Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Essay Example For Students

The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Essay Humbug!? was Scrooges favorite answer to any question and any question was an inappropriate question to the grumpy old covetous man. Depicted in the ethical story, The Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Scrooges fowling manner transformed his once passionate heart to a black hole, which pulled in all hope and happiness as if it were a powerful magnet. Nevertheless, the jar of hatred shattered and Scrooges impaired spirit rose again. Love and happiness permeated his body, and the once ignorant Scrooge developed into an irresistible congenial fellow that everyone now knew. Scrooge found that he had the ability to alter his behavior and realized that spreading Christmas was more rewarding than any given amount of money. Scrooges capability to transform himself from a wrenching, disgruntled man to a blithe, amicable friend was surprising to the inhabitants of the small city. For instance, Charles Dickens wrote, Some people laughed to see the alteration in him , but he let them laugh, and little heeded them- (page 112). Scrooge didnt mind the giggles and laughs directed at him because he believed in himself for the first time in a very long time. We will write a custom essay on The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now His confined spirit was freed at last and it allotted happiness and joy around from mysterious turkeys on the doorstep to charity donations. Scrooge sought to make the people of the city cheerful and in doing so, people enjoyed watching an old jolly man hop around delivering gifts. Thus, Scrooge did not heed to the snickers in the crowd. The joy of spreading Christmas was Scrooges indirect gift to mankind and it rewarded him with long-lasting friends, which could never compare to any wealth. For example, Charles Dickens wrote,? He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough in the good old world(page 112). This quote portrays that Scrooges contribution all year round achieved the worlds love and benevolence he longed for. In addition, Scrooge tried hard to become a role model to all; he funded charities for those in need and medical bills for Bob Cratchits son, Tiny Tim. Therefore, Scrooge reveals his exuberant and respectful manners earning him love from humanity. Scrooge loved and hated the three ghosts he met. He was thankful for their kind thoughts to help him, but despised them for recalling memories that he wished were of no existence. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be or shadows of things that May be, only (page 102). Scrooge in time understood that he had the power to set his future any way he wanted. He could be grumpy for all time and be forgotten or be giving and considered as a hero. Also, Scrooge learns that life should not be taken for granted, but treasured for every moment because he only has one chance to live. Indeed, Scrooge was grateful that he was given a second chance to alter his one life. In conclusion, The Christmas Carol reveals that Scrooge had misguided himself in his early life, but eventually placed himself back onto the right road again. Scrooges life will be forever changed by his commitment to spreading Christmas and joy all year. As a second father to Tiny Tim, Scrooge becomes part of the poor Cratchit family and will help supplement them through harsh events. All in all, Scrooges cookie jar of hatred broke, and out escaped his confined spirit filling the air with hope and happiness, re-defining the meaning of Christmas again.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Wal Mart Vs Walgreen

Wal-Mart VS Walgreen Wal-Mart and Walgreen are two companies that virtually dominate their industry. The industry in which these two companies dominate is the industry of retail (department & discount). This industry aims to provide customers a variety of goods at a low discounted price. When shopping at either Walgreen or Wal-Mart a shopper can find anything they need from clothing to auto care. This makes life a little easier for the shopper because they do not have to shop at multiple stores to get what they need because Wal-Mart and Walgreen provide everything they can possibly need and at a great price. The prices at these two stores are relatively close because if one of the two stores has lower prices they will loose the war for customers. New customers of Wal-Mart or Walgreen are of the utmost importance due to the fact that the customers of these two companies tend to be loyal customers. Meaning, when customers shop at either Wal-Mart or Walgreen they tend to shop only at the particular s tore. There could be a variety of reasons for this customer loyalty. These reasons can range from customer service to isle arrangement to store location. Whatever the reason for customers shopping at either Wal-Mart or Walgreen it is important for the companies to keep their customers because customers play a major role in the success of the company. While the two companies are relatively close they do differ in certain areas of their business success as well as business inadequacies. Wal-Mart In order to decide which company, Wal-Mart or Walgreen is more successful and to make a smarter investment decision a potential investor needs to look at key and important statistics, ratios, and factors that may contribute to a company’s success. Perhaps one of the most important ratios to look at when researching a possible investment is the price to earnings ratio or the P/E ratio. The price earning ratio is calculated by div... Free Essays on Wal Mart Vs Walgreen Free Essays on Wal Mart Vs Walgreen Wal-Mart VS Walgreen Wal-Mart and Walgreen are two companies that virtually dominate their industry. The industry in which these two companies dominate is the industry of retail (department & discount). This industry aims to provide customers a variety of goods at a low discounted price. When shopping at either Walgreen or Wal-Mart a shopper can find anything they need from clothing to auto care. This makes life a little easier for the shopper because they do not have to shop at multiple stores to get what they need because Wal-Mart and Walgreen provide everything they can possibly need and at a great price. The prices at these two stores are relatively close because if one of the two stores has lower prices they will loose the war for customers. New customers of Wal-Mart or Walgreen are of the utmost importance due to the fact that the customers of these two companies tend to be loyal customers. Meaning, when customers shop at either Wal-Mart or Walgreen they tend to shop only at the particular s tore. There could be a variety of reasons for this customer loyalty. These reasons can range from customer service to isle arrangement to store location. Whatever the reason for customers shopping at either Wal-Mart or Walgreen it is important for the companies to keep their customers because customers play a major role in the success of the company. While the two companies are relatively close they do differ in certain areas of their business success as well as business inadequacies. Wal-Mart In order to decide which company, Wal-Mart or Walgreen is more successful and to make a smarter investment decision a potential investor needs to look at key and important statistics, ratios, and factors that may contribute to a company’s success. Perhaps one of the most important ratios to look at when researching a possible investment is the price to earnings ratio or the P/E ratio. The price earning ratio is calculated by div...

Friday, November 22, 2019

1984 Essays (1274 words) - Nineteen Eighty-Four, Julia, Telescreen

1984 It has always been man?s dream to see and understand the future in an attempt to prepare himself for events which will eventually unfold. This hope is the premise for futuristic novels like George Orwell?s 1984, which, step by step, moves through the life of a rebellious citizen trapped in a world of deceit and propaganda. Very few people have been exposed to such a treacherous environment as Oceania, where Winston, the main character, resides. Therefore, it was necessary for the author to interject certain literary devices to allow for the ability to better relate to a character in Winston?s situation. To accomplish this, Orwell utilizes the theme of individuality versus tyranny, foreshadowing, and irony, in order to fully extract all possible motives behind Winston?s actions. Many countries, such as the United States, are founded on principles of individuality reigning over tyranny, more specifically, the freedom of choice. However, in the futuristic Oceania, run by ?Big Brother?, such freedom and individuality is, for the most part, completely suspended. To act impulsively, or choose to oppose Big Brother, is a ?thoughtcrime? of dire consequence. This is the basis behind the Inner Party?s control of Oceania. Winston however, from the commencement of the novel, showed that he was not willing to conform to such a tyrannical society. From his writing ?DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER? in his diary as the novel opened, to his relationship with Julia, which was considered sexcrime in Oceania, Winston proved his thoughts were antiparallel to those of the Inner Party. The fact that Winston was so ready to rebel was quite courageous in that he knew people who opposed The Party, or were to educated, like Syme, were vaporized. The members of the Inner Party recognized the ab ilities of an educated man to see through the propaganda of Oceania, and would therefore tolerate nothing but ignorance. Winston, however, continued to oppose the state, and commited, in many ways, both thoughtcrime and sexcrime. He joined the Brotherhood, run by Oceania?s first public enemy, Goldstein, and even reads a book published by the man. This action follows Winston?s open attempt to befriend O?Brien in a society which would not condone such outward behavior. The reasoning behind the condemnation of friendship was that it was believed that friendship could lead to alliances that would threaten the reign of the Inner Party. Winston?s barrage of individualistic actions lead The Party to arrest him, as they witnessed his actions from a hidden telescreen behind a picture. Mr. Charrington, the local store manager, who appeared rather genuine, led the arrest, for he was a member of the unknown thoughtpolice. Julia is killed, and Winston is taken by the thoughtpolice to the ministr y of love, where he is to be held for his crimes. As is the basis for futuristic novels such as 1984, Orwell foreshadows much of the events that occur, through vague or inanimate objects. The most noticeable device for foreshadowing was Winston?s dream of the Golden place with fields and rays of light, a basic human paradise. Such a place foreshadows Winston?s capture and incarceration in the Ministry of Love which is a large white building with strong lights continuously beating down upon its inmates. One of the largest symbols in the novel was the breaking of the globe, which can be interpreted in many fashions. One of which is the foreshadowing of the destruction of Winston?s world, as portrayed through the murder of Julia and his capture by the thoughtpolice. Goldstein?s book also is a mechanism by which Orwell foreshadows eventual occurrences in the novel. Such an object, absolutely illegal in Oceania, foreshadows the Winston?s final steps before his capture, authorized by the Inner Party. Other instances, separate from the sec ond book, are also applied for foreshadowing. Winston?s relationship with the prostitute, portraying his search for human companionship, form a preconceived notion of his relationship with Julia and his befriending of O?Brien. These two actions are perhaps, Winston?s two greatest violations against the laws set forth by the Inner Party. Though the theme of individuality versus tyranny and the use of foreshadowing are essential literary devices, it is the application of irony that truly makes the novel a masterpiece. Many ironic events occur during the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Product, Price, Distribution and Promotion Essay

Product, Price, Distribution and Promotion - Essay Example The choice of market assumes significance considering the high economic growth of the nation as well as the demand for quality healthcare in the nation. Intensity Level India emerges as one of the most favorable destinations for setting up a healthcare unit for cardiac ailments because of the huge market size. A research reports currently values the Indian healthcare industry at about 34 billion US dollars. This value is expected to reach up to the tune of 40 million dollars by the end of 2012. In addition to this the burgeoning population of the nation also adds to the profitability of the Indian market. In addition the lack of facilities with the government hospitals acts as a lucrative opportunity for the private sector considering the fact that approximately 80 percent of the healthcare spending is being done by the private sector in the nation (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2007, p.1-2). Marketing Mix Product The proposed cardiac super specialty center would have all the aspects that would provide world class treatment facilities. The hospital would have a narrow breadth with regards to the product offering and would only focus towards cardiac and heart ailments (Berkowitz, 2006, p.218, 219). Apart from separate wings like emergency, and outdoor, the hospital would also have dedicated Intensive Cardiac Care Units, High Dependency Units that would be equipped with latest machinery and equipments. In addition to equipments the hospital would also have quality paramedical staff including qualified nurses and attendants to regularly cater to the patients. Highly expert doctors would be kept as specialists for different ailments related to cardiac problems. In addition to this the hospital would also have tie ups with leading hospitals abroad and would have video conferencing facilities that would help the doctors to consult expert doctors from across the globe. The hospital would also have outdoor facilities for the patients. The hospital would have a 24 hour dedica ted emergency facility for catering to any emergency. Specialized trauma care centers would also be established to cater to patients suffering from severe trauma. Price The new healthcare unit would follow a premium pricing strategy that would be based on the level of specialized healthcare facilities being provided to the organization. A skim based pricing strategy would be adopted as the hospital would be targeting only premium segment patients who are more concerned about the quality of treatment and do not bother about the costs. This would help the hospital to earn better margins to maintain its sustainability and profitability. Maintaining a premium pricing strategy would help in generating greater financial viability and sustainability for the organization to grow and prosper in the future. The hospital would also have tie ups with leading insurance providers and would also provide cashless treatment to the patients based on the quantum of insurance coverage. High level of tr ansparency would be maintained in the billing section with prior consent from patients before initiating any treatment. As a part of corporate social responsibility the company would also provide free treatment to the needy patients. Three percent of the total bed strength would be reserved for charitable purposes. Place/Distribution The new hospital would be located in any of the top four metros of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Political ideas, under international relations Essay

Political ideas, under international relations - Essay Example He argues out that the diversity that existed in the human values defines the origins of political theories that extend to today’s political set up. A critical examination of the possible approaches of dealing with the diverse human values in a society leads to two kinds of liberty namely positive and negative liberty (Thorsen, 2004, p.6). The two concepts of liberty were initially considered to be closely related but later appeared to be taking different destinations. There have been efforts by philosophers to examine the main differences that exist between positive and negative liberty. There has also been a debate on whether one concept of liberty is superior to the other or not. Some of the rights and freedoms that we enjoy are those that are imposed by some legislation. Some other freedoms are enjoyed simply because there are no legislations that are contrary to them. However, it is important to note that freedom is freedom and regardless of its nature, it can be hazardou s if poorly misused or misinterpreted. Definitions By definition, positive freedom is that freedom that is guaranteed by some form of legislation. It refers to considering freedom as ‘the capacity for self rule, or self mastery especially on a collective level’ (Thorsen, 2004, p.6). ... The other one could be the right to own a property. Every one is absolutely entitled to the right to own property by most of the legal provisions worldwide. On the other hand, negative freedom is that freedom we enjoy because no kind of legislation forbids it. They are the kinds of freedoms that allow an individual to carry out his or her private affairs independently (Thorsen, 2004, p.6). This calls for the moral and ethical codes of conducts in the individual. For instance, there are particularly no legal provisions on how and whether one should enjoy his/her Christmas holidays. There are no provisions either that a bereaved family should have a memorial ceremony in honor of their deceased member. The celebrations in such occasions are carried on simply on the basis that there are no restrictions. In other words, a negative freedom is enjoyed at an individual’s own discretion. Arguments on positive liberty The kinds of governments that existed in the olden times were mainly a hereditary system in which one would have predefined successor, usually a son. In such cases, the rulers were mainly opposed to the ruled and what existed was a system of two conflicting forces with the ruled being unable to confront the rulers. In fact, the rulers often used their hereditary authority as weapons against complains from their people (Mill, 1859). There was thus a need to reduce the powers of the rulers and set certain limits beyond which the people were protected against such humiliations. This called for the need for the establishments of rights and freedom of the citizens in a given government. The rulers were forced to submit to such

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Lecture by Cornelia Parker at the Bartlett January Essay Example for Free

Lecture by Cornelia Parker at the Bartlett January Essay Cornelia Parker is a London-based sculptor and installation artist. She was born during the year 1956 in Cheshire, England. She was raised on a Cheshire smallholding. Cornelia Parkers work is regarded internationally for its complex, darkly humorous, ironic style. Cornelia Parkers work is highly allusive and patterned with cultural references to cartoons, a style which she adapts to her need to capture things in the moment before they slip away and are lost beyond human perception. When examining her work holistically one can see the following themes driving her work forward consumerism, globalization, and the role of the mass media in contemporary life. Cornelia Parker was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1997 and featured in the 8th International Sharjah Biennial in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in 2007. Cornelia Parker, sculptor and installation artist intensified her campaign against disused silver a few years later when she crushed hundreds of plated items with a steamroller. She has also flattened thousands of coins under the wheels of passing trains, plucked feathers from Sigmund Freud’s pillow and blown up garden sheds with plastic explosive. The results of these depredations have been hung in art galleries where they have received high praise from public and critics alike. Her collaboration with the actress Tilda Swinton, ‘The Maybe’ at the Serpentine Gallery, was the focus of excited national attention for its display of Swinton, surrounded by objects selected by Parker, sleeping throughout the day in a glass case. In November 1996 Parker mounted a solo show called ‘Avoided Object’ at Chapter Art Gallery in Cardiff. Word of mouth was infectious and the show attracted scouts from London. Avoided Object is the title of series of smaller works which have been developed in liaison with various institutions, including the Rayal Armouries and Madame Tussauds. These â€Å"avoided† objects have often had their identities transformed by being burned, shot, squashed, stretched, drawn, exploded, cut, or simply dropped off cliffs. Cartoon deaths have long held a fascination for Parker: ‘Tom being run over by a steamroller or Jerry riddled with bullet holes. Sometimes the objects demise has been orchestrated, or it may have occurred accidentally or by natural causes. They might be â€Å"preempted† objects that have not yet achieved a fully formed identity, having been plucked prematurely from the production line like Embryo Firearms 1995. They may not even be classified as objects: things like cracks, creases, shadows, dust or dirt The Negative of Whispers 1997: Earplugs made with fluff gathered in the Whispering Gallery, St Paul’s cathedral .Or they m ight be those territories you want to avoid psychologically, such as the backs, underbellies or tarnished surfaces of things.’ Cornelia Parker uses processes of destruction to transform found objects. She steamrolled, explodes, degrade and turn poisonous, and presents the remains of the object. She collects tarnish, dust, stains, and traces of the object as an archive may store the trace or residue of an event. How is memory attached to the object, does it become unstuck during the process? Does the object continue to embody its past in its morphed and rearranged construction? And how is this past still present, through the viewers’ projection of their readings, through clues given in the ‘found’ titles of the artwork? Of the collected silverware, all with different stories, Parker says she wanted to ‘give them one story’, by flattening them with a steamroller. Parker seems to also enjoy the unexpected stories when the reader projects something new onto the artwork or interesting things are discovered within the ‘blow up’. For example, she was asked by a curator at the Tate if the Pornographic prints were made by a human body, which is the curator reading into the Rorschach inkblots. Einstein’s formulae on a blackboard, when photographed under a microscope resemble ‘sea creatures’, Parker suggests nature under the mathematics. She also photographs under a microscope dust collected from Donald Judd’s work, and describes the emerging imagery as ‘Gothic’. Parker is talking art history in her East End flat, standing beside a humming slide projector. Her slightly stooped stance reminds us that tall women are politer than tall men. They succumb to the wearisome need to bend down towards their lesser interlocutors. As she speaks one realizes that her face is rarely in repose her delivery is rapid, nervously energized, its content a dense mixture of anecdote and analysis. The vigor of her commentary is directly reflected in her work, which proliferates in an apparently unbroken stream much like the awesome eruptions that inspire it. She is talking about her enchantment with the exploded view. â€Å"You could just about visualize what the original object was,† she explains, â€Å"but I started thinking how all the fragments might reform to make completely new objects with new uses.† These speculations eventually evolved into the ideas that have so fruitfully driven Parker to make art. In 1991 she took her preoccupation with the metaphysics of explosions to an extreme that marked a breakthrough in her work. Parker filled a garden shed with tools, a lawnmower, a bicycle, books and toys, all culled from the artist’s trove of orphaned objects that is the British car boot sale. The shed was installed and photographed in the Chisenhale Gallery in London’s East End, then dismantled and transported to the British Army School of Ammunition at Kineton. Lieutenant Colonel Joe Hastings and Major Dougie Hewitt applied sticks of pale marzipan explosive to the interior of the shed and blew it to pieces. For several hours squad dies and a delighted Parker combed the area, picking up every single shard and sliver, every shred of the shrapnel of the mower and the mangled mass of bent bike. A few days later an eerie and exquisite sculpture, ‘Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View’, was unveiled in the stark concrete space of the Chisen-hale Gallery. Parker had painstakingly reassembled the shed and its shattered contents, suspending each tiny blasted scrap from a filament of wire and illuminating the whole with a single bare white bulb placed at the epicenter. The shed had been frozen in space a millisecond after its disintegration; only the bang is missing, rather like the cold, dark matter that astronomers say makes up the weight of the Universe. The business of finding new currency for old and familiar objects has led the indefatigable Parker down some exotic pathways. Her ‘Thirty Pieces of Silver’ also featured an act of great violence followed by a display of surpassing beauty. Turning again to the cornucopia of the car boot, the artist collected hundreds of old silver and silver-plated tea-pots, candle-sticks, toast-racks, salvers and the odd trombone. The tarnished tat, displaced from numberless mantelpieces, was laid out on the ground in a long, gently curving line and slowly crushed by a steamroller. After the grinding and clanking had subsided, Parker picked up the pieces. The YBAs [Young British Artists], supposedly typified by Damien Hirst, have become inseparable from the controversy staged around their work and Parker is frequently written about as if she were part of the gang. A distinction that generally escapes her commentators is that at the age of 41 she has, in fact, quite happily relinquished the ‘Y’ part of the sobriquet. She graduated from the Fine Arts course at Reading University in 1982 and has been steadily mounting exhibitions in the art capitals of the world ever since. Given that there’s no proper money in art unless you’re up there with Damien, Parker lives off a succession of commissions, awards and residencies, whilst renting a modest shared flat in Shoreditch. At the time of writing she was rather looking forward to seeing her newish partner, a Texan artist on the point of visiting London. The work that so impressed the Turner Prize selectors saw Parker working on a much smaller scale than that of her shed and steamroller period. ‘The Cardiff show,† she says, â€Å"had lots of little residues of objects that are all quite slight but together add up to something solid.† The ‘avoided objects’ speak of their role in a process which has made them seem redundant. â€Å"They’re about things that have lost their life or not yet got a life.† As an example, she cites ‘The Negative of Sound’, a framed assemblage of strands of black lacquer, the swarf discarded from the ‘master’ of a record first cut in Abbey Road Studios. â€Å"The idea of the negative of sound, for me, is fantastic. How can you listen to it? What does it sound like? What kind of instrument would you have to have to play them on?† Avoided objects can also be ex-objects. For ‘Exhaled Cocaine’ Parker persuaded Customs Excise to give her the ashes of seized, incinerated cocaine, presented by the artist as an end product ‘breathed out’ by a crucial process in its history. This poetic recycling of residue is also seen in a piece whose title would, quite wrongly, lead overheated British journalists to believe their usual suspicions were justified. ‘Pornographic Drawings’ is the fruit of another successful transaction with Customs Excise. â€Å"They’re Rorschach blots made from confiscated pornography. The video tape was chopped up into tiny pieces, to get rid of it, and they gave me a big bag full. I wanted to recreate images from things that had been taken out of circulation, so I made an ink out of it. Most of them did turn out to be quite pornographic, but if you think they are, that’s you projecting because they’re only accidental ink blots.† Parker’s attention is directed always at the ignored, undervalued and forgotten. She pushes quizzically at the surface of the everyday until its objects reveal their hidden histories. These stories reveal in turn that much of what we take for granted is immersed in the streams of memory and myth that carry meaning into our lives. Galleries are not the only site in which she has placed her provocations. Forests, railway stations and bell towers have been requisitioned, sometimes for purposes of display, sometimes as places of concealment that may be chanced upon by the unsuspecting. Despite the many forms it takes, Parker’s art has an impressive internal consistency. All her work stems from a wittily philosophical consideration of the processes that bring everyday objects into being. She feels that this preoccupation, in turn, was partly brought into being by a curious event that took place in1961. Even if, she did not win the Turner Prize, many of her Avoided Objects will be seen by the thousands who visit the Tate for the six week show featuring the work of all the nominees. In addition to the works described, visitors will see her embryo guns, the feather from Freud’s pillow, a magnified photo of the grooves of a record owned by Hitler and several other evidences of a refined and ingenious sensibility. Pressed to speculate on her prize-winning chances, the artist is characteristically modest. â€Å"Oh, it’ll just be great to be shown in the Tate† is the most she’ll say. Were Parker to pull it off, however, her power to realize some of her more ambitious projects would be considerably enhanced. NASA, for example, would be bound to send a meteorite back into space for her and she might, at long last, be able to persuade Stanley Kubrick to part with a sample of his navel fluff. A few weeks ago Parker was nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize. Reference ‘Avoided Object’ (2007), Lecture by Cornelia Parker at the Bartlett January. London. Source document

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Internet Censorship is Needed Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Internet Censorship is Needed During the past forty years, over a thousand studies have been conducted on the effects of film and television violence.   This research concluded that media violence, which includes television and movies, contributes to violence in the real world.   According to The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), one expert concluded, "To argue against it is like arguing against gravity." What have been potential effects of this media violence?   Below are some statistics produced by DOJ Statistics from the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ"): *  Ã‚   2.8 million juveniles were arrested in 1997.   Out of these, there were 2,500 murder arrests and 121,000 arrests for other types of violent crimes *  Ã‚   "Juveniles accounted for 19% of all arrests, 14% of murder arrests, and 17% of all violent crime arrests." - (Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1999) *  Ã‚   There has been a 49% increase in the number of juvenile violent crime arrests between 1988 and 1997. *  Ã‚   18% of high school students carry weapons on a regular basis. *  Ã‚   9% of ...

Monday, November 11, 2019

How environmental threats are influencing federal and state governments Essay

Executive Summary Introduction Environmental threats are influencing federal and state governments including other agencies such as universities to investigate how other social and governance aspects can be incorporated into the sustainability framework. Little critical inquiry exists on this topic and a paradigm shift is attempting to integrate and use Indigenous knowledge to inform contemporary environmental policy decisions and management solutions. Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation’s case study is an example of how complex this topic is. Context Paradigm shifts are taking into consideration Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to be incorporated into sustainability frameworks in a context where little critical analysis has taken place. Much of this participatory approach is a new methodology used to work with Indigenous groups highlighting the uniqueness and complexities of incorporating these governance structures within legislative frameworks including the ethical considerations and mistrust towards governments. Report Reviews Reviews of 3 authoritative sources pertaining to Indigenous governance and sustainability show that there is a dichotomy between western science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and that recommendations need to be taken into account for improved management. Case Study and Recommendations: Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation (BWAC) Operating as a small organisation in a remote region, BWAC have the ability to manage their affairs but are under-resourced and does not receive an income to manage the issues and problems that are affecting their objectives to achieve their aims. This section addresses the issues and problems experienced by BWAC and what they would have to change to manage these problems. Conclusion The review of governance issues and indicators of knowledge integration  across the types supports that Indigenous governance and Indigenous-driven co-governance are important factors towards the integration of IEK and western science for sustainability of social-ecological systems. This report highlights that there are challenges towards achieving sustainability highlighting recommendations to take into consideration as evidenced with BWAC’s experience. Introduction This report reviews three authoritative journals pertaining to Aboriginal environmental, governance and social aspects of sustainability to analyse the roles of values and culture on understanding of attitudes towards behaviours relevant to sustainability and business. First, an overview of the context reviewing the general literature on values, culture and sustainability pertaining will be provided. Next, recommendations to link cultural value systems and sustainability to improve relationships to modern governance, local council, various agencies and researchers for improved co-management systems will be analysed. The case study of Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation (BWAC) as an enterprise will be presented to highlight the complexities of this issue and describe a set of recommendations to change how the enterprise can manage cultural differences in sustainability strategies. This case study illustrates the dilemmas and difficulties to achieve a consensus of cross-cultural work to local co-manager efforts to translate across knowledge systems and the knowledge-action divide. Environmental threats are influencing federal and state government including other agencies such as universities to investigate how other social and governance aspects can be incorporated into the sustainability framework. Little critical inquiry exists on this topic and a paradigm shift is attempting to integrate and use Indigenous Knowledge (IK) to inform contemporary environmental policy decisions and management solutions. How can the interactions between scientific and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) systems be effectively negotiated for the joint management of social-ecological systems? This is an important question because on Indigenous lands where co-management efforts respond to pressing conservation agendas the contribution of scientific knowledge and IK is required to better under stand and manage complex social-ecological systems. The integration of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) and western science  to promote cultural diversity in the management of social-ecological system sustainability offers opportunities for Indigenous peoples to engage with many decentralised approaches to environmental management. Within this context it is important to understand how organisations plan to sustain the whole system so that everyone can benefit for the generations to come. Factors such as the adaptive co-management context, the intrinsic characteristics of the natural resources, and the governance systems affect the diverse processes of combining IEK and western science. Scholars of planning have debated and empirically tested that protected areas therefore provide a context in which many of the ideas and concepts are different. The sharing the burden of management responsibilities have emerged as a potential new paradigm in natural resource planning with developing cooperative relationships with local stakeholde rs. Context The marginalisation and dispossession of Indigenous peoples in Australia, until recent decades, is also attributed to the establishment of protected areas. Participation of Indigenous people in recent conservation planning and country management has enabled them to develop and refine governance and policy frameworks to recognise protected areas as part of Indigenous land and sea country. The co-management of terrestrial protected areas and the declaration and management of Indigenous protected areas is an arena that Australian is internationally pioneering. Further policy and protocol development has not progressed uniformly across Australia due to; Achievement of practical, meaningful social and environmental benefits through conservation agreements and activities. Implications of native title determinations over protected areas; Recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights and interests in marine protected area management; This process has provided scope for recommendations for improvements to enhance the recognition, respect and rights of Traditional Owners as protected area co-managers for better social dimensions and responsibility. Across existing cooperative planning models improved partnerships and communications are needed to enable Indigenous and non- Indigenous collaborators to share ways of enabling country-based planning and management to assist in species and landscape conservation. Hill’s (2006)  framework and table highlight the polar approaches to managements based on the Kuku Yalangi case study in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (Appendix A). The conservation management literature in recent years has highlighted that co-management of parks and protected areas is important. Based on the experience of park managers struggling to integrate the protected area with the socioeconomic fabric of the surrounding region has supported the rationale for this approach to protected area management. This rich experience informs calls for co-management however, the theoretical rationale for an explanation of co-management, have been slow in realisation. Aspects, Issues and Problems Four issues are identified for the incorporation of Indigenous value systems and how different cultures influence the social dimension, responsibility and modern governance. The process of interrelation has affected not only the articulation of Aboriginal identities, but also implicates the importance of local cosmologies The practice of cultural differences, beliefs and values that reflects to individual behaviours represent their identity and organization The local community are themselves deeply affected by the growing saturation forms of knowledge, practice and values including socio cultural through colonial interference Modern governance and legislation affect traditional beliefs and cultures learned from ancestors Issue 1: Interrelations and implications of Aboriginal identities It is recommended that support be provided to Traditional Owners to continue their practices to incorporate their beliefs, values and culture, to sustain the community relationships and the social dimensions of each group of agency and government sector. It is important to assist them to build their capacity to ensure that these practices will be passed onto the next generational to encourage more sustainability in social and environmental aspects in the future. The action needs to be delivered with respect to maintain the social dimension of the communities for improved governance. Issue 2: Cultural differences, beliefs and values Again it is recommended that respect be shown to individual or organisations in order to achieve a sustainable environment or relationship. Good governance and leadership can deliver the social equity to achieve each individual or organisation goals or projects. Their information is thousands of years old and should be given the respect it deserves. Issue 3: Introduced influences The effects of colonialism has affected many Indigenous societies creating a wedge and feelings of mistrust and caution with imparting Traditional Knowledge without compensation or recognition. It is recommended that Indigenous people be provided with support for capacity building, governance, Intellectual Property rights and access to their country without exploitation. Issue 4: The influences of modern governance and legislation Indigenous people perceive current legislations, especially the Native Title Act 1993, as very racist that supports colonial practices to ‘conquer and divide’ and therefore are very reluctant to partake in government conservation strategies. Financial support to deliver the projects is minimum and not guaranteed to be on-going. Green washing by the governments is also another contributing factor affecting Indigenous participation. The land is very sacred and central to Indigenous people and the environmental schemes offered by governments are p erceived as a ‘carrot on a stick’ to coax people in to provide information for management plans to destroy the land for mining activities. Land Councils are funded by governments to administer these ineffective schemes without any accountability. Bohnet’s (2009) application of socio-logical planning framework on a holistic landscape in the Tully-Murray basin to test its transferability and effectiveness for knowledge integration in a water quality improvement planning context in the Great Barrier Reef proved to be challenging that achieved rewarding results. The acknowledgment that social and ecological knowledge is a key issue and research priorities in landscape ecology is supported by Bohnet (2009:1) who states that â€Å"further research into the roles of responsibilities of multi-stakeholder for knowledge integration in developing and managing sustainable land- and sea-scapes is recommended†. Figure 1: Bohnet’s (2009) Flow of the adaption and operationalisation of the socio-logical framework for sustainable landscape planning to water quality improvement planning in the Tully–Murray Basin Report Reviews We present a typology of Indigenous governance in environmental management derived through report review of 3 Australian journals, and consider its implications for the integration of IEK with western science. Our analytical framework is underpinned by sociological and rational choice institutionalism and which are differentiated by these three points: (1) Active participation, incorporating participatory planning, engagement with organizations, and coordination approaches; (2) Indigenous engagement, Indigenous development and capacity building for intercultural purpose, incorporating purposes of environmental management; (3) Sharing power, incorporating decision making, defining rules, resource values and property rights. We attempt to find solutions that are associated to Indigenous-driven co-governance; Indigenous governed collaborations; and agency governance; agency-driven co-governance. We draw on the notion of boundary work to examine how interaction at the boundaries of scien tific and IK systems can be managed effectively as a contribution to co-management. The case study of Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation (BWAC) illustrates the work necessary for local co-managers to meld scientific and IK systems ensuring that management decisions are informed by the translation of knowledge. Attributes for effective implementing planning in this case include: (1) Translating the issues and problems and taking into consideration BWAC’s recommendations and objectives for participation in agenda setting and joint knowledge production. (2) Taking into consideration the recommendations presented in the reviews to broker interactions between knowledge systems that are supported by co-governance arrangements to ensure that boundary work remains accountable, and the production of collaboratively built boundary objects. (3) Providing BWAC with support to develop their capacity for improved business planning, governance, on-country planning and strategic planning. (4) Working directly with the organisation rather than Cape York Land Council and Bal kanu. This will ensure integrity and that correct information is provided at the same time providing BWAC with the capacity towards self-determination. Szabo and Smyth’s (2003) summary of the background to the establishment of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) in Australia of the legal and policy innovations on which they are based shows that  environmental and cultural benefits are inseparable. IPAs are managed and owned by Indigenous peoples and developed collaboratively with federal, state and territory conservation agencies in accordance with IUCN categories that forms part of Australia’s national system of protected areas. Szabo and Smyth (2003:7) through workshopping found that benefits included: Getting Traditional Owners back on country, often after long absences; Involving school children in IPA field trips, transferring knowledge between generations and strengthening languages; Re-establishing traditional burning practices, maintaining waterholes and reducing feral animal impacts; Providing training and employment in managing country; Promoting renewed interest about caring for the country. They also write (2003:8); â€Å"In addition to these formal joint management arrangements, most Australian states and territories have provision for some Indigenous involvement throughout their protected area systems. This might involve, for example, a commitment to consultation with Indigenous people, an Indigenous representative on an advisory committee, some employment or responsibility for Indigenous heritage protection. Indigenous people have consistently expressed the view that such arrangements do not adequately recognise their status as traditional landowners and they are seeking more meaningful involvement, especially at the decision and policy-making level. One feature that is common to all co-management arrangements is the lack of opportunity for Indigenous groups to decide whether or not they wanted their traditional lands to become protected areas.† Table 1(Szabo and Smyth 2003:9) shows a comparison of the main features of IPAs with co-managed protected areas in Australia. Table 1: Comparative features of Indigenous Protected Areas and co-managed national parks in Australia 1. Altman, J.C. ‘Sustainable Development Options on Aboriginal Land: The Hybrid Economy in the Twenty-First Century’. CAEPR Discussion Paper No. 226, 2001. Challenges to broaden the notion of the economy and development to  include the customary economy: Altman’s objectives in this journal is clearly defined and summarised to highlight that there are challenges to understanding the dichotomy of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous sustainability. Working for the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation in central Arnhem Land he proposes a model to converge his social science work with a number of biological scientists based at the Australian Research Council ARC Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife Management at the Northern Territory University. He argues that to achieve this required a paradigm shift in ideological positions and notions of development that are entrenched in the market mentality that do not accommodate cross-cultural and sustainability issues. He successfully outlines the economic development problems that are faced by this periphery group describing the hybrid economy consisting of market, state and customary components that politicians, policy makers and Indigenous people and their representative organisations do not fully understand. These are the key immediate challenges that he raises for this shortfalling as cited from page 16: The first is to understand the nature of the economy, plan for sustainability, and nurture the hybrid economy in ways that mesh with Indigenous values. The second is to shift the political debate to ensure a recognition of customary contributions provided by Indigenous people to regional and national economies and industries, and ensure appropriate financial underwriting by those who benefit, Finally, market opportunities in many remote localities are rare, so when new opportunities arise they must be quickly harnessed by Indigenous interests. It is imperative that newly emerging property righ ts (e.g. in tradeable carbon credits) are commercially realised not alienated as in the past. Overall, the article is concise, however it should be understood in a pioneering context. In summing up the concepts, argument and method used to show his evidence served its purpose to shed light on this topic to contribute positive approaches to combine Indigenous and Non-Indigenous sustainability. His explanation to show that Indigenous contributions are quantified and should be recognised in mainstream economies was achieved. His arguments provides an alternative pathway to improve the inadequate analytical approaches that fail to ask how develop based on market engagement be delivered to communities that are extremely remote from  locational and cultural markets. In its context his suggested framework to understand the hybrid economy through hybrid analytical and intellectual combination of science, social science and Indigenous Knowledge systems is plausible and partially relevant to BWAC. 2. Smith, B. A Complex Balance: Mediating Sustainable Development Cape York Peninsula. The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs, 2003. Recognising differences and compromising between Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways: Smith accomplishes his objective to describe a sustainable development project in a remote rural Aboriginal community. He empirically examines through his field work in central Cape York Peninsula (1996 – 2003) the differences and ongoing compromises between forms of social and political and economic organisations of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways. His methodology effectively demonstrates that development intervention is likely to fail when it is not appreciative of differences between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous ideals and ways of doing things to improve human living conditions. He illustrates that impacts such as colonialism and post-colonial impacts and policies such as ‘self-determination’ and welfare dependencies have co ntributed to the problems affecting good governance. Shifts in recent policy and research of engagement with economic, social, political and environment considerations were flawed and flagged ‘traditional Indigenous values’ affecting development. On page 101 he writes; â€Å"this lack of engagement with Indigenous ideals and ways of doing things pervades Australia’s mainstream Indigenous discourse†. Whereas the â€Å"mainstream discourse, more obviously ‘material’ poverty and social problems take priority over ‘cultural’ or symbolic dimensions of Indigenous life and of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations†. He develops his arguments based on authoritative sources to support that intervention of external agencies would be more effective when they work with rather than against local values and practices. To support his argument he draws on his fieldwork to examine how a contemporary remote Aboriginal community is pursuing ‘sustainable development’ and how ‘cultural’ dimensions shape and constrain the community’s efforts. Incorporated into his ethnographical approach a historical analysis showed innovative approaches that explained the corporation’s successes to involve the articulation of different cultural domains – ‘mainstream’ or ‘Western’ and local Indigenous  life-worlds – in its day-to-day operations, involving divergent aspirations and values. Aspirations included an emphasis on decentralisation and outstation development, land rights, the resourcing of activities on traditional lands, and town-based economic development, employment and training opportunities. Based on his observations, for Aboriginal autonomy to be successful the social and cultural dimensions of development projects need to be taken into consideration. Again, this paper has to be appreciated in the context that it was written as it is slightly outdated and based on evidence when the movement towards Indigenous sustainable development was in the trailing stages. 3. Smith, B. ‘We Got Our Own Management’: Local Knowledge, Government and Development in Cape York Peninsula, 2005. Indigenous perspectives of governance in Cape York Peninsula: Again Smith relies on his fieldwork in Coen to examine the growing interrelationship of local knowledge and projects of government amongst Indigenous Australians. He relies on ethnographical material to highlight the tensions and complexities of land and natural resource management involving traditional owners. In analysing the ways in which the concept of management he demonstrates the growing interrelation of originally distinct indigenous and exogenous systems that has affected the articulation of Aboriginal identities and implicated in the current importance of local cosmologies. He cleverly entices the reader by telling a story of a meeting about the Hendra virus threats and transferred from flying foxes to horses and humans between local traditional owners and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) Scientist. In particular he relates how Traditional Owner’s version of cosmology that the flying foxes come from the mouth of the rainbow serpent did not agree with the scientist who told them that ‘they flew up from Ravenshoe.’ His statement on page 6 conjures up this extremity â€Å"for these men and women, the articulation of Aboriginal world views, including those closely tied to local cosmologies, has provided a key means of asserting not only what they regard as fundamental differences between Aboriginal life-worlds and those social and cultural fields to which these external agencies are fundamentally orientated; but also the necessary primacy of Aboriginal cosmologies and linked forms of social organisation in determining the character of local ‘governance’ projects and ‘natural resource management.† Firstly, he  sufficiently provides an overview of the governance of Cape York Peninsula by providing a historical analysis of the township and ties in an analysis of Indigenous ‘conceptualisation of the innate’. Next, his overview of the development of Indigenous involvement in natural resource management demonstrates the problems associated with negotiating within this framework. He proficiently articulates the views and concerns of his participants and provides evidence that they were not happy with outside organisations based in Cairns working on their business as they felt that their ownership was taken away from them. He writes â€Å"the sense of localisation insists on the necessity if Aboriginal people representing themselves and the country with which they have personal ties. It further discriminates between forms of knowledge, decision making and practice held to be indigenous to a particular area and the people tied to that area under ‘Murri [Aborigina l] law’, and those forms regarded as exogenous.† To achieve his overall objective Smith ties in the work and structure of Chuulangu Aboriginal Corporation situated on the Wenlock River and run by David Claudie who has been very successful in incorporating both Indigenous and Western approaches to cultural and natural resource management as evidenced on their web page: www.kaanjugaachi.com.au This document is very relevant to BWAC as aspirations and difficulties experienced with outside organisations are very similar to Chuulangu Aboriginal Corporation. Smith’s account of governance in Cape York Peninsula is a very plausible and relevant document that policy makers, politicians and researchers should read to grasp an understanding to guide socio-ecological methodologies for better social dimensions and social responsibility in delivering projects. The Cape York experiences shares similarities with other Indigenous organisations wanting to achieve the same goals, however, their issues and problems are uniquely different outsid e this region. Case Study and Recommendations: Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation (BWAC) Background Binthi Wambal Aboriginal Corporation (Indigenous Corporation Number ICN 4055) is an Indigenous Organisation that is registered with the Office of the Register of Indigenous Organisations as prescribed by the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act). As outlined in the Rule Book the objectives the corporation aims to achieve are: Return  to their traditional land; Re-establish their spiritual connection with the land; Work their land in both the ancient way of the Aboriginal, and in the modern way of cattle and crops; Facilitate the training and education of the corporation members and their families; and Establish self-sufficiency towards the future for the next generation. Binthi country is situated approximately 40 kilometres north of Cooktown on the McIvor River and comprises mixed tenure arrangements within the Guugu Yimithirr Nation (Appendix B). This corporation also manages the protection of the cultural sites within their territory and is aspiring towards self-sufficiency to develop their outstation. They are also very interested in participating in cultural tourism business to share and showcase their culture and country. Aspects or Issues and Problems Operating as a small organisation in a remote region, BWAC is under-resourced and does not receive an income to manage the issues and problems that are affecting their objectives to achieve their aims. Binthi people would like to develop strategies and management plans to protect their cultural and natural values that are increasingly affected by mining and pastoralism. With the associated problems of the current economic climate BWAC are keen to address these problems to assist them with funding opportunities and compliancy with the CATSI Act. In 1994 the Indigenous Land Corporation purchased Mt Baird Station for Binthi Traditional Owners and this did not include further support to develop or maintain the property. The rates to the Cook Shire Council are an issue as BWAC cannot afford to pay and Hope Vale Aboriginal Council have paid the outstanding amounts and are currently leasing the property for a 10 year period. BWAC also hold lease titles within the Deeds of Grants in Trust (D OGIT) land which is currently managed by a defunct organisation called the Congress of Clans set up and operated by the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) and Balkanu. The government transferred the title to this organisation in 2012 including over $7 million dollars in ex-gratia money of frozen royalty funds from Cape Flattery Silica Mines and which has been misappropriated by CYLC and Balkanu. This is  currently a very controversial issue and a major concern to all the Traditional Owner Groups within this boundary, as it impinges upon their rights and access to their country. An illegal and fraudulent process occurred whereby the traditional owners were not negotiated with and the rightful owners of Cape Flattery did not receive their monies. As the signatures were obtained fraudulently the protection of cultural and natural heritage for all involved is at stake. Finally, the community has two tiers of bureaucracy to deal with, including Local Government Authorities and the welfare reform imposed without free and prior informed consent. Partnerships and Cape York Institute that promote this are associated with Cape York Land Council and Balkanu and whose members and affiliates have been the perpetrators of violence that members of BWAC and the community have tolerated for many years. Ironically, they receive millions of dollars of funding from the government to roll out this program with Local Commissioners who all have criminal histories and no qualifications. Recommendations Issue 1: Governance and strategic business planning It is a priority that viable strategic business plans are developed to raise BWAC to a level to be competitive and eligible for funding opportunities to improve administration and governance matters. Regular meetings and reporting are required for compliancy with the CATSI Act and audit purposes. Funding opportunities to employ a Project Officer to oversee this is a positive outcome that will alleviate the pressures of these issues at hand. These are to be developed initially to then set in place recommendations to be implemented. In doing so, it is important that the business drivers be refined to enhance product quality, cost image and passion to make a difference. The vision and objectives may have to be revisited, so that it is short and realistic in an ever changing environment. The current position will also have to be reconsidered and bought into context, so that gap analysis can be undertake to develop strategies are developed in an action plan for every strategy for implemen tation and review so that they can be improved. Binthi Wambal, Chuulangu and Dingaal Warra are all working towards the same vision and to do so will also involve exposing Balkanu and Cape York Land Council for corruption and fraud. It is  recommended that these organisations and others support each other and it is expected that the strategic business planning process to take one year to thoroughly complete. Issue 2: Rates for freehold property and tenure associated to Deeds of Grant in Trust lands To overcome the issue to generate income BWAC must develop employment and training strategies in conjunction with viable crop and harvest economy, or other suggested ideas. In addition, partnerships with other stakeholders, such as Indigenous organisations, Local Government and government agencies, are recommended as the most practical way for support and to further advance financial problems. It is also recommended that legal advice be obtained on the tenure related problems for counteraction to High Court proceedings and the Human Rights Commission and the International United Nations Committees for breaches of human rights issues. The same applies to challenging the Welfare Reform Policies currently in place. Financial assistance for initiation start-up of $250, 000 is required to undertake this task and strategies developed to ensure that these outcomes are achievable. Approximately $10, 000 per annum is required for rate payments. The rates will be an ongoing issue and it is expected that the tenure issue can take approximately 1- 2 years to resolve. In the interim, whilst Hope Vale Council is managing the property BWAC can provide support. Within eight years BWAC can be resourced to be able to manage the property. Issue 3: Mining Threats It is necessary that BWAC develop a Cultural Heritage Management Plan as prescribed by the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Appendix C) and exercise their right to negotiate with mining companies, as specified in section 29 of the Native Title Act 1993. This is beneficial so that agreements can be reached for the protection of cultural sites. Extensive mapping of the sites have occurred and entered onto the state database, however, as the Native Title are a mess BWAC have lost their right to Balkanu and Cape York Land Council to negotiate any matters to their cultural heritage or funding opportunities for land and sea planning matters. These three pressing issues are affecting BWAC ability to function and the implication of the problems impinges on the development of their aspirations and poses perceived threats that require a gap analysis to  devise strategies for an Action Plan for implementation and review. In addition to these dilemmas there are advantages to including IEK into socio-logical framework for sustainable landscape planning equation contributing towards a holistic and inclusive approach for improved social dimensions and social responsibility without Cape York Land Council involvement. Conclusion In consideration of these issues and recommendation it is envisioned that BWAC can overcome these issues to implement their plans to achieve outcomes with the following objectives: Take a leading role in the community on issues such as climate change and sustainability. Ensure that strategic objectives of BWAC are relevant to the local, state and national business community and government. To raise the character and status and advance the interests of BWAC and those engaged therein. Establish and maintain a focused portfolio of activities of activities including research, provision of training, government and executive development programs, consultancy and other entrepreneurial initiatives. Ensure that BWAC delivers quality in all of its endeavours. Establish an agreed and acceptable system of performance review. Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the external resources to optimise ongoing and future funding. Ensure that BWAC uses an appropriate and regular system of external and internal communication To maintain contact and communicate with the governments of the Commonwealth of Australia and of its States and Territories and with local and municipal governing bodies and other public and private organisations on matters of concern to BWAC and to the wider community. To increase the confidence of the community in the development of BWAC projects and to ensure transparent accountability. To promote honourable practice and integrity to ensure the success of future projects. From our review of governance issues and indicators of knowledge integration across the types, we support that Indigenous governance and Indigenous-driven co-governance are important factors towards the integration of IEK and western science for sustainability of social-ecological systems. Distinct Indigenous cultural purposes  underpinning IEK, and benefits knowledge integration can be sustained by supporting Indigenous governance without, or with only a limited requirement for power sharing. We conclude by promoting the reports reviewed be regarded as authoritative on the topic to test its general effectiveness in guiding practitioners and researchers to develop robust governance for Indigenous knowledge integration of periphery groups in environmental management. References Altman, J.C. (2001), ‘Sustainable Development Options on Aboriginal Land: The Hybrid Economy in the Twenty-First Century’. CAEPR Discussion Paper No. 226, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), Australian National University, Canberra [Online], Available: https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/40104/2/2001_DP226.pdf Bohnet, I.C. (2009), Integrating Social and Ecological Knowledge for Planning Sustainable Land and Sea Scapes: Experiences from the Great Barrier Reef Region, Australia. Research Article, Landscape Ecology, DOI 10.1007/s10980-010-9504-z, Available: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10980-010-9504-z#page-1 Hill, R. (2006), The Effectiveness of Agreements and Protocols to Bridge Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Toolboxes for Protected Area Management: As Case Study from the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Society & Natural Resources, 19:7, 577-599, Available: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08941920600742310#.Uo wc1-Kn6Ts Smith, B. (2003), A Complex Balance: Mediating Sustainable Development Cape York Peninsula. The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs, Volume 4, Number 2: November 2003, 99-115, School of Economics and Political Science, University of Sydney. Available: http://www.australianreview.net/journal/v4/n2/smith.pdf http://caepr.anu.edu.au/StaffProfiles/Benjamin-Smith Smith, B. (2005), ‘We Got Our Own Management’: Local Knowledge, Government and Development in Cape York Peninsula. Australian Aboriginal Studies, 2005/2, Australian National University, Canberra. Szabo, S. & Smyth, D. (2003), Indigenous Protected Areas in Australia. In, Jaireth, H. and D. Smyth (Eds), Innovative Governance: Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Protected Areas, pp 145-164. IUCN-sponsored by publication, published by Ane Books, New Delhi. Available: http://www.sbconsultants.com.au/index.php/reports-and-publications-mainmenu-41 Appendix A: Hill’s Conceptual framework for bridging two management toolboxes Kuku Yalangi versus Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Appendix B: Guugu Yimithirr Map Appendix C: Cultural Heritage Study & Cultural Heritage Management Flow Chart

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Case study: Apple iPhones – Not “Made in America”

What is meant by the globalization of human capital? Is this inevitable as firms increase their global operations? The globalization of human capital refers to the fact that employees are now spread out across the world by their employers. This including, the companies, employed, unemployed, stockholders, consumers, contractors, supply chain, firms and economies. Companies branch out because labor costs are cheaper and productivity is faster.It is inevitable if firms increase their global operations because every country has something different to offer, something new, and without the current innovation being promoted to the market, the company will start to lose its edge on competition. 2. How does this case illustrate the threats and opportunities facing global companies in developing their strategies? Cost and Human Capital is the most important consideration for Global Companies. When President Obama’s inquired about Apple brining the job back to US, it was practically not possible for Apple.The break down in the case study was that it cost a total of $179 to produce an IPhone and it retailed at $500 leaving a profit of $321. This would mean more profit for the global company. For Global company price and profit is the most important consideration to stay competitive. They can use the cheap labor in other countries to be price competitive This gave the perception that Apple did not care about its country. It also gives the perception of greed which a global company can face. 3. Comment on the Apple executive's assertion that the company's only obligation is making the best product possible.â€Å"We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems. † All though it is a harsh comment but I think it makes sense. Apple is a Global company with its offices around the world. It is in business to make money. It is not possible for Apple to solve America’s problem. Apple is just trying to be the best company out there in order to be on top with innovation and success. It is not Apple’s responsibility to solve America’s problems with employment; their responsibility is to form the best product. 4. Who are the stakeholders in this situation and what, if any, obligations do they have?There are two stakeholders in this situation and they are: the companies Apple and Foxconn as well as the Chinese government. Apple has obligations to their employees both domestic and global. They need to be mindful that a corporation is only as good as its products as well as, its image. They need to be mindful that since its headquarters are in the United States, it should do all that it can to maintain a positive image. It is also important to make sure that the products they sell are quality products while keeping the price as low as possible. Foxconn has a stake in its people and the products they export.The unfair and inhumane working conditions forced the government to step in. Foxconn also needs to be mindful of the is sues presented previously for Apple (the difference they are headquartered in China). The fact that labor violations were taking place, China’s government had an obligations to its people. They need to protect their citizens from hazardous work conditions and hold Foxconn accountable for their actions. 5. How much extra are you prepared to pay for an IPhone if assembled in the United States? Personally I feel that the IPhone is already over price as is. The fact that they make $321 of profit off each phone is ridiculous.If the phone is fully assembled in the United State I do not feel the price of the phone should increase at all. There are many products that are specifically made in America that cost the same amount as their global counterparts. Clothes are an example, all things being equal, a t-shirt made overseas cost relatively the same as a t-shirt made in the US. Why should an IPhone be any different? I feel that although the profit from each phone would be decreased, they would sell the same amount of phones if not more. 6. How much extra are you prepared to pay for an IPhone assembled in China but under better labor conditions or pay?What kind of trade-off would you make? This also deals with the question previously asked. I have not changed my stance on IPhone; however, if they were to charge more to have it assembled in China, why couldn’t or wouldn’t they just produce it in America. It would not make sense if they had to increase cost to better working conditions in another country. I believe it would be cheaper to bring some of the laborers here to the US and open a plant here. 7. To what extent do you think the negative media coverage has affected Apple’s recent decision to ask the FLA to do an assessment and the subsequent decision by Foxconn to raise some salaries?What do you think will happen now? I believe that the negative media coverage has inspired Apple to be more cautious about their corporate image. Subsequen tly, it affected their way of thinking so that they had to ask for an FLA assessment. They could ill-afford to continue to be seen in a negative light and heartless. They already stated that â€Å"They don’t have an obligation to solve America’s problems, only to make the best product possible†, after the unfair working conditions and labor violations were discovered it only added to the idea that the company was greedy and didn’t care about their employees.Foxconn took pride in being one of the country’s most effective and efficient manufacturers. It could not allow the perception that they were running a â€Å"sweat shop† in which their employees were working 60 hours a week for little pay. The employee suicides did not help company’s image. They had to raise some salaries in order to save face in the public eye. Also, both companies had to show that although mistakes happened, once they were discovered they were fixed quickly. I be lieve now that the story is out they will have many follow up inspections to insure that both companies never come under scrutiny again.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Medical Insurance Essays - Types Of Insurance, Free Essays

Medical Insurance Essays - Types Of Insurance, Free Essays Medical Insurance MEDICAL INSURANCE IS NON-BENIFICIAL The initial idea of medical insurance should have been a good idea as a way of helping Americans afford medical bills in a case of emergency or just routine physicals and check-ups. A lot of lower class Americans could not afford the treatment and would therefore go without medical attention in both of these cases. In cases of emergency, they would usually be put in to collection because they could not pay the bills after the treatment. The government decided to set a plan to have humans insured, just like automobiles, to supposedly make medical treatment available to all people - high, middle, or low class. This should have been a good idea...however, I believe that it has only made things less affordable. By making this plan for insurance on human health, the insurance agencies are making trillions upon trillions of dollars on people who would usually skip going to the doctor for a common cold. Initially, the insurance policies were made to help in emergency situations for people who had a broken a leg, or had to have major surgery and could not afford the price of high-technology treatment. The insurance would have made the customer pay about fifty dollars a month out of theyre hard-earned money whether they were going to use it or not, for medical treatment. Still, the insurance did not cover all of the expenses even though the customer is shelling out thousands of dollars, sometimes for nothing. It is just another way for a large insurance business to make people believe that they need to insure their own health, like they were a possession or an item. Now people are paying for insurance that they seldom use, but feel better because the business has made them believe that they cannot and will not live without medical insurance. Another bad result of medical insurance is that it has turned the entire field of medicine in to a financial playground of human life. Doctors are supposed to treat all patients equally, as opposed to treating only those with insurance first, no matter what the circumstance. People who cannot afford health insurance or are not offered the option by their jobs are usually facing the problems of the prices that are now raised as a result of the entire insurance idea. Not only is health insurance making the doctors care less about their patients, it is also raising the prices higher on already outrageous medical bills. In conclusion, I believe that the medical insurance idea is argumentive, because there are a lot of repercussions that people may or may not have thought about. The insurance companies are benifiting immensely, but are we? The prices of medical treatments are rising, the doctors attention to actual patients as opposed to who has insurance is diminishing, and less people are benefiting from health insurance. I do not think that medical insurance should have been proposed in the first place. I do admit that it should have been a benifit to Americans, but I have yet to see everyone benifit as innitialy planned.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The World's Most Ethical Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The World's Most Ethical Companies - Essay Example It will predict the possible effects of these ethical practices to the bottom line of the company. Furthermore, existing policies will be reviewed and recommendations on the areas that need to be improved will be provided. Moral Responsibility to Consumers It has always been the ethical value of L’Oreal to be open-mindedness, wherein it always listens and conforms to the needs and feedback from diverse consumers. Firstly, cultural and racial differences are considered in the development of beauty products to global consumers (L’Oreal, 2013b). The company is committed in providing the best quality beauty products at the most reasonable price to all its consumers for their satisfaction. It always values its consumers from the development to production of beauty products down to marketing and customer relationships. Each product is formulated in conformance to the consumers’ needs of beauty. Secondly, it is active in providing sustainable consumption to consumers ar ound the world by utilising natural ingredients, which bring natural effects to the health of consumers (â€Å"L’Oreal Publishes 2010 Sustainable,† 2011). ... The company has developed a packaging policy in its environmental program in considering the environmental impact of the packaging design. The company makes sure that all its packaging materials are weighed lightly in order to reduce the utilization of cardboard materials from trees. Its packaging design has been forest certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for the last five years. The company sees to it that the raw materials used have passed under its selection system, which requires meeting its several sustainability standards, such as conformance to biodiversity, consumer safety, and long-term accessibility. The company has also adopted an initiative in minimizing its discharge of greenhouse gases through its participation of the Carbon Disclosure Project since 2003. Its initiative has reduced its discharge of carbon dioxide in the environment by 28% through adopting sustainable raw materials and production processes (L’Oreal, 2013c). Moral Responsibility to Em ployees Aside from its responsibility to consumers and the environment, the company has also been practicing ethical practices for its responsibility to its employees. The company offers personalized programs in inducting new employees to the company, which conform to their personalities, skills, and knowledge through comprehensive trainings. In order to make the transition of a new employee successful in the company, it offers a personalized program that includes training, meetings, and discussions with the right people (L’Oreal, 2013d). All employees are also entitled to all career development opportunities despite of race, color, and

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Weather Forecasting for Weather Derivatives Research Proposal

Weather Forecasting for Weather Derivatives - Research Proposal Example The goal is to determine which method leads to the smallest forecasting error. The forecast is performed only for the one time step ahead and is not required to provide long lasting forecast. Since their inception in 1996, weather derivatives have grown in large quantities. Today, weather derivatives are being used for hedging purposes by companies and industries, whose profits can be adversely affected by unseasonal weather or, for speculative purposes by hedge funds and others interested in capitalizing on those volatile markets. A weather derivative is a financial instrument that has a payoff derived from variables such as temperature, snowfall, humidity and rainfall. However, it is estimated that 98-99% of the weather derivatives now traded are based on temperature. Temperature contracts have as an underlying variable, temperature indices such as Heating Degree Days (HDD) or Cooling Degree Days (CDD) defined on average daily temperatures. The list of traded contracts is extensive and constantly evolving. In the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) there are traded weather contracts based on an index of Cumulative Average Temperature (CAT) for European cities for May to September (Zapranis). Many weather derivatives are traded long before the start of the contract and long before there are any useful forecasts which can indicate the likely weather during the contract period. For instance, contracts for the winter period may be traded in the preceding spring and early summer. In this case, only historical observational data are required for derivative valuation. It is also common for weather derivatives to be priced just before and during the period of the contract. There are two main reasons for this. The ï ¬ rst is that weather derivatives are traded at these times. This can be for economic hedging reasons, or purely for speculation. The second is that companies that have traded a weather derivative often need to track the value of the