Political Globalization Essay

Traditionally, globalization is equated with modern economic development. Modern economic development is the institutionalization of capitalist structures which aimed to create the so-called â€Å"uniform world market. † However, in recent decades however, social theorists were able to point two fundamental political transformations. The first transformation involved the development of nation-states – one of the requisites of globalization (modern political institutions are necessary to achieve economic development – in the rubric of modern economic theory). The second transformation involved the end of ideological battle between Communism and Western democracy. In the second transformation, political globalization was manifested. After the Second World War, the world was divided into two camps: the Eastern Communist bloc and the West (known as the Cold War). Many developing countries – those in the Third World – became pawns of the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1990, the Soviet Union disintegrated, ending the Cold War. Thus, Western democracy became the â€Å"norm† of political development in many countries. Many countries adopted Western type political institutions, in the hope of making democracy more participative (Held and McGrew, 2007). Corollary to this was the development of the so-called â€Å"intergovernmental institutions. † These institutions linked political power and geography. For example, the International Criminal Court was established to address specified crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The court was involved in highly controversial cases like the war in Serbia. By exercising its interstate authority, the court was able to affirm its democratic obligation. Not only was the internal political structure of the state determined, its external boundary was also conditioned. Here we can juxtapose that political globalization occurred, Western type and under the guidance of the United States. The United States though acted discouraged some countries to agree in the proposed amendment to the charter of the International Criminal Court. The United States feared a sudden change of political fortunes of aspiring nations like China and the Russian Federation. The uniformization of legal norms would severely hamper the United States in â€Å"forcing† countries economic and political manifestations or favors. Reference Held, David and Anthony McGrew. 2007. Globalization. Retrieved on January 7, 2007 from http://www. polity. co. uk/global/globalization-oxford. asp.

An explanation of how disability may affect development

Ways a practioner can support a child with disabilities and how they will affect the child’s development. Autism. Children with autism need a strict routine, so they do not feel uncomfortable in their setting. The room that they are in in the setting should also be child proofed so they do not injure themselves or others. Eczema. Practioners will be required to put cream on to the child with eczema, they should also be weary not to draw attention to the child, as this may make them feel uncomfortable and different. Blind. The setting should be provided with brail and extra guidance materials for children who are blind. The practioners should also try to keep the classroom tidy and hazard free as this will reduce the risk of injuries. Down syndrome. Settings should offer one to one support to children with Down syndrome and other disabilities, they should use gestures and signs and other forms of communication in order to include these children in daily activities so they aren’t left to feel left out or different from other children. ADHD. Practioners should try to use short and quick explanations of work and instructions; they should try to keep the child interested by engaging them in many activities. The child should also be given any medication they require on time as this could affect their behaviour and may put them or the other children at risk of injury or harm. Asthma. Practioners should be aware of any children with asthma and their inhalers must be kept with the child at all times. It is also important for the practioners to respect that the child had asthma and not push them to do too much physical activity as they will bring on an asthma attack. Dyspraxia. As this is a condition that effects coordination, the setting should be child proofed and all hazards should be removed from the room. They should also be given the opportunity to visit a physiotherapist to improve their condition.

US History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

US History - Assignment Example Overall, more than forty million civilians were killed in the conflict, making WWII as deadly as it was world changing. These genocidal and wartime fatalities could have been prevented through a mutual adherence to a code of war and war conduct and the mutual adherence to this code, which was fashioned during the Treaty of Versailles. A more enforced adherence to the Treaty of Versailles and not to a theory of appeasement by the victors of WWI would’ve prevented Germany’s breach of the treaty and the start of WWII. Two long lasting effects of WII were the rise of United States (and U.S. patriotism) and the conception of powerful world organizations like the United Nations and The World Bank. 2. The progress of Civil rights from the Civil war to 1974 generally assumed a trend of separation of the Black people of America to an inclusion and integration as well as right to equal civil liberties within this inclusion. Figureheads in the civil rights movement include Abraham Lincoln, Jim Crow, Martin Luther King, Plessy vs. Ferguson, the NAACP, Black Power and Malcolm X, to name a

The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown - Essay Example From this research it is clear that a whole life/lifetime would include every activity and this is what the author is looking into which he believes to be spent ‘fishing in himself’ meaning, looking into what is in him that is beneficial. The fisherman is not pictured fishing in the river or ocean but in’ himself’. This statement thus suggests that ‘fishing’ is a metaphor used to paint the act of bringing out something valuable from one’s self like talents, skills, outrageous ideas that could change the world or the modern Einstein who could solve all the problems in this computer age. The second line completes the thought of the author that what the subject is fishing in himself is ‘something grand’. What could be grand in a person other than something that makes him stand out in a crowd? This statement then strengthens the understanding that the man in the poem is fishing or looking into the possibilities of having some sp ecial skills, talents, even attitudes or experiences that could encourage other people or benefit them in some ways as the man himself is benefited for his personal needs. That grand thing the man is trying to fish in himself is described in the next sentence as a ‘lost lunker, big enough to break all records’. This line also confirms that the analysis on the poem is going through the right path, that the grand thing being fished in a person is something extraordinarily huge to be recognized as superior to other men. ‘Rumors, myths, big promises of wonder’ could be stories of achievements and encouragements of people around the world, from different generations. This shows that the character in the poem did not personally witness achievers rather had just heard about them so that they are considered merely rumors, unfounded and unproved. Some stories might even seem to be exaggerated and unbelievable so that they are counted as myths like the successes of H ercules and other heroes of old. ‘Big promises of wonder’ could represent encouragements that express belief in an individual like the adage that goes ‘If others, why can’t I?’ Such leads people to believe that for every person, there is always something special that is sitting somewhere inside of him, waiting to be discovered and nurtured. The ‘shadow of something enormous darkening the man’s life’ might be a metaphor of his doubts and fears about what he has and what he can do. It is mentioned that the man only felt this shadow and did not see it. So many times, men see with their feelings especially with things that are still unknown and have not been tried yet and most of these times, people are overwhelmed with the possibilities of failure that is why they would rather go about with the normal activities of men. Then, the poet suggests that the shadow the man might have felt could be that of another fish’s, greater tha n his doubts and fears. What could be haunting the man is the fear that he might not become as popular as another person, as successful as his neighbor, as intelligent as his classmate, as talented as the other boy or as innovative as the ordinary

Pursuing a Career in Real Estates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pursuing a Career in Real Estates - Essay Example Title companies’ main work is to make smooth the exchange of properties between the concerned parties, doing all the work for the buyer who can be a citizen or a foreigner (Tyson and Griswold 62). Unlike the U.S., other countries have rules in regards to what property foreigners can buy. In Mexico, for example, foreigners are not allowed to own property within 50 km of the coast or 100 km from the borders unless they have a Mexican trust or Mexican corporation title. In South Asian countries like Thailand, foreigners cannot own land, but properties in it can be purchased followed by land acquisition under a lease option of 30 years. However, this land acquisition is not assured because the government still insists that land ownership by foreigners is illegal. In the Philippines real estate development is one of the fastest growing businesses (Edwards 78). This paper discusses real estate as a possible business venture and the qualities of a successful real estate agent. THE RE AL ESTATE BUSINESS SECTOR As the world economies evolve, individuals and organizations have seen the need to make smart investment choices. In his book, on investing in real estate, Eldred asks, ‘What types of markets offer the best opportunities for future profits? What type of markets alleviates risks?’ (20). Questions like these are the ones that an individual asks when they wish to invest. The answer to the questions lies in the real estate industry. Real estate development has had a positive impact on economies of nations over the years. This is because land is so much a limited resource that even reclaiming it from the seas is not a sustainable option. Thus, a smart investor invests and owns part of it so as to have a bargaining chip. Furthermore, its value rarely goes down, and even if it does it does not take long for its value to shoot once again. Fields in the Real Estate Business. Private property ownership, has led to the development and growth of real estat e to a significant business sector, also called commercial real estate. In reality, real estate properties are always expensive thus; they require a significant amount of investment. In addition, each piece of land has unique characteristics, which has lead to development of different fields in the industry with specialists that evaluate the real estate and facilitate the transactions. Businesses in real estate include Appraisals, where a professional determines the value of the property (Edwards 78). Second is the brokerage, where a broker is paid a fee to facilitate the transaction between the two parties. Third is development, which involves land improvement for use via replacing or adding buildings. Fourth is net leasing, which ensures tenants pay rent plus the additional expenses that are supposed to be paid by the landlord. Fifth is property management, which involves managing a property on behalf of the owner. Sixth is real estate marketing and it entails managing the sales a spect of the property. Seven is real estate investing, which entails management of the investment in the real estate. Eight is the relocation services, and as the name suggests, involves relocating business or people to different countries or regions. Lastly is the corporate real estate, which deals with management of a corporation’

Housing Development Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Housing Development Process - Essay Example However, emphasis on the architectural requirements of the houses has not been significant in the conventional practice of house development, although it is as important as the structural engineering concerns of the development. Importance of an architect is further exaggerated by a social change that has increased peoples’ interest in fashion, looks and aesthetics. An architect ensures their achievement in the finished look of the house. The housing development process requires careful consideration of various factors other than the design and aesthetics of the house. The development scheme originates from the need in a particular area, and the expenses available to the developers prior to development. Once the process of development of houses is felt beneficial for the community in a certain area, the developers look for the most appropriate site. A site that is near to the market and can offer many facilities at shortest distance from the house is considered the best for development. Once the site is selected, the developers accumulate funds either from banks, or by investments from the public. Then the site layout is prepared. Labor accommodation, site offices, and other facilities required for the development are clearly demarcated in the site layout. The project commences with the formulation of preliminary design by the architects that is matured by the structural engineers. Cost estimates are prepared simulta neously. Once the final design and cost estimates are identified, the construction begins. The houses are constructed as per the design and schedule prepared in the start of the project. It is ensured that the construction complies with the specifications devised by the architect in the start of the project. What is equally important is to ensure that the project completes exactly upon or before the time expected by the customer. Exceeding the finishing time can incur huge monetary

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Essay

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Can we take them seriously in the post modern era - Essay Example Miracle is a sign God use to point at Himself or at His existence. Through miracles God portrays, the universal fact that the whole universe is made by Him. He has order the universe to act in a certain order and according to certain laws, therefore He has the authority to change these whenever He wants The miracle is not always mean to break or violate the natural law. Everything has been made by God, He controls it and has been maintaining it since the first day of its creation but one day He will destroy it. The day will be â€Å"the day of judgment†. In the New Testament Jesus Christ performed many miracles. He performed His first miracle when He changed water into wine. He healed many people. The brought the dead to life. This was all done to build the faith of the Christian in the Supreme Authority. Being a Christian whenever you read the bible, you see miracles happening on every other page. Whether it is water changing into wine, sick ones is healed, the sea divides into two parts. There are number of miraculous activities which are performed by God himself, or by God’s will. All these events which we read only make our faith firm as a mountain. It makes us believe that Almighty God has unlimited power over every other thing. He controls all that happens and even the things that you think are impossible to happen. All the powers are in the hands of God, He can bring the dead to life. The purpose of all the miracles is to tell the human being that God has control of creation because he is the only one who has created us. It tells us that if God has the control over such miraculous thing, so just imagine what he can do with our lives. Nothing difficult for Him to control He can change our lives within the blink of an eye. He wants us to believe in the miracles and know that they can happen in our lives too. The miracles occur to make us believe in the bible. It makes us believe that there is a life after death and the way to that eternal life, is

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argument - Essay Example She also wrote the poem â€Å"I’m Nobody! Who Are You?†, a simple and straightforward poem. The aim of this paper is to analyze the poetic style used in this poem in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. Furthermore, it would concentrate on analyzing the meaning of the poem. Overview â€Å"I’m Nobody! Who are You?† has been written by Emily Dickinson. It is short, simple and straightforward but has a deep meaning. The selection of the word â€Å"Nobody† in the title demonstrate that Dickinson was a nobody and she preferred to be that. It signifies that she loved to spent time in isolation and doing her house chores. It also demonstrates that she loved her gardens and she enjoyed reading as well as writing. The poem itself is considered to represent her isolated and secluded life. â€Å""I'm Nobody! Who are you?" is a direct reflection of Dickinson's ideals on life† (Habegger, 2001). â€Å"Are you—Nobody—too?† demonstrates the fact that Dickinson wanted to have another person, who would be just like her, that is, a nobody, with whom she can spent the rest of her life with. Majority of the poets and literary critics â€Å"have connected to Dickinson as being the "love" she spoke of in her poems are people to whom she corresponded with by letters, men and women alike† (Habegger, 2001).

Project management for business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project management for business - Essay Example A positive variance is considered good because it indicates that the project is under budget and is ahead of the pre-defined project schedule. Positive variances are useful in re allocating resources and capital from the positive variance tasks to the tasks having negative variance so as to maintain adequate balance and consistency in the project. The opposite happens for negative variances. Two key ratios are used in the earning value analysis. These are Cost Performance Index (CPI) and the SPI. An index of more than 1 is consider good as it indicates that the project is under budget and is age had of the fixed schedule (Philipson and Antvik, 2009). The opposite goes for a performance index lower than 1. The report discusses the importance of project role, process responsibilities and stakeholder management with respect to a prestigious project of the government of the United Kingdom which is the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) of National Health Service (NHS). The report identifies the key reasons of the management of the project which led to the subsequent failure of the project. The report is structured with a background given on the relevant project, a discussion of the key factors affecting the project and suitable recommendations given in order to establish how the project can be sufficiently improved. The National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) is an important systems project started by the government of United Kingdom. The project has been criticised due to the huge number of loopholes that have been identified on the project structure and the key aspects of project management. Project roles, responsibilities and stakeholder management are key aspects which decide the success or failure of a project. Therefore, the following report is prepared with the view of identifying these key aspects of the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) and

Tuesdays with Morrie Paper Essay Example for Free

Tuesdays with Morrie Paper Essay Tuesdays with Morrie is a classic piece of literature that depicts an atypical student-teacher relationship. An unusual twist of fate takes the student and this book’s author, Mitch Albom, to once again cross the path of his college professor, whose terminal illness brings both of them to compose their final thesis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Morrie Schwartz started out as Mitch’s sociology professor back in Brandeis University, Massachusetts.   Mitch could be described as the typical college student who hid beneath his tough impression in order to compensate for his being a year younger to be a freshman. Mitch was a good student and in the long run, despite his initial impression of Morrie, took to the professor’s classes and belief that educating was experience over theory. With their classroom and one-on-one discussions coupled with the number of sociology classes that Mitch took under Morrie, the professor finally encouraged Mitch to write an honors thesis, a year-long task which Mitch proudly submitted to is teacher by spring of that year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sixteen years after, life has drastically changed for both of them. Mitch became the career-chasing sports journalist, a job he had traded for his dream to become a piano player. Morrie, on the other hand, had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a brutal illness of the neurological system. It was a typical night in the life of Mitch, as he was changing channels when he heard the once familiar Morrie Schwartz named in one of the popular nighttime shows on television. It featured his old professor, now stricken with the illness, and all their memories back in college came rolling back to him, including the promise he made during graduation that he would keep in touch with his once favored teacher, one that he never fulfilled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Back on campus, the relationship of Morrie and Mitch’s as professor and student proved promising. One was a very dedicated teacher, the other, a willing student. Their initial acquaintance was concluded with Morrie hoping that one day, Mitch, as many of his friends called him, would also be his friend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With most of our generation being in school at one time or another, it would be a truthful observation to say that the relationship between Morrie and Mitch is not the typical teacher-student relationship that we know of. In this time and day, students come and go, and seldom do teachers have the steadfast dedication that Morrie maintained to leave a lasting impression on his students. Although their relationship started out in academics, it eventually developed into a friendship where the old professor became a mentor of life to the young student. They sometimes sat together to eat, had lively discussions about human relationships, and through all these Mitch had agreed to become the player of Morrie, whom he started to call â€Å"Coach.† Despite the need to make up for lost time, the time they met once again, and the Tuesdays after that defined a relationship that was unquestionably one that naturally became a continuation of the friendship they once had.   That reunion after 16 years marked a renewed beginning of a deeper relationship between the two. Both had agreed to meet on Tuesdays immediately after making the pact that the remaining days of Morrie would be devoted to the composition of the â€Å"literature of death.† This would discuss what Mitch pertained to as the issues of his generation such as death, fear, aging, greed, marriage, family, society, forgiveness and a meaningful life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The tape recorded topics of the â€Å"Tuesday people† started with a discussion about the world. Morrie described it as a world where dreams were traded for bigger paychecks, something which Mitch was very guilty of. The culture that the world has generally does not make people feel good about themselves. Morrie suggests that if this is what culture sells you, then you don’t have to buy it. But because of the daily exposure of people to these ads and their promises of beauty, fame, or fortune, they are lured to thinking that being themselves is not enough. As such, each day they fall prey to this very culture that promulgates that what is trendy is equivalent to â€Å"normal.† In the long run, people walk around leading meaningless lives, busy doing things they believe to be important. In their desperation to put meaning in their lives, they chase the wrong things. After chasing these wrong things and end up finding out that they too, are empty, they keep running. And unfortunately this goes on until the day they leave this world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each morning that Morrie wakes up and feels sorry for himself, he cries for a few minutes and then moves on, deciding that wallowing in self-pity would not be the way he wanted to live his remaining days. This is what he calls detachment, learning to let go after feeling the moment. Dying is about accepting it as a natural phenomenon in this world. Humans should not be thinking that they are above nature but rather, a part of it. As one of Morrie’s favorite stories said, the wave is not going to crash into the shore and die. Instead, it had to remind itself that it was part of the ocean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When asked about the regrets he had in life, Morrie simply said that it is about vanity and pride. He regretted losing a friendship because of pride. This is where the topic on forgiveness comes in learning to forgive yourself, and then forgiving others before you die. Most important of all, despite his impending death, Morrie faced it with the acceptance of a child. Instead of letting the terminal illness disintegrate his spirit, he enjoyed his dependency on other people as a baby would on a nurturing mother. Ironically, awaiting his death ultimately served as their biggest lesson about living. As Morrie put it, â€Å"once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Topics in their Tuesday sessions dwelled on the importance of love, spirituality, responsibility and awareness. Morrie pointed out that the most important thing in life is learning how to give out love and letting it come in. Quoting his favorite poet, Auden, Morrie frequently told Mitch, love each other or perish. Over and over throughout the book, Morrie emphasized the importance of love and that it would be the only way for your memory to be alive when you’re gone. If the people you leave will remember that feeling, even if you die, you will never really go away. Although death puts an end to life, it doesn’t end a relationship. The only reason people wished to stay young, as the professor said, was because they never had satisfied and fulfilled lives. It is only when one was able to find meaning in life that they were able to move forward and look forward to their destiny.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What Morrie wanted Mitch to learn was to live a life that was devoted to loving others, the community around you, and being able to create something that gave you meaning and purpose. After loving others, one needs to be able to love the community they live in. Even if every society has its own problems, Morrie proposes that the answer is not about running away but about creating your own culture and embracing your community like your own family. Morrie taught about investing in the human family, in people, by building a community of those you love and those who love you. Showing off to people above you is futile because they will always be looking down on you while showing off to those in the bottom will only cause them to envy you. Status, according to Morrie, gets you nowhere. As the professor once exclaimed, there was nothing wrong with being number two. Who cares?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other important values during the final days of Morrie were about being compassionate and taking responsibility for each other. He rationalized that the world would be a better place if people had learned these basic lessons in life: regrets, acceptance of death as part of nature, the importance of family, showing emotions, love, and forgiveness. In fact, when Mitch asked Morrie how he wanted to spend his â€Å"last day† on earth, it was neither about being able to experience the exotic nor being a VIP. Surprisingly, it was just about getting in touch with nature, with the people he loved, and enjoying the simple things that truly mattered in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among all the things that Mitch has learned from Morrie during his final days, it is the importance of love that proved very essential for me. Even if one had all the riches in the world, clichà © as it may sound, material satisfaction is never enough. Morrie in his final days, as he was stripped of his independence, had learned to be more alive in giving himself, his ideas, to those who wished to hear him out—family, meditation teachers, discussion groups, old students, and friends. He had found more meaning in being able to listen to the problems of other people and contributing in whatever way he can to its solution. He had achieved what he had aspired for in life by having his loved ones surround him in death, rather than hearing of praises when he was on the grave. Morrie imparted the basic idea that indeed, death was not the end of a relationship.   Death was just a phenomenon of nature that we had to understand, that life was not about what society dictated. Life was about living in the moment, being happy with the simple things in life. Not running after the next job, or the next big thing. Paycheck was never in Morrie’s equation of living a happy life. A meaningful life was more about being in touch with those you love, and manifesting that love through affection and uninhibited communication.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As life comes to an end, you only cared about the legacy you leave in this world. How far has your influence gone? Have you told people you cared about that you loved them? Do you want to leave with regrets? Seemingly mediocre to many, these are questions that Morrie challenges us with. As we are posed with these questions, Morrie leaves us the inspiration that we ought to deal with life as if we were dancing with it. Dance with all your heart, with all your might, as if nobody’s looking. If Morrie Schwartz only had the chance, he would have danced his life away, until his last step, until his final breath.

Rapid Migration Test

Rapid Migration Test The RMT involves subjecting a 4-inch (102- mm) diameter by 2- inch (51-mm) thick saturated samples to an external electrical potential to force chlorides ions to migrate into the specimens (NT BUILD 492 1999). To account for varying concrete resistances, the initial current flow through the specimen is measured and the applied voltage is adjusted accordingly. The samples are fit into silicone rubber sleeves where one of the sides of the specimens is immersed in a 0.3 N NaOH (1.2% NaOH) solution and the other side to a 10 percent NaCl solution. After a specified duration, the samples are removed and axially split into two pieces. A depth of chloride penetration is determined in one half of the specimen using a colorimetric technique; spraying silver nitrate solution on the freshly cut surface. The originally proposed method called for the concrete sample to be exposed to a voltage gradient for 8 hours, after which the specimen is sliced and sprayed with an indicator for chlorides, AgNO3 to determine the depth of chloride penetration. This time period makes the procedure difficult to fit into a normal working day of a laboratory. Consequently, Tang and Nilsson revised their method to use varying voltages and test durations depending upon the initial current measured (NTBuild 492). This improved test was standardized as a Nordtest procedure. The standardized method NTBuild 492 still presented further problems. The most critical is the extended time duration of the test (as long as 4 days in some cases) and the wide range of applied voltage that must be used. A simplified testing protocol was developed in which the effect of several different voltages and test durations were evaluated (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). Based on the results of their research, a fixed test duration of 18 hours was selected, with a varying applied voltage. The voltage selected for the test is based on the initial current values for that sample under a 60-volt potential. The new proposed voltage values were selected to avoid chloride breakthrough that would occasionally occur in the NTBuild 492 procedure 2.2.6   SURFACE RESISTIVITY TEST USING THE FOUR-POINT WENNER PROBE (FM 5-578) Concrete conductivity is fundamentally related to the permeability of fluids and the diffusivity of ions through a porous material (Whiting and Mohamad 2003). As a result, the electrical resistivity can be used as an indirect measure of the ease in which chlorides ions can penetrate concrete (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). The resistivity of a saturated porous medium, such as concrete, is mainly measured by the conductivity through its pore solution (Streicher and Alexander 1995). Two procedures have been developed to determine the electrical resistivity of concrete. The first method involves passing a direct current through a concrete specimen placed between two electrodes. The concrete resistance between the two electrodes is measured. The actual resistance measured by this method can be reduced by an unknown amount due to polarization at the probe contact interface. The second method solves the polarization problem by passing an alternating current (AC) through the sample. A convenient tool to measure using this method is the four -point Wenner Probe resistivity meter (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). The set up utilizes four equally spaced surface contacts, where a small alternating current is passed through the concrete sample between the outer pair of contacts. A digital voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference between the two inner electrodes, obtaining the resistance from the ratio of voltage to current (see Figure 5). This resistance is then used to calculate resistivity of the section. The resistivity Ï  of a prismatic section of length L and section area A is given by: Ï = A.R L where R is the resistance of the specimen calculated by dividing the potential V by the applied current I. The resistivity Ï  for a concrete cylinder can be calculated by the following formula: Ï€ .d 2 1 V â‹… Ï  = 4 L I where d is the cylinder diameter and L its length (Morris, Moreno and Sagà ¼es 1996). Assuming that the concrete cylinder has homogeneous semi-infinite geometry (the dimensions of the element are large in comparison of the probe spacing), and the probe depth is far less than the probe spacing, the concrete cylinder resistivity Ï  is given by: V Ï  =(2.Ï€ .a)â‹… I where a is the electrode spacing (see Figure 5). The non-destructive nature, speed, and ease of use make the Wenner Probe technique a promising alternative test to characterize concrete permeability. Current Applied (I) Potential Measured Concrete Surface a a a (V) to be Tested Equipotential lines Current Flow Lines Figure 5. Four-point Wenner Probe Test Setup. Results from Wenner Probe testing can vary significantly if the degree of saturation or conductivity of the concrete is inconsistent. Techniques to achieve more uniform saturation, such as vacuum saturation or submerging in water overnight, can be performed in the laboratory. However, the laboratory pre-saturation procedure still presents some inconsistencies. The known conductivity of the added solution changes when mixed with the ions (mainly alkali hydroxides) still present in the concrete pores after the drying process (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). To overcome this problem, Streicher and Alexander (1995) suggested the use of a high conductivity solution, for example 5 M NaCl, to saturate the sample so that the change in conductivity from the ions remaining in the concrete is insignificant.

The Promise of the Dietary Supplement :: Research Science Diet Essays

The Promise of the Dietary Supplement Fat Busters, Fat Trappers, Fat Magnets and Fat Absorbers all have one ‘miraculous’ agent in common – chitosan. Why is this supplement all the rage in today’s weight loss market? Will chitosan live up to its touted potential? The dietary supplement, chitosan is the processed, more water-soluble form of one of the most common substances in nature: chitin (KITE-in). The exoskeletons of arthropods (ants, shellfish, etc.) and the walls of many molds, yeast and fungi contain this building block of nature. Chitosan was first discovered in 1811 by Henri Braconnot, director of the botanical garden in Nancy, France. Bracannot observed that a certain substance (chitin) found in mushrooms did not dissolve in sulfuric acid. Over the last 200 years, the exploration of chitosan has taken on many different forms. Several other researchers continue to build on the original finding of Bracannot, discovering new uses for chitin as they find different forms of it in nature. Chitosan aids in the â€Å"reduction of triglycerides due to its ability to bind dietary lipids, thereby reducing intestinal lipid absorption† (Koide, 1998). Translation? Basically, chitin molecules have the ability to latch on to heavy metals, amino acids and FAT. Chitin may be able to ‘soak up’ fat in the intestine and flush it through the body before it can be absorbed. If effective, this process should lead to weight reduction. Neutralize fat, thus causing weight loss Reduce cholesterol Provide a safe and natural weight loss program with minimal / no side effects According to Sally Squires, in the March 28, 2000 issue of The Washington Post, several factors involving chitosan should be considered before buying chitosan-based products: 1) The composition of chitin can vary depending on the seawater, the animal from which it is taken, and the time of year. There is no ‘pure form’ that can be counted on. 2) Following the Dietary Supplement Health and Nutrition Act in 1994, the FDA has a limited ability to regulate vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements (i.e. chitosan). It is, therefore, possible to stock shevles full of a product without providing related scientific evidence. 3) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) won an $8.3 million judgment against a company violating federal consumer protection laws with false claims concerning chitin. 4) The FTC lawsuit is the first of several additional (non FTC) suits for false claims regarding chitin and chitosan, including a lawsuit filed by both Napa and Sonoma counties in California.

Reiki Therapy Essay -- Research Japanese Papers

Reiki Therapy The History of Reiki According to the Reiki Holistic Healing at Christal Center web page, the word â€Å"Reiki† is defined as the Japanese word for â€Å"universal energy†. Reiki therapy is a â€Å"laying on of hands† by a therapist who has studied Reiki, and therefore has enabled him/herself to provide a channel of healing energy for their clients. Although Dr. Makao Usui, a Christian monk, is credited with rediscovering Reiki therapy in Japan during the 1800’s, believers say this therapy dates all the way back to when Jesus healed others through his touch thousands of years ago (http://www.cwizard.com/christal/reiki.htm). Wade Ryan (a Reiki Master) claims in his web page on facts about Reiki that this is not a religion, but that the spiritual energy received by clients often leads to an expansion of one’s own personal faith (http://www.freeyellow.com/members/Reiki/page1.html). â€Å"The Three Reikis† (http://www.freeyellow.com/members/Reiki/page2.html) explains that about five years ago distinctions for three forms of Reiki were recognized. The three forms are Usui Reiki, Vajra Reiki, and Karuna Reiki. Usui Reiki is the traditional form of Reiki rediscovered by Dr. Usui. Usui Reiki is noted for being a very gentle therapy, and therefore appropriate for adults and children seeking to maintain their good health, for providing energy to those who are lacking it due to illness or treatment, and also for the elderly. During Usui Reiki, the Practitioner’s Hand Positions are centered mainly on the head or torso. Although most Practitioners are satisfied with Usui Reiki Ability, those who are interested in a wider range of Healing Energy (i.e. caregivers of the extremely ill) would be more interested in Vajra R... ... very few studies out on this topic, and those that are out seem to disagree with each other; some are in favor of the benefits of Reiki, and some claim that these benefits only exist because of psychological reasons or don’t exist at all. Although Reiki is an ancient practice, it is just beginning to become popular in modern medicine. We can expect more and more research to be published in the near future as more studies are conducted and completed. Bibliography Green, CA (1998). Reflection of a therapeutic touch experience: case study 2. Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery, 4(1), 17-21. Samarel, N. (1997). Therapeutic touch, dialogue, and women's experiences in breast cancer surgery. Holistic Nursing Practice, 12(1), 62-70. Thornton, Lucia Marie (1993). Effects of energetic healing on female nursing students. MAI, 31/01, 284.

Coffee Industry in the UK Essay -- Business Marketing Essays

Coffee Industry in the UK The coffee industry has grown rapidly since the 1990s; before Starbucks emerged, people were used to drinking low quality coffee from tins. Starbucks introduced fresh coffee made from top quality beans that have excellent taste and drinks such as the caffe latte and cappuccino, which have helped to fuel the development of the coffee market into a multi million pound industry. The size of UK branded coffee chains have quadrupled from 1999 to 2004, with a current market turnover of over  £1 billion. 2 Market Forecasts The coffee market is forecast for continued growth and expansion, without threat of saturation in the near future. In 2004 the coffee market was estimated at having around 2,299 outlet units and it 2006 it is predicted that the number of units will have increased to an estimated 2,965, with the growth of the branded coffee sector predicted to increase by 11% between 2004 and 2006. Indeed, branded chain outlets have accounted for most of the coffee market growth according to forecasts by industry analysts Allegra Strategies. Allegra claims that although there are more independents than branded coffee chains, in 2005 and 2006 it is expected that more branded than independent chains will be opening. Indeed, some independents. such as Bewley’s in London, have had to close down. 3 Macro - environment analysis of the market Social The coffee market must adapt to a change in consumer attitudes or else it may be threatened by health and lifestyle issues. In 2003 the hot drinks market declined by an estimated 2.3%. Consumers, especially young people, are becoming more health conscious which makes coffee a less attractive choice; the increasing number of alternatives available such as health and energy drinks are becoming competitors in the coffee industry. Research carried out by Mintel shows that there is an increased diversification of tea, with a trend towards premium and herbal teas. The coffee industry are responded to this change in attitude by provision of de-caf drinks, options such as soy milk, and alternative drinks such as freshly squeezed fruit juices, chai lattes and herbal teas. People are now working harder than ever before but have more leisure time; they now use coffee shops to socialise. Allegra research claims that dwelling time in coffee shops has increased; 44.9% of consumers stay... ...au then tic cost a coffee e www.dandad.org/inspiration/ creativityworks/pdf/authentic.pdf UK coffee shop market statistics 14 Mar 2005, Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, http://www.caterer-online.com/archive/articledetail.asp?articleID=57531 Nestle Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, http://www.caterer-online.com/archive/articledetail.asp?articleID=50580 Branded coffee bars are squeezing independents http://www.thehospitalitysite.com.au/article/44/OcO2db44.asp 2005 Allegra Strategies Ltd. No.1 Northumberland Av, Trafalgar Square. London, http://www.allegra.co.uk/project-cafe5-keyfindings.html Oxfam to open coffee shops BB News May 2004 Http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3708585.stm Starbuck’s success - More than just coffee ICFAI University Press http://www.icfaipress.org/304/AN-Starbuckway_72.asp The Coffee Market ‘A Background Study’ Oxfam International Commodity Research http://www.maketradefair.com/en/assets/english/BackgroundStudyCoffeeMarket.pdf . The State of Sustainable Coffee Executive Summary http://www.ico.org/libser/executive%20summary.pdf . Whitbread Briefing Book 2005 Volume 1 http://www.whitbread.co.uk/docs/Briefing_Book_2005_voll.pdf

Professional Behaviour Essay

A framework of professional principles can guide behaviour where the law is not applicable, not clear, or remains silent. Behaving legally is the minimum standard of behaviour expected of the ‘ethical’ accountant. Some behaviour, while legal, may still be regarded as ‘unethical’. Many aspects and decisions within accounting roles, at all levels, are not covered by the law. Therefore, in many different situations, the law is not sufficient to guide a professional’s behaviour, but a professional is also expected to behave in accordance with accepted professional principles. Acting in the public interest : The public is everyone who is affected or could potentially be affected by the work or shortcomings of accountants and auditors, including third party institutions. The interest is the potential impact of accountants’ work on the public, whether that be beneficial or harmful. What actions are the public interested in as far as accountancy is concerned? Money laundering * ‘the conversion or transfer of property, knowing that such property is derived from criminal activity or from an act of participation in such activity, for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the property or of assisting any person who is involved in the commission of such activity to evade the legal consequences of his action’; and * ‘the concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to, or ownership of property, knowing that such property is derived from criminal activity or from an act of participation in such activity’. Insider trading is another form of corruption. This is making investor decisions based on confidential information. Insider trading is a criminal offence in most countries, although the effectiveness of enforcement varies. The reasons it is usually illegal are: * It is unfair on investors who do not have access to the information * It may deter investors from participating in the market at all, undermining the basic purpose of markets, which is to allow companies to raise capital * It may destabilise markets by encouraging the trading of stock based on rumours * It involves profiting from a breach of confidence, at the expense (at least partially) of people to whom the insider has a duty (such as their employer, and their employer’s shareholders) Defenders of insider trading claim that it improves market efficiency by allowing confidential information to influence prices more quickly. However, in most situations insider trading is considered to be highly damaging.

A Case Study Of Rainwater Harvesting Structures Environmental Sciences Essay

Feasibility of reaping H2O at Konkamthan Village in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra State is studied utilizing annually rainfall informations. It is said that â€Å" H2O is life † because, the H2O is required from birth to decease for human being. In the planetary image, India is identified as a state where H2O scarceness is expected to turn well in the coming decennaries. Further drought status, climatic variableness cause considerable human enduring in many parts of the state in the signifier of scarceness of H2O for both satisfaction of imbibing demands and irrigation demands. The consequences of adult male made crisis be seen as planetary heating and alteration in climatic conditions. The rain has become irregular because of perturbation in natural rhythm and hence do non make when one wants them. â€Å" A Drop Harvested is a Crop Harvested † dictates upon the importance of rain H2O harvest home. Thymine he measure of rainfall is fickle, decreased and unsure. Hence, demand for preservation has been felt much more than of all time before. In this survey, hydro-meteorological information is obtained from Indian Meteorological Station at Kumbhari, of Kopargaon taluka. To analyze the profile of land, study was carried out with Ttotal Station. Contour sheet was plotted with scale 1 † to 160 ‘ at 0.5 m contour interval. The infiltration rate of dirt was studied by dual ring infiltrometer. Depending upon design demands different overflow reaping constructions, like contour bunding, compartment bunding, nalah bunding and farm lb has been suggested. The survey shown that with the aid of reaping constructions 60 to 70 % of rainfall can be harvested. Cardinal words: Annually rainfall, Rain H2O reaping constructions, planetary heating, Entire Stationss, Profile, Contour, Infiltration, Double pealing infiltrometer. Introduction: It is good known that, the land force per unit area is increasing twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours due to population growing, doing the more and more H2O is required for domestic, agribusiness and industrial intents. At every topographic point there is ground H2O, but its geographic expedition needs money, as a consequence it becomes a restraint, nevertheless there are other restraints such as rainfall form, handiness of surface overflow and storage of H2O. Hence rain H2O reaping constructions are indispensable for effectual use of extra rainfall. Rainwater harvest home is the knowing aggregation of rainwater from a surface and its subsequent storage in order to provide H2O during the clip of demand. Rain-water harvest home is indispensable in position of the fact that rainfall, which is a beginning of fresh H2O, occurs in every short enchantments and runs off as a waste unless agreements are made for its storing ( NIH,1993 ) . In the present survey effort has been made to analyze the topography of the country, based on study work carried out utilizing entire Stationss. Besides the rainfall form for six old ages and dirt strata has been studied. The rain H2O reaping constructions were proposed based on topography, rainfall form, climatic conditions, and geological characteristics of the survey country. Site Detailss: The location of site is at Kokamthan, 03 km off from Kopargaon, District Ahmednagar. The Latitude and Departure of Sanvatsar small town are 190 54 ‘ N and 740 33 ‘ E severally. The country under probe is about 125 estates. River GODAVARI COMPOUND WALL 74.00 m PIMPLE TREENitrogen19.45 m ST-1 Figure-1: Site Detailss Data Collection: The informations aggregation portion of the country under probe has been loosely carried out in two parts, 1 ] Topographical surveies 2 ] Hydrological surveies Survey Record: – The study for the proposed site has been carried out with the aid of Entire Station DTM-352 and R.Ls of 405 Stationss are determined and listed in the tabular array below. Table-1 [ Sample record of observations ] Obs. no. Northing Easting R.Ls Description 1 0 0 100 ST1 2 -70.6743 -24.8749 98.5763 WC 3 -63.305 -35.5295 98.5771 RC1 4 -34.5137 -58.375 98.6694 RVC1 5 -27.3761 -34.3426 98.5275 RC2 6 -26.4177 -21.1967 98.363 WC2 Based on entire station observations, the Contour map has been prepared with a contour interval of 0.5m. , as shown in figure-3. It is observed that the elevational difference in the surveyed country in two terminals is about 2m. Rainfall Data: – The rainfall informations of last 20 old ages was obtained from the Irrigation Department and Indian Meteorological Department, Jeur Kumbhari. The information is tabulated as below and rainfall tendency has been observed as shown in figure-2. Table-2 [ 20 Year rainfall informations ] Year Rainfall ( millimeter ) 1987-88 520.4 1988-89 610.8 1989-90 715.6 1990-91 680.5 1991-92 500.4 1992-93 560.1 1993-94 180.4 1994-95 270.2 1995-96 165.8 1996-97 650.9 Year Rainfall ( millimeter ) 1997-98 353.6 1998-99 501.3 1999-00 311.5 2000-01 504.8 2001-02 477.2 2002-03 531.3 2003-04 376.6 2004-05 455.2 2005-06 484.4 2006-07 761.9 Figure- : 2 Rainfall Pattern. Structures. Figure- : 3 Contour Plan demoing RWH Structures. Proposed Action Plan: To plan the rain H2O reaping constructions, the rainfall, overflow, vaporization and ooze informations are basically required but these are by and large non available for most of the sites, nevertheless if these are available, the cost of an extended hydrologic probe is rarely justified. However, based on few chief factors impacting the design, a general guideline has been followed to plan the contour bund, compartment bund and nalah bund. Water harvest home and overflow recycling has four distinguishable constituents, viz. , aggregation ( reaping ) of surplus rainfall, efficient storage of harvest H2O, H2O application ( including lifting and conveyance ) and optimal use of applied H2O for maximal benefits. Based on the catchment country, rainfall, land incline and overflow volume, the suitableness demands of the farm pool has been proposed to build on both right and left side of the probe country. Decision: The basic thought behind rainwater harvest home is that the rainfall in India is extremely seasonal, with most of the precipitation happening within a few months of the twelvemonth and within that period the strength, being concentrated within a few hebdomads, that precipitation is besides extremely variable between different parts of the state and from twelvemonth to twelvemonth, that ‘s why it is necessary to hive away rainwater with assorted constructions suited for that country. The principal concern in set abouting this undertaking is to reload the land H2O, run into the industrial demand, protecting agribusiness from the vagaries of the monsoon, and carry through the domestic demand and to command the inundations to a certain extent. The elaborate contour study of country under probe at Sanvatsar was carried out with the aid of entire Station and contour sheet was plotted. By analyzing the dirt features, metrological factors, infiltration rate and land incline of the country under probe, we have suggested the contour bunding, compartment bunding, farm pool and nalah bunding as the rain H2O reaping constructions suited for that country. Looking into the different losingss and other factors it can besides be concluded that approximately 70 % of the rain falling in that country can be harvested. Looking into the scarceness of H2O and high energy input for H2O supply strategy, it should be made compulsory to implement such rain H2O reaping techniques so that the job of H2O scarceness can be minimized.

God’s Foreknowledge and the Problem of Evil Essay

In his essay[1] on the possibility of God’s having middle knowledge of the actions of free agents and the relationship of that knowledge, if it exists, to the problem of evil,[2] RM Adams discusses two questions: firstly, whether middle knowledge is possible, even for God, and secondly, whether God could have made free creatures who would always freely do right. These questions highlight the importance of trying to understand how much God knows about the future and the relationship of the answer to that question with the problem of evil. In the present essay I review four major possible views of God’s foreknowledge and highlight their strengths and weaknesses, paying particular attention to Adams’ arguments on Middle Knowledge which lead to his conclusion that there is reason to doubt its possibility. I then review Adams’ arguments about its impact on the problem of evil and, having concluded, as he does, that, middle knowledge being available or not, permitting some evil in order to allow creatures to have free will may contribute to a theodicy but not complete it, I consider how this situation might be improved by accepting that the future is at least partly open. The problem The problem of evil has been the subject of theological dispute for centuries. If God is, as the traditional Christian view would have it, omniscient, omnipotent and perfectly good, how come there is evil in the world? Such a God, the argument goes, would not only wish to dispel evil from the world, but, since he can do anything, he would have done so. Since he clearly has not, either he is not able to do so or he does not care, or perhaps he doesn’t exist. While arguments such as the above call into doubt the possibility of God’s being at once omnipotent and perfectly good, the problem of evil is also closely related to the issue of his omniscience, in particular to his foreknowledge. If God knows everything about the future, including what choices between good and evil I will make, am I really free to make those choices? But does God actually know everything, particularly about contingent future events? There are many views of the God’s foreknowledge; I will consider four principal ones. The Simple Foreknowledge View. This view holds that God knows all truths and believes no falsehoods, or as Hunt puts it ‘God has complete and infallible knowledge of the future’[3], a simple statement and one which is subject to some serious objections. In the context of this essay the most important objection is that it would appear to negate the possibility of human freedom. As Augustine’s interlocutor, Evodius, says, ‘since God foreknew that he [Adam] was going to sin, his sin necessarily had to happen. How then is the will free when such inescapable necessity is found in it? ’[4] Augustine then argues that ‘God’s foreknowledge does not force the future to happen†¦. God foreknows everything that he causes but does not cause everything that he foreknows†¦ sin is committed by the will not coerced by God’s foreknowledge. ’[5] If God did cause or coerce Adam to sin he would be exempt from blame but, Hunt maintains, following Augustine, the simple fact of God’s knowing in advance what Adam (and more generally, we) will do does not constitute coercion. It is true that God’s foreknowing†¦ leaves Adam with no alternatives†¦ But the mere absence of alternatives is irrelevant†¦ simply knowing what the person will do is not an interference of any sort, and its implications for free agency are benign. ’[6] Hunt’s view is that we should ‘trust our intuition’ that Adam is deprived of alternatives but not free will. For me however, this is not my intuition. This and similar arguments elsewhere appear to be doing little more than restating the problem, and do not provide a satisfactory escape route. The problem is one of logic not theology. If it is inevitable, foreknown infallibly, that I will do A then it is not in reality an option for me not to do A. I might think that I am choosing between A and not-A, but if God knows which I will choose then in reality I am deluded: there is no possibility of my choosing not-A and if I don’t have any choice this also seems to remove any possibility of blame or responsibility for my actions. How can I be held responsible for an action which I could not avoid doing? Worse, since I do things which patently are evil and could have been avoided if I really had free will, it is arguable that God himself is responsible for, or at least knows in advance and allows to happen, the evil that I do. In addition to the free-will problem, proponents of the simple foreknowledge view have to explain what we are doing when we pray. Are we asking God to change the future? And if he does graciously agree to change it, would that not mean that he was wrong when he earlier knew, supposedly infallibly, what the future was to include before he changed it? It is an important part of this view of God that he believes no falsehoods, but if our prayers have any effect, that would seem to entail the falsehood of God’s earlier beliefs about that particular aspect of the future. It should be noted at this point that the simple foreknowledge view is fully compatible with the Christian understanding of God’s being outside time. I will return to this later, but sacrificing or compromising this understanding would be a heavy price to pay for many Christian theologians. These objections taken together seem to me to make simple foreknowledge, without some considerable modification, incompatible with an understanding of humans as responsible agents. The other views I discuss below attempt in different ways to make sufficient modifications to deal with this problem while remaining true to scripture. I should of course consider the possibility that, in coming to this conclusion about the difficulties of the simple foreknowledge view, I have not understood the question. Could it be that what I mean by either ‘free ill’ or ‘knowledge’ is somehow different to what generations of theologians have meant? For myself, I maintain that my action is free if I could do otherwise than what I actually decide to do and, crucially, no-one else knows in advance what I will decide to do, not even God. And knowledge in this context can be taken as ‘justified true belief’ which is just the sort of knowledge that God is supposed to have infallibly. It seems that simple foreknowledge is not to be rescued by recourse to a dictionary. The Augustinian-Calvinist View This view, as expounded by Helm,[7] does indeed depend on a careful compatibilist definition of ‘free will’ which enables him to argue that it is not necessary to accept either a modified, reduced account of omniscience, or that human agents are not responsible for their actions. Here ‘compatibilism’ is the view that free will is compatible with causal determinism, a view that Helm maintains was explicitly held by the later Augustine (probably as a result of further thought compared with his earlier writings) and implicitly by Calvin. The latter is evidenced firstly by the distinction he drew between necessity and compulsion, and secondly by his successors’ taking a similar view of free will, calling it the liberty of rational spontaneity while denying the liberty of indifference. [8] Helm distinguishes three concepts of God’s foreknowledge. One is causal in the sense used by Aquinas: God’s knowledge is the cause of things and on this view there is no distinction between what God causes and permits since God foreknows all events and therefore must cause them all. There is an inference from this that God causes future evil but Aquinas is said to have allowed the concept of divine permission whereby God is said to know of it but not cause it. More on that later. The second sense has God’s foreknowledge logically subsequent to his decree and is simply the knowledge of that decree before it takes effect in time, and the third is the reverse of this, with the foreknowledge logically prior to his decree. His arguments entail one or other of the first two senses, but not the third. Based on these starting points Helm raises three arguments in support of the Augustinian position. First there is the role of God’s grace. The argument between those who believe and those who do not believe that God’s foreknowledge is compatible with human incompatibilism, Helm says, is not about the nature of God or of human freedom but about the relationship between God and humankind. Divine grace and free, incompatibilist choice can only be causally necessary for a person’s coming to faith, but not causally sufficient since, given our libertarian will, we could resist such grace and it would not therefore ensure its intended effect. However, scripture tells us that saving grace is irresistible and, when received, liberating: it alone, according to Augustine, ensures true human freedom,[9] and the inference is that such grace is therefore sufficient. The obvious objection here is that some people clearly do resist God’s saving grace, an objection that Helm does not deal with effectively. Secondly there is an argument based on divine perfection as reflected in his omnipotence and omniscience. Helm asks rhetorically how God knows of the causes of evil actions if he is not the cause of them, and quotes Augustine’s answer that God, for the highest reasons (which are at present unknown to us) knowingly permits particular evil actions. 10] In a rather obscure passage, Helm appears to argue as follows: (1) it is theologically desirable that God’s foreknowledge should be as complete as may reasonably be assumed and we should therefore assume that he does foreknow his free creatures freely willed actions; (2) If compatibilism is true then God can foreknow these actions and therefore (3) compatibilism is true. [11] However, as Hunt points out, this is fallacious and Helm should have argued for (2’) If compatibil ism is not true then God cannot foreknow†¦ but he has not done so. Finally Helm argues that God’s omniscience is logically inconsistent with human incompatibilist freedom. He supposes as an example that God foreknew yesterday the truth of the proposition ‘Jones will freely eat a tuna sandwich tomorrow. ’ That foreknowledge is now in the past and is therefore necessary, not logically but accidentally or historically, and therefore it entails the necessity that Jones will eat the tuna sandwich; that putatively free act cannot therefore be free. In that case divine omniscience is inconsistent with incompatibilist freedom. 12] Helm admits that this argument really only works with the assumption that God is in some fashion inside time for ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’ to have any force. [13] In summary, Helm believes his arguments have made the broadly Augustinian case that divine foreknowledge and human freedom are consistent, but I am hard-pressed to see that any of my objections to the simple foreknowledge argument are any less forceful in response to Helm. My logical worry and the problem of prayer remain, but these are supplemented by the acknowledged need for God to be temporal, at least for part of the argument to be successful. The Middle-Knowledge View This view is that espoused by Luis de Molina, a 16th century Spanish Jesuit theologian, who drew a distinction between three kinds of knowledge that, in his view, God possesses[14]. Firstly, Molina said, God possesses ‘natural knowledge’, that is a knowledge of all necessarily true propositions, such as ‘two plus two equals four’. Since such truths are necessary, nobody, not even God, can make them false. Secondly, God possesses ‘free knowledge’, that is knowledge of all contingent truths that are within his control, but which could have been false under different conditions,. For example ‘I am interested in philosophy’ is a contingently true proposition but God could have brought it about that it was false. Finally, Molina proposes that God possesses ‘middle knowledge’ (so called because it is in-between God’s natural and free knowledge), that is, knowledge of contingent propositions which are true but beyond his control. The most important items of middle knowledge for the purpose of this discussion are the ‘counterfactuals of freedom’ which describe what people would freely do if placed in various possible situations. This is relevant to the problem of evil because ‘it might seem that if God has middle knowledge, He could have secured creatures sinless but free by just creating those that he knew would not sin if allowed to act freely. ’[15] In his discussion of middle knowledge[16] Craig indicates its power and why it is so attractive in the discussion of free will and the problem of evil. If it is true that God has middle knowledge as described above, this not only makes room for human freedom but it gives God scope to choose which free creatures to create and bring about his ultimate purposes through free creaturely decisions. He adduces three lines of argument in support of it – biblical, theological and philosophical. [17] Biblical arguments: Craig uses the example of David and Saul: [18] David is in the Jewish city of Keilah and asks God through an ephod[19] if Saul will attack him there and whether the men of Keilah would give him up to Saul to save their lives. God answers affirmatively to both questions, whereupon Saul heads for the hills, with the result that Saul does not need to besiege the city and the men of Keilah do not need to betray him to Saul. It is clear, says Craig, that the bible passage shows that God has counterfactual knowledge, although he admits that this does not show conclusively that he has middle knowledge. He goes on to accept that biblical exegesis is not enough to settle the matter. [20] Theological arguments: Craig says that ‘the strongest arguments in support of the Molinist perspective are theological’[21] but gives no direct support for this other than to wax lyrical on the power of middle knowledge in theological argument on a range of issues. This may be correct, given the existence of middle knowledge, but that is what we wish to test. Philosophical arguments: Craig asserts that divine foreknowledge and future contingents are compatible ‘for the simple reason that Scripture teaches both’[23] (a theological rather than philosophical statement of course) and goes on to discuss the basis of such foreknowledge. He builds an argument about freedom of action, concluding that ‘from God’s knowledge that I shall do x, it does not follow that I must do x, only that I shall do x. That is in no way incompatible with my doing x freely. ’[24] This is really just a restatement of the problem of free will and Craig does little more here than reassert its truth. Craig’s final conclusion is that ‘philosophically, omniscience†¦ entails knowledge of all truth and, since counterfactuals of creaturely freedom are true logically prior to god’s creative decree, they must therefore be known by God at that logical moment. Therefore we should affirm that God has middle knowledge. ’

Rationale of the Study Essay

Computers can be scary. At least that is what many people used to think, until computers became a regular part of their lives. The fact is, computers have become more â€Å"friendly†Ã¢â‚¬â€easier for the average person to use. In addition, they are becoming more and more important and useful in many areas of our lives—including the Church. A good church provides many services to the community through outreach programs, service projects, food pantries, and youth activities. And of course, they teach the community about salvation through Jesus Christ. The Church is using computer technology to solve problems, to save money, and to better serve the Church members on the local level. Computers have also been very useful in handling the impact of Church growth over the past few years. The staff at Church headquarters would be growing much faster than it is without computer solutions. Today, many churches and other religious organizations have jumped into the technological age. Churches have found new and inventive ways to keep in touch with people and it’s community through the use of technology. Many of the religious charitable institutions have also realized the potential of this modern communication to help raise funds, awareness and get help to where it is needed faster and easier than before. With the ever evolving world of social networks, churches need to constantly redefine and be ready to adapt connection points with their community whether online or in person. Understanding how the live and virtual worlds can most effectively support each other will help in defining how your church can connect. Technology is definitely cool and it is important tool for reaching people today. It makes so many things easier. That is how technology can help your church. The reason why this study is conducted is to provide online information and the power to manipulate all information and processes in the most convenient and reliable way. The researchers proposed newly improvised Online Church Information System in order to help the individuals in meeting their needs.

Cultural homogenization and the Internet Research Paper

Cultural homogenization and the Internet - Research Paper Example Since internet enables people of various cultural backgrounds to intermingle easily across the globe, it tends to form one uniform culture. Over a period of time, â€Å"popular cultural artifacts supersede the individual cultures, unpopular artifacts disappear, and the cultures resemble each other more† (par.3). Globalization, social media and internet can be perceived as the main reasons for cultural homogenization. By and large, the internet has a vast amount of information of anything, which a person can access from anywhere in the world. For e.g. A Mexican recipe is easily available to an Indian and vice versa. Cultural homogenization is unstoppable in this internet age. ICT gives a â€Å"powerful impetus to this cultural homogenization† (Fairweather & Rogerson 1). Globalization grows in a very fast pace and so does the business, economy and the internet. Since people across all nations have access to the internet, at very cheap rates, they will indulge more frequen tly in activities such as social networking etc the resulting interaction will facilitate a blending of different cultures. Thus, a new global culture will evolve to replace smaller, individual cultures. ... Exclusive insight about various cultures can be easily explored and shared via internet. Before the internet age, it was difficult to obtain information about other cultures unless through books or visiting that particular country. Cultural homogenization makes it possible for a person of one culture to like something of another culture and start to follow it. Cultural homogenization will continuously grow as the content about the cultures grows on the internet. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and blogging sites make it easy to discuss, share and communicate among people of diverse cultures. Internet usage is dominant in both developed and developing countries. This serves as a way to spread cultural ideals. Since English is the universal language of the internet, information is easily comprehended by many cross cultural people. The use of internet by a large number of people has facilitated frequent interaction and the resultant cultural exchange. The Internet could be a â€Å"harbinger † to the ideals of â€Å"democracy and human rights† in places â€Å"where these ideals are not appreciated by the authorities† (Hongladarom 1998). Internet promotes cultural understanding by â€Å"enabling people† from different â€Å"cultural background and identities under conditions that are conducive to cultural exchange† (Brey 4). Besides, the internet also promotes â€Å"cultural fragmentation† by â€Å"stimulating the formation of virtual communities and groups organized around† specific â€Å"interests, themes or cultural identities† (6). Cultural homogenization is widely considered as a way to improve rather than deter independence, preservation of culture, and general economic conditions. Common culture paves

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable Essay

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable policy in the United Kingdom - Essay Example (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) Hence, the two top causes of these diseases are highly preventable. "It has been estimated that eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%." (5 A DAY health benefits, 2003, Department of Health's The NHS Plan, 2000.) Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer are just a few of the cancers that can be prevented. Loaded with plenty of vitamins and minerals, these foods also contain phytochemicals which are "non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties," as defined by Phytochemicals (n.d.). Phytochemicals include flavonoids and fiber along with many other substances that are necessary for sustaining life. Flavonoids are found in the colored portions of the fruits and vegetables prevent the release of histamines, fight free radicals, and increase blood circulation and the immune system. Phytochemicals perform various functions including the prevention of cancer cell replication, prevention of cell damage, and the lowering of cholesterol levels. Amazingly, there are more than 900 different phytochemicals that have currently been identified and one vegetable serving contains 100 different phytochemicals. ... Diet and cancer: the evidence (2006) reports, "EPIC scientists recently found that eating foods high in fiber can reduce one's risk of bowel cancer. People who ate the most fiber had 40% less bowel cancer risk than people who ate the least. Some other large studies have supported these findings." There is much evidence to support the benefits of eating an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables. Groups such as The NHS Plan, The NHS Cancer Plan and the National Service Frameworks for Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes and Older People also stress diet/nutrition as a top factor in the strategy of prevention. (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) These are just a few reasons why the government created the 5 A DAY programme. The goal of this programme is to inform the public of health benefits gained by consuming fruits and vegetables via targeted action. Most people in England consume less than three servings per day. Children eat less fruits and vegetables than adults. The reasons that people eat such few servings include the cost, availability, and quality especially after inconveniences such as shipping, storing, preserving, etc. The government's 5 A DAY programme aims to raise awareness and change the public's attitude. Many people feel that the cost, preparation, "lack of taste", and other inconveniences are not worth it. In today's hurried society, it seems easier to grab something packaged, processed, and "less expensive". But the cost of one's health and quality of life is quite high and more expensive in the long run. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (2003) lists the target actions of the government in implementing and enforcing the programme: National School Fruit Scheme Local 5

Wine of Barolo of the Nebiolo Grape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wine of Barolo of the Nebiolo Grape - Essay Example This means that it has an astringent taste. As such, when tasting the grape, one could experience the strong nature of the grape’s juice. Different people could actually have different interpretation of their tasting experience. Some utter that the grape’s juice is too strong. Others say it is soft and rich. In such case, the people’s reactions depend on their preference with regard to wine grape varieties. The grape’s name has actually two possible origins. The first thought is based on the grape’s appearance when it is fully ripe. When fully ripe, the grape gives a frosted or foggy look (â€Å"Nebbiolo†). The Italian term for fog is nebbia (â€Å"Nebbiolo†), thus, the name Nebbiolo. Nonetheless, it is also possible that the grape’s name is simply taken from the Italian word nobile which means noble (â€Å"Nebbiolo†). Irregardless of the two probable origins of the grape’s name, what is sure is that Nebbiolo is fa mous to be a good wine grape variety. It is even one of the grape varieties that is most treasured by wine growers not just in Italy but also in the different parts of the world. The Nebbiolo grape is actually hard to grow and cultivate according to vineyardists (â€Å"Nebbiolo†).... It is made from one hundred percent Nebbiolo grape. The label DOCG means that is a wine of highest category. It also indicates that is both controlled and guaranteed by the Italian government (Nowak and Wichman 87). In buying such kind of wine, the buyer could be assured of the wine’s quality. In Italian, DOCG refers to Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. In English, it means Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (Nowak and Wichman 87). Wines in Italy are actually subjected to DOC appellation system (Katsigris and Thomas 262). In this system, wine products are labeled according to its level (DOCG being the highest grant). The labeling depends upon the result of the official taste test which is conducted by the Italian government before the wine is permitted to be sold in the market (Katsigris and Thomas 262). The system builds risks and incentives which encourage wine producers to make wines of good quality (Katsigris and Thomas 262). In this sense, th e Italian government is strict with regard to their wine production process. This is to say that the wine-making process is a big issue in Italy. In another aspect, the Barolo DOCG is actually called as the â€Å"Wine of Kings and Kings of Wines† (Gibson 181). This implies that the Barolo wine is the best wine in Italy. The wine of such kind is known to have been barrelled for several years. To note, extended bottle aging actually affects that taste of the wine. Most often, wines which are barrelled for a minimum of two to three years offer a very good taste. Laws in Italy actually require Barolo wines to be aged in wood for at least two years (Bespaloff 58). Longer barrel gives the wine a woodier and mature taste (Bespaloff 58). Stated otherwise, the

Responsible Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Responsible Tourism - Essay Example As a result, the situations is several destinations including Africa is characterized by deteriorating infra-structure, political and economic instability, increasing external control and weak backward and forward linkage with other economic sectors. Besides, tourism benefits do not filter down to poor communities (Booyens, 2010). With changes in consumer lifestyle and higher disposable incomes, more people desire to travel and experience pleasure. The World Travel Organization (WTO) predicts that by 2020 international arrivals would exceed 15 million (UNEP, 2005). Growth in tourism would take place across the world but it would be concentrated in the developing countries. In South Africa alone international arrivals are set to grow at an average of 5.5 per year. This can have profound impact on the local economies and the destination because human systems and the environment are strongly coupled and jointly determined systems. For sustainable development the social and the ecological systems cannot be analysed separately (Modvar & Gallopin, 2005). In fact, the perspectives and concerns of the major stakeholders need to be incorporated for an effective decision making. This is because there is a relationship between tourist behavior and their attitude towards the environment (Andereck, 2009). The purpose of this report is to evaluate the concepts of sustainable and responsible tourism, and the similarities and difference between these two concepts. Based on an understanding of responsible tourism, this report presents a responsible tourism strategy for Masai Mara game Reserve. The problems at Mara are identified and then objectives have been set followed by the strategy to achieve the SMART objectives. The concept of sustainability first came into discussions in1987 with the release of the Brundtland Commission’s â€Å"Our Common Future† sponsored by the UN

Whose Church Is the True Church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whose Church Is the True Church - Essay Example The process involves getting to know the area in which the church is to be situated. Understanding of how the gospel is understood is also very important in the establishment of the church. To start a church, understanding from both the beginners of the church, and the people it is meant for is very important (Elaine 30). Getting people to understand what the mission is the next step that would help the group in the formation of the church. In getting to know the certain aspects that come with the starting of a new church, the mission is to know who the church is being started for. It should also identify its main goals and objectives if it wants to excel in the quest to spread the word. The church could be for either two groups of people. These are the de-churched or the non-churched. The de-churched were once church goers but do not attend church anymore. However, the non-churched simply refer to those that do not want to attend for one reason or the other (Elaine 34). The beginners of these churches have to know the cultural diversity of the people they intend to spread the gospel to. They could be ethnic, class driven, the lifestyle they led, and the deaf or even non-ethnic diversification. Getting to know this is very essential in the beginning of the church (Elaine 36). The author goes on to claim that building the church for only one group of people is not right. The author states the argument the God, the Supreme Being, is the creator of all beings and; therefore, nobody has the right to take that away. Building churches while under the understanding that the word travels faster if the group of people from the same common ground is wrong. The main aim the author is trying to put across is the diverse choices that should be available. Beginners of churches should consider the creation of a diverse church society. This is going to increase the options for everyone rather than just one group of people. In addition, they should consider the

A personal military experience or Any personal experience Essay

A personal military experience or Any personal experience - Essay Example the neighborhood and I was always the commander of my group, the military was not just a dream but a lifestyle which reflected in my daily activities. Dad has always wanted me to take over from him and become a good doctor, he bought medical toys like ambulances, syringes and first aid boxes but I used them in my military games with other kids which we called â€Å"war start†. It will really break dad’s heart if he gets to know that medicine is not my thing, he did everything to make sure I become a doctor. My mind was a whirlwind, thoughts flinging themselves across the barren wasteland of my brain, how will dad feel if I get to tell him this? I pondered, will he stop fending for me? Will he love me less? I was totally imprisoned in my thoughts and the earlier I burst the bubble and break free the better it will be for me, after all dad always told me it’s better to be honest and bear the consequences than to be dishonest and reap from falsehood. I didn’t want to go to mum because she will summon a UN meeting with dad and such doesn’t usually end well. There must be an exit I said to myself, I logged in my facebook page and took a glance at my friend-list, I was astonished when I saw Martin in a military uniform on his profile picture and without hesitating I sent him a mail in which I explained my situation. Martin was once my neighbor for four years; he was a shy isolated gentleman who liked playing with girls and barbie toys, we made fun of him and always called him â€Å"cheerleader† who knew he would man up? I felt disappointed in self and with some understandable jealously sprinkled around my frustration.   I had a volcano of feelings and experiences bottled up inside me which was ready to let erupt but a sound popped up- it was Martins reply and it reads â€Å"Hey Man, calm down I assure you that everything will turn out well if only you will make up your mind and challenge yourself. My parents and almost everyone I knew objected my decision to

LITERATURE REVIEW ON A BUSINESS INNOVATION Essay

LITERATURE REVIEW ON A BUSINESS INNOVATION - Essay Example The 3D printing innovation underwent a long evolution that depicts great development in terms of affordability, usability, and efficiency in its numerous applications. The MIT and ZS Corporation made significant contributions to the introduction and development of the 3D printing innovation. 3D printing is a versatile yet short process that has great significance in digital economies that can change the world. It relates to the Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory. However, despite its significance and numerous applications, people are still considering various aspects before adopting 3D printing in their manufacturing companies. Nevertheless, 3D printing remains to be a fundamental aspect in the business world. Introduction 3D printing is one of the most celebrated business innovations that continue to influence the manufacturing and production industry. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is business and technological innovation that encompasses the process of making a three-dimensional solid product of any shape using a digital model (3Ders.org 2013, p. 1). Indeed, 3D printing is a huge versatile and rapid process that accommodates geometry of varying complexity in variant applications, and supporting many types of materials (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). The 3D printers operate at resounding speeds, extremely low costs, and within a wide range of applications (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). ... Additionally, products manufactured through 3D printing are applicable anywhere in the product life cycle. To achieve 3D printing, innovators used an additive process, where successive layers of material adopt different shapes. The 3D printing innovation, which uses additive processes, is completely different from the traditional machining processes, which used subtractive processes to remove materials in the manufacturing process. Indeed, 3D printing uses digital technology where it uses standard inkjet printing technology to create parts layer-by-layer by depositing a liquid binder onto thin layers of powder (Z Corporation 2005, p. 3). Then it moves the print heads over a bed of powder where it prints the cross-sectional data sent from .stl, .wrl, .ply, and .sfx files through a feed piston and platform (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). Notably, the cross sectional layers join automatically to produce the final shape. The 3D printing offers improved visualization, greater automation, and more cost-effective reuse of 3D data (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). Subject to its numerous applications, ability to produce objects of any shape or geometric feature, its effectiveness, and its low costs of production, 3D printing stands out as a successful business innovation using digital solutions. Indeed, through the 3D printing innovation, we can manufacture products locally (D'Aveni 2013, p. 1) and close to their point of purchase or consumption through a cheaper and faster process. Subject to its significance and effectiveness, the demand for 3D printers is on an increasing trend in the modern times. In this report, I will include the conceptual framework of this case using relevant theories. I will then present my findings and analyze the case. Conceptual

The Benefits of a College Degree Essay Example for Free

The Benefits of a College Degree Essay Going to college to earn a degree is very important and is also an advantage for me in today?s world. I have many different reasons why I?m getting a degree. One reason is because important to have a goal, to work toward something. Having a long term goal helps me stay motivated. Most importantly getting a degree will insure that I will be personally and financially stable. Even though obtaining a college degree will help me in so many different ways in my life. Going to college is very taxing; emotionally, physically and financially. No matter how many times succeed or fail at my goals, going to college is an eye opener for me. There are so many goals I will have through out my life, none of them being as important as obtaining a college degree. Some people may say that my family is the most important achievement in my life. But a degree is in ways more important. It ensures that I will provide the best life for my family. On the other hand my family is what gives me the courage to wake up every morning and look forward to going to school to learn knew things. Working toward my degree keeps my mind focused. Having a long term goal is key in my life. Because no matter what happens I know that the next day I will be dedicating time from my life to achieve something most people only think about doing. I hope I can stay motivated enough to get more classes done. And to do my best at all times, even if my best is scraping by. Because at that time it was my best. These are small goals, but these goals will add up to a more important achievement in the end. The personal and financial stability I will get from a college education is priceless. Knowing that for eight years I didn?t quiet for anything to achieve my degree will be the greatest feeling ever. All of the motivation, dedication, wisdom, and courage that I will gain thought out my college carrier will be strongest part of my personal stability. Because of my college education I will be able to get a well paying job with benefits that will ensure the financial stability I need for my family. Knowing that the income from my job will enable me to not worry about having enough money for retirement is very satisfying. Being able to pay for my children?s education is very important to me and the well being of my children. Thanks to this financial stability I will be able to sleep a little better. There are many down falls to having a college carrier. Finding the time in my busy life to sit down and do hours of homework. It is difficult to wake up early every morning and go to work for eight grueling hours, then go home inhale my dinner, then rush to school. Only to come home and do homework for hours, go to bed late and wake up early and go through the same thing again. Not only is this exaughsting, it is emotionally hard as well. Not getting enough quality time with my family is hard to deal with. Not having time to do homework causes school work to be late. Which causes my grades to slip and my G.P.A to fall. In order to receive assistance for tuition I need to maintain my G.P.A. If my G.P.A were to fall I could be putt on academic probation. In turn I would need to work overtime to make up for money lost. College can be very physically and emotionally demanding. Obtaining a college degree is very important. A degree will help me to become personal and financially stable. Achieving this goal will help me in everyday life.

Environment Analysis Essay Example for Free

Environment Analysis Essay Organizations analyze the environment in order to understand the external forces so that it could help to develop effective responses to secure or improve their positions in the future. There existed a positive relation between environmental analysis and profits of an organization. Top management looked at information in two ways: viewing and searching information. This information needed to be evaluated and disseminated to strategists within the organization and to help top management to make decisions that could create strategic advantage for the organization to succeed in a changing environment 1. There were research evidences that showed that environmental analysis was linked with improved organizational performance. Hence, it remained insufficient to assure performance, without aligning information with strategy. The main debate in strategy and environment was concerned with the primary importance of the environmental analysis in strategy formulation and implementation. 84 Reserve Bank of India The Reserve Bank of India is fully owned by the Government of India. Initially it was viewed to bring the greater coordination of the monetary, economic, and financial policies. During fifties objectives of Reserve Bank of India underwent changes. It was recognized that Reserve Bank of India needs to take on direct and much more active role, in developing machinery for financial development in order to ensure flow of finance in the country. Reserve Bank emerged as a regulatory and a growth promoting institution. In the beginning limited to the agricultural sector, the Bank later covered small-scale industries as well. The affairs of Reserve Bank of India are governed by the central board of directors. The board is appointed by the Government of India according to the Reserve Bank of India Act. The preface of the Reserve Bank of India describes the basic functions of the Reserve Bank as: â€Å"to regulate the issue of Bank Notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage† 2. The Reserve Bank? s freedom may be viewed broadly to the areas like management including personnel matters, financial aspects, and to conduct polices. Managerial freedom refers to the procedures for appointment, term of office and dismissal procedures of top central bank officials and the governing board. It also includes the extent and nature of representation of the Government in the governing body of the central bank. 85 Financial freedom relates to the freedom to decide the extent of Government expenditures directly or indirectly financed by the central bank? s credits. Finally, policy freedom is related to the flexibility given in the formulation and execution of monetary policy, under a given authorization. Reserve Bank of India has over the years been responding to changing economic circumstances. The Reserve Bank of India performs the function of financial supervisor under the guidance of Board for Financial Supervision. This board undertake consolidated supervision of the financial sector comprising of Commercial Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Finance Companies. The key functions played by this board were restructuring of the system of Bank, introduction of off-site scrutiny, strengthening the role of legislative auditors, and strengthening the internal defences of supervised institutions. Currently this board focus on supervision of financial institutions and legal issues in Banks. Reserve Bank of India acts as a guard for Commercial Banks. Commercial Banks are required to keep a certain proportion of cash reserves with the Reserve Bank and Bank provide them various facilities like advancing loans, underwriting securities etc. Reserve Bank of India controls the volume of reserves of Commercial Banks and thereby determines the deposits and credit creating ability of the Banks. Whenever Commercial Banks need funds they get it from the Reserve Bank of India. Apart from playing the role of Banker to the Banks, Reserve Bank of India also play promotional role. The aim is to establish and assist the establishments of a number of financial intuitions for filling up of various financial institutional gaps in the rural and semi-urban areas. 86 Other roles played by Reserve Bank of India are: Reserve Bank stabilizes the external value of the national currency. The Reserve Bank keeps gold and foreign currencies and manages foreign currency in accordance with the controls imposed by the government. Reserve Bank of India facilitate external trade and payment and promote orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India. Reserve Bank has taken the responsibility of meeting directly or indirectly all legitimate demands of Commercial Banks under emergency conditions and to a certain extent Reserve Bank influence the credit policy of Scheduled Banks. The Reserve Bank has instrument of control in the form of the bank rate, which it publishes from time to time 3. A list of the Reserve Bank of India Committees from 1990- 2008 was prepared to get an impression about developments with respect to Banking Industry (Appendix- III). The recommendations resulted into remarkable changes in products and policies of Banking Organizations. Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) Indian Bank? s Association is a leading service organization of Banking Industry in India. It aims to integrate Banking and finance system catering to all financial requirements of customer? s. It was formed in 1946 with 22 members. Today Indian Bank? s Association has more than 159 members comprising of Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks (having offices in India), and Urban Co-operative Banks. 87 The main objectives of Indian Bank? Association are: promoting and developing sound and progressive Banking principles and practices in order to assist Banks to develop and implement new ideas and innovative Banking services, operations and procedures; organizing co-ordination and co-operation on procedural, legal, technical, administrative or professional problems and practices of Banks ; circulating statistical data, informati on, views and opinions on the Banking System; conducting Management Development Programs for Banks; promoting education and knowledge of the law and practices of Banking Industry; to help in projecting good public image of Banking Industry ; and to promote harmonious relationships by devising ways and means for involving Banking personnel? in the growth and development of Banking Industry. Indian Bank? s Association tries to achieve excellent service quality and customer care through its focused efforts to make each customers experience a pleasant one. Towards this end Indian Bank? s Association stressed on to build staff potential by each Bank to address customer challenges and asked Banks to design a performance management system, which focuses on rewarding the staff for delivering flawless customer service. In 2000, Indian Bank? s Association reviewed the charters of different Banks and brought out a „Model Citizen Charter? explaining to the customer? s what they could expe ct from the Bank? s as a matter of right. Apart from this Indian Bank? s Association brought „bankers fair practices? in 2004 which was adopted by all Banks voluntarily. It also came out with „fair practice code for credit card operation? and „model code for collection of dues and repossession of security? with special concern to customer? s voice about Banking practices 4. 88 Ministry of Finance Ministry of Finance in India governs the entire fiscal system of the Government of India. The three departments headed by the Ministry of Finance in India include: economic affairs, expenditure, and revenue. Thus, it mainly centralizes around the economic and financial issues pertaining in India. Ministry of Finance Government of India, Banking Division is managing Government policies related to the working of Banks and the term lending to financial institutions. This Division is headed by Secretary (Banking and Insurance) and operates through three subdivisions: Industrial Finance; Banking Operations; and Banking and Insurance. Each subdivision is headed by a Joint Secretary. The Banking Operations sub-division deals with legislative proposals described to Banks, non-banking financial companies, and other related matters like appointments of Chief Executives and Government nominee Directors and non-official directors on the boards of Public Sector Banks. In addition policy matters relating to Private Banks, Foreign Banks, and improvement of customer? service in Banks and redressal of customers grievances are also dealt with this Banking Operations sub-division of Ministry of Finance. This sub-division also deals with vigilance matters and appoints Chief Vigilance Officers (C VO? s) in the Public Sector Banks to enable the Public Sector Banks to meet the credit requirements for the productive sectors of the economy in proportion to the economic growth of the country. The Government is committed to infuse capital funds in Public Sector Banks as well 5. 89 Nature of Banking Industry Bank? s safeguard money and valuables and provide loans, credit, and payment services, such as checking accounts, money-orders, and cashier? s checks. Banks also offer investment and insurance products which they were once prohibited. There exists variety of models for cooperation and integration among finance industries some of these traditional distinctions between Banks, Insurance Companies, and Securities Firms has diminished. In spite of these changes, Banks continued to maintain and perform their primary role of accepting deposits and lending funds from these deposits. Banks securely save the money of depositors, provide checking services, and lend the funds raised from depositors to consumers. Bank? s today are in a wide range of sizes, from large Global Banks to Regional and Community Banks. These Global Banks are involved in international lending and foreign currency trading, in addition to the more typical Banking services. Working Environment Employee? in a typical branch work weekdays, whereas in few Banks sometimes Banks were opened until late evenings or were open on Saturday morning? s and in few even on Sundays. Supervisory and managerial employee? s, usually work substantially longer hours. Some B anks are expanding the working hours in their branches which are located at non- 90 traditional locations, such as shopping malls, which remain open on most evenings and weekends. Branch office jobs, particularly front-end positions, required continuous communication with customers. Some employees needed to work for longer hours in a confined space. Loan officers might need to travel to meet clients, or work evenings for their clients. Loan officers also check loan applications, and solicit new business for Banks. Financial Service Sales Representatives might also have to visit clients in the evenings and on weekends to go through the client? s financial needs. To improve customer service and provide greater access to Bank personnel? s, Banks have staffed Customer Service Representatives. The remaining Bank employees, working at the headquarters or other administrative offices usually worked in comfortable surroundings and worked for a standard workweek. In general, Banks are considered relatively safer place to work with respect to injuries and illness. Banks also encourage higher education and training for their employee? as Banks require creative and talented people to compete in the market place so as to reach to more number of customers. The basic premise here is to Study the relevant data and derive some information related to the Strategic Environment pertaining to Indian Banking Industry, which may be used in due course in a broader context if not in specific context. Environmental factors influencing Banking Industry are: 91 Economic Factors Indian economy has registered impressive growth of over 9 percent for successive three financial years and experienced restraint in 2008-09. This restraint was caused due to the downturn in the global economy. The year 2008-09 was the most deficient year after 1972. To fight against this slowdown Government of India and Reserve Bank of India took many fiscal as well as monetary actions. It was expected that Indian economy could again register a robust growth rate in the year 2009-10. As per the revised estimates released by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), Indian economy grew by 7. 6 percent in 2008-09 and 9. 3 percent growth in the 2007-08 6. Banks lending to industries, personal loans and service sectors witnessed a slow down while, Banks lending to agriculture and allied activities moved upward during 2008-09. The income as well as the expenditures of Scheduled Commercial Banks viewed a slow down leading to decrease in the net profit. The Return on Assets (ROA) as an indicator of efficiency with which Banks deployed their assets remained to 1 percent in 2009. The Return on Equity (ROE) as an indicator of efficiency with which the Banks used capital increased to 13. 2 percent in 2009 from 12. 5 percent in 2008, indicating increased efficiency with which Banks used capital 7. 92 Growth of income of Scheduled Commercial Banks during 2008-09 decelerated to 25. 7 percent from 34. 3 in 2007-08, but was higher than the growth rate of 24. 4 percent in 200607. Expenditure of Scheduled Commercial Banks was 24. 1 percent in 2006-07, which increased to 33. 9 percent in 2007-08 and again decelerated to 26 percent in 2008-09. The operating profit of Scheduled Commercial Banks increased sharply by 33. percent during 2008-09 from 26. 8 percent in 2007-08 and 21. 3 percent in 2006-07 (Table II. 1). The net profit of Scheduled Commercial Banks also showed a significant increase of 36. 9 percent during 2007-08 as compared to 26. 9 p ercent in 2006-07, but it decelerated to 23. 5 percent during 2008-09(Table II. 1) TABLE II. 1 VARIATION IN INCOME-EXPENDITURE OF SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL BANKS 2006-07 Income Expenses Operating Profit Net Profit 24. 4 24. 1 21. 3 26. 9 2007-08 34. 3 33. 9 26. 8 36. 9 2008-09 25. 7 26. 0 33. 2 23. 5 Source: Reports on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 8, 9 The Bank Group-wise analysis is presented in Table II. 2. Even though the achievements of technological changes in Banking Industry in India were impressive but there is a need to take greater advantages from new technologies and information based system to maximize the coverage. Pricewaterhouse Coopers report 18 suggested that Banks should take up automation that would be a combination of centralized networks, operations and a Core Banking applications that included Business Intelligence (BI), Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that catered to operational and analytical business needs. The multi-channel Banking has acquired further dimensions to include third party payments such as utility bills through different channels including Automated Teller Machines and mobile banking. Bank? internal groups examined the issues, relating to rural credit and micro-finance opportunities in the sector with several possible options like smart card-based kisan credit cards, smart card solutions for self-help groups, Automated Teller Machines with local language and voice facility and call-center amenities with added services given by various Banks. Introduction of Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) for providing credit to farmers had increased in the number a multi-fold since its inception in the late 1990? s and the total percentage share of these cards reached above forty percent 19. 97 Banks had transformed themselves into Universal Banks by adding new channels with lucrative pricing. Recent innovations in the form of total quality management, reengineering work processes, flexible systems have only one thing in common serving the customers well through improved operational efficiency. Consolidation in the Banking Industry followed by technological up-gradation acted as a key factor to boost the international competitiveness of the Indian Bank? s. Adapting technology had brought down the cost of transactions visibly and at the same time aided in business continuity. A Study mentioned that the cost per transaction through a branch was Rs. 66, cost per transaction ; through Automated Teller Machines was Rs. 22, and cost per transaction through internet was Rs. 0, ignoring the extreme variations owing to the investment cost and nature of transactions 20. This low cost benefit was opted by Commercial Banks as it helped them to reach to poor people, particularly those working in the rural areas and those who earn and spend cash. In order to handle their cash transactio ns Banks formulated two types of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). People could either use Automated Teller Machines that could accept, store or dispense cash or they could use a biometric device, which were mobile in nature. Infrastructure in India, has improved resulting into widespread use of Automated Teller Machines facility in villages as well. These machines consisted of additional features that included fingerprint use as a mean of authentication with a view that rural people were more comfortable with fingerprints than plastic cards. 98 The wide geographical coverage to access Banking related products and services with the help of mobile phone technology and the use of internet for banking transactions has gained superior usage. These modes of transactions required a safe and secure environment and provide a variety of options available for customers with different requirements. The numbers of mobile phone subscribers in India were about 261 million (March 2008). Towards this end, Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines for mobile banking transactions. Initially Banks offered the facility to their customers subject to a daily cap of Rs. 5,000 per customer for fund transfer and Rs. 10,000 per customer for transactions involving purchase of goods or services 21. Usage of internet banking in India is mainly dominated, by Private and Foreign Banks. Still, the number of individuals utilizing internet services has increased considerably. In 2006, about 12 percent of the 38. 5 million internet users in India used online banking and the figure for online banking increased to 16 million in 2007-08 22 . The average cost of servicing a customer through internet banking is the tenth of the services extended through a branch. Thus, there is a direct contribution to the profitability for a Bank and therefore, internet banking became a potential low cost alternative 23 . From customer? s viewpoint, internet banking is highly convenient as it help to avoid branch queues and makes customer free from depending on the inconsistent quality of services at the branch, which varied from person to person at the service desk. Internet Banking allowed customers to operate their accounts at their convenient hours instead of being dependent on the Banks working hours. Moreover, internet banking permitted customers to transact on a 247 basis from any part of the world. 99 Therefore, internet banking delivery channel has the potential to contribute directly towards the nation? prosperity as it allowed more people to join the Banking stream without adding cost and it is tremendously convenient to customers. Reserve Bank of India started measures to create multi-lingual links on its website for thirteen Indian languages on all matters concerning Banking in June 2007 24. In the recent years, the use of electronic payments has witnessed manifold increase reflecting increased adoption of technology. The electronic payment systems comprised of the large value payment systems like Real Time Gross Settlements (RTGS), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and card based payment systems. The growth of volume of transactions directed through electronic payment has decelerated from 41. 4 percent in 2007-08 to 24. 8 percent in 2008-0925. The numbers and usage of Automated Teller Machines had gone up substantially during the last few years. Automated Teller Machines were primarily used for cash withdrawal and balance enquiry. In 2008-09, the total number of Automated Teller Machines installed by the Banks grew by 25. 4 percent. Automated Teller Machines of State Bank of India group registered a sharp growth of 34. 5 percent. While the Automated Teller Machines installed by new Private Sector Banks and Foreign Banks was 3 times of their respective branches 26, 27 . In March 2008, the population per automated teller machines in India was more than 29,500 as against the range of 1,000-9,500 in some of the other emerging market economies 28, 29 . In June 2009, Reserve Bank of India permitted Scheduled Commercial Banks to install off-site Automated Teller Machines at places identified by them, without any need to take permission from the Reserve Bank of India. Cash withdrawal from Automated Teller Machines of the Bank? s was made free of charges, April 2009 onwards. This made Automated Teller Machines more popular among customers. 100 Banks had deployed Information Technology solutions to facilitate automation in transaction management, reporting and risk management. Most of the Banks across the segments had already implemented Core Banking Systems. In the 2007, 85. 6 percent and in the 2008, 93. 7 percent Public Sector Banks were fully computerised 30, 31 . Other rograms such as internet based transactions, self-service kiosks, mobile banking were either underway or planned in near future by Public Sector Banks. Foreign Sector Banks and old and new Private Sector Banks in India, had progressed well in the areas of technology up-gradation i n operations. Technology up-gradation helped to introduce new products and services to enable Banks to improve the quality of service and value added services. Overall, Indian Banks score well with respect to technological adaption and the three key characteristic contributing towards the effective use of information technology in Banking Industry were: ? Factor Cost Advantage- information technology related labour costs in India remained cheaper as compared to other countries; ? Distribution Strategy- Indian Banks adopted a unique business model, acquiring customers rapidly with minimal technological investments; and ? Information Technology Governance- Indian Banks emphasized on information technology governance with the strong in-house Information Technology Division and a Chief Information Officer (CIO) directly reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in most cases. 101 It is information that made the Banking Industry stable. The pressure of competition and the need to improve productivity has generated a need for better information. In order to manage Banking operations to meet the needs of managers operating at tactical and strategic level and to improve their quality of decisions and policymaking processes within the Banks. Banks needed to set up an efficient and comprehensive Management Information System (MIS) without which asset and liability management and risk management were not possible. However, adoption of technology by Banks provided them competitive advantage in their operations but at the same time Banks became dependent on outsourcing for most of their technological applications. Therefore, Banks needed to employ caution to put in place mechanisms for vendor management. As an insecure system, could expose Banks towards serious operational regulatory and reputational risks. Banks have taken measures to safeguard the risk factors, emerging due to the use of technology. Towards this end, the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) helped Banks to bring in technology and enabled them to work in secured environment while operating Real Time Gross Settlements System, Centralised Fund Management System (CFMS), corporate e-mail, and internet banking. It also acted as a „certifying authority? for the Banking Sector in India by issuing Digital Certificates 32 . Still there exists need to ensure much more accountable systems with regard to online payments with uniform standards all over the world. 102 Social Factors Before nationalization of the Banks, their control was in the hands of the private parties and only big business houses and the effluent sections of the society gained benefits from the Banking in India. Thus, adoption of the social development model in the Banking Sector was necessary for speedy economic progress consistent with social justice in democratic political system. Bankers were directed to help economically weaker sections of the society and to provide needed finance to all the sectors of the economy with flexible and liberal attitude. India? s demography had undergone transition and the demographic trends 1950 – 2050 studied, illustrates that India? s fertility rate is consistently falling from the peak 5. 91 percent in the first decade after independence to 2. 76 percent today and expected to fall further to 1. 85 percent. Even the death rate also likewise showing consistent decline from its peak 25. 5 in 1950-55 to 8. 5 today and to the lowest of 7. 9 in 2020-2025 33 . This ignifies towards steady number of customers for Banking Sector with longer income in the coming years. Indeed, India would be one of the youngest nations with its median age lying between 25 a nd 30 years over the next 15 years (2010 to 2025) 34. This signified that India would enjoy its prevalence of young age population for almost four decades. Thus, India? s demographic transition needed to be exploited by Banking Sectors viewing it as an opportunity. 103 Increase in the per capita income of the working class population of India, enabled individuals to purchase goods, which were far out of their reach earlier. It also encouraged people to buy goods for their personal use and for their family. Today societies have shifted towards nuclear family, resulting into the growing needs for home consumer durables like washing machine, television, bike, car etc. This showed how we as a society have moved from a socialist society to a consumerist society. Understanding these changes and to use them as an opportunity Banks provided various types of loans to farmers, working women, professionals, education loan to the students, housing loans, and consumer loans. Even customers life style, their behaviour, and consumption patterns have changed which acted as an opportunity as well as a threat for Banking Industry. Deposits showed a subdued growth during this decade. In 2008- 09 personal loans by Commercial Banks was 12. percent with respect to 10. 8 in 2007-08 of which housing loan was 11. 6 percent in 2007-08 and 7. 4 percent in 2008-09 35 . This deceleration was observed in housing loans especially due to economy slow down. Literacy rate in India is low as compared to other developed countries. Illiterate people hesitate to transact with Banks. Therefore, this influenced negatively on Banking Industry. Nevertheless, there exists positive side of this as well that illiterate people trust more on Banks to deposit their money as they do not have market information they do not put money in stocks or mutual funds so they look Bank as their sole and safe alternative. For a common man Banks have emerged as the key players to provide variety of products and services like saving accounts, insurance, remittance and other facilities to the under privileged and the poor in rural, semi-urban and urban areas or socially disadvantage as well as the small and medium enterprise sector . 104 On the other hand Banks deal with big clients or big companies which required personalized banking as these customers do not believe in running and waiting in queues for getting their work done . To these customers bankers provided special provisions and at times benefits like individualised hosting to these types of customers. It was brought to the notice of the Reserve Bank of India that visually challenged persons were facing problem in availing Banking facilities. Reserve Bank of India in June 2008 advised all Banks to ensure that all facilities such as cheque book including third party cheques, Automated Teller Machine facilities (at least one third of new Automated Teller Machine installed with Braille key pads and located strategically), net banking, locker, and credit cards to be provided to visually challenged persons without any discrimination 36. Banks related crimes are rising. These crimes included the typical ones such as Bank robbery, false statement to a Bank in order to obtain loan, false entry in a Banks book, Bank bribery, and Bank fraud. The other new types of crimes have also emerged like accessing to the whole or any part of information technology system without rights. These also included manipulation of Banking system, data alteration, or data destruction to make unauthorized identity theft with reference to Automate Teller Machines. Indian police has initiated by opening of special cyber cells across the country and started educating the personal against these crimes. 105 Political Factors Before 1990, the lack of accountability and lack of profit motive in Nationalized Banks was credited to political interference. After the economic reforms of 1991, the Indian Banking Industry entered into the new horizon of competiveness, efficiency, and productivity. Reserve Bank of India? s control system and its monetary policies acted as a major weapon in India? financial market. However, sometimes looking into the political advantage of a particular party, Government declares some measures for their benefits like short-term agricultural loans to attract farmer? s votes affecting the profits of the Banks. Even according to Banking Banana Skins, survey 2010 political interference was considered as the greatest risk for Banking Industry 37. In the Budget provisions, Finance Minister increased the farm credit target for 2009-10 at Rs. 3, 25,000 crore compared to Rs. 2, 87,000 crore in 2008-09. The Union Budget 200910 extended the debt waiver scheme by six more months for farmers owing more than 2 hectare of land. The Union Budget 2008-09 allowed farmers 25 percent rebate on 75 percent of their overdue repayment within the stipulated period 38 . Government also announced setting up of a task force to examine the issues of debt taken by a large number of farmers in some regions of Maharashtra from private moneylenders who were not covered under the loan waiver scheme 39 . With Government bearing this burden, Banks would not be affected much. As Government assured to help, Banks to clear their most stubborn non-performing assets accounts on Banks Book. In addition, the emphasis on expanding network with Automated Teller Machines, opening of Banking centre in unbanked blocks were some of the positive moves taken by Government. 106 Political interference by the leftist political parties claimed that various regulations with respect to Foreign Banks would benefit only those Banks, which intend to make a quick jump by providing high-profile corporate services, instead of those who wish to intensify their rural operations. Left political parties also cautioned that foreign players could increase their holding size in a particular Bank that would lead to an imbalance of power. Banks under the conventional system of recovery of loans had a considerable amount of money blocked in form of unproductive assets. Hence, to beat this difficulty parliament enacted Recovery of Debts to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 also refereed as Debt Recovery Act. This Act created a separate apparatus in the order of Debt Recovery Tribunals, which were handed over the responsibility of administering disputes pertaining to non-payment of debts. As this legislation was general in nature, another legislature by Parliament was enacted , referred as Securitization Act with an objective to give the Banks, more power over defaulting borrowers 40,41. Unions The post nationalization era in the Banking Industry in India, particularly in the Public Sector, witnessed consolidation of trade unions. All the nine unions had all-India presence in the Banking Industry. Five workers unions and four officers unions represented almost 100 percent of the workforce in the industry and joined hands to form a United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). United Forum of Bank Unions comprised of All India Bank Employees Association, (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), 107 National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Congress (INBEC), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), National Organization of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organization of Bank Officers (NOBO) 42. Representatives of unions were encouraged to give suggestions. However, in many cases undue interference of unions in decision-making has adversely affected, leading to the deterioration in discipline, efficiency, and performance effectiveness. With the growing strength of these organizations, the issues relating to employees interests were no longer determined by Bank? s managements alone. The massive introduction of technology into the industry made union policies defensive. Unions focused almost entirely on the immediate consequences of technological change on the workforce, especially the aspect of possible job losses. Employees in Public Sector Banks were repulsive to move from one table to another of the same branch. Now the trade unions seem to be willing to allow mobility for employees within a district as mergers enforced them to move from one state to another. Other issues taken up by unions were like introduction of New Pension scheme and variable pay which were resolved with the help United Forum of Bank Unions. Banks unions are also involved in demanding salary hikes, job losses, disinvestments in Public Sector, and issues related to violation of labour laws, and allocation of funds for schemes for unorganised workers. 108 After attempting, the macro level environmental analysis of Indian Banking Industry a micro functional level Human Resource Environmental Analysis has been attempted with the help of SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), it would help to further develop strategic viewpoint about the industry (Table II. 4). TABLE II. 4 HR SWOT ANALYSIS WITH RESPECT TO INDIAN BANKING INDUSTRY STRENGTHS ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Educated Manpower Higher Compliance Amongst Employees Experienced Employees Training Infrastructure Availability Safe Working Environment Responsiveness to Needful Change Strong Regulatory Institutional Framework ? ? ? ? ? OPPORTUNITIES Liberalization of Banking Sector Preferred Industry for Employment Availability of Multi-specialist staff Technology for Improved Interpersonal and Communication Skills Workforce Diversity WEAKNESSES ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Limited Technology Skills Repetitive Tasks Structure Inadequate Remuneration for Attracting Talent Lacking Career Growth Path Rigid Recruitment Policies Hierarchal Structure Rigid Wage Negotiation Process Leadership Deficit at Senior Level ? ? ? ? ? ? ? THREATS Movement of Skilled and Quality Staff Difficulty in Hiring Highly Qualified Youngsters Trend Towards Downsizing Changing Workforce Demographics High Staff Cost Overheads Changing Employees Expectations Entrenched Trade Unionism 109 Key Concerns for Indian Banking Industry The macro level analysis of Banking Industry and micro level analysis with respect to Human Resource functions helped to identify the key concerns related to the Banking Industry. Competition in Banking Industry is very high as Banks are fighting for same share of customers. There are many Banks and non-financial institutions which gave rise to intensified competition. Amongst these, there existed relatively no differentiation in services and every Bank tried to copy each other? s services and technology which increased the level of competition. Competition from the non-Banking financial sector is increasing rapidly as there are substitutes like mutual funds, stocks (shares), government securities, debentures, gold, and real estate acting as a high threat of substitutes. The continuous deregulation has made the Banking Market extremely competitive with greater autonomy, operational flexibility, decontrolled interest rate, and liberalized norms for foreign exchange. The deregulation of the industry coupled with decontrol in interest rates had led to the entry of a number of players in the Banking Industry 43. Alliances and takeovers had occurred on a transatlantic basis. The market share for financial services that Banks hold had declined, while securities firms, mutual funds, and finance companies has grown 44 . Banking Sector needs to build up a strong and efficient financial system by emphasizing on risk based management. 110 In Banking Sector, customers have high bargaining power due to the presence of very large number of alternatives. Banks together with the specialized financial companies that provide finance to customers are available. Recently it was observed that depositors had withdrawn funds from Private and Foreign Banks and invested their money with Public Sector Banks as the cost of switching from one Bank to another was low and almost all Banks provided undifferentiated services. Today customer? s have more information and better understanding about the market, Banks have to be more competitive and customer friendly to serve them. To retain customer? s and market share, Banks started contemplating on building strong relationship with customers. United Bank of India created a revolution in Banking Industry by opening up a boutique branch in Pune in November 2007, as its priority was to provide services to the high net worth customers. Thus, United Bank also recognized the needs of high net worth individuals different from the other customers. United Bank organized corporate golf tournament for customers, music concerts, and screening of Mani Ratnam directed film „Guru? 45 . Bank? s top management has started carefully evaluating the impacts for their actions. Recently, before cutting jobs in Private and Foreign Banks, Human Resource managers tried to assess reactions beforehand and they came out with certain proactive steps. Banks persistently worked in the interest of the Society. 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