Å"North Africa due to its proximity with markets in Europe has about 80-90 per cent media penetration and a greater presence of modern trade than India.† While Bangladesh and West Asia not only boast of Indian expats but also media habits that are similar to India. Mehta’s succeeding Paranjpe is reminiscent of the latter’s ascension in the downturn of 2008. However, at that time the FMCG sector was not hit and 2010-11 saw a boom. Will Mehta’s emerging market exposure stand him in good stead now?

Jim Jarmusch’s Film Deadman, as a Manipulated Western Essay -- Movie F

Jim Jarmusch’s Film Deadman, as a Manipulated Western Director Jim Jarmusch’s film Deadman displays many of the accepted conventions for Western genre films, but manipulated in such a way as to create a revisionist, rather than a classical, western. The most obvious example of this manipulation are the characterizations of the hero, William Blake, and his Native American partner, Nobody. Blake is an awkward easterner who travels westward unaware of the different rules governing western life, instead of the rugged, knowledgeable outdoorsman who â€Å"does what he has to do† to defend justice and honor. Nobody’s character is unusually independent, educated, and kind towards Blake, instead of the traditional Western genre’s violent, unintelligent Indian. The viewer is first introduced to Blake as he takes the long train ride from Cleveland to Machine. As the characters around him become more rugged and â€Å"western,† the viewer sees that Blake is clearly from the east, and out of place among the westerners. As he enters the town of Machine, he stands out like a sore thumb with his plaid... Jim Jarmusch’s Film Deadman, as a Manipulated Western Essay -- Movie F Jim Jarmusch’s Film Deadman, as a Manipulated Western Director Jim Jarmusch’s film Deadman displays many of the accepted conventions for Western genre films, but manipulated in such a way as to create a revisionist, rather than a classical, western. The most obvious example of this manipulation are the characterizations of the hero, William Blake, and his Native American partner, Nobody. Blake is an awkward easterner who travels westward unaware of the different rules governing western life, instead of the rugged, knowledgeable outdoorsman who â€Å"does what he has to do† to defend justice and honor. Nobody’s character is unusually independent, educated, and kind towards Blake, instead of the traditional Western genre’s violent, unintelligent Indian. The viewer is first introduced to Blake as he takes the long train ride from Cleveland to Machine. As the characters around him become more rugged and â€Å"western,† the viewer sees that Blake is clearly from the east, and out of place among the westerners. As he enters the town of Machine, he stands out like a sore thumb with his plaid...

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Essay

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Possibly more than any of the other articles we have read so far, Ramachandra Guha's article "Radical Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique" made me think. In analyzing the Western deep ecology movement, he criticized its focus on preservation of wild areas. By doing this, he was directly criticizing what I have long thought of as my main goal as an "environmentalist." One of the first things that turned me on to environmental issues when I was younger was my horror at the soaring rate of rainforest destruction so dramatically portrayed to us in 9th grade biology class. Since then, by following a biology track through college, my focus has been on ecological goals such as the preservation of biodiversity. The study of ecology has served me as a way to understand wilderness so I might be able to help protect it or restore it. My patterns of thought are often not far off from those of Daniel Janzen, which Guha quotes in his paper as "imperialist yearning of Western biologists and their financial sponsors" to claim land in Third World countries for protection by ecologists (Guha 272). He states his opinion that "the radical conclusions drawn by deep ecology, in particular, that intervention in nature should be guided primarily by the need to preserve biotic integrity rather than by the needs of humans" are unacceptable (271). He also claims that the two "fundamental ecological problems facing the globe are (i) overconsumption by the industrialized world and by urban elites in the Third World and (ii) growing militarization" (271), whereas the biological perspective would c... ...growth instead of material wealth --"The values of caring, cooperation, nurturing and sharing must be encouraged to replace the values of competitiveness, domination and aggression which have characterized our society for so long" --polices must reflect "the interdependence of all living things and the interconnetedness of all political and social activity" (http://www.greenparty.org.uk/principles/values/htm) The list was impressive. And although the Greens seem more prevalent in Europe than in the U.S. - there is an American Greens party - which had Ralph Nader as their presidential candidate in 1996. Maybe the Greens movement could help us meet a wide range of environmental and social goals through its philosophy of humility, instead of following deep ecology's biocentric proposal. I am encouraged to look further into it...

Homosexuality as a Deviance: Discrimination In Society Essay

Deviance is a behavior that does not conform to social norms, therefore is socially created. Since most people in the United States believe that homosexuality is wrong, society has created homosexuality to be a deviance. Since deviance is relative and not absolute to a society, homosexuality is not a universal form of sexual deviance. There are many cultures that accept forms of homosexuality. The Western society is not accepting of it though, and many times this non-accepting view cause discrimination towards homosexuals. Is homosexuality a way for some people to deviate, or is it just the way some people need to live their lives? If that is the way of life for some people than society has to become accepting towards this lifestyle. Homosexuals are a minority since they differ from the accepted sexual orientation. They become objects of discrimination and contempt. Some of societies anti-homosexual attitudes come from homophobia. Homophobia is â€Å"the irrational fears of homosexuality in others, the fear of homosexual feelings within oneself, or self-loathing because of one’s homosexuality. It stems from ignorance and popular myths that give rise to homosexual prejudice†(Crooks 255). Homophobia is expressed in many ways, both subtle and direct. Telling jokes about queers, belittling their lifestyle, denying them housing, employment, membership into organizations, and engaging in violence against homosexuals. Heterosexuals also express homophobia by avoiding acts that would cause people to think they were gay. It affects men the most like this because it hinders male friendships. Men do not want to get too close to their male friends, or express emotions because they might be considered gay. Homophobia restricts the lives of both gay and straight people. Laws against homosexual behaviors have been very punitive. In the American colonies homosexuals were put to death by burning or drowning. Sodomy, which is oral or anal sex, was against the law in the United States until 1961. Illinois became the first state to repeal the sodomy laws. Now only 13 states continue to have sodomy laws. Even though these laws apply to all segments of the population, they are usually enforced against homosexual men. † Sodomy laws are used to harass homosexuals, especially gay men,  because women in general and lesbians in particular are socially invisible in society†(Eitzen 304). An example of the injustice of sodomy laws is the case of Matthew Leeman. He has been sentanced to 17 years in prison under Kansas State sodomy laws. The details of the case are 18 year old Leeman was convicted of giving a 15 year old boy consensual oral sex due to violation of the state’s sodomy laws. In Kansas sex with any minor is illegal, but there is also a Romeo and Juliet law that states sex with a minor is less of an offense if there is little age difference. Therefore if Leeman had given consensual oral sex to a 15 year old girl he would have received a 12 month sentance. But under the sodomy laws all same sex activities are illegal regardless of age, so the Romeo and Juliet exception does not apply to him. The case was appealed all the way to the Kansas State Supreme Court with the ruling upheld. So 18 year old Matthew Leeman will be in jail until he is 36 years old. The Supreme Court has upheld the right of states to prohibit sodomy in the case Bowers v. Hardwick in 1986. Recently the Supreme Court has decided it will revisit the issue of whether states can continue to prosecute homosexual men for having consensual sex in their homes. A descion is expected in June of 2003. Bars where homosexuals frequent are often raided by the police and many are arrested under the sodomy laws. This practice makes it difficult for homosexuals when they apply for jobs. Applications for employment ask if a person has a criminal record. Since some gays have records for violation sodomy laws, they must write it on their application. Both these offenses, having a record and being gay, makes employment less likely. Homosexuals, especially males, are highly discriminated against in activities considered to be super manly. Up until recently a person could not be gay in the military. Homosexuals were honorably discharged from the military. In 1993 President Clinton attempted to change this tradition. He received much opposition from politicians, citizens and the military. The result was a compromise, a don’t ask, don’t tell rule. This meant that the military personal was not to inquire about sexual preference, and that service members were not to be blatant about their sexual orientation. Another macho activity is sports. Gay men in sport have not been accepted. † There is much at stake in maintaining the silence about gay men in sports and in  discouraging gay male athletes from revealing their identities†(Coakley 234). To even talk about homosexuals in sports would threaten the system of gender classification. The fact is though there are homosexuals in sports and they are discriminated against. In the locker room athletes use anti- gay banter as part of daily life. Homosexuals in sports live in fear of the truth about their sexuality coming out. Although recently studies have shown that organized sports are becoming less homophobic. People in sports are becoming more tolerant of homosexuals. But the value of a homosexual athlete is of core importance. † Gay athletes with high human capital are much more likely to come out of the closet to their teams than are gay athletes with medium or low human capital†(Anderson 12). As homosexuals are slowly accepted by society, the gender lines that inhibit so many will slowly be erased. Another way homosexuals are discriminated against is through family rights. No State in America allows marriage between members of the same sex. Aside from the emotional benefits, there are legal benefits that come with marriage. Health insurance coverage, inheritance of property, and tax benefits are just a few advantages that come with a legally recognized relationship. Parenthood is another aspect of life that homosexuals are disadvantaged. The rights of gay parents are usually denied. When two people divorce it is most often the mother that gains more custody. â€Å"However if the mother is an acknowledged lesbian, this may jeopardize her claim to custody†(Crooks 266). A homosexual man has an even harder time gaining custody, because he has a double disadvantage. Many gay couples are also denied the right to adopt children; in some states it is even illegal. Some lesbian couples have children through artificial insemination. The problem with this is that only the mother of the child is legally recognized as the parent. There are only eight states that â€Å"second-parent adoptions by lesbians and gays have been approved in California, Oregon, Alaska, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C.†(Strong 356). Being homosexual should not prohibit people from raising a legally recognized family. There are two ways that homosexuals deal with living in a hostile society.  The first is to conceal their sexual preference from the world. When they are in the straight world they act heterosexual, and only within the confines of privacy do they act gay. The second strategy is to be a gay liberationist. Instead of keeping their sexuality a secret, they are openly gay at all times. They challenge societal norms in hopes that there will be a change in attitudes. Gay liberationist rose about in the early 1970s, after an event that took place earlier. On June 28, 1969, the police raided Stonewall Inn, a gay hangout. Instead of dispersing as usual, the customers rioted. This incident drew a lot of needed attention to problems of police harassment that homosexuals faced. â€Å"In effect Stonewall resistance came to symbolize the birth of the modern gay rights movement†(Eitzen 312). Since Stonewall there have been many positive changes for gay rights. Now there are laws to protect the rights of homosexuals, where as before they had no laws protecting them. More and more people are coming out of the closet and are proud to be gay (A). As time continues homosexual rights will become stronger. This will only happen with the help of heterosexuals. Education is very important in the fight for gay rights. People must be informed that homosexuality is not a disease, or a sin; it is just the way of life for some people. Homosexuals are not monsters who should be put to death. Homosexuality has been around since before the written word, and each society deals with it differently. Our own society is not accepting of it. These are just humans who have a different sexual preferences than the members of normal society. Homosexuals have relationships, families, and even children, most of which are happy and healthy. They do things heterosexuals do such as serve in the armed forces and play sports. Yet society discriminates against them, even to the point of violence. Even though gay activists have made some difference in how society views their lifestyles, it is not enough. There needs to be more of a change. We as society should be more accepting of these people. If not we are the ones being deviant, with our policies of discrimination and harassment. Work Cited. Anderson, Eric. Openly Gay Athletes: Dealing with hegemonic Masculinity And Homophobia. University of California Coakley, Jay. â€Å"Sport in Society: Issues and Controversies† 7th ed. Boston: McGrawHill, 2001. Crooks, Robert. Our Sexuality. 6th ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks and Cole, 1996. Curtan, Jim. â€Å"Gay Liberation=Spiritual Liberation.† Genre 81 (2000): 74. Eitzen, D. Stanley. Social Problems. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1997. Strong, Bryan. The Marriage and Family Experience, Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society. 7th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 1998.

Discuss the importance of Budget transparency in foreign direct investment in developing countries The WritePass Journal

Discuss the importance of Budget transparency in foreign direct investment in developing countries Introduction Discuss the importance of Budget transparency in foreign direct investment in developing countries Introduction What is Foreign Direct Investment and what are the determinants of FDI? Fitting the pieces together, FDI and Budget Transparency. Budget Transparency and FDI, Case Study evidence from Uganda: Conclusions and Implications: ReferencesRelated Introduction In recent literature, capital flows from rich to poor nations has become a subject for intense debate among development theorists. (Kolstad, 2008) Many development theorists have come to understand that foreign direct investment (FDI) can provide a positive incentive for growth and development in poor nations. The gains from FDI are numerous, and include technological and productivity spillovers, as well as reduced prices for downstream suppliers for domestic firms, increase demand in local labor markets, increased wages, and an increase in revenue streams for the domestic government. (Javorcik, 2004) Thus, understanding why foreign direct investment flows into some developing countries and not others can have a major impact on development policy in many organizations; including multinational organizations, intra-government development ministries, and private sector aid agencies. In traditional macroeconomic theory, capital flows from countries with a low marginal product of capital to those with a higher marginal product of capital. (Biswas, 2002) In reality however this does not uniformly occur. Furthermore, according to the IMF, â€Å"there is no unique and widely accepted theory of foreign direct investment.† (Lizondo, 1990) Classical macroeconomic theory therefore does not sufficiently explain foreign direct investment rates and supplement theories are required. There is a combination of theories that include numerous explanations of foreign direct investment in developing countries. These include, risk reduction (risk diversification) and market size, market imperfections, oligopolistic rivalry and product cycle hypothesis, liquidity of subsidiaries, currency exchange rates, and lastly political stability and domestic tax rates. (Lizondo, 1990) For the purposes of this essay, I will be focusing specifically on risk diversification, currency excha nge rates, political variables and domestic fiscal norms –as these have the most applicability to budget transparency. Clearly, the outlined above determinants of foreign direct investments are all affected by budget transparency. The OECD Best Practices for Budget Transparency (2002) outlines the determinants of budget transparency, and the relevant institutional reforms necessary to maintain fiscal and monetary transparency, while ensuring accurate economic outlooks and protecting against off-budget expenditures. (OECD, 2002) Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 Within this essay, I will make the argument that adopting fiscal and monetary transparency, while producing sound economic outlooks and protecting against off-budget expenditures -and complying with these rules in a coherent manner- should reduce the risk of investment in the eyes of foreign entities; which would in turn view increased foreign direct investment more favorably. In order to validate my argument, I will first look at the existing theory behind foreign direct investment, as well as the theory behind budget transparency, and then elaborate on the theoretical and logical link between the two. Lastly, in order to attach these theoretical frameworks to the true state of the world, I will examine a series of case studies. I will examine several states and look at budget transparency within these individual states, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of budget transparency within their government and its subsequent effects on their domestic economies, and then compare the flo w of foreign direct investment (net inflows) as a percentage of GDP. What is Foreign Direct Investment and what are the determinants of FDI? In order to fully understand why foreign direct investment is both affected by budget transparency, and beneficial to developing countries we need a clear working definition of what foreign direct investment actually is. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), foreign direct investment as: â€Å"†¦investment made to acquire a lasting interest in or effective control over an enterprise outside the domestic economy of the investor†¦ FDI net inflows are the value of inward direct investment made by non-resident investors in the reporting economy, including reinvested earnings and intra-company loans, net of repatriation of capital and repayment of loans.† Given this definition, in order to understand what determines the flow of foreign direct investment into a developing economy, and how it corresponds with budgeting transparency, we must understand the decision making process of entities wishing to invest in any particular economy. As mentioned in the introduction of this essay, this is more difficult then it appears as the topic is subject to ongoing academic debate. However, some common trends can be picked out of the academic thicket. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 In Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment (2002), Romita Biswas cites, Keefer and Knack (1995), Lee and Mansfield (1996), and Clague (1999) as explaining property rights and –key for our purposes- quality of governance as crucial to explaining net rates of foreign direct investment in emerging and developing economies. There are numerous indicators for this â€Å"quality of governance† variable; however for our purposes, the most important is government corruption and off budget expenditures, risk of expropriation by government officials and tax rates- all of which are either mitigated by or influenced directly by budget transparency. In support of these variables, Biswas finds that the introduction and interaction of the â€Å"quality of government† variables (again, composed of the above variables) with traditional determinants of foreign direct investment, produces a highly statistically significant effect (5% level) on determining net inflows of foreign di rect investment. (Biswas, 2002) Taking the above into account, we might then explain in more detail the classical determinants of foreign direct investment in developing counties. First and foremost, firms undertake foreign direct investment as a means to mitigate risk. According to an International Monetary Fund working paper produced in 1990: â€Å"†¦a firm would presumably be guided by both expected returns and the possibility of reducing risk. Since the returns on activities in different countries are likely to have less than perfect correlation, a firm could reduce its overall risk by undertaking projects in more than one country. Foreign direct investment can, therefore, be viewed as international portfolio diversification at the corporate level.† (Lizondo, 1990) This tells us that entities diversify risk by spreading foreign direct investments -principally in capital- across many countries. Further expanding on this, we can make a small logical step. We can then assume that entities, wishing to diversify risk would assess the risk inherent in individual economies. Rather than just spreading capital over a high number of developing economies, the entity would pick and choose which developing and emerging economies to locate capital in, and prioritize those locations according to domestic risk –as assessed from the factors mentioned in the introduction. This is a crucial assumption because it says a great deal about the nature of economic entities. In principle, it tells us that these actors do not simply look at the marginal product of capital and prioritize foreign Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 direct investment accordingly. Indeed, we assume for the purposes of this essay that economic entities wishing to engage in foreign direct investment balance risk along with their marginal product of capital for individual developing economies. Moving on from assumptions to other classical determinant of foreign direct investment, we can look at the strength of the entities domestic currency, weighted against the strength of the currency of the recipient economy- destination of the foreign direct investment. This theory is based on â€Å"capital market theory† and the strength of exchange rates. In essence, the theory proposed by Aliber (1970, 1971) hypothesis that the stronger the domestic currency of the actor wishing to partake in foreign direct investment, against the currency of the recipient economy, the more likely it is that this actor is to undertake foreign direct investment. Further, this theory explains this relationship primarily through the preference of an investor to hold a select currency. (Blonigen, 1997) Numerous studies to test this theory have shown that there is indeed a statistically significant negative correlation between strength of currency and net inflows of foreign direct investment. (Bis was, 2002 Blonigen, 1997) Lastly, another determinant of foreign direct investment -which has been studied with mixed results-, is domestic fiscal norms. While the literature on this particular determinant has yielded mixed results, we must still give attention to both the status quo and risk inherent in the fiscal norms of the recipient economy. Given the assumption above -that entities wishing to engage in foreign direct investment assess and quantify the risk of their investments of capital in all individual economies they wish to invest in- we can ascertain that fiscal frameworks play some role in that assessment. Included in fiscal norms are both the tax rates, and the stability of those norms. We can make the assumption that both unfavorable tax rates and instability of fiscal norms will have a negative impact on foreign direct investment. This subject has been partially studied with some encouraging results. In a 2007 International Monetary Fund piece, published in the Journal of Comparative Economics the authors find that the policy environment (including fiscal policy) does have a significant effect on levels of FDI. (Demekas, 2007) Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 Before moving to connect the above determinants of FDI with budget transparency theory, I would briefly like to touch on the interconnected nature of the above determinants of FDI as well as to summarize for the sake of clarity. Above, I cite numerous studies that explain risk, fiscal policy, currency strength, and quality of governance as the crucial determinants of foreign direct investment. Furthermore, hidden in the quality of governance index are several factors that some perceptive academics have looked into; namely government corruption, risk of expropriation by government officials and tax rates. Now, as we’ve discussed fiscal policy, corruption, and risk of expropriation have been mentioned and studied as both an independent contributor to foreign direct investment, as well as part of a â€Å"quality of government index.† In essence, all of these variables have been studied and in one way or another, and have been found to contribute to net inflows of foreign d irect investment. Furthermore, these variables all are directly affected or are altered by the application of budget transparency theory. We will now examine the definition of budget transparency, its application to developing nations, and how the above determinants of foreign direct investment fit into budget transparency theory specifically. Fitting the pieces together, FDI and Budget Transparency. In order to accurately and neatly fit the determinants of net inflows of foreign direct investment together with budget transparency, we need to clearly define what budget transparency is, and its applicability to developing economies. Keeping in mind both the aggregate â€Å"quality of governance† determinant of foreign direct investment as mentioned in the previous section -and its subsidiary parts- the OECD explains that, â€Å"The budget is the single most important policy document for governments.† Furthermore, the OECD explains that budget transparency can be defined, â€Å"†¦as the full disclosure of all relevant fiscal information in a timely and systematic manner.† (OECD, 2002) By maintaining the assumption that, in order to mitigate risk, entities wishing to engage in foreign direct investment prioritize possible recipient economies in terms of their risk and reward, we can see that the level of budget transparency greatly influences many of the ke y determinants of net Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 inflows of FDI at both the aggregate level in the recipient economy, as well as the individual entities decision of whether or not to engage directly a recipient economy. We will now move to accessing individual determinants of net inflows of FDI in terms of budget transparency norms, attempt to tie them to OECD best practices on budget transparency, before finally concluding this section spending some time on the applicability of budget transparency to developing economies. First, we will talk about the currency determinant of foreign direct investment as it relates to budget transparency. Fundamentally, currency exchange rates are affected by interest rates and the amount currency in circulation –both of which are directly affected by government debt. The budget transparency outline is first and foremost a budget document that is designed to –among other things- impose fiscal disciple on a government. (OECD, 2002) This fiscal disciple influences currency strength by (theoretically) lowering the debt incurred by governments, as well as providing for more accurate revenue forecasts. The OECD outlines the conditions for these outcomes in several key areas. First in section 1 by outlining that the government should provide a comprehensive list of all government activities, a forecast of future and previous fiscal year’s government expenditure and revenue, and a complete list of all government liabilities. (OECD, 2002) These measures in the OECD guide have been linked to improved fiscal stability and lower debt ratios of governments in developing countries. For instance, Kopits and Craig (1998) assert that, â€Å"better-performing countries (those with better debt ratios and higher levels of FDI)†¦ generally follow more transparent fiscal norms.† Similarly, Alesina, Hausmann, Hommes, and Stein (1996) find that budget institutions do affect fiscal outcomes. They explain that more hierarchical (as defined by their index) budget institutions produce lower debt to GNP ratios. From this we can extrapolate that a key condition for entities willingness to engage in foreign direct investment is met by increasing budget transparency, through increasing currency stability as well as balancing government accounts. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 A closely related determinant of foreign direct investment is domestic fiscal norms in the recipient economy. Conceivably, entities wishing to engage in foreign direct investment would evaluate not only the current fiscal conditions of a recipient economy, but also the fluctuations in this fiscal regime. Viewing highly unstable fiscal conditions as a far higher risk, these entities would then prioritize their investments accordingly. Working under this assumption, we can see how the OECD budget transparency guidelines both improve fiscal outcomes, as well as stabilize the budget process, providing for long run fiscal stability. In Fiscal Discipline and the Budget Process (1996) Alesina and Perotti hypothesize that the implementation of budget transparency and a normative budget process should improve long-run fiscal performance. Using these findings as a working assumption, we can draw a clear parallel from specific elements of the OECD Best Practices of Budget Transparency and impro ved long-run fiscal performance. More specifically, we can see that stipulations corresponding to medium-term expenditure frameworks, and the long-term report of government fiscal challenges –including demographics among other things- should in theory stabilize the budgetary process, and thus the fiscal situation in the long-run. Lastly, we will turn out attention to a fuzzy term, namely the â€Å"quality of governance† indicator used in so many studies, as well as its subsidiary parts. As mentioned in prior sections, the â€Å"quality of governance† indicators, as well as its sub components were shown to have a highly statistically significant effect on net inflows of foreign direct investment. This broad index covers many areas of interest; these include variables such as political stability, level of democratization, and the â€Å"policy environment.† For the purposes of this essay however, we will be looking at specifically government corruption, the risk of expropriation, and how budget transparency affects these variables, as well as quality of governance in a broad perspective. Looking at budget transparency and government corruption first, we see that the literature on government transparency and corruption is extensive. In Is Transparency the Key to Reducing Corruption in Resource-Rich Countries? (2008), Ivar Kolstad and Arne Wiig explore transparency as a means to push Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 developing countries out of the resource paradox. They conclude that, â€Å"Transparency can reduce bureaucratic corruption by making corrupt acts more risky, by making it easier to provide good incentives to public officials, and by easing selection of honest and efficient people for public service.† (Kolstad, 2008) This is especially important within the context of developing economies because these economies have a higher probability of being highly resource dependent. Within the context of the OECD standards for budget transparency, expenditure is classified by administrative unit, financial liabilities are more acutely planned for and the development of more thorough employee compensation obligations provides that government administrators are thus less likely to experience gaps or disruptions in compensation. Furthermore, adhering to budget transparency norms reduces the risk of embezzlement of government funds by creating a clear and routine audit framework. The additional oversight mentioned above can also help to mitigate the risk of expropriation of foreign actors wishing to engage in foreign direct investment. In Democracy, Autocracy, and Expropriation of Foreign Direct Investment (2009), Quan Li explains that â€Å"†¦governments are most likely to expropriate foreign investment when leaders face little political constraint.† While Quan Li works directly with variables found very often in expropriation literature, -namely rule of law, property rights, investment behaviors, and privatization reforms- I would make the argument that budget transparency helps to mitigate the likelihood of expropriation through better revenue stream planning, as well as the imposition of government fiscal norms. Foreign entities are most at risk of expropriation when operating in countries with unstable fiscal balance sheets, which implies both poor budget transparency and inadequate fiscal norms. In recent history, a prime example of this phe nomenon was Hugo Chavez of Venezuela ordered the nationalization of oil production operations owned by two foreign firms. According to the International Budget Partnership Venezuela, â€Å"lacks information on fiscal activities†¦ including extra-budgetary funds, and quasi-fiscal activities.† (IBP, 2011) This lack of transparency would imply very few constraints on political Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 leader’s ability to affect fiscal and economic conditions in Venezuela, which likely contributed to the expropriation of private firms for political purposes. In summarizing budget transparencies effect on determinants of foreign direct investment, we should briefly note that all of the above factors affect the risk inherent when a foreign entity is deciding whether or not to invest in a recipient economy. Currency considerations, the stability of domestic fiscal norms, quality of governance –more specifically corruption and risk of expropriation- are all mitigated by properly enacted budget transparency measures. Using the OECD’s guide to budget transparency I have outlined which elements of the guide apply to each of the above determinants. Going further, we can talk briefly about the applicability of these reforms within the context of developing economies. In Budgeting in Poor Countries: Ten Common Assumptions Re-examined (1980), Naomi Caiden challenges many common budgeting assumptions relevant to the context of developing economies. Most importantly for our purposes, are the assumptions dealing with national economic planning and inadequate resources. Caiden explains that national economic planning with regard to budgeting norms should be used to coordinate development objectives. This argument holds merit in that extremely detailed development plans require vast resources, expertise and foresight by governments that are typically short of all three in one way or another. This same argument holds true for countries with a sever lack of resources- both expertise and financial. However, I would argue against this line of thought on the basis that increased foreign direct investment offsets the costs of implementing budget transparency. Increases in revenue, technological and management spillovers (Aitken, 1999), increased productivity of domestic firms, combined with the other benefits of budget transparency, especially with regard to improved fiscal performance and an increase in quality of governance; the benefits should outweigh the costs in the minds of most policy makers. Budget Transparency and FDI, Case Study evidence from Uganda: We now move to an in-depth case study of Uganda to show how the effects of budget transparency can directly increase levels of foreign direct investment. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 Uganda is a sub-Saharan African nation that has seen considerable political and economic turmoil over the last fifty years. Throughout much of the 1960s Uganda had a robust economy; however political instability, poor macroeconomic policies by its government, and economic shocks with roots in the global market quickly deteriorated this advantageous economic situation. Due to these factors, chief among them poor macroeconomic policy, the 1970s and 1980s experienced high levels of inflation due to dramatic mismanagement of public debts. (Kuteesa, 2006) The greatest factor in this period of economic destabilization was the government was printing money to finance public sector deficits, which lead to very high rates of inflation. (Mwenda, 2005) As a result of these economic problems Uganda’s net flow of foreign direct investment flat lined at zero percent of GDP. (World Bank) Furthermore, industrial production fell by 3.9% annually from 1983-86. This decline in industry made Ugan da more heavily dependent on agriculture which was also experiencing poor performance due to the economic conditions. (Mwenda, 2005) However, in 1987 Uganda –with the help of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other donors- initiated an Economic Recovery Programme whose aim was to, reduce inflation, balance the budget, and implement sound fiscal and monetary policy. (Kuteesa, 2006) These policies had a dramatic effect on the Ugandan economy, producing healthy GDP growth since the late 1980s. With the stabilization of the currency, improved public debt management, and a clear adherence to thoughtful fiscal norms, foreign direct investment began to grow in the few years following the reforms. However, it is very important to note that the Economic Recovery Programme overseen by the IMF and World Bank did not produce immediate rises in foreign direct investment. Indeed this economic reform package was implemented in 1987 and Uganda did not see any significant increase in net inflows of foreign direct investment until 1993. (World Bank) Hence there is a six year gap where serious economic recovery wasn’t enough to entice foreign entities to invest in Uganda, despite the improvement in public debt management and the curbing of inflation. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 Although, in the end of 1992 beginning of 1993 Uganda embarked on a reform scheme aimed at increasing budgetary discipline. These changes to the budget system included, enhancing fiscal discipline, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of public expenditures, improved financial management and accountability, and finally, improving transparency and openness of the national budget processes. (Mwenda, 2005) As consistent with the OECD guide to budget transparency, the Ugandan government adopted a clearly defined system of cash accounting, overseen a realignment of policy objectives to an outcome/output orientation, undertaking clear public expenditure reviews (performance auditing), and lastly increased the scrutiny of parliament through the newly formed Parliamentary Committee on the Budget. In adopting these reforms, many of which explicitly outlined in the OECD guide to budget transparency, we can see a noticeable effect on all of our aforementioned determinants of foreign direct in vestment. The Ugandan currency (shilling) has experienced stable rates of inflation, around 4.6%. (World Bank) The level of corruption in Uganda while still quite widespread is on par with that of its neighboring countries. Further, the perception of corruption in Uganda has become less and less accepted over the past decade. (Transparency International) Crucially on the topic of corruption, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have stated that as African governments adopt reforms aimed at budget transparency and various administrative reforms would, â€Å"lead to the emergence of a smaller and more competent state, one in which there would be fewer opportunities for corrupt behavior.† (Mwenda, 2005) The dramatic budgetary reforms, along with the macroeconomic corrections, have produced stable and predictable fiscal norms, as well as fiscal decentralization within Uganda. In 1993 -just after these budgetary reforms-, Uganda began to see levels of foreign direct investment for the first time in almost twenty years. Recently, the International Budget Partnership (UBP) has shown an increase in the level of budget transparency in Uganda. From a score of 31% on the budget transparency scale (0-100%), the Ugandan government has steadily increased its level of budget transparency to 55% as of the latest survey in 2010. According to Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 the IBP, Uganda publishes a comprehensive citizens budget document, publishes decent (grade of C) In-Year Reports, produces a very substantive (grade of A) Pre-Budget Statement and enacts the national budget in a clear and concise manner which has the rule of law once enacted. Since improving its budget transparency index, and putting fiscal practice in line with international best practice –as outlined by the OECD- Uganda has predictably seen a sizeable increase in net in-flows of foreign direct investment, growing from just 2% of GDP to over 7% of GDP over the last decade. (World Bank) Conclusions and Implications: In this essay I attempted to summarize the theoretical determinants of foreign direct investment, connect them to OECD best practices of budget transparency, and then link the two together in a clear and concise real world case study –Uganda. In summarizing the determinants of FDI, we can see that currency strength, domestic fiscal norms, level of corruption, risk of expropriation all contribute to, and are interconnected to the risk inherent in undertaking foreign direct investment. We should care about this topic because in the current fiscal climate, governments around the world are cutting expenditure making foreign aid to developing countries less and less sustainable while such economic uncertainties exist. Thus, it is important for developing economies and the governments wishing for better outcomes for their people to find alternative modes of development revenue, foreign direct investment provides such revenue. Along with increased revenue, FDI in developing economies also provides numerous positive spillovers which include, technological and managerial gains by domestic firms, increased domestic production, and increased downstream profits for domestic enterprise. However, there is some serious resource problems associated with undertaking budgeting reforms. As mentioned above, I believe that the benefits vastly outweigh the costs of undertaking such reforms. Adopting budget transparency has led to more favorable fiscal and monetary outcomes, a check on corruption, better governance, increased citizen involvement, and the subject of this essay, increased FDI. Budget transparency should be seen as a priority for developing countries. It is Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 not however a panacea, or a fix all for developing countries. Budget transparency can be seen however as a substantial first step towards integration into the world economy through increases in FDIs and a first step towards getting out of the resource/aid paradox for developing nations. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 References * Aitken, Brian J. and Harrison, Ann E. 1999. Do Domestic Firms Benefit from Direct Foreign Investment? Evidence from Venezuela American Economic Review, Vol. 89, No. 3 pp. 605-618 * Alesina, Alberto and Perotti, Roberto 1996. Fiscal Discipline and the Budget Process, American Economic Review, Vol. 86, No. 2 * Alesina, Alberto, Hausmann, Ricardo, Rudolf, Hommes, and Stein, Ernesto. 1996. Budget Institutions and Fiscal Performance in Latin America. Working Paper 5586, National Bureau of Economic Research.. 447-465 * Allen, Richard. 1996. The Challenge of Reforming Budgetary Institutions in Developing Countries IMF Working Paper, Fiscal Affairs Department *Asiedu, Elizabeth. 2001. On the Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment to Developing Countries: Is Africa Different? World Development Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 107-119. * Biswas, Romita. 2002. Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment. Review of Development Economics, 6(3), 492–504 * Blalock, Garrick and Gertler, Paul J. 2008. Welfare gains from Foreign Direct Investment through technological transfer to local suppliers. Journal of International Economics Vol. 74 pp. 402-421. * Blondal, Jon R. 2003 Budget Reform in OECD Member Countries: Common Trends. OECD Journal on Budgeting Vol.2, No. 4 * Blonigen, Bruce A. 1997. Firm-Specific Assets and the Link between Exchange Rates and Foreign Direct Investment. The American Economic Review, Vol. 87, No. 3 pp * Borensztein, Gregorio, and Lee. 1998. How does foreign direct investment affect economic growth? Journal of International Economics Vol. 45 pp. 115–135 Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 * Busse, Matthias and Hefeker, Carsten. 2007. Political risk, institutions and foreign direct investment. European Journal of Political Economy Vol. 23 pp. 397-415. * Caiden, Naomi. 1980. Budgeting in Poor Countries: Ten Common Assumptions Re-Examined, Public Administration Review, Vol. 40, No. 1 pp. 40-46 * Demekas, Dimitri G., Horvth, Balzs., Ribakova, Elina., Wu, Yi. 2007. Foreign Direct Investment in European transition economies- The role of policies. Journal of Comparative Economics 35 (200 * Duce, Maitena and Espaà ±a, Banco de. 2003. Definitions of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):a methodological note Banco de Espaà ±a, International Economics and International Relations Department. * Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Market Countries. (2003) Report of the Working Group of the Capital Markets Consultative Group. * Hameed, Farhan. 2005. Fiscal Transparency and Economic Outcomes. International Monetary Fund Working Paper. WP/05/225 7) 369–386 * International Budget Partnership. Uganda Info. internationalbudget.org/what-we-do/open-budget-survey/?fa=countryDetailsid=2311countryID=UG * Jarmuzek, M. 2006. Does Fiscal Transparency Matter? The Evidence from Transition Economies. Warsaw, Poland: Center for Social and Economic Research. * Javorcik, Beata Smarzynska. 2004 Does Foreign Direct Investment Increase the Productivity of Domestic Firms? In Search of Spillovers Through Backward Linkages. The American Economic Review Vol. 94 No. 3, pp. 605-627. * Kopits and Craig (1998) Transparency in Government Operations. International Monetary Fund. Occational Paper 158. * Kolstad, Ivar and Wiig, Arne. 2008. Is Transparency the Key to Reducing Corruption in Resource-Rich Countries? World Development Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 521-532. * Kraan, Dirk-Jan. 2004. Off-budget and Tax Expenditures. OECD Journal on Budgeting Vol.4, No. 1 Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 * Kuteesa, Florence, Magona, Ishmael, Wanyera, Maris and Wokadala, James. 2006. Uganda: A Decade of Budget Reform and Poverty Reduction. OECD Journal on Budgeting Vol 6 No. 2. * Li, Quan 2009. Democracy, Autocracy, and Expropriation of Foreign Direct Investment. Comparative Political Studies 2009 42: 1098 * Lizondo, Saul J. 1990. Foreign Direct Investment. International Monetary Fund Working Paper. WP/90/63. * Markusen, James R., Venables, Anthony J. 1999. Foreign direct investment as a catalyst for industrial development. European Economic Review Vol. 43, pp. 335-356 * Mello, Luiz R. de Jr. 1999. Foreign direct investment-led growth: evidence from time series and panel data. Oxford Economic Papers 51, pp. 133-151. * Mwenda, Andrew M. and Tangri, Roger. 2005. Patronage Politics, Donor Reforms, and Regime Consolidation in Uganda. African Affairs, 104/416, pp. 449-467. * OECD Best Practices for Budget Transparency. 2002. OECD Journal on Budgeting. 1(3): 7-14. * Ram, Rati and Zhang, Kevin Honglin. 2002. Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth: Evidence from Cross†Country Data for the 1990s. Economic Development and Cultural Change, Vol. 51, No. 1 pp. 205-215 * Renzio, Paolo de, Gomez, Pamela and Sheppard, James.2009. Budget transparency and development in resource-dependent countries UNESCO 2009. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. * Schneider, Friedrich and Frey, Bruno S. 1985. Economic and Political determinants of Foreign Direct Investment. World Development, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 161-175, * Transparency International Global Corruption Report(s). transparency.org/publications/gcr * Walsh, James P. and Yu, Jiangyan. 2010 Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Sectoral and Institutional Approach. IMF Working Paper, Asia Pacific Department. WP/10/187. Budget Transparency Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries 2011 * World Bank Data Indicators. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator

010 Distinguishing They Say and I Say Professor Ramos Blog

010 Distinguishing They Say and I Say Weekly Journals Quick Write What questions do you have about the journals? Weekly Journals The chapter we read for today is particularly important for your weekly reading journals. You need to summarize what someone else said, then respond to it. In order to do that, you have to signal what someone else has said and when you are adding to or responding to that. Why Rural America Voted for Trump Robert Leonard, â€Å"Why Rural America Voted for Trump† [p. 279] Democrats think people are fundamentally good. Republicans think people are fundamentally bad. Do   you think people are good? Jonathan Haidt: Can a Divided America Heal? 20 Minutes. Jon Haidt is a Social Psychologist. Write down anything you think is important or that stands out to you. Write down any words you don’t know so we can make a list for everyone. â€Å"Me against my brother; me and my brother against our cousin; me and my brother and cousins against the stranger.† Chp 5, â€Å"And Yet† Distinguishing What  You  Say from What  They  Say Chapter 5 (p. 68) introduces you to the term  voice markers  in order to help you distinguish the â€Å"I say† from the â€Å"They say.† This is a very important move since we are now including the â€Å"They say† in your writing. If you do not do this clearly, the reader will be confused as to your position and you may seem to contradict yourself. The templates help you with specific ways of signaling who is saying what, and to embed the voice markers. Being able to distinguish your own view from the common view is a â€Å"sophisticated rhetorical move.† Using â€Å"I† or â€Å"We† The chapter also covers using the first person in academic writing, â€Å"I† or â€Å"we.† You have likely been told to not or never use the I in college writing. The book argues that well-supported arguments are grounded in persuasive reasons and evidence, not in the use of or nonuse of pronouns. Free Write Take the topic you are thinking about researching for your report and write it at the top of a page. For the next five minutes I want you two write down everything you know about it. Do not edit as you write. Just keep writing and see where it takes you. Just keep writing. If you thought runs out, skip a line and start a new thought. Keep writing. Figure out what you know and what you need to research.

urban fashion essays

urban fashion essays Fashion Trends Have Effected females Self-esteem Fashion can be thought of as a type of art utilizing cultural materials to transform the appearance of the natural body. It communicates things like social status and sex as well as enhancing attractiveness. While it may have evolutionary links with the flamboyant displays of peacocks and other birds it is clearly a way in which humans distance themselves from the natural world. Through the years, the definition for what was thought to be beautiful has changed a great deal, but culture as always had control over womens bodies. The multi-billion dollar fashion and beauty industry of today moves at such a fast pace that trends come and go everyday. What was considered beautiful two hundred years ago probably wouldnt be thought of in the same way today? The fashions and trends that have occurred over the past four decades are leading to a problem that is getting worse every year. It was somehow decided many years ago that it was desirable for women to be thin, or at least not over weig ht. And it seems that most beautiful and most admired women of todays age get smaller every year. To understand where we are at today, we must first understand the major influences that have happened in the fashion industry in the past 40 years. What has to be known as the Youth Culture started in the 1960s? During the same period of time Barbie was introduced to young girls. Though meant to be an ideal in feminine glamour, Barbie was very unrealistically proportioned, with larger than average breasts, extremely long legs, and very slender hips. Fashion went to extremely different lengths during this decade. The fashion industry cut inches from the hems of skirts, creating the very popular miniskirt. Women started wearing bikinis instead of one-piece bathing suits, and tight fitting body suits also became popular. These fashion revolutions"...

The Naturalist and Christian answers to Foundation Worldview Questions Assignment

The Naturalist and Christian answers to Foundation Worldview Questions - Assignment Example When first studying a worldview, it is often helpful to review a variety of definitions for that belief system. Each author brings a different emphasis, providing a fuller understanding of that worldview. Naturalism is the belief that nature is all there is. There is nothing outside of nature, or if there is, it is unknowable. All phenomena, whether physical, biological, psychological, or even spiritual, can be completely explained by laws of nature. God, in this metaphysical system, is inherently a product of human imagination, and therefore a relic from prescientific times, when humans knew no better than to attribute to a supernatural being their own existence and that of everything else they encountered (Johnson, n.d.). In contrast, the question is answered with a resounding "Yes" by someone with a Biblical worldview. Unlike the naturalist who says that matter is eternal, the Christian says that only God is eternal and all matter was created by God. The idea that there is no God has significant impact on the naturalists ethics. If there is no God, then there is no objective, external standard for ethics. There is no way to objectively define right and wrong outside of mankind. Since there is no standard for ethics outside of mankind, ethics are defined by ones culture and society.

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Management Accounting - Essay Example This report covers considerations for management accounting system like the suitable costing technique, pricing method and budget preparation. It also points out certain behavioural, organisational and management factors that need to be considered for design, implementation and functioning of a management accounting system for the company. Process costing is one of the best management accounting technique for Watson Circuits plc because this company manufactures products in a multi-stage process. Process costing is ideal for manufacturing concerns where there is a continuous production characterised by transfer of material from one process to another. This costing system is beneficial for Watson Circuits plc also because the company produces in batches and the cost structure of the production remains the same for years. Under process costing, cost is not assigned to individual units of production, rather it is calculated on the average basis i.e. all production costs are spread over the units produced. This costing technique requires establishment of process control accounts for each process allocation of direct and indirect costs to each process. Once a process of production ends, its costs are transferred to the next process and so forth. The calculation of cost, under this method, is thus cumulative i.e. the costs of previous process are added to the cost of current process. The cost accumulation process continues until the production ends. Watson Circuits plc needs such a costing technique because it will provide management accounting information in terms of different processes through which the production runs. This is the best suitable method calculating costs on the basis of processes and batches. Management’s need for unit production costs can be met as this costing technique provide s for calculation of unit costs as well as costs that are incurred in each process. It is very important for the

Communications 215 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communications 215 - Essay Example I agree with Ezenberger that the media has industrialized the human mind in the way that it has now come to influence our thoughts (Berger, n.d). In my own experience, whatever opinions I have on what is the best brand of toothpaste to use, or which shampoo gives the most silky hair, all come from what I have seen on television; without having access to a television, I would not have had these ideas at all. Moving onto how the media is "amusing" us to death, Postman believes that the main focus of television is to fill the human life with "triviality and incoherence," and to instill in us the belief that life is like some kind of circus show where the point is just to be entertained (Berger, n.d). For Postman, television is only instructing us what products to buy in order to bring excitement into our lives (Berger, n.d). While there are many television programs that try to educate viewers, I believe that most television channels have an agenda to simply amuse the audience and keep t hem in a sedated state where they do not care about the more important things in life. (A2) For Jameson, postmodernism entails a blurring of the lines between what is regarded as high culture and mass culture in modernism (Berger, n.d). Since postmodernism does not believe in metanarratives and is eclectic in the way it defines things, for Jameson postmodern art maintains no division between elite and popular culture, and that "anything goes," (Berger, n.d). The postmodern landscape is "degraded" in the way that it is composed of "schlock art" (Berger, n.d). I do agree that in the postmodern era there is a kind of art that eliminates the previous boundaries between elite and popular culture; for example, Marcel Duchamp constructed a ceramic urinal and passed this off as postmodern art, thereby blurring the lines between high and low art. (A3) Baudrillard's theory on the effects of media is influenced by the notion of simulacra; he claimed that in today's postmodern era which is domi nated by the media, there are not true copies of something, there are only "simulations of reality which aren't any more or less "real" than the reality they simulate," (Mann, n.d). For Baudrillard whatever we see in the media becomes our reality, and seems more real than what is actually real. These simulacras, these images of things that do not exist in reality, become part of hyperreality. As Baudrillard rightly states, postmodernism entails " the death of the real," since we are connecting more and more with media where the content "merely simulate reality," and thus living in a kind of hyperreality that is not real (Mann, n.d). I can see this in the way that we relate to actors on TV; I myself have spent hours with my friends discussing Blair and Chuck's relationship in the TV serial Gossip Girl, as if we personally know them. There are often times when I feel I can connect to people from TV shows more than I can relate to my own family. This all shows that media has created a hyperreality with simulacras that we are now relating to more than we relate to real life. (A4) For Rheingold, a smart mob has emerged from the onset of mobile phone technology (Berger, n.d). Smart mobs are characterized as groups of people who can be rallied for social and political campaigning though the use of mobile

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Social Behavioral Change of sugery drinks - Essay Example s the belief that sugary drinks cause diseases including obesity and diabetes and without exercising, may cause people to be fat due to the high calories and sugar. An attitude towards water and juice being healthy is that they have low sugar and calories content and are good for the body development and health. The perception on the importance to the community is that the issue affects the community and is very important because of the rampant effects of obesity and diabetes in recent years. This affects the community through a reduction in work force and use of money to cure these diseases caused by a preference to sugary and high calories content drinks. It is important to change the behavior to taking healthy drinks that have low sugar content to ensure the people are less affected by these lifetime diseases to live a better life. The type of message that could help them change their behavior is a message that highlights the dangers or unhealthiness of sugary drinks when taken by the members of the society. This message should highlight the effects of unhealthy drinks on the body, the measures to take to avoid these effects, and the kind of steps to take in changing the behavior albeit slowly. This will allow the people to understand the dangers and despite being difficult to change the behavior, follow the guidelines in the message until they are free of habits of taking sugary

Critically assess the extent to which discrimination law at European Essay

Critically assess the extent to which discrimination law at European and domestic level has improved the position of women in the workplace - Essay Example Much has been said about this problem, but it seems there is still much to be done to solve it. To my mind, this problem can hardly be ignored; there are a lot of means of softening and minimizing it, as much as it is possible. The work is devoted to the discussion of the effectiveness of legislation, concerning the problem of gender discrimination, and the present situation in the society in terms of this problem. The work touches main theoretical aspects of gender discrimination in the workplace from psychological and ethical points of view. The European Employment Strategy (EES), created in 1997, implies that European countries prepare National Action Plans once a year. The plan will reflect the changes at the labor market made in accordance with the common goals. The plan was to make 60% employed by 2010 and provide females with equal rights and opportunities. Some European countries including France and Spain try not only to eliminate cases where women are not given a job because of many male candidates, but also to set equal salaries for men and women. In England and Sweden the situation is regulated by the Equal Opportunities Act and the main attention is also paid to equal salaries (Kersten, 2004). Though many people believe that gender discrimination is no longer relevant, it should be noted, that still among the 500 Fortune best companies, only five are headed by women, and other 495 are managed by men. In some job categories there are $10,000 differences in salary between men and women. Though the portion of women in the labour force is growing each year, and now equals to 48 percent of the total labour force, in some areas, as law, the sums women earn constitute only 59 percent of mens salaries in the same area for the same type of work. While studying the theoretical basics of the problem, it should be admitted that there have been outlined a number of so-called forces, that is the characteristics of human nature, which contribute

Social Behavioral Change of sugery drinks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Social Behavioral Change of sugery drinks - Essay Example s the belief that sugary drinks cause diseases including obesity and diabetes and without exercising, may cause people to be fat due to the high calories and sugar. An attitude towards water and juice being healthy is that they have low sugar and calories content and are good for the body development and health. The perception on the importance to the community is that the issue affects the community and is very important because of the rampant effects of obesity and diabetes in recent years. This affects the community through a reduction in work force and use of money to cure these diseases caused by a preference to sugary and high calories content drinks. It is important to change the behavior to taking healthy drinks that have low sugar content to ensure the people are less affected by these lifetime diseases to live a better life. The type of message that could help them change their behavior is a message that highlights the dangers or unhealthiness of sugary drinks when taken by the members of the society. This message should highlight the effects of unhealthy drinks on the body, the measures to take to avoid these effects, and the kind of steps to take in changing the behavior albeit slowly. This will allow the people to understand the dangers and despite being difficult to change the behavior, follow the guidelines in the message until they are free of habits of taking sugary

Nature of Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nature of Conflict - Essay Example This makes the employees enter into hitch with the management or higher officials. They may go on strikes or do other sorts of protests. Major conflicts occur when, for example, employees experience gender discrimination, work overload, forced overtime, short deadlines, and no opportunities for promotion, reward or compensation. These factors reduce job security and the employees suffer from work related stress. Other major causes may include dissatisfactory wages and salaries, and poor communication between the management and employees due to which the latter feel that their problems are not being considered. Also, when employees feel that they are not being able to participate in the decision-making process, they may acquire conflicting views about the project at hand. All of these conflicts may get serious enough to be requiring a mediation plan for resolution. No matter the conflict is small or big, the management should make serious efforts to resolve it as soon as possible so t hat employees do not lose their morale (Wilmot & Hocker, 2011). Negotiation or Mediation Negotiation is necessary to solve conflicts. Sometimes, this negotiation is done through mediation. We define mediation as a process in which a third party intervention is sought for reconciliation between individuals or groups. The purpose of negotiation is to make possible the re-establishment of mutual tolerance between the parties involved. However, negotiation itself depends upon the friendly signals shown by the opponents leading to friendly re-union and cooperative bonding. Strasser and Randolph (2004, p.22) affirm that mediators should â€Å"accept conflict as an inescapable facet of human existence, with the possible consequence of reconciliation.† Negotiators and mediators should understand that conflict cannot be eliminated entirely. If negotiators start thinking that they will be able to eradicate conflict completely, then this perception will be a barrier to an effective impl ementation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process. It will also make the negotiators forceful and aggressive toward resolution. Thus, the negotiators need to adjust their behaviors and attitudes so that they can efficiently deploy conflict management techniques. Personal Experience This section of the paper describes my own case as an example of workplace conflict and negotiation process. I worked as an internee in a company in my city. As I stated, most conflicts occur due to unfair treatment or policy changes from the management side, this incident also involves a conflict between the manager and I. It was about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). For reader’s information, the major responsibility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is to make accommodations for disabled employees, under the title I of the Act. ADA makes sure that the disabled employees do not have to face discrimination by their seniors or co-workers when they are at the workplace. In order to get protection by ADA, the individual must have a disability which is defined by the Act as â€Å"a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities† (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005). All persons who have in their medical history that they have been or are going through such a disability, or people perceive him as

Information Systems Essay Example for Free

Information Systems Essay This facility is one of the most leading and innovative healthcare organizations. It provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout North and South Carolina. Our diverse network of more than 650 care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, healthcare pavilions, physician practices, destination centers, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospice and palliative care. Carolinas HealthCare System works to improve and enhance the overall health and wellbeing of its communities through high quality patient care, education and research programs, and a variety of collaborative partnerships and initiatives. Carolinas HealthCare System is an outgrowth of a community hospital originally founded in 1940. Since that time Carolinas HealthCare System has grown into one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive systems, with more than 48,000 employees, more than 6,200 licensed beds (acute care and post-acute care), and an annual budget exceeding $6. billion (comparable to many Fortune 500 companies). Premier facilities include Levine Cancer Institute, Levine Children’s Hospital, Sanger Heart Vascular Institute, CMC Neurology and The Transplant Center. Other specialties include maternity (regular and high risk), assisted reproduction, interventional oncology, radiation therapy, minimally invasive surgery, and many others. Through careful integration of services, Carolinas HealthCare System has built some of the nation’s largest accredited multi-hospital networks for treatment of stroke and heart attack. Ultimately, our success is determined not by the buildings we construct, but by the investment we make in the people and programs that bring each new facility to life. We are providing a broad framework of support that enables extraordinary professionals to bring caring, commitment, integrity and teamwork to a vitally important healing mission. The motivating force behind all of this activity is fulfilling our duty to meet community needs. Each of our hospitals is locally managed by a hospital administrator who makes ecisions that affect each hospital. Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS) is governed by a group of people who are dedicated to serving our community by providing the healthcare resources needed for our growing region. The Board of Commissioners and Advisors meets on a regular basis to review policies and procedures, as well as current and changing healthcare rules and regulations for our state and nation that impact how we provide these services. Below are the members of these committees. CHS uses electronic records which is called Canopy. Canopy is Carolinas HealthCare System’s electronic medical record program, formerly called (EPACT). It is one of our most critical strategic initiatives and a significant leap forward to bolster our ability to improve clinical outcomes, ensure patient safety, and enhance our delivery of quality care through technology. All physicians and mid-level providers will use the electronic system for tasks such as CPOE, Medication Management and Structured Electronic Documentation. Transcription services will not change. The information that is dictated now may be dictated on and after conversion to CPOE. The expectation is that dictation will not increase, but will decrease over time. The physicians and nurses all play a big part in the facility. They use the information systems to document the health concerns of the patients, and to also transmit the information to documents that can be easily read and understood. Many employees use the system to add, obtain, and program the patient records and personal information. Carolinas Healthcare System provides convenient outpatient programs in physical, occupational and speech therapies throughout Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. We are also leaders in the field of workers compensation and vocational rehabilitation, aiding patients at their workplaces and helping them regain work skills if an injury or illness interferes with employment. Functional Capacity Evaluations are used to ascertain if a patient may return to work successfully. Designed to accelerate each patients recovery efforts, our outpatient facilities are staffed by accredited specialists utilizing the most advanced equipment and techniques available. With an extensive network of outpatient centers throughout the region, we are always within reach of individuals seeking therapy, and skilled at providing the care, support and confidence vital to successful rehabilitation. The facility is very discrete with the way they access their records. Everyone has a to login to a secure network to bring up the sites for the employees to use. With more than 30 hospitals and more than 600 other care locations, CHS is strongly committed to robust electronic medical record (EMR) solutions. The goal is to guarantee that a patients most recent information is quickly and securely available to all the medical providers who need it. This enables everyone on the care team to better coordinate and personalize treatments. Every patient encounter is electronically documented. For that reason, physicians at any point of contact can quickly research and gauge possible drug interactions, avoid or treat allergic reactions, or judge the possible impact of previous injuries or surgeries. Having all of this information immediately accessible not only saves time, it helps a patients record speak for them if necessary. Carolinas HealthCare’s Information Services Department worked with emergency-department physicians and Cerner Corp. (NASDAQ:CERN), its electronic-health-record vendor, to design the single-order entry computer application. The streamlined order-entry process was piloted in 2011 at CMC-Northeast, a Concord hospital that has one of the busiest emergency departments in North Carolina. It was launched simultaneously with the rollout of the health-care system’s electronic-health-record initiative which features computerized physician-order entry. During the pilot, order entries were reduced by nearly 2. 5 minutes per patient. That will save more than 2,600 physician hours per year. This facility has many positives about the employees and the site. I would like to be a part of this facility so I could put my skills to work and help the community have healthier people. Some of the strengths about the system are that it is very secure. There is a login for every employee to access in order to get in. Some of the downsides are that many others may try to hack the system and breach every ones privacy. It is important to have a secure system to protect the patients’ rights and information. It is possible to obtain policies, procedures, brochures, and training at this facility. They even provide different schools to educate their employees, and the new individuals that want to pursue a career with them. This would be a great company for interested people to work at. It is very important that they show that their interests are in the wellbeing of their employees and newcomers.

American Vs Australian Healthcare Systems

American Vs Australian Healthcare Systems The following essay discusses personal observations of the United States of Americas health care system and breaks it down in terms of equity efficiency and access. These observations are then compared with knowledge of the Australian health system and produce detailed evidence of the positive and negative aspects of both. Through this comparison the Australian use of the mixed market of operating healthcare is seen to be superior due to its greater development in both equity and access as apposed to the Americans use with only major benefits found within the systems efficiency. The health care system in operation in the United States of America is one oriented towards self provision (Hsiao and Yip 2000). It is designed in a way in which its people are largely responsible for their own health care costs at their own choice. This is the result of the extensive push towards the private sector of health. Personal funding for American health care is usually achieved through employment (Hsiao and Yip 2000). That is, when a person seeks to purchase health insurance they can do so through their employer. This means that people who are unemployed do not experience the same luxury of opportunity. The production of a government funded scheme to support these people was implemented in 1965. The scheme allows for the elderly to attain health care, as well as the poor financed by the federal and the state governments (Nelson, 2007). As this system of health care seems to cover the two ends of society it would seem one of success, although there are still between 45-47 mi llion uninsured people within America that have to pay entirely for any medical expenses they incur, which of course can be quite expensive (Hsiao and Yip 2000; Nelson, 2007). The Australian health care system is designed to incorporate two major contributors to funding, the public sector (as a result of the nations revenue and taxation) and the private sector (private organisations that insure peoples health at an incurred cost). The Australian system provides necessary public funding to areas of what Hsiao and Yip (2000p.2), refer to as adequate need at both a federal and state level. These adequate need services surround the use of general practitioners and hospital visits. As these are not necessarily the extents in which people use the health care system, privately purchased insurance is then available to provide funding for a greater number of health care needs (Hsiao and Yip 2000). The Australian health care system has a similar mixed market structure to health care as the American. This similarity is evident due to the presence of both public and private sectors providing funds to deliver health care. Although there is a similarity in the design of the market associated with health care there are vast differences within the orientation of the health care system itself (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). As opposed to the American system, the Ideology behind the Australian system is that all people should have equal rights to health care. This describes the equity present within the systems Equity within health care is the subject of much debate. Even the definition of the term equity itself is subject to various views and opinion. Mooney and Scotton, describe equity in health care as equal access for equal need (p.13 1999). The reason for this debate resides within the context of values within the society in which it is being attributed to. This leads to the concept of equity within the American model. The American model produces the lack of want and or need by the majority of people to create equity. Equity is seen to be non existent within the American health care model and as noted by Leeder (2003), is admitted to by American health care service managers. The explanation for this lack of equity is due to the ideology of American people. This ideology resides in relation to independence, associated with monetary success. As the association between health insurance and employment is evident throughout the American system, Americans themselves feel it is the responsibility for each individual to look after them selves when it comes to health care (Leeder, 2003). By attaining well paid jobs and thereby access to quality insurance the American system achieves and promotes the self resilience valued by its society at large. The downside of this ideology is that there are in excess of 45 million Americans without any insurance whatsoever. All of these have a reduced access to health ca re services and in most cases a greater need, creating a definitive example of inequity (Mooney, 2003). Equity within the Australian context of health care is of greater ideological value. The policies of adequate care as previously mentioned allow for all Australians no matter there level of income, social status or ethnicity to have a basic level of funding allocated to there health (Hsiao and Yip, 2000).The concept of equity is seen in Australian society to be of higher value as apposed to American society, with the societal desire for a fair go. Many of the developed nations, such as the United Kingdom, value equity in a similar approach to Australia with a greater support for the public sector of health rather than the private (Nelson, 2007). In recent years though, the Australian government has altered its support of the public sector and pushed for the privatisation of health care to cope with problems regarding the current systems efficiency (Hall and Maynard, 2005). This change provoked much debate amongst Australians in conjunction with their values surrounding equity of health care. Efficiency within health care has been described by Bolnick in four main interrelated sectors, these include; Delivering services, creating resources, financing and stewardship (2003 p.5). Delivering Services is an aspect of efficiency that is most evident within a health care system. The term refers to the ability for a system to provide services to its population, for example a health care system that delivers services efficiently would be one with low waiting lists that delivers a quality of resources. For services to be efficient they need a variety of resources to be allocated to them, which develops the need for appropriate financial allocations to these resources. For all of these factors to be successful the need to appreciate the views of the society they impact is necessary, this relates to the concept of stewardship (Bolnick, 2003). Within the American systems service delivery and resources are of high quality, waiting lists for services are low and their variants vast (Hsiao and Yip 2000; Oberlander, 2002; Leeder, 2003). This is one major benefit of the strongly privatised system in place. These aspects of efficiency are strongly recognised by the American people as previously noted by Leeder, creating quite an efficient model of care. The large downside evident in the efficiency of the American model is its allocation of finances. The United States as described by Oberlander, is the highest spender of money on services related to health (2002). This level of spending is greater than all of the other countries that in fact according to WHO are seen to achieve better health (Bolnick, 2003). This excess spending shows inefficiency through Mooneys analysis, in the system through the out weight of costs in association to benefits achieved (1999). Within the Australian system, service delivery, resources and finance are not so efficient. Waiting lists within the system are long making ability to provide resources difficult. As mentioned the recent government has promoted the privatisation of health to encourage Australias efficiency to improve (Hall and Maynard, 2005). Due to the need to accept public values and incorporate stewardship the use of both the pubic and private avenues of funding are still evident within the countries health care system. The last of the areas of health care to be covered is that of accessibility. As alluded to within discussions on equity, access to health care plays a major role in the systems effectiveness. The public model of care is the one that greatly promotes equality and in turn access. The socioeconomic status of individuals plays a major role in their access to health care therefore the application of a publically funded system is necessary to adhere to this populations needs (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). Countries that place a large amount of weight on the private sector of health tend to reduce the amount of access available to their people. The private sector does contribute to the greater ability of higher income earners to receive greater access to health care at their own cost. This may hold great advantage for some but does not deliver the same ability to those of lower socioeconomic status due to their inability to afford health insurance premiums (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). The American access to health care is lacking enormously, as access and equity have strong ties it proves another area of inadequacies. Not only do the people without employment of which dont fit government subsidy criteria have little ability to purchase insurance but many of those who are employed find it difficult to attain insurance due to employer implications. Without health care of any sort the individual themselves is made to pay the complete fund of any of their medical bills without subsidy. Due to the expensive aspects of medical care this makes access near impossible for many Americans (Nelson, 2007). The ethnic population are also at an accessible disadvantage, according to Nelson, (2007) creating a racially achieved gap in the access of the private system. Under the Australian health care system access to health care is achievable for people of all socioeconomic background although this is limited. The greatest problems that occur under this system are the lack of access delivered to the indigenous population of the country (Leeder, 2003). The reasons for this are seen largely to be due to cultural factors as well as geographical restrictions, as white Australians in rural settings also but not to the same degree have less access to health than their metropolitan counterparts (Dwyer, 2005). Through use of my observations and professional knowledge living in a society such as Australia is far more relevant due to my feelings in conjunction to the ethics and values considered within the health care system. A society that is content with trading efficiency for equity such as the United States of America is a society that has significant differences to my morals and beliefs hence the conclusion that the Australian variation of the mixed market, while in short supply of efficiency produces much more access and equity to its people verifying my observations of its superiority.