Compare three stories of suspense Essay

It tells the story of a man on a steam liner who unintentionally falls overboard whilst he is alone on the deck of the ship. This story, unlike the others, is written in the third person. This doesn’t greatly impinge on the whole impact of the story although it might be easier to envision yourself in the man’s position if it was written in the first person; it would cause the reader to be more familiar with the story. However, reading a story in the third person can occasionally help you look upon the event more visibly because you are looking at the story happening in your mind when you are reading. The technique of writing in the third person in this story has worked to its advantage since it has done just that. When reading â€Å"Man Overboard†, I detected that Churchill supplied a lot of information about the locale of the story so I was able to create a very vivid image in my mind of the story. I felt I could see the story happening. This story is written in prose but contains elements of verse, like â€Å"Frankenstein†. Verse in â€Å"Man Overboard† is used to show that there are parts of a song being sung during the story and that everybody else on the ship is occupied with singing the song whilst the man is in the water. This isolates the man from the rest of the people making it seem that there is little chance that he will be rescued. It shows he is alone and that no one has noticed what has happened to him, which creates a strong feeling of fear and death. If this story were to be made into a film, I can imagine the song haunting the background of the scene where he is shouting for help. The song plays a very important part in the story: it is what causes the death of the man because it is the barrier between him and the rest of the people on board. The characters in each story are men and in â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"Man Overboard† they remain nameless. I think this is either to create a mysterious atmosphere where the reader is wondering their name or because they haven’t lived to tell their story to anyone human. I think that if the men were both named in â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"Man Overboard†, the stories may have been more memorable because there would have been a name people could talk about to go with the story. It makes the men look more unfortunate if they don’t have names because it showed that maybe they didn’t use them because they didn’t come into contact with many people. Both of the men didn’t encounter another human in the stories so they weren’t able to use their names either, for example, in conversation. Frankenstein and the man in â€Å"The Raven† are quite similar in the fact that they are both mentally affected by what they have been through in the story. The only character with an evident history is Frankenstein. This is because the story of â€Å"Frankenstein† is a novel and novels supply many details concerning the history of events, plots and characters. Frankenstein had a stable childhood. He was loved and admired by his parents. He was their â€Å"plaything and idol†. From the quality of his childhood, it seemed there would be a fortunate and successful life in store for Frankenstein but things change as he is ‘punished for offending naturei. We are first introduced to Frankenstein in Walton’s letters in the prologue. Walton is very curious about this â€Å"man in so wretched a condition† whom he has taken on board his vessel. This makes the reader wonder what this man has been through and why he is ill because it is evident he has experienced a lot. Small hints of Frankenstein’s story are given away by his actions described by Walton in the letters. â€Å"He is continually on deck, apparently watching for the sledge that preceded his† and he â€Å"seeks one who fled from him†. Walton and his men on board are very curious about Frankenstein and the reader would be building up the same feelings here too, especially as Frankenstein wants to tell his story. He has the urge to tell someone what he has been through. The reader would believe that if he has the urge to tell the story, it must be good. This is the same with Poe’s characters. The man in â€Å"The Raven† wants to tell his story. He includes every detail of how he felt, what happened and what he were thinking about. This helps the reader to fully understand what is happening in the story so they can begin to imagine exactly what the character experienced. Poe wrote every verse containing as much detail as possible to make sure the reader would perceive a very vivid image of the story. For example, in verse two, the last two full lines say â€Å"From my books surcease of sorrow – sorrow for the lost Lenore, For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore†. We learn three things from these two lines that are important in the plot. The man feels sorrowful because he has lost someone named Lenore whom he must love because he describes her as â€Å"rare and radiant† and he is trying to distract himself from his melancholy feelings by reading his book. In â€Å"Man Overboard† the first thing we are told is about the man is that â€Å"It was little after half-past nine when he fell overboard†. This removes most suspense from the story because you know what happens in the middle and you could start to think about the ending from the very first sentence. However, it could make a reader curious as to why he fell over board and so they would be eager to read on. We don’t learn much about the man during the story because things happen so fast. We know he was liked by the other passengers because â€Å"he had been listening to the music and joining in the songs† before he went out on deck and he is heading to India on the mail steamer. From the way he is written about I think the man enjoyed being alone. He is very nostalgic and reflective and maybe this is why he was so vulnerable in the event that followed and gave up easily. The settings of â€Å"Man Overboard† and the prologue of â€Å"Frankensteini ‘ are very similar. They are set in the ocean. This part of â€Å"Frankenstein† is set in the Arctic, which is a place many people had no knowledge of or had explored in the nineteenth century. â€Å"Man Overboard† is set in the Red Sea. This creates a completely different mood to â€Å"Frankenstein† but still contains a feeling of danger in that there is no one near-by. Setting a story in a desolate location creates a feeling of uncertainty and adventure and the feeling that anything could happen because the place is unfamiliar. If a place were far from populated land, it would make it harder to survive if anything went wrong and it is known that in the sea things can sink and people can drown very easily. Phrases used to describe a sense of place in the Arctic such as â€Å"stiff gales†, â€Å"floating sheets of ice indicating the dangers of the region†, and â€Å"many hundred miles from any land† make it sound a very dangerous place. Many people hadn’t experienced the environment of such a place during the time Shelley wrote â€Å"Frankenstein† which made it harder to imagine and therefore more frightening. It would be more frightening to someone reading this one hundred years ago because they would have less knowledge of the world surrounding them. The way the setting in â€Å"Man Overboard† is described is a contrast to this image of the Arctic. The Red Sea is said to be â€Å"warm† and the surfaces of the water are â€Å"still† but there is one sentence that makes me think of the ocean as a more horrific thing. When it says, â€Å"The mail steamer was hurrying through the Red Sea in the hope of making up the time which the currents of the Indian Ocean had stolen† it made me think that if the ocean could steal time, then it could be capable of stealing life. That sentence contains a very powerful metaphor that adds a slight amount of suspense to the otherwise calm settings being described. The moon adds a lot of atmosphere to the setting. Where the moon is hidden behind the clouds in the beginning, it suggests that it will be harder to notice the man falling overboard because there is less light. The moon and clear sky reflect the man’s emotions in the beginning. The man is calm when the atmosphere is calm. When the moon comes out from behind the clouds at the end when the shark is moving towards the man, it reinforces that God had heard his appeal and sheds light on the man’s last moments. Churchill probably created a calm atmosphere to make the event of the man falling overboard more dramatic because most elements of suspense were removed from the plot in the first line. A contrasting event to the setting it happens in is different to what happens in â€Å"Frankenstein† and â€Å"The Raven† where the horrific parts of those stories are set in bleak, dark, mysterious locations. For example, when Frankenstein creates his being and gives it life for the first time â€Å"it was on a dreary night in November†. This tells us that it was in winter when it was cold, there are no leaves on trees and there is less life to witness this terrible crime that Frankenstein was about to commit. Phrases such as â€Å"the rain pattered dismally against the panes† and â€Å"the candle was nearly burnt out† make the waking of the monster more terrifying because it is dark and stormy. The monster would have been able to attack Frankenstein in the dark without anyone knowing and it would have been harder for him to escape. As a result of the monster’s appearance, Frankenstein fears his own creation even though he doesn’t know him. â€Å"A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. † This prejudice adds to the suspense and the reader would start to wonder about the destiny of the monster and how people will react to him. The monster would definitely be more terrifying to someone reading the story in the nineteenth century because horror was just being introduced for the first time and people would have been shocked at the sound of the appearance of such a creature. Each time Frankenstein meets his creation, the weather is gloomy or stormy. After the monster has murdered Frankenstein’s brother, William, he reveals himself to Frankenstein on the horizon when â€Å"A flash of lightening illuminated the object†. Stormy weather has always been linked with horror stories because many people fear storms. Storms would have been more frightening in the nineteenth century because again, people wouldn’t have known as much about them as scientists do today. The one time when the weather is calm when Frankenstein meets his monster is when the monster tells of his travels. The atmosphere is happier when the monster tells Frankenstein of how he was kind hearted and how he learnt to speak all by himself. It creates a feeling of new life in the setting although it is still set in winter. In â€Å"The Raven†, Poe uses the same ideas of a stereotypical horror setting to match the image of the Raven and how it signified an omen of death in the nineteenth century. Phrases such as â€Å"the air grew denser† make me think of suffocation, which leads to death. This story is set at night and in â€Å"the bleak December† similar to the creation of the monster in Frankenstein. Being alone at night is like being alone in the sea where there are no people to help if you are in trouble. Each story contains lifeless settings to inspire horror in the story by making the characters appear alone and vulnerable. The three stories open very differently because of the different forms they are written in: novel, short story and poem. When Frankenstein begins his story, he starts with his history and talks about his childhood. As his childhood was happy and healthy, the mood of the first three chapters are happy as he talks about the highlights of his childhood, such as Elizabeth, his â€Å"companion†. The opening of this story contradicts the rest of it where normally if someone has a good childhood they go on to lead a successful life. Shelley probably did this to make the events of the story less expected and more upsetting, as Churchill did in â€Å"Man Overboard†. â€Å"Man Overboard†, the short story, opens with the main plot being revealed. I think that making an opening quite short can leave a lot of space for detail in the middle, especially in a short story, which may make the story more effective in the end. The opening of â€Å"The Raven† provides a little history of the character and actually lasts for six verses until the Raven enters in the seventh verse. This builds up a lot of suspense because the entry of the Raven keeps getting delayed because the man is continually trying to guess what is tapping at his door. In verse five there is a lot of suspense built up when it says â€Å"But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,† because there is something at the man’s door but it is not clear what it is. The atmosphere in the opening of â€Å"The Raven† is similar to the atmosphere all the way through the story, unlike â€Å"Man Overboard† and â€Å"Frankenstein†, where the mood of the stories changes more frequently. The characters in the three stories each get disturbed by a being that is not human. This definitely adds a deeper sense of horror to the stories because we have less knowledge of other creatures compared to ourselves so they appear more powerful to us. How frightening a person finds the creature in each story depends on how society perceives the creature at that time, which would directly affect the reader’s opinion. For example, in the nineteenth century when â€Å"The Raven† was written, ravens were considered as a very significant omen of death. The public feared the dark and sinister presence of ravens because they were thought to be present only at times of death. I remember watching a film set in the late nineteenth century in which there was a funeral and burial scene. In the corner of the screen sat perched in a tree there was a raven looking down on the event. It was almost as if the raven were watching the consequences of his presence. The man in â€Å"The Raven† believes that the raven that has visited him is an omen of death because it calls it a â€Å"prophet, thing of evil, devil† and enquires to whether the â€Å"Tempter† sent it, which means he thinks either God or the Devil has sent it. He also enquires about his destiny and if he will meet Lenore again. He believes the raven has the power to know all. In â€Å"Frankenstein†, Shelley also talks of the Devil and compares Frankenstein’s creation to â€Å"a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived†.

Agriculture in Indonesia Essay

Agriculture in Indonesia supports the livelihood of the population. Every three out of five people live in rural areas and farming is considered a main occupation for many families. Around 45% of Indonesian workers are farmers. Rice is Indonesians primary staple crop. Indonesia today is the third largest rice producer totaling 64,398,900 tons of rice in all. Most of the rice produced in Indonesia is located in the island of Java. Before the fall of the New Order, they were most known for their contribution to Indonesians agriculture industry. The New Order introduced the Green Revolution rice technology to Indonesia. The Green Revolution was the foundation for economic growth in Indonesia. This Revolution controlled the water supply and improved fertilizers and pesticides. The Green Revolution moved Indonesia from being a major rice importer in the 1970s to being self-sufficient by the mid 1980s. Based on the population quickly increasing, Indonesia is finding ways to make food production more efficient and cheaper to support the population. Indonesia had the most rapid decrease in poverty due to the fast agricultural growth created by the Green Revolution. The production of crops became quicker and cheaper, allowing the sales price to decrease. Poverty stricken people now do not have to devote their whole paycheck towards paying for food, since the sales price has lowered. The availability of crops increased which also contributed to the decrease in price. Indonesia relies greatly on agriculture to feed the population and help decrease the poverty rate. Section 10 Works Cited . â€Å"Indonesia- Agriculture. † Encyclopedia of the Nations. N. p. , n. d. Web. 7 Mar 2012.

E-Discovery Procurement

Table of Contents Assignment #1: e-Discovery Project Procurement Management2 Introduction2 Plan e-Discovery Procurements3 Conduct e-Discovery Procurements5 Administer e-Discovery Procurements6 Close e-Discovery Procurements8 Conclusion9 References10 Assignment #1: e-Discovery Project Procurement Management Introduction Most projects of whichever size or significance cannot be completed using 100% in-sourced resources. But Project managers must still procure their project’s resources that are not obtained in-house, and that must be done through outsourcing.To that end, the project procurement process â€Å"tries to maximize the value derived from all funds invested in the project to obtain goods and services. This occurs by reducing the cost and using more effectively and efficiently whatever is obtained† (Rapp, 2011, pp. Kindle 2974-2975). Seasoned project managers know that the deceptively humdrum aspects of procurement can be a greater source of pain for a projectâ₠¬â„¢s quality, recovery schedule and budget if they are not given their due recognition and attention.New project managers need to realize that at the core of their success stands, among other things, great management of their project’s procurements and precise logistics, which is essential to success. Therefore, procurement success begins with planning procurements, conducting procurements, administering procurements and closing procurements. The procurement process â€Å"includes the processes necessary to purchase or acquire products, services, or results needed from outside the project team† (PMI, 2011, pp. Kindle 5723-5724).This paper will discuss the procurement process that could have been applied to a law firm matter for which e-Discovery services had to be outsourced. According to the EDRM (2013)E-Discovery is the management of electronically stored information (ESI) to mitigate risk and expenses during the discovery phase of a matter and though it is not alwa ys a full blown legal case , it could evolve into that. The law firm had a client who had a desire to review for relevance hundreds of thousands of documents on a hard drive which held a collection of data from client servers.As project manager of the e-Discovery part of this matter, I was tasked with managing that procurement from inception to closure and the inter-organizational relationships thereof. Plan e-Discovery Procurements For the procurement inputs, we must first document any and all decisions and legal requirements that the appropriate stakeholders or legal entities have made regarding the outsourcing of materials, services, and results expected and acceptable in a legal matter.In an e-Discovery project, this would require the use of and input from the following according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Scope Baseline Requirements Documentation Teaming agreements Risk register Risk related contract decisions Activity resource requirements Project schedule Activity cost estima te Cost performance baseline Enterprise Environmental Factors Thus, the circumstances and technical reasons that preclude us from in-house e-Discovery can be determined utilizing make-or buy analysis and expert judgment.We would show what we need in order to execute outsourced e-Discovery, and the boundaries within which we must control an outsourced deliverable by using the scope baseline, WBS including jargon definitions for lay stakeholders. Also, the PM would document the level of service that is required to achieve the client’s goals with relation to the legal matter and apply planned value, earned value and actual cost analyses for estimates. Next, all contracts between the firm, the client, the e-Discovery seller and any other parties including the contract types – hether fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time & material, or some hybrid should be codified. If this is a matter where the government is represented, it is likely that an agreement would disqualify the use of some types of contracts, specifically cost plus percentage of cost contract types. Commercial matters may or may not have the same restrictions. With the preceding inputs the PM can then identify and document risks, risk owners and risk responses at all e-Discovery stages and include all project contributors.Identify and record all contract decisions that could present risks or opportunities during the execution of the contracts and parties that are responsible for those risk responses specific to each contract. Confirm positive market conditions, rate comparisons and local regulatory requirements. The plan began by â€Å"determining which project needs can be fulfilled internally by the project team and which can best be met externally (Marchewka, 2012, p. 382). The project team made decisions about when, how, what quantities and what sources would sustain the insourced and outsourced tasks.With this information and the results of the plan inputs, tools and techniques, eith er a detailed or a broadly organized project procurement management plan that includes guidance for procurements from inception to closure. The documentation would comprise the e-Discovery procurement statement of work identifying where documents should be collected, and from which custodians. Where documents should be sent for processing, processing specifications and options, document review requirements and rules, categorization specifications, production format agreements and production deadlines.Included would be the documentation for any make or buy analyses and peripheral procurement documents like proposals, bids and technical documentation. And finally, the plan will include the final source selection criteria utilized to rate and select the e-Discovery seller would be documented as well. With the attainment of this procurement management plan depicting activities from creating procurement documents through contract closure and accepted by the stakeholders, the PM can comme nce with conducting procurements. Conduct e-Discovery ProcurementsNow that the project procurement plan has been hashed out, the RFP has been sent out, bids have been received and analyzed (this process is often repeated until a select pool is attained), the PM can focus on awarding a contract to the seller that best fits the needs of the legal matter and the e-Discovery requirements according to the plan documentation and some tools and techniques. Utilizing the following inputs, that selection will be made to engage a seller according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Project management plan Procurement documents Source selection criteria Qualified seller list Seller proposals Project documentsMake-or-buy decisions Teaming agreements Organizational process assets The PM will utilize the above inputs to describe and codify the e-Discovery project procurement process from inception to closure. The objective is to obtain a sensible range of possible high quality proposals in order to achiev e the e-discovery goals of this matter. The project documents help to build a solid selection criteria such as a weighted system, which through past experience will be based on the PM’s expert judgment about seller criteria, independent estimates and bidder conferences to further narrow down the most qualified of sellers.When it is necessary to extend the pool of bidders, some can be obtained through advertisements in industry publications and with organizational process assets such as preferred vendors and partnering agreements. For e-Discovery, it is not likely that a random internet search would suffice to identify sellers as this is a very specialized field. Through proposal evaluation techniques that have been approved by management, the selection criteria will evolve. The details of the sellers’ proposals will have everything that the PM needs to make a fair weighted selection.Matching the requirements to the project documentation will ensure that the PM is stayi ng within the bounds of the project requirements and the risk register. The use of the make-or-buy decisions will determine whether portion of the project should be insourced or should remain part of a teeming agreement. Organizational process assets will identify other sellers that qualified for previous projects as well as documented best practices and lessons learned from previous project whether they were successful or failed.The result of conducting procurement is a selected seller which is typically approved by management and other critical stakeholders if necessary. The contract, with the structure that was approved â€Å"defines the terms and conditions or such things as responsibilities and authorities, technical and project management approaches, proprietary rights, financing, schedule, payments, quality requirements, and price, as well as remedies and process for revisions to the contract† (Marchewka, 2012, p. 83), is signed sealed and delivered. For an e-Discovery project, the contract can also contain the agreed upon project calendar and resource calendars that depict court dates and deadlines, change request procedures with integrated change control measures. Finally, the updates to the project management plan and project documents are executed including the baselines and the risk register. With the project updates complete, the PM can now administer procurements. Administer e-Discovery ProcurementsNow that the project documents are updated the seller and the buyer are in a relationship guided by the contract, the client expectations have been set, resources have been affiliated with the project scope and the stage is set to execute the project deliverables. Each party, buyer and seller must accomplish their obligations at a high level of quality according to the Ts & Cs of the contract. Rules are created to manage changes to the contract, procurements are reviewed on a scheduled basis, reports with the results of inspections and audits to show the effectiveness of the process.Functional structures such as payment systems, claims administration and records management are set up. The inputs toward these activities according to the PMBOK Guide (2011) include: Procurement documents Project management plan Contract Performance reports Approved change requests Work performance information * The PM will utilize the inputs to create the final procurement documentation. In an e-Discovery project the â€Å"contract documentation allows people who did not participate in forming the contract to carry out the agreement made by the people who did† (Garrett, 2010, p. 6). It will contain the collection activities during discovery, the chain of custody for the hard drive or other media containing data, the processing specifications, any de-duplication issues and the exception report showing which documents could not be processed and suggestions for addressing any that are of interest to the client. The contract documentation will contain details about the document review, and â€Å"modifications, invoices, meeting notes, payments, and correspondence† (Garrett, 2010, p. 8), as well as technical facts from the seller about the deliverables. Also, the PM will update the organizational process assets, such as â€Å"assumptions about present or future company assets that can impact the success of the project such as the capability of your enterprise project management methodology, the project management information system, forms, templates, guidelines, checklists, and the ability to capture and use lessons learned data and best practices† (Kerzner, 2009, pp. Kindle 9889-9891).In an e-Discovery project, this is very critical because the industry is always growing and changing. Finally, change requests are processed for review and action and then the project management plan is updated as the final output. With the administration of procurements complete, the project plan updated, and the document review and final production complete, now the PM can close procurements. Close e-Discovery Procurements Closing procurements involves the â€Å"process of verifying that all administrative matters are concluded on a contract that is otherwise physically complete.This involves completing and settling the contract, including resolving any open items† (Kerzner, 2009, pp. Kindle 18292-18293). The PM will commence with closing the procurement with the following inputs according to the PMBOK Guide (2011): Project management plan Procurement documentation Fleming (2003) recommends that it is a best practice to ensure that the seller has completed all of the tasks, terms and conditions of the SOW and contract unless the circumstances dictate otherwise as â€Å"there are often residual issues which must be addressed† (Fleming, 2003, p. 27). Ultimately, with these issues resolved, the PM will use the inputs to conduct procurement audits to identify and document the good, bad an d ugly achievements and disappointments in performance of the contract. The PM can also explore and execute any negotiated settlements of open items to avoid litigation, however sometimes litigation is unavoidable, though not wanted. Finally, the records management system must be updated with the above tools and techniques outcomes.The e-Discovery project is closed when the PM closes procurements and thusly notifies all appropriate stakeholders that the contract has been completed and details any spin-off actions that might apply. The procurement file, derivable acceptance and lessons learned documentation should all be updated, finalized and executed accordingly so that the entire contract process can be written in stone for future reference or projects. ConclusionMost e-Discovery projects of varying scope will not be completely in-sourced so they require some level of outsourcing or procurement. According to the PMBOK Guide (2011, p. 313), procurement success begins with planning procurements, conducting procurements, administering procurements and closing procurements and these steps may intermingle, may require multiple discrete or ongoing efforts and individuals or teams to complete. The PM must initially plan the procurements using the inputs tools and techniques as a basis for the conducting procurement.Next, the PM should conduct procurements using the inputs, tools and techniques as basis for administering procurements successfully while all along documenting the outputs and updates. Third, the PM must administer the procurements using the inputs, tools and techniques as a basis for closing the procurement while updating documentation and resolving buyer and seller differences along the way. Finally, the PM will close procurements and wrap up any lose ends with the ultimate goal of project success and notification to all parties that the procurement is closed.The procurement plan will make it a simple exercise for all of the stakeholders whether they were involved in the procurement or not to know the status of the procurement throughout the outsourcing lifecycle. References EDRM. (2013). The Electronic Discovery Reference Model: Establishing guidelines. Setting standards. Delivering resources. Retrieved from edrm. net: http://www. edrm. net/resources/edrm-stages-explained Fleming, Q. W. (2003). Project Procurement Management Contracting, Subcontracting, Teaming. Tustin, CA: FMC Press.Garrett, G. A. (2010). World Class Contracting (5th Kindle Edition ed. ). (W. K. Legal, Ed. ) Aspen PUblishers. Kerzner, H. (2009). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley. Marchewka, J. T. (2012). Information technology project management with CD-ROM. (4th). Wiley. PMI. (2011, Jan 01). A guide to project management body of knowledge. (4th). Project Management Institute. Rapp, R. R. (2011). Disaster Recovery Project Management: Brining Order from Chaos (Kindle Edition ed. ). BookMasters.

Prophet Muhammad as a Religious and Political Role Model Essay - 6

Prophet Muhammad as a Religious and Political Role Model - Essay Example From the poor and needy to the rich and prosperous, the lonely and the weak, the students or teachers, the employer and employee, all of them, every person in every field of work or profession, they can all find inspiration in the life of Prophet Muhammad that entail an example for them to follow suit. Being a religious and political role model is a status that is founded on the Holy Quran as well as the Sunnah. Scholars of Islam have looked at this status of the Prophet and have concluded that the most effective manner is to look at the verses of the Sunnah and Holy Quran that demonstrate the Prophet’s status as a whole. It is from this exploration that things such as obeying the Prophet, believing in Him, agreeing with Him and following Him come to focus. From the Holy Quran, there are verses that refer to the Prophet as a role model. One verse, however, literally refers to Muhammad as a religious and political role model, and states thus: "Verily in the messenger of Allah you have a good example for him who looks unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much." The original verse had the Arabic word use, which translates to model or example that should be followed and obeyed. Someone who follows another person is bound to imitate them, follow their style as well as attitudes, in the end identifying themselves with that person. According to the Islamic faith, this word meant being a role model and is also an aspect that is considered to be found in people who possess beauty, goodness and righteousness. This verse is a revelation of the significance of the Prophet’s Sunnah in the Muslim’s lives. It is also worth noting that according to the Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad has a superior character and is one who exemplifies a perfect lifestyle worthy of emulating.

Disc leade Mod 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Disc leade Mod 11 - Essay Example The assessment that has been an eye-opening of them all is the leadership trait questionnaire (LTQ). This is because it helped me determine my personal leadership traits, as I took the assessment and evaluated the score; I know have admirable leadership traits, even though previously, I was not certain on the same. In order to improve the organizations leadership and determine individuals that have leadership traits I can utilize the LTQ on my colleagues and followers in the firm (Rosch, 2007). Prior to introducing the assessment in the organization, I will conduct my personal research on the firm’s leadership structure and the traits of those in leadership. This research will give me an opportunity to determine the traits that need to be addressed, the strengths and weakness of my colleagues. I will then analyze these factors and start my assessment by asking my colleagues what they fill about varying leadership issues and the traits they believe a quality leader should have in order to help the firm attain its goals. In essence, I will be asking the questions contained in the LTQ and I will be ranking an individual’s response on the scale; at the long last I will evaluate my colleagues’ scores and thereby determine an individual that qualifies as a

Comparative criminal justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Comparative criminal justice - Essay Example The ranking was done on 179 countries from the least corrupt to the most corrupt. The corruption perception index was 9.4 for Demark, which the least corrupt, 2.9 for Bolivia, and 1.4 for Myanmar, which was ranked as the most corrupt among the countries, studied (Transparency International Web). This paper will focus on comparing the official crime rates of bribery, and drug offences per 100,000 in Denmark, Bolivia, and Myanmar. The paper will analyze the degree of cross-national differences and try to explain the differences in crime rates in the three countries. Bribery and drug offences are two crimes that are illegal in addition to involving a lot of corruption. The eighth United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems, which was done for the period between 2001 and 2002, showed that these crimes are still persistent (United Nations Web). In 2001, 37,553 crimes were committed in Bolivia, which is equivalent to 435.80 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. Crimes were higher in Denmark where a grand 473,290 crimes were committed in 2001, which equates to 8,831.69 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. In Myanmar, 19,873 crimes were reported which equates to 41.24 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2002, the total number of crimes declined in Myanmar and Bolivia but increased in Denmark. The total numbers of crimes were 18,301 in Myanmar, 31,138 in Bolivia and 491,026 in Denmark. In relation to bribery and drug offences, Bolivia had the highest number of crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in both 2001 and 2002. The records by the United Nations shows that out of every 100,000 inhabitants 0.22 and 0.28 bribery crimes were recorded in Bolivia in 2001 and 2002 respectively. In case of Denmark, there were 0.09 and 0.07 bribery crimes for the years 2001 and 2002 respectively. Though ranked as the most

The Business Opportunity of XYZ in the UK and Chinese Automobile Essay

The Business Opportunity of XYZ in the UK and Chinese Automobile Sectors - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in relation to the present rapid growth of the United Kingdom and Chinese automobile industries, XYZ is considerably recognized as one of the major companies in terms of producing middle and upper-class vehicles. The organization is considerably playing a crucial role in the UK and China automobile markets in terms of serving vehicles for the middle class and upper-class consumers. The customers in both the UK and Chinese markets desire for quality based world class stylish vehicles. The developed economy of the UK along with increasing population and demand of vehicles can increase the probability of success for the business to a considerable extent. In the similar context, the economic condition of China is further considered to be more stable among the developing nations of the world. Moreover, the business environments of both the markets are considered feasible and appropriate for XYZ to practice its business operations. Therefore , the report intends to significantly analyze the UK and China markets for XYZ automotive company through evaluating the relevant theories and evidence in the market. Moreover, the discussion will also focus on enclosing the automobile market scenario of the UK and China along with different issues concerning national institutional systems and cultural conditions of the nations. In addition, the assessment will further consider trends of trade and investment and consider measures to efficiently deal with possible issues during the investment portfolio that are required to effectively conduct XYZ’s operations in the UK and Chinese automobile markets. Analysis of National and Institutional Systems and Culture Conditions The international business approach encompasses conducting trading activities beyond the national boundaries. The term international business can be defined as the process practiced by an organization while functioning in more than one nation from a single count ry. In contrast, international business further considers expanding business operating units in different regions in order to smoothly conduct business practices. From the perspective of modern international business, it can be recognized that the global organizations are significantly facing different challenges and opportunities with regard to their successful expansion. With this concern, the national and institutional systems regarding trade policies are one of the major prohibitory aspects which can be recognized in the global countries. Therefore, an effective and adequate analysis of the countries can facilitate to obtain suitable solutions for the organizations in terms of conducting business practices in a foreign market.

Issue in case transaction Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Issue in transaction - Case Study Example The business during the manufacture and sale of large quantities of soup are likely to experience gains or losses due to the difference in foreign exchange translations. Losses or gains will also be experienced because of misjudgment on what, where or when to invest. This is a case of capital financing decision. A. Specifications The Oriental Delight soup product should and has to be produced just as the formula that was formulated by Specialty Laboratory. Apart from the production, the product must also be canned and labeled according to the requirements of Hen Hao. The specifications are well laid down and no change shall be made to them unless through writing. Concerning the specifications there is a risk that Gumpbell may not produce the goods exactly as prescribed and when this takes place, the company will suffer the damages as the goods are rejected by Hen Hao. Such an impact can be avoided if Gumpbell is sure of its production capacity to be able to fulfill the contract to th e end. In addition, the labor employed by Gumpbell must posses the skills required by customers and when this is not available then Gumpbell has to recruit such a labor to avoid such risks. B. Quantities Quantities will depend on the demand requirements by the consumers as studied by the supplier (Hen Hao). Hen Hao’s annual demand is likely to be ranging between, 200,000 to 450,000 cases; this is within the term as prescribed in the supply agreement. Now Hen Hao is not capable of estimating that their current demand is and the time of the year they expect it to be shipped. Apart from the quantities depending solely on demand, the costs per unit would also influence the quantity that Hen Hao would demand. C. Purchase Order Procedure Hen Hao already has the specification of how they demand that the product be manufactured. The manufacturer already holds the specifications; what Hen Hao needs to do each time is to make purchase orders through order forms supplied by the producer s (Gumpbell). Such order will be submitted online using internet resources. The purchase orders must be submitted early enough (30 days prior to when they are required) when it is expected that they would be acted upon in time. The purchase order will give the manufacturer the quantity demanded and hence decide on the amount to produce; as well, the shipping instructions and the shipping date are also included. The manufacturer is given a period from which they relax, this is despite the fact that an acknowledgement of Purchase order receipt. D. Forecasts At the onset, Hen Hao could not predict its requirements of the soup within a given specific time. This scenario is likely to change over a given period, as Hen Hao will be in a position to now conduct such forecasts and submit the purchase order forecast to Gumpbell. Failure to submit the forecasts would cause a risk that the soup may not be prepared in advance and the consumers whose appetites are sharp enough would be disappoint ed. Forecasts are important since most of the time they act as a guide towards that which is required. PHASE II: Transportation, Delivery, Transfer of Title and Risk of Loss Once a sales agreement has been got into, the tendency that the goods would move from one party to the other is certain. The movement involves physical movement as well as contractual movements. Just as goods would move from the manufacturer to the producers is the same way such goods are likely to move from the distributor to

Managing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing Strategy - Essay Example Introduction PESTEL is a model that considers the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental as well as legal aspect (Thomson & Strickland, 1998). It is considered as one of the models that can be successfully used particular for groups that are considered to be more private focused. Such groups may be victims of being oblivious to the effect of the external forces since their focus is laid on the internal forces. In studying the European Tour operation, PESTEL had been exhaustively practiced to arrive at the current status of the industry. Discussion According to the study, Political factors such as Government policies and trading policies were central to the growth. A case in point is the outcome of the competition authority clearance which witnessed the merger between Thomas Cook and the British Competitor MyTravel, an integrated international group. The economic situations and trends were also awakened the industry, where players like TUI responded to the actions o f Thomas Cook by the acquisition and merger with First Choice. These home economic situations and trends tighten the competition in the European Tour and Operation Industry. The economic situation was also concerned with the Industry specific factors where the Thomas Cook adopted flights that gave the customers choices of chartering plans rather than DO It-Yourself and thus assured security and good value for the vacationers. Economic factors such as interest rates also influenced the operations of players like TUI. This was witnessed where an anticipation of a sustained weakness of the pound against the Euro and the expected increase in unemployment made TUI to cut summer capacity by 27% to the British travelers in 2009. These economic factors also saw Thomas Cook undergo reorganization after experiencing continuing decrease in revenue. On consideration of the social factors, TUI got involved in low cost airline which was expected to get to the average families as well. TUI also go t itself different brands all over Europe and world at large to present different images in different environment, which they successfully did through travel agents as well as having there different brands of Tour operator selling not only fully packaged tours but also individual travels components. Competing Technological Development also shaped the tours operations in Europe. The observation that call centers and online bookings combined, in 2005 accounted for 25% of the sale gave an indication that technology had given the business of Tour operation a new face all together. This is also observed when online Travel Agencies are noted to have been moving quicker than the traditional Tour Operators who were seen to be going down the hill. The Literature also elaborates that tours operators no longer competes exclusively amongst themselves but face competition from online channels. The maturity of technology seemed to have played a very significant role in the development of tour ope ration in Europe. When it comes to environmental factors, clearly, Consumer buying patterns played a role in the determination of the progress of the industry the fact that a number of structural changes between US and UK. This was grounded on the understanding of the differences between the US markets and the European markets. The study notes that the Europeans take more vacations than Americans and that US travelers tend to be more independent and

Identify the historical significance related to the theme of freedom Essay

Identify the historical significance related to the theme of freedom - Essay Example â€Å"The Cornerstones of History, a book written by Thomas A. Scott, is quote â€Å" a collection of fifty-nine primary documents presents multiple viewpoints on more than four centuries of growth, conflict, and change in Georgia. The selections range from a captive's account of a 1597 Indian revolt against Spanish missionaries on the Georgia coast to an impassioned debate in 1992 between county commissioners and environmental activists over a proposed hazardous waste facility in Taylor County. Drawn from such sources as government records, newspapers, oral histories, personal diaries, and letters, the documents give a voice to the concerns and experiences of men and women representing the diverse races, ethnic groups, and classes that, over time, have contributed to the state's history.† In Eric Foner’s, â€Å"The Story of American Freedom†, Foner’s idea of freedom can be quote, â€Å"summed up in this very quote, his saying that it is ‘the oldes t of cliches and the most modern of aspirations.’† â€Å"However, what does it truly mean to be free? For the people of the United States, the concept of "freedom† and its counterpart, "liberty† has had widely differing meanings during the centuries. The Story of American Freedom, therefore, "is not a mythic saga with a predetermined beginning and conclusion, but an open-ended history of accomplishment and failure, a record of a people forever contending about the crucial ideas of their political culture." During the colonial era, Foner projects freedom to be comprised of the event, when the â€Å"Puritans believed that liberty was rooted in voluntary submission to God and civil authorities, and consisted only in the right to do well.† John Locke, as well, would argue that liberty did not consist of a lack of restraint, but of â€Å"a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power.† Foner revea ls the ideological conflicts that lay at the heart of the American Revolution and the Civil War, the shift in thought about what freedom is and to whom it should be granted. Adeptly charting the major trends of Twentieth Century American politics, including the invocation of freedom as a call to arms in both world wars, Foner concludes by contrasting the two prevalent movements of the 1990s: the liberal articulation of freedom, grounded in Johnson's Great Society and the rhetoric of the New Left, as the provision of civil rights and economic opportunity for all citizens, and the conservative vision, perhaps most fully realized during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, of a free-market economy and decentralized political power. â€Å"The Story of American Freedom† is a sweeping synthesis, delivered in clearheaded language that makes the ongoing nature of the American dream accessible to all readers (Ron Hogan). According to the Atlanta Journal of Constitution, â€Å"The book's aim is to increase understanding of southern history as a whole by focusing on a single state. New chapters added since the 1983 first edition discusses urbanization and diversification.† â€Å"’The Journal of American History’† says quote â€Å"that the book, ‘The Creation of Modern Georgia, informed by the latest scholarship, particularly the last decade's studies of the South in the thirty years following the Civil War, his work is an ambitious attempt to understand Southern history through a study of one state.’† â€Å"Bartley's is a stimulating interpretive synthesis, but one that does not lose itself

Debates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Debates - Essay Example However, Obama ensures to secure Israel, secure religious minorities and feminines, and foster the economy. He also supplemented that Syria must be dissolved through ensuring that their allies are strong, but that does not mean military provisions. Moreover, both agreed in the case of the insisted Egyptian President Mubarak Go (Nate). Romney’s perspectives on America’s role in the world are simply the leader of all nations to promote peace. That is possible by fostering the economy of the country, and supporting their allies. He depicted that there are uncertainties that may occur, and being prepared through firm troops is the best approach to combat against unexpected military forces that might attack the US. Obama notes that the US has been reconstructing the economy through employee retention, strengthening automaker industry, and decreasing the cost of oil imports (â€Å"Third Presidential Debate†). Romney believes that Afghanistan can recover through the aid of the US, only if Afghans can meet their benchmarks. However, Obama utters about shifting its focus on Afghanistan after the closure of war in Iraq. Both have agreed that, by 2014, Afghanistan can be ready. Furthermore, Romney describes that the US should negotiate with Pakistan not to commence a war against Afghanistan. They both have agreed to promote annihilation of extremism through leveraging corrupt officials in the government (Nate). Moreover, if Israel is attacked, the US should secure Israel. Romney says that Iran cannot utilize nuclear weapon. Obama says Iranian navy cannot come into the US docks. Both of them have concurred on this--that utilizing military forces is the final resort. The goal of Obama for Iran is to put an end on its nuclear program; thus, they can re-penetrate the international society. Romney’s description of Iran is somehow varied, uttering that Iran is a strong nation now,

Nuclear materials trafficking Essay Example for Free

Nuclear materials trafficking Essay Terrorism acts have of late been on the rise in the world a trend which is attributed to the high rates of nuclear material trafficking along the borders of different countries. Nuclear weapons are the major tools used by terrorist which have made the issue of nuclear material trafficking become a major concern of the United States government especially after the September 11 attack of the world trade centre. Nuclear threat was also a major concern to the United States during the time of cold war. The subsequent Soviet Union collapse increased threats of terrorism attacks to the United States making the country intensify its measures of ensuring that terrorists did not have access to nuclear materials which could be used for creation of nuclear weapons. Ever since the era of cold war, United States as well as other countries has put measures to make sure nuclear materials trafficking is reduced thus ensuring the security of the nations as well as the citizens (Williams Vlassis, 2001). Nuclear materials trafficking Nuclear materials trafficking refer to the illegal sale of materials used for making nuclear weapons. The trafficking of these materials is usually carried out though the borders of a country through highly concealed means that at times pass all the tests which may be in place in a country’s border. In some instances, cross border nuclear materials trafficking may be aided by citizens of a country and/ or people working in the migration departments. Due to sophistication in technology being used by terrorists, it has become very difficult to detect some of the nuclear materials being trafficked to a country. This has necessitated implementation of tough and advanced measures to detect nuclear materials. In the United States, the forensic department is the one which deals with analysis of and research on nuclear materials thus making their detection easier. While analyzing nuclear materials in the laboratories of the forensic department, both the chemical and physical characteristic of the materials are analyzed so as to gain all the possible clues of nuclear composition in different compounds. Also, environmental links are also analyzed for the purposes of tracing the place of origin which may help in determining how such products were illegitimated (Cameron, 1999). Nuclear materials are widely categorized into three basic groups which include the SNM an acronym for special nuclear material, reactor fuel and lastly those from commercial radioactive origins or sources. The special nuclear materials contains the basic materials which are used for making nuclear weapons which include the highly enriched uranium commonly referred to as HEU and plutonium. The reactor fuels on the other hand include LEU-low enriched uranium, grade plutonium of mixed oxide and also grade plutonium of reactor and fuel. The mixed oxide commonly abbreviated as MOX is a combination of uranium oxides which are depleted and plutonium. It is usually used as a substitute for low enriched uranium. Commercial radioactive origins or sources of nuclear materials are meant for medical diagnostics, food irradiators, thermoelectric generators and equipments for radiography (LAnnunziata, El Baradei Burkart, 2003). Special nuclear materials are usually targeted and used by terrorists since when they are in plenty, no uranium enrichment or plutonium acquisition is required. This makes these materials the most highly trafficked around the world. Reactor fuels unlike the special nuclear materials cannot be used to directly build or create nuclear devices. However, they are more commonly available especially because they are found in almost all parts of the world. Reactor fuels in conjunction with some of the radioactive materials can be used in the manufacture of dirty bombs as well as devices for radiological dispersals. Terrorists are the major traffickers of these nuclear materials and also some countries which support terrorism activities. Nuclear materials trafficking have been on the rise for the past ten years posing a great threat to the security of the United States and the world in general. Iran for example was believed to manufacture nuclear weapons which made America go to war with this country. Nuclear weapons are dangerous as they can result to mass destruction (Cameron, 1999). Cases of nuclear materials trafficking and the response of the international criminal bodies According to the international criminal law, illicit nuclear materials trafficking as well as trafficking of other radioactive materials are categorized as one crime unlike in many countries where such crimes are separated. The international criminal laws have different treaties which a local prosecutor can use against a person implicated in nuclear materials trafficking. However, most of the treaties used against a suspected nuclear materials trafficker can only be enforced if this trafficking is linked to intended acts of nuclear terrorism. These laws contrast sharply with the United Nations laws which states that a person can be sanctioned if he or she is a threat to the security and international peace. Usually, the trafficked nuclear materials are sold in nuclear black markets (Hossain Shahidullah, 2008). One of the major cases which has been brought to light is the one which occurred in Georgia in the year 2007 involving a Russian citizen by the name of Oleg Khintsagov who was sentenced for a jail term of 8years after being in possession of 100 grams of highly enriched uranium in the republic of Georgia at a local black market. Oleg was detained for a period of one year before being sentenced. According to the report which was issued out from Georgia, Oleg confessed that he had faith that the uranium could received by a extremist Islamic group. He also claimed that he had large quantities of the highly enriched uranium which he said was kept somewhere in his apartment located at Vladikavkaz city, north Ossentia. An approximated 25 kilograms of this product which Oleg was in possession is required to manufacture of nuclear weapon. This estimate is according to the international atomic agency. By the fact that Khintsagov was a Russian and trading at Georgia as well as south Ossetia, this amounted to an international case thus raising international concern. However, by the time Oleg was being sentenced, the authorities in Georgia as well as those who were supporting the republic of Georgia had not established the origin of the materials. The international criminal justice bodies have set in to try and locate the origin of the materials in the quest of establishing how such sensitive nuclear materials could have been obtained by Oleg in such great quantities of more than 3 kilograms (Williams Vlassis, 2001). Another case which attracted international attention was the illegal sale of nuclear technology of Pakistan to Libya and Iran. Pakistan was the source of nuclear materials, weapons as well as technology which were designed in Iran, Libya and North Korea. This revelation has sparked different and troubling reactions in the international community especially the United States. This exchange of nuclear weapon manufacturing technology has contributed greatly to the increase in nuclear weapon manufacture in the world thus posing a greater threat of manufacture of mass destruction weapons. This ahs raised great concern in the international community as the security of the world is threatened and acts of terrorism have accelerated. In response to this discovery, the international community started carrying out investigation to establish the country’s role in this transfer of technology from Pakistan to the other countries. Despite the fact that these activities were carried long time ago and only came to light on the year 2003, Pakistan may face Charybdis situation and a classic Scylla which could be prompted by any foreknowledge by the past and the present governments concerning the above proliferation activities (Williams, 1989). An analysis of how international criminal bodies are tackling the above two cases of nuclear materials smuggling or trafficking The case in the republic of Georgia as well as the case of Pakistan mentioned above have attracted and increased international concerns on the ease by which an individual can acquire nuclear materials illegally. This has also raised the question of the measures and ability of the governments to ensure that nuclear materials as well as radioactive sources are well guarded and secured. The main task of the international criminal system since the revelation of the proliferation activities by Pakistan is to establish whether Pakistan was aware of such activities or not. Investigations were immediately launched to determine whether the countries which obtained this technology and nuclear materials were making or manufacturing mass destruction weapon (Angelo, 2004). After the 2003 revelations about nuclear weapon proliferation in Pakistan, the international criminal justice system apart from embarking on investigation, it formulated new policies to ensure that such actions were not repeated in the future by other countries. This policy was also meant to create avenues to deal with perpetrators who could have been found to have committed such crime. In the year 2004, resolution 1540 was adopted by the Security Council which sought to prevent any â€Å"non state actor† from acquiring or trafficking in any kind of NBC related weapons and equipment, delivery systems or materials. This term non state actor was used not only to refer to terrorists as it was under the earlier security code but also businesses or state officials who were unauthorized. In the nuclear proliferation in Pakistan, A. Q. Khan a nuclear metallurgist is believed to have coordinated this proliferation in which the government at of that time claimed it had no idea nor had it authorized Khan to carry out such activities. The government argued that nuclear proliferation by Khan was supported by different business networks around the world (Babcock, Chen Zhuang, 2004). The resolution 1540 which was included in the security code mandated all states in the world to ensure appropriate measures were put in place. Such measures included national criminal laws, border controls, export controls, efforts for law enforcement, physical security and also techniques of accounting for materials. This was meant to ensure that no non state actor acquired or even succeeded in trafficking NBC weapons and all other related weapons. Before this resolution was passed, there was no prior requirement which mandated the countries to criminalize acquisition as well as trafficking of biological and nuclear weapons (Williams, 1989). The United States also took stern measures against Pakistan after the nuclear proliferation saga was unfolded. When Pakistan started its nuclear weapon manufacture, it was deemed not to be harmful by the United States. United States under the leadership of Reagan had cooperated with Pakistan on military matters. However, after the nuclear weapon manufacture was realized to be potentially harmful, the country conditioned its support for the Pakistan government. This was meant to force Pakistan abandon the nuclear manufacture project. In year 2001, Pakistan was forced to make Khan retire and military was also tightened over the KRL where Khan had been working from. Khan’s network however has not been closed as investigations are still being carried out. Most of the countries where Khan had networks have so far taken interest in the case with most of these networks being closed (Williams, 1989). In the case of republic of Georgia, though the case is not as big as that of Pakistan, it has still attracted attention of international criminal justice. Non proliferation experts launched their investigations to ascertain the origin of the uranium which Oleg was in possession. However, this has not been identified so far especially because Oleg changed his initial confession which he had said he had obtained the materials form Russia. Russian officials were also involved in the investigation owing to cooperate with Georgia in fighting nuclear materials trafficking. According to Russian authorities, the uranium could have been obtained from the country but ten years earlier before it was confiscated in Georgia a finding the United States conferred with the findings of Russia. Although this case was publicized by the Georgian government, it did not attract much attention from the international criminal agencies and only as it did not amount to heavy charges of proliferation. Also, the publicity of this case was met with skepticism from different opinion group with the move to publicize the case by the republic of Georgia being seen as a political provocation on Russia. Also, the possibilities that later emerged that the uranium could have been stolen from a physics lab which had reported loss of about 2 kilograms of uranium in the 1990s made the case not to attract much international attention (Kelly, Maghan Serio, 2005). While conducting the investigation for the above two cases, the international criminal society was faced with several difficulties. In the case of Oleg in the republic of Georgia, it was difficult to obtain accurate information regarding the origin of the uranium. Also, Georgia lacked sufficient resources to help in the analysis of the uranium and had to rely on the findings of Russia and United States. Lack of resources and cooperation form the perpetrators were the main hindrance of this case. Also, politicization of the nuclear materials trafficking was also another reason which hindered compete investigation of the case by the international criminal justice. Georgia was seen like its only motive was to destroy the Russian reputation especially because of the timing of publication of the case. In the case of Pakistan, lack of willing witnesses was a major hindrance for the international criminal justice team. Also, the laws which were in place during that time were limited and could not thus cover the proliferation issue fully (Williams Vlassis, 2001). Conclusion Globalization which has been on the rise in the past few decades have led to improvement in technology for weapon manufacture. With rise in globalization, terrorism threats have also become more complicated and sophisticated necessitating creation of avenues to ensure and enhance global security. Nuclear materials are widely used for the manufacture of nuclear materials which are usually used by terrorists. Guarding these nuclear materials has thus become a vital task for all countries which have them and laws have been formulated by the international law society to ensure that nuclear proliferation does not occur. Nuclear trafficking has however been a major concern for most countries means of trafficking them continue becoming more complicated and high tech. however, it is the duty of a government to ensure that all its nuclear reserves are well guarded and that no unauthorized persons are allowed to possess them. Nuclear materials trafficking from a country whether knowingly or unknowingly may lead to devastating effects to the diplomatic relationships with such a country as well as heavy measures being undertaken by the international criminal law against such a country. To reduce incidences of nuclear weapon trafficking, it is important for all the governments to cooperate as well as establishment of stringent laws regarding this issue. Recommendation While dealing with issues of nuclear materials trafficking, it is vital to have the necessary equipment to enable a government track the origin and contents of such materials. One of the major recommendations is that all government should establish a research institute and a laboratory equipped with necessary machines to enable in easier analysis as well as identification of nuclear materials. Countries should also ensure that the immigration department is closely manned to eliminate chances of collaboration and collusion of terrorists and immigration officers. All individuals entering or leaving a country should be thoroughly checked and screened to reduce chances of nuclear materials trafficking (Babcock, Chen Zhuang, 2004). The government should also take the initiative of training its forensic team, militants, border controllers as well as individuals involved in nuclear materials analyses so as to help cases of nuclear weapon smuggling in a country. All departments involved in the fight of nuclear proliferation and trafficking should also be given adequate funding especially with the current rise in terrorism threats. In cases of nuclear materials trafficking, non proliferation expert teams from various countries should be sent to the countries affected to ensure that results obtained are not biased or prejudiced. A joint and independent team of experts should be formed to help in proliferation cases as well as other related nuclear materials trafficking cases (Wallenius, Peerani Koch, 2000). Cooperation by all countries around the world is vital in helping in the fight of nuclear materials trafficking. One of the ways that the countries can do to ensure cooperation is by instituting stringent measures and laws to cub this vice. The internationals criminal laws should impose heavy penalties on countries from which the materials originate. By imposing heavy penalties, countries may become keener in guarding their nuclear materials from being smuggled out of the country. Stringent measures should also be taken on individuals found to the trafficking nuclear materials. As it stands today, countries are more severely punished while perpetrators are only given to serve a short jail term which cannot act as a deterrent agent. Heavier punishment should be imposed on individuals who are caught trafficking nuclear materials (Williams, 1989). An international court to deal with nuclear materials trafficking and proliferations should also be established to ensure that all individuals and countries prosecuted with such crimes get uniform penalties (Phillips, 2007). Reference: Angelo, J. A. (2004): Nuclear technology. ISBN 1573563366, Published by Greenwood Publishing Group Babcock, H. P. , Chen, C. Zhuang, X. (2004): Using single-particle tracking to study nuclear trafficking of viral genes. Biophysical Journal Cameron, G. (1999): Nuclear terrorism: a threat assessment for the 21st century. ISBN 0312219830, Published by Palgrave Macmillan Hossain, M. Shahidullah, S. M. (2008): Global-Local Nexus and the Emerging Field of Criminology and Criminal Justice in South Asia: Bangladesh Case. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology Volume 5 Kelly, R. J. , Maghan, J. Serio, J. (2005): Illicit trafficking: a reference handbook. ISBN 1576079155, Published by ABC-CLIO LAnnunziata, m. F. , El Baradei, M. M. Burkart, W. (2003): Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis: Second Edition. ISBN 0124366031, Published by Academic Press Phillips, M. (2007): Uncertain Justice for Nuclear Terror: Deterrence of Anonymous Attacks through Attribution. Journal article of Orbis Volume 51 Wallenius, M. , Peerani, P. Koch, L. (2000): Origin determination of plutonium material in nuclear forensics. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Williams, P. (1989): Russian organized crime: the new threat? ISBN 0714647632, Published by Routledge Williams, P. Vlassis, D. (2001): Combating transnational crime: concepts, activities, and responses. ISBN 0714651567, Published by Routledge

Effect of Economic Factors on Stock Price

Effect of Economic Factors on Stock Price Effect Of Economic Factors On Stock Price With A Particular Reference To London Stock Exchange Introduction Its believed that an economic atmosphere is a major factor in determining the primary trend of a stock market. L H Beng (1998)The stock market, on the other hand, is often regarded as an effective and a reliable barometer of a countrys economy, and the stock prices are deemed as a reflection of future expectations concerning the economic well being of a country. Invariably, Stock, by its very nature, cannot be seen off as an independent entity from economic realities and performance. Consequently, it is of great interest to find out or examine the relationship between some economic variables and the pricing of stocks in the London stock exchange. This empirical study is carried out to examine the effect of economic factors on stock price with reference to FTSE100 price index of London stock Exchange. The main objective of the study is to examine some peculiarities or differences in terms of economic variables that influence stock prices in the London stock market. The effects of retail sales index, consumer price index and industrial production index (IPI) on stock prices shall be duly examined. The study makes use of regression model to analyze nine year (Jan. 2000 Nov. 2009) monthly data obtained on ftse100 price index and some identified explanatory variables among other numerous variables that could be identified to determine stock prices in any economy. Literature Review Series of empirical studies have been carried out on the effect or influence of economic variables on the stock price. P I Ojeaga V O Folajin (2009) showed in their study that stock price correlated with the price of industrial product and composite price index, also strongly related to the average naira dollar exchange, market capitalization, broad money supply and maximum lending rate in Nigeria economy. N F Chen, R Roll S A Ross (1986) argued that stock returns are exposed to systematic economic news, that they are priced in accordance with their exposures and that the news can be measured as innovations in state variables whose identification can be accomplished through simple and intuitive financial theory. The study was carried out with the use of efficient market theory and rational expectations inter temporal asset-pricing theory (Cox et al 1985). According to the study, industrial production and changes in risk premium have a great influence on the stock returns while index of oil price changes showed no effect on the asset pricing. Abeyratna G, Anirut P and David M P (2004) displayed empirically in their study that there is a long run equilibrium relationship between the stock prices and the rate of inflation, the money supply and the Treasury bill rate in an emerging market of South Asia. Mukherjee and Naka (1995) applied Johansens (1998) VECM to analyze the relationship between the Japanese Stock Market and exchange rate, inflation, money supply, real economic activity, long-term government bond rate, and call money rate. They concluded that a co integrating relation indeed existed and that stock prices contributed to this relation. R C Maysami, L C Howe and M A Hamzah (2004) concluded in their research study that Singapore stock market and the SES All-S Equities Property Index formed significant relationships with all macroeconomic variables identified, while the SES All-S Equities Finance Index and SES All-S Equities Hotel Index form significant relationships only with selected variables. Specifically, for the SES All-S Equities Finance Index, real economic activity and money supply were not significant, and in the case of SES All-S Equities Hotel Index, money supply, and short- and long-term interest rates were insignificant. Omran (2003) examined the impact of real interest rates as a key factor in the performance of the Egyptian stock market, both in terms of market activity and liquidity. The co integration analysis through error correction mechanisms (ECM) indicated significant long-run and short-run relationships between the variables, implying that real interest rates had an impact upon stock market performance. Maysami and Koh(2000) studied and found out that inflation, money supply growth, changes in short- and long-term interest rate and variations in exchange rate formed a co-integrating relation with changes in Singapores stock market levels. As revealed above, two variables (index of industrial production and consumer price index) out three highlighted variables have been tested by earlier researchers and the results showed a clear relationship with stock prices. In this study, the variables will be retested along side with retail sales index vis-a-viz London stock exchange. About The London Stock Exchange The London Stock exchange is the most important exchange in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It lists over 3000 Companies and with 350 of the companies coming from 50 different countries, the LSE is the most international of all exchanges. The London stock exchange is comprised of two different stock markets: the main market and the alternative investment market (AIM). The main market is solely for established companies with high performance, and the listing requirements are strict. Approximately 1,800 of the LSEs company listings trade on the main market, and the total market capitalization of 37 Billion. The LSE is completely electronic, but different shares are traded on different systems. Highly liquid shares are traded using SETS automated system on an order driven basis. This means that when a buy and sell price match, an order is automatically executed. For securities that trade less regularly, the London stock exchange implements the SEAQ system, where market makers keep the shares liquid. These market makers keep are required to hold shares of a specific company and set the bid and ask prices, ensuring that there is market for the stock. The LSE also has a new and growing exchange for equity derivatives called EDX London, created in 2003. In 2004, EDX traded an average of 382,599 contracts per day. It aim is to become the leading derivative market in the world (see http://www.advfn/stockexchanges/about/LSE/LondonStockExchange.html) Stock Market A stock market is a public market for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those on traded privately. The size of the world market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion US at the beginning of October 2008. The stocks are listed and traded on stock exchanges which are entities of a corporation or mutual organisation specialized in the business of bringing buyers and sellers of the organisation securities together. The stock market in the United States is NYSE while in Canada; it is the Toronto stock exchange. Major European examples of stock exchanges include London Stock Exchange, Paris Bourse, and the Deutche Borse. Asian examples include the Tokyo stock exchange, the Hong kong stock exchange, and Bombay stock exchange. In Latin America, there are such exchanges as the BMF Bovespa and BMV (see http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stock_market). Securities A security is a fungible, negotiable instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into debt security (such as banknotes, bonds and debentures) and equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and derivative contracts, such as forwards, futures, options and swaps. The company or other entity issuing the security is called the issuer (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/security_(finance)). Stock Market Index The movement of the prices in a market or sections of a market are captured in price indices called stock market indices of which there many, e.g. S P, the FTSE and the Euronext indices. Such indices are usually market capitalization weighted, with the weights reflecting the contribution of the stock to the index. The constituents of the index are reviewed frequently to include / exclude stocks in order to reflect the changing business environment (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stock_market). Ftse 100 Index It is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalized UK Companies listed on the London Stock exchange. FTSE 100 companies represent about 81% of the market capitalization of the whole London Stock Exchange. Even though FTSE All share index is more comprehensive, the FTSE 100 is by far the widely used UK stock market indicator (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_100Index). Industrial Production Index (Ipi) The industrial production index is an economic indicator which measures real production output. It is expressed as a percentage of real output with base year. Production indexes are computed mainly as fisher indexes with the weights based on annual estimates of value added. This index, along with other industrial indexes and construction, accounts for the variation in national output over the duration of the business cycle (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/industrial_production_index). Consumer Price Index (Cpi) CPI is a measure estimating the average price of consumer goods and services purchased by households. A consumer price index measures a piece change for a constant market of goods and services from one period to the next within the same area (city, region, or nation). It is a price index determined by measuring the price of a standard group of goods meant to represent the typical market basket of a typical urban consumer. The percent change in the CPI is a measure estimating inflation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/consumer_price_index). According to B Hobijn D Lagakos (2003) CPI is the benchmark measure of inflation. Retail Sales Index (Rsi) RSI is a monthly measurement of all goods sold by retailers based on a sampling of retail of retail stores of different types and sizes. The retail sales index is often taken as an indicator of consumer confidence. Many analysts choose to look at the figure ‘ex-auto (excluding the volatile car sales figure). It is thought that this number is a better measure of across-the-board purchasing trends. The report does not include money spent on services, so it represents less than half of total consumption during the month. However, even with these limitations the figures are closely watched as an indicator of the health of the economy (see http://www.investorword.com/5768/retail_sales_index.html). Data And Methodology Of The Research Data In this research work, the data used are monthly market index data from Jan. 2000 to Nov.2009. Secondary data were obtained from yahoo finance (FTSE 100 index) and Office for national statistics (consumer price index, industrial production index and retail sales index). November data were not captured in the regression result because, data available for industrial production index does not cover November (the last data released was in October 2009). Methodology The method adopted is multiple regression model to analyse the quantitative relationship between ftse100 index and three explanatory variables i.e. index of industrial production, consumer price index and retail sales index. According to Gray Koop (2006, 2008 2009) Regression quantifies the effect of an explanatory variable, X, on a dependent variable, Y. Hence, it measures the relationship between two variables. The relationship between Y and X is assumed to take the form, Y= ÃŽ ± + ÃŽ ²X, where ÃŽ ± is the intercept and ÃŽ ² is the slope of a straight line. This is called the regression line. The regression line is the best fitting line through an XY graph. No line will ever fit perfectly through all the points in an XY graph. The distance between each point and the line is called a residual. The ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator is the one which minimizes the sum of squared residuals and provides estimates of ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ². Regression coefficient should be interpreted as marginal effects (i.e. as measures of the effect on Y of a small change in X. Thus, multiple regression model in this research work can be represented as Y=ÃŽ ±+ ÃŽ ²1X1 + ÃŽ ²2X2 + ÃŽ ²3X3 +ÃŽ µ Where Y = stock price (ftse100 index) ÃŽ ± = intercept ÃŽ ² = coefficient for the explanatory variables X1 = consumer price index X2 = index of industrial production X3 = retail sales index Ε = Error (residual) Therefore the estimated regression equation is thus: Y=ÃŽ ±+ÃŽ ²1X1+ÃŽ ²2X2+ ÃŽ ²3X3 The multiple regression correlation coefficient,R2, RY.X1X2X32=(Y-Y)2(Y-Y)2 This a measure of the proportion of variability explained by the regression relationship model or the regression equation. Roughly, this means R2 is the percentage at which the model explains the changes in the dependent variable based on the independent variables. The standard deviation is the range at which there is +/- error with a 95% confidence level. In order to gauge the accuracy of ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ² estimates, the use of hypothesis testing on regression coefficients become very relevant at 95% confidence interval. This is given as Null hypothesis H0: ÃŽ ²1 = ÃŽ ²2 = ÃŽ ²3 = 0 Alternative hypothesis H1: ÃŽ ²1 ≠  ÃŽ ²2 = ÃŽ ²3 = 0 If the P-value is less than 5% (0.05) then t is ‘large and the conclusion is ÃŽ ² ≠  0. But, if the P-value is greater than 5% then t is ‘small which means ÃŽ ² = 0. Analysis Of Results Regression Statistics Multiple R 0.74673553 R Square 0.55761396 Adjusted R Square 0.54597222 Standard Error 588.751002 Observations 118 Source: Regression results The value of R (multiple Correlation coefficients) obtained for the data is 0.75 which lies between 0 and 1 indicating a positive relationship between stock price index and the selected economic variables (consumer price index, industrial production index and retail sales index). It is significant to note that out of all the possible economic indicators that affect stock prices, 56% of changes could be attributable to real production output, inflation and goods sold by retailers as shown by above regression results. Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value Intercept -37034.902 3685.920336 -10.0477 2.15E-17 CPI 318.608541 33.76303871 9.436607 5.716E-16 IPI 226.107972 20.48881882 11.03568 1.053E-19 RSI -131.07512 19.96271818 -6.566 1.598E-09 Source: Regression results Considering the model specification presented and utilizing the results obtained after running the data through Microsoft Excel 2007 the estimated regression model becomes; STOCK PRICES=-37034.90+318.61(CPI) +226.11(IPI)-131.08(RSI) The regression result above shows that there is a positive relationship between stock price and consumer price index (X1). This is in accordance with earlier expectation stated. Having P-value as 5.716E-16 i.e. its less than 5%. It means ÃŽ ²1 ≠  0; null hypothesis will be rejected while alternative hypothesis is accepted. This indicates that parameter estimate is statistically significant, meaning that consumer price index has relevant influence in explaining stock price. P-value for X2 is 1.053 Ãâ€" 10^-19 which is less than 0.05, this shows that the result is statically relevant, it means, index of industrial production has a positive relationship with stock price. Therefore, ÃŽ ² ≠  0; null hypothesis should be rejected and accept alternative hypothesis. The above regression result shows a positive relationship between stock prices and retails sales index considering the P-value of 1.598E-09 which is less than 0.05. Statically, it shows that parameter estimate is very relevant and that, retail sales index contribute meaningfully to stock price determination in London stock exchange. Consequently, ÃŽ ²3 ≠  0; null hypothesis must be rejected while accepting alternative hypothesis. Conclussion This study examined the effect of economic factors on stock price; the scope was limited to London stock exchange. As a result, FTSE 100 index was used as an independent variable while index of industrial production, consumer price index and retail sales index were examined as explanatory variables. It was deduced from the result of multiple regression model used that, there is a positive relationship between stock prices (as represented by FTSE 100 index) and the above listed economic variables most especially in the London stock Exchange. This by extension correlates with the results of some earlier researchers on the subject matter. In safe guarding stock prices in London stock exchange market, it becomes highly imperative and a major point of consideration for policy makers when trying to influence the economy through changes in economic variables such as the money supply, interest rates, or the exchange rate while aiming to correct economic ills such as inflation or unemployment to always access its multiplier effect which may inadvertently depress the stock market, and curtail capital formation which itself would lead to further slowdown of the economy. References Abeyratna G, Pisedtasalasai A Power D (2004), Macroeconomic influence on the stock market: evidence from an emerging market in South Asia. Journal of Emerging Market Finance 3(3), 85-304. ADVFN (2010), ‘London Stock Exchange, http://www.advfn/stockexchanges/about/LSE/LondonStockExchange.html (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Gray Koop (2006, 2008 2009), Analysis of financial data, West Sussex, Wiley. Investor word (2010), ‘Retail Sales Index, http://www.investorword.com/5768/retail_sales_index.html (accessed 5 Jan 2010). Loo Hooi Beng (1998), The effects of Economic factors on Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index, Malaysia (online at http://www.uum.edu.my/438/1/Loo_Beng.pdf accessed 27 Dec 2009). Maysami R C Koh T S (2000), A vector error correction model of the Singapore stock market, International Review of Economics and Finance 9, 79-96. Mukherjee T K Naka A (1995), Dynamic relations between macroeconomic variables and the Japanese stock market: an application of a vector error correction model. The Journal of Financial Research 18(2), 223-237. Mukherjee T K Naka A (1995), Dynamic relations between macroeconomic variables and the Japanese stock market: an application of a vector error correction model, The Journal of Financial Research 18(2), 223-237. N F Chen, R Roll, and S A Ross (1986), Economic forces and the stock market, Journal of business 59(3), 83-403. Omran M (200), Time series analysis of the impact of real interest rates on stock market activity and liquidity in Egypt: Co-integration and error correction model approach. International Journal of Business 8(3). P I Ojeaga and V O Folajin (2009),The effect of economic factors on stock price in a global economy A case study of Nigerian stock market (online at http://www.essay.se/about/economic+factors+on+stock+market/ accessed 15 Dec2009). R C Maysami, L C Howe and M A Hamzah (2004), Relationship between Macroeconomic Variables and Stock Market Indices: Cointegration Evidence from Stock Exchange of Singapores All-S Sector Indices, Jurnal Pengurusan 24, 47-77. Wikipedia (2010), ‘Consumer Price Index, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/consumer_price_index (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Wikipedia (2010), ‘FTSE 100 Index, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_100Index (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Wikipedia (2010), ‘Industrial Production Index, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/industrial_production_index (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Wikipedia (2010), ‘Security (Finance), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/security_(finance)) (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Wikipedia (2010), Stock market, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stock_market (accessed 4 Jan 2010).

Categories of Abuse Essay

Categories of Abuse Essay Abuse can be defined as to treat wrongfully or harmfully. There are different categories of abuse that have been recognized and within our case study there appears to be two distinct forms of abuse, domestic abuse and child abuse. These can be sub divided into terms of physical abuse, emotional /psychological abuse, and non-organic failure to thrive. Physical abuse is the intentional inflicting of physical injury or harm or deliberately not preventing harm occurring. The minimum physical signs seen in our study to both Mrs Black and James are bruising with suspect excuses for their appearance. Emotional abuse is the continual failure to meet basic emotional needs. Emotional development is stunted and well- being impaired. The emotional signs in our case study can be seen in James by his actions of being withdrawn and non-communicative. The behavioural sign to abuse taking place to James is his aggressive behaviour. The short term effects of physical abuse to James are bruising and pain. In the long term recurring injuries can result in secondary illness and complications, permanent scarring and disfigurement. His emotional effects in the short term are a fear of adults or others, withdrawal, poor relationship with his peers. The long term emotional effects for James could be low self esteem, depression, inability to form relationships. Abuse can arise for many reasons and there are a number of theoretical perspectives which may be useful in clarifying why the abuse has taken place. The Feminist perspective believes that gender and family roles gives approval to a culture of abuse. Consider the historical and stereotypical ideas of the family, with men, women and children having definite roles. With men having power and control in the perspective of abuse. In James case he lives in a reconstituted family with the father figure being dominant and a heavy drinker. From a psychological perspective, alcohol misuse can bring mental health problems which may increase aggression in the person and so James is more at risk from abuse by his step father. The family dysfunction theory suggests that the family is not functioning due to family dynamics. The dysfunctioning family attempts to find alternative ways of coping. The relationship between the mother and James, involves a dependency of James on his mother. With other pro blems in James mothers life, this leads to increasing stress and the inability of his mother to cope and manage the situation within the relationship. The attachment theory state that significant separations of a child from the carer in the early years can have an effect on their emotional development and can lead to psychological and social difficulties in later life. With the loss of both his father and his sisters` father with whom he was close, may have contributed to his deterioration of his behaviour If a client begins to make a disclosure of abuse it is important to ensure privacy and confidentiality. It is necessary to show that listening skills are employed and that I remain calm and receptive. I must listen without interruption and make it clear that I am taking their disclosure seriously. I must only ask questions of clarification if I am unclear as to what the vulnerable adult is saying. It is important that I acknowledge their courage in coming forward and tell them that they are not responsible for the abuse. I must let it be known to them what I will do to help them and where possible get their consent to inform my line manager. I must speak to my client in comfortable and quiet surroundings. I would ask my client to sit down where I shall use SOLER techniques, which is on- verbal to aid in communication. Using the SOLER theory I would use the five basic components used in communication. I would sit squarely on at the table turned towards one another. I would adopt an op en posture. I would lean forward slightly to convey to him that I am interested and committed to actively listen to him. I would sit so that we have regular but varied eye contact and that my client could see my facial expressions and gestures to aid in communication. I would maintain a relaxed manner. This would also let him know that I am involved in the situation. This adhered to our organizations policy on Confidentiality and the Data Protection Act of 1998 allowing my client to voice his concerns without worry and protected his privacy. I would inform him that they are not responsible for the abuse. I must let it be known to him what I will do to help him and where possible get his consent to inform my line manager. It is important that I make an immediate record of what the vulnerable adult has said, using only their own words. This should be recorded in the Incident Book, clearly, accurately and legibly, and then reported to the Line Manager who is responsible for any further action. As we do not supply a care service, we are not required to register with the Care Commission, but we ensure all our policies and procedures meet their standards. As all clients under these standards are legally allowed an individualized care plan, we instead have an activity plan. The policy and procedures on abuse of our organisation are underpinned by the National Care Standards which were set up under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. This Act came about to regulate the care and social work force and set out the principals of good care practice. The Care Commission was set up under this Act to register, regulate and inspect all care services listed in the Act. It also established The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). (ref1)The SSSC has aims and objectives to protect the service users, raise standards, strengthen and support workforce professionalism. An example of the code of practice of the SSSC is to look after service users and carers by protecting their rights and promoting their interests, by establishing and maintaining trust and users confidence , by promoting their independence, while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm, respecting their rights and ensuring that their behaviour does not cause harm to themselves or others. The policy for protecting vulnerable people within our organisation is achieved through the careful selection, screening, training and supervision of staff and volunteers. Under The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 a code of good practice for vulnerable adults within our organisation has been developed which expects staff or volunteers suspecting or have had abuse disclosed must immediately report the concerns to their line manager and write up an incident report. The line manager will discuss the concerns with the person reporting the abuse; she will clarify the concerns and obtain all known relevant information. This will then be forwarded to the appropriate local Social Work Department stating that it concerns vulnerable adult protection. In the absence of a line manager the concerns should be reported directly to the local Social work department and then inform the line manager as soon as possible. The social work department after investigation may have to inform the police to investigate further.(ref2) The principal function of Registered Social Workers is the safety and support of the wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults. They should encourage the wellbeing of communities complying with the Scottish Social Services Councils Code of Practice for Social Service Workers. (ref3) The social work department will work with the police to carry out joint enquires if necessary and organise case reviews and protection conferences. The police will keep safe from harm the individual who has been subjected to abuse and may call for a medical examination. They will examine and collect evidence, interview suspects, identify offenders and arrange cases for pro secution. The GP or hospital Doctor maybe involved giving medical evidence of abuse and treating the individual. Under our code of good practice in preventing abuse it is important that I avoid unobserved situations of one -to-one contact with a vulnerable adult. I must never invite a vulnerable adult to my home; I must never offer to take a vulnerable adult alone in my own vehicle, if it is necessary to do things of a `personal nature` e.g. toileting , I must have the consent and knowledge of the carers and my line manager, before doing any of the above. I must not engage or allow any sexually provocative games involving or observed by vulnerable adults. I must never make or allow suggestive remarks or discrimatory comments to be made to a vulnerable adult. I must not engage in or tolerate bullying, or inappropriate physical behaviour. I must respect all vulnerable adults regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability or sexual identity. I must avoid favouritism and singling out troublemakers. I must never trivialise abuse and never let allegations of abuse go unreported, including any made against myself. The policy and procedures of our organisation adhere to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act (Scotland) 2007 by ensuring as a way of vetting and barring every volunteer and employee has undergone a Disclosure which shows any convictions. If any convictions suggest that abuse of our clients is a possibility then they would not be allowed to volunteer or be employed. Sources of support for workers in the field of preventing abuse can be provided by statutory, voluntary, and private or independent organisations. Statutory services have a distinct concern laid down by legislation e.g. social services and NHS. The voluntary sector is run on a non profit making basis and have arisen through a recognised need and reflect society`s feelings. E.g. Advocacy, Mencap. Private organisations make a profit but I am not aware of any private local organisation that supports vulnerable adults suffering abuse. Support can consist of Casework, by working on a one to one basis, by counselling again one to one, and by group work bringing people together with shared issues to resolve problems together. (Ref4) Cultural values play a part in defining what is considered abusive conduct. What we in the UK consider abuse may not be considered abuse in another culture. For example, domestic abuse has only recently become abhorrent in the UK. As up until the 1970s/80s, domestic abuse was considered a marital problem and to be accepted, but today we have little tolerance for domestic abuse. But, today, ethnic minority women still run the risk of long periods of abuse and find it difficult to report. Families expect women to put up with it, as ethnic women are considered their husbands property. Honour killings` are not unknown amongst ethnic minorities using religious text as justification. (Ref5)Female circumcision is another culturally accepted form of abuse, still practised in 28 countries in Africa. It is seen to control female sexuality and sex outside marriage. This is done to girls age range from 4 to 12. It usually takes place in un- hygienic conditions with potentially fatal conse quences. Forced marriages are also a problem, by taking the potential bride out of the country against her wishes and forcing her to marry a suitor specially selected by the parents. Sometimes, workers may have trouble accepting the motives of people who are involved in abuse. There may be the need to ask why and how can they have abused? Where they just bad or mad? Perhaps the workers values and beliefs make working with an abuser distasteful. However, a professional approach to working with an abuser must be taken. For those who work with abusers there is a need to understand why people abuse. (Ref6)Abusive behaviour can sometimes be the result of mental health problems, empathy deficit, brain damage or being abused themselves. By becoming the abuser they believe they are taking control, some even believe that they are not doing anything wrong and cannot stop themselves. When working with individuals who have abused it is important to be aware that they may go on to abuse again and as well as trying to treat the underlying cause for abuse their is a need to protect the community from the abuser. So, the use of risk assessments are important to keep safe when working with an abuser. ( Ref7) In Conclusion it is important to be able to understand the probable risks and take appropriate action to reduce them. Effective communication and personal skills are useful to understand and reduce potential conflicts. Reflection on my own values and how they may affect my practice, awareness and understanding of the abusers cultural values and background is required. This is to ensure awareness and intervention is employed when required. When dealing with abuse, it is important to listen, understand, report and keep the abused safe and if dealing with the abuser to keep myself safe. References. SSSC. (2009). Codes of Practice. Available: http://www.sssc.uk.com/Last accessed 09/02/2010. Stephen Smellie. (2005). Role of the Social Worker: Protection of Title. Available: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/swrole2.html. Last accessed 09/02/2010 Elizabeth Bingham +. (2009). Protection including safeguarding and management of risk.. In: HNC in Social Care. Edinburgh: Heinemann. 229. Mary Barnish. (2004). Domestic Violence: A Literature Review. Available: http://www.domestic-violence-and-abuse.co.uk/information/Cultural-Differences-in-the-UK.php. Last accessed 13/02/2010. Frances A. Althaus . (1997). Female Circumcision: Rite of Passage or Violation of Rights? Available: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2313097.html. Last accessed 13/02/2010. Kathryn Patricelli. (2005). Why do people abuse?. Available: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=docid=8482. Last accessed 13/02/2010. Elizabeth Bingham +. (2009). Issues involved in protection from abuse. In: HNC in Social Care. Edinburgh: Heinemann. 217.