Comparison of UK Policy Failure and Success

Comparison of UK Policy Failure and Success Using UK national policy examples, compare an example of a policy failure and a policy success. What criteria can be used to make this judgement? Which criteria do you feel is most appropriate to your examples? In recent years British governments have drawn up and put into practice various policies to help protect the environment by preventing, reducing, or cleaning up pollution, and by adopting measures that are intended to enhance sustainable economic development and growth. The following will discuss whether any of the environmental protection policies have failed, or which policies have succeeded. Or more specifically one policy that has been deemed to be a failure and one policy that has been deemed a success. The failure or success of any government’s policies can be assessed by various criteria, such as political, economic and environmental factors or objectives. A single policy might be a failure or success in all of its assessed criteria, or a failure in some, whilst being a success in other respects. Government policy makers make policy decisions on various criteria, although generally political objectives or criteria take priority over economic, environmental, or social considerations. Governments are usually more interested in pursuing policies that will prove electorally popular, rather than policies that, although they might be environmentally important, are not electorally popular. Environmental campaigners have to be aware that the B ritish government may not be quick or as decisive as they would like in making policy decisions to achieve their objectives, yet they cannot always be sure that those policies will be a success. Governments use policies to change people’s behaviour through legislation, publicity or persuasion, offering incentives or deterrents via the taxation system. British governments have also had external influences upon the formation of environmental policy, such as environmental groups, business groups, and the European Union (EU). An area of the British government’s environmental policy that can be regarded as a failure has been the efforts to reduce the number of vehicles and the amount of fuel that these vehicles use. There are various reasons why this government policy can be regarded as a failure, some environmental, some economic and some political (Coxall, Robbins Leach, 2003, p 401). The number of motor vehicles in use and the places and frequency of their use can have a great deal of influence upon the environment, yet also has importance in terms of economic growth and keeping people employed (Jones et al, 2004, p.700). Before the Conservative governments from 1979 became interested in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development, they sought to attract foreign car manufacturers to build factories in Britain. The Conservatives believed the strategy of having car factories built would promote economic growth, regenerating areas with high unemployment and high levels of social deprivation, such as Sunderland. That was an extension of traditional economic policy that had encouraged Ford, General Motors, and Peugeot to have factories in Britain (Jones, 1999, p.187). For environmentalist groups persuading the British government to reduce the number of motor vehicles in use would have been a major success. The number of cars built in Britain itself had been declining for years, a decline that was only halted by the cars produced by the new Nissan and Toyota factories. The decline in the number of British cars did not equate to a fall in the number of motor vehicles being used in Britain. It just meant that British consumers were buying imported cars, rather than Vauxhalls, Rovers and Fords (Fisher, Denver Benyon, 2003, p.335). Car sales have continued to increase for various reasons, some that British governments could control, and others that it could not. More cars have been bought because more people can afford to buy them and can afford to pay their operating costs, such as petrol, motor insurance, and road tax. People also buy cars because they need them to get to work, go shopping, or to take their children to school. People choose to buy c ars as they believe that public transport is either inadequate, or that it does not go to the places that they have to go to (Moran, 2005, p.175). The Conservatives did not help the development of effective public transport policies by deregulating bus services and also by the privatisation of the railway network. Arguably, the better the public transport system is then the fewer people will need to buy, or at least use their cars to get to work or wherever they need to go to. (Coxall, Robbins Leach, 2003, p.405). It is unlikely that any British government would ever stop people from owning and using their own cars. Judging by the British government’s policy to reduce car ownership or at least halt its rapid rise on purely environmental criteria, then it has been a failure. However, it has not been a failure under every criterion with the policy leading to some changes that improve the chances of other areas of environmental policy proving to be successful. The number of cars built in Britain has declined due to the collapse of the MG Rover group and the closure of Ford and Peugeot factories (Seldon Kavanagh, 2005, p.192). The inability to reduce the number of motor vehicles in use has had the knock on effect of the government having to construct new roads and maintain existing roads. The construction of new roads obviously causes adverse environmental effects in the areas surrounding the construction. Conversely, traffic congestion is more harmful to the environment than free flowing traffic, as it increases fuel consumption via lower fuel efficiency (Fisher, Denver, Benyon, 2003 p. 334). Under slightly different criteria the policy has not been a complete failure. Government policy towards controlling the growth of car ownership and slowing its environmental impact has helped to put such ecological issues on the political agenda. The British government has used the taxation system to establish the principle that the polluters pay to protect the environment and to clean up the pollution. Originally, the government had levied road tax so those motorists should contribute towards the cost of building and maintaining roads. The Conservatives started to practice of charging different rates of road tax dependant upon the engine size of the car. New Labour has taken that concept further by charging much higher rates for fuel guzzling sports cars and off road vehicles, which cause higher levels of pollution. Another way in which the polluter pays for causing pollution is by paying duty on petrol and other oil based fuels. These duties and higher taxes certainly raise extra r evenue for the government, yet that is of no benefit to the environment if the government does use the extra money to improve public transport or take action to cut pollution (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 405). It could be strongly argued that were the amount of pollution or environmental damage caused by cars has decreased, it has been the result of action by the motor companies themselves. The motor companies will have taken measures to reduce pollution due to environmental legislation passed by the EU, as well as by the British government, whilst improvements in technology can improve the fuel efficiency of cars and reduce their environmental impact. For instance, motor and oil companies have introduced unleaded fuels and catalytic converters that have done much to reduce air pollution levels (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 405). A policy area in which the British government has been successful in has been a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases in general and carbon dioxide in particular (Schott, 2006 p. 205). These gases are generally considered to be the greatest threat to the environment, although such gases are produced through natural activities, human generated emissions are threatening to adversely effect the planet’s environment (Moran, 2005 p. 175). British governments have taken an interest in reducing levels of air pollution for much longer than any other environmental issues. For instance, steps were taken to clean up smoke emissions from factories and domestic coal fires that reduced the incidence of smog during the 1950s, especially in London (Jones et al, 2004 p. 696). British governments’ had a tendency to handle environmental issues on a piecemeal or ad hoc basis, usually as an after thought to deciding on political, social and economic policies (Jones et al, 2004, p.69 7). The clean up of smog was not the only example of such an ad hoc method being effective. During the late 1970s and the early part of the 1980s, the problem of ‘acid rain’ became a prominent environmental issue that mainly affected Scandinavia and Germany. Sulphur dioxide emissions from coal fuelled British power stations were considered to be a major contributory factor to the acid rain problem. The Conservative government agreed to have filters fitted to the power station, which greatly reduced the problem (Jones, 1999 p. 279). It was during the late 1980s that the Conservative government, or at least parts of it, became convinced that tackling the greenhouse effect was starting to become a policy priority. In part that change of opinion was brought about by the publicity of environmental pressure groups, such as Friends of the Earth and growing evidence of global warming from scientific research. The British government therefore, set about limiting then reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases in conjunction with other EU member states, the United States, Japan, and China amongst other countries. To their credit, British governments have played a role in the decisions and the targets set by the Rio Earth Summit and the Kyoto Protocol (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003, p. 406) Britain has done very well in comparison with other countries in reducing carbon dioxide emissions especially. Britain is as good as, if not better, than most of the other EU members and its record are much better than the United State s (Jones et al, 2004 p. 700, Schott, 2006, p. 205). The British government has also decided to reduce the demand for electricity and central heating by increasing the energy efficiency and insulation of all domestic homes, which currently make up a quarter of Britain’s carbon dioxide emissions. Individuals as well as the government and businesses are responsible for protecting the environment (Whitaker’s, 2007 p. 519). Judging the British government’s policies to cut omissions of greenhouse gases on environmental criteria, those policies have been successful. For instance, carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced as a result of switching from coal fired to gas fired electricity generating power stations. To some extent that switch had started before the decision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was made, and was a consequence of the closure of the vast majority of Britain’s coal mines (Jones, 1999 p. 214). Gas emits less carbon dioxide when it is burnt than coal does. The British government has also made attempts to increase the amount of electricity generated by renewable sources, such as wind turbines and hydro- electric dams. More controversially, the government had approved new generations of nuclear power stations, although in not enough numbers to become the main generators of electricity (Moran, 2005 p. 175). The government has also introduced other measures to cut the emis sion of greenhouse gases, such as promoting the use of lower emission fuels for cars, buses and other motor vehicles, which has compensated for its inability to reduce the numbers of motor vehicles that are being used. There might be more cars, yet they are causing less pollution than older makes of vehicles used to do, due to lower sulphur levels in fuels, greater fuel efficiency and lead free fuels (Jones, 1999 p. 279). The British government itself aims to set a good example by having its own departments develop and implement sustainable development strategies to preserve resources and lower gas emissions. The government has influenced its suppliers to develop greener resources (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 405). In terms of political criteria, the British government’s policy to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions had been a success. The government’s policy has certainly raised public awareness of environmental issues. Where the British government has been astute in relation to the success of the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to counter global warming is in claiming the political credit for carrying that policy out. Although British governments have become convinced of the need to counter global warming, most of the legislation to reduce pollution is passed by or inspired by the EU, rather than the governments of its member states. British governments might try to influence the environmental policies advocated by the EU, yet those policies are now approved by majority voting in the Council of Ministers (Jones et al, 2004, p.700). However, it could be argued under certain criteria that the success of the British government’s policy to reduce greenhouse gases is more apparent than real. Some environmental groups argue that the government’s strategy is not going to lead to sustainable development over the long-term, or continue to cut greenhouse gas emissions. They contend that the British government has not taken enough measures to find alternative energy sources for when fossil fuels are eventually exhausted and that the measures taken to counter global warming are effectively too little, too late (Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 405). Thus to conclude, the main environmental protection polices of British governments have met with failure and success. One noticeable policy that has failed has been the attempt to maintain or even reduce the number of motor vehicles used in Britain. However, British governments have not been able to achieve that policy at all. Government policy had attempted to persuade people to use public transport instead of their own cars, although the privatisation of the railways and the de-regularisation of bus services have hampered that. The government has increased duty on fuels and altered road tax so that people with vehicles that cause higher levels of pollution have to pay more. These measures have certainly raised extra revenue for the Treasury, yet they seem highly unlikely to reduce car use overall. This failure of policy has not been as harmful as might have been expected, as through a combination of legislation, innovation, and greater fuel efficiency, the environmental damage caus ed by newer cars had been reduced. An area of success for government environmental policy has been the reduction in the level of greenhouse gas emissions achieved since 1990. British governments should be commended for their efforts in that direction although part of that success is down to the legislation, regulations and directives set by the EU. There are however, doubts about the completeness of sustainable development over the long term, especially as the level of energy from renewable sources would not be efficient to replace fossil fuels once those have been exhausted. Bibliography Coxall B, Robins L Leach R (2003) Contemporary British Politics 4th edition, Palgrave, Basingstoke Eatwell R Wright A, (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London Fisher J, Denver D, Benyon J, (2003) Central Debates in British Politics, Longman, London Jones B, (1999) issues in British Politics Today, Manchester University Press, Manchester Jones B, Kavanagh D, Moran M, Norton P, (2004) Politics UK, 5th edition, Pearson Longman, London Moran M, (2005) Politic and Governance in the UK, Palgrave, Basingstoke Seldon A Kavanagh D, (2005) The Blair Effect 2001 – 5, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Schott B, (2006) Schott’s Almanac 2007, Bloomsbury, London Whitaker’s, (2007) Whitaker’s Almanack 2007 – today’s world in one volume, A C Black, London

Aristotle And Concept Of Happiness Philosophy Essay

Aristotle And Concept Of Happiness Philosophy Essay In this paper, I wish to explore the concept of happiness as well as Aristotles take on it. I think for most of us, we rarely stop and think about what happiness is even though we cannot deny its inevitable existence. It is one of my major points that everyone has a different definition of what happiness is or what happiness means to them, and that definition changes along with time, when ones personal believes or opinions or convictions change as he progresses through life, they change because of a myriad of reasons, no social scientists can pin down exactly what they are but those changes are nevertheless very real and a direct correspondence of the direct interaction between the person and his or her environment. Aristotle proposes that the single idea of good must establish these three claims: Idea of Good Claim 1) We have ends which we choose for themselves. Idea of Good Claim 2) That there is only one such end. Idea of Good Claim 3) That end is happiness. He argues for Idea of Good Claim 1) as follows (Irwin 173): 1.1. If we choose everything because of something else, desire will be empty and futile. 1.2. We have a gut feeling that some desires are not empty and futile. 1.3. Therefore, we do not choose everything because of something else. 1.4. Therefore we choose something for its own sake. 1.5. What we choose for its own sake, therefore, must be the best good. The debatable premise is 2. As this is not conflicting with my own gut feelings, we will allow Aristotle postulate this claim. Postulate 1: We have a gut feeling that some desires are not empty and futile. Granting him this postulate, we allow his conclusion 5. that there are some things we choose for their own sake. This satisfies Idea of Good Claim 1). Aristotles criteria for the Idea of Good are self-sufficiency and completeness. Regarding these criteria he says, not all ends are complete. But the best good is apparently something complete. And so, if only one end is complete, the good we are looking for will be this end; if more ends than one are complete, it will be the most complete of these ends. (Irwin 7) Aristotle has not given good reason why there must be only one end from which all actions are a means, rather than several such ends. At this point I will not contend with Aristotle if he can posit this singularity and avoid contradiction further into his theory. Postulate 2: There is only one Idea of Good. Aristotle explores and finds happiness to be the best fit for these criteria of the Idea of Good. We must pause for a moment to clarify the translation of eudaimonia, translated to happiness in the text. In Greek, eudaimonia translates to living well or doing well, Happiness is the complete end [ones] complete happiness depends on himself, and not on external conditions. (Irwin 333) Regarding happiness as the single Idea of Good Aristotle says, Now happiness, more than anything else, seems complete without qualification. For we always choose it because of itself, never because of something else. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The same conclusion also appears to follow from self-sufficiency. For the complete good seems to be self-sufficientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We hold an end to be self sufficient when all by itself it makes a life choiceworthy and lacking nothing; and that is what we think happiness does. (Irwin 8) Aristotle makes a good argument here for why happiness is the Idea of Good because he appea ls to ones intuition. My own intuition does not conflict with Aristotles proposition that eudaimonia is the most complete and self-sufficient end, to which other human objectives are means to. Aristotle has satisfied Idea of Good in Claim 3) if we allow him to postulate the first two claims. Aristotle has solidified his claim that eudaimonia is the Idea of the Good by satisfying the three claims. With this information, we progress to investigate which of the three types of lives reaches eudaimonia the best. Aristotle claims that the life of activity and reason achieves this goal best, and denies two alternatives: the life of gratification and the life of ambition. Aristotle argues that happiness is not a state or possession, but rather an activity that we engage in. Aristotle proposes that someone who is asleep for their entire life could not be eudaimonia. This is consistent with the definition given earlier of eudaimonia. Just as the function of a harpist is to play the harp, and the function of the physician is to care for the body, the function of the human being according to Aristotle is to remain active and employ reason in ones life. Aristotle contemplates the human function saying, we take the human function to be a certain kind of life, and take this life to be activity and actions of the soul that involve reason. (Irwin 9) He denies that the human function is bodily pleasure because those qualities are shared with animals. Aristotle claims our purpose must be a life of active contemplation, saying, The remaining possibility, then, is some sort of life of action of the part of the soul that has reasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ we take the human function to be a certain kind of life, and take this life to be activity and actions of the soul that involve reason. (Irwin 9) Aristotles argument for activity holds for our own time, people who remain active appear to be happier than those who can no longer be, such as the elderly. However, activity involving reason may be too narrow of a definition. One viable alternative is productivity in whatever respect one is capable of. Aristotle is confining his alternatives of what constitutes a good life to his own talents, rather than allowing people with other dispositions to also live eudaimonia. The life of gratification focuses on sensory pleasures as the means to happiness. Aristotle denies that pleasure is necessarily a good, and pain is necessarily an evil. He separates goods into two types, conditional and unconditional. He argues that pleasure is conditionally good for us because we have the pain corresponding to it. For example, hunger is a pain that is satisfied by eating food. Aristotle argues that bodily pleasures are only good under the condition that the corresponding pain is present. Any further pursuit of bodily pleasures to Aristotle is a pursuit of the excess and such pleasure is no longer a good. Reciprocally, the existence of pain in small amounts can be enjoyable as well as it gives us an occasion to satisfy it. Thus, those who live for bodily pleasure, the life of gratification, are not pursuing the most complete good but rather pursue an excess of bodily sensation. Aristotle admits that we all enjoy and are just in enjoying a degree of sensory gratificat ion, but he renders base those who overindulge. The ambitious life is one focused on attaining honor and acknowledgement from others. Aristotle denies this as a viable means to attain eudaimonia because it focuses on the opinions of others. Eudaimonia is a state which should not be so fickle and easily lost as public opinion, and thus Aristotle discards this option, saying, This, however, appears too superficial to be [eudaimonia]; for it seems to depend more on those who honor than on the one honored, whereas we intuitively believe that the good is something of our own and hard to take from us. Further, it would seem, they pursue honor to convince themselves they are good. (Irwin 4) This is a convincing denial of pursuing a life of ambition. I accept an assumption Aristotle makes that living well is not constituted by the opinions of others, but rather by the virtue of oneself. So far we have accepted Aristotles premise that activity is needed to reach eudaimonia, but we have questioned the necessity for study. We have accepted Aristotles denial of the two alternative lives, as they focus on either overindulgence or public opinion. Due to space constraints we will not discuss the possibility of other lives, though there are plenty worthy of mention. One means that Aristotle proposes to remain active is having loving friendships. Aristotle offers loving friendships with good people as the most complete friendship, saying, complete friendship is the friendship of good people similar in virtue; for they wish goods in the same way to each other insofar as they are good, and they are good in their own rightThese kinds of friendships are likely to be rare, since such people are few. (Irwin 122-123) Complete friendships cannot be based on utility or erotic pleasure, but rather love. Aristotle says, Those who are friends for utility dissolve the friendship as soon as the advantage is removed; for they were never friends of each other, but of what was expedient for them. (Irwin 123) Aristotle proposes that a life of friendship facilitates activity, because we are social creatures by nature. A life involving study and contemplation, for example, serves as a medium to foster a respect and exchange of ideas, which is inherent in a loving friendship. In addition, we can expand Aristotles conclusions to apply to other means of remaining active, such as a life of military service, the life of a physician, or the life of an artist. In addition, friends help regulate our behavior in making virtuous decisions, as virtue is also a vital component of reaching eudaimonia. Aristotle says, no one would choose to live without friends even if he had all other goods. Indeed rich people and holders of powerful positions need friends, how else would one benefit from such prosperity if one had no opportunity for beneficenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ But in poverty also and in other misfortunes, people think friends are the only refugeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The young need friends to keep them from error. The old need friends to care for them and support the actions that fail because of weakness. (Irwin 119) Aristotle is correct in finding that activity is a vital element in achieving eudaimonia, and that friendship plays an important role in helping us remain active and virtuous. We can apply a broader application of this search for happiness by allowing lives other than that of study and contemplation to be pursued, as long as virtue and loving friendships are present. To arrive at this conclusion we postulated two of Aristotles premises (see Postulate 1 and Postulate 2); allowing these lead us to a worthwhile map of how one may reach eudaimonia, the Idea of Good which follows from the postulates. Overlaying a life of productivity for Aristotles requirement of study, we have achieved a valid argument, assuming the postulates, for a means of human flourishing. One should live ones life with virtue, activity, and productivity.

The Role of the Gods in the Odyssey Essay -- Homer, Odyssey Essays

Religion was deeply intertwined the culture of the ancient Greeks. In their stories, they prayed to the gods to satisfy their needs and offer assistance in their endeavors, and the gods would occasionally appear to select Greeks to give counsel, gifts, or other forms of aid. Alternatively, if the desires or endeavors of a mortal or mortals displeased one or more of the gods, they would also interfere with the fulfillment of their goals. In Homer’s Odyssey, the gods appear to or interfere with both Telemachus and Odysseus, either to help or hinder them in their journeys. Although the gods are responsible the difficulty Odysseus faces returning from Troy, they are equally responsible for motivating and assisting Odysseus and Telemachus in their respective travels. If not for divine interference, neither Odysseus nor Telemachus would have journeys to make. The gods are first responsible for establishing the conditions under which the story begins. While the Greek soldiers had returned home from Troy, Odysseus remained trapped as â€Å"the brightest goddess, Calypso, held him her hollow grottoes† because â€Å"she wanted him as a husband† (Homer, Odyssey 1.5, Translation by Allen Mandelbaum). Calypso traps Odysseus on her island of Ogygia and â€Å"keeps the sad Odysseus there—although he weeps. Her words are fond and fragrant, sweet and soft—so she would honey him to cast far off his Ithaca† (1.7). He remains on Ogygia for years, leaving the care of his home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Because Calypso keeps him away for years, Odysseus is presumed dead and his absence invites suitors to his home. These suitors look to win the hand of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. This state of affairs is the overall cause of Telemachus’ d... ...a, escaping Calypso and the island of Ogygia, and Telemachus from Ithaca to Pylos and Sparta in search of his lost father. While The Odyssey tells of the courage both men demonstrate during their respective travels, their quests are the results of the intentions and desires of gods. Odysseus is trapped in exile on Ogygia by the will of Poseidon, whose anger Odysseus attracts when he blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, and by the love of Calypso, who wishes to make Odysseus her husband. He is released from Ogygia and permitted to return to Ithaca only by the command of Zeus, as delivered by Hermes. Telemachus, rather than being trapped physically, was detained emotionally, feeling helpless to repel the suitors wooing Penelope. Only through the motivation of the goddess Athena did Telemachus find the will and courage to embark in search of Odysseus.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel :: essays papers

Like Water for Chocolate Some stories are meant for movies, but then again, there are times when I wish some stories remained stories, unless we had a French film director do them. Laura Ezquivel' s novel is a treat. It stays with you as a fine dessert, or a fine food, and she knows it so well, and revels in it. In the film version, this gets lost because it cannot translate. The twelve recipes for each month get reduced to an occasional side story. In the novel, it is the food that brings about the results, and Tita has learned to make the most of the secrets of the culinary delights. The movie couldn't possibly show us how Tita and her mentor ever decided the reasons why such and such a dish were done for whatever occasion. This loss reduces the richness of the story into a film that is missing a third dimension, but never the less, it is still good. Sometimes the food is sad.... the whole table has a tremendous cry upon eating such a magnificent dessert. Other times the food is so hot that the older sister has to leave to cool off, which is not enough even after a cold shower. And trot off she does in the hands of a military opposite to what the mother stands for. Tita's revenge is working. I, personally, love the writing of Laura Ezquivel, much better than I do the movie version. But I think that much of this problem may have been because I saw a version that was DUBBED and the voices were repetitive, unemotional, and so glaringly bland, that it ruined what looks like a good film. It also appears to have taken away the food part of the whole story, which is as tasty as anything else.... it matches the desires in all the film, but then, that must have not been the reason to make a film, or to distribute it to other nations. Superb performances, if you can get by the lousy translations and often screwy sub-titles. Read the novel first, and then watch the film without the voices. But a great novel, nonetheless... see it and read it afterwards.More and more I see less and less in American releases ... the fineness and rhythm of language are just not there . Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel :: essays papers Like Water for Chocolate Some stories are meant for movies, but then again, there are times when I wish some stories remained stories, unless we had a French film director do them. Laura Ezquivel' s novel is a treat. It stays with you as a fine dessert, or a fine food, and she knows it so well, and revels in it. In the film version, this gets lost because it cannot translate. The twelve recipes for each month get reduced to an occasional side story. In the novel, it is the food that brings about the results, and Tita has learned to make the most of the secrets of the culinary delights. The movie couldn't possibly show us how Tita and her mentor ever decided the reasons why such and such a dish were done for whatever occasion. This loss reduces the richness of the story into a film that is missing a third dimension, but never the less, it is still good. Sometimes the food is sad.... the whole table has a tremendous cry upon eating such a magnificent dessert. Other times the food is so hot that the older sister has to leave to cool off, which is not enough even after a cold shower. And trot off she does in the hands of a military opposite to what the mother stands for. Tita's revenge is working. I, personally, love the writing of Laura Ezquivel, much better than I do the movie version. But I think that much of this problem may have been because I saw a version that was DUBBED and the voices were repetitive, unemotional, and so glaringly bland, that it ruined what looks like a good film. It also appears to have taken away the food part of the whole story, which is as tasty as anything else.... it matches the desires in all the film, but then, that must have not been the reason to make a film, or to distribute it to other nations. Superb performances, if you can get by the lousy translations and often screwy sub-titles. Read the novel first, and then watch the film without the voices. But a great novel, nonetheless... see it and read it afterwards.More and more I see less and less in American releases ... the fineness and rhythm of language are just not there .

Buffalo 66 :: essays papers

Buffalo 66 Buffalo ‘66, a movie directed and written by Vincent Gallo starts with a baby picture of Billie Brown (played by Vincent Gallo himself), and then goes into shots of Billie getting out of prison. Billie the fresh free man is looking for a bathroom but has no luck in finding one. The shots used in the scenes where he’s on the search for a bathroom are some handy shots (a bit shaky), they cut in the middle and they are also shot from above this is, in my opinion to emphasize on the situation Billie is in. He really needs to go to the bathroom but has no fortune, until he enters a dance studio. There he meets Layla (played by Christina Ricci) a young blond girl that simply wanted some dance lessons. Billie asked her for a quarter to call his mother, and then suddenly decided to kidnap her. The reason for that was that he didn’t want to disappoint his parents, his parents thought he was successful and married. After all this Billie didn’t find a bathroom yet until they drove off to his house. In the scene where he finally pees, there is a close up shot of Billie’s face, to show the audience his reaction. He enters the car, and he is more calm he apologizes to Layla for being so aggressive, while he’s apologizing to her there is a close up shot of her and his voice in the background, this emphasizes on Layla’s reaction. During the drive back to Billie’s home there’s alot of shots of the neighborhood, in my opinion this is to enlighten the audience on the type of surrounding Billie grew up in, this helps in understanding his character. Billy and Layla finally arrive to his house, in front of the house there’s a huge sign: â€Å"Go Buffalo† this is a clue on the environment Billie lived in at home. It is obvious his parents are huge football fans by the decoration of the house. Layla get in the character of being Billy’s wife, she makes up a story that Billy works for the CIA and that she really adores him. The next scene shows us three of the characters sitting around a table, and every minute it keeps switching. It seems like the camera is going through a point of view of one of the characters, and it keeps changing each time someone else speaks.

Development and Potential of China in the Global Market

The Chinese economy has been showing rapid growth in the past decade and there seems to be a potential for strong growth into the foreseeable future.   China has undergone a great transformation from a nation that was one of the world’s greatest opponents of globalization into a committed advocate of globalization. The transformation set in after 1978, when Deng Xiaoping and other leaders began to focus on market-oriented economic development. The Chinese economy is today far more open than Japan and this has been made possible largely due to adoption of the rule of law, of commitment to competition, of widespread use of English, of foreign education, and of many foreign laws and institutions (Overholt, 2006).With respect to liberalization and globalization, China has effectively become an ally of U.S. and Southeast Asian, supporting freer trade and investment than is acceptable to Japan, India and Brazil. Global marketing is becoming more and more important along the years with the increasing trend in internationalization. In the early 1980s it dismantled collective farming and allowed private enterprise again.Now it is one of the world's top exporters and is attracting record amounts of foreign investment. However, China's transformation is not matched by political change. Having gained admission to the World Trade Organisation, China is benefiting from increased access to foreign markets, but in return it is under an obligation to expose itself to competition from abroad. Relations with trading partners have been strained over China's huge trade surplus and the piracy of goods (BBC, 2006).China’s large and rapidly growing market has attracted large volumes of FDI in recent years (US$54 billion in 2004) as transnational corporations have invested heavily in order to benefit from the country’s emerging middle class and its higher purchasing power (GlobalEdge, 2006). However, there are some hurdles to be crossed if China is to develop to its full potential in the global market. According to Zhang Lichuan, a Director with the Statistical Department of General Administration of Customs of China, there are four major obstacles to Chinese foreign trade (People’s Daily Online, 2006): ·   China should deal with pressure from international markets that are gradually becoming saturated. ·   The cost of Chinese exports is increasing, partly because of the higher cost of labor and environmental protection. ·   Increasing international trade protection has caused China to stumble into difficult territory. In fact, China has been involved in the world's largest number of anti-dumping cases in recent years. · The trade imbalance between China and other countries is getting worse. As the Renminbi appreciates, Chinese enterprises will face greater exchange risks in import-export trade. Increasing pressures from the appreciating Renminbi will create new requirements and challenges for Chinese enterprises engage d in import-export trade.Analysis of the country’s global competitiveness:According to the CIA World Fact Book, China’s economy grew at an average rate of 10% per year during the period 1990-2004, the highest growth rate in the world. China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 10.0% in 2003, and even faster, 10.1%, in 2004, and 9.9% in 2005 despite attempts by the government to cool the economy. China’s total trade in 2005 surpassed $1.4 trillion, making China the world’s third-largest trading nation after the U.S. and Germany (CIA Factbook, 2005).Export-Import figures: China's merchandise exports totaled $762.3 billion and imports totaled $660.2 billion in 2004. Its global trade surplus surged from $32 billion in 2004 to $102 billion in 2005. China's primary trading partners include Japan, the EU, the United States, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. According to U.S. statistics, China had a trade surplus with the U.S. of $201.6 billion in 2005 (C IA Factbook, 2005).China and WTO: China has taken important steps to open its foreign trading system and integrate itself into the world trading system. In November 1991, China joined the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group, which promotes free trade and cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, and technology spheres. China formally joined the WTO in December 2001. As part of this far-reaching trade liberalization agreement, China agreed to lower tariffs and abolish market impediments (NTE Report, 2005). By 2005, average tariff rates on key U.S. agricultural exports dropped from 31% to 14% and on industrial products from 25% to 9%.The agreement also opens up new opportunities for U.S. providers of services like banking, insurance, and telecommunications. China has made significant progress implementing its WTO commitments, but serious concerns remain, particularly in the realm of intellectual property rights protection. China is now one of the most important market s for U.S. exports: in 2005, U.S. exports to China totaled $41.8 billion. U.S. agricultural exports have increased dramatically, making China the fourth-largest agricultural export market (after Canada, Japan, and Mexico). Over the same period (2001-1005), U.S. imports from China have risen from $102 billion to $243.5 billion.Export growth continues to be a major driver of China's rapid economic growth. To increase exports, China has pursued policies such as fostering the rapid development of foreign-invested factories, which assemble imported components into consumer goods for export, and liberalizing trading rights. In its eleventh Five-Year Program, adopted in 2005, China placed greater emphasis on developing a consumer demand-driven economy to sustain economic growth and address global imbalances. The April 11, 2006 U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) has produced agreements on key U.S. trade concerns ranging from market access to U.S. beef, medical devices, and telecommunications; to the enforcement of intellectual property rights, including, significantly, software (CIA Factbook, 2006).Foreign Investment: Since the early 1990s, China has allowed foreign investors to manufacture and sell a wide range of goods on the domestic market, and authorized the establishment of wholly foreign-owned enterprises, now the preferred form of FDI. China is now one of the leading recipients of FDI in the world, receiving $60 billion in 2005, for a cumulative total of $623.8 billion. As part of its WTO accession, China has undertaken to eliminate certain trade-related investment measures and to open up specified sectors that had previously been closed to foreign investment. Major remaining barriers to foreign investment include opaque and inconsistently enforced laws and regulations and the lack of a rules-based legal infrastructure. Foreign exchange reserves were $819 billion at the end of 2005, and have now surpassed those of Japan, making China†™s foreign exchange reserves the largest in the world (NTE Report, 2005).Competitive Advantage:A study by GlobalEdgeTM titled, â€Å"Market Potential Indicators for Emerging Markets – 2005†, studies the market potential of 24 countries identified as â€Å"Emerging Markets† by The Economist. The Emerging Economies are countries that have very high growth rates which means enormous market potential. They can be distinguished by the recent progress they have made in economic liberalization. These countries are characterized by their increasing need for capital equipment, machinery, power transmission equipment, transportation equipment and high-technology products. An indexing study is made by MSU-CIBER to help the companies compare the Emerging Markets with each other on eight dimensions (Lopez-Claros et al, 2006):Market Size:   With regard to market size, China stands first with India and Russia in the second and third places respectively.Market growth rate, China is third after Venezuela and Malaysia.Market Intensity: China is ranked last among all other emerging economies.Market consumption capacity: China is 12thCommercial infrastructure: China is 14th.Economic freedom: China ranks 24th.Market receptivity: China is 12thCountry risk: China is 11thOverall market potential index: China is third after Hong Kong and Singapore.Asia: Change in percentage of Annual disposable income 1999-2004 (WEF, 2006)China  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  59.2Hong Kong, China   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.3India   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  35.4Indonesia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  57.1Japan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.5Malaysia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  43.6Philippines  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   8.2Singapore   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  37.8South Korea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  46.8 Taiwan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15.3Thailand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26.8Vietnam   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  36.2(Source: Euromonitor International from national statistics)The above table shows that of all competing economies in the global market, China h as shown the greatest growth within the period 199-2004.Since 2001, the World Economic Forum has been using the Growth Competitiveness Index (GCI) developed by Jeffrey Sachs and John McArthur. According to the GCI Index in â€Å"The Global Competitiveness Report 2006-2007: Country Highlights†, China’s ranking has fallen from 48 to 54 in the overall competitive ranking Consistent with the cautious macroeconomic management of its authorities and extremely high GDP growth rates, the macro economy pillar of the GCI shows a very high rank, 6th overall in the world.This reflects China’s low inflation, one of the highest savings rates in the world, and manageable levels of public debt. China’s ranks in the GCI indicators regarding penetration rates for the latest technologies are actually falling behind. Secondary and tertiary school enrollment rates are better than they are in India, but still low by international standards. A number of indicators which capture the sophistication of the business community also show lower ranks in 2006 than last year.By far the most worrisome development is a marked drop in the quality of the institutional environment, as shown by the sharp drop in ranks from 60 to 80 in 2006 in the institutions pillar of the GCI, with poor results across all 15 indicators, and involving both public and private institutions (Lopez-Claros, 2006).Conclusion:China has made a dramatic entry into the top position of the world’s economic stage. China's robust economic performance can be seen as an inspiration for other developing countries. Within two years after its historic entry into the WTO, China is the world's fourth largest trading nation after the United States, the European Union and Japan. However, it must be remembered that China is not only a major exporter but also a major importer, and its modernisation programme and export industries have required, and will continue to require, billions of dollars worth of equipment and raw materials.During the first nine months of 2003, China's exports rose by 32 percent while its imports surged ahead by 41 percent. China's performance shows that developing countries can and do benefit from economic openness and integration. The reduction of tariffs has increased competition in the domestic market with the arrival of new suppliers. This has led to lower prices and larger choice for consumers, and has lowered the prices of essential inputs for many industries, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. In the first two decades of reform, the number of absolute poor in China dropped by about 200 million.Per capita income has grown by sixfold, and farmers and city dwellers are able to live an enhanced lifestyle. However, to realize its goal of doubling its GDP by 2010, China will have to face up to a number of important challenges. As the Chinese economy shifts from being a rural economy to an urban one, the main challenge for the economy will be to creat e enough jobs in the industrial and services sector to absorb the surplus labor from agriculture, which generates 17 percent of China's GDP and 50 percent of employment. Next, the benefits of rapid development should be spread out to avoid a widening of income differences between rural and urban areas.To reach its full potential, growth in the private sector has to be matched by an equal development of a stable market-oriented legal framework. China has managed to handle these profound structural changes while ensuring that it sustains a stable social environment. China needs the opportunity of market access and the legal guarantee of consistent and non-discriminatory trade rules that are offered by the WTO. As a fully fledged member of WTO, China should use its position to realize the objectives set out in the Doha Development Agenda.

Compensation Plan †University of Phoenix †HRM Essay

A good compensation plan must include both aspects, financial and nonfinancial of a rewarding system where financial rewards, or a pay system, â€Å"assign a monetary value to each job in the organization (a base rate) and an orderly procedure for increasing the base rate (e.g., based on merit, inflation, or some combination of the two)† (Cascio, 2005, p. 425). Also, â€Å"a properly designed Pay for Performance (PFP) Program enables companies to reduce their cost of labor while increasing the average take home pay of their workforce† (Jensen, 2009). On the other hand we also will offer nonfinancial systems that will cover indirect aspects such as benefits, professional and personal development. We want to give our â€Å"sales staff a reason to get out there and sell, sell, sell† (Ward). â€Å"Rewards bridge the gap between organizational objectives and individual expectations and aspirations. To be effective, organizational reward systems should provide four things: (1) a sufficient level of rewards to fulfill basic needs, (2) equity with the external labor market, (3) equity within the organization, and (4) treatment of each member of the organization in terms of his or her individual needs† (Cascio, 2005, p. 419). New compensation plan†Pay systems are designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees† (Cascio, 2005, p. 419)The new compensation plan will be based in a performance system. â€Å"If business takes off, more pay goes to workers. If it doesn’t, the company is not locked into high fixed costs of labor. 417† This system was chosen since meets the company strategy of growth and objectives and â€Å"such variable-pay systems almost guarantee cost control. 417 (Cascio, 2005, p. 417)† and a well planed recognition system adds to the compensation plan to offset a higher level of discouragement found in a competitive selling environment and also â€Å"can be used to express gratitude, admiration, and to inspire to greater sales and greater sales initiative† (F&B Publications, 2005). Our new compensation plan will adopt a combination of base salary plus commission and bonus based on the overall performance. â€Å"Perhaps the most important objective of any pay system is fairness or equity† (Cascio, 2005, p. 419). To ensure the correctness of our plan, a committee has been created  to evaluate each employee performance, keep our compensation plan current and provide support and training at any time needed. We are also taking in consideration that our payment plan â€Å"should include a three-tier approach of immediate recognition for a job well done, short-term rewards for performance over a month or quarter, and long-term rewards for being a loyal employee over the years† (Schoeffler, 2005). -Salary: a monthly salary will be based on the job description of each position and it has the possibility of be complimented and enhanced depending of the employee performance. -Commission: a percentage of the profit will be used to increase the monthly employee compensation. -Bonus: bonuses will be given based on the performance of the sales individual each three months. Percentages will be given according to the goals met, or exceeded, so sales reps will rely on their individual performance. -Team incentives: â€Å"Team incentives provide an opportunity for each team member to receive a bonus based on the output of the team as a whole† (Cascio, 2005, p. 443). Sales personnel will have participation on this incentive to promote a teamwork environment. These events will happen at the end of the year. -On spot bonus: This is going to be granted for exceptional behavior regarding to teamwork efforts, customer satisfaction or any attitude that can be used as an example to the other workers. We â€Å"may reward the worker with a one-time bonus of $50, $100, or $500 shortly after the noteworthy actions† (Cascio, 2005, p. 441). -Incentives – † When it comes to performance incentives, the possibilities are endless† (Cascio, 2005, p. 436), and we plan to use nonfinancial reward system that will include â€Å"anything an employee values and desires that an  employer is able and willing to offer in exchange for employee contributions† (Cascio, 2005, p. 418). Based on the answers compiled from the questionnaire we created, we will develop some entertaining activities such as trips, restaurants, theaters and any other approved selection available in our committee that will be available each three months and also at the end of the year. In our committee we will also make available the following benefits that our employees can choose to participate on:-Employee stock ownership plans – As the company grows we will offer participation in the stocks of our company and a limited amount of them available to each employee for purchase. It helps â€Å"to fulfill a philosophical belief in employee ownership† 447. â€Å"ESOPs do promote an increase in employee willingness to participate in company decisions. Companies that take advantage of that willingness can harness employees’ energy and creativity† (Cascio, 2005, p. 447). -Recognition – is a non financial reward and helps to â€Å"enhance a worker’s sense of self-respect and esteem by others† (Cascio, 2005, p. 418). These recognitions will be done in the yearly meetings where all employees are going to be together and have the opportunity to see their colleague’s performance is rewarded. â€Å"Recognition amongst their peers is still the quintessential motivator, whether there’s an incentive program or not† (Shearstone)Recent data indicates that â€Å"people are more attached and committed to organizations that offer family-friendly policies, regardless of the extent to which they benefit personally from the policies† (Cascio, 2005, p. 489), therefore our plan also cover other benefits that will be extend to all employees regardless merit or performance. â€Å"Once you have great employees on board, how do you keep them from jumping ship? One way is by offering a good benefits package.† (Entrepreneur Media, Inc, n.d.)†¢Tuition aid†¢Auto insurance†¢Fitness and wellness programs†¢Counseling Service†¢Child adoption†¢Child care Social activities†¢Elder care Referral awards†¢Charter flights Family leaves†¢Flexible work arrangementsWe also developed some benefits options that will  Ã¢â‚¬Å"integrate salary and benefits into a package that will encourage the achievement of an organization’s goals† (Cascio, 2005, p. 470). They will be available to all employees and they can choose among them all. †¢Life insurance†¢Disability insurance†¢Healthy insurance†¢Other medical coverage†¢Sick leave†¢Pension plans†¢Unemployment insurance†¢401K†Evidence indicates that the perceived value of benefits rises when employers introduce choice through a flexible benefits package† (Cascio, 2005, p. 466). For that reason we expect that this pay system will bring excitement to our workforce since the opportunities are vary. This pay system should also increase motivation of our employees and deepens commitment with our customer to bring success to both the individual and the company. Following are pointed some reason that we expect to succeed with this new plan. -The final compensation at the end of the month has the opportunity to be largely increased according to the employee performance, but yet, the base salary is high enough to give the employees some breathing in order to meet the essential financial obligations. -Commissions, bonuses and team incentives. -Variety of employee services and benefits. -Friendly and family environmentBefore our pay system is implemented training will be given to all employees to ensure understanding of it. A website will be available to answer most common questions and our committee will also be available for further explanation and training as needed. References Cascio, W. F. (2005). Managing Human Resources (7th ed.). : The McGraw−Hill Companies. Entrepreneur Media, Inc (n.d.). The Basics of Employee Benefits. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/F&B Publications (2005). Sale Incentive Ideas – Motivating Your Sales Team. Retrieved April 17, 2009, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/Jensen, M. L. (2009). 9 Key Aspects For Successful Pay For Performance Systems. EzineArticles.com. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/Schoeffler, B. (2005). Employee Incentive Plans: Make Them Worthwhile. Insurance Journal. Retrieved from http://www.insurancejournal.com/Shearstone, P. (). Creating Sales Incentive Programs That Work. About.com, 2. Retrieved from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/Ward, S. (). 6 Sure Ways to Increase Sales. About.com. Retrieved from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/