Theories of Constructivism and Rational Choice Essay

Theories of Constructivism and Rational Choice - Essay Example This essay stresses that in both constructivism and rationalism, a lot of attention is paid to the interaction between the individual and the social structure but the notion is viewed from different lenses by the school of the thoughts. Constructivism has also tended to give more attention to the traditions and mutual understandings of legitimate behavior. On the other hand, this comes into clash with the perceptions propagated by rationalists who believe that the actors try to do the right thing rather instead of working for and reaping the most benefits from their given set of preferences. Constructivists do not give preference to structure over an agency or vice versa. However, this theory does not accept the notion of individualism which is widely accepted by rationalizing theorists. Constructivists have presented arguments against the individualistic ontology of rationalizing theorists; instead, constructivism has placed stress on social ontology. As the report highlights the aim of positivist theories is to imitate and reproduce in a similar form the procedures undertaken by natural sciences. This is done by reflecting upon and evaluating the effect of material sciences. Positivist theories are characterized by their capacity to take into account various features of international relations like the nature of interactions amongst states, the size of the army put into order by governments, the clash and balance of the authorities and the control of the states. On the same hand, the role of post-positivist epistemology comes into limelight. This epistemology refutes the notion that the social world can be investigated and studies upon for the purpose of gaining more insight into the dynamics of international relations by taking an  unbiased and value-free  approach. The concepts of neo-liberalism and neo-realism, as promoted by a number of theorists, are not granted credibility and substance for study of the social world. Th is follows that the rational choice theory and other theories that fall under the category of neo-liberalism and neo-realism are not a viable approach for knowing more about the social world in an academic way. Post-positivist epistemology  regards that these theories are not applicable for this purpose because the scientific method cannot be used for analyzing the interactions being carried out in social setups, and therefore a science relating to the international relations can never be established. One of the main differences between the two sets of theories is that while positivist theories, like neo-realism, present simple explanations, e.g. the rationales as for why and how power is to be used; post-positivist theories instead center on constitutive questions, like what exactly is meant by power, what builds it up, how it is experienced and reproduced. The rational choice theory   Evolution of Rational Choice Theory The rational choice theory is based on the views and conc epts of a man named Cesare Beccaria from the 1700s. Cruelty and harsh punishments were common in the period of the nineteenth century but Beccaria’s dedication to the field aided in eliminating such unjust practices. He believed

A Range Of Problems In The Future Essay Example for Free

A Range Of Problems In The Future Essay ‘The world will have to grapple with a range of problems in the future’ The world will inevitably change as time continues to expose the past’s perception of the future to the now. As the earth ages, generations to come adapt to the new world they perceive to be as It is near impossible for every parent to educate their young on everything they have ever learned; thus attitudes and morals are continually fluctuating. It is undeniable that it has already affected society it is evident throughout today’s problems that were never pondered upon by older generations such as the rapid advances in technology. The future can only change, and will encounter many dilemmas along the way. Earth already has an overwhelming number of human inhabitants, and the world’s population continues to increase. Many people do not want to acknowledge the problem, but ignorance will not change the inevitable consequences of overpopulation. No animal species can exist without adequate food, water, shelter and other essential resources and humans are not exempt from this rule. When the human population exceeds the resources needed to sustain it, the same thing that happens to any overpopulated species; nature will reduce the population through famine, disease, interspecies fighting or a combination of either one. That reality has already affecting people in some Third World countries. Because of cultural, political and religious attitudes, almost no world leader is willing to acknowledge the problem, much less take the necessary steps to resolve it. The underlying cause of almost every environmental problem in the world today is human overpopulation. Air pollution, water shortages, habitat loss, extinctions, and invasive species all are caused or intensified from having too many people in the world. Humans are unique among all animal species in having the ability to solve even a monumental problem like overpopulation. This awareness is existent in George Orwell’s ‘1984’, the effects of extreme totalitarian society have stripped society’s resources and forced them to live in a dystopian environment full of pollution and overpopulation. Such a situation of local overpopulation has existed since the dawn of humanity and is slowly becoming a global existential problem. Technology today has transformed the world and changed how people live in their day to day lives. As advances in technology are generally perceived to be an advantage, it can enable the most malevolent evil. The realm of communications has likewise seen immense change. People are provided with new ways to communicate with each other, such as email and instant messaging which can pose as a breach of privacy if used for the wrong intentions. Documents placed on the internet are sources of information for the rest of the world, and will forever leave a digital footprint. Global positioning satellites allow us to track our exact location and find our way to various destinations; such accessible conveniences can alter the future in foretelling ways. George Orwell’s ‘1984, illustrates a dystopian society ruled by a totalitarian government. This extreme realization portrays a government with absolute power, in which controls every aspect of human life using a number of dehumanising techniques. Orwell’s dark vision poses as a foreshadowing notice, which thoroughly explores the consequences of advanced technology and its misuse. As Oceania’s mechanical citizens are constantly monitored using microphones and surveillance, expunges their right to privacy and to make choices. It is clear that the innovations of technology could escalate out of control, leaving society with no defence against it. Thus, it will ultimately destroy humanity in the pursuit of absolute power. The discovery of DNA has the possibility to lead to major social and scientific issues in society. With new advances in technology, there are increases in the consequences that the new technology will allow. It is evident in Andrew Niccol’s film ‘Gattaca’ that the more powerful genetic engineering becomes the more helpful and harmful it develops. The film depicts a society ruled by ‘genoism’, where your genetics decide your social class in the world with a stressed need for perfectionism. This depressing image where there is no determinism for fate or influence for ethical standards eliminates the right for freedom of choice, that people freely and obliviously exhaust today. The consequences of selective breeding solutions are frequently addressed in past and modern literature. In ‘Jurassic Park’, a scientist exhumes and modifies dinosaur DNA to then create an island inhabited by dinosaurs. Consequently, the impact of unnaturally producing a breed that has been extinct for a long period of time threatened the rest of  the human race’s existence. It is clear that such meticulous science created in the wrong hands has the potential to impact the world permanently. Similarly, a frightening futuristic concept that threatens to dominate society is totalitarianism. The objective of totalitarian government is to limit and regulate every aspect of public and private life. George Orwell’s novel, ‘1984’, exemplifies a society lacking in freedom and expression. His fictional society in the year 1984 stands as a metaphor for a totalitarian society. Communication, personal beliefs, and national loyalty are controlled by the inner party which governs the people of Oceania in order to keep society from rebelling. The concept of also controlling the personal beliefs of the citizens promotes totalitarianism by limiting the form of any emotional or individual expression. The citizens of Oceania were forced to work long days which limited self-expression because they were too exhausted to do anything else. Oceania, where protagonist Winston Smith lives, is ruled by the INGSOC. â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU†, the main party slogan of Oceania which makes clear that every action you make is all seen by Big Brother, the big leader. The Inner Party, controlled by Big Brother, dictates several aspects of the people’s life. As a society, Oceania are completely brain washed by the continuous propaganda which is based on false news, a new language which reduces the capacity of using words in a double sensed way named Newspeak and indoctrination, this newborn dialect empowers and respects INGSOC. The overall concept is designed to control personal beliefs of the citizens by limiting their form of expression. Essentially, controlling the communication aligns with the Totalitarian aspects of governing. George Orwell envisioned the lack of communication could possibly result to total dominance and control of the people. As civilization moves toward the point where human life will be irreversibly transformed, it will also have to overcome the potential problems that are carried along with any advancement in technology and government. All of these possibilities portray a pessimistic view of the future which has the potential to accrue into tremendous issues of whom the world will have to grapple.

The Movie Crash and Racial Tensions :: Crash Film Movies Racism Race Essays

Tension between the African Americans and Caucasians have been present in America since slavery. In the movie Crash (2004), race and culture are major themes that can be seen in the lives of the characters in the film. One character in particular, Cameron, a prestigious color vision director, displays the friction between two cultures. He belongs to the educated, upper class of the Los Angeles area. He is also an African American, yet he seems to have no ties with that class. He has a light-skinned wife, attends award shows, and it appears that his acquaintances are predominately white. When he and his wife, Christine, get pulled over by a racist cop, he experiences emotions of powerlessness and helplessness that he never knew he would experience due to his upbringing and place in society. Cameron goes through a radical transformation where he comes to grips with his background and how he fits into these two clashing cultures. In the first scene when Cameron is introduced, two white cops get a call about a stolen car. The openly racist cop, Officer Ryan, pulls over Cameron and Christine’s Lincoln Navigator, although it is obvious that their Navigator is not the stolen vehicle. The cop thinks he sees the couple participating in a sexual act while driving. When he approaches the car to ask for registration and license, Cameron and Christine laugh and find the whole situation humorous. Officer Ryan then asks Cameron to step out, and although Cameron obeys, he acts confused. He is obviously not drunk or wanting trouble (in the movie it even states that he is a Buddhist), and he declares that he lives only a block away. When his wife comes out of the car protesting the absurdity of the stop, the officer tells both of them to put their hands on the car so he can check for weapons. The cop then humiliates Christine by feeling her up between her thighs while Cameron is forced to stand by and w atch. In this scene, Cameron does not protest but unbelievingly stares at what is happening to his wife. He is in a vulnerable situation because if he objects, he and his wife could be arrested and his reputation ruined. When the police ask Cameron what he should do with what they did in the car he slowly says, â€Å"Look, we’re sorry and we’d appreciate it if you’d let us go with a warning, please.

A Royal Salute to the Commonwealth

A royal salute to the Commonwealth The article â€Å"A royal salute to the Commonwealth† is written by Peter Osbourne, a British journalist and a political commentator. It reflects on the role of Commonwealth as being a better applicable organisation for England than NATO and the European Union in this modern and developing world, which promotes internationality and independence rather than superiority of one dominating country. Peter Osbournes views Commonwealth as an organisation, which has been underestimated for its possibilities over the years.This is reflected from following quote: â€Å"For many years it has been automatic in progressive circles to sneer at the Commonwealth as a meaningless relic of our imperial past. † line 20 page 6. He holds the opinion that New Labours visions have been blurred by their fascination of the United States and the European Union. His disapproval of Gordon Brown and Tony Blairs opinion is clearly presented in following quote: â₠¬Å"(†¦)it is Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s poodle-like relationship with the United States, and the former slavish worship of the European Union, that now looks out of date(†¦ )â€Å" line 28-30 page 7.From the quote above he presents the leader figures of the Labour party as being very unprofessional. Also he emphasizes that Commonwealth has a better practical stand than organisations such as NATO and the European Union by contrasting the advantages of Commonwealth with the flaws of NATO and EU. On a practical base Commonwealth is cheaper to run, whereas the cost of membership in EU is incomparably high. Another positive factor about Commonwealth is that about two billion people, more than half of these being under the age of 25, live in Commonwealth countries.This also allows a great diversity to be represented, now that the Commonwealth countries are to be found in every continent of the world. Although Peter Osbourne does recognize that Commonwealths administra tion is not as powerful as the European Union, he is able to argue why this also could be an advantageous factor in the present world. Subjectively, he highlights the down going tendency of the world being organized and ruled by one or two dominating superpowers. Here he refers to the United States and the European Union.He believes that a modern stand of world organisation implies more equality and independence divided internationally, and thinks that having an alfa-country to be in charge is an out-dated structure to work after. Peter Osbourne also writes about which ways the Commonwealth acts in contrast to the neo-Conservatives. They both work to enlarge the significance of values such as democracy and humanity in the society, but Osbourne believes that they tackle the promotion of the values differently. It is interesting to look at the words, he uses in the following quote.It tells a lot about how he feels that Commonwealth stands out in a positive way: â€Å"But unlike the n eo-Conservatives, it (Commonwealth, edited) does not try to promote these values through invasion. It uses quiet diplomacy and gentle pressure. † line 46-47 page 7. There is no doubt that throughout the entire article Peter Osbourne presents Commonwealth subjectively for its advantage. The quote above in particular shows, how he uses emotional words such as gentle and quiet to convince the reader of the numerous benefits of Commonwealth.To describe the political leaders of Britain over the past decades he uses the words hostile and blind (see line 76 page 8). He criticizes them for leading Britain in the wrong direction by accepting the membership of the European Union. He feels that this has been a loss for England, because it opposes the acknowledgement of the great values of what Commonwealth implies. Another way he is able to promote Commonwealth is to put down other organisations similar to it. This makes Commonwealth stand out as a superior alternative to the other organ izations.To begin with Peter Osbourne wants to touch the reader by presenting the scene when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Canada in order to participate in Canada’s National War Memorial. This extract also shows his subjective use of words to advertise for the benefit of Commonwealth: â€Å"a visit to Canada’s National War Memorial was a poignant reminder that Canadian troops had served alongside the British in the two great world wars of the last century. † line 4-6 page 6.It can be interpreted as if Peter Osbourne wants the reader to feel that the Royal family, the representing faces of Commonwealth, wants to show their appreciation and acknowledgement for Canada’s help in the wars. This gives the reader an impression of the Royal family for being respectful, down to earth and humane. The only concern Peter Osbourne has about Commonwealth is what its future would hold when the Queens is no more. He hopes that the Duke and Duchess will walk in the Queens footsteps, as she traditionally is the face outwardly.She symbolizes Commonwealths unity between the former countries, which used to be under the British Empire. At this point Peter Osbourne reflects on developing the Commonwealth organisation, so the headquarter no longer is bound to being based in London. Apart from practical reasons, Peter Osbourne also writes about how this will eliminate the possibility of accusations of Britain trying to relive their imperious role, they had earlier. Osbourne suggests India as the new base because of its endless opportunities and great potential.Peter Osbourne sees The United States as England’s enemy, which can be interpreted from following quote: â€Å"They are guaranteed a warm reception, but for the wrong reasons. They will be feted as celebrities, not welcomed as members of a family of nations with which we have common values)† line 96-98 page 8. There is no doubt, that from Peter Osbournes perspective a bright f uture for England would be based on a radical promotion of Commonwealth, a progress of its power and last but not least an out phasing of the influence of the United States and the European Union.

Can war ever be justified? Essay

This question is not that easy to answer. Many philosophers, politicians or just ordinary people in the past and in the present try to come up with an answer, but there is no simple answer to this question such as â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†. The answer depends on an individual. Some people like Ruth Heing say _†Countries went to war because they believed that they could achieve more through war than by a diplomatic negotiation†_. Some people like Bo Bennett say _†Diplomacy is more than saying or doing the right things at the right time, it is avoiding saying or doing the wrong things at any time†._ War brings nothing to the country but damage and destruction. Government is not the only one who is affected by the war. War takes away lives of so many innocent people. More than 1068 000 people died in the battle of Somme. The weaponry is not cheap, millions are wasted on them. In 1898 when Kaiser Wilhelm II announced his intention to built a powerful German navy, Britain raised first class war ship – Dreadnought against Germans. They spent millions on building the ship, instead of spending the money on the ship construction it would be more effective to spend money on more social issues. Than the conflict between Germany and Britain would have been avoided and at the same time some social needs would be satisfied as well. When it comes to self defense, war is just necessary. The reason why Georgia still exists today is because when Turkey invaded Georgia in 10th, 11th century Georgia was constrained to defend its self. Georgia wasn’t the one who started the conflict. If Georgia would not have defended itself from the invaders (who were mostly from Muslim countries), today the country would have been a part of turkey or other neighboring country. War can be necessary in order to get independency or freedom for example There is no short answer to the question if the war can ever be justified it depends on the situation in which the country is in and it depends on the individual, how does a person view the affects of the war on the country. Everything in the world has both positive and negative aspects including War. Can war ever be justified? Essay War is an inevitable part of the history of humankind. Unlike natural happenings, war is an action of people inflicted of other people. This issue has raised ethical problems, which are still problematic till today. War is by common sense evil, but can it ever be less evil? There are a number of varying options when discussing the issue of a ‘justifiable war’. Some people argue that war is always justifiable while others argue that it can never be. Some maintain that due to human conditions, war is inevitable. Can it ever be morally justifiable to use force so as to preserve values within a society such as justice, peace and freedom? The Pacifists argue that war is never morally justifies, while others argue that war at times is justifiable, and therefore they produce what one may call the ‘just war tradition’. The just war tradition represents a fund of practical moral insight based on a reflection on actual problems as these have occurred in different historical contexts. The moral insights and practices that make up the tradition reflect the judgments and experience of people coming from a wide range of cultural institutions. Unjustly causing harm to someone is never justified, and is referred to as an absolute moral obligation. An absolute moral obligation therefore refers to an obligation which has priority over all other moral obligations. On the other hand, to inflict harm which may or may not be justified can be referred to as prima facie moral obligation. A prima facie moral obligation is an obligation which has a strong moral reason supporting it. However such obligation may be overridden under special circumstances, like self-defense. Therefore it is ethically correct to harm someone else in order to protect yourself and others. The ‘just war tradition’ provides three fundamental moral reminders. The use of force is sometimes necessary to preserve values that would otherwise be lost. Any resort to force and the application to forceful means have to be subjected to an intentionality of justification and restraint, and the means and techniques of war should serve the legitimate moral aims of the employment force. Can war be ethically justifiable? Two sets of rules have been developed to assess when choosing violence can be justified, as well as to set limits on the amount of force. These two sets of rules are referred to as jus ad bellum, which is the right to war, and jus in Bello, which is the right in war. Jus ad bellu m refers to whether the  option to use force in a particular situation is justified, while jus in Bello refers to whether the type of force is to be justified. There are conditions in both jus ad bellum and in jus in Bello. The conditions in jus in Bello are proportionality of specific tactics and the immunity of non-combatants. The killing of innocent people during war is a criminal and who do it will be punished. The conditions in jus ad bellum are that there must be a legitimate authority and the need for a declaration of war (from the legitimate authority itself). There have to be a Just Cause, for example to defend human life; no one can start a war without a reason. In a just war there have to be right intentions. One can kill others to stop them from attacking his country. There have to be reasonable hope of success; you only declare a war with the hope of winning. Courage is to refuse to obey orders which are inhumane and to know when you need to stop (surrender). War has to be the last resort and one has to try and avoid it when possible. The last but not least is proportionality of the whole enterprise. There is the need to calculate the beneficial and harmful results. There have to be more positive results than negative ones. Thomas Aquinas held that a war can only be justified if three conditions are satisfied. The war must be legally declared by a public authority that is legitimately authorized to commit a people to war; the war must be declared by someone who can be entrusted with the care of the common good and a legal authority to declare a war. The war must be pursued for a morally just cause, like self-defense or to take something which is yours back; it isn’t right to engage in a war against a nation that has done nothing to deserve it. Those who are engaged in fighting a war must have a rightful intention; they must intend only to achieve the just end and must not be provoked. Some conditions are added to those of Aquinas by those who use the just war theory to evaluate the morality of war and of the weapons of war. They added that the war must be fought only as a last resort; so if there is another way of achieving one’s just end, the war will not be just. There must be a reasonable hope of success. The war must be aimed to produce more good than harm, and it is wrong to use methods of warfare that cause more injuries and deaths than necessary. Therefore as to conclude, one must say that war has its rules and they should be followed. To declare a war one must have the right intention and a reasonable hope of success, and it must be fought only when  nothing else can be done to achieve the results desired.

What To Do About Non-standard English

What To Do About Non-standard English What To Do About Non-standard English What To Do About Non-standard English By Maeve Maddox One of our readers expresses the dilemma faced by conscientious speakers and writers who value a standard form of English, but recognize that rapid changes are taking place. So, just where do we draw the line? Now that I’m no longer a â€Å"prescriptivist,† what is acceptable? When can I start pulling out my hair again?! Good question. Prescriptivist is a dirty word, yet unadulterated descriptivism is not only impractical, it is impossible. Even the dictionaries that operate from a descriptivist perspective cannot possibly record every usage from every community of speakers. So, as the reader asks, where do we draw the line? In this age of militant anti-authoritarianism, evangelical multi-culturalism, and pedagogical malpractice, its not an easy question to answer. Language is an intensely personal matter. When it comes to usage and pronunciation, each user of the language has to decide where the line is to be drawn. Advocates of standard English tend to feel blood pressure rising when they see or hear non-standard usage in what is felt to be an inappropriate context. Suggesting that one form of speech is preferable to another, however, can annoy people no end. (Even when you do it on a language site.) In the interest of keeping blood pressures down, I offer these guidelines for people who are â€Å"tearing their hair† over non-standard usage. Recognize that even your fellow advocates may not agree with you as to what is or is not standard English Numerous forms of British and American English are spoken in different parts of the world. Different forms are â€Å"standard† in different places. Acknowledge that linguistic change is inevitable The point of having a standard written dialect is not to fossilize the language, but to permit change to take place at a slower pace. Don’t object blindly to new usage merely because it’s new. Have valid reasons for your objections. Know what you mean by â€Å"standard† English Provide yourself with a good dictionary. Browse the style manuals and choose one or two that you find easy to use. Dont hesitate to disagree with them if you have solid reasons for doing so. Cherish your own dialect and use it with those who can appreciate it. Use a standard dialect when you want to be understood by speakers not familiar with your home dialect. Use non-standard English in context In writing, consider your targeted audience and choose the most appropriate language for that audience. If youre a script writer, consider the occupations and backgrounds of the various characters in your story. Dont have them all talk the same. For example, dont have the characters with college degrees say things like Me and Professor Jones have created an algorithm, or, To celebrate my new tenure, I’ve made reservations for Sally and I at the French restaurant. Model standard English Correct your children’s grammar. Talk to them about word choice. If youre a teacher (any subject, not just English), model standard English to your students. Insist that they speak and write standard English in the context of school and schoolwork. If you have the type of job that makes it appropriate for you to correct the usage of your staff (editor, office manager, etc.) go for it. Provide your employees with a style sheet and insist that they use standard English in writing, and when speaking to clients. Be nice Once your children are grown, bite your tongue. Outside the role of a parent, teacher, or employer, don’t take on the responsibility of correcting other people’s English, unless they ask you to. I see nothing wrong with pointing out errors that appear in printed sources. Advertisers, journalists, and others who use the language in a public way should be in command of standard English. Even then, corrective criticism can be offered in a courteous, helpful manner. There’s no need to accompany corrections with sarcasm, ridicule, or ad hominem attacks. When it comes to our grown kinfolk, neighbors, or co-workers, we need to recognize that, like everything else in life, â€Å"standard English† has its place. It’s only one of several dialects. It may be the most universally useful, but it is not intrinsically better than any other. Informal conversation is not public speaking. Jumping in to correct usage or pronunciation is not only inappropriate, it’s disrespectful. You can promote â€Å"standard English† without trying to wipe out every other form. Draw the line where you think it needs to be drawn in your use of the language. Let other speakers and writers make their own choices. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Words with More Than One SpellingTelling a Good Poem from a Bad One40 Irregular Verbs That Can End in â€Å"-t†

500 Word Short Story Essays

500 Word Short Story Essays 500 Word Short Story Essay 500 Word Short Story Essay ELA Something was different about this day from the moment I woke up. I had been sick for a while and had recently been to the vet, but today was different. I was given all sorts of delicious food for breakfast, a great change from my normal bowl of kibbles, and my masters were constantly petting me. They were saying things to me too. How I wish I could understand them. Then the entire family carried me into the car and we started backing out of the driveway. I love the car; it usually leads to some great adventure or trip. Today though I was too tired to put my head out the window so I lied calmly in there. They gently stroked my fur saying my name over and over again. It was soothing but I was too weak to raise my head or wag my tail. How I missed the days where I could roll around in the grass without a care in the world. Now I need help to simply get up. They are always willing to help me though. They seem to love me a lot and I love them too. Suddenly one of them began to cry. I licked her hand, which only made it worse. I wondered what could possibly be wrong; we were simply going for a ride. All the other humans seemed pretty sad too, although I could tell some of them were trying not to show it. Then we pulled into a parking lot, but nobody got out. We sat there, nobody speaking, for five minutes, then one of them got out of the car. The time he was gone seemed to last an eternity but it was really only two minutes. When he returned, he was with another man. My vet. I was very excited to see him as he always brought me a treat, and sure enough in his hand there was a small dog biscuit. He seemed sad today though, much like my masters. He took a needle out of his bag. Suddenly they all started crying. They were all hugging and kissing me, which hurt a little because my body was so fragile. What could possibly be going on I thought. I tried to get up but I couldn’t. I lied there, in the arms of my beloved masters as they cried all around me. I was so confused but there was nothing I could do. Trapped under what seemed like 1000 pounds I lied there. Then I heard my vet say something and my masters nodded. My vet moved a little closer and hovered over me with the needle. Everyone had gone silent; they all seemed to know what was going to come next. Then he stuck the needle into me and pushed his thumb down. Suddenly I felt light, and the pain was gone. I heard the sound of crying growing further and further away. Then†¦nothing.

Edit and Display Boolean Fields using a CheckBox in Delphi

Edit and Display Boolean Fields using a CheckBox in Delphi Tip submitted by Rene van der Heijden A series of articles titled Adding components to a DBGrid discusses placing just about any Delphi control (visual component) into a cell of a DGBrid. The idea is to create visually more attractive user interfaces for editing fields inside a DBGrid: a ComboBox for drop down lists; a DateTimePicker (calendar) for date values; a check box for boolean fields. CheckBox for Boolean Fields CheckBox inside a DBGrid As noticed by Rene van der Heijden the solution is rather lengthy, and it doesnt work, at least not when using the mouse to click on the checkboxes. Rene suggest an easier approach needing only two even handlers: OnCellClick and OnCustomDrawCell for your DBGrid control: //OnCellClik event of a DBGrid1 procedure TForm.DBGrid1CellClick(Column: TColumn) ; begin   Ã‚  if (Column.Field.DataTypeftBoolean) then   Ã‚  begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  {toggle True and False}   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Column.Grid.DataSource.DataSet.Edit;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Column.Field.Value: not Column.Field.AsBoolean;   Ã‚  Ã‚  {immediate post - see for yourself whether you want this}   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Column.Grid.DataSource.DataSet.Post;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  {you may add additional functionality here,   Ã‚  Ã‚  to be processed after the change was made}   Ã‚  end; end; //OnDrawColumnCell event of a DBGrid1 procedure TForm.DBGrid1DrawColumnCell(   Ã‚  Sender: TObject;   Ã‚  const Rect: TRect;   Ã‚  DataCol: Integer;   Ã‚  Column: TColumn;   Ã‚  State: TGridDrawState) ; const   Ã‚  CtrlState: array[Boolean] of integer (DFCS_BUTTONCHECK, DFCS_BUTTONCHECK or DFCS_CHECKED) ; begin   Ã‚  if (Column.Field.DataTypeftBoolean) then   Ã‚  begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DBGrid1.Canvas.FillRect(Rect) ;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  if VarIsNull(Column.Field.Value) then   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DrawFrameControl(DBGrid1.Canvas.Handle,Rect, DFC_BUTTON, DFCS_BUTTONCHECK or DFCS_INACTIVE) {grayed}   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  else   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DrawFrameControl(DBGrid1.Canvas.Handle,Rect, DFC_BUTTON, CtrlState[Column.Field.AsBoolean]) ; {checked or unchecked}   Ã‚  end; end; Delphi tips navigator: » Remove Duplicate Items in Delphis TStringList « 5 Facts you Did Not Know about Delphi and Classes and the VCL and Inheritance and Custom Controls and...

Texas Instruments Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Texas Instruments - Case Study Example Despite the sceptical outlook that a majority of executives had with respect to ERP, it was chosen as the methodology that could bring answers to the issues Texas Instruments faced in the late 1990s. As the case study outlines, the executives at TI felt that granted the fast paced trend of information technology, it was necessary for the company to make some considerable changes as to their methods and processes, in a manner that would allow them to compete more favourably in their market. According to the authors Sarkis et. al, TI was facing some serious issues in handling large international orders and delivery demands. For instance, the study refers to a Taiwan customer asking for product orders to be made in California and delivered at a given location to be decided just before delivery time. Such procedural complications in the ordering procedure would cause logistics issues that would eventually impact delivery time. As pointed out in the study, TI was facing several similar pr oblems where the customer requests would be delayed as the information system in place was not flexible enough to streamline the ordering process or to meet customer demands adequately. The executive decision to invest 250 million dollars in a brand new web based ERP system was made to help address the several issues caused by the internal and incompatible information systems used for inventory, manufacturing, and sourcing. Consequently the overall decision to implement a novel IS strategy to better meet customer demands was handled properly. In implementing a web based ERP system, the company would help reorganize the many processes that tie suppliers, manufacturers, and resellers on a worldwide scale, and thereby meet market demands in a preferred fashion to become competitive again. In upgrading their internal information system, I believe TI executives made the right choice in partnering with Andersen Consulting for their consulting expertise in the area. Considering the size and impact of the project in the long term, it makes perfect sense to consider that managers would employ significant resources to plan and execute this strategy for an up-to-date information system capable of handling customizable orders in an effort to enhance overall customer satisfaction and loyalty to the company. The team in charge of the project, after meeting and evaluating the solutions of several vendors, eventually choose the SAP solution for its ability to handle large amounts of data. Due to the widespread nature of the project, reli ance and pragmatism of the solution become imperative to make the transition to a more productive system. In considering the processes involved in the decision making for the adoption of the SAP based ERP system; there are few objections when taking into account the pre-established goals of the company. However, in considering the results that came off the newly implemented system, there were some methods and processes that could have been considered for a better turn out. In fact, Texas Instruments experienced issues of delivery and lower productivity immediately after product launch within their enterprise. As reported in the study, it appears that the 13,000 thousand users of the ERP system were not properly trained on the new system prior to its implementation. The previous reasoning would explain in part the apparent low productivity pattern which occurred during the "go live" phase of the ERP system. The report

Theater Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theater - Research Paper Example According to Stanton and Banham (1996), the first recorded theater of this type was a performance held in Egypt in 2500 BC enacting one of the sacred plays of the myth of Osiris and Isis. In the west, though, the beginning of theater is generally recognized as having its start in Ancient Greece, resurging going into the Renaissance and changes coming into the modern age. Greek theater history starts with Thespis, apparently a playwright whose name is recorded in history as the first winner of the play competition in honor of Dionysus in 534 BC (Wicker, 2004). It is from Greek theater that we get most of our current conventions, language and definition. In Greek theater, the play was generally narrated by a chorus who would let the audience know what they were supposed to be seeing and the background information of the story being told. Sometimes they took part in the action as they interacted with the principle characters. Under Greek influence, the theater developed into two major camps – the comedies and the tragedies. Major playwrights in the ancient period were Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes and Menander (Wicker, 2004). These men did much to develop theater into a fully-told story complete with actors, histories and a somewhat scientific approach to the development of story. As the Greek society began to fade, the rising Ro mans adopted their entertainment and brought it into further development. Some of the famous playwrights of this period included Terence and Plautus (Wicker, 2004). Like the Greeks, the Romans generally performed their plays in large amphitheaters where the audience would sit on graduated rows of horseshoe-shaped terraces while the actors would perform on a stage set at the base of these rows in the center of the pinched horseshoe opening. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans reduced the importance of their plays to

Starbucks ethics negative side Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Starbucks ethics negative side - Assignment Example Interest of the enterprises to follow and adopt business ethics as part of their functioning has fallen down during the recession period, with unethical practices indirectly leading to recession. (Purlys 711). Starbucks is under this ethical scanner for a long time, and now the global changes on how companies should function ethically, make it imperative on the part of Starbucks to be more ethically sound, but that is not the case, with Starbucks facing problems in organizing in the changing global environment. Although, Starbucks wants to establish itself as the most recognized and respected brand in the world, it is facing some ethical issues and it is negatively affecting its organizing efforts in the changing environment. Starbucks is facing criticism for unethical as well as controversial activities like not compulsorily providing Fair Trade Coffee in all its stores and because of the use of Bovine Growth Hormone milk in its coffees and ice-creams. Fair Trade Coffee is the term given to the coffee beans, which are purchased by Starbucks or other coffee makers through ethical means like providing fair and industry standard prices to the coffee growers in the Home country as well as in the Third World countries. Also, Fair Trade activities including Fair Trade Coffee support and intersect with other community development efforts, grounding and enhancing the resulting benefits (Raynolds, Murray and Taylor 1116). However, Starbucks is accused of not selling these Fair Trade coffees in all its stores compulsorily, instead selling only to the clients, who ask for it or demand it. This way, they still selling non-Fair Trade coffees and because of this unethical practice, they are giving very low prices to the farmers, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt, and also not doing enough community services for them. Although, Starbucks’ chairman, Howard Schultz mandated that coffee farmers from its major sources in the African countries

Policy papr Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policy papr - Essay Example At the end of it all, one can die very quickly as a result of the diseases. Therefore, a policy to govern the levels of consumption of the junk foods has to be applied in order to ensure that people feed on nutritious foods. One of the effective policies that are effective is that junk foods must be taxed to reduce their consumption. Taxation will make the foods expensive than the nutritious foods. As such, people definitely opt to purchasing nutritious foods, which even if consumed in small quantities, lead to satisfaction. Agreeably, junk foods are cheap to acquire and readily available to the consumers (Matz, 2004). This makes it easy for the low-income earners to acquire them because they cannot afford purchasing nutritious foods. By having the prices of junk foods very high through taxation, positively, obesity will be addressed and decrease at a high percentage of about 15 percent. However, not only should the food be taxed, but also be highly taxed to ensure that the prices rise. However, this will hinder the low earners from purchasing it but for those who can afford, they will continue consuming it. Taxation of junk food will trigger so many factors that will lead to low consumption of calories. When the prices are high, agri-business will be encouraged and there will come up new types of snacks, which contain low levels of calorie. As a result of these new snacks, fattening will reduce at a very high considerable rate. This will prevent the consumers from the bad eating habits of consuming lots of calories and sugar. Through taxation, people will be in a position to consume foods that are affordable and contain low amounts of sugar and fats. Since foods that are less starchy will be affordable to all people including those with low capabilities, their consumption will be high and reasonable because they are healthy (Matz,

Hui 325 E1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hui 325 E1 - Essay Example The angel kissing Beatrice symbolizes that she is safe, and she would be loved in the world in which she is headed. In the Divine Comedy, Dante spends three nights in his ascent to Purgatory, and has a different dream each night. The dreams foreshadow events that are to take place during his journey. Dante’s three unique dreams, all happen in the early morning hours. Each dream portrays specific happenings and connects events of Dante’s journey. The dreams prepare Dante for events that he is to encounter, and prepare readers for his journey. The first dream is the image of a golden eagle, which appears in Canto IX, just before dawn as Dante sleeps outside the gates of Purgatory. The eagle snatches him and soars upwards. This symbolizes the ascension that Dante and humans need to undergo in order to reach Paradise. The divine characteristics of the eagle are shown. It’s fixed and determined flight path (lines 25-28). To Dante, the eagle’s glory symbolizes the glory of the Roman Empire. The dream also prophesies Dante’s ascension. When he awakens, he realizes that he has been physically moved by Divine Lucy to paradise. Among the three dreams, it is the only one that gives a picture of Dante’s physical appearance. The dream ends and immediately Lucy departs, symbolizing divine transportation that Divine Lucy offers Dante. Dante’s second dream takes place in Canto XIX in the early morning hours. In this dream, Dante encounters a siren. He sees a woman who at first he describes as ugly (lines 8-9). Dante’s powerful gaze converts her into a powerful object of beauty (lines 10-15). The woman sings, captivating Dante’s eyes and sending him into a trance. An angelic woman who alerts Virgil about the trance saves him. This symbolizes that without Virgil, Dante could not have made it through the journey of Purgatory. It also shows free will, depicted by the way Dante had to choose

Why the approach of Radical Feminism to prostitution is most superior Essay

Why the approach of Radical Feminism to prostitution is most superior - Essay Example While some see no problem with prostitution and defend it, others strongly call for the force of law to dispel this horrendous activity which has grave social repercussions. Many approaches have been identified by scholars over the years to understand and analyze the issue of prostitution. The three key approaches identified by Jaggar in her paper are related to liberalism, radical feminism, and classical Marxism. Each one of these approaches is comprehensively explicated and related to prostitution to analyze the merits offered by all three. My argument is this essay is that of all three approaches, radical feminism is the most preferable approach to prostitution because I believe that the women who engage in this practice do not engage out of free will, but are forced to do so being victims of oppression. To clarify this argument, I will start by briefly discussing the theme of both the liberal and Marxist approaches first and then I will scrutinize my preferred approach at length to prove why it is better. I will also include one objection to my position on this subject. According to the liberal approach as discussed by Jaggar, considering the practice of prostitution illegal or offensive is both a conservative and objectionable ideology. Proponents of this approach argue that prostitution should be decriminalized because taking legal measures against it would be a clear violation of thousands of women’s rights who engage in this practice by full consent. They also claim that any psychological or emotional disadvantages brought by offering sexual services are dwarfed by many benefits in the form of financial assistance ensured by this activity to women. Such liberals consider the defenders of radical feminism arrogant and manipulative who in the name of defending women’s rights actually work to make them more disadvantaged. The liberal approach disapproves equating prostitution to sexual abuse of women. This thought is based on the belief that prostitution is not public but private immorality due to which it cannot be considered a concern of criminal law enforcement agencies. Criminal law should only be concerned with the sources of public immorality like pornography which is a far cry from prostitution. This approach stresses that opponents should realize the staggering difference between prostitution which is harmless and pornography which can be harmful and not attempt to mingle them. Willingly or consciously selling sexual services is not the kind of activity which infringes on public order and decency, so there should be no penalties for people who are involved in this practice on any level (Jaggar, 1980, pp. 349-50). The Marxist approach is not as simplistic as the liberal approach and has more depth to it. This approach draws conclusions about prostitution after analyzing myriad effects produced by it on the society as the social context of any activity is considered critically important here. Marxists agree that p rostitution translates into selling sexual services, but they also argue that this activity resembles marriage a lot in which a woman exchanges same services which are exchange in prostitution in return for financial support ensured by her husband. In the marriage, a man is willing to provide for the woman on the condition that she acknowledges and fulfills his sexual needs. Same is the case in prostitution in which a woman consents to offer sexual services in exchange for money from the men she attends. However, the difference is that a marriage is a legalized relationship approved by the social norms, while prostitution is not legalized and the women who are a part of this are called many derogatory names by the society. It is claimed by

Hui 325 E1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hui 325 E1 - Essay Example The angel kissing Beatrice symbolizes that she is safe, and she would be loved in the world in which she is headed. In the Divine Comedy, Dante spends three nights in his ascent to Purgatory, and has a different dream each night. The dreams foreshadow events that are to take place during his journey. Dante’s three unique dreams, all happen in the early morning hours. Each dream portrays specific happenings and connects events of Dante’s journey. The dreams prepare Dante for events that he is to encounter, and prepare readers for his journey. The first dream is the image of a golden eagle, which appears in Canto IX, just before dawn as Dante sleeps outside the gates of Purgatory. The eagle snatches him and soars upwards. This symbolizes the ascension that Dante and humans need to undergo in order to reach Paradise. The divine characteristics of the eagle are shown. It’s fixed and determined flight path (lines 25-28). To Dante, the eagle’s glory symbolizes the glory of the Roman Empire. The dream also prophesies Dante’s ascension. When he awakens, he realizes that he has been physically moved by Divine Lucy to paradise. Among the three dreams, it is the only one that gives a picture of Dante’s physical appearance. The dream ends and immediately Lucy departs, symbolizing divine transportation that Divine Lucy offers Dante. Dante’s second dream takes place in Canto XIX in the early morning hours. In this dream, Dante encounters a siren. He sees a woman who at first he describes as ugly (lines 8-9). Dante’s powerful gaze converts her into a powerful object of beauty (lines 10-15). The woman sings, captivating Dante’s eyes and sending him into a trance. An angelic woman who alerts Virgil about the trance saves him. This symbolizes that without Virgil, Dante could not have made it through the journey of Purgatory. It also shows free will, depicted by the way Dante had to choose

Globalization of Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Globalization of Production - Essay Example the skilled labors in US have experienced a steady increase, while that of the less skilled workforce have more or less stagnated or in some case, have been reduced. The inequality in the increasing wage has risen as more trade has been happened with the low wage countries. The effect of the trade on the wages cannot be identified easily as some other intensive shocks have also been occurred to the markets at same time. For an instance, the initiation of the information technology seems to raise the demand for the skilled labor and had allowed the organizations to remove number of jobs performed by less skilled workforce. In absence of clear indication, associating both wages and trade, a number of researchers have attributed the growth in skilled wage gap towards the technological change. In general, a considerable fraction of the increase in the world trade since 1970s has adopted the trade from in the immediate inputs. In particular, the rise in the world trade would take the form of foreign outsourcing. Some instances are also there; the leading shoe manufacturer Nike outsources the production of the footwear to the organizations in Asia. Dell outsources the production of both the peripheral devices as well as the components which make up the personal computers to the suppliers across the globe. Asia Pacific is a region of several contrasts. The entire region has accomplished unparalleled growth as well as development in the recent decades. However, the general scenario seems to hide a great economic diversity, development experiences as well as challenges. Asia is growingly carrying out a role of an international growth pole and is emerging as a hub for the information technology and manufacturing across the world economy and that too in a greater pace. Despite of... This paper says that in the modern times the worldwide markets are integrated in almost every respect. This integration is not just limited to exchange of goods and services rather it has extended to interlinked financial markets like stock market and money market. This process of globalisation has undoubtedly yielded positive results for the overall economy. The integration of the trading activities across the globe has enabled the consumers to use the commodities that may not be indigenously produced. Other than this various multinationals have established their operations in countries other than their base country. By way of this the host country is not just able to make use of the commodities in fact it also opens up a variety of opportunities for the host country such as higher employment opportunities, improved standard of living, improved business outlook, better infrastructural opportunities etc. However, these opportunities have also necessitated establishing a set of global laws for the regulation of the cross-border activities. This report approves that all the countries already have their own set of national laws for regulating the domestic businesses but the concept of globalisation has made it important to devise a set of global standards for the internationally operating businesses. Since the countries are now engaged in overseas businesses it is important that they adhere to a global system. An international framework will promote better relations by minimising the conflicts between two countries and will lead to overall economic prosperity.

The filament bulb obeys ohms law Essay Example for Free

The filament bulb obeys ohms law Essay I think this was caused by air already in the tube being pushed out. To overcome this I could have measured how much O2 started in the tube and then subtracted that from my 1st measurement. My experiment was good because it was repeated enough times, three times, so that any anomalous results could be clearly seen next to a best-fit curve. Also all of my results had a best-fit curve and the values increased throughout, backing up my prediction that as the substrate concentration increased so would the initial rate of reaction. Using a measuring cylinder rather than a gas syringe to collect the O2 is better because gas syringes, although easier to use, do not always move with ease when oxygen moves in. In my experiment the oxygen bubbles could be clearly seen in the water inside the measuring cylinder and had no trouble reaching the cylinder. Limitation How does this affect accuracy and/or reliability? Importance? Why? Modifications O2 escaping due to tubes in bung. If O2 escaped then the volume of O2 collected will be wrong and therefore the result could not be reliable. This is very important as if gas was escaping then it would not have got into the tube, therefore affecting the amount of O2 collected in the experiment. However, as the same equipment was used throughout this is not a very important factor as it would have been the same for all of the experiments. Use Vaseline around tubes to stop O2 escaping and look for any gas escaping through holes in the tube that is in the water. This would stop O2 escaping but wouldnt really alter the reliability too much, just the accuracy of the result. Surface area of yeast not being similar. This is a variable and therefore not keeping it the same means two things are being investigated at the same time, and therefore this would mean that the results gathered do have some inaccuracies and can not be reliable. This is the most important factor because a larger surface area means that there will be more to react with. If there were a very small surface area the reaction would be slow, as there is not much for the substrate to react with. By crushing the yeast up with a pestle and mortar the surface areas will all be the same but this would speed up the reactions dramatically as it would give the maximum surface area. This would have made the results a lot more reliable as they all would have begun with the same surface area. Test tube containing O2 before H2O2 was added. This means that the first measurement could be quite high, when there is little activity, as solution being pushed in it pushes oxygen out through the tube. This is important as it explains the 1st result being much faster than the 2nd throughout the 5 experiments. However, it is the same for all of the experiments so it wouldnt make a big difference in the comparison of my results. Making a vacuum around the experiment would stop O2 getting into the tube. An easier alternative would be to measure O2 in tube before and then subtract that number from my 1st measurement. Although this would increase accuracy it would not alter the reliability, as the amount of O2 in the tube is the same each time. Obstruction in the tube This would slow or stop the movement of O2 through to the measuring cylinder. If there was a block then it would cause the results to be much lower than they should be, with a much slower initial rate of reaction. This is because less O2 is being measured as less would get to the measuring cylinder. By rinsing out the tube before each experiment any obstructions can be removed. If there were an obstruction then doing this would make the results more reliable and much more accurate. The results that I gathered, in my opinion, are not all reliable. This is mainly due to the wide range of results gathered in my 5ml H2O2, the final measurements being 45cm3, 93cm3 and 92cm3. Also, my 2ml H2O2 experiment ended up with a higher initial rate of reaction and more O2 collected than the 3ml H2O2 and the 4ml H2O2 experiments. Repeating the experiment 3 times and then taking an average helps to hide these unreliable results. Another reason why my results are unreliable is that the surface area was not the same each time. If the yeast in one experiment had a much higher surface area then it was going to have a much faster initial rate of reaction than an experiment where yeast had a small surface area. This is likely to be why my 2ml H2O2 experiment came out higher than my 3ml and 4ml H2O2 experiments On my graphs I have circled what I think are anomalous results. My first anomalies occur on my 2ml H2O2 graph. Between 40seconds and 60seconds the O2 collected is 14. 3cm3, 17. 7cm3 and 21. 7cm3. I think that, although the graph on the whole is unreliable, these are anomalous because they do not fit the best-fit curve. On the 3ml H2O2 graphs I have circled two points as these points dip below the best fit curve and then back up again. At 70seconds and 80seconds the O2 collected is 20. 7cm3 and 22. 7cm3. A possible reason for this could have been that the tube might have been blocked, maybe by the way that the measuring cylinder was held. It might have been different if the measuring cylinder was clamped so it couldnt move and therefore couldnt squash the tube. By holding the measuring cylinder it was possible that it may have been pressed down on the tube briefly. This would of held the O2 in the tube and then when it was released the O2 would have all come out at once, resulting in the points moving back to the best-fit line. On the 5ml H2O2 graph I have circled one point. This point is after 30seconds and misses the best-fit curve by about 4cm3; it has 30cm3 whereas the curve crosses 30seconds at 34cm3. The reason for this anomaly could have been the same as above or possible because of a reading inaccuracy. Also, when holding the measuring cylinder, it was not always held perfectly upright, and therefore could have given a false reading but this is likely to have been the same throughout the experiment. Bibliography These are the books from which I gathered my information and used to make my prediction: Indge, Rowland, Baker, (2000): A New Introduction to Biology (Hodder Stroughton) Jones, Forsbery and Taylor (2000): Biology 1 (Cambridge University Press) Toole, Glenn and Susan (1999): Understanding Biology, Fourth Edition: (Stanley Thorne Ltd).

Case Study Of Qatar Diar Commerce Essay

Case Study Of Qatar Diar Commerce Essay The real estate industry is a development process that involves establishment of real estate in prepared land by individual, government or developers. In this work Qatar was chosen as the country and Qatar Diar as the real estate company. To support growing economy of Qatar with an eye to manage Qatars real estate development priorities Qatar Diar was established in the year 2005 by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) which is the autonomous wealth fund of Qatar state. Northwest of Doha and on the coast of Arabian Gulf Qatar Diars headquarter is located. It started with $1bn capital. Its main concern was investment in real estate and community based projects. Since the start the company has worked on its portfolio which is worth $60bn estimated through its global investments. Vision and Mission: Qatar Diars vision is to be the finest real estate company in the world by valuing consumer imagination, cultural values and inspiring relations. Companys vision statement is so far being honest with its vision. It has since its incorporation focused on luxurious ventures. Despite the fact that Qatar hasnt seen booming real estate bubble like its neighbour UAE Qatar Diar has provided with excellent opportunity to represent Qatar in the real estate market. Mission of Qatar Diar is to improve quality of life of Qatars people and in places they will have project by creating distinguished grand development projects by valuing top industry standards. Since the beginning the company has worked on the standard of its developments and it is evident from the projects they have done so far. More discussion on that will be in the next section. Projects of Qatar Diar: In a short span of time Qatar Diar has managed to create a global portfolio of real estate projects. At present the company has projects in Qatar and GCC, Asia, Europe, The Americas and Africa. Companys first project was Lusail City which was launched in December 2005 and soon it gained momentum. It wasnt long when Qatar Diars innovative outlook started gaining praise for its work. This city is progressively self-contained which is the largest singleton real estate development undertaken in state of Qatar. Although the project hasnt completed yet but Lusail have already created buzz about Qatars grand scale vision on next generation of developments. Qatar Diar already has become synonymous to quality. Lusail Real Estate Development Company started its journey in September 2008 to operate the expansion, construction and other development operations in legendary Lusail City Development. In 2009 November under Qatar Diars flagship Qatar Railways Development Company was established which was of significant value for its portfolio. This company brought Qatars vision of creating a fully integrated national rail network and this regions first ever integrated railway system into reality. In parallel with its developments in Qatar, Qatar Diar has always been committed to focusing on international market simultaneous to domestic market. Not only life of Qatars people was touched by Qatar Diar but also it has touched million people through its worldwide development ventures. As of now it is now one of the most famous, trustworthy, respected real estate company. It has become possible because of its continuous commitment to quality service, developing communities with state of the art innovative designs, worthy partnerships and trademark sustainability promise. In January 2012 report released by Qatar Diar it has US $4 billion capital with currently undergoing 49 projects solely in Qatar related to development and planning. Also they have projects in 29 countries all around the world which combined can be valued at US $35 billion. Strategic Business Management and Planning Tool: Every business operates in micro and macro environment. To be successful in this competitive age every business have to have strategy for its operations whether its company management or marketing its products. For a company like Qatar Diar it has greater responsibility towards its wider stakeholders. For the purpose of this study focus will be given on two widely used strategic tools. SWOT Analysis PESTEL Analysis SWOT Analysis of Qatar Diar: SWOT which stands as an abbreviation of Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats is a widely used tool to analysis an organisations current standing in the business environment. It also looks into the future considering current competitions. This is a comprehensive planning tool where internally it focuses on strengths and weaknesses of an organisation at current state and looks into external impact factors in forms of opportunities and threats (Sadler, 2003). http://www.lindsay-sherwin.co.uk/guide_managing_change/images/01_swot_1.gif Figure : SWOT to Business Strategy (Sadler, 2003) From both external and internal appraisal Confrontational questions are generated. For every single Opportunity which strength element can assist the company to take advantage of the opportunity and which weakness can form a barrier to do so. For every single Threat which strength factor can lead to compete with the threat and which weakness can bound the company not to do so. Following SWOT analysis examines Qatar Diars Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats considering its present scenarios. Strengths: Strengths of a business are all the positive elements that it do exceptionally well and generally are under its control. The strengths of a company gives it competitive edge over other business competitors. Often a company will emphasis on its strengths to reach to new dimensions. Below is a list of strengths for Qatar Diar. Having associations with other robust and prevalent businesses around the globe is a major advantageous point for Qatar Diar as it helps bring in new clients and make business more operative. Qatari Diar since beginning have formed strong alliances in form of joint ventures with construction and management firms. In 2008 it signed agreements with Germanys Hochtief; in 2009 signed agreement with Germanys Deutsche Bahn to form the Qatar Railways Development Committee (QRDC). Under this committee, the Qatar Railways Company manages the expansion of Qatars $35bn rail system. In 2010 it joined with Frances Vinci Construction. Being a market leader, as Qatar Diar is, is key to their success as it increases status, revenue and market share. Under Qatar Diar there are several key real estate development is ongoing which gives Qatar Diar additional advantage. Innovation is a vital component of Qatar Diars overall accomplishment, as this retains them way above the other real estate companies. Riding high in the niche market in Real Estate industry has helped boost Qatar Diar and raised reputation and turnover. It has so far focused on high end luxurious projects. Not only they have ambitious projects in Qatar but also in several other countries with high profile construction work in prime locations. The US $1bn expansion of Londons past Chelsea Barracks is one such instance. The establishments developed by Qatar Diar are sustainable modern, meaning this high valued clients will return to Qatar Diar for future projects. Qatar Diars marketing strategy has proven efficiency. Which helped the company to raise profiles and profits and standing out as a major strength not only in gulf region but in the world. Qatar Diars innovation keeps it a leader in Real Estate as it is frequently implementing new proprietary technology and design. Experienced employees are key to the success of Qatar Diar helping to drive them forward with skill and knowledge. For example in March 2012 Qatar Diar appointed thirteen international law organisations to Qatari Diars six legal boards. High quality machinery used in sites, experienced staff, offices and equipment guarantee the job is done to the utmost standard, and is a strength of Qatar Diar. Qatar Diar has a widespread client base, which is a key strength regarding profit. Qatar Diar is spread in all over the globe in prime locations. Being financially strong helps Qatar Diar deal with any problems, ride any dip in profits and out perform their rivals. Qatar Diar has state backing which helps them to stay strong in volatile market. Qatar Diar has emerged as a strong brand which is an essential strength. Qatar Diars international operations establishes its authority over the business. 2012 World Cup will be held in Qatar. Before then the company will have some of their high profile projects finished which will enable them to capitalize the event. Weaknesses: Weaknesses of a corporation are things that should be improved for a better result; which are under their control. Weaknesses puts a business behind its competitors and create barrier to achieve its target. This section will present core weaknesses of Qatar Diar Global economic crisis will have an adverse impact on the sales of high end products. As more and more people are trying to hold their money in safe investments. Qatar is yet not as promising as UAE which is first preference among many client. Legal issues that buyers may face for the developments is still an issue for Qatar Diar as this creates barrier for potential customers. Opportunities: Opportunities are external deviations, drifts or desires that could improve the business or organisations strategic positioning, or which could be of a benefit to them. This section will summarize opportunities that Qatar Diar currently have. Qatar Diar gets direct backing from Qatar Government which allows them to have additional support when they go overseas or even inside the country with grants and favourable policies. Sudden change or adaptation of technology could give Qatar Diar an opportunity to strengthen future success. Use of social media network to promote its products to target markets may open new windows for them. Qatar Diar is in respectable monetary position, which is an opportunity for them to explore in terms of investment in new developments. Qatar Diar has the opportunity to enter niche market with their ever favourable government support to maintain leading position and therefore lift financial performance. Grasping the opportunity to magnify the customer base is something Qatar Diar can aim for, either geographically or through new products. Qatar Diar has planned to take its innovative developments to other countries in coming time. Qatar Diar can also explore takeover and merger opportunities could be explored for Qatar Diar and which later can be used to acquire new customers, new resources and enter new markets. Threats: Threats are reasons which may confine, harm or put areas of the business or organisation at jeopardy. They are factors which are external of the companys control. Being conscious of the threats and being able to prepare for them makes this section valuable when considering contingency plans and strategies. This section will outline main threats Qatar Diar is currently facing. Consumer lifestyle changes could lead to less of a demand for Qatar Diar products/services. A slow economy or financial slowdown could have a major impact on Qatar Diar business and profits. Rising costs could be a major downfall for Qatar Diar as it would eat into profit. PESTEL analysis of Qatar Diar In the macro environment there are many factor that affects decision making process of organisation. Changes can come in form of law change, trade barrier, impose of tax, demographic change along with government policy changes. These all are changes in the macro environment (Bennett, 2002). We can use PESTEL model to assess and analyse most of these factors. This arrangement differentiates between: Political factors. These factors denotes various government policy for example the degree of involvement in the economy. Which products and services the government wants to promote? Which areas will receive subsidy? Political factors can have tremendous impact on numerous important areas of business. It will determine how healthy the nation is and in terms of infrastructure how good it is i.e. road and rail network throughout the nation. Economic factors. Economic factors includes but not limits to purchase interest rates, taxation charges, slow or high economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. To understand how it might affect a business with high impact lets see the example: higher interest rates might discourage investment since it costs extra to borrow a strong currency may make exporting more problematic because it may increase the price in terms of foreign currency inflation may aggravate higher wage demands from employees and increase costs   higher national income growth may boost demand for a firms products Social factors. Changes in social tendencies can influence on the demand for a firms products and the accessibility and readiness of persons to work. In Qatar Diar most of the workers are from different countries. If they cannot offer a competitive salary with other benefits there might be issue with finding right people. Also in 10 years time there will be Fifa 2022 World Cup in Qatar this might mean there will be additional interest for people to get involved and invest in properties. Technological factors: new technologies generate new products and new procedures. Social networking, online shopping, online booking and computer aided design are all developments to the way we do business as a consequence of improved technology. Technology can lessen costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These expansions can help customers as well as the groups providing the products. Qatar Diar has access to latest technologies in their work bases which helps them to minimize cost and maximize opportunities. Environmental factors: environmental factors comprise the climate and environmental changes. Tourism industry can get hugely affected by temperature change or issues like changed climate. Due to global warming slowly there is significant environmental awareness which indicates that it is not a problem of a region. Qatar Diar also has implications of environmental factors. Sustainable growth will mean that there will be less scope for doing non-environmental friendly tasks. The recent trend of being more environmental friendly is something Qatar Diar can work on to build up campaign or similar movements which will be beneficiary for the business. Legal factors: These factors are significant for a business in terms of the geographical area where they are based on. For example discriminations on the basis of age, sex, religion can have huge adverse impact on a businesss operation. Following laws of different country is also important as most of the time they does vary geographically. Also lawsuits can cost a company fortune. So having sound legal advisors are a must. Qatar Diar has an experienced panel of legal advisors to assist them with development planning. Different categories of law that has direct relation with Qatar Diar includes: consumer laws; these are intended to guard customers against biased practices such as ambiguous descriptions of the product competition laws; these are designed at protecting trivial firms against oppression by larger firms and safeguarding customers are not exploited by firms with monopoly influence employment laws; these cover parts such as dismissal, sacking, working hours and minimum wages. They aim to defend employees against the misuse of power by bosses health and safety legislation; these laws are aimed at guaranteeing the workplace is as safe as is sensibly practical. This legislation covers important issues such as training, accident reporting and other provision for safety equipment. Classic PESTEL features to ponder comprise: Factor Could include: Political e.g. Qatar government involvement in real state policies, investment agenda Economic e.g. inflation, credit crisis, national debt, exchange rates. Social e.g. view towards certain products, demographic characteristics, income Technological e.g. technological advancement, new ICT product, social networking, new product development by using new technology, rate of technological obsolescence Environmental e.g. global warming, climate change, natural disasters and other environmental issues Legal e.g. laws that company is abide by. competition law, health and safety, employment law However, it is significant not to just list PESTEL factors as this does not in itself tell very much. What business strategic management team need to do is to work out which of the many listed factors may change. For example as a government holding company Qatar Diar will more or less have favourable policies from the government. Problem will arise when it goes to a different geographic location. Qatar Diar has a global portfolio that makes it challenging to take into consideration all the wider aspects of all its development activities. In order to assess a big company like Qatar Diar it will be a good idea to distinguish between factors in terms of local, national and global (Drummond,2001). For example, we can evaluate Qatar Diars PESTEL factors as: Local factors such as designing a government project and its approval. National factors such as government law regarding recruiting people for the construction. Global factors such as entering into new market zones and its impact on business. Conclusion: This paper has looked into Qatar Diars business management from a strategic point of view. It is not long since the business was established. Getting world recognition in such a short time is really uncommon in todays world. Qatar Diar has proved how innovative approach in real estate industry can shape its future. Strategically, Qatar Diar has been lucky to have state support throughout its operation. Thanks to its joint ventures it has seen its growth over 29 countries. In coming years Qatar Diar will reach to its peak and probably 2022 will be a milestone year for Qatar Diar.

Faust Essay -- essays research papers

The legend of Faust was a legend that occurred in the 1500’s in Europe. Over time, as the story was told and passed on through generations, many different ideas on what happened were brought up, but the main idea of the story is the same in most cases. One of the most interesting things about this legend is the fact that though this story is more than four hundred years old, it is still told in some contemporary films to this day. All though it is not always as direct as a deal with the actual devil, the same basis of the story can be seen in present day films. In one of the most successful movies of the year 2000, The Matrix, a Faustian theme is evident. The Matrix is a science fiction movie directed by the Wachowski brothers. The old legend of Faust is, in short, about a young scholar who made a deal with Mephistopheles, the devil. Faust was seeking ultimate knowledge and in the deal the devil said he would grant Faust ultimate knowledge in return for his soul. Faust agrees to the deal and after a certain time period of possessing ultimate knowledge Faust suddenly dies. There are many different versions of the story as to exactly how he died, and some versions of the story go into more detail than others. As time passed, Faustian legends were being told in many different stories, many different ways. To have a Faust story, four basic elements should be present: a Faust figure, a devil figure, some sort of temptation, and a price.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Matrix is about a man, called Neo, who was living an average life, and was heavily into computer hacking. One day he receives messages appearing on his computer leading him towards a meeting with a powerful man named Morphius. Morphius alerts Neo that the reason that the reason that all of federal agents were chasing him and all of these other things were happening to him because he was â€Å"the one†. He was searches for a greater truth in the world than what was just there in his face, and Morphius says that he could show Neo that truth. Morphius then holds two pills in his hands, one pill would lead him to the truth, the other would just take him back to his regular life as if nothing ever happened. Neo wanted the truth about the world so Morphius explained it. He said that the perception is that our day-in, day-out world is real; in reality, that world is a hoax, an elaborate deception spun by al... ...ant to make Faust a hero of some sort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If someone could go back in time and show this film to people that know of the Faust legend back in around the 1700’s, it would make absolutely no sense. It would seem like a whole lot of unrealistic garbage to those people, but in present times, though the Matrix is very futuristic, it almost seems as if it could be possible. The whole idea of the movie plot seems brilliant and makes people question themselves to whether or not this concept could actually be possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The links between the Matrix and the Faust legend can be seen throughout the entire film. Even though the storyline of the legend has gone through a number of changes over time, it is truly amazing how a story that probably is not even true still comes into use in society today. The Faust legend is used in other situations besides just films, stories, or plays; it is also seen in everyday situations for people. There are many ways in which a Faustian theme can come into play in everyday life. For example, any one who has ever sold themselves out for something, gambled, or done drugs has been in a Faustian situation.

Deaf Like Me Book Report Essay

This book was really interesting and touching. The parents of Lynn, the deaf little girl, were very strong parents and their struggle to be able to make their daughters life as normal as possible was hard for them since everywhere they went the answer the always got was, for Lynn to try to talk and be treated as a normal child. As parents, Louise and Tom did everything they were told and only hoped for the best and that one day their deaf child would be able to talk. Since the beginning when they found out their daughter was deaf they did all the research they could to try and be able to make life better for Lynn. Every doctor and specialist they saw always told me to treat her as a normal child, to talk to her, and to not use gestures or sign language. When Louise and Tom took Lynn to get tested at several different places they finally found that she was profoundly deaf. They got her a hearing aid to see if this would help her hear better but sadly it didn’t make a difference, Lynn still wasn’t able to hear anything. The things the doctors and specialist told them stuck in their heads; if she did gestures or used signs to communicate she would not have a normal life and be labeled as a deaf person. The way they described this made Louise and Tom think that if their daughter didn’t learn how to speak or read lips she would have a miserable life. They didn’t want Lynn to suffer when she got older they wanted her to grow up like any other child and be able to communicate with others and talk. Lynn wasn’t retarded or handicapped, she was just deaf but because of the information they got it seemed like she was and that was what they didn’t want her to be labeled as. When they heard about Star King Exceptional School, which was a school for deaf children, they wanted to see if this was a good place for Lynn to attend. This school was an oral school only and kids there were thought how to read lips and learn how to talk. Since they had heard a lot of good things about this school and the way it was described to them they thought this would be the perfect place for Lynn to learn how to talk. Lynn attended here but throughout the whole time she was there she only made a little progress. With practicing at home and at school Louise and Tom knew that she  would eventually learn how to talk because she made small progress and was slowly learning. Like I mentioned the information they were told repeatedly was only half the truth. When they met Barbara Simmons at the meeting they had at the school their lives would finally become less stressful. She thought sign language was a good way to communicate with deaf children and by them learning sign language it would make their lives easier. She introduced them to Jim and Alice Hudson, a deaf couple, and they talked to them about how sign language would help Lynn to do better in life and how in reality she would probably not be able to talk and read lips perfectly. After talking to them and reading the articles they had gave them Louise and Tom were willing to try it and take the chance. Using sign language was a success and they were able to communicate with Lynn very fast and within a week they were able to understand each other. This was a way faster progress than before. They finally decided to use sign language and Lynn’s progress got better and better and sign language because their new second language. While reading the book I learned a lot and it made me think and wonder why they would put young children through so much struggle just because they don’t want them to use sign language. Every time I came across the comments they made about her not being a â€Å"normal child† if she didn’t learn how to speak really upset me because just because she was deaf it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to be able to do things like everyone else. It’s sad how they were never able to communicate with her and the way the struggle could have been avoided. Lynn was a bright child she learned how to read lips very quickly so I’m pretty sure if she had started to learn sign language when she was two-years old she would have picked it up quickly too. Several incidents that happened in the story were very interesting like when Lynn was able to say â€Å"Blue† after touching her father’s chest and then hers. This I didn’t even know it was going to work but it did. When Mr. Hughes went up to talk at the meeting and was saying nothing but negative stuff about sign language it bothered me because he should want to try something that was better for his son and for him. Also when Tom was in the room with Sandra, Mike, Jim and Alice and they were signing he felt like he was the odd ball because he couldn’t understand sign language. When they realized how hard it was for them to try and understand what they were signing to each other, and thought about how hard it must have been for Lynn to try and understand them. In the end I’m glad that Louise and Tom decided to use sign language with Lynn because it made their lives so much easier and they were finally able to understand her and communicate with her without any problems.

Analyse the Ethos of Partnership with Parents Essay

The relationship between parent and practitioner or the service that they are working within is crucial to the effective outcome for all those concerned. It now seems impossible in modern Britain to imagine developing any kind of relationship with a child without taking into account the wider family and the impact it has on that child. Given that this is the case it is essential to understand the nature of that relationship and although there can be many types, the most effective parent-practitioner relationship is a partnership. Ideally, this would be defined by mutual participation, shared power, involving the expertise of both partners, with agreement about aims and process, negotiation, mutual respect and trust, and open and honest communication. In caring for someone else’s child, we inevitably work within an ‘emotional framework’ (BOVE 2001) and need to ensure that the ‘equivalent expertise’ of parents is fully recognised. Although the idea of partnership is widely accepted in current service policy, its meaning is rarely fully understood. Dictionary’s provide a range of meanings from â€Å"a person who takes part with another in doing something† to â€Å"an accomplice† but a parent- practitioner partnership has to be one in which both parties work closely together with active participation and involvement as opposed to the professional working on (e. g. treating) the parent. A fitting definition of partnership working that sits with this ethos is: ‘†¦. cross sector alliance in which individuals, groups or organisations agree to: work together to fulfil an obligation or undertake a specific task; share the risks as well as the benefits; and review the relationship regularly, revising their agreement as necessary. ’ (Quoted in Partnership made painless – a joined-up guide to working together, Harrison R et al, Russell House Publishing, 2003) In education, the idea of a partnership between parents and practitioners has been around for many years. In the late 1970s the Warnock Report reviewed provision for children with special educational needs in England and Wales. The report contained an influential chapter entitled ‘Parents as partners’ (CEEHCYP, 1978). In 2003 the government published a green paper called Every Child Matters (ECM). This started a big debate about services for children, young people and families. There was a wide consultation with people working in children’s services, and with parents, children and young people. The organisations involved with providing services to children and young people – from hospitals and schools to police and voluntary groups – began to team up in new ways, sharing information and working together to protect children and young people from harm. Following the consultation, the government published Every child matters: the next steps, and passed the Children Act 2004, providing the legal framework for developing more effective and accessible services focused around the needs of children, young people and families. In November 2004, Every child matters: change for children was published. This outlines the way local programmes for children, young people and families should be developed. Every Child Matters emphasises a vision for working with families that puts outcomes for children and young people first. It stated that working together as a partnership had a positive effect on parenting. For example, more self-confident adults are likely to be more self-confident parents. Together from the start, guidance published in 2003, on which the Early Support programme is based, said: ‘Parents have rights and responsibilities in relation to the development and care of their child. Professionals have a duty to acknowledge and understand the unique role and relationship each parent has with their child. ‘ This focus is shared by many other and more wide-ranging policy initiatives. The Children’s Plan, Building brighter futures, which sets out a ten-year Government agenda from 2007, identifies partnership with parents as its ‘unifying theme’. A partnership needs to respect the special knowledge that each partner brings to the relationship. Parents are the experts on their own children and when a partnership is built upon the well-being and the rights of all concerned and share common goals and shows mutual respect for differing roles and opinions, then children,parents and practitioners will all benefit. There are a number of basic principles of partnership as defined in the Quality in Diversity in Early Learning (Early Education Forum 1998). Below is a brief summary of these principles and how they can be achieved within a setting or any relationship: * Respect children/adults as individuals regardless of ability, disability, race and religion. Encourage individuals to bring in items from home to inform groups/practitioners about their culture or every day experiences. Personalised transition stages. * Respect cultural differences and beliefs in raising a child and explore these with open and sensitive dialogue. Speak to the parents about their belief systems and how they differ, explore ideas that may not be apparent to them. Self-education regarding differing cultures. * Have a willingness to relate to children and their parents in diverse ways and to share the responsibility of the relationship Home/school agreements. ‘Family plan’ booklets. Agreed aims and objectives and clear outcome indicators. * Respect parents in their decisions. Set up good communication methods ie. communication book. Set up parent councils for settings. Regular feed back questionnaires. * Commit to communicate regularly and in as many languages as needed. Translators. Literature in differing languages. Parent notice boards. Newsletters. * Commit to listen to parental views and take their concerns into account Regular meetings and open communication. Feedback questionnaires. Parent days. * Clear communication about the ways in which parents can contribute to their child’s education and improve the quality of the setting at home as well as outside. Offering parenting groups (i. e. PEEP) Parenting courses (i. e. literature and numeracy) * Clear communication channels between parent and practitioner to share knowledge. Communication book, being approachable and listening. Acting on the parents suggestion. Discussing aims and outcomes. * Clear procedures to support parents becoming involved in the management and day to day life of their children in various settings. Home/school agreements. Parent consultation days. Parent workshops. Open access. Partnership is not a relationship that can develop quickly and naturally; it requires time, effort and skill. It also follows that an effective partnership may not be possible in all cases or at all times; it depends upon what the participants bring to the situation, and some may not want or be able to work with others in this way. The better the partnership between the parent and practitioner the easier it will become to achieve agreed outcomes. Parents will be more in control and motivated and will understand what is expected of them in their role as partner. In sharing the process the parent will feel more empowered and is more likely to draw on lessons learnt in times of future difficulty. Their trust of professionals will also be reinforced and they are more likely to ask for help in other aspects of their lives.

The environmental, social and economic consequences of urbanisation in Bombay

Bombay is the largest city in India (but not the capital), and has a growing population of 14,350,000 people. Bombay also serves as the financial hub of India, along with a major shipping industry, heavy industrial centres and is home to the ‘Bollywood' film industry, the largest in the developing world. Due to the services available in Bombay, coupled with the hope of jobs, it is a major hub for migration of people from the countryside, a process known as urbanisation. People are drawn from a large part of western India, as well as other parts of the country looking to fill the jobs that the booming economy needs. The disparity between the ‘rich and the poor', the ‘good jobs and the menial' is vast. Bombay has many millionaires from the expanding banking sector, located in the Bandra Kurla zone, contrasted with street sellers and beggars in the shanty town areas like Dharavi, made famous through the multi Oscar winning film – Slumdog Millionaire. The problems that face the city authorities of Bombay are immense. There is a genuine struggle to keep up with making provision for the vast numbers of migrants moving to Bombay. The location of the city goes a long way to exacerbating the issues faced. Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy Bombay was originally a collection of small fishing villages, which expanded to become an important port in the Arabian Sea, and was a major calling point for the traditional Dhows which plied the waters from Arabia, Somalia and Iran. As the city is located on a headland peninsular, this maritime orientated city thrived on the ease and convenience of the coastal access. During the days of colonialism where India was lucky to be a British Colony, Bombay was a major port of entry for people travelling to India and onwards to South East Asia and Australia. Due to this huge influx in commercial trade, the areas around the port developed extremely quickly as an area of industry and shipping related services such as import/export, cargo handling and packing. All of this went a long way to the urbanisation of Bombay, drawing in more farming people when they learned of the prospects available to them. Following the British withdrawal in 1947, this upwards ‘boom' only increased. Nowadays, it is a huge problem for city planners and developers. The site of the city is hugely restricted resulting in the eventual creation onto the mainland in the form of a â€Å"greater metropolitan area†. These new sites, onto which the city has expanded, are becoming very overcrowded even 100 years ago. Today, the density is just under 60,000 people per square mile. Due to popular demand, the price of inner city land has risen astronomically, a feature of all developing cities. As a result, rather incongruously, the land prices in Bombay are among the highest in the world. This just adds to the overcrowding of the slums, as people are forced to live there as they are unable to afford anything in the city where property costs in the region of US$3180 per sq. t. this, coupled with the short supply of housing, results in an accelerated growth of shanty towns, another case example being the farvelas on the outskirts of many (expansive) Brazilian cities such as Sio Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. It is an inescapable upwards escalation into greater levels of poverty, as new migrants to the city locate themselves on the edges of the slums, furthest away from the centre of the city, where the jobs are located and are often built on dangerous land (old mines, near railways, on river marshland etc. and very few have land rights, so there are just squatters with no legal protection. This is a major environmental issue and also poses significant problems to the inhabitants' health, in a country where the death rate is already 7. 9/1000 (as of July 2009) and where the average life expectancy is just 60. Levels of sanitation in the slum areas, such as Dharavi are often of a substandard level. Sewage removal and treatment is minimal and in most areas, non-existent. Running clean water is also scarce, leaving children and babies without adequate levels of hygiene, needed to grow healthily. Electricity connections are also very sparse, so people have to make do with more primitive methods, often far more dangerous than modern methods, such as cooking for example. All of these issues have major social consequences, as the people become ‘trapped' in a permanent state of poverty, unable to better their lives, but remain as it is perceived to have a better standard of living than in the rural areas. In Dharavi itself, the Indian local governments in Bombay and the Maharashtra state are planning a large-scale redevelopment of Dharavi. They plan to clear away areas of the slum housing section by section, replacing the little 1 or 2 storey shacks with 7 floor tenement blocks. Families who can prove they have lived in Dharavi since at least 1995 will; receive free new housing, and everyone will receive temporary accommodation for the duration of the massive redevelopment programme. The remainder of the new housing will be sold cheaply (or rented) on the open and free market that India enjoys with its relatively stable political and economic situation. This however, though it would improve the situation for over 600,000 people rather drastically, it will create a lot of significant conflicts between residents and developers, and may be seen by some as a bit too ‘idealistic', just like Mandela's promise to black South Africans for better housing. The reality is, that these things take time to materialise, if they ever do. The project will not even go ahead unless a majority of the [registered] residents of Dharavi agree to do so. This means that those residents who are not officially registered as residents of Dharavi (a large number of migrant squatters), will not have their opinions counted in any capacity. It is also widely feared that such a development would not yield economic benefits for the developers, and so, much needed residential accommodation for the [ex] residents of Dharavi, will be used for commercial and office space to serve the ever expanding business sector – defeating the whole initial development objective. In conclusion, from the evidence laid out, it is clear that Bombay is suffering heavily as a result of mass urbanisation, and has done throughout its history, spanning back to even before the colonial days of the Raj. Projects such as the expansion of the Bandra Kurla complex threaten the condition of the poorer people, often illegally squatting on land, and are planned to solely benefit the banking and business/commerce sector. Migration from the countryside rural areas adding the issue of urbanisation are increasing the population at a large rate. Alongside this, poor planning and mismanagement from the authorities, failing to address the genuine needs of the city, all result in a city with gigantic disparity, overcrowding in slums and an ‘all encasing' state of impoverishment for the vast majority of the population of the city.