Thursday, August 15, 2019
Public Education Financing Essay
In the present modern economics, public education financing is considered as one of the flourishing characteristics for the economy of any country. However, a wide variation has been observed in the financing practices related to the public education in the United States, as well as, across different parts of the globe. In this regard, differences and diversification can be observed in various economical activities that are considered especially for the public education system of a country. (Cubberley, 1916) For instance, the American educational system may also provide huge differences in terms of distribution and expenditures across the country. However, significant and noteworthy alterations have been observed in the public educational system of the United States. Over the last few years, the abovementioned theme has been a major concern of public debate at all levels. (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1972) During the last few years, in order to get maximum funds for pubic education, different states of the US have made significant changes in public education funding system. In this regard, various experts believe that little analysis of the subject has been done in the past, and more considerations should be provided to the subject, which has an influencing effect on the education system of every country. (Rice, 1893) One of the biggest sources of public education financing is national funding system, as community wide funding system is implemented for the financing of educational activities across the country. In this regard, most of the public education financial expenses are funded at national level. In this funding system, all nationals of a country bear a substantial tax rates on income for pubic education financing. (Fitch, 1904) The important thing in this funding is that all the tax collected from individuals are funded and distributed equally among all the students, which is one of the major characteristics of a public education financing system. (Jordan, 1992) At community level, public education financing occurs at a certain community level and students receive sponsorship according to their requirements. Moreover, at community level education funding system, parents of the students support all the costs of their children’s education, which is same as private education funding. Nonetheless, at community level funding system, funding for public education is collected on behalf of communities and sorted randomly into communities contrary to perfect sorting. In this system, all contributors of the public education finance contribute same tax rate fixed by their community. Certainly, at community level, public education financing contributes a small share in overall education expenses, and this thing does not have a great impact on wide economic variable elements, such as social security benefits, etc. (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1972) However, according to one of the experts in education, a rapid concern in the development sector has been observed in recent years, and a vital role has been played by the federal government. One of the reasons of expression of this concern is that more diversification has been observed in the capabilities of funding by the state governments. Moreover, steady increment has been observed in the mobility of these states. Lastly, the federal government has observed an important change in its perspective regarding the public education, and social welfare of the people has been given due importance during the recent years. On all the aforementioned public education-financing categories, finance education schedule is selected by agents through voting, which is carried out by either the community or federal government. It has been observed that balancing of the educational budget is performed by the provision of different taxation options to the voters by the government, and similar funding is provided according to the taxation level selected by the voters. However, it has been observed that young generation has not been given due significance by disallowing them from the voting, and education can be supported by only the voters who face the political decision.  The level of taxation is represented by a tax rate and the tax is levied on capital and labor income of all agents residing in the relevant area. When setting up the tax schedule, policy makers care only about being elected, and so they maximize the number of votes. As a result, any party in office will follow the same policy and that policy is the one that is voted for by the greatest number of agents. (Garber, 1964) During the period 2001-2002, the US spent approximately four hundred and twelve billion dollars in both elementary, as well as, secondary levels of the public education system. This budget on public education was spent with a view to declaring it the biggest single field of direct public expenditures, even beyond the national defense figures. Approximately, in the educational ground, this fund benefited around forty seven million public school students and five million of private schools. (Ana, 2004) Interestingly, per student expenditure during that period was $8,685 yearly. It has been noted by most of the experts that aforementioned budget was collected from federal, state and local sources. However, the amount spent during the year 2001-2002 on public education finance was varied form one state to another. In this regard, Connecticut was the state, which got the highest per student education funding fund, and Utah got the lowest fund for public education. In the United States, the state and the local government are responsible for public education funds. In the fiscal year of 1999, forty-nine percent of the funds for public education financing came from state appropriations in which, forty-four percent came from domestic revenue and the US federal government contributed seven percent funds for public education financing. In this regard, domestic government raised funds for education mainly through property taxes. On the other hand, for public education financing state rely on numerous funding sources such as corporate & personal income taxes, sales & excise taxes. However, public education financing from the US federal government remained constant if compare to past figures. (Jordan, 1992)            Historically, with the passage of time, a constant rise has been observed in school funding from the perspective of states. In this regard, the state contributed thirty percent in 1940, which was raised by 40 and forty-nine percent in the year 1970, as well as, 1999 respectively. However, figures of each state observed substantial variations by one another. Throughout the history of public education funding, funding sources of each state varied from others, and most importantly, the tax rates such as personal and property tax rates were varied according to states. In this context, Hawaii’s funds for education mainly came from state sources, and New Mexico public education funds came from both state and domestic sources. In this regard, it has been believed by Richard W and Lindholm that the provision of education as a local responsibility has been closely related with the imposition of property tax as a local tax in the United States. Every year, all the states contribute hundreds of billions of dollars on education financing. In order to distribute collected funds among different territories, states have designed some ground elements that differentiate territories from one another, as well as, estimate the affect of those differences on the cost of furnishing educational services, and distribute funding consequently. Besides all the factors discussed above, territory wealth in school funding is one of the most important elements that distinguish one territory to another. In this context, it has been believed by some of the experts in education, such as Torres and Puiggros that overall capability for the maintenance of students, as well as, the promotion of higher education has been improved and enhanced by the public schools, in addition to increasing the equality of educational opportunities. Actually, some territories are wealthy as compare to others. In this regard, states have designed a number of fundamental funding systems that evaluate the estimation of school territories funding levels and distribute it in keeping different grounds, such as domestic differences of wealth element. Although, different states have designed different public education funding system, but one can found many similarities in school funding structure system. Under the flat grant approach, in spite of domestic particular context, every territory gets the same flat grant for each student entered in any educational institute. Obviously, in this public education funding system it ponders that the state must assure a minimal level of funding for all educatees and then gives domestic territory liberty to increase funding beyond that level as they think fit for it. During the period of 1960s and 1970s, the power equalization funding approach arose out of the work of education crusaders; actually, they were the people who observed the huge deviations among different territories in the ability to lift domestic funds ensued in education funding inequalities. (Ana, 2004) The solution was to assure all territories a standard amount of fund for each educatee for each unit of taxation. For instance, every state is liable to determine that all school territories must be able to increase hundred dollars on each student, per mill of property tax rate. In any case, where school territory’s tax base does not able to rise forty dollar per student, in this case, the state will fulfill territory’s education funds demand of equal to difference between 100 and 40, or sixty dollar per student, per mill. (Garber, 1964) However, all districts which are considered as wealthier districts and whose tax base rate rises seventy dollars per students, per mill, will only get thirty dollars per student, per mill from the state. â€Å"In this way, the state â€Å"levels the playing field†for school districts in terms of the ability to raise revenue, ensuring that funding disparities are a result of differences in taxpayer preferences, not taxpayer wealth.†Undoubtedly, this approach shows the responsibility that all states all responsible for education funding according to their wealth and resources. The funding approach of foundation plans is presently use in almost forty states. This approach integrates components of the former described two approaches. Nonetheless, every state furnishes the deviation between the totals of revenue-raised form the domestic tax and the foundation funding level.            For instance, a state can found a foundation funding level of six thousand for each student. However, in a territory having one thousand students this will reflects a total funding of six million dollars. In this regard, if the state calculates a minimal domestic tax rate of two hundred mills increased two million in domestic property taxes, the states will have to furnish an extra fund, which will equal to the deviation between two million and six million. (Richter, 1986) In this approach, if employing the two hundred-mill lower limit tax rate in a wealthier territory with the same number of educatees increased five million, in this situation, the state is bound to furnish only one million in state’s education funds. In this regard, both territories ends up with the similar domestic tax rate and the similar combined state and domestic funding point for each student, though the proportional weight of those 2 sources is different to a great extent. It can be evaluated that this approach is designed to extenuate inequalities in domestic wealth. However, it takes the idea of equality in further steps; in this approach, typically, both outcome and opportunity are taken into consideration and rates are determined with respect of varying degrees of different states. (Williams, 1980) This foundation plan has designed to keep in mind that the domestic school territories must not enjoy limitless prudence while setting funding levels that are intolerably different from other states norms. The full state-funding plan is practically an uncommon approach for funding public education funds, in this approach of public education funding; the state is responsible for all education expenses. Hawaii is completely fit for this example; Hawaii within a single school territory combines full state funding. In suggesting or deciding public education funding policies, Hawaii is capable to eliminate, any deviations occur between domestic and state governance. Interestingly, in this public education funding system, domestic authorities have no control over levels of funding. (Ana, 2004) All the four aforementioned public education-funding categories show only the fundamental structure of public education funding plans. Nevertheless, in order to collect funds for public education most of the states use schemes that joint components of some or all of these funding plans. For instance, a state may distribute some funds through a flat grant education funding approach, or other may apply foundation plan to collect public education funding. In lieu, a state has an authority to give territories permit to raise tax rates in order to collect maximum funds for public education. It can be analyzed that the prime motive behind the public education funding is to get maximum funds, which can be used, effectively in public education. According to some public education funding reformers, public education funds schemes is just a technique to give equality among taxpayers at all levels such as property and other tax burdens. Domestic property taxes such as sales and income taxes are some of the main sources of California’s pubic education funds. In addition, these collection sources are supplemented with money from the California’s state lottery, federal government and other sundry public education funds collected domestically by school territories. The following diagram represents that how the public education funds were collected in California during the period of 2002-2003. K-12 Funding Comes From Five Sources (Ana, 2004) State Aid State aid collected mostly from California’s sales and income taxes. Property Taxes During the period of 2005-2006, property taxes were collected domestically and distributed to all schools through a formula determined by state.  Federal Aid Federal aid was appropriated for some especial purposes such as special children’s education, child nutrition programmes, child left behind programmes and so forth. Domestic Miscellaneous            Domestic miscellaneous funds included, interest income, revenue generated from domestic parcel tax elections, communality contributions and so on. Lottery California state lottery funds were collected on behalf of public education funds on per student basis. Proposition 98 Proposition 98, the provisions of a voter initiative, this law define the responsibility of each state, under this rule every state is bound to contribute in K-12 community and education colleges. This public education funding contains both domestic property tax revenues and state monies. As far as amount of guarantee is concerned, it is determined by using a set of formulas dictated by law. Since the year 1988, one of the most crucial factors for the determination of amount of revenue received by the public schools is the calculation of the minimum guarantee, because of the passage of Proposition 98. In addition, proposition ninety-eight insures a minimal level of funding for public education. Proposition ninety-eight funds represents about eight dollar out of every ten dollar apportioned to K-12 education in California. As mentioned above, California’s public education funds, other sources include domestic sundry resources, federal government, and lottery, which shared twenty percent in Public education funds.  (Williams, 1980) Legally speaking, a minimum of thirty-four of the receipts from the California state lottery should have to be allocated to public educational institutes. Moreover, the apportioned money for each student basis, should have to be used only for instructional uses and not for research and development (R&D) purposes. In the year 2000, Proposition 20 was approved and accepted by the voters, which required that instructional materials should be considered and given due importance by half of any increment in the share of revenue collected from the lottery for the education. For the year 2005, as well as, 2006, approximately $146 per pupil was received by the districts from the above-mentioned source, from which, instructional materials were bought by roughly $25 from the total amount per student. The domestic sundry category of funds per annum shows about six percent of entire revenue collected for K-12 schools. Moreover, this public education funding was separate from domestic tax incomes the state control. It came from the sources that were domestically administered, that income generated from cafeteria sales, income from lease, income from sale of territory property and so forth. Interestingly, for less than twenty percent territory in the state, a significant source of domestic sundry income was the voter-approved domestic parcel taxes. In reality, these were some of the special types of property taxes, which were not related to the value of property. Nonetheless, according to some of the experts, one of the most important policies on the domestic level is the education system in the United States. The implementation of American ideology in the lives of American people is represented by the education system of the country, and due significance should be provided in this regard, which has been given in the past, and must be given in the coming years. (Hutchins, 1961) In the United States, both government and public are expecting a lot from educational institutions like school and colleges. In the past, educational institutes were being gainsaid to fit the demand of a country’s economy that is increasingly oriented towards knowledge in all respects and information skills. (Hutchins, 1961) At both federal and state level, present American legislative has made some changes in educational funding system and have created some new systems that will test educational institutes’ teachers’ and students’ performance. In the light of present ongoing changes in public education financing system, many experts have already said that these ongoing policies will advance education level. Conclusively, the paper has tried to study different aspects and perspectives of public education system across the world, and specifically, in the United States. It was noted during the paper that during the last few years, in order to get maximum funds for pubic education, different states of the US have made significant changes in public education funding system. Every year, all the states contribute hundreds of billions of dollars on education financing. Moreover, various features of the government financing on the federal, state, as well as, community level were discussed in the paper. Lastly, different characteristics related to the funding of the education system in the country were studied and evaluated during the paper, which will support the better understanding of its funding by the students, experts, and policy makers in the future.  References            Kenneth Forbis Jordan. (1992). Financing Public Education in an Era of Change. Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.            National Association of Secondary School Principals. (1972). Financing Public Education. National Association of Secondary School Principals.            Lee Orville Garber. (1964). The Law Governing the Financing of Public Education. Interstate Printers and Publishers.            Mary Frase Williams. (1980). The Public School and Finances. Pilgrim Press.            Clayton Darius Hutchins. (1961). Trends in Financing Public Education, 1929-30 to 1959-60. U.S. Department of Health Education.            Otto Santa Ana. (2004). Tongue-Tied. Rowman & Littlefield.            Ellwood Patterson Cubberley. (1916). Public School Administration. Houghton Mifflin Co.            Charles Elliot Fitch. (1904). the Public School. J. B. Lyon Company Printers.            Joseph Mayer Rice. (1893). the Public-School System of the United States. The Century Co.            Albert J. Richter. (1986). the Impact of the Rural Recession on Public School Financing and Programs. NEW Professional Library.
Greek Goddess Artemis and the Roman Goddess Diana Essay
The Roman empire developed much later than the Greek empire thus the Romans copied almost everything that the Greeks had developed over time, such as art, literature and Gods. However the Romans did give some of their Gods different names and duties than those of the Greek Gods. There are other differences, which is shown between the Greek Goddess Artemis and the Roman Goddess Diana. These two Goddesses are very similar, however some differences are apparent. The Greek Goddess Artemis is compared to her Roman equivalent Diana through genealogy, images and symbols, and modern connections. Artemis is the daughter of the Greek Gods Leto and Zeus, and the twin sister to the God Apollo. Although Artemis only has one sibling, she has many relationships with other Gods and had few enemies. One of these Gods is Orion, Artemis’s lover, who is a giant huntsman. Although Artemis ended up mistakenly killing her lover, she never married or had children. Artemis came upon many relationships through hunting, which is a common symbol for Greek Gods related to her. Other symbols associated with Artemis were most commonly directly connected with hunting. The bows and arrows are one of those symbols which resembles power and strength. However, Artemis usually used her power negatively by punishing people for their misdoings. One type of punishments was spreading the plague and transforming people into deers. A specific type of deer is the Kerynitian Hinds, which are deers larger than bulls with golden horns. These deers are also a symbol of Artemis because she used them for transformations often. A common image of Artemis that is recognized today is the moon. The moon is a present symbol that is on flags of several Muslim countries. However, the symbol didn’t have much more meaning other than representing the Gods associated with Greek Gods and their Roman counterparts. Because of the many symbols Artemis has, there is a vast majority of modern connections. The Artemis mission site by NASA is an example of how Artemis is connected with modern day science. The missions is run based on a spacecraft named Artemis that studies the moons relation to the sun. The Artemis spaceship bridge simulator is a game based on the spacecraft. Another association to modern science is through medicine. A human gene is also named after her. However, a lot of these association also apply to Artemis’s Roman equivalent Diana. The Roman Goddess Diana has many similar characteristics like those of the Greek Goddess Artemis. Diana is the twin sister of the Roman God Apollo and her parents are Leto and Zeus. Like Artemis, Diana has many relationships made through hunting. However she did not punish then due to the fact that she did not believe in punishment, especially not through transformations. Symbols that represent Diana are mostly associated with hunting. Bows and arrows represent power and strength, however they are not used negatively by Diana. She uses them as a sign of security. Nothing resembled to science can be associated with Diana, mainly because she is not well known in comparison to her Greek counterpart Artemis. As a modern connection, the moon is a similarity to Muslim countries, which is represented on several flags, however does not have any other meaning. The Roman Gods are a representation of strength and stability to the Muslim culture. The Roman Goddess Diana is very similar to her counterpart Artemis. Genealogy is identical due to the fact that the Romans based their Gods to the Greek Gods. This causes similar images and symbols, except that some Roman Gods weren’t as violent as the Greek Gods with their punishments. However, modern connections aren’t as similar as other aspects of these two Goddesses because the Greek Gods are more well known. Even though both the Greek Goddess Artemis and her Roman equivalent Diana have many similarities in genealogy, images and symbols, there are also differences in modern connections. Artemis’s parents are Leto and Zeus, and she only has one sibling, her brother Apollo. This is also true for Diana. Both these Goddesses have identical images and symbols, however Diana isn’t feared and she does not punish other Gods.. However, because of the Greeks being well known for their Gods and Goddesses, Artemis has more modern connection than Diana has.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Justification For The 9/11 Attacks Essay Example for Free (#911)
Justification For The 9/11 Attacks Essay ? The United States of America is a country, which has a free-market economy, freedom of expression for its citizens and the most influential power structure in the world. According to the CIA Fact Book (2009), â€Å"It is a country that has an average per capita GDP of $48,000 and population of around 307,212,123. America is a country, which is home to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and atheists a like†. All of the above are the reasons for the attack on United States of America on September 11th 2001. According to Crenshaw (2003), â€Å"When the new kid in class wants to become popular, he can either be friends with the already popular guy who is strong, smart and captain of the football team, or he can pick on him and try to replace him†(P. 20). That is the psyche of the terrorists who attacked America. From the point of Al-Qaeda, it makes perfect sense to attack America because Saudi Arabia, Egypt and any other region they wanted to operate in became an ally of America. The terrorists could not operate in a state which was sharing intelligence with America, or who could foil their plans. After running from one country to another, Osama Bin Laden finds refuge in Afghanistan and uses one of America’s strengths against itself. The strength known as the free media is used to declare an open war against United States of America, and then America’s freedom is used for their own heinous agenda to carry out the attacks. In the path of world domination, the terrorists chose to attack the most leading state and come under the limelight. According to Abdullah (2003), â€Å"Their attack did not end on 9/11, but their implantation of fear in the hearts of people across the world began as a consequence of the attacks aftermath†. If you choose to believe that America could have prevented these attacks by choosing not to form allies with the chosen Middle Eastern countries, then you must also realize that could have served a major blow to America’s economy and foreign affairs. Even if America has allies in the Muslim world for global interests, it does not mean that America should become a target of terrorism. Organizations like Al-Qaeda have the ability to convert an average citizen into a extremist through their brainwashing techniques, creating hatred and blame for the Americans. This war cannot be won through infantry and missiles; this war can be won through diplomacy and open talks about foreign policy. Even if the prior bombing attacks were prevented, another set of attacks would have taken place. Suicide bombers are not apparent, these are men and women who are out to kill as much and give their life while doing it. These are people with a fatal death wish that can take hundreds of lives with them. We need to understand the reason behind this behavior; these people are coming from countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon and countries, which are underdeveloped. Their governments cannot even provide the citizens with basic health insurance, education, clean water and even electricity at times. With conditions such as these, people are easier to make to believe in a purpose, which may be as irrational as suicide bombing, to attain the fruits of afterlife. Even if that is the case, that the American government could not prevent this attack because the enemy was so committed to make a statement by recruiting attackers through brainwashing people who at times were citizens of America. Even if this war is not biological, nuclear or any of such kind, yet its psychological. Still, the doubt remains that American government could still detect the sense of anti-American propaganda spreading in the world and if it did detect it, why did it not take measures to control or counter it? The American government could have carried out a campaign to insure that it would not seem unreasonable or offensive to the Muslim world. According to Adherents (2009), The Muslim community consists of over 1. 5 billion, which is over 21% of the population of the world. Thus, it is imperative that they should have been taken into consideration before making decisions such as the openly denying of the Palestine peace treaty and forming allies with Saudi Arab even though majority of the terrorists attackers in the past and of even 9/11 were Saudis. United Sates of America must realize that it couldn’t have prevented the 9/11 attacks, but it can try to take a different approach with its foreign and national policies because the present track has not proven to be affective. Therefore, America has to realize that it is in a position of power as the world leader and with that power has received some unwanted enemies who wish to take that power from the country. In order to win this war and not let this power go into the wrong hands, America must fight along side the rest of the world. Crenshaw, M. (2003). Why America is the Primary Target? Terrorism As A Globalized Civil War. New york: Longman. Middle East Review of International Affairs. (MERIA). (December 04 2003). Causes of anti-Americanism in the Arab world: a socio-political perspective by Abdel Mahdi Abdullah. Retrieved 05th June 2009. From http://meria. idc. ac. il/journal/2003/issue4/jv7n4a6. html Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 06th June 2009. Fact Book. Retrieved June 06th 2009. from Justification For The 9/11 Attacks. (2017, Feb 23).
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
How Ethnicity Affects Nigerian Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
How Ethnicity Affects Nigerian Politics - Essay Example How Ethnicity Affects Nigerian Politics Many communities viewed political power as the sole tool for correcting social and economic evils perpetrated by the colonial government and governments formed after independence. Furthermore, there is a psychological link between specific ethnic tribes and political parties in Africa. This is more so for Nigeria, which has hundreds of ethnic groups, all viewing political machinery as the only way of correcting acts of deprivation and discrimination by the state. From a historical point of view, the current prevalence of ethnic politics in Nigeria was propagated by the British colonial rule as a strategic technique (divide and conquer) to conquer the nation. The British deliberately adopted the divide and conquer technique in order to segregate the tribes of Nigeria further, to prevent them from joining together and fighting against a common enemy. The British rewarded the tribes that collaborated with their direct rule by appointing local chiefs, who had a little autonomy over the region they were situated. However, the autonomy was not complete as they still answered to the British political hierarchy. On the other hand, for those tribes that resisted colonial rule, they were treated harshly and discriminated against, evidenced by the implementation of forced labour, corporal punishment and imposition of very high taxes aimed at impoverishing the locals and forcing them to concede and submit to British rule.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Introductory Microeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Introductory Microeconomics - Assignment Example c) The concern is that the observation of falling prices of shipping could instead be caused by increase in supply since number of operators has increased. This is shown in the diagram below. Since there has been an increase in supply of shipping services for each given price, this implies an outward shift of the supply curve. As a result the Price drops from P1 to P2. The concern is that this may have been the reason behind the observed drop in prices. Q2. a) No, this would not be enough information to identify that the reason for the observed movements were entirely due to demand side factors. The rise in oil prices could increase wine prices through supply side effects as well. For instance if the increase in oil prices leads to a significant increase in transport costs, then this rise will be reflected in wine prices as well. But this is a supply side effect. However, since the correlation was as strong as 90%, it should be suspected that there was both a demand rise as well as a decline in supply together to generate the effect. Particularly, it should be noted that a rise in the CPI implies a steady rise in the prices of inputs for production of wine as well. Thus, taking these factors in consideration, it is not possible to conclude that the observed correlation stems entirely from demand side factors. ... However, we could take more educated guesses given this set of information. For instance, if the observed transactions data showed that a negative relation ship between prices and quantities traded, it would be evident that the traced curve was a demand curve. Thus the changes that have caused the prices to fall were supply side effects. On the other hand if we observed a positive relationship, i.e., if we observe as prices rise, so do the traded amounts, the conclusion will be that it is the demand that is changing. But, it should be noted that such clean and precise one-to-one mappings are unlikely, and the only realistic conclusion can be that the observed changes reflect a combination of both demand and supply side factors. Q3.a) The situation may lead to a market crash since there is an excess supply of permits. This excess supply will lead to falling prices. And since demands are not rising for permits given the situation of the economy, if there is sufficiently high excess sup ply this will drive the market price down to very low levels and thus cause a market crash. Q3.b) The idea was to create high enough prices so that switching over to low carbon fuels. However, because of the low demands and excess supplies, market prices of permits have not risen to the degree that would make it profitable for producers to switch to low carbon fuels. As a result, the ETS has been unsuccessful in inducing firms to switch from using high-carbon to using low-carbon fuels. Q3.c) As shown in the diagram, assume that the government sets the reserve price at Pr. If the market operated freely, the equilibrium price would be Po and the equilibrium quantity would be Qo. By setting the reserve price at Pr, the
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Topic in Environmental Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Topic in Environmental Chemistry - Essay Example 2). They are usually made of 60-90 different congeners. PCBs with high number of chlorine tend to be more stable and resistant to biodegradation and favored by many industries, thus higher health and environmental risks. It is used by industries as insulation fluid in capacitors, transformers and electrical systems. Due to industrialization and constant dumping of PCBs by the factories surrounding the river, it is accumulated deeply into the sediments found at the bottom, can easily spread though out the river once disturbed and caused bioaccumulation in the food chain, from the aquatic plants, microorganisms, fishes then to humans. PCBs are harmful to human health and it is believed to cause several diseases to those who consumed contaminated fishes and water such as male sterility, birth defects and reproductive disorders, liver dysfunction, headache and fatigue (Barbalace par. 3-4). Sources of PCBs in the Hudson River were traced using analytical chemistry techniques that provided congener specific analysis of Aroclors. Aroclors are trade name of some commercial PCB mixture and can be used to trace their company manufacturer. This method provided information to the scientists on how PCBs behave in various media, a cutting edge scientific technique was used to determine the sources and destinations of PCBs (Manning part 1 par. 7). Aside from recycling mills with a dumping rate of 2.3 kg/year, General Electric Company, having two manufacturing plant in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York, was the major source of PCBs with a dumping rate of 5000kg/yr into the Hudson River. For twenty five years, (1952 to 1977) GE has been dumping PCBs into the Hudson River, which made the PCBs accumulated in the seabed through the years and contaminating the fishes and other aquatic resources which people consume and considered a great health and environmental risk (Manning par t 1 par. 8-10). Contrary to the people in the community think, the
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Caterpillar Value Chain Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Caterpillar Value Chain Strategies - Assignment Example Through transforming itself to be more focused, responsive, variable and a resilient enterprise, that can connect their businesses end-to-end with suppliers at the one end, and customers at the other, by fusing the best business practices and technology, Caterpillar Inc have successfully introduced accelerated value creation. Caterpillar Inc is the worlds leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. The company is a technology leader in construction, transportation, mining, forestry, energy, logistics, electronics, financing and electric power generation. In 2005, Caterpillar posted sales and revenues of $36 billion and a profit of $2.8 billion, maintaining its position as an International supplier and leading U.S. exporter. Currently Caterpillar has more than 85000 employees in its different businesses and divisions world wide. The current success achieved by Caterpillar was no mere coincidence, but due to the strong influence and direction set by its current and former CEO's in periods were Caterpillar lost ground against competitors and registered huge losses. Many different factors influenced the productions, sales and operations during these periods. Factors such as and overvalued dolor, collapse of major markets, union strikes and an inefficient supply chain. To be able to better understand the factors that forced Caterpillar to introduce major changes we need to review each of these trouble periods individually. 1980's Caterpillar has already established an international network of manufacturers, suppliers and dealers after being in the business for more than 75 years. But by 1982 Caterpillar was in trouble with over $1 billion dolor from 1982 through to 1984, with an annual sales figure of approximately $5 billion annually. Factors that contributed to the losses were an overvalued dolor, the concurrent collapse of world markets, a crunching labor strike and the emergence of a fast growing and highly productive competitor, Komatsu. External factors can be seen as an end to a decade long growth in the demand for construction machinery and declining oil prices, led to a decline in investment in the oil exploration and mining operations. The strong dollar versus other currencies resulted in a cost disparity for Caterpillar in relation with their competition and Komatsu an relatively unknown Japanese firm won the market share at the expense of Caterpillar. Komatsu could under price Caterpillar by up t o 30% due to a much higher productivity level. During this time Caterpillar reacted to the downturn in the market by reducing labor cost through freezing employee's wages. This resulted in a national U.S. strike, led by labor unions, which caused huge losses. 1990's In the early 1990's Caterpillar yet again found itself in trouble due to the rise in the value of the dollar and slowing down of demand in construction equipment. At the same time Caterpillar was doing very badly at the stock exchange, limiting the access to capital to support its operations. The CEO of the time took drastic actions to reorganize the company and to yet again cut
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