Contrast and compare the two marriage proposals made to...

Hannah Gethin Contrast and compare the two marriage proposals made to Elizabeth Bennet in the novel: Mr Collins proposal to Elizabeth and Darcy s proposal to Elizabeth Jane Austen lived in a mercenary world and this is reflected in her novel. In Pride and Prejudice no secret is made of the need to marry for money. Jane Austen reflects different types of marriage in her novel. There is mercenary marriage, brought about solely for economic reasons. Such would have been the marriage between Mr Collins and Elizabeth. Mr Collins proposal was fuelled by his own economic motives, desire to please the aristocratic Lady Catherine and by Mrs Bennet s economic fears that Elizabeth will inherit little money when her father dies: not real†¦show more content†¦Not how violently he respects and admires her. Darcy s proposal is a complete contrast in its emotional conflict. The whole proposal is much more dynamic and there are clearly strong emotions and feelings involved. Darcy immediately tells Elizabeth he loves her. Wards are used such as, and agitated manner, the color rose, became pale with anger, painfully greater, these clearly demonstrat e dynamic, strong feelings. They illustrate the greater depth of feeling felt throughout Darcy s proposal than in that of Mr Collins . Mr Collins proposal was mainly fueled by the great convenience in Elizabeth marrying Mr Collins. However Darcy s proposal is very far from convenient. Although technically in the same class, Darcy is viewed to be much above Elizabeth in society and a marriage between them would not be viewed as idea. Mr Collins is following the rules in his proposal; talking to Mrs Bennet, saying what he is supposed to and attempting to please Lady Catherine. In contrast Darcy is compelled by his feelings to break the rules, by not doing what society expects of him. Mr Collins proposal was greatly fueled by Lady Catherine and his desire to improve his standing in society. However Darcy is fueled by his feelings to go against society and potentially decrease his social standing. Darcy s true love for Elizabeth overcomes all the sociable reasons for not marrying E. Darcy is a

What Products Use Carbon Fiber Today

Every day, a new application is found for carbon fiber. What started out forty years ago as a highly exotic material is now a part of our everyday lives. These thin filaments, a tenth of the thickness of a human hair, are now available in a wide range of useful forms. The fibers are bundled, woven and shaped into tubes and sheets (up to 1/2-inch thick) for construction purposes, supplied as cloth for molding, or just regular thread for filament winding. Carbon Fiber In Flight Carbon fiber has gone to the moon on spacecraft, but it is also used widely in aircraft components and structures, where its superior strength to weight ratio far exceeds that of any metal. 30 percent of all carbon fiber is used in the aerospace industry. From helicopters to gliders, fighter jets to microlights, carbon fiber is playing its part, increasing range and simplifying maintenance. Sporting Goods Its application in sports goods ranges from the stiffening of running shoes to ice hockey stick, tennis racquets, and golf clubs. ‘Shells’ (hulls for rowing) are built from it, and many lives have been saved on motor racing circuits by its strength and damage tolerance in body structures. It is used in crash helmets too, for rock climbers, horse riders, and motorcyclists – in fact in any sport where there is a danger of head injury. Military The applications in the military are very wide ranging – from planes and missiles to protective helmets, providing strengthening and weight reduction across all military equipment. It takes energy to move weight – whether it is a soldier’s personal gear or a field hospital, and weight saved means more weight moved per gallon of gas. A new military application is announced almost every day. Perhaps the latest and most exotic military application is for small flapping wings on miniaturized flying drones, used for surveillance missions. Of course, we don’t know about all military applications – some carbon fiber uses will always remain part of ‘black ops’ - in more ways than one. Carbon Fiber at Home The uses of carbon fiber in the home are as broad as your imagination, whether it is style or practical application. For those who are style-conscious, it is often tagged as ‘the new black’. If you want a shiny black bathtub built from carbon fiber or a coffee table then you can have just that, off the shelf. iPhone cases, pens, and even bow ties – the look of carbon fiber is unique and sexy. Medical Applications Carbon fiber offers several advantages over other materials in the medical field, including the fact that it is ‘radiolucent’ – transparent to X-rays and shows as black on X-ray images. It is used widely in imaging equipment structures to support limbs being X-rayed or treated with radiation. The use of carbon fiber to strengthen of damaged cruciate ligaments in the knee is being researched, but probably the most well known medical use is that of prosthetics – artificial limbs. South African athlete Oscar Pistorius brought carbon fiber limbs to prominence when the International Association of Athletics Federations failed to ban him from competing in the Beijing Olympics. His controversial carbon fiber right leg was said to give him an unfair advantage, and there is still considerable debate about this. Automobile Industry As costs come down, carbon fiber is being more widely adopted in automobiles. Supercar bodies are built now, but its wider use is likely to be on internal components such as instrument housings and seat frames. Environmental Applications As a chemical purifier, carbon is a powerful absorbent. When it comes to absorption of noxious or unpleasant chemicals, then surface area is important. For a given weight of carbon, thin filaments have far more surface area than granules. Although we see activated carbon granules used as pet litter and for water purification, the potential for wider environmental use is clear. DIY Despite its hi-tech image, easy to use kits are available enabling carbon fiber to be employed in a wide range of home and hobby projects where not only its strength but its visual appeal is a benefit. Whether in cloth, solid sheet, tube or thread, the space age material is now widely available for everyday projects.

American Economy of the 1990s and Beyond

The 1990s brought a new president, Bill Clinton (1993 to 2000). A cautious, moderate Democrat, Clinton sounded some of the same themes as his predecessors. After unsuccessfully urging Congress to enact an ambitious proposal to expand health-insurance coverage, Clinton declared that the era of big government was over in America. He pushed to strengthen market forces in some sectors, working with Congress to open local telephone service to competition. He also joined Republicans to reduce welfare benefits. Still, although Clinton reduced the size of the federal workforce, the government continued to play a crucial role in the nations economy. Most of the major innovations of the New Deal and a good many of the Great Society remained in place. And the Federal Reserve system continued to regulate the overall pace of economic activity, with a watchful eye for any signs of renewed inflation. How the Economy Performed The economy turned in an increasingly healthy performance as the 1990s progressed. With the fall of the Soviet Union and Eastern European communism in the late 1980s, trade opportunities expanded greatly. Technological developments brought a wide range of sophisticated new electronic products. Innovations in telecommunications and computer networking spawned a vast computer hardware and software industry and revolutionized the way many industries operate. The economy grew rapidly, and corporate earnings rose rapidly. Combined with low inflation and low unemployment, strong profits sent the stock market surging; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which had stood at just 1,000 in the late 1970s, hit the 11,000 mark in 1999, adding substantially to the wealth of many -- though not all -- Americans. Japans economy, often considered a model by Americans in the 1980s, fell into a prolonged recession -- a development that led many economists to conclude that the more flexible, less planned, and more competitive American approach was, in fact, a better strategy for economic growth in the new, globally-integrated environment. The Changing of Americas Labor Force Americas labor force changed markedly during the 1990s. Continuing a long-term trend, the number of farmers declined. A small portion of workers had jobs in industry, while a much greater share worked in the service sector, in jobs ranging from store clerks to financial planners. If steel and shoes were no longer American manufacturing mainstays, computers and the software that make them run were. After peaking at $290,000 million in 1992, the federal budget steadily shrank as economic growth increased tax revenues. In 1998, the government posted its first surplus in 30 years, although a huge debt—mainly in the form of promised future Social Security payments to the baby boomers—remained. Economists, surprised at the combination of rapid growth and continued low inflation, debated whether the United States had a new economy capable of sustaining a faster growth rate than seemed possible based on the experiences of the previous 40 years. --- Next Article: Global Economic Integration This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.

Constantine Gods Gift to Christianity - 1168 Words

Christians have been persecuted around the world for their faith during varying periods of time since the birth of the religion. Even today there are stories of Christians being killed or beaten severely at the hands of Hindu extremists in India or in places like China and North Korea. Yet Christianity thrives as the world’s largest religion. Persecution of Christians was especially brutal and widespread during the fourth century in the Roman Empire. Christians were tortured until they denied Christ or killed if they refused, their possessions, houses and buildings were confiscated and they were forced to observe pagan sacrificial traditions. Constantine the Great’s rise to power brought about tremendous change in Roman attitudes and laws from absolutely destroying Christians to accepting, protecting and even supporting the furthering of Christianity. Before Constantine became the sole ruler of the entire Rome Emperor â€Å"by the defeat of Licinius [in] 324†, he was the â€Å"sole Emperor of the West† (Ayers 277). Constantine’s predecessors, Diocletian in the West and Maximinus and in the East, were known for their brutality towards Christians. Under Maximinus, Christians were â€Å"burned at the stake, maimed, crucified, subjected to eye-gouging†¦ [and their] corpses were left lying in the streets for the dogs and vultures† (Johnson 163). Besides bring threatened with the loss of their own lives, Christians were also forced to watch as their possessions were confiscated. Eusebius sharesShow MoreRelatedIs Sunday the Sabbath? Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesGod changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Sunday keeping was actually created by the man by the name Constantine. He was the first Roman Emperor to adopt Christianity. He changed the day of worship from God’s holy Sabbath day, Saturday, to Sunday. 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For His thoughts are above His own creation, not to be misconstrued as a King without mercy however, it is within the mercy and grace of The King to grant such wisdom to be penned for theRead MoreThe Rise Of The Church1332 Words   |  6 PagesTo understand the rise of the Church in Rome it is imperative to recall that the center of the Christianity had been destroyed in AD 70, when the army of Titus destroyed Jerusalem. Looking for leadership, the Christians would have immediately sought out those in Rome as it was the center of power and capitol of the Empire. In the first and second centuries, all roads did indeed lead to Rome. The second reason that Christians looked to Rome for leadership is because they believed that the church wouldRead MoreThe Religion Of The Roman Empire Essay1834 Words   |  8 Pagesreligious beliefs. Religion was an instrumental part of culture, it shaped traditions and forged the identity of different societies. 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Christmas time is a time of Giving in the same way as the time when Jesus was born, where the three wise men from the East brought gifts to the baby Jesus 4. Why would Jesus not be well received by the Sadducees and the Jewish patriots? The Sadducees thought Jesus was a problem because he might have lead a rebellion against the Roman empire, and the Jewish patriots might have feltRead MoreParadigm Shifts of Church History1486 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay is to discuss the six paradigm’s shifts as highlighted by Bosch. The six paradigms are; primitive Christianity; the patristic period; the Middle Ages; the Reformation; the Enlightenment; and the Ecumenical era[1]. Bosch’s title for the book is ‘Transforming Mission’. As described by Bosch in his foreword he talks about the title as ambiguous. â€Å"Transforming† can be an adjective used to describe â€Å"mission†. Mission can be understood as not the enterprise that transforms reality, but something

China’s Compliance with its obligations under GATT and WTO Free Essays

The history of China and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) dates back to 1948, when China became a contracting party after being among the 23 founding members of the organization. In 1950 however, the country under the Kuomintang government pulled out of GATT, but was later granted an observer status in 1982 after pleading that the pull-out was not done by a legitimate government. By 1986, China’s persistence to resume its position in GATT set a platform for talks with other member countries, which continued throughout the 1990’s. We will write a custom essay sample on China’s Compliance with its obligations under GATT and WTO or any similar topic only for you Order Now The country only managed to regain its membership in 1999 and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. By Joining WTO, China agreed to be bound by Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Agreement (SCM), GATT and Trade-Related Investment Measures Agreement (TRIMs) trade agreements. The entrance of China to the WTO was of great importance not only to the country, but to other world economies, which had observed the economic expansion of the country with heightened interests in the past decades. In 2000 for example, China was the world’s eighth largest importer and the seventh largest exporter of goods. The country accounted for $249. 2 billion in exports and $225. 1 billion in imports. In the commercial services sector China ranked twelfth in position at $ 29. 7 billion, while it was it was ranked as the tenth largest importer at $34. 8 billion (WTO news ). It was not however smooth sailing for the country and the other WTO signatories mainly because China is enormous in size and had a set trade regime by the time it joined WTO. As such, a change of the country’s legal and regulatory system in trade was required in order to ensure consistency with the WTO regulations. Although most countries supported the entrant of China to WTO, many observed that compliance for the country would not only need dedication, but also transparency. Sentiments regarding the hard task ahead for China were for example expressed by the United States’ Trade Representative, Mr. Robert Zoellick in 2002 , who said that since China had freely chosen its WTO obligations freely, other countries expected that the country would comply with all. Zoellick however agreed that meeting some of the obligations would not be easy for China, but would play a major role in ensuring that China was open to trade with the rest of the world. CHINA’S WTO OBLIGATIONS China took up obligations laid down in GATT, under the WTO by agreeing to non-discriminate and equally treat national trade from WTO member countries and also agreed to a adhere to the national trade policies as set out by WTO. First on China’s list of obligations under GATT/WTO, was the quota’s withdrawal requirement as earlier stated by the People’s Republic of China, under a protocol document. The country was also obligated to conform to the GATT 1994 agreement and the WTO agreement that addressed procedures involved in import licensing. Another obligation was the right to have enterprises in China trading in exports and imports as authorized under the customs territory of China. As such, China agreed to wipe out state import monopolies earlier maintained in the agricultural sector. In addition, china was required to subject all its imports and exports to rules set out under the WTO. More to this, the country was also subject to varying terms regarding price control restrictions and state trading (Vallera pp 2-3) GATT obligations included the prohibition of restrictions on imports specifically agriculture related imports. Another requirement under the GATT agreement related to giving imported goods equal treatment with the domestic products. In addition, the GATT agreement spelt out that fees or charges imposed on imports would be approximate to services rendered (Williams, Brett p 3) GATT Requirements GATT was a brain child of the United States, which first floated the idea of regulating 45,000 tariff rates in 1947 during an international conference held in Geneva (econ. iastate. du) . A year later, 22 other countries signed the trade agreement. Under GATT, a member country was to treat other signatory countries as a â€Å"Most Favored Nation† (MFN). The MFN treatment assured GATT member countries that non signatory countries would not receive lower tariffs than them. China was at war during the early years of the implementation of GATT, the discussions to rejoin GATT , which started in the 1980’s was further curtailed by the Tiananmen announcement , which marked halted Chinese interaction with the GATT member countries in 1989 (Skanderup p32) . On resumption of the talks in 1995, WTO had taken over from GATT and with the new identity came stricter requirements, which often led to stalemates of the negotiations. It was however, china’s realization of economic gains in terms of expertise, technology and capital gains from other countries that eventually convinced the country leaders of the importance of joining GATT/WTO. China was petitioning to be recognized as a developing country upon resumption to GATT/WTO. This was rightfully so because despite China being the largest economy among the developing countries, most regions in the country still registered very low GDP. Being recognized as a developing country allowed the country to enjoy special benefits under the agreement. Such included the elimination or reduction of tariffs on products from the developing countries; developed countries were also encouraged to avoid imposing tariffs and internal taxes on products from the developing countries. More so, the developed countries were alerted not to expect reciprocal trade from the developing countries (econ. iastate. edu). Compliance with WTO By the time that China was re-admitted to the WTO, the organization had 140 countries signed up for membership. The Bilateral agreement between china and the other member countries was therefore complex and long, such that the entire document was 900 pages and covered every aspect of trade as discussed. It was a consensus that China would implement some of the agreements in the 900 page document immediately, while others would be stretched over a five year period. Others still w ere expected to last the entire decade before China could finally reform its system entirely to match the compliance requirements. To aid the Chinese government in this, a WTO secretariat was appointed, with an assisting 16 subcommittees being mandated at monitoring the country’s progress and producing annual reports about China over an 8 year period of time (Skanderup, Jane p32). On its part, the Chinese government took up massive public education campaigns that sought to offer insight on what compliance meant. Local universities started offering degrees on international law, finance, foreign trades and trade. By the look of it, China had every intention to stick to the rule of WTO. Foreign governments, such as the United States government extended a helping hand and offered to create oversight bodies in Chinese state departments with an aim of ensuring that China complied with the WTO agreement. Transparency China did not always operate transparently in its trade dealings, regulations and decision making. As such, the WTO requirement signified a great shift in the country and so far, the country has done well in compliance with the GATT/WTO requirement’s on transparency. In this, China publicized trade related laws to improve how people accessed them. The most notable efforts were from the Ministry of Commerce, which adopted impressive policies with the aim of complying to the WTO transparency requirements (United States Trade Representative). However, there were complaints that China was not fast enough in its compliance. This was especially the case with short term goals that were supposed to be met within the first two years. In a 2004 review, it was noted that China had challenges with conforming to transparent practices especially with international set standards and value-added tax. In the six year period ending in 2007, China had eight dispute cases filed against it by other WTO members (Stewart et al p7) . Five of these cases were by the United States, while the European Union, Mexico and Canada had one case each. The eight cases were based on china’s non-compliance on Value added Tax, automobile imports, tax reductions and exemptions, trading rights, distribution services and intellectual rights on publication and audiovisual. The Transitional Review Mechanism is in charge of monitoring China’s progress and has raised these issues. Because of non-compliance, foreign and domestic business suffers frustrations when establishing businesses and often suffers from systemic uncertainties. Because of the language barrier, China still under the transparency requirement agreed to translate laws and regulations relating to trade into French, English or Spanish. The country also agreed to modify hundreds of its laws and regulations in order to become WTO compliant (USTR. gov) China also agreed to eliminate the local content requirement, foreign currency balancing requirement and export performance requirements from its laws. Allegations that China still manipulates its currency to date however abound. Intellectual Property rights China has been accused of not doing enough to ensure that the intellectual property rights are upheld in the country. Since joining the WTO, a 2007 TLAG report states that IPR infringement was at its worst in 2005 and 2006. To make it even worse, the report indicates that China had demonstrated no initiatives in trying to reform the criminal code in the country, which is the only way through which the country can enforce the protection of the intellectual properties (Stewart et al p11). Industrial policies China’s industrialized policies have always sought to protect local industries. This was meant to change after the ratification of the WTO agreement. However, complaints from other countries still abound pertaining to china’s protectionism measures over its auto part industry, export restrictions, regulatory interventions and subsidies on domestic industries. Subsidies China agreed to eliminate subsidies on exports and industrial goods. This was done under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), China further agreed to stop subsidies on state-owned enterprises especially because some of the state owned companies were not profitable and only aided in destabilizing trade. The SCM agreement only prohibited subsidies on a limited range of products, and imposed countervailing duties. Such compliance encouraged Chinese industries to become more competitive especially because they were exposed to market pressures from foreign investors. Discriminatory Safeguard By acceding to the safeguard agreement China agreed to steer clear of WTO inconsistent tariffs and quotas, except those allowed by the organization on temporary measures. Under this agreement, non-compliance by China would earn her penalties that would see other WTO members imposing tariffs and Quotas on Chinese products, while denying China the ability to counter such actions (Halverson, Karen). Trading and Distribution rights China has scored fairly well in this front. However, the complaints from other member countries allege that the country still impose restrictions to specific products. Among the cases highlighted are import restrictions on copyrighted materials such as periodicals, books, audio and audio-visual products. The 2007 TLAG report indicates that China is yet to fully comply with the direct selling requirement since it still restricts direct sales from foreign companies (Stewart et al p12). Agriculture China has largely complied with the agricultural requirements but this depends on the market situation. At times, the country employs selective market interventions that cause delays in agricultural shipments. In addition, the country sometimes applies scientific rationales with the intention of preventing some agricultural commodities from entering her market. Other complaints allude that China lacks a consistent and predictable regulatory administration, which is laden with capricious practices in the customs departments. The Chinese agricultural market also lacks predictability and transparency. China’s agriculture obligations included her commitment to avoid providing export subsidies to the domestic producers. China also was obligated to lift the meat, citrus products, corn and wheat bans. The country further had to implement some tariff –rate quotas that world provide sufficient market to farmers from signatory countries. Services- Arguably, this is among the sectors where China has scored the least points as far as compliance to the WTO commitments is concerned. Despite the initial promises made under the general Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), China is yet to lift some of its restrictions in the services sector. As such, other countries still experience limited access to the Chinese services industry. Areas of concern between 2001 and 2004 remained the financial sub-sectors (insurance and banking), in a 2007report however, the United States lauded Chinas efforts to comply with the obligations (USCBC) . It confirmed that China has indeed complied with the insurance requirements by lowering the total assets to $200 million down from the earlier requirement of $300 million on foreign insurers. In the banking sector, the USCBC report further indicates that China has lifted geographic barriers earlier set on its local currency, which mad business challenging for foreign based financial institutions. China also allowed her nations to freely choose among foreign or domestic owned financial institutions. In addition, the country removed restrictions that hindered ownership and operations of financial institutions thus allowing more foreign owners to invest in the industry. Telecommunication sector was however dragging behind, with the report stating that although China had committed itself to lift geographic limitations on data services and mobile voice for joint ventures, China was yet to draft regulations on how to meet that commitment. Another requirement on the telecom sector yet to be met by China is her commitment to expand the geographical capacity of domestic owned telecom services by raising foreign ownership to 35 percent. The engineering, architectural and urban planning requirements were however met between 2003 and 2007 and foreign owned enterprises can now take part in integrated engineering, planning and architecture without the requirement of domestic partnerships. The country is also yet to fully comply with WTO requirements set on the express delivery sub sector (Stewart et al p13). Foreign owned enterprises can operate in courier services but restrictions on the scope of business that such enterprises can engage in still exist. Obtaining licenses for the foreign based firms remains a big challenge for many. China’s obligation in allowing foreign firms to operate in freight inspection and testing services were yet to be met in 2007 as their were restrictions on the scope of business that a foreign firm could engage in. In a 2005-2006 US-China Business Council’s (USCBC) report, China is said to have complied with the advertising requirements, which allowed foreign-owned enterprises to invest in advertising companies. China met this requirement in 2005 through the country’s ministry of Commerce Foreign owned business own and operate hotel and restaurant business in China, but have to abide by set regulations. In this sub-sector, China is yet to comply with the WTO requirements since foreign-owned enterprises are restricted on the amount of air cargo space they can book (USCBC). Tariff Reductions China agreed to reduce its tariffs on agriculture products to 15 percent, with average tariff level for industrial goods being set at 8. 9 percent. Tariff reduction obligations were scheduled for immediate, short term and long-term implementation. Trading Rights Trading rights are two way under the WTO agreement. They include the rights to I) other WTO member countries importing products and services to china, and ii) China exporting its domestic products to other WTO countries. In 2004, China enforced trading rights process that ensured that foreign nationals registering businesses in the country did so without any hindrances. This was a step that was lauded by many signatory countries, most notably the United States. However, some deficiencies in trading rights still existed. Such included commitments on pharmaceutical and books importations. Another deficiency noted in China’s compliance to the WTO trading rights requirement was the lack of liberalization of agreed trading rights. Such includes wholesaling services, retail services, franchising services, agent’s services and other related services. By 2004, China was yet to open its markets to allow foreign investors to practice direct sales or off-location sales. Among the notable compliances in the trading rights requirements was china allowing importers and exporters to conduct their businesses directly, without using middle men. Tourism In 2004, China took the first steps to complying with the WTO in the tourism sector by allowing foreign based firms to acquire joint ventures in China. It was expected that by December 2007, wholly foreign-based enterprises would be able to operate in the Chinese tourism industry. It was also expected that all branch restrictions, registered capital restrictions and geographical barriers would be lifted. The WTO requirements for China in the Tourism Industry were initially meant for Xi’an, Shaanxi, Shangai, Guangzhou and Beijing regions. In a 2004 report to Congress, the US lauded China’s progress in complying with the tourism, professional, education and environmental services (United States Trade Representative ) . CONCLUSION China’s compliance and non-compliance is widely a matter of government and industry protectionism. Whereas the private sector players may intentionally avoid adhering to the WTO rules, the government, which has the capacity to press the private industry players towards compliance does not apply the necessary internal pressure required to move the players. The spirit of WTO agreement that China exhibited on its entry to the WTO was already running out in the third year of implementation. Other issues that arise in the only communist country as it puts up measures that ensures compliance to WTO is the fear of the China Communist Party of loosing national support. This is especially likely because the income inequalities in China are on a steep incline, something that the locals blame on the market reforms under WTO and the expanded private sector (Halverson, Karen) Overall, China has received mixed rating for its compliance levels of the WTO requirements. The United States is among the biggest bilateral trader whose public holds mixed reactions on the role of China’s trade to the US under WTO. Some of the notable complaints from US investors include China’s continued protection of its steel and auto producers. Other claims allege that China uses her tax system to discriminate particular imports. Some export regulations in China also contravene the WTO requirements. Such include restrictions placed on raw materials, thus driving up production costs. Foreigners claim this is discriminatory since foreign investor’s ends up producing at higher costs, while the Chinese nationals operate at lower costs thus giving the former a market advantage. Eight years later after China joined the WTO; many member countries agree that it is the high time that the country took accountability for its obligations. This is especially so because most of its requirements were meant for accomplishment in the first five years. The United States is one such country, which is pursuing dialogue, dispute settlement mechanisms, legal action or a combination of all in order to ensure that China complies. How to cite China’s Compliance with its obligations under GATT and WTO, Papers

Ford and Global Batteries Corporation †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Ford and Global Batteries Corporation. Answer: Introduction: The decision that I made was to think differently about the purpose of business. After learning business ethics, I have gained a different viewpoint regarding the purpose of business. Previously, I used to think that businesses exist only to make profits for the owners. My view is now different. I currently believe that businesses should place ethics over profits. Ethics has become a more and more vital aspect of business practice and placing ethics over profits can actually pay off over the long term. Business organizations that work ethically would be able to outpace their competitors since clients would trust such companies. Corporate leaders should demonstrate ethical leadership by leading in a way that respects other peoples dignity and rights. They should ensure high standards of ethical and moral conduct rather focusing primarily on making profits. This is in line with my response for Online Commentary 3. Two companies that did not demonstrate ethical behaviour are Ford and Global Batteries Corporation (GBC) as demonstrated in the Ford Pinto case and GBC case. In the case of Ford, the company placed profits over ethics and produced faulty cars and one of these cars killed a woman. Ford used a utilitarian approach in making their decision and I do not agree with it. Global Batteries Corporation also put profits over ethics. Their unethical actions led to the death of many people after the plant exploded. What I learned from these two cases is that it is unethical for businesses to disregard ethics in their pursuit for profits. I now understand that organizations need to make a concerted effort, even in high pressure environments, to constantly focus on behaviours that are ethical. Ford and GBC do not have ethical cultures and that is why they engaged in ethical wrongdoing. In the past I also exhibited corrupt behaviour. The beliefs that I held that informed my practice to accept bribery and corruption include viewing these vices as acceptable and not wrong. I held these assumptions/views owing to my cultural background and my upbringing in Sri Lanka, where corruption and bribery are widespread and many citizens here do not consider it as wrong. On the whole, the fact that I was brought up believing that corruption and bribery are not wrong greatly influenced my views. The results from my Values Questionnaire diagnostic tool show that my highest preferences are Economic, at 89. This helps me to understand my behaviour to engage in bribery/corruption since for me to offer services or to receive a service in Sri Lanka, I would be more likely to give/receive a financial tip first as an incentive or motivator. While I may give a bribe, I may only do so not because I want to, but because I am forced to do by the circumstances. Otherwise, I would not since I am a very authentic leader as demonstrated by my Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire diagnostic tool in which I scored 68. I felt confusion, annoyance and anger regarding the decision to engage in bribery and corruption. I felt this way mainly because of a conflict between what I thought was acceptable and the ethical content covered in class regarding ethics. I was very frustrated after realizing that by engaging in bribery and corruption, I was in fact perpetuating these unethical vices. However, at the moment, I have a totally different perspective relating to bribery thanks to the ethical content covered in class. I now believe that bribery is a very unethical, bad and dishonourable thing to do. The content of this unit has allowed me to gain greater insight into ethics and behaviour. As a manager in the future, I will use this information to ensure that I always put ethics over profits, unlike Ford and GBC leaders/managers. I will uphold moral competencies and always uphold my highest moral competencies as demonstrated by my result in the Scoring the MCI diagnostic tool: admit mistakes and failures, keep promises, and tell the truth, in addition to other moral competencies. Furthermore, I will strive to use my position to develop and promote sustainable ethical culture within my organization, exhibit high moral standards, always act with utmost integrity, and conduct my work ethically unlike the leaders/managers of Ford and GBC. Conclusion: Being a manager in future will mean that all responsibility and accountability would be attributed to me. I will strive to avoid corporate wrongdoing and unethical actions as much as possible, and take responsibility for all my actions, unlike the managers/leaders at Ford and GBC. Similarly, when I am not to blame, I will attribute responsibility and accountability to the right person/people and rightly hold them morally responsible for their actions as demonstrated by my results in the Attributing Responsibility and Accountability Moral Praise and/or Blame diagnostic tool. I strongly believe that corporate leaders and managers are responsible and accountable for the decisions and actions taken by them. They should always uphold moral responsibility, and I will also do so when I am a manager in future. This is in line with my response on Online Commentary 1.

Caribbean Studies Essay Sample free essay sample

Natural catastrophes are defined as natural calamities which cause great harm by interrupting the operation of a society. Natural catastrophes are inevitable and omnipresent worldwide. Within the Caribbean. three chief natural catastrophes are hurricanes. temblors. inundations. The great amendss caused by natural catastrophes may be divided into two classs: societal and economic and environmental. However. this essay will turn to the societal and economic impact of these natural catastrophes on the Caribbean and how to cut down the effects of these catastrophes. In respects to the essay. Hurricanes ( with particular accent being placed on Hurricane Gilbert ) and inundations every bit good as two Caribbean districts. Jamaica and Haiti will be utilised severally. The undermentioned points will be discussed in footings of hurricane: loss of lives and homelessness. break of communities. employment ( societal impact ) procedure of money being diverted into alleviation activities and Recon struction. Gross Domestic Product ( economic impacts ) . Conversely points that will be discussed for deluging are: nutrient deficit and the taint of H2O. loss of places ( societal impacts ) and the overall impact on the economic system every bit good as aid received from foreigners ( economic impacts ) . A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone. which is by and large formed in the Torrid Zones. This tropical cyclone is accompanied by electrical storms. heavy rainfall. implosion therapy and strong air currents. The economic and societal effects of this phenomenon are terrible. particularly in less developed Caribbean states. Haiti for illustration. A hurricane can do major loss of lives and besides homelessness. Hurricane Gilbert struck the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast of Mexico in 1988. doing comprehensive harm in Jamaica. Haiti. Guatemala. Honduras. Dominican Republic. Costa Rica. and Nicaragua. Approximately 21 lives were lossed in Jamaica during this hurricane. and it left over 400 people homeless. Crops were destroyed ; farm animal husbandmans were left to dispose of farm animate beings that were perished during the hurricane and public-service corporation poles uprooted. As a consequence of the amendss from a hurricane. unemployment can go a major societal impact. as the installations for occupations can be severely damaged. The economic impact of Hurricanes on Caribbean districts can retard development. The money that a state has. is now diverted into alleviation activities and Reconstruction of damaged belongingss. All these losingss can pass over out whatever gain that may hold been achieved in economic development. Approximately $ 4 billion was diverted into Reconstruction. when hurricane Gilbert came to Jamaica ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. nationmaster. com/graph/dis_hur_gil_imp_imp_dam-disasters-hurricane-gilbert-impact-damage ) . Once the hazard posed by hurricanes is understood. specific extenuation steps can be taken to cut down the hazard to communities. substructure. and economic activities. Human and economic losingss can be greatly reduced through well-organized attempts to implement appropriate preventative steps. in public consciousness and in publishing timely warnings. Thankss to these steps. states in the part have experienced a drastic decrease in the figure of deceases caused by hurricanes. Extenuation steps are most cost-efficient when implemented as portion of the original program or building of vulnerable constructions. Typical illustrations are the application of edifice criterions designed for hurricane-force air currents. the turning away of countries that can be affected by storm rush or implosion therapy. and the planting of shelterbelts to protect wind-sensitive harvests. Retrofiting edifices or other undertakings to do them hurricane-resistant is more dearly-won and sometimes impossible. Once a undertaking is located in a flood-prone country. it may non be executable to travel it to safer land. The overall record on extenuation of hurricane hazard in the Caribbean and Central America is non really encouraging. Cases abound of new investings in the populace or productive sectors that were exposed to important jeopardy hazard because of inappropriate design or location. and even of undertakings that were rebuilt in the same manner on the same site after holding been destroyed a first clip. Other instances can be cited of schools and infirmaries funded with bilateral assistance that were built to plan criterions suited for the donor state but incapable of defying hurricane-strength air currents prevalent in the recipient state. The touristry sector in the Caribbean is ill-famed for its evident neglect of the hazard of hurricanes and associated jeopardies. A hotel composite built with deficient reverse from the high-water grade non merely risks being damaged by wave action and storm rush. but interferes with the normal procedures of beach formation and dune stabilisation. therefore cut downing the effectivity of a natural system of protection against wave action. After the first serious harm is incurred the proprietors of the hotel will most likely decide to reconstruct on the same site and put in a breakwater. instead than see traveling the construction to a recommended reverse. The effectivity of national exigency readiness offices of states in the part is frequently earnestly limited because of unequal institutional support and a deficit of proficient and fiscal resources. In the smaller Caribbean islands. these offices are largely one-man operations. with the individual in charge responsible for many oth er non-emergency affairs. It would be unrealistic to anticipate them to be able to move efficaciously at the local degree in instances of area-wide exigencies. such as those caused by hurricanes. It is hence indispensable to heighten the capacity of the population in little towns and small towns to fix for and respond to exigencies by their ain agencies. From 1986 through 1989. the OAS/Natural Hazards Project has worked with several Eastern Caribbean states to measure the exposure of little towns and small towns to natural jeopardies. and develop local catastrophe directors and community leaders in forming hazard appraisals and extenuation in their communities. These activities have resulted in the readying of a preparation manual with attach toing picture for usage by local leaders. This attempt has focused on lifeline networks-transportation. communications. H2O. electricity. sanitation-and critical installations related to the public assistance of the dwellers. such as infirmaries and wellness centres. schools. constabularies and fire Stationss. community installations. and exigency shelters. The balance of this chapter is dedicated to a drumhead overview of the procedure by which the leading in a little town or small town can present effectual jeopardy extenuation. D. COPING WITH HURRICANES IN SMALL TOWNS AND VILLAGES 1. Inventory of Lifeline Networks and Critical Facilities 2. Learning the Operation of Lifelines and Facilities and Their Potential for Disruption by Hurricane 3. Checking the Vulnerability of the Lifelines and Facilities through Field Inspection and Investigation 4. Establishing a Positive Working Relationship with the Agencies and Companies that Manage the Infrastructure and Services of the Community 5. Developing an Understanding of the Total Risk to the Community 6. Explicating a Extenuation Scheme The grade to which local communities can last harm and break from terrible storms and hurricanes besides depends to a big extent on how good the basic services and substructure. the common goods of the community. stand up to the air current and rain attach toing these storms. Whereas single households bear full duty for fixing their ain shelter to defy the effects of storms. they have a much more limited function in guaranting that their common services are safeguarded. yet one that can non be neglected. Non-governmental bureaus involved in low income lodging building and upgrading have developed practical and low cost steps for increasing the opposition of self-built houses to hurricane force air currents. Typical of attempts of this nature is the work performed by the Construction Resource and Development Centre ( CRDC ) in Jamaica. which produced educational stuffs and organized workshops on house and roof Reconstruction following Hurricane Gilbert. The chief duty for presenting an consciousness and concern in the community sing the