The History and structure of IASB Essay Example

The History and structure of IASB Paper On April 2001, in the demands for international accounting coordination, the International Accounting Standards Board ( refer to IASB in the undermentioned context ) took over its predecessor known as IASC ( Board of the International Standards Committee ) and was dedicated for international accounting criterions scenes. At the first meeting of IASB in London, UK, the chief highlighted statement was that any existing criterions issued by IASC would stay being adopted by ISAB until amended or withdrawn and still named as International Accounting Standards ( April, 2001 ) , but all new issued criterions thenceforth should be designated as International Financial Reporting Standards ( abbreviate as IFRS ) . IASC was ab initio established in 1997 by Austrian, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, English and USA and 16 major professional accounting organic structures. After the figure of states are increasing highly fast. Right before the IASC was taken over ; there were in entire 112 states and 153 accounting professional parties involved. We will write a custom essay sample on The History and structure of IASB specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The History and structure of IASB specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The History and structure of IASB specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer ISAB s first IFRS-1was so issued in June, 2003. So far, there are 41 IASs which were ab initio issued by IASC from 1993 to 2001 and 9 IFRSs after the replacement. Structure of IASB The IASB has a parent independent entity, which called the IFRS Foundation. IFRS Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit organisation in the province of Delaware, although the Board s headquarter is located now in London, UK. There are 22 legal guardians in the Foundation ( ab initio was merely 19 legal guardians ) . Their occupations are non involved in any scene of IFRSs, which entirely under IASB s duty, but to supervise the work done by IASB, reappraisal effectivity of standard-settings, appoint the council s and board s new members, and do finance by raising financess. ( See Illustration 1. ) Illustration 1 IFRS Structure ( beginning: IFRS Foundation, Who we are, 2011 ) Under IFRS Foundation, there are three subdivisions: IFRS consultative council, IASB and Interpretations Committee who take attention of the standard-setting. The consultative council has approximative 40 members. Their occupations include supplying any strategic advises to the IASB and informing to the Foundation. The upper degree Monitoring Board approves, appoints the new legal guardians of IASB Foundation and oversees them. Monitoring Board was formatted of public capital market governments by the meeting in Mid-Jan, 2009 ( Byatt, 2009 ) . International Accounting Standards Board The aim of IASB is to put up one whole set of fiscal coverage criterions which is high-qualified, apprehensible, enforceable and internationally acceptable on the footing of clearly articulated rules ( IFRS Foundation, 2011 ) . Until this twelvemonth, there are 15 board members in the IASB. Each member has a vote right. But sing fairer on geographical distribution, the figure might spread out to 16 members by July, 2012 harmonizing to foundations proposal ( IFRS Foundation, 2010 ) . By and large talking, their mundane work is to put proficient docket, to project planning, to public the treatment paper, to O.K. new criterions, and to exposure bill of exchanges and readings. In May 2002, the IASB published the concluding version of Preface to International Financial Reporting Standards. In this papers, the Due Process was regulated as following stairss: identify and reexamine all the jobs and issues that are related to ; research on different states demands and patterns ; acquire advices from Advisory Committee, whether to publish the docket ; organize a consultative squad to supply information of this undertaking ; print the treatment bill of exchange and garner all the remarks ; print a exposure bill of exchange approved by at least nine members ; see the remarks received within the clip of treatment ; see the demand to keep a hearing and the demand for field trials ; O.K. the concluding bill of exchange voted by at least nine members ( IASCF,2010 ) . Worldwide Influence In in-between 1990 s, PeopleA were moreA criticalA of internationalA accounting criterions, A lessA recognized this. CriticismA focused onA internationalA accounting standardsA gave excessively many picks onA accounting patterns. It harmed the comparison ofA accounting studies, A and therefore would non be contributing to bettering the quality ofA accounting information. But today, the convergence of IFRS is the tendency, particularly after the new formation of IASB. With great attempts of IASB and of class many other accounting organisations, more and more states join the ground forces to application of IFRS. In 2006, China has announced the roadmap of convergence of China Accounting Standards and IFRS. Particularly the international fiscal crisis of 2008 is likely to speed up this state of affairs. In August 2008, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ) proposed a Proposed Roadmap for the possible usage of fiscal statement sing how to transition to IFRS from current Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( U.S. GAAP ) . Finally, if achieved, all US capital markets should publish files under IFRS in 2014. ( SEC, 2008 ) Furthermore, the committee statement in February 2010 reiterated the support of set uping a set of planetary high-quality accounting criterions, developed a work program on following the IFRS, and said that the SEC would do a concluding formal determination on whether to follow the IFRS. ( SEC, 2010 ) At the working degree, the convergence of FASB and IASB for rapid procedure is on agenda. In December 2009, Japan Financial Service Agency officially released the roadmap on acceptance of IFRS, supplying a dependable model for portion of voluntary companies early uses of IFRS. Around 2012, Japan will besides do a concluding determination on whether to coerce all the companies use IFRS by the terminal of 2016. ( FSA, 2009 ) Apparently, the convergence ofA international accounting standardsA has becomeA the consensus ofA the worldA and isA transformed intoA practical actions. However, based on economic, political, and cultural backgrounds, the acknowledgment on current international accounting criterions would still change grades. The different degrees of economic development would be a major restraint factor.

Biography of Emmanuel Kant Essay Example

Biography of Emmanuel Kant Essay Example Biography of Emmanuel Kant Essay Biography of Emmanuel Kant Essay Essay Topic: Immanuel Kant Known by many in the field as the male parent of modern doctrine. Immanuel Kant questioned many of the premises held in his twenty-four hours. He focused much of his work on the kingdom of human idea. apprehension. and possible. His thoughts about observation. acquisition. and experientialism set the case in point for all philosophers who followed him. Born in the early 1720s. Kant lived in what was known as East Prussia ( now a portion of Kaliningrad. Russia ) . There. he was able to procure a teaching place for about 10 old ages when he began working at Konigsberg University. He would stay a portion of their staff for about five decennaries lending to the rise and popularity of doctrine of the twenty-four hours. Not much more is known about Kant’s before life. He did travel on to holding several of his pieces published. although none were an exact autobiography. In his Review of Pure Reason. he discussed and raised interesting points about human cognition. Instrumental on Kant’s ain thoughts was the work of philosopher David Hume. who agreed that human experience could be used for understanding. but that it should non be used to explicate every phenomena we encounter in nature or in the existent universe. Kant built upon this thought. He stated that new experiences could be formulated based on past experiences because it our past that helps us larn about our hereafter. He believed that the human head organized events and thoughts into classs that could be accessed subsequently to find how we might respond in a certain experience. He came up with the word to depict the paradox of apprehension: thing-in-itself. Kant’s ain statements about the being of God were besides non good accepted at his clip. He believed that adult male could non apologize God because it was non something that we had experienced earlier. In other words. we might be able to impute certain features to Him. but it is finally limited by our ain human apprehension of the existence. In kernel. we could neer come near to truly understanding who God is and foretell what He is traveling to make. | [ movie ] | [ movie ] | [ movie ] | [ movie ] | [ movie ] | .

Holocaust Records Archive Unveiled

Holocaust Records Archive Unveiled After 60 years of being hidden away from the public, Nazi records about the 17.5 million people - Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, mental patients, handicapped, political prisoners and other undesirables - they persecuted during the regimes 12 years in power will be open to the public. What is the ITS Bad Arolsen Holocaust Archive? The ITS Holocaust Archive in Bad Arolsen, Germany contains the fullest records of Nazi persecutions in existence.  The archives contain 50 million pages, housed in thousands of filing cabinets in six buildings. Overall, there are 16 miles of shelves holding information about the victims of the Nazis. The documents - scraps of paper, transport lists, registration books, labor documents, medical records, and finally death registers - record the arrest, transportation, and extermination of the victims. In some case, even the amount and size of the lice found on the prisoners’ heads were recorded.This archive contains the famous Schindler’s List, with the names of 1,000 prisoners saved by factory owner Oskar Schindler who told the Nazis he needed the prisoners to work in his factory.Records of Anne Frank’s journey from Amsterdam to Bergen-Belsen, where she died at the age of 15, can also be found among the millions of documents in this archive.The Mauthausen concentration camp’s â€Å"Totenbuch,† or Death Book, records in meticulous handwriting how, on April 20, 1942, a prisoner was shot in the back of the head every two minutes for 90 hours. The Mauthausen camp commandant ordered these executions as a birthday present for Hitler.Toward the end of the war, when the Germans were struggling, the record keeping was not able to keep up with the extermination. And unknown numbers of prisoners were marched directly from trains to gas chambers in places like Auschwitz without being registered. How were the archives created? As the Allies conquered Germany and entered the Nazi concentration camps beginning in the spring of 1945, they found detailed records that had been kept by the Nazis. The documents were taken to the German town of Bad Arolsen, where they were sorted, filed, and locked way. In 1955, the International Tracing Service (ITS), an arm of the International Committee of the Red Cross, was put in charge of the archives. Why were the records closed to the public? An agreement signed in 1955 stated that no data that could harm the former Nazi victims or their families should be published. Thus, the ITS kept the files closed to the public because of concerns about the victims privacy. Information was doled out in minimal amounts to survivors or their descendants.This policy generated much ill-feeling among Holocaust survivors and researchers. In response to pressure from these groups, the ITS commission declared itself in favor of opening up the records in 1998 and began scanning the documents into digital form in 1999.Germany, however, opposed amending the original convention to allow for public access to the records. German opposition, which was based on possible misuse of information, became the main barrier to opening the Holocaust archives to the public.Yet until now Germany resisted the opening, on the grounds that the records involve private information about individuals that could be misused. Why are the records now being made available? In May 2006, following years of pressure from the United States and survivors groups, Germany changed its viewpoint and agreed to a fast revision of the original agreement.Brigitte Zypries, the German justice minister at the time, announced this decision while in Washington for a meeting with Sara J. Bloomfield, the director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.Zypries said, Our point of view is that the protection of privacy rights has reached by now a standard high enough to ensure ... the protection of privacy of those concerned. Why are the records important? The immensity of information in the archives will provide Holocaust researchers with work for generations. Holocaust scholars have already started to revise their estimates of the number of camps run by the Nazis according to new information being found. And the archives present a formidable obstacle to Holocaust deniers.In addition, with the youngest survivors very swiftly dying each year, time is running out for survivors to learn about their loved ones. Today survivors fear that after they die, no one will remember the names of their family members who were killed in the Holocaust. The archives need to be accessible while there are still survivors alive who have the knowledge and drive to access it.The opening of the archives means that survivors and their descendents can finally find information about the loved ones they lost, and this may bring them some well-deserved closure before the end of their lives.

The U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation Assignment

The U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation - Assignment Example It also finds that the political philosophy depicted in these is that pertaining to the state rights. Introduction United States has operated under a set of two rules. One of these is the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified in 1781, in Maryland. The second one is the US constitution, which was ratified in 1788, in New Hampshire, and which has served to replace the Articles of the Confederation (Kimberly, 2009). There are certain similarities between the US constitution and the Article of the Confederation. These similarities are particularly depicted in the relationship between the states and the federal government and have also been pivotal in informing the federal government responsiveness. This paper responds to various questions regarding US constitution and the Articles of the Confederation. Response to Question 1 There are certain similarities between the US constitution and the Article of the Confederation. Section 1 of the article IV of the constitution accords cred it, as well as full faith to every state as pertains to records, judiciary and public acts. On the other hand, this can also be found in the Article of the Confederation and it is the pillar of section IV, in a move that is deliberately aimed at securing and perpetuating mutual friendship. Secondly, in section 2 of article IV of the constitution, it is stated that each citizen shall be accorded the privileges, as well as enjoy immunities from other states. In the case where a person flees justice from one state, the state reserves the right to demand for the arrest and submission to the state in which the person fled. This is also reflected in Article IV of the Article of the Confederation, in stipulating that except fugitives, vagabonds, and paupers, all other citizens are accorded privileges such as those of the natives in other states. Thirdly, Article IV of the confederate of states bars a state from seeking embassy, receiving embassy or according establishing treaties, among ot her ways, with other nations without the consent of United States congress. On the other hand, this is contained evident in section 3 of article IV of the constitution that no state shall engage territorial affairs without the consent of the congress. Thus, the similarities between the Articles of the Confederate and the constitution are felt in the area regarding the relationship between the states and the Federal government. This similarity has been accounted based on the fact that the Articles of the Confederate were very crucial in informing the making of the constitution, as far as the area of the state relations is concerned (Hall & Feldmeier, 2013). Response to Question 2 The provisions of the constitution, as had earlier served by the Articles of the Confederate of states has served in the making the federal government less responsive to the people’s needs. One area that can be seen is power distribution and limitation. As far as checks and balances are concerned, it may not be disputed that a desirable liberal system is that which contains various devices for limiting power via checks and balances. Such a system functions based on constitution and law, as well as based on interactions between the institutions and individuals. This is because the allocation of excessive powers to one arm would have been accompanied by the

Utopian Socialism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Utopian Socialism - Research Paper Example Utopian Socialism Utopian socialism emphasizes that, three things that would happen if all people would adhere to socialist ethics exist. It looks forward for the oppressed to have a better future and improve their life standards; it emphasizes how socialism is very ethical and gives a clear and full meaning to the aims of socialism. Utopia describes collective ownership of property to eliminate greed, promote personal growth, democracy, and cultural enrichment. This paper provides a discussion on utopian socialism. The utopian socialists differ from the other socialists because of the way they carry out their issues. Utopian socialism is more dogmatic and moral. They provoked both ridicule and inspiration in the people. Saint Simon, one of the founders of the utopian socialism viewed suffering as resulting from individualism, which was as a result of breaking of order and hierarchy. He did not see the importance of individuals whose main objective was to pursue personal interests. He did not also bel ieve in free markets, as they were points of oppressing poor people in the society. In the modern times, socialism is seen as a failure. A group of socialists argues that socialism should have extent to which it stops. They argue that such things as major decisions for the whole society cannot be done by anyone. Major societal decisions are seen as important; hence need to be done by people with leadership skills.Utopia is now being used to refer to unrealistic ideas suggested by people. Contrarily, a group of socialists argues that, the capitalists control political issues and leave no other means of getting equality, but only through violent revolutions (Lipow, 1982). However, utopian socialism has its disadvantages. It does not give guidelines on how to achieve its objectives. It only highlights its vision, and no action is taken towards the goals. The opposite of utopia is dystopia. Dystopian vision is to give warning about dangers in the society. It is viewed as a good ideologi cal weapon. In modern times, there is increasing distrust of progress, and this makes utopia unconvincing to most people in the modern society (Guarneri, 1991). Utopian socialism had a number of impacts to communities in the 19th century it was one of the main impacts in the wave of the feminist movement. This resulted from the issue about equality in the society (Taylor, 1982). Feminist movements sprung up fighting for economic equality and power equality between men and women. Many organizations also came up to fight against gender based violence and discrimination. Laws regarding percentages of women in leadership positions started to be formed. Women were now to be represented at least by a third in most of the parliaments and organizations (Lipow, 1982). In the industrial revolution, utopian socialism improved women’s thinking in terms of work and leadership. Women began to go to work and make their own money. By mid-19th century, many women were working in factories and even some were leaders who were overseeing their male workers (Lipow, 1982). At the same time, utopian socialism encouraged the existence of trade unions for workers. Workers had their rights and cold lounge complains if at all there were any. Cooperative stores and societies also came up in large numbers to deal to help individuals set up firms and businesses. This was due to the belief that all people were entitled to equal rights; the

Our aim is to investigate how much quicker Essay Example for Free

Our aim is to investigate how much quicker Essay Aim:- Our aim is to investigate how much quicker a reaction happens if the acid we uses strength goes up, and also to see if there is a pattern which could be carried on to higher strength acids. Background Science:- Chemical reactions play a very important part in our life, some even keep us alive (the process of our digestion system is a series of chemical reactions which convert food into chemicals which can be more easily used by our bodies), other circumstances where chemical reactions are used in our bodies that cut down the amount of acid in your stomach, there are also chemicals in washing powder for removing stains by using chemicals called enzymes which speed up the breakdown of the chemicals in stains. All chemical reactions happen at various speeds, such as chemicals in fireworks which react very fast, within seconds of the firework being lit the reaction is over. Slow chemical reactions could be such things as the ripening of cheese so it can mature over time. Some adhesives we use require two chemicals to be mixed depending on the amounts used it could make the glue harden quickly or slowly. Some reactions happen slowly whereas some happen very fast. The name in which we measure a speed of a reaction is called a Rate Of Reaction. It can be measured in two ways, either the rate in which one of the products is produced, one of the products that is produced is gas, you can measure gas in a syringe or in a upturned burette. Another method that can be used is recording mass of the reactant, (how much the mass has added to its weight of lost). The mass could be recorded every minute and could be written like this, 1. 0g/60secs. Variables:- We had four variables to choose from, Temperature, Concentration, Surface area/Pressure and Catalyst. If we were to use temperature we would measure how much quicker the reaction would go if the acid and calcium were heated together, but we would have to keep the temperature at a constant heat as it wouldnt be a fair test if the reactants were getting hotter and colder. If we were to use a catalyst it would be used to speed up the reaction, but this would be unfair because we wouldnt be able to measure how much extra speed is being put in by the catalyst. Or we could change the surface area of the reactant, this would give the acid more of a area to act on, to measure this we would have to weigh the calcium first then expose it to the acid for a certain time and then take it out and weigh it, making sure we use the same concentration of acid each time to make it a fair test. We decided to use Concentration, for this we would change the strength of concentration each time and take a volume of gas that is given off every ten seconds. From choosing the variable Concentration we can measure the rate of gas that is being given of, this could be useful because we could work out how much gas per minute is being given off, from that we can then predict how much gas is being given off for any time you need to find. Prediction:- I think that as the strength of the acid goes up the rate of reaction will go up. Collision Theory:- I think this will happen because the higher the strength of the solution the more particles there are in the solution, which means more collisions more frequently. The acid will hit the calcium carbonate, if there is enough energy in the acid the calcium and acid will react together to give off Carbon Dioxide. The more the particles collide the faster they react. I have made a predicted graph, showing what I think the graph will look like. I have drawn in the lines of best fit showing the steepness of the line. This diagram shows how the acid particles collide with the marble chip to give off a gas. Method:- Set up apparatus as shown above. 1. Measure out desired amount of marble chips. 2. Measure out desired amount of hydrochloric acid 0. 25 mole first, then when all experiments with 1 mole have been completed go onto 0. 5 mole then 1 mole then 1. 5 and finally 2 mole. 3. Fill up the water bowl. 4. Fill measuring cylinder with water up to 100 ml. 5. Holding hand over the top of the measuring cylinder quickly turn it upside down and place it under the water (as shown above). If the water comes out refill the cylinder and try again. 6. Place tube so one end is coming up in the cylinder under water. 7. Put the marbles in the chronicle flask. 8. Pour in the hydrochloric acid and quickly affix the top with the tube coming out of it into the chronicle flask. 9. Decide at what time you will measure how much gas is given off. We decided to take a reading every 10 seconds, we also decided to start taking the readings at 30 seconds. You measure how much gas is given off by the water dropping in the measuring cylinder. E. g. 10 mls given off in the first 30 seconds. 10. Take these readings for 100 seconds using a stop watch to be precise. I am going to take 3 repeats, I am doing 3 because I can get a fair average from these 3 results. From the averages I will plot a graph to compare the different strength acids. Analysis:- (Graphs). From my graphs I clearly show the variable of different strengths of acids. As I used higher strength acids, the time in which the gas was produced got much faster. As the acids get stronger the lines become more inline. Whereas the 0. 5 points were all over the place. From my results I can see that my prediction was correct I think that as the strength of the acid goes up the rate of reaction will go up. I could see that from my results the strength of acid went up and the speed it took to make the gas went down. This links to the collision theory, that is that as the strength of the acid went up there were more particles to collide on the marble, which meant that more gas was given of due to more particles in the small mixture. The higher the strength of acid the more accurate the results became, we can see this because the range bars get smaller as the strength of the acid gets stronger. From the predicted graph I can see a difference in the results graph. The 1 mole strength acid has taken longer than the 0. 5 mole acid to produce the gas. I will explain the possible reasons for this more in my evaluation. Evaluation:- The main difficulty we faced was with the 2 mole strength acid because it reacted so fast we barely had time to read the times precisely. This may have meant we had unfair results. The main anomalous results were the 1 mole results, because from the information we have (collision theory) it tells us that it is stronger than the 0. 5 mole which means it should be lower than on the graph than 0. 5. But it isnt. This may have been because the results were read wrong, the acid we used may have been slightly too strong or the marble chips we used may have been smaller which means it is easier for the acids to break down. To improve the accuracy we could use a burette, which are far more accurate than a measuring cylinder or a gas cylinder. Gas Syringe Burette Computer data collectors are a very accurate way of registering the time, also if you were to use a camera recorder so you could look back at it and pause it when it got to the times when you needed to record a time. The results would never be the same because sometimes the measurement of marble chips maybe slightly more or less, or the accuracy of reading the time would be slightly out etc. As I said earlier in my investigation the results seemed to become more reliable as the strength of acid went up. Although it should be less accurate to measure the time as the acid strength went up it seemed to be more accurate. James Lane 11N Rates Of Reaction Investigation.

Getting Learical: Gods, Elements and Amusing (or Heartrending) Self-Con

When Lear is metaphorically stripped of his manhood in Act Two, Scene Four of the play that bears his name, the audience is left to ponder over the quantifiable loss of power which accompanies the man who has been duped out of his kingdom by his daughters. Surely Shakespeare’s use of a specific number of men serves to provide a concrete example of the sad old man’s dwindling power. The scene is almost always staged to portray a pathetic Lear, betrayed by his daughters, bereft of a kingdom and ripped from his one-hundred soldiers – his last possession and sole-signifier of his time as king. However, in a legitimate examination of the text, one can find evidence for a sympathetic reading of the daughters who rip the kingdom from their father and steal away his train. Goneril and Regan stand in the unenviable position of removing freedoms from their father. These freedoms, specifically the rowdy entourage of soldiers, represent a very real danger to Goneril and Rega n. Faced with the possibility of death at the hands of an army commanded by a madman, Goneril and Regan, who so often are maligned, both in performance and in interpretation of the text, act logically and avoid a disastrous situation. Lear, who must audiences align themselves with, in contrast, speaks in contradictories, superlatives and curses, further reinforcing the argument Goneril and Regan put forth for taking away Lear’s army. Before introducing my argument in the text, I wish to acknowledge the varying validities of other stagings or readings of the text. That is, I believe there is significant textual evidence for staging Goneril and Regan in a villainous role. I simply wish to argue that the text supports additional readings. The Goneril and Regan as villains ... ... Lear’s fall from grace. Yet, one must always remember that Lear, and not his daughters, initiated the ceremony of succession. Goneril and Regan exercised no coup. Lear’s loss of manpower is all the more pathetic because Lear is the author of it. Lear set up the fallacious test. Goneril and Regan simply manipulated the test for their own gain. In spite of their dubious motives, the sister’s approached the entourage question in an entirely reasonable manner. It was in fact, â€Å"in good time† (2.4.249) that Lear gave all to his daughters. The play ends tragically. That point cannot be disputed, but one cannot escape the fact that Lear, with extreme hubris, commanded the heavens and the elements to blind his daughters. What kind of tragedy might have transpired had Lear commanded an entire army, capable of hearing and attending to every word, upon his daughters instead?

Forest Conservation

FOREST CONSERVATION Forests are one of the most important natural resources that have been gifted to mankind for their sustained existence on earth. Without question, they provide us with huge amounts of tangible and intangible benefits, without which indeed, all life, less to say human life, would fall under the risk of extinction. Hence, it is vital for us to realize this importance of forest cover, conserve them, and ultimately work towards a sustainable way to maintain our forests and meet our needs at the same time. In this paper, I have focused initially on the barbaric behavior of us human beings towards forests, and how they have been and are still being massacred around the globe to meet our ever increasing and limitless wants and needs. I have also focused on why some of our conservation strategies and efforts are not working out the way they were supposed to be. In doing so, I have tried to prove that countries like Bangladesh, who are still striving to develop should focus on forest conservation. My hypothesis is that Bangladesh has the capability to both conserve its forest resources and grow economically at the same time, and create means for poverty elevation by conserving. In the second portion I have focused on a more comprehensive way to sustainable forest conservation, backing up my statements by expert opinions and case studies, and at the end a bit of focus was put on biodiversity importance and its conservation practices and strategies. I have also mentioned some economic, social and policy instruments that can be implemented in order to conserve forests better. I have used some primary data, from specific experts on forests, but my main data sources are secondary sources, mainly the Internet and books. The full list of references is given in the work-cited portion at the end of the paper. From the very beginning of civilization, human beings have depended heavily on forests for their survival. Cradles of civilization, places of beauty, sources of spiritual inspiration, and treasure houses of natural riches, forests are closely linked with the physical, economic, and spiritual well being of people. Man has depended on forests for lumber and furniture, medicine and cosmetics, firewood and food, drinking water and fresh air, respite and recreation. Despite their central role in the well being of people, forests are threatened by human actions on a scale and pace far beyond nature's capacity to adapt. Forests are being destroyed around the globe at a scale, which has already passed the â€Å"alarming† stage. Reasons such as land shortage, urbanization, agriculture, excessive and unsustainable timber extraction have led to cutting down of miles upon miles of pristine forest land. In 2002 alone, 10,000 square miles in Brazil's Amazon region were deforested due to logging, ranching, farming, and infrastructure development. In Africa's Congo Basin, roads built into legally protected areas like national parks by illegal loggers provided access for bush meat poachers and contributed to an increase in forest fires. (Overview). Although recently, the importance of forests has been realized to a degree, enough importance has not yet been put into the conservation sector so as to actually retain the remaining percentage of forest cover the world has left. In this paper I have discussed just how much importance needs to be put on conservation of forests, why this needs to be done, how it can be done in a systematic, sustainable way, and what the aftermaths of not doing so may be. DEFINITIONS: For clarification purposes, a full list of definitions are given below so that the terms discussed in this paper are clear and not confused with other related terms. FOREST: The word â€Å"forests† originated from the Greek word â€Å"foris†, which means â€Å"out of doors†. Generally a large uncultivated area of land bearing trees and undergrowth is termed as a forest. Wild animals are also associated with this term, which includes their interaction with the trees and undergrowth and their abiotic surroundings (air, soil etc. ). L. S Davis defined forests as a set of land parcels, which has or could have tree vegetation. (Davis). CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION: These two terms are often confused with one another, but they refer to two slightly different concepts. Preservation of anything is basically keeping it in such manner that it cannot or should not be touched or used. For instance, if a forest is being preserved it means that it is to be kept untouched and nothing is to be extracted from it. It is to be left to its own accord. On the other hand, conservation implies more towards a sustained use, or use in a sustainable fashion. As in the example given above, if a forest is declared as conserved, it means that resources may be extracted in a systematic and accounted way, so as not to compromise the forests ability to replenish itself in terms of resources, and so that it may continue its intangible functions properly. SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: The term refers to the existence and maintenance of a system, on its own accord, over a period of time, or that a system is able to stand and function by itself for a certain duration. This term then leads on to sustainable development, which the latest of concepts in development of a nation and its entities. Sustainable development means the development targeted at making resources available both useful yet sustained, so as no to compromise it for future generations. FOREST MANAGEMENT: The society of American Foresters (1958) defined forest management as â€Å"the application of business methods and technical forestry principles to the operation of forestry property. † (American). Generally put, forest management is the maintenance of forests in such a way that it is protected and conserved at the same time. In other words it the system by which we make sure that we extract resources from the forest in a sustained way (sustainable yields) and so that the forest does not lose its credibility. Forests come in various types and properties. They range from tropical evergreen rain forests along the equator of the earth, to temperate and boreal forests in northern America and Russia. The world's tropical forests, which circle the globe, are interestingly diverse. Ranging from the steamy jungles of the rain forests to the dry forests and savannas, they provide habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Once covering some 15. 3 billion acres (6. 2 billion ha), these tropical forests have been reduced through cutting and clearing by 210 million acres (85 million ha) between 1985 and 1990. (Louise). This is in fact the story in most parts of the world. Bangladesh for instance is losing its natural forestland at an alarming rate of 3. 3% a year, which is the third highest rate in the world after Jamaica and Haiti. (Miller, 641). Although plantations have gone up in percentage during the last few years, especially strip plantations, which are a recent phenomenon in Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka, natural forests are still on the decrease. This can be seen in the table below, as of the year 2000, which also includes comparisons to Asia and the world as a whole. Yet probably the saddest story to be told is that of the world’s tropical forests. Although tropical rainforests cover less than six percent of the earth’s land surface, they are extraordinarily endowed with millions of animal species and represent seventy-five million years of evolutionary stability. Covering a land area approximately the size of the United States, tropical forests are being rapidly degraded, the equivalent of the combined areas of Ohio and Indiana each year. According to some experts, almost half the world’s tropical forests have already been wiped of the face of the earth for good. If we look at the table given below, we can get an estimate of what the situation really is at present. Data is set as of research till the year 2000. |Forest Area and Change |Bangladesh |Asia (excl. Middle East) |World | |Total forest area, 2000 (000 ha) |1334 |504180 |3869455 | |Natural forest area, 2000 (000 ha) |709 |375824 |3682722 | |Plantations area, 2000 (000 ha) |625 |110953 186733 | |Total dry land area, 1950-1981 (000 ha) {a} |0 |1078121 |5059984 | |Change in forest area: | |   |Total, 1990-2000 |14 % |-1 % |-2 % | |   |Natural, 1990-2000 |-7 % |-1 % |-4 % | |   |Plantations, 1990-2000 |4 % |5 % |3 % | |Original forest {b} as a percent of | |   |total land area {c} |100 % |X |48 % | |Forest area in 2000 as a percent of | |   |total land area {c} |9 % |20 % |29 % | |   |   |   |   |   | FIG: table has been taken from an article titled â€Å"Forest Conservation† from the Earth Trends website. Ecosystem Areas by Type | |Total land area |14400 |2494475 |13328979 | |Percent of total land area covered by: | |   |Forests |12 % |17 % |24 % | |   |Shrublands, savanna, and grasslands |3 % |37 % |37 % | |   | | |   |mosaic |73 % |34 % |20 % | |   |Urban and built-up areas |0. 2 % |0. 2 % |0. 2 % | |   |Sparse or barren vegetation; snow and ice |0 % |10 % |16 % | |   |Wetlands and water bodies |11 % |2 % |3 % | The total global forest cover has decreased by approximately 4% in just 10 years, and Bangladesh has lost more than 7% of its natural forest resources. This is alarming in more than just environmental perspectives. Yet, when we look into conservation possibilities, all sides, sectors, direct and indirect reasons need to be assessed before coming to any kind of decision. Since this paper is about the conservation needs of forests, all such sectors and sides have been touched in the following sections. Before the dawn of agriculture approximately 10,000 years ago, forests and open woodland covered about 15. 3 billion acres (6. 2 billion ha) of the globe. Over the centuries, however, about one-third of these natural forests have been destroyed. According to a 1982 study by FAO, about 27. 9 million acres (11. million ha) of tropical forests are cut each year-an area about the size of the States of Ohio or Virginia. Between 1985 and 1990, an estimated 210 million acres (85 million ha) of tropical forests were cut or cleared. In India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the best commercial forests are gone, and cutting is increasing in South America. (J. Louise). Several factors are responsible for deforestation: clearing for agriculture, fuel woodcutting, and harvesting of wood products. By far the most important of these is clearing for agriculture. In the Tropics, the age-old practice of shifting, sometimes called â€Å"slash-and-burn,† agriculture has been used for centuries. In this primitive system, local people cut a small patch of forest to make way for subsistence farming. After a few years, soil fertility declines and people move on, usually to cut another patch of trees and begin another garden. In the abandoned plot, the degraded soil at first supports only weeds and shrubby trees. Later, soil fertility and trees return, but that may take decades. As population pressure increases, the fallow (rest) period between cycles of gardening is shortened, agricultural yields decrease, and the forest region is further degraded to small trees, brush, or eroded savanna. Conversion to sedentary agriculture is an even greater threat to tropical forests. Vast areas that once supported tropical forests are now permanently occupied by subsistence farmers and ranchers and by commercial farmers who produce sugar, cocoa, palm oil, and other products. In many tropical countries there is a critical shortage of firewood. For millions of rural poor, survival depends on finding enough wood to cook the evening meal. Every year more of the forest is destroyed, and the distance from home to the forest increases. Not only do people suffer by having to spend much of their time in the search for wood, but so does the land. Damage is greatest in dry tropical forests where firewood cutting converts forests to savannas and grasslands. The global demand for tropical hardwoods, an $8-billion-a-year industry, also contributes to forest loss. Tropical forests are usually selectively logged rather than clear-cut. Selective logging leaves the forest cover intact but usually reduces its commercial value because the biggest and best trees are removed. Selective logging also damages remaining trees and soil, increases the likelihood of fire, and degrades the habitat for wildlife species that require large, old trees-the ones usually cut. In addition, logging roads open up the forests to shifting cultivation and permanent settlement. In the past, logging was done primarily by primitive means-trees were cut with axes and logs were moved with animals such as oxen. Today the use of modern machinery–chain saws, tractors, and trucks -makes logging easier, faster, and potentially more destructive. In Bangladesh, it is more or less the same picture. Being a developing country which is yet striving to stand on its own feet, it is still extracting its only, and few available resources such as forests for the sake of rapid economic growth. Further more, the lack of land space is forcing settlers to encroach upon forest land, in order to use it for agriculture and fisheries purposes. The poor are using forests as means for survival, and there is little the administration (local governments and forest department) can do to stop illegal encroachment in forests. Yet even so, as I have stated in my hypothesis, it is possible for a country like Bangladesh to conserve forests and elevate poverty at the same time, and the following sections will consist of exactly how this may be achieved. In his article â€Å"Conservation Strategy: Rationale and a Framework†, Dr. Mizanur Rahman Khan says, â€Å"†¦there is a difference in perspective regarding what to conserve and how to conserve. One group, often dubbed as ‘radical greens’, argue that the global environmental problems have already reached a crisis proportion and require a ‘fire fighting’ strategy. On the other side of the fence, there are ‘free-market’ environmentalists who argue that environmental laws and regulations impose unfair burdens on the economy and on individuals. † A balance between the two is what Dr. M Khan thinks is required, and he goes on to say that the protection of the environment is an essential part of development and that this is globally recognized. In this light, when we look at the conservation efforts being made to conserve the forests of Bangladesh, it is almost immediately clear that most of the above stated conditions are not being applied. Problems with definitions of protected areas still remain, and hence loop holes give people the chance to illegally encroach upon the land. So the question is now, what is there to be done? What steps should Bangladesh authorities take to prevent such anomalies and protect the forests we have? A simple solution is given by Dr. Abdur Rob Khan, a well known economist and research director at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, when he was asked as to what Bangladesh can do. Dr Rob says: â€Å"Indeed Bangladesh does have the capability to both conserve and elevate poverty at the same time. To do that, the first and most obvious step is to introduce participatory forestry. The stake holders have to be identified and given proper priority in terms of their needs and requirements. Second, we have far too less forest cover, only about 6-7% of the total land area right now. This has to be doubled. This can be done by introducing social forestry, homestead forestry and road side forestry. Once these two steps have been undertaken, we can then head on towards poverty elevation, because both these steps will not only help the nation as a whole, but also see to the needs of the local people in and around forests. Other wise, conservation may face an early death, and we may as well lose our forests. † The points upheld by Dr. Abdur Rob are to great degrees true. Indeed, the only way to ensure the survival of a resource and the people associated with it is to introduce those people into its management and care. Below I have stated some of the ways to o this and also some other steps towards conserving forests. PARTICIPATORY FORESTRY: (Social Forestry) To involve the local people, and to pick out the stake holders, the initial thing that needs to be done is to get to know the social aspects of the people involved. This process is called â€Å"Focus Group Discussions† Basically; authority people have to go to the locality and get to know the social life styles of the local people. This is done by conducting such discussions with selected people from the locality. A questionnaire is made which involves everything ranging from average yearly income to what festivals they have and their matrimonial practices. Once this can be done, stake holders can be identified and selected out. They are then involved in to the management regimes, including decision making privileges to resource extraction etc. In depth discussions are then held with the selected people and local leaders to figure out how benefits are to be shared. Both tangible and intangible benefits from the forest are then held up to the people. Participatory forestry can be seen in practice in the strip plantations in and around Dhaka along side roads and rail lines. These are basically community based resource management schemes, from which involved people receive benefits in future for their present services, hence encouraging them to conserve the site. ANCIENT FORESTRY PRACTICES In ancient Persia (now Iran), forest protection and nature conservation laws were in effect as early as 1,700 B. C. Two thousand years ago the Chinese practiced what they called â€Å"four sides† forestry-trees were planted on house side, village side, road side, and water side. More than 1,000 years ago, Javanese maharajahs brought in teak and began to cultivate it. In the African Tropics, agro forestry (growing of food crops n association with trees) has been practiced for hundreds of years. Relatively little is known about tropical forestry before the mid 1800's in most places. At that time, the European colonial empires notably the Dut ch, English, and Spanish-brought modern forest management practices to Indonesia, India, Africa, and the Caribbean. Centers for forestry and forestry research were established, and more careful records were kept. (J. Louise). SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY Modern forestry has its basis in 18th-century Germany. Like the Chinese and the Mayan forest practices, German forestry is essentially agricultural. Trees are managed as a crop. Two concepts are important: renewability and sustainability. Renewability means that trees can be replanted and seeded and harvested over and over again on the same tract of land in what are known as crop â€Å"rotations. † Sustainability means that forest harvest can be sustained over the long term. How far into the future were foresters expected to plan? As long as there were vast acres of virgin (original) forests remaining, this question was somewhat academic. Today, however, sustainability is a vital issue in forestry. Most of the world's virgin forests are gone, and people must rely more and more on second- growth or managed forests. Perhaps we now face, as never before, the limits to long-term productivity. In the German forest model, forestry is viewed as a continual process of harvest and regeneration. Harvest of wood products is a goal, but a forester's principal tasks are to assure long-term productivity. That is achieved by cutting the older, mature, and slow-growing timber to make way for a new crop of young, fast-growing trees. HARVEST REGENRATION METHOD Three examples of timber harvest-regeneration methods (silvicultural systems) illustrate how foresters manage stands to produce timber on a sustained basis. SELECTION Individual trees or small groups of trees are harvested as they become mature. Numerous small openings in the forest are created in which saplings or new seedlings can grow. The resulting forest has a continuous forest canopy and trees of all ages. Such systems favor slow-growing species that are shade tolerant. CLEAR CUTTING In clear cutting, an entire stand of trees is removed in one operation. From the forester's point of view, clear cutting is the easiest way to manage a forest-and the most economical. Regeneration may come from sprouts on stumps, from seedlings that survive the logging operation, or from seeds that germinate after the harvest. If natural regeneration is delayed longer than desired, the area is planted or seeded. Clear cutting systems are often used to manage fast-growing species that require a lot of light. Resulting stands are even aged because all the trees in an area are cut-and regenerated-at the same time. Clear cutting has become controversial in recent years because it has the potential to damage watersheds and because it tends to eliminate species of wildlife dependent on old growth trees. If clear cuts are kept small and the cutting interval is long enough, however, biological diversity may not be impaired. SHELTERWOOD In Shelterwood systems, the forest canopy is removed over a period of years, usually in two cuttings. After the first harvest, natural regeneration begins in the understory. By the time the second harvest is made, enough young trees have grown to assure adequate regeneration. Shelterwood systems favor species that are intermediate in tolerance to shade. Such systems are difficult to use successfully and are the least used of the three silvicultural methods described. ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS: It seems that the obvious conclusion would be, as Dr. Rob said, that social forestry is the best option available to us at present. This will not only enable Bangladesh to conserve its few remaining forests, but also use those forests efficiently as a tool to poverty elevation. In fact this is not the first time research on Bangladesh forests has led to such conclusions. Many experts have done similar such research and have come to find this sort of forestry as efficient means of conservation. [pic] . Fig: Plantation in Shatchori reserved forest. Bangladesh yet faces many hard steps to the stage we call developed. Even now, it faces harden blockades when the question of conservation arises. Poverty, high population, land shortage, illegal encroachment, political disfucntionings and sheer ignorance of duty are just some of the barricades that hold us back from preserving the few resources we have left in this once lushly rich country. It not as though we are not conserving. Indeed, plantations have come up across the country in what seems hopeful ways. It seems that there is yet hope for us and our forests. Shatchari, Modhupur, Lawachara, Medakochapia are some bright names in our success books concerning plantation forestry. Yet I raise the question to the jury, is this what we really want for us? Do we really want to see some time in the future that the country is devoid of its natural forests and has only plantations left? Plantations, Strip plantations, mono-cultures, botanical gardens are very good in terms of forest cover, but if we lose all our natural forests, what would happen to all the hundreds of species of animals and birds that we have? We would lose them forever. Will it be possible for us to conserve them to? The case stands for the rest of the world as well. Tropical forests are being deforested at a football field size a day. Very soon, perhaps sooner than we think, we will lose what we have left to the greed of a few ignorant people. Will it not shame us to think that we human beings will be responsible of wiping out all other species just for the sake of our comfort? Is this not a question of ethics? It remains to be seen as to how Bangladesh, less to say the rest of the world acts to save its forests, yet perhaps it is not wise to just sit and wait for some miracle to happen. It is time we put on our thinking caps and stepped out into the field, and tried our best to see to that we leave the few natural pristine forests remaining at peace with themselves. Work cited: †¢ Mastrantonio J. Louise. â€Å"CONSERVATION OF FORESTS†. Online journal. nd. 18th December 2006. http://www. fs. fed. us/global/lzone/student/tropical. htm †¢ Forests of the World. â€Å"Forestry Overview†. Online article. nd. 19th December 2006. http://www. worldwildlife. org/forests/ †¢ Davis, L. S 1966. â€Å"Forest Management†. 1st edition. pp 790. †¢ Earth Trends. â€Å"Forest Conservation†. Online Journal. nd. 19th December 2006. http://earthtrends. wri. org/text/biodiversity-protected/country-profiles. html Forest Conservation. â€Å"Enterprise for the Americas in Action†. Online article. nd. 19th December 2006. http://www. earthvoice. org/animal. habitat/forest. conservation. htm †¢ Khan, Mizanur Rahman. â€Å"Conservation Strategy: Rationale and a Framework†. Conservation and Sustainable Development. †¢ Interview : Dr. Abdur Rob Khan. Research Director at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 20th December 2006.

Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf Essay

To live and to die are the two sides of the same coin. Death is natural; yet, it is the subject of utmost contemplation. No one knows what death is like but everyone can feel its power, its magnitude and its presence. Life and death almost seem like riddles that most humans are incapable of comprehending and answering. Virginia Woolf, in her essay ‘The death of the moth’, has confronted this very issue- the vitality of life and the force of death. In this part narrative and part meditative essay, the struggle of a day moth has been shown as its â€Å"frail and diminutive body† succumbs to the enormity of death. The moth being a â€Å"tiny bead of pure life† depicts the glory of life, â€Å"he was little or nothing but life†; strange how a mere moth too, is driven by the energy and vigor of life as it tries to make its way through the window. The creation of nature and life’s grandeur is always a wonder but that wonder slowly turns to pity as the moth’s attempts seem to bear no fruit. The moth slowly stops moving and it appears as if the moth has given up, death is gradually taking its hold on it. No matter how â€Å"content with life† the moth was, there was no escaping death. When death approaches, there is neither running away nor any way of dodging it. Metaphors and similes have been used to present the clash between life and death along with attribution of human-like characteristics to the moth, gives a more definite stance to the abstractness of life and death. The sentiments are expressed in a manner that moves the reader and leaves them thinking about the subject. The actions of the moth arouse sympathy from the readers, in addition to expressing the impermanence of life all the while. All the enthusiasm and drive of life is shattered once death takes over. Woolf’s marvelous creation, this essay is simple and subtle yet it manages to stir deep emotions in the readers directing them to quietly reflect on the presented thought. The tension between life and death still prevails but there is no saying which one is more forceful- the liveliness and energy of life or the shadow of death- although in the essay, death seems to win in the end. â€Å"Oh yes, he seemed to say, death is stronger than I am. †

Legalize Marijuana Essays - Drug Control Law, Drug Culture

Legalize Marijuana Essays - Drug Control Law, Drug Culture Legalize Marijuana The legalization of marijuana will reduce crime, narcotic drug use, and create a utopian society. Marijuana's effect on society is greatly over exaggerated in that marijuana acts as a scapegoat for many of society's problems. Marijuana is blamed today for being a gateway drug; this means that consumption of marijuana will lead to use of narcotic drugs, this claim has never been proven, the only grounds for it is that marijuana is a more widespread and more sampled drug. Furthermore, the legalization of marijuana would create potential tax revenue that would flow from a regulated market in marijuana. Marijuana grows throughout temperate regions, with more potent varieties produced in dry, hot, upland climates. Marijuana is defined as a cannabis plant; and or a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, smoked or eaten to induce euphoria (marijuana, 827, Webster's). Euphoria is a feeling of great happiness or well being (euphoria, 468). Chronic marijuana users may develop a motivational syndrome characterized by passivity, decreased motivation, and preoccupation with taking drugs. The relationship of this syndrome to marijuana use, however, has not been established. Like alcohol intoxication, marijuana intoxication impairs judgment, comprehension, memory, speech, problem-solving ability, and reaction time. The effect of long-term use on the intellect is unknown. There is no evidence that marijuana induces or causes brain damage (marijuana 2, Microsoft). The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that we presently have 20 million regular users of marijuana in the United States (Heerema 130). The inclusion of drug users within society is in turn based on the premise that the desire to alter consciousness is a normal human trait, a drive as deep as the need for food, shelter and love (Siegel 1989). Humans perceive the use of marijuana to alter their state of consciousness as being a basic instinct that seems harmless and natural. Prohibition creates crime; it does not solve crime. It creates a tension within society that society cannot long bear. However, because some members of society are more tolerant of drug use than others, the attempt at prohibition inevitably tears society apart. It seems to work, for a while, but sooner or later the prohibition approach becomes untenable if society is to grow rather than stagnate. In the long run, society gradually adapts to the changes made necessary by the failure of the War on Drugs; and the new drugs appear, and then the cycle starts over (Aldrich 548). Therefore, if society wants to continue to grow, we must allow its inhabitants to alter their state of consciousness by using marijuana. A legal, regulated drug supply (as alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and prescription drugs) encourages people both socially and personally to use the smallest dosage and the lowest potency that will be effective. It encourages normalization and control of drug use, and discourages abuse. It accepts a certain social cost in that the use of these drugs will cause problems for some members of society; but it does not deny that drug use is human, and instead works through the problems presented by drug use in such a way as to minimize their harm. In exactly opposite fashion, the criminal approach to drug use encourages drug abuse, by attempting to cut off supply. This policy restriction makes the desired commodity scarce and difficult to obtain. In turn, the user wants as much as possible, in the highest possible potency, for hoarding as well as immediate use. This policy ignores the basic human urge to get high, discourages the controlled use of drugs, and offers no normal socialization, no internal or external controls, and no possibility of harm reduction. It puts even the casual or experimental user into the illicit drug subculture where abuse is more likely; and any attempt to encourage self-control, that is, showing people how to use drugs intelligently and in the least harmful way, is seen as condoning abuse (Weil and Rosen 1983). Therefore, the illicit drug scene, created by drug prohibition laws, encourages high-dose, high-potency drug seeking, and discourages moderation and self-regulation. The process of dilution is possible when drugs are legally regulated; but not when they are criminally distributed. In fact, dilution of strength is the basis for mass marketing of legal drugs;

Case Study Doing Business In China Marketing Essay

Case Study Doing Business In China Marketing Essay Although the times have changed, the citizens of the United States cannot help but recollect on the history of an unstable political system, corruption, environmental degradation, the lack of intellectual property protection and last, but not least, a variety of different cultures in the far East; so with that said, why would any American business organization want to pursue business in China? What was once a small-town audio store called Sounds of Music had an epiphany back in 1966 that has currently yielded pay dirt. Nearly twenty years later, Sounds of Music transformed into an electronic conglomerate known as Best Buy Inc, Co. This S & P Fortune 500 company is currently known as the largest consumer electronics retailer in the United States. Best Buy chose to pursue this â€Å"uphill battle† due to the fact that it was near impossible for them to ignore their ever growing free market economy and the urbanization that is taking place within it. Best Buy is sophisticated en ough to distinguish between what makes them profitable within the United States and what will make them unsuccessful in other parts of the world, in particular to this study, China. In order to truly understand China and the complexities of expanding there, one must know how to do business in China. It may sound implausible to the average domestic business man/woman to think there is much of a difference in doing business in China, than what it is here in the United States, but it is indeed a credible fact. Developing a SWOT analysis could aid in the many challenges of trying to conduct business in China, but this evaluative method doesn’t change intangible circumstances such as time and return on investment. Best Buy had both of these conditions present during their feasibility study. Realizing the opportunistic possibilities and competitive advantage of the situation, Best Buy didn’t hesitate to conduct thorough due diligence before doing business in China. This pape r will discuss some of the important aspects of their research as it covers the basic understanding of doing business in China and how Best Buy emerged from being just a face in the crowd to achieving commendable status in Shanghai, China. This report will elaborate on Best Buy’s experience as they try to tap into a foreign market for the first time ever knowing that the potential risk could be irreversibly negative. Best Buy Inc, plans to prove that it is indeed possible to enter into the Chinese Market for consumer electronics. Best Buy announced on April 1, 2006 that they would be opening their first branded store in China. Best Buy did not just enter the market but they were wise about it as well. They wanted to hedge the risks involved in any possible way. On May 12, 2006, the company made a purchase of a majority stake in Jiangsu Five Star, which is the fourth biggest Chinese appliance and electronics retailer. By purchasing this majority stake, Best Buy saved a tremend ous amount of time that is necessarily needed to create a comparable sized organization through grown. They now had their presence in China in 136 stores, as well as the close to 1,000 stores that they have successfully opened in both the United States and Canada. The purchase of this stake also helped Best Buy get a feel of what Chinese customer’s needs and wants were.

Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne Essay

Symbolism in Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne - Essay Example Symbolism, most of which is spiritual, is used throughout the story to show the downfall of the once-holy community, including Goodman Brown. Faith is a symbol unto herself, from her name to the pink ribbons that she wore in her hair. As Goodman Brown sets out to meet with the devil, he talks himself into giving up such a horrid life for the sake of Faith. Whenever he thinks about the evil deed at hand, he allows his mind to turn back to Faith. This can be taken in two ways - Faith, as in his wife, and faith, as in his religious beliefs. Faith, his wife, is a personification of Goodman Brown’s spiritual faith. He does not want to live a life of evil, but one of good, religious faith. As such, Faith symbolizes Brown’s desire to live a religiously fulfilling life while also, while also wanting to remain good for the sake of his wife. Faith’s ribbons symbolizes Faith and her purity. The ribbons are pink, a color often associated with purity and innocence. As she say s goodbye to her husband as he leaves, Brown takes notice of the pink ribbons in her cap. At this moment in the story, Faith is pure and innocent. However, as Brown is wandering through the forest towards the evil gathering, he thinks he hears her voice, calls out to her, and then notices one of her pink ribbons falling from the sky. Since the ribbons symbolize purity, then as Faith loses her ribbons, she also loses her purity.