AP Gov Essay free essay sample

What is the responsible party model and what are its consequences for democracy? Political parties are very important fundamentals of United States Government. In a democracy, candidates should go through with what they promised they were going to do. However, this has proven to not always be the case. Critics of the American party system have proposed that a more responsible two-party system should be used to solve this problem.The responsible parry model calls for each party to present distinct, unimpressive programs; have the internal cohesion and discipline to carry out its program if elected; implement its programs if it is the majority party or state what it would do if it were in power; and accept responsibility for the performance of the government. Under this model, promises would be made easier to convert into actual government policy. Its consequence for a democracy would be that a partys officeholders would have firm control of the government, and they would be collectively (and not individually) expansible for their actions. We will write a custom essay sample on AP Gov Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This would cause many policies to be made that would contradict each other and the public would not have a direct say on the policies implemented. There would be a lot of confusion if all promises were kept because then the House and Senate would have little say when passing policies. Voters would know exactly who to blame for what government does and doesnt accomplish.

Toddler development assessments essays

Toddler development assessments essays Development assessment is a structured evaluation of all of the childs developmental skill such as physical, language, intellectual, social, and emotional skills. The development assessment of a toddler can provide very helpful information to parents. Assessment also holds great potential to help caregivers understand the children they care for. Development assessment can increase your knowledge about your child. The child pediatrician or teacher may supervise the child, and if they notice an area where the child is lagging, they may request and evaluation with a developmental assessment specialist. Also they may give you a suggestion on how to work with your child at home. It doesnt mean that the child has a problem; in many cases the result is that the child is absolutely normal and may not need further treatment. Since every child is different, the development assessment is different too. The development specialists will tailor the childs assessment according to his age. If the child pediatrician asks you for an evaluation you must be prepare to answer a wide variety of detailed questions about your child growth, movement, behavior, play, and interactions with family members an the rest of the world. This assessment is going to be conduct by a team that can include a pediatrician, audiologist, child psychologist, and child psychiatrist, among others. This teen will observe how the child plays, learns, reasons, moves, and interacts. The child will be expose to several tests. To get the best result for the child, both parents need to be prepare. Also they need to attend any meeting or screening exams. The child needs to be healthy and comfortable during testing. At the end parents must receive a written report of the assessment. If the results end with a delay, you can consider getting a second opinion. ...

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism Essay

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism - Essay Example Reason is the rationalist’s tool for determining the nature of knowledge about the objective world. The application of the tools, methods, and processes of logic, according to rationalists, should guide an individual to the kind of knowledge that conforms to the laws of logic. These usually begin from concepts that form in the mind. On the other hand, empiricism is the epistemological school of thought that argues that all knowledge comes from the senses. According to this school, all people are born with their minds representing a blank sheet of paper so that all subsequent experiences generate knowledge for the individual. Empiricism argues in favor of sense experience as the fundamental basis of all knowledge (Maritain 26). We acquire knowledge by interacting with the subjective world before we form ideas and knowledge about the shape of reality. In this manner, all knowledge becomes a posteriori. It must necessarily proceed from sense experience. Empiricists argue that all knowledge is based on precepts, which form after some form of experiences. These are then ordered in the mind before they are synthesized into workable

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned - Essay Example But they each define a certain penal style.† (Foucault, 1995, p. 7) Foucault points out that modern forms of punishment are, thankfully, not carried out in the same spirit or with the same purpose. Many legal reforms were instituted between the old world of executions and torture and the new world of prisons and labour camps, the main difference being that what used to be a public spectacle became, over time, a regimented process, more bureaucratic than anything else, that is carried out behind high walls and locked doors. For Foucault what is significant about this change is that the punishment is no longer something visibly displayed, and it no longer focuses so sharply on the human body of the convicted person. Foucault concedes that penalties such as imprisonment, forced labour, deportation and the like do also affect the human body but they do so indirectly: â€Å"The body now serves as an instrument or intermediary†¦physical pain, the pain of the body itself, is no longer the constituent element of the penalty.† (Foucault: 1995, p. 11) He observes that a whole army of â€Å"technicians† are now involved in the penal side of the criminal justice system, and one need only think of the modern prison to realise that he is right. Warders, chaplains, social workers, educators, even doctors and psychologists all participate in the process. In states and in periods where in states where the death penalty is or was permitted, there is also an increasing presence of technicians in the process. The methods chosen for death have veered away from elements of spectacle and torture and have become swifter, for example the guillotine in France, the hangman’s noose in England and the lethal injection in America. Technical experts accompany the convicted person right up to the moment of execution. Drugs are used to dull the sensations of inmates, and also to make sure that executions are free of physical pain. Foucault calls this a kind of d isconnection which makes the penalties non-corporeal and therefore distanced from the physical being of the person. Punishment in this way becomes, for Foucault something abstract, with only the most fleeting actual contact with the body of the victim. If modern punishment systems do not target the prisoner’s body any more, then the question of what exactly it does target then arises. Foucault suggests: â€Å"The expiation that once rained down upon the body must be replaced by a punishment that acts in depth on the heart, the thoughts, the will, the inclinations† (Foucault: 1995, p. 16) Some people might refer to this as the soul of the person, and cite moral or religious beliefs to underpin this view, but Foucault looks instead at the way attention has shifted away from the past crime that has been committed, and towards the person who has committed the crime and now deserves some kind of punishment. There is in modern criminal justice systems a belief that punishmen t can be used to change a person’s behaviour for the better, and perhaps even influence his nature and personality in a positive way. This can be done in a way that suppresses part of the person’s personality. Foucault also observes a modern fascination in the causes of crime, by which he means all the circumstances which surround it, including the background of the criminal and all the various factors which contributed to his committing the crime. This is a very important point, because it brings Foucault to make a serious judgement about modern

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example While the youth and children are the primary decision makers on certain categories of products, among the adults the decision rests with the one who contributes the maximum towards household expenses. Based on these factors Starbucks is advised to cater to the discerning consumers products and service that would make them feel distinguished. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Motivation & Benefit 2.1 Theory of Planned Behavior 1 2.2 Self-identity 1 2.3 Uniqueness Theory 2 2.4 Scarcity and attractiveness 3 2.5 Organic coffee and its impact 3 2.5 Customer preferences 4 2.6 Physical environment 4 2.7 Recommendations for Starbucks 5 3. Family Life Cycle and Family Decision-Making 5 3.1 Family Life Cycle 5 3.2 Stages in FLC and choices 7 3.3 Family decision-making 8 References 10 1. Introduction Starbucks is an upscale, recognized coffee brand enjoying competitive advantage. They have 17,000 stores in 49 countries and their greatest strength is their strong brand image and a considera ble market share. The UK coffee market, according to a study by Mintel in 2010, is expected to grow and is forecast to be worth GBP976 Million by 2015 (PR Newswire, 2010). On an average adults consume about two cups of coffee per day and Starbucks has less than 1% of the global market share (Kotha & Glassman 2003). Competition being intense, Starbucks needs to understand the motivation and benefits that consumers seek. 2. Motivation & Benefit 2.1 Theory of Planned Behavior Consumer behavior is associated with idealized people and communicates information about consumers (Smith, Terry, Manstead, Louis, Kotterman & Wolfs, 2008). It communicates their personal values and their self-identity. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) suggests that behavioral decisions are not spontaneous but the result of a reasoned process in which behavior is influenced, even if indirectly, by attitudes, norms and perceptions of control over the behavior (Smith et al. 2008). The attitudes, norms and the pe rception of control over behavior influence behavior through their impact on behavioral intention. Food choices including the intention of consuming environmentally friendly products are all influenced by the TPB. 2.2 Self-identity People buy a product for the value they can deliver. The purpose, the product and the person interact to shape consumer behavior and any changes on any of these could impact consumer behavior (Ratneshwar, Shocker, Cotte and Srivastava (1999). How the product or service contributes to their self-identity and well being influences consumer behavior. The teenagers, for instance, like to be seen at trendy places. To them the social experience and the perceived brand value hold importance (Lockyer 2009). Self-identity is the extent to which the individual sees him- or herself as a typical consumer of a product, and may play a role in the context of the consumer (Smith et al. 2008). Self-identity, an important determinant of behavior, reflects the label people use to describe themselves. To boost their self identity consumers can consume food and also consume food at places that would help distinguish them. Self-identity predicts intentions to consume fair trade products and unique products. 2.3 Uniqueness Theory Food can either be consumed publicly or privately. Consumers like to experience goods and services that will distinguish them from others. Hence advertising should be unique in its appeal to the coffee consumers.

Definition Of Generic Pharmaceutical Company Business Model Economics Essay

Definition Of Generic Pharmaceutical Company Business Model Economics Essay This is an essay to identify CIPLA a generic Pharmaceutical companys business model and to explain the reasons why the company has to change its existing business model. This is done by first identifying the term business model and then using the definition to explain the business model adopted by the company, also determining the inherent changes in world policies and economic environment that prompt the change of the present business model. The second part of the essay addresses the issue of the conflict between the big ethical pharmaceutical companies and the relatively smaller generic pharmaceutical companies business models. This is addressed by highlighting the big pharmaceutical companies business model and comparing the two models (which will reveal the nature of their competitive relationship) there by identifying if there seems to be a convergence in their models and they are both becoming competitors in the same market or companies producing the same products but competing in different markets or companies where a symbiotic relationship has become inevitable for their survival in this present economic situation. Conceptualization of a Business Model. A definition of a business model is required to highlight the context to which CIPLAs (a generic pharmaceutical company) business model can be identified. During my research I encountered various concepts of a business model such as the definition given by Chesbrough and Rosenbloom (2002) a coherent framework that takes technological characteristics and potentials as inputs, and converts them through customers and markets into economic outputs (p.532), comparatively, Rayport and Jaworski (2001 cited in Wimmer 2004) defined a business model as the four choices of (1) a value proposition or a value cluster for targeted customers (2) a market space offering which could be products, services, information or all three (3) a unique dependable resource system and (4) a financial model. However Shafer, Smith et al (2005) suggests that a representation of a firms underlying core logic and strategic choices for creating and capturing value (p.202); is a design or creation, not an accident; wha t structures are in place to ensure firms capture value. Factually no sole definition can adequately cover all aspects of the term business model; I will endeavour to use a combination of all the stated business model definitions to better recognize the Generic pharmaceutical companys business model. I focused on the definition of this model first as most generic companies including CIPLA initially followed this business model before the need for change in 2005. The focus on India is also due to the fact that CIPLA originated from there. Definition of Generic Pharmaceutical company business model. Generic pharmaceutical company business model in India is characterised by the production and selling of copy cat pharmaceutical drugs discovered and developed by the big ethical pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), this was achieve through the reverse engineering of the drugs invented by the big ethical Pharmaceutical companies and sold at lower costs. This was made possible in India due to the availability of cheap labour in the country, the favourable environment encouraged by the Indian government at the time which allowed low restriction on process patent and little or no conformity with WTO regulations. This was confirmed by Greene (2007) who wrote that government policy culminated in various actions including: the abolition of product patents on food, chemicals, and drugs; the institution of process patents; the limitation of multinational equity share in India pharmaceutical companies, and the imposition of price controls on certain formulations and bulk dr ugs. He also highlighted that India has garnered a worldwide reputation for producing high quality, low cost generic drugs. Financial evaluation of CIPLAs business model Using the Profit and loss account for 2000-2010, sales turnover steady increases from 2000-2004 but in 2005 there is a decline of about 10% which can be attributed to the implementation of the WTO law that affected the number of drugs available for replication. This also affected the earnings per share which dropped from about 51 to about 13 in 2005. Investment and debt also showed a steep decline of over 100% from 2004-2005, this corresponds to the change in business environment which can infer a reduction of debt incurred for drug production. However the excise duty showed steady from 2000-2005 indicating company focus on domestic market but in 2006 there is a steady decline in excise duties paid and this can be as a result of increased exportation of drugs following a change in business model. Change in CIPLAs Business Model The era of this type of business model however draws to an end as various changes in the economic situation and world policy will threaten the very successful model in which the generics pharmaceutical companies in India have been thriving. In 2005 Indian government changed its law concerning patent drugs and fell in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Related Intellectual Property Agreement (TRIPs) this limited the production of certain drugs that was filed as a patent from January 1, 1995(Greene 2007). Another important point is that the rate at which ethical pharmaceutical companies are coming up with new blockbuster drugs is slowing down, with a shift from Research and development (RD) to marketing. This is as a result of the enormous cost to bring to the market a new drug ranging between 802million 1billion over a period of 10-15 years (Mogalian, Myrdal 2004). As inferred by Martinez and Goldstein (2007) statement that the century-old approach of finding chemicals to treat diseases is producing fewer and fewer drugs. Yusuf Hamied (CEO of CIPLA) stated that the World Trade Organization regulations, which since 2005 have prevented Indian generic drug firms from copying patented drugs, signifies that Indian generic companies have to change their business model or risk being swallowed up by multinational firms. (Livemint, 5th January 2010). Most generic companies in India adapted to this setback in their business model by transferring focus from domestic market in India and increase export of generic drugs to the United States and Western Europe, entering into RD agreements, mergers and acquisitions of foreign drug companies and developing alliances with foreign pharmaceutical firms. CIPLA however chose a slightly different approach than most pharmaceuticals by focusing on organic growth in India and only seldom indulging in strategic business alliances, technological services (such as knowhow transfer, plant supply etc) and in licensing with big pharmaceuticals. CIPLA also increased their export of generic drugs to the United States and Western Europe. Some points in CIPLAs corporate presentation in August 2009 highlight the companys focus: Business model based on international strategic alliances- Business focuses on organic growth and leads to reduced capital commitment and regulatory/litigation risks. RD targeted at ensuring efficient utilization of resources and focused at developing and launching niche products. The graph below shows a steady increase in the value of Indias pharmaceutical RD expenditure from 2001-2006 as a result of a shift in business model. Source: William Greene, US Trade Commission (2007) The emergence of Indias pharmaceutical industry and implications for the US generic drug market, US Office of Economics Working Paper 2007-05-A Business models of Big, Ethical pharmaceutical companies and the consequent reason for change of model. The big pharmaceutical company business model is the traditional pharmaceuticals company business model which comprises of large scale Research and Development departments which discover new drugs for diseases and the sale of those drugs to consumers .This is a rudimentary definition of their business model as it also entails many more components than those mentioned above for instance in recent times we see a shift of emphasis from the research and development to sales and marketing campaigns due to the competitive nature of the environment. A branded drug product is originally discovered and developed by a pharmaceutical company. In order for the company to market and sell their product they must first gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by submitting a New Drug Application. In this documentation the company submits data to establish a drugs clinical safety and efficacy. Other studies determine the characteristics of the drug dosage form, including the manufacturing process, drug stability, purity, strength, and how it dissolves. Once the drug receives FDA approval, the innovator company can then exclusively market and sell this brand-name product for as long as the company has patent protection. (Mogalian, Myrdal 2004) However a new external threat has evolved apart from the usual competition of rival companies in the form of Generics pharmaceutical companies. These companies as mentioned in prior section of the essay have used the process of reverse engineering to create cheaper replicas of the drugs produced by these big pharmaceutical companies and selling the drugs at cheaper costs to consumers. This has been of great profit to the generics companies as they had to indulge in little or no cost consuming research and development to come up with the drugs in the first place and the availability of low cost of production was just an added advantage to their business model. Martinez and Goldstein (2007) noted however that the rise of generics wouldnt matter so much if research labs were creating a stream of new hits. But that isnt happening. Though the industry doubled its investment from 2002 till 2006 in RD it yielded 43% less than it had in five years during the 1990s of chemical-based drugs. There is a change in the business environment for generic companies in India however with the 2005 adherence to WTO laws. They generics companies are focused on RD to produce their own patent drugs and generic drugs have become more accepted in Western countries over the years, with the rising costs of healthcare these governments are looking to cut costs and are therefore encouraging the adoption generic drug prescriptions to patients. Another major factor affecting the big pharmaceutical companies is the problem of expired patents. Companies like Pfizer that had a blockbuster drug called Lipitor a cholesterol lowering drug will be coming off patent in 2010 and this will allow the generics companies to bring in a cheaper replica of the drug which will reduce the sales of the company drastically. Patent expirations are a big problem. Drugs are granted 20 years of patent protection, Although companies often fail to get a product to market before half of that period has elapsed. Once it hits the market, however, the patent-protected drug is highly profitable: Typical gross margins are 90% to 95%. When patents expire, generic makers offer the products at a price much closer to the cost of production (Martinez and Goldstein 2007). *Sales data is from IMS World Review (except for China and Poland) ** Patented/generic split is from ESPICOM. Generic defined as a drug whose patent has expired ***2001 values for China; 2000 values for Poland; 2003 values for Brazil reflects patented/unpatented (unpatented includes branded unpatented, generics, similar) Sources: IMS; ESPICOM; Factiva; EGA; Mckinsey team Analysis This development will result in the increased encroachment on the market share of the big pharmaceutical companies, though we can see from the chart that countries like China, Brazil, India and Poland have higher percentage of generic drug usage than US, Japan, Germany, France and UK the problem of the global recession may cause an increase in the use of the generic drugs in these countries as well since developed countries like UK are hoping to cut costs on public expenditure like healthcare costs. Definition of relationships Based on these new developments in the business environment of pharmaceuticals companies and my research I begin to recognize a trend where big pharmaceuticals and generics have increasingly instances of working together in order to thrive in the new environment. This aids me in my definition of in tension asked in the question, I identify this as the type of relationship generating between the big pharmaceutical and the generics companies and we can see that it if morphing from a completely competitive one to a more competitive-collaborative relationship, where we can even see a convergence in their business models in some cases. We see big pharmaceutical companies are begin to return to India after the 2005 law passed by the government protecting their drugs, so they can benefit from the availability of cheap labor and low cost of innovative talent, they are even cooperating with the generics companies for Research and Development, in licensing and use of their distribution lines to transport their drugs to underdeveloped countries formally catered to by mainly generics companies. AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb have also recently suggested they will outsource at least some of their manufacturing. There are lots of people in India, China and Eastern Europe who can make products of the same quality as ours but at significantly less cost, says Bristol-Myers Squibb CEO James Cornelius (Martinez and Goldstein 2007). However though we see them working together big ethical pharmaceuticals companies still have some strategies to compete with generics pharmaceutical companies. Some defensive strategies of the big pharmaceutical companies are to develop new generic subsidiaries of their organization so as to be able to better compete with generics companies. By having their own licensed generic companies, they are able to limit the rate at which generics encroach on their market share for drugs that are off patents, they accomplish this by allowing their licensed patents to release generic copies of their blockbuster drugs into the market just before they are off patent thereby gaining market share before the other generic companies release theirs. In first nine months of this year, Novartiss generics unit, Sandoz, grew roughly three times as fast as its branded-drugs business and accounted for nearly 20% of overall revenue. The balance is changing, says Novartis CEO Dr. Vasella. In the coming quarte rs, we will continue to see a faster growth opportunity in generics. (Martinez and Goldstein 2007) Competitive strategies of the big pharmaceutical companies include investment in biotechnology and diversification. Biotechnology is of great appeal because of the inability for generics companies to create copies of the drugs as of now. Diversification on the other hand will allow the company to expand the range of services it offers its customers and allow it to get alternative sources of income. CONCLUSION In conclusion we make-out CIPLA business model to be the production of copycat drugs by reverse engineering of branded drugs and the sale of the generic drugs at cheaper prices to the India and any other country where the big pharmaceutical drugs do not have patent rights, however a change in the business model became inevitable in 2005 because of the Indian government adoption of WTO laws and caused a shift of the business model of CIPLA to focus more on RD for the production of its own Branded drugs and strategic alliances which entail cooperation with Big Ethical pharmaceutical companies through in-licensing and know how transfer. Another point to note is the change in relationship between the generic company and the big pharmaceutical where we see a competitive symbiotic relationship brewing, with increased dealings between the two types of firms where big pharmaceutical companies benefit from the cheaper cost of production and access to generic companies distribution pipelines a nd generics gain from the in licensing agreements where they share profits with the bug pharmaceutical companies. However big pharmaceutical companies still maintain development of competitive strategies to combat the generic companies by creation of their own generic companies and increased investment in both diversification and biotechnology. Biblography Rayport, J.F. , Jaworski, B.J.(2001). e-commerce, New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. Wimmer M.A., Knowledge management in electronic governance. 5th ed. IFIP international. William Greene, The Emergence of Indias Pharmaceutical Industry and Implications for the U.S. Generic Drug Market (2007) CIPLA Corporate presentation August 2009 CIPLA Pharmaceuticals Yusuf Hamied: I Am Not Against Patents I Am Against Monopolies Published: May 07, 2009 in India [emailprotected] Pharmacist Erik Mogalian, Assistant professor Paul Myrdal of the University of Arizonas College Whats the difference between brand-name and generic prescription drugs? December 13, 2004Â   Big Pharma Faces Grim Prognosis Industry Fails to Find New Drugs to Replace Wonders Like Lipitor By BARBARA MARTINEZ and JACOB GOLDSTEIN December 6, 2007; Page A1

Internet Security Essay -- Internet Privacy Security Web Essays

Internet Security Internet Security is the most important aspect of information technology. It has been years since computer has been invented and to keep the information confidential we have to safeguard this information. The importance of integrating security measures into systems development. Every business has their own security systems to reach their goals of information security. The computer world created security systems in order to reduce risk, maintain confidentiality, ensure the reliability of data resources, and compliance with national security laws and privacy policies and laws. SECURITY STANDARDS There are several types of standards when integrating security measures into new systems. Some companies developed their own application that has their own standards; others usually follow well-established national or international standards especially if the systems they developed are to be used by government agencies or contractors. Two major standards developed by the United States government and the other by the International Standard Organization. The U.S. used of the information security standard not only for businesses but also for our homeland security. Ever since the September 11 incident we have developed a tighter security for every branch of the government. The new standard is being used most especially for our military from the Internet worldwide and others has to follow. The most important one is the issuance of immigration visas. Our land, air and water transportation has been the first one to put this into action and intelligence officer’s tract criminal ’s activities through these measures. These are the Standards from the Orange Book: Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TSE... ...rmation security but not people security. Sometimes people’s value diminished because of business. We are so lucky to have live in the United States of America knowing that our security is the first priority of our government. Through the use of information security our government was able to tract down some of the most dangerous people in the world who were also involved in the September 11 incident. We are the world’s leader in the military and democracy. To live in a secure world is to live in peace! Reference: Management Information Systems, Third Edition Effy Oz, http://www.jeis.co.jp/ http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-www.html http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-prog.html http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-groups.html/ http://www.sans.org/resources/glossary.php http://www.firewallguide.com/newsletter.htm.

Racial Diversity: Historical Worksheet Essay

†¢ Throughout most of U.S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? Throughout most of U.S. history, in almost all locations the race which has been the majority is the â€Å"white Americans which comprises Hispanic Americans. White Americans are the majority in forty-nine of the fifty states, with Hawaii as the exception. White Americans, trace their ancestry to the original peoples of Europ, the Middle East, and north Africa. †¢ What are some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history would be African Americans, Native Americans. Native Americans who were first to be in North America. In 1871 the Federal Government declared them American Indians and were forced to move to reservations. This is where they were forced to adapt to Christianity instead of their own religion, schools that were done in English. African Americans were the other larger racial minorities. African Americans arrived with the first European explorers from Africa. Shortly after they arrived they became slaves due to their color in 1776. In 1865 Congress abolished slavery everywhere. †¢ In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Laws have been used to enforced discrimination by having consequences for your actions when discriminating against a person or any minority group. An example of this is when an employer does not want to hire a certain race or only wants to hire one certain type of race, but still hires you only because he/she has to have a certain percentage of that race. I believe that these laws were intended to end racism between different races, mainly with whites and blacks in the United States. The reason why is because the history with both races. Whites have always over powered blacks and treated them unfair and now they placed the laws in place so that can not happen anymore and everyone can be treated equally. †¢ In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? One example I could think about would be when putting down your race or gender on an application or some type of form. Now it gives you the option to do so or not to do so. What I had found hard about answering the race question is the fact that I am biracial and most of the time they only want you to pick one race or if you do pick just one and they see you then they question it. This law was intended to stop employers to discriminate against women and different kinds of race. However what they law did was make it a point to have a percentage of a race or gender in that work force, so that may be the only reason of getting hired on.

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America Introduction Singapore is an Asian country that has a population of approximately five million people. The country has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world. Since its independence in 1965, the country has taken several steps that have led to significant improvements in its healthcare system. In 1983, the government developed the National Healthcare Plan.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of the plan was to provide a roadmap for the development of the healthcare system for the next 20 years (Meng-Kin 17). During this period, the government introduced several programs that targeted various groups of people. In 2002, the government introduced the ElderShield plan. The aim of this program was to improve the healthcare of the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, the US healthcare industry i s more than two centuries old. The US government spends vast sums of money on healthcare provision. Medicaid and Medicare account for the lion’s share of government expenditure on healthcare provision. This necessitates the US government to formulate strategies that would help in reducing the cost of healthcare provision. Increase in the proportion of the elderly to the total population necessitates the US government to take urgent steps to prevent further escalation of the healthcare budget. The US government should formulate a strategy that would help in replicating the strengths of the healthcare system of Singapore in the US healthcare system. Healthcare Regulation Singapore’s healthcare system has three pillars. The healthcare system strives to improve the general health of the population through various preventive healthcare programs. In addition, the healthcare system puts great emphasis on the personal responsibility of individuals towards their healthcare. The government strives to reduce the cost of healthcare services by subsidising healthcare in public health institutions. The Ministry of Health (MOH), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) are the main health regulators. CPF is a social security savings plan that enables Singapore nationals to support themselves in their old age (Ho 95). On the other hand, the US has one of the most complex healthcare regulations in the world. Numerous agencies help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare agencies may regulate healthcare at the state or federal level. In addition, the regulators may be private or public.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the major bodies that cater for the healthcare needs of all American citizens. The Ame rican Medical Association (AMA) is one of the vital private organisations that help in the oversight of healthcare industry (Field 608). In the US, different states may have different agencies that help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare Delivery Singapore’s healthcare system helps in the delivery of various types of healthcare to the population. Approximately 2000 private hospitals provide 80% of the primary healthcare needs of the population. This shows that the government’s efforts to provide primary healthcare services to the population have been unsuccessful. However, the government provides the bulk of hospital care services. Government healthcare facilities provide approximately 80% of hospital care services. In 2010, there were 8,881 hospital beds in government healthcare facilities (Ministry of Health Singapore para 1). Public health facilities had slightly less than thirteen thousand nurses and approximately 1800 nurses. On the other hand, private health care facilities had 2,268 hospital beds. The number of doctors and nurses in the private healthcare facilities was approximately 3,300 and 5,100 respectively (Ministry of Health Singapore para 2). These statistics show that the government is the dominant player in the provision of hospital care. However, a close analysis of the number of doctors and nurses shows that there are less hospital beds for every healthcare practitioner. The number of hospital beds per healthcare practitioner has a significant effect on the quality of healthcare. This may imply that the quality of healthcare services in private healthcare facilities is higher than in government healthcare facilities. Community hospitals play a key role in healthcare delivery in the US. Community hospitals may be state-owned or investor-owned. Community hospitals are the major healthcare facilities that provide primary and intermediate healthcare services. Most community hospitals tailor their services to meet the healthcare needs of the community (Purves 88). This improves the efficiency of healthcare services of community hospitals. There are 4,973 community hospitals. The total capacity of these community hospitals is 797,403 beds. On the other hand, there are slightly more than 200 federal government hospitals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The total capacity of these hospitals is slightly more 100,000 beds. Therefore, community hospitals are vital in designing various preventive health programs. Most community hospitals have adequate staffing levels that enable them to meet the healthcare needs of the community. Funding Medisave, MediShield, Medifund, and ElderShield are the main medical schemes that help in financing public health in Singapore. Medisave is a social scheme that helps people to save for future healthcare expense s. Medisave caters for hospitalisation expenses and certain outpatient treatments of individuals and their immediate family members. In addition, Medisave may help in paying the premiums of MediShield and Private Medical Insurance Scheme (PMIS). On the other hand, MediShield is primarily a medical insurance scheme that caters for severe health conditions. It caters for partial expenses of prolonged hospitalisation and outpatient treatment of various serious illnesses. ElderShield is a health insurance scheme that caters for people who need long-term care. ElderShield mainly covers the elderly. Medifund is a government endowment fund that acts as a last resort source of funds if Medisave and MediShield are unable to cater for medical expenses. The government replenishes the funds when there is a budget surplus. However, the government is not the only major player in the healthcare insurance industry. Several private health insurance companies provide health insurance to individuals a nd groups (Meng-Kin 19). In the US, it is the duty of employers to ensure that their employees have medical cover. Medicare and Medicaid are the major medical schemes that help in financing public health. Medicare is a healthcare plan that covers the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, Medicaid covers people who have low incomes. Federal funds help in supporting Medicare while state and federal funds support Medicaid. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a healthcare regulation that ensures that all Americans have access to healthcare insurance. Access to healthcare insurance enables people to save huge sums of money that they would have used to cater for medical expenses (Pipes 107). People who would like to receive extended healthcare services may enrol in various private healthcare plans.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Healthcare Expenditure Healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP is one of methods that help in determining the government’s commitment to improving the health status of the nation. In 2009, Singapore’s ratio of healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP was 3.9% (Ho 95). There is a gradual increase in the ratio of direct government expenditure on health through Medifund. On the other, there is a gradual decrease in the social security expenditure on healthcare. In the private sector, out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for a sizeable percentage of healthcare payments (Ho 95). This necessitates the government and the private sector to formulate strategies that would improve access to healthcare insurance. In 2008, the US had the highest healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP. The expenditure of the US on healthcare was 16% of its GDP. Medicare and Medicaid accounted for a sizeable percentage of the government spending on healthcare. In addition, out-of-poc ket healthcare expenditure of the US was very high (Squires 2). Conclusion The US has one of the most efficient economic systems in the world. Very few economic systems can rival the US economic system. However, the healthcare system of the US has many flaws. Exponential increase in healthcare costs is one of the major problems that the healthcare system faces. On the hand, Singapore has been able to replicate the efficiency of its economic system to the healthcare system. Despite having significantly lower expenditure on healthcare, Singaporeans are some of the healthiest people on the planet. Copying the healthcare structure of Singapore would enable America save huge sums of money. It would free up money for other activities that would lead to economic development. However, the healthcare systems of the countries face several problems that are unique to each country. Field, Robert I. â€Å"Why is health care regulation so complex?† Pharmacy and Therapeutics. 33.10. (2008) : 607–608. Print. Ho, Lok-sang. Health policy and the public interest. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Meng-Kin, Lim. â€Å"Health care systems in transition ll. Singapore, part I.† Journal of Public Health Medicine. 20.1. (1998): 16-22. Print. Ministry of Health Singapore. â€Å"Healthcare institution statistics.† Statistics. n.d. Web. Pipes, Sally C. The truth about Obamacare. Washington DC: Regnery Gateway, 2010. Print. Purves, Geoffrey. Primary care centres. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Squires, David A. â€Å"The U.S. health system in perspective: A comparison of twelve industrialized nations.† The Commonwealth Fund. 16.1. (2011): 1-13. Print.

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money An extensive essay on the gold standard on The Encyclopedia of Economics and Liberty defines it as: ...a commitment by participating countries to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold. National money and other forms of money (bank deposits and notes) were freely converted into gold at the fixed price. A county under the gold standard would set a price for gold, say $100 an ounce and would buy and sell gold at that price. This effectively sets a value for the currency; in our fictional example, $1 would be worth 1/100th of an ounce of gold. Other precious metals could be used to set a monetary standard; silver standards were common in the 1800s. A combination of the gold and silver standard is known as bimetallism. A Brief History of the Gold Standard If you would like to learn about the history of money in detail, there is an excellent site called A Comparative Chronology of Money which details the important places and dates in monetary history. During most of the 1800s, the United States had a bimetallic system of money;  however, it was essentially on a gold standard as very little silver was traded. A true gold standard came to fruition in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Act. The gold standard effectively came to an end in 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlawed private gold ownership. The Bretton Woods System, enacted in 1946 created a system of fixed exchange rates that allowed governments to sell their gold to the United States treasury at the price of $35/ounce: The Bretton Woods system ended on August 15, 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended trading of gold at the fixed price of $35/ounce. At that point for the first time in history, formal links between the major world currencies and real commodities were severed. The gold standard has not been used in any major economy since that time. What system of money do we use today? Almost every country, including the United States, is on a system of fiat money, which the glossary defines as money that is intrinsically useless; is used only as a medium of exchange. The value of money is set by the supply and demand for money and the supply and demand for other goods and services in the economy. The prices for those goods and services, including gold and silver, are allowed to fluctuate based on market forces.   The Benefits and Costs of a Gold Standard The main benefit of a gold standard is that it  ensures  a relatively low level of inflation. In articles such as What Is the Demand for Money? weve seen that inflation is caused by a combination of four factors: The supply of money goes up.The supply of goods goes down.Demand for money goes down.Demand for goods goes up. So long as the supply of gold does not change too quickly, then the supply of money will stay relatively stable. The gold standard prevents a country from printing too much money. If the supply of money rises too fast, then people will exchange money (which has become less scarce) for gold (which has not). If this goes on too long, then the treasury will eventually run out of gold. A gold standard restricts the  Federal Reserve  from enacting policies which significantly alter the growth of the money supply which in turn limits the  inflation rate  of a country. The gold standard also changes the face of the foreign exchange market. If Canada is on the gold standard and has set the price of gold at $100 an ounce, and Mexico is also on the gold standard and set the price of gold at 5000 pesos an ounce, then 1 Canadian Dollar must be worth 50 pesos. The extensive use of gold standards implies a system of fixed exchange rates. If all countries are on a gold standard, there is  then  only one real currency, gold, from which all others derive their value. The stability of the gold standard cause in the foreign exchange market is often cited as one of the benefits of the system. The stability caused by the gold standard is also the biggest drawback in having one.  Exchange rates  are not allowed to respond to changing circumstances in countries. A gold standard severely limits the stabilization policies the Federal Reserve can use. Because of these factors, countries with gold standards tend to have severe economic shocks. Economist  Michael D. Bordo  explains: Because economies under the gold standard were so vulnerable to real and monetary shocks, prices were highly unstable in the short run. A measure of short-term price instability is the coefficient of variation, which is the ratio of the standard deviation of annual percentage changes in the price level to the average annual percentage change. The higher the coefficient of variation, the greater the short-term instability. For the United States between 1879 and 1913, the coefficient was 17.0, which is quite high. Between 1946 and 1990 it was only 0.8. Moreover, because the gold standard gives the government little discretion to use monetary policy, economies on the gold standard are less able to avoid or offset either monetary or real shocks. Real output, therefore, is more variable under the gold standard. The coefficient of variation for real output was 3.5 between 1879 and 1913, and only 1.5 between 1946 and 1990. Not coincidentally, since the government could not have discretion over monetary policy, unemployment was higher during the gold standard. It averaged 6.8 percent in the United States between 1879 and 1913 versus 5.6 percent between 1946 and 1990. So it would appear that the major benefit to the gold standard is that it can prevent long-term inflation in a country. However, as  Brad DeLong  points out: ...if you do not trust a central bank to keep inflation low, why should you trust it to remain on the gold standard for generations? It does not look like the gold standard will make a return to the United States anytime in the foreseeable future.

Democracy and capitalism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Democracy and capitalism - Research Paper Example More importantly, it was argued, this entrepreneurial class would enforce democratic structures in the localities in which they operated. In other words, â€Å"by producing economic wealth and an entrepreneurial class, capitalism inevitably produces democracy. And since democracies don't start wars or have expansionist proclivities--forget, for the moment, Theodore Roosevelt and imperialist Britain--capitalist-democratic development contributes to security and to world peace.† (Foulkes, 2006, p.22) There is evidence from recent political history to support this benign linkage of capitalism and democracy. For example, â€Å"Entrepreneurial capitalism became more dominant in the America of Ronald Reagan than it had been before, and job growth and record-breaking prosperity followed. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher reversed almost four decades of socialism and changed her country from the sick man of Europe into one positioned for long-term, non-inflationary growth. Meanwhile, the Soviet economy was shown to be like the Wizard of Oz--an imposing facade, but impotent and powerless at its core. Put these events together and you have an unassailable proof that capitalism produces a level of economic welfare that a planned economy simply cannot emulate.† (Stelzer, 1994, p.32) And, when we scan the performance of capitalist regimes in other parts of the world, the links between capitalism, prosperity and democracy becomes incontestable. After all, in recent times, capitalism in countries such as Chile, Taiwan and South Korea have resulted in both economic progress as well as democracy establishment. In the newly remodeled Russian political system too, we see the formation of glasnost (democratization) and perestroika (economic restructuring) marching hand in hand. (Friedman, 2007, p.46) Nothing exemplifies the successes of capitalism than the recent developments in India and China. By participating in financial globalization, countries with abundance of che ap labour such as India and China are primed to assume leadership position in another 10-15 years. While Mao Zedong was the father of the Communist China, his successor Deng Xiaoping must be credited for the nation’s progress toward prosperity. It was under his leadership that the party ratified and implemented the ‘Four Modernizations’ program that would propel China onto the global stage, where it is fast approaching leadership position. This ambitious program of sweeping economic reforms opened China to the outside world in more than strictly economic sense. In the case of India, it’s huge pool of skilled workers, who have the added advantage of proficiency in English language, have been the engine of economic growth. The re-election of Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister is also a positive development from an economic perspective, for it was he who initiated India as a participant in globalization in 1991. China, on the other hand, started participati ng in the process of globalization much before India did. As a result, its economy is more than twice that of India and is catching up fast with that of the United States and Japan. Some of the South American countries such as Venezuela and Russia (rich in oil resources) and Brazil (rich in natural resources) also pose a threat to American domination of global economy. In fact, American media believes that the threat

Chapter Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter Reaction Paper - Essay Example In addition, due to the inclusion of principles developed by known authors like William Howell, David Kale, Martin Buber, etc., the chapter is able to demonstrate profound knowledge on areas that warrant scholarly support. Although it is relatively a long reading, the choice of words does not make it a turn off, and is direct to the point. 2. Lessons Learned Ethics define what actions are acceptable, appropriate, and worthy of approbation (340). I learned that owing to the different ways by which different people were raised, along with the environment that shaped their values, there is no standard form of ethics; or rather it is not possible to have one set of ethics that is universally applicable. Ethics influences the manner by which a person reacts to a stimulus. To consider an act as right or wrong is not merely contingent on its consequences. Of course, when an act evidently inflicts harm upon another human being, it can be readily deduced as malevolent. In a modern society, sp ecifically that of white Americans, due process of law is thereby practiced to evaluate intent and affirm guilt. The means does not justify the end, and there is no questioning to the liability of an act. Nevertheless, when it comes to behaviour, the chapter emphasizes that there can be justifications; and these are on account of inherent standards and cultural orientation. The ‘common good’ is also illustrated in its broadest sense. I realized that the way to determine whether I made the right decision or not is by asking myself if it was to the benefit of the many, approved by my conscience, and adherent to my values. We make a multitude of decisions everyday ranging from the trivial to the most critical. What is noted largely is not the craftiness but rather the effect it brings upon all concerned; and that is made even more complicated when one ought to choose between people and principle. Establishing relationship especially with people of different roots and forei gn customary ways can be difficult. Apprehension is not easy to set aside, and the feeling of indifference is rather disconcerting. One of the best ways in creating rapport with a stranger is through compliments. Starting a conversation with simple positive statements that declare appreciation of a certain deed can go far. Furthermore, the chapter asserts that finding things that one has in common with another bridges the gap, thus making the interaction more sincere and personal. 3. A Reflection Some points in the chapter, lead me to a more profound understanding of how I regard a person of unfamiliar background, and the feelings I have toward the principles that disagree with my own. I set my own rules of what is right and wrong, and in that respect, I may not have given the others due consideration. A conclusion is easily made without any attempt to discover the reasons behind a decision or behaviour. Although I do not consider myself a racist, it seems that I tend to consider my culture as superior to that of the others. There is no intention whatsoever to show disrespect; only that I can’t help myself from passing judgment on certain practices in which the purpose is not openly implied. For instance, I do not understand how women from the Islamic nations do not have the same rights as men do. I look ill at