Later Adulthood Development Report Essay

As adults enter the stage of later adulthood, many changes will begin to develop for each person. The aging process includes transitioning from work life to retirement, changes to roles, social positions, social policies, determining living accommodations with healthcare needs, and relationships with families and peers. The stage known as the golden years comes with great challenges while adjusting to the many changes in a person’s life. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Transition from work to retirement The transition from a working life to the retirement years can be a difficult process for aging adults as giving up higher salaries for the amount paid for Social Security is drastically different. Forcing retired adults to look for supplement income during this stage at a lower status than previously held in a prior position. Most companies offer a pension or 401k plan to help employees plan for a better retirement as it is almost impossible to live on Social Security alone. This change also plays a large factor on how the individual views their personal self-worth. Instead of priding themselves in the knowledge of an occupation, retirement forces the person to give up that role in search of another source to occupy their time. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Transition from work to retirement Cont. Retirement can be an enjoyed time for some older adults as they see it as the first time since childhood they are able to do the things they want in life without worrying about the limits caused by a profession. Others will struggle to figure out to do with all the extra time during each day. Depending greatly on the attitude a person had toward the many years spent  employed and the ability to continue financially supporting the extracurricular items they would like to partake in during retirement. Personal well-being plays a large factor in how the adult will handle the retirement years and determine additional health issues a person may face. With a solid retirement plan continuing to support the person financially, this can be a joyous time while others learning to live on a fixed income will notices significant changes to their overall health. These changes are brought on by depression, a feeling of no longer being needed, or the bored from not having a specific task for every day living. (Allen, Clark, & Ghent, 2004). Changes in role and social position As aging progresses people begin to lose their role and social positions caused by the changes to activities, each person is involved in and illnesses the elderly develop. The lack of physical and mental activities begins to decrease psychomotor skills that affect various aspects of daily living. When people start aging the changes in the ability to see and hear begin to decline making it appear as if the person suffers from a decline in mental competency, which may not be the case and it just takes an older person longer to process the information that is given to them. Physically the changes to a person’s body will begin in middle adulthood with the most noticeable happening in later adulthood. Physical changes in muscle tone and height along with a slower understanding of the world around them creates the perception of the older adult as a weaker person in the eyes of their loved ones and is the time when health issues become more noticeable. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Changes in role and social position Cont. As reaction times slowdown, the elderly begin to lose privileges like driving because the reaction time is greatly affected and is thought to be the cause of additional accidents. Driving is, usually, the first task removed from a person when they are no longer able to operate a vehicle safely without endangering the lives of others. Once a person begins to experience this normal task being taken away from them it causes the person to become dependent on families or friends to help with their daily needs, and decreases the feeling of self-sufficiency, which causes the change to the role a person has in society. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Changes in  marriage, family and peer relationships Later adulthood is the time in life when changes in marriage, families, and peer relationships are affected the most by the loss of someone close to that person. â€Å"Most people 70 years of age or older are widowed, divorced, or single† (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.619). Losing a spouse or close friend can create a sense of loneliness, which causes depression, anxiety and the emptiness feeling can become overwhelming. Depression also leads to psychological effects that will deteriorate a person’s health causing the chance for a terminal disease to become much higher. The weaker appearance of older adults causes family and remaining peers to step up in the role of making sure the person’s wellbeing is being met. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Living accommodations and healthcare needs Declining health and depression are two of the largest reasons families look into assisted living homes for aging loved ones. Making sure that the healthcare needs of the elderly are met becomes a priority for every family as the roles begin to reverse from the parent being the primary caregiver of their children to the children being responsible for meeting the needs of aging parents. Diseases such Alzheimer’s and dementia are very difficult for not only the older person but for their families as well. As a person with this disease is no longer able to live on their own without the fear of something bad happening while no one else is around to watch over them. The disease affects all normal aspects of a person’s life, creating confusion, aggressive behaviors, incontinence, and the inability to meet the daily needs without supervision making it necessary to find a facility that will meet the needs of the patient. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Finding a facility that w ill meets all the needs of the older adult and have a level of care that the family desires can be difficult to find. Researching all facilities in the area will help keep a peace of mind for the family and reassure that their loved ones are receiving the care they need. Medical programs Healthcare for older adults is expensive, and since many are living on fixed incomes, they rely on programs such as Medicaid and Medicare to meet their  medical needs. Due to the economic status of the government and the high cost of medical care, both of these programs now provide limited services to older adult. The quality of medical care older people will receive will also be lessened as many primary care physicians focus their practice on younger generations, creating an inability to correctly diagnose problems in older adulthood. Treating younger people allows the physicians to make more money off the current Medicare programs because of the limitations in place to restrict additional procedures when needed. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Social policies affecting older adults Social policies were created to aid the aging population meet medical, daily and income needs. The Older Americans Act of 1965 was created to ensure that older adults receive benefits of income, adequate housing, community services, and nutrition programs. (Gelfand, & Bechill, 1991). The Supplement Security Income program was designed to provide additional income after retirement for the individuals that worked the required amount of years to receive full benefits. Medicare plans are split into a two-part system that will pay for limited medical expenses incurred after retirement. Part A of the plan pays for limited care during hospital stays, nursing homes, and home health care when needed, while Part B covers physician expenses and out-patient services. Throughout the years, many changes have been made to the policies because of changes in presidency and budget cuts to the federally funded programs. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Conclusion The changes that occur for the older adult population make it necessary for extensive planning during the middle adulthood stage, for retirement and reflecting on how each individual will provide their basic needs when the time comes. Plans will help to ease the stress of aging, put less of a burden on family members, and make sure that the elderly receive the medical attention they need without relying on government assisted programs. Maintaining a presence in social groups will help the overall mental and physical status of the aging population. The future is up to each person to control how they want to live during the last stage of life. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). References Allen, S. G., Clark, R. L., & Ghent, L. S. (2004). Phasing into retirement. The Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 58(1), 112-127. Gelfand, D.E., & Bechill, W. (1991, Summer-Fall). The evolution of the older Americans act: a 25-year review of the legislative changes. Generations, 15(3), 19-22. Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (8th ed.). Mason , Ohio: Brooks Cole/Cengage.

Theory of Evolution – Short Essay

How is the theory of evolution used to explain the tremendous diversity of life on Earth? Describe how variation within a population arises and how natural selection differs from artificial selection. Finally, describe how bacteria that become resistant to modern antibiotics Is a clear example of evolution In action. The theory of evolution Is used to explain the extensive diversity of life on Earth by looking at why creatures evolve. The main reason they are able to evolve is that they have a quality that helps them survive in their environment.If two identical animals re put in very different habitats the future generations will end up with very different characteristics. For example, if a bird of multilayered origin is put in the jungle it could be said that eventually they will evolve to be a species of green birds because they have the best camouflage against predators. Natural selection Is most easily described by how a species survives because of traits dictated by their surro undings. An example of this Is an animal of prey that can run faster than Its heard, will escape a predator and live to breed In the future.The offspring will have the genes of a fast parent and likely be fast themselves therefore able to outrun the predator as well. Artificial selection is when humans interfere and only allow certain characteristics to be passed onto the next generation. An example of this is a dog breeder only breeding the dogs with the shiniest coats. The next generation will be heavily influenced to have shiny coats, an example of what they deem a valued characteristic. A very interesting way to see evolution is how bacteria are evolving to become resistant to modern antibiotics.Once thought to be the cure to many dangerous actuarial Infections antibiotics started to be handed out to Ill patients. Unfortunately, some patients are not finishing their prescribed antibiotics leaving bacteria alive In their bodies that are resistant to the drug. These mutant bacteri a quickly reproduce making future generations that are immune to the antibiotics. I can utilize my knowledge of the dangers of antibiotics in my career as a nurse when I work with the elderly in a hospital. I observe that an older patient has abdominal cramping and diarrhea I will assess whether they have recently taken antibiotics because of the risk of C. Official. Being aware of this infection I can collect a stool test to diagnose it. Once diagnosed, I can instruct the patient to stop taking the antibiotic. Then I will counsel them about how C. Difficult Is related to antibiotics. To begin, when the patient takes the drug to treat an Illness It will kill off not only the bacteria making the person sick but the good bacteria found In our Intestines as well. When this Is mammals the dangerous C. Delicate can grow out of control producing toxins that attack the intestine. It is also possible that C. Difficult is becoming crucial it is to finish any prescribed medication.

Chemistry Soya Milk Essay Example for Free

Chemistry Soya Milk Essay This project has been chosen in view of increasing demand of milk and also due to higher expectations of good quality and low fat diet requirements of the people with better awareness. Also the requirement for such quality products is more acute today. In this project I have prepared soy milk from soyabeans and have compared the conditions of formation of good quality cow milk yogurt and soy milk yogurt. I have also tried to find the effect of temperature on the pH of cow’s milk and soy milk. Thus I have selected this project to find a suitable replacement of cow milk in soy milk to meet the demands of the ever increasing population. SOY MILK: Soy milk (also called soya milk, soymilk, soybean milk, or soy juice) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soybeans. A stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water. Soy milk contains about the same proportion of protein as cow’s milk: around 3. 5%; also 2% fat, 2. 9% carbohydrate, and 0. 5% ash. Soy milk can be made at home with traditional kitchen tools or with a soy milk machine. The coagulated protein from Tofu, just as soy milk can be made into made into cheese. Soy milk can be made from whole soybeans or full-fat soy flour. The dry beans are soaked in water overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours or more depending on the temperature of the water. The dehydrated beans then undergo wet grinding with enough added water to give the desired solids A can of Yeo’s soymilk, poured into a glass. Soy milk can be made from soya beans or full flat soy flour. The dry beans are soaked in water for a minimum of 3 hours. The dehydrated beans then undergo wet grinding with enough added water to give the desired solid content to the final product. The ratio of water to beans on a weight basis should be about 10:1. The resulting slurry or puree is brought to a boil in order to improve its nutritional value by heat inactivating soybean trypsin inhibitor, improve its flavor and to sterilize the product. Heating at or near the boiling point is continued for a period of time, 15-20 minutes, followed by the removal of an insoluble residue by filtration. SOY YOGURT – Soy yogurt looks like regular cream yogurt. Soy yogurt, (Soya yoghurt in British English) also referred to as Soygurt or Yofu (a portmanteau of yoghurt and tofu), is yogurt prepared using soy milk, yogurt bacteria, mainly Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus and sometimes additional sweetener, like fructose, glucose, or raw sugar . It is suitable for vegans, as the bacteria for shop-bought soy yogurt are usually not grown on a dairy base. Soy yogurt can be prepared at home using the same method as dairy yogurt. One tablespoon of sugar per 1 liter of unsweetened soy milk may be added to promote bacterial fermentation. Soy milk on its own lacks the lactose (milk sugar) that is the basic food for the yogurt bacteria. Soy yogurt may have a slight beany soy taste when made directly from freshly prepared soymilk, but this is less pronounced in shop-bought soy yogurt and in soy yogurt made from commercial soy milk. Soy yogurt contains less fat than yogurt made with whole milk. This amounts to about 2. 7% (the same percentage as soy milk), versus 3. 5% in dairy yogurt. However, dairy yogurt can be made with 2%, 1%, or fat-free milk, and these cases, it is lower in fat than soy yogurt. Cow Yogurt Yogurt, also spelled yoghourt or yoghourt, is a favorite breakfast, lunch, or snack. A thick, custard- or pudding-like food, yogurt is made by the natural bacterial fermentation of milk. The process of making yogurt involves culturing cream or milk with live and active bacterial cultures; this is accomplished by adding bacteria directly to the milk. Commercially made yogurt is usually made with a culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilis. Yogurt made at home is usually started by adding a dab of commercially made yogurt to boiled milk, and then keeping the mixture at 45 °C. In Western cultures, yogurt is enjoyed in a variety of ways, most popularly as a cool dish mixed with fruit. Yogurt can be used to make healthy shakes or frozen to eat like ice cream. Yogurt can also be used when cooking, in place of milk, sour cream, and even some cheeses. In Middle Eastern cultures, yogurt is frequently served with meat, meat sauces, and vegetables, It can be mixed with various other sauces or used as a tangy dollop on top of a meal. NUTRITION AND HEALTH INFORMATION Nutrients in 8 ounces (250 ml) of plain soymilk. | Regular | Life Whole | Fat |kcal) | Soymilk | Soymilk cow (reduced milk fat) | Free cow milk | 90 | 70 149 | 83 | | 10. 0 | 4. 0 7. 7 | 8. 3 | | 4 | 2. 0 8. 0 | 0. 2 | | 14. 0 | 16. 0 11. 7 | 12. 2 | (g) | 0. 0 | 0. 0 11. 0 | 12. 5 | | 120 | 100 105 | 103 | (mg) | 1. 8 | 0. 6 0. 07 | 0. 07 | | 0. 1 | 11. 0 0. 412 | 0. 446 | (mg) | 80. 0 | 80. 0 276 299 | in 100 ml of fortified soyrpilk â€Å"Alpro Soya† versus semi skimmed and fat free milk: | | Enhanced Semi Fat free Soymilk skimmed cow cow milk milk | Calories (kcal) | 31 47 35 | Protein(g) | 3. 3 3. 6 | 3. 6 | Carbohydrate | 0. 2 4. 8 | 4. 9 | Lactose (g) | 0. 0 4. 8 | 4. 9 | Fat(g) | 1. 8 1. 8 | 0. 3 | Saturated fat | 0. 3 | 1. 1 | 0. 1 | Sodium (rng) | 10 | 44 | 5 | Iron (mg) | 0. 24 | 0. 02 | 0. 03 | Calcium(mg) | 120 | 124 | 129 | Vitamin A (mcg) | 1. 0 | 6. 0 0. 9 | 3. 5 0. 4 | VitaminBl2(mcg) | 0. 38 | Vitamin D (mcg) | 0. 75 | 2. 5 | 0. 0 | CHEMISTRY INVOLVED Proteins are chains of amino acid molecules connected by There are 22 different amino acids that can be combined to form protein chains. There are 9 amino acids that the human body cannot make and must be obtained from the diet. These are called the essential amino acids. The amino acids within protein chains can bond across the chain and fold to form 3-dimensional structures. Proteins can be relatively straight or form tightly compacted globules or be somewhere in between. The term â€Å"denatured† is used when proteins unfold from their native chain or globular shape. Denaturing proteins is beneficial in some instances, such as allowing easy access to the protein chain by enzymes for digestion, or for increasing the ability of the whey proteins to bind water and provide a desirable texture in yogurt production. The main (starter) cultures in yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The function of the starter cultures is to ferment lactose (milk sugar) to produce lactic acid. The increase in lactic acid decreases pH and causes the milk to clot, or form the soft gel that is characteristic of yogurt. The fermentation of lactose also produces the flavor compounds that are characteristic of yogurt. REQUIREMENTS Beakers, pestle and mortar, measuring cylinder, glass rod, tripod-stand, thermometer, muslin cloth, burner. Soya beans, cow milk, fresh curd and distilled water, pH papers. PROCEDURE 1) Soak about 150g of Soya beans in sufficient amount of water so that they are completely dipped in it. 2) Take out swollen Soya beans and grind them to a very fine paste 3) Filter it through a muslin cloth. Clear white filtrate is soya bean milk. Compare its taste with cow milk. 4) Take 50 ml of soya bean milk in three other beakers and heat the beakers to 300, 40 °and 50 °C respectively. Add ? spoonful curd to each of these beakers. Leave the beakers undisturbed for 8 hours and curd is formed. 5) Similarly, take 50 ml of cow milk in three beakers and heat the beakers to 30 °, 40 ° and 50 °C respectively. Add ? spoonful curd to each of these beakers. Leave the beakers undisturbed for 8 hours and curd is formed. 6) Take 20 ml of cow milk and soya bean milk in two separate test tube and test OBSERVATION TYPE OF MILK| BEAKER NO| TEMPERATURE. C| TIME TAKEN TO FORM CURD(HRS)| TASTE OF CURD(AFTER 8 HRS)| COW’S MILK| 1| 30| 6. 5| SWEET| | 2| 40| 5| SOUR| | 3| 50| 4| SOUR| SOY MILK| 4| 30| 8. 5| NOT FORMED| | 5| 40| 7| SWEET| | 6| 50| 6| SWEET| TYPE OF MILK| BEAKER NO| TEMPERATURE. C| pH| COW’S MILK| 1| 30| 6| | 2| 40| 6| | 3| 50| 6| SOY MILK| 4| 30| 7| | 5| 40| 7| | 6| 50| 7| RESULT 1. For cow milk, the best temperature for the formation of good quality and tasty curd is 40 °C and for soyabean milk, it is 50 °C. 2. For cow milk, the pH of good quality and tasty curd is 5 and for soyabean milk, it is 6. INFERENCE Thus the formation of good quality soy yogurt the time taken was 7 hours for a sample at 50 °C and at a pH value around 6. whereas, for the formation of good quality curd the time was 5 hours for a sample at 40 °C and at a pH value around 5. Thus a good yield of curd can be obtained with soy milk. And moreover soy yogurt helps in controlling type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The enzymes in the soy yogurt also help in regulating blood sugar levels. Thus soy milk is a suitable replacement of cow milk to meet the demands of the ever increasing population. INDEX Why I chose this project? 1 Soya bean milk 1 Soy yogurt 4 Nutrition and Health Information 7 Chemistry involved 9 Requirements 10 Procedure 11 Observations 12 Result 13 Inference 13 Bibliography 10 BY: Vishal Kamalakannan. Chemistry Soya Milk. (2017, Mar 14).

Managing diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing diversity - Essay Example For instance there are entrepreneurial, bureaucratic and autocratic organizations or/and leadership styles. They need equally diverse and effective theoretical approaches for diversity management. Multicultural organizations such as in those of European countries have been the results of an evolutionary process of managing diversity of the workforce. The different types of individual diversity such as age, gender and ethnic origin will lead to such job performance, satisfaction and vertical mobility of employees within the organization (Jayne, & Dipboye, 2004). However the diversity management has affected the organizational and individual levels of performance depending on the part-time employees’ contribution versus the full time employees’ efficiency to the overall growth of the organization. Organizational diversity management has become a very important aspect in the modern day management practice. Diversity is desirable when everything else has failed to ensure the continuous survival of the business. However diversity in itself might not be desirable when the degree of resistance to differ become stronger because when resistance gathers momentum that in itself is an indicator of the existence of other solutions. If organizational change were focused on improving critical success factors related to financial management, Human Resource Management (HRM), employee relations, supply chain management, quality management, marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR), then the organization would have to face considerable resistance. In the first instance managing workforce diversity is a significant important element in organizations while flexibility and creativity are considered as keys to compete successfully in the business environment. It is all the more difficult to manage the process of diversity smoothly because employees depending on their attitude to change would not remain silent. Thus as much as

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Marketing - Essay Example the development of an effective sales force team and the development of an effective training program to help employees grow in both their own goals as well as to help meet the needs of the company. Developing an effective sales team requires not only investing in the team itself, but also fostering an environment that encourages growth, innovation and provides rewards for hard work and diligent practice at all levels. â€Å"Even in the best companies, we found that 35 percent of the sales force did not have the talents necessary to achieve acceptable results predictably. This rather considerable group – one of every three salespeople out there – is consistently in the bottom half of the performance curve† (Smith & Rutigliano, 2003). The importance of this comes into play when one realizes that sales is essentially a talent-driven occupation. Studies conducted by the Gallup Group and others have indicated that experience has very little effect on whether sales people are effective in their positions while increasing the numbers of employees within the sales force also shows very little benefit to be gained. â€Å"The way to improve the talent in your sales force is to make sure that the new people you hire have talent configurations that closely match those of the best producers in your existing sales force. This is in contrast to the conventional approach of hiring people with more experience or providing more training to your sales organization† (Smith & Rutigliano, 2003). However, this is not to say that some training will not benefit the corporation or the bottom dollar as it is through training that engagement can be boosted among employees. In order to be effective, training must concentrate on those areas that actively involve employees in the key aspects of their positions. In defining the training needs, it is important to keep in mind the needs of the organization as compared with the top performers of not just your own organization, but of

Stop and Search in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stop and Search in the UK - Essay Example he same proves that it results in racial profiling and overuse of police powers, and the solution is to create awareness among the police officers on their limited powers and to make the civilians to know that it is their responsibility to help the nation to save them from internal threats. This section is broadly divided as: Explanation: Stop and Search, Stop and Search in UK, Racial profiling and Stop and Search in UK, Stop and Search cases and overuse of police powers, Statistics on Stop and Search cases in UK, and Solution. First of all, the masterminds behind this innovative policy/rule aimed to keep UK as a whole free from internal/external threats. For instance, it is easier to identify external threats, but it is difficult to identify those who try to create domestic threats. One can see that the Stop and Search policy is not enough to withstand the threat from the global terrorist groups. To be specific, the power of this policy is limited within the context of searching the suspects, but without any evidence. So, the government formulated a new act named as the The Terrorism Act, which was implemented in the year 2000. Stigall (2009, p.106) states that, ‘In contrast to the limited powers to stop and search ordinary criminal suspects, The Terrorism Act of 2000 allows a police officer to stop and search any person he or she reasonably suspects to be a terrorist in order to discover whether the suspect has possession of anything that may constitute evidence that he or she is a terroristâ€℠¢. The implementation of this Act proves that the Stop and Search policy cannot be considered as the base of anti-terrorism measures. From a different angle of view, the Stop and Search in UK can be considered as the extension of anti-terrorism measures adopted by the UK government. But the media creates chaos among the people by exploiting the policy’s entertainment value, not news value. To be specific, the media exaggerates different opinions on this policy and

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Macroeconomics - Essay Example ference to the studies conducted by (Krugman and Wells 254) the differences noted above in terms of growth of the livings standards can be attributed to differences in the level of each country’s physical capital which is mainly determined by a country’s level of savings and investment. Secondly, the differences can be attributed to differences in education levels of each country, the technological progress, government policies and the level of political stability that is experienced in each country. Physical capital such as office space and machineries influence long-run economic growth of aggregate output per capita by increasing the productivity of a worker. Human capital also influence long-run economic growth of aggregate output per capita since a well educated and highly trained employee will offer more competitive advantage and increase the value of labor. Thirdly technology influence long-run economic growth of aggregate output per capita by increasing efficiency and effectiveness of production whilst reducing the operating cost. Lastly, according to (Krugman and Wells 251) natural resources do not necessarily influence the long-run economic growth of aggregate output per capita in today’s World as it did in the past centuries. However, it is of essence to note that natural resources have the potential of increasing a country’s foreign exchange income thus influence the long run economic growth of a country that is endowed with natural resources such as min eral deposit and abundant

Political science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political science - Research Paper Example ossible for hyperglobalization to be fully-embraced by countries without negative consequences.This is because one way or another, there will always be clauses within international policies set by the WTO that can either be beneficial or detrimental to a country’s growth, of which it may be impossible to fully change or circumvent these policies in the country’s favor. In turn, the government has to choose between following the international policy at the cost of the economy and of the local market, or be subject to the sanctions imposed to countries when these are unable to comply with international standards. Either way, unless governments are able to strike a balance between smart globalization and national democracy, it can be expected that local and international trade policies will always clash, and the government and its economy will bear the burden of its effects. Issues on hyperglobalization arose from incompatibilities between national interest and of international policy implementation. The issues that arose from Argentina’s economic problems in the 1990’s were able to capture the essence of the inherent incompatibility of hyperglobalization with national democracy, wherein the over-reliance of politicians to â€Å"tried-and-tested† methods of maintaining economic growth became its downfall upon the crash of the Asian markets and the devaluation of neighboring Brazil’s currency(185). Due to the reluctance of some politicians to change economic and trade laws that were considered obsolete even by then-standards, the crises that came about and resulted to the overvaluation of the Argentinian peso with respect to other neighboring countries made investments less profitable. This caused a large amount of capital to be pulled out from the country, which in turn cascaded into wider panic among citizens as more and mor e people pulled out their money from financial institutions and essentially reduced the monies circulating and fueling the economy. The

The market entry strategy of international fashion brand Essay

The market entry strategy of international fashion brand - Essay Example he purpose of insuring the correct market entry of the designer brand, so that the company does not face any risk or loss after launching the â€Å"Tekbir Giyim† brands. The research that is being conducted is through questionnaires, through mall intercepts as women love to go out for shopping, and specially the increasing Muslim community in various parts of Europe is definitely interested in buying the designer brand which is being prepares specially for them. Although the products are still being sold to people but they are not yet owned by the original company â€Å"Tekbir Giyim†, which means that people do not find the brand under the company’s name, it is sold through the distribution. The business these days are getting failed easily on for no reason but yet the proper research clarifies the doubts in minds of people willing to initiate business, the job that we would be performing for the company is the same that is to identify the opportunities and minim ize the chances of loss. The company is facing a lot of trouble right now and thus the research task is to follow a sequence from the problem definition which is the base for the project to be started, to the final stage which is report presentation, which would help the company in taking on further decision, whether to go for the launching of â€Å"Tekbir Giyim† or not, meanwhile the development of an approach to the problem, research design formulation that includes the conclusive research, data collection and its preparation would also be playing a key role in ensuring us about the outcome. The basic idea to conduct this entire research on the designer brand â€Å"Tekbir Giyim† is to identify the possibility of its successful launching in a place other than it is currently available. Our main objective is to go through all the steps in marketing research process, one by one, which would ensure us whether it would be relevant for the company to go for launching or not. This research would not only be

Amusement Park Place Essay Example for Free

Amusement Park Place Essay Amusement Parks are on of Americans favorite places to go. You get to ride roller-coasters, play games and just have fun. The thrill you get by getting is one of the best feelings you will ever have. When you first walk in the amusement park you feel your adrenaline rush by seeing all the people go crazy over the roller-coasters and the games. Adventure parks are an adventure that everyone needs to experience once in their life. Roller-coasters are a thrill that everyone should experience at an amusement park. Rollercoasters are what make amusement parks so fun. There are many different types of roller-coaster that has many different types of loops such as a corkscrew, the regular flip, and many more. Some of the biggest roller-coasters that I have ever been on are the ones at Six Flags. I rode the Batman, Superman, Georgia Scorcer, Deja-Vu, and all the other roller-coasters they had. My favorite was Superman; you are flying through the air just like Superman. The loops were like corkscrews and had some straight drops. Everyone needs to experience a roller-coaster ride at least once. There are many amusement parks all around the United States that you can go to and have fun. One is in Atlanta, Georgia home of Six Flags. Another one is located in Cedar Point, Ohio which is called Cedar Point and is one of the most popular visited amusement parks. Another one is Bush Gardens located in Tampa, Florida. I got to visit Bush Gardens this past Spring Break it was the best amusement park I have ever been to. There were a lot of family activities such as games, food, and roller-coasters. They didn’t have many roller-coasters, but the ones that they did have were my favorite. There are a lot of many different amusement parks around the country that you can take your family and have a great time. Games at amusement parks are also what make amusement parks so much fun. If you are scared to ride the rides just go ahead and play games. There are many games you can play like basketball shoot, racing games, shooting games and many more. If you end up doing good in the games then you will get prizes such as stuffed animals, candy and a lot more stuff. Games at amusement parks are parks are fun to play and make the amusement park experience unforgettable. Amusement Parks are fun for families and friends to go and bond for the day. Amusement Parks are enjoyed when you go and the ride the roller-coasters, play games, eat food, and go to Some of the shows that the parks have to offer. Amusement parks have been around forever and and that is why so many Americans love them so much. They allow you to have fun and relax for the day. Amusement Parks are a lot of fun and I think everyone should go to at least once to see for themselves.

The Decision-Making Process at Toyota

The Decision-Making Process at Toyota â€Å"The minor assessment is centred around Toyota’s annual report. Each student is expected to submit a case report, based also on the analysis of relevant background readings in addition to the case study itself, addressing the following issues:  · Explain what is meant by the term â€Å"decision-making† and analyse it in connection with the concepts of risk and uncertainty.  · Discuss the decision-making process at Toyota.  · Briefly analyse the automotive industry and explain how its dynamics influence Toyota’s managers in making decisions.  · Apply forecasting models to Toyota case study (e.g. provide a 2-year moving average graph using sales data).† Table of contents Introduction: The decision-making process 1 Risks and uncertainties in decision-making process 2 Case study: Decision-making process at Toyota 3 Automotive industry analysis 4 Influence of automotive industry in Toyota’s decision making process 5 Financial analysis 6 Forecasting model: 2-year moving average graph 7 Forecasting model: weighted moving average and exponential smoothing 8 Conclusion: Toyota heading towards Sustainable Growth 9 References and Sources 10 Introduction: The decision-making process We can define decision-making, as a conscious and human process, involving both individual and social phenomena, an ongoing process of evaluating alternatives for meeting an objective. A particular course of action to select that course of action most likely to result in attaining the objective. The decision-making process allow us to raise our vision beyond our immediate concerns and, in turn, allow us to evaluate our existing beliefs an actions in a new light in order to make an important and useful decision. Achieving an objective requires action leading to a desired outcome. In theory, how one proceeds should inevitably affect what one achieves, and in turn this should affect future actions. Risks and uncertainties in decision-making process The ability of a firm to absorb, transfer, and manage risk is critical in managements decision-making process when risky outcomes are involved. This will often define managements risk appetite and help to determine, once risks are identified and quantified, whether risky outcomes may be tolerated. For example, many financial risks can be absorbed or transferred through the use of a hedge, while legal risks might be mitigated through unique contract language. If managers believe that the firm is suited to absorb potential losses in the event the negative outcome occurs, they will have a larger appetite for risk given their capabilities to manage it. Managing uncertainty in decision-making relies on identifying, quantifying, and analyzing the factors that can affect outcomes. This enables managers to identify likely risks and their potential impact. Decision makers are used to assessing risk because decision-making is usually associated with some degree of risk taking, but not all outcomes are easily assessed. Some unknown outcomes may not previously have been seen or experienced and so they are uncertain. In theory the outcome may have a low probability to occur but if so would happen it could be troublesome. So it is important for every company, especially in ever changing and competitive markets to deal with risks using a ever-better decision-making process. All of the decisions anyhow are taken by individuals so the strategy for risk avoidance is tied in with a personal reference point. Of course it’s fundamental nowadays, for big corporations, to have extremely good employees in this department. The skills and needs of the decision-maker and the role of the decision within an organization, the importance of the risk analysis will depend on the objectives of the decision. A wise approach to decision-making might seek contributions from different angles. The importance placed on data analysis, management skills, organizational awareness, and custom and practice in the assessment of risk would be vital. In this field of course with any doubt Toyota is one of the finest players in the market, with a top notch decision-making process. Case study: Decision-making process at Toyota Automotive industry analysis The worldwide automotive market is highly competitive. Toyota faces intense competition from automotive manufacturers in the markets in which it operates. Although the global economy continues to recover gradually, competition in the automotive industry has further intensified among difficult overall market conditions. In addition, competition is likely to further intensify due to continuing globalization in the worldwide automotive industry, possibly resulting in further industry reorganization. Factors affecting competition include product quality and features, safety, reliability, fuel economy, the amount of time required for innovation and development, pricing, customer service and financing. Increased competition may lead to lower vehicle unit sales, which may result in a further downward price pressure and adversely affect Toyota’s financial condition and results of operations. Toyota’s ability to adequately respond to the recent rapid changes in the automotive ma rket and to maintain its competitiveness will be fundamental to its future success in existing and new markets and to maintain its market share. There can be no assurances that Toyota will be able to compete successfully in the future. That’s the risk connected with every business activity. Through this uncertainties Toyota has to deal with a top-notch management. Each of the markets in which Toyota competes has been subject to considerable volatility in demand, so the risk is becoming even higher year after year affecting all business decisions. Demand for vehicles depends on social, political and economic conditions in a given market and the introduction of new vehicles and technologies. As Toyota’s revenues are derived from sales in markets worldwide, economic conditions in such markets are particularly important to Toyota. In Japan, the economy gradually recovered due to increasing personal consumption and last-minute demand encouraged by the increase of the consumption tax. In the United States, the economy has seen constant gradual retrieval mainly due to increasing personal consumption and the European economy has shown signs of recovery too. In the meantime, growth in emerging markets slowed down due to weakening currencies of emerging markets, increases in interest rates of emerging markets to protect the local currencies, and political instability in some nations. The shifts in demand for automobiles is continuing, and it is unclear how this situation will transition in the future. Influence of automotive industry in Toyota’s decision making process Toyota’s future success depends on its ability to offer new innovative competitively products that meet customer demand on a timely basis. Their corporate DNA is headed to continuous innovation and ensure that tomorrow’s Toyota is even better than today’s. Toyota’s current management structure is based on the structure introduced in April 2011. In order to fulfill the Toyota Global Vision, Toyota reduced the Board of Directors and decision-making layers, changing the management process from the ground-up, facilitating rapid management decision-making. In April 2013, Toyota made organizational changes with the goal of additional increasing the speed of decision making by clarifying responsibilities for operations and earnings. In detail Toyota’s group divided the automotive business into the following four units —Lexus International (Lexus business); Toyota No. 1 (North America, Europe and Japan); Toyota No. 2 (China, Asia the Middle East, East Asia Oceania; Africa, Latin America the Caribbean); and Unit Center (engine, transmission, and other â€Å"unit†-related operations) Meeting customer demand by introducing attractive new vehicles and reducing the amount of time required for product development are critical to automotive producers. In particular, it is critical to meet customer demand with respect to quality, safety and reliability. The timely introduction of new vehicle models, at competitive prices, meeting rapidly changing customer preferences and demand is more fundamental to Toyota’s success than ever, as the automotive market is rapidly transforming in light of the changing global economy. Toyota has to be ready for every occasion to occur in this ever changing global economy. Toyota’s managers every year are taking under consideration every occasion to happen. Within a managerial decision-making context, a risk might be viewed as the chance of negative outcome for a decision which has a possible uncertainty element, usually on the downside. Financial Analysis In terms of finances, the carmaker boosted its profit forecast for the current fiscal year ending March, expecting net income to rise to 2.0 trillion yen ($16.97 billion, 14.7 billion euros). It also said revenue would come in at 26.5 trillion yen. Toyota Motor Corporation had revenues for the full year 2014 of 25.692tn. This was 16.44% above the prior years results. Regarding the competition between Toyota, Volkswagen and ford, top players in the market, Toyota is average a positive trend. Moreover Toyota has the highest income since the year 2009. Forecasting model: 2-year moving average graph Forecasting model: weighted moving average and exponential smoothing We could use instead different methods. The moving average is a simple method that doesn’t take in in consideration the weight or real value that a number has. In fact to overcome this issue we can adopt the â€Å"weighted moving average method† and the â€Å"exponential smoothing method†. Using the â€Å"weighted moving average method† I take under considerations 3 years, which I consider the most important. The value of weights it is based on the percentage growth every year. Using weighted moving average, we can have a better forecast. However, it is more important for a better forecast to use the exponential smoothing method. Here I take in consideration all of the years moving from 2008. Found out that the smoothing factor is pretty high, 0.99. I took under consideration 0.9 as my alpha because in this particular case higher alpha means that the recent history will have more weightage in the forecast calculation. As we can see from page 26/68 I took under consideration Toyota’s Consolidated Performance (U.S. GAAP). I think that the last one is the most appropriate method to see a realest forecast for the next year. Of course the calculation has been made â€Å"ceteris paribus† so everything it is supposed to be the same next year, but as showed before this particular market is subject to constant changes. For this reason and other random errors the forecast could be higher or lower, but however we can obviously see a positive trend in Toyota’s business. Thanks to the tireless efforts of all concerned, today Toyota’s group can take pride in the strengths of its management practices and culture. Even its president is convinced that they are now in a position to take a definitive step forward toward sustainable growth. Conclusion: Toyota heading towards Sustainable Growth So is Toyota heading towards a sustainable growth? What is the engine for sustainable growth? Toyota has learned from experience that they can achieve sustainable growth only if they manage to create great cars that bring smiles and if they foster the human resources needed to make this a reality. At the same time, ever-better cars can be produced only through efforts made by employees on the front line. Individuals must take ownership of their work and place the utmost emphasis on local manufacturing, swift decision making, and immediate action. As it continues to grow however, tasks that were once routine may become increasingly difficult to perform. As I see it, Toyota’s current situation is particularly critical as we are now entering another expansion phase. This is a really important moment for Toyota. For this, because of the risks associated with the future Toyota should continue to seek perfection in his work of manufacturing, but especially in its management process where the decision-making process takes a fundamental part. References and sources For further readings†¦ Ken Segall, Insanely Simple, the obsession that drives Apple’s success, Published by Portfolio Trade, 2013 Robbins, De cenzo Coulter, Fundamentals of management, Global edition, 8th Edition, Pearson Higher Education, (2014 version) Burns and Stalker, The management of innovation, Tovistock Publications, London, 1961 Some internet sites†¦ ADAPT OR DIE, by John S. McCallum – Ivey Business Journal about management [accessed November 18, 2014] http://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/strategy/adapt-or-die#.VGvDZDSG_ng 1

Hemingways a Clean, Well-lighted Place And His Life Essay -- essays

Hemingway's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and His Life Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21st, 1899. He was the son of Dr. Clarence Edmonds and Grace Hall Hemingway. He grew up in a small town called Oak Park, Illinois. Hemingway was brought up in a somewhat conservative household by his parents who pushed the value of politeness and religion. It wasn't until he began English classes in school that his writing talent began to shine. After he graduated from high school Hemingway turned his back on university and he decided to move to Kansas City. It was there where he got his first job as a writer. He was a reporter for the Kansas City Star. The Star was the first to introduce to him the news writing format which demands brief, to the point sentences and the smooth flowing of ideas. It seems that Hemingway adapted this style to his fiction writng. Hemingway demonstrates this talent in a short story called "A Clean Well-Lighted Place". When he was 19 Hemingway enlisted in the army. He was rejected due to a defective left eye. He then turned to the Red Cross in which he became a second lieutenant. The Red Cross brought him to the front lines of the war in Italy. It was here where he saw many disturbing sights which probably had a hand in shaping his character. After extensive injuries from the war, Hemingway returned unhappily to Oak Park...

Digital Access Divide :: essays papers

Digital Access Divide Technology is a vital part of education and the workforce. The digital divide is putting some students at risk for lacking vital vocational and educational skills. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration states that currently about half of Americans are online (ClickZ, 2002). According to a report from the New York Times (2003), United States President, George W. Bush seemed to be satisfied with this number. He tried to eliminate the technology access programs that were initiated in the Clinton Administration for the purpose of bridging the digital divide. His cuts eliminated over 50 million dollars. Fortunately, as a result of several passionate coalitions, Congress has given $50 million back to the funds (Feeder, 2003). However, there is still a digital divide, and it is putting students at risk. According to the educational testing service, which is the world’s largest private educational measurement organization and a leader in educational resear ch (Landgraf, Statistics Section, para. 5); â€Å" ‘49 percent of Caucasian children use the Internet at home, compared to only 29 percent of African-American children, and 33 percent of Hispanic children’, ‘children from high-income families are more than twice as likely to have home Internet access (66%) than children from low-income households (29%)’ and ‘despite strong growth in school access from 2000 to 2002 for low-income children (20 to 32 percent), their current school use still significantly lags behind high-income children (47 percent)’ (Landgraf, Statistics Section, para. 5). The fact that so many children are not accessing technology is not just a present problem for them, it is creating future problems by putting them at risk for lacking vital educational and vocational skills. Consequences of the Divide: Importance of computer technology in Higher Education Digital information technologies such as the use of computers and the internet are an integral part of higher education. Jane Doe’s story located at the beginning of this report serves as an example of this. Jane’s problem is not biology; the problem is her ignorance in digital information and instructional technologies. This is not her fault; the area she came from has been affected by the digital divide. In college, students need to have computer literacy and digital technology knowledge. If a student, such as Jane, comes from an ill-equipped school district or low income home, where they can not afford a computer or are ignorant about digital technologies, these students are at an incredible disadvantage.

The Struggle in My Name is Asher Lev and Naked Lunch :: Asher Lev Naked Lunch Essays

The Struggle in My Name is Asher Lev and Naked Lunch Though most of the experiences and actions revealed in William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch directly contradict philosophies believed by the Jewish faith, there is a definite connection between My Name is Asher Lev and Naked Lunch. This connection lies is the narrators' artistic roles in society. Both Lev and Burroughs stray from the surrealistic aspect of their mediums: art and writing, respectively, and portray life as they see that it really is. There is no embellishing on either of their parts nor is there any glorification to the events happening around them. William S. Burroughs wrote Naked Lunch as a conclusion to his fifteen-year addiction to opiates, mainly heroin and morphine. In his "tell all" story of himself as a junkie, he never tries to lie about any of the events that took place during this time and he never augments anything in order to make for a better story. Burroughs clearly depicted the distraught and dillusional life that he once led including his experiences with almost every drug possible and his encounters with sexual relations and situations that went against the status quo of the time (as it still does now). Burroughs' role as in artist in society, however, was that he was one of the people that clearly showed why the life of a drug addict was not as glorifying and "cool" as people falsely make it out to be. The phases of drug addiction are able to be clearly seen throughout the novel since Naked Lunch was a book written before, during, and after his drug rehabilitation. Just as Burroughs reveals the drug underground as it really is, Asher Lev is an artist of reality. His talent for art was recognized early in his life, but it was some years later that his view of the world became more apparent. He was neither a pessimist nor was his an optimist, but his drawing capture a little of both realms. He drew what he felt: what he saw as reality in his mind. More often in the book, however, do we see Asher's pessimistic views on the world come out because of the events that are going on in his life. "I don't like the world, Mama. It's not pretty. I won't draw it pretty." (52) Just like Burroughs, Asher does not think about what would be acceptable to those who view his works, or the beliefs of his religion, or if what he is drawing may be considered wrong; he just draws what he truly feels at the time.

The Motives for Holding Inventory Explained

In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, retailers stock their inventory with dozens of Christmas items in anticipation of the holiday rush. When Christmas has passed, the store is left with Christmas items that did not sell. To make room for the next calendar holiday, the retailer will sell their Christmas overstock at extreme discounts. Whatever doesn’t sell will be restocked in inventory for the next Christmas season. The retailer is able to get a jump-start for the next Christmas season by placing last year’s Christmas inventory out in October. A good business operation understands that there will be times when holding inventory becomes crucial in their success. From not wanting to spend additional funds on restocking, to preparing for fluctuations in market conditions, motives for holding inventory are indispensable in inventory management. There are 4 motives for holding inventory: Production smoothing, inventories as a factor of production, stock-out avoidance, and work in progress (Gregory, 2007). Production smoothing, the first of the four motives, involves preparing for fluctuations in sales, as well as seeking a more economically sound way to continue production. When sales offset production either positively or negatively, inventories will rise or fall. With production smoothing, it is more logical to produce items at a constant rate (Gregory, 2007). The second motive is consideration for inventories as a factor of production. Let’s say that a drama teacher is looking for a Christmas tree in June for his â€Å"Christmas in July† production. The overstock from last year’s Christmas season assists in the retailer not losing business because they restocked Christmas trees that didn’t sell from last year. The third motive, stock-out avoidance, protects a business from contractual risk, as well as lost sales in the event of high demand (Fafechamps, 1997). With contractual risk, both the business and the client run the risk of not adhering to a contract, but in  the way of business, holding inventory provides better odds that the business will have what the client requires in order to conduct business and comply with their contract (Fafechamps, 1997). In addition to this motive, being prepared for unexpected demand is imperative in keeping business. For example, an unexpected freeze in the fall could cause people to shop in droves for firewood. The retailer who does not meet the demand will lose business and retain the reputation of not being sufficiently stocked. The final motive, although not really a motive at all, is work in progress. Any unfinished item in the store must also be counted as inventory (Gregory, 2007). If you have ever walked into a store to buy a specific item and found that the store does not have it in stock, you may avoid the store all together in the future. Holding inventory is important for both the business and the customer. It ensures repeated business and makes for smooth sailing. References: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gregory, Mankiw & Cronovich, Ron C. (2007) Investments and Inventory. January 2007. www.cwu.edu/~wassellc/ECON%20302/Investment.pdf. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fafechamp, Marcel, Gunning, Jan W. & Oostendorp, Remco. (1997) Inventory, Liquidity and Contractual Risk in Marketing. January 2007.   

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Nineteen

And wouldn't you know. Something big was arranged. The Colonial Union showed up. The shuttle landed and a little green man popped out. And I thought, This seems familiar. It was even the same little green man: General Rybicki. But there were differences. The first time I saw General Rybicki, he was in my front yard, and it was just him and me. This time his shuttle landed in the grassy area right in front of Croatoan's gate, and a large chunk of the colony had turned out to see him land. He was our first visitor since we came to Roanoke, and his appearance seemed to give the idea that maybe we would finally be out of exile. General Rybicki stood in front of the shuttle and looked at the people in front of him. He waved. They cheered wildly. This went on for several minutes. It's like people had never seen someone wave before. Finally the general spoke. â€Å"Colonists of Roanoke,† he said. â€Å"I bring you good news. Your days of hiding are over.† This was interrupted by another gout of cheering. When it calmed down, the general continued. â€Å"As I speak to you, my ship above is installing your communications satellite. Soon you will be able to send messages to friends and loved ones back on your home planets. And from here on out, all the electronic and communication equipment you had been ordered to stop using will be returned to you.† This got a huge whoop from the teenage sectors of the crowd. â€Å"We know that we have asked much from you,† Rybicki said. â€Å"I am here to tell you that your sacrifice has not been wasted. We believe that very soon now the enemy that has threatened you will be contained – and not just contained, but defeated. We couldn't have done this without you. So for all of the Colonial Union, I thank you.† More cheering and nonsense. The general seemed to be enjoying his moment in the sun. â€Å"Now I must speak with your colony leaders to discuss how to reintegrate you into the Colonial Union. Some of this may take some time, so I ask you to be a little patient. But until then, let me just say this: Welcome back to civilization!† Now the crowd really went nuts. I rolled my eyes and looked down at Babar, who went with me to the landing. â€Å"This is what happens when you spend a year out in the wilderness,† I said. â€Å"Any dumb thing looks like entertainment.† Babar looked up at me and lolled his tongue out; I could tell he agreed with me. â€Å"Come on, then,† I said. And we walked through the crowd to the general, who I was supposed to escort back to my dad. General Rybicki saw Babar before he saw me. â€Å"Hey!† he said, and bent down for his slobbering, which Babar duly and enthusiastically applied. He was a good dog but not a hugely accurate judge of character. â€Å"I remember you,† he said to Babar, petting him. He looked up and saw me. â€Å"I remember you, too.† â€Å"Hello, General,† I said, politely. The crowd was still milling around us but quickly dispersing as folks raced to all corners of the colony to pass on what they were told. â€Å"You look taller,† he said. â€Å"It's been a year,† I said. â€Å"And I am a growing girl. This despite being kept in the dark all this time.† The general seemed not to catch this. â€Å"Your mother said that you would be escorting me to see them. I'm a little surprised that they didn't come out themselves,† he said. â€Å"They've had a busy couple of days,† I said. â€Å"As have we all.† â€Å"So colony life is more exciting than you thought it would be,† the general said. â€Å"Something like that,† I said, and then motioned. â€Å"I know my dad is very interested in talking to you, General. Let's not keep him waiting.† I held my PDA in my hand. There was something not quite right about it. Gretchen noticed it too. â€Å"It feels weird,† she said. â€Å"It's been so long since we carried one around. It's like I've forgotten how to do it.† â€Å"You seemed to remember pretty well when we were using the ones in the information center,† I said, reminding her of how we'd spent a fair amount of the last year. â€Å"It's different,† she said. â€Å"I didn't say I'd forgotten how to use one. I'm saying I've forgotten what it was like to carry one around. Two different things.† â€Å"You could always give it back,† I said. â€Å"I didn't say that,† Gretchen said, quickly. Then she smiled. â€Å"Still, you have to wonder. In the last year people here actually did manage to get along without them just fine. All the hootenannies and the plays and the other stuff.† She looked at her PDA. â€Å"Makes you wonder if they're all going to go away now.† â€Å"I think they're part of who we are now,† I said. â€Å"As Roanokers, I mean.† â€Å"Maybe,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It's a nice thought. We'll have to see if it's actually true.† â€Å"We could practice a new song,† I said. â€Å"Hickory says Dickory's been wanting to try something new for a while now.† â€Å"That's funny,† Gretchen said. â€Å"One of your bodyguards has become a musical fiend.† â€Å"He's a Roanoker too,† I said. â€Å"I guess he is,† Gretchen said. â€Å"That's funny, too.† My PDA blinked; something happened with Gretchen's as well. She peered at hers. â€Å"It's a message from Magdy,† she said. â€Å"This is going to be bad.† She touched the PDA to open it. â€Å"Yup,† she said, and showed me the picture. Magdy sent a short video of him mooning us. â€Å"Some people are getting back into the swing of things sooner than others,† I said. â€Å"Unfortunately,† Gretchen said. She tapped onto her PDA. â€Å"There,† she said. â€Å"I made a note to kick his ass the next time I see him.† She motioned at my PDA. â€Å"He send it to you, too?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"I think I'll refrain from opening it.† â€Å"Coward,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Well, then, what is going to be your first official act on your PDA?† â€Å"I'm going to send a message to a certain two someones,† I said. â€Å"And tell them that I want to see them alone.† â€Å"We apologize for being late,† Hickory said to me, as it and Dickory stepped into my bedroom. â€Å"Major Perry and General Rybicki gave us priority status on a data packet so that we could communicate with our government. It took some time to prepare the data.† â€Å"What did you send?† I asked. â€Å"Everything,† Hickory said. â€Å"Everything,† I said. â€Å"Every single thing you two and I did in the last year.† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"A digest of events now, and a more comprehensive report as soon as we can. Our people will be desperate to know what has happened with you since they last heard from us. They need to know you are well and unharmed.† â€Å"This includes what happened last night,† I said. â€Å"All of it. Including the part where you oh so lightly mentioned your plans to murder my parents.† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"We are sorry to have upset you, Zoe. We would not have wished to do that. But you offered us no alternative when you told us to speak the truth to your parents.† â€Å"And what about to me?† I asked. â€Å"We have always told you the truth,† Hickory said. â€Å"Yes, but not all of it, have you?† I said. â€Å"You told Dad that you had information about the Conclave that you didn't tell him about. But you didn't tell it to me, either. You kept secrets from me, Hickory. You and Dickory both.† â€Å"You never asked,† Hickory said. â€Å"Oh, don't give me that crap,† I said. â€Å"We're not playing word games here, Hickory. You kept us in the dark. You kept me in the dark. And the more I've thought about it, the more I realize how you acted on what you knew without telling me. All those alien races you had me and Gretchen study in the information center. All the races you trained us how to fight. Hardly any of them were in the Conclave. Because you knew that if the Conclave found us first, they'd try everything not to fight us.† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"Don't you think I should have known that?† I asked. â€Å"Don't you think it would have mattered to me? To all of us? To the entire colony?† â€Å"We are sorry, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"We had orders from our government not to reveal information to your parents that they did not already know, until such time as it became absolutely necessary. That would have only been if the Conclave were to appear in your sky. Until then, we were required to exercise care. If we had spoken to you about it, you would have naturally informed your parents. And so we decided that we would not bring these things up with you, unless you asked us directly about them.† â€Å"And why would I do that?† I asked. â€Å"Indeed,† Hickory said. â€Å"We regret the necessity. But we saw no other alternative.† â€Å"Listen to me, both of you,† I said, and then stopped. â€Å"You're recording this now, aren't you.† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"We always record, unless you tell us otherwise. Would you like us to stop recording?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I actually want all of you to hear this. First, I forbid you to harm my parents in any way. Ever.† â€Å"Major Perry has already informed us that he would surrender the colony rather than destroy it,† Hickory said. â€Å"Since this is true there is no reason to harm either him or Lieutenant Sagan.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"Who knows if there's going to be another time you decide it's going to be necessary to try to get rid of John and Jane?† â€Å"It seems unlikely,† Hickory said. â€Å"I don't care if it's more likely that I was going to sprout wings,† I said. â€Å"I didn't think it was ever possible that you might think to kill my parents, Hickory. I was wrong about that. I'm not going to be wrong about it again. So swear it. Swear you will never harm my parents.† Hickory spoke briefly to Dickory in their own language. â€Å"We swear it,† Hickory said. â€Å"Swear it for all Obin,† I said. â€Å"We cannot,† Hickory said. â€Å"That is not something we can promise. It is not within our power. But neither Dickory nor I will seek to harm your parents. And we will defend them against all those who would try to harm them. Even other Obin. This we swear to you, Zoe.† It was the last part of this that made me believe Hickory. I hadn't asked him to defend John and Jane, just not harm them. Hickory added it in. They both did. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. I felt as if I were suddenly coming unwound; until that second I didn't realize how worked up I was just sitting there, talking about this. â€Å"Thank you both. I really needed to hear that.† â€Å"You are welcome, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"Is there something else you want to ask us?† â€Å"You have files on the Conclave,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"We have already given them to Lieutenant Sagan for analysis.† That made perfect sense; Jane had been an intelligence officer when she was in the Special Forces. â€Å"I want to see them, too,† I said. â€Å"Everything you have.† â€Å"We will provide them to you,† Hickory said. â€Å"But there is a lot of information, and not all of it is easy to understand. Lieutenant Sagan is far more qualified to work with this information.† â€Å"I'm not saying give it to me and not her,† I said. â€Å"I just want to see it too.† â€Å"If you wish,† Hickory said. â€Å"And anything else that you might get from your government on the Conclave,† I said. â€Å"And I mean all of it, Hickory. None of this ‘you didn't ask directly' junk from now on. We're done with that. Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† Hickory said. â€Å"You understand that the information we receive might in itself be incomplete. We are not told everything.† â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"But you still seem to know more than we do. And I want to understand what we're up against. Or were, anyway.† â€Å"Why do you say ‘were'?† Hickory asked. â€Å"General Rybicki told the crowd today that the Conclave was about to be defeated,† I said. â€Å"Why? Do you know any different?† â€Å"We do not know any different,† Hickory said. â€Å"But we do not think that just because General Rybicki says something in public to a large crowd, it means he is telling the truth. Nor does it mean that Roanoke itself is entirely out of danger.† â€Å"But that doesn't make any sense,† I said. I held up my PDA to Hickory. â€Å"We were told we can use these again. That we can use all of our electronics again. We had stopped using them because they would give us away. If we're allowed to use them again, we don't have to worry about being given away.† â€Å"That is one interpretation of the data,† Hickory said. â€Å"There's another?† I asked. â€Å"The general did not say that the Conclave had been defeated, but that he believed they would be defeated,† Hickory said. â€Å"That is correct?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"Then it is possible that the general means for Roanoke to play a part in the defeat of the Conclave,† Hickory said. â€Å"In which case, it is not that you are being allowed to use your electronics because it is safe. You are being allowed to use them because you are now bait.† â€Å"You think the Colonial Union is leading the Conclave here,† I said, after a minute. â€Å"We offer no opinion one way or another,† Hickory said. â€Å"We note only that it is possible. And it fits what data we have.† â€Å"Have you told my dad about this?† I asked. â€Å"We have not – † Hickory began, but I was already out the door. â€Å"Close the door behind you,† Dad said. I did. â€Å"Who have you talked to about this?† he asked. â€Å"Hickory and Dickory, obviously,† I said. â€Å"No one else.† â€Å"No one?† Dad asked. â€Å"Not even Gretchen?† â€Å"No,† I said. Gretchen had gone off to harass Magdy for sending her that video. I was beginning to wish I had gone with her instead of making Hickory and Dickory come to my room. â€Å"Good,† Dad said. â€Å"Then you need to keep quiet about it, Zoe. You and the alien twins.† â€Å"You don't think what Hickory is saying is going to happen, do you?† I asked. Dad looked directly at me, and once again I was reminded how much older he was than he appeared. â€Å"It is going to happen,† he said. â€Å"The Colonial Union has laid a trap for the Conclave. We disappeared a year ago. The Conclave has been looking for us all that time, and the CU has spent all that time preparing the trap. Now it's ready, so we're being dragged back into view. When General Rybicki's ship goes back, they're going to let it leak where we are. The news will get back to the Conclave. The Conclave will send its fleet here. And the Colonial Union will destroy it. That's the plan, anyway.† â€Å"Is it going to work?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Dad said. â€Å"What happens if it doesn't?† I asked. Dad laughed a very small and bitter laugh. â€Å"If it doesn't, then I don't think the Conclave is going to be in any mood for negotiations,† he said. â€Å"Oh, God,† I said. â€Å"We have to tell people, Dad.† â€Å"I know we do,† he said. â€Å"I tried keeping things from the colonists before, and it didn't work very well.† He was talking about the werewolves there, and I reminded myself that when all this was done I needed to come clean to him about my own adventures with them. â€Å"But I also don't need another panic on our hands. People have been whipsawed enough in the last couple of days. I need to figure out a way to tell people what the CU has planned without putting them in fear for their lives.† â€Å"Despite the fact they should be,† I said. â€Å"That is the catch,† Dad said, and gave another bitter chuckle. Then he looked at me. â€Å"It's not right, Zoe. This whole colony is built on a lie. Roanoke was never intended to be a real colony, a viable colony. It exists because our government needed a way to thumb its nose at the Conclave, to defy its colonization ban, and to buy time to build a trap. Now that it's had that time, the only reason our colony exists is to be a goat at a stake. The Colonial Union doesn't care about us for who we are, Zoe. It only cares about us for what we are. What we represent to them. What they can use us for. Who we are doesn't actually enter into it.† â€Å"I know the feeling,† I said. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Dad said. â€Å"I'm getting both abstract and depressed.† â€Å"It's not abstract, Dad,† I said. â€Å"You're talking to the girl whose life is a treaty point. I know what it means to be valued for what I am rather than who I am.† Dad gave me a hug. â€Å"Not here, Zoe,† he said. â€Å"We love you for you. Although if you want to tell your Obin friends to get off their asses and help us, I wouldn't mind.† â€Å"Well, I did get Hickory and Dickory to swear not to kill you,† I said. â€Å"So that's progress, at least.† â€Å"Yes, baby steps in the right direction,† Dad said. â€Å"It'll be nice not to have to worry about being knifed by members of my household.† â€Å"There's always Mom,† I said. â€Å"Trust me, if I ever annoyed her that much, she wouldn't use something as painless as a knife,† Dad said. He kissed me on the cheek. â€Å"Thanks for coming to tell me what Hickory said, Zoe,† he said. â€Å"And thanks for keeping it to yourself for now.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said, and then headed for the door. I stopped before I turned the handle. â€Å"Dad? How long do you think it will take before the Conclave is here?† â€Å"Not long, Zoe,† he said. â€Å"Not long at all.† In fact, it took just about two weeks. In that time, we prepared. Dad found a way to tell everyone the truth without having them panic: He told them that there was still a good chance the Conclave would find us and that the Colonial Union was planning on making a stand here; that there was still danger but that we had been in danger before, and that being smart and prepared was our best defense. Colonists called up plans to build bomb shelters and other protections, and used the excavation and construction machinery we'd kept packed up before. People kept to their work and stayed optimistic and prepared themselves as best they could, readying themselves for a life on the edge of a war. I spent my time reading the stuff Hickory and Dickory gave me, watching the videos of the colony removals, and poring through the data to see what I could learn. Hickory and Dickory were right, there was just too much of it, and lots of it in formats I couldn't understand. I don't know how Jane managed to keep it all straight in her head. But what was there was enough to know a few different things. First, the Conclave was huge: Over four hundred races belonged to it, each of them pledging to work together to colonize new worlds rather than compete for them. This was a wild idea; up until now all the hundreds of races in our part of space fought with each other to grab worlds and colonize them, and then once they created a new colony they all fought tooth and nail to keep their own and wipe out everyone else's. But in the Conclave setup, creatures from all sorts of races would live on the same planet. You wouldn't have to compete. In theory, a great idea – it beats having to try to kill everyone else in the area – but whether it would actually work was still up in the air. Which brought up the second point: It was still incredibly new. General Gau, the head of the Conclave, had worked for more than twenty years to put it together, and for most of those years it kept looking like it was going to fall apart. It didn't help that the Colonial Union – us humans – and a few others expended a lot of energy to break it up even before it got together. But somehow Gau made it happen, and in the last couple of years had actually taken it from planning to practicality. That wasn't a good thing for everyone who wasn't part of the Conclave, especially when the Conclave started making decrees, like that no one who wasn't part of the Conclave could colonize any new worlds. Any argument with the Conclave was an argument with every member of the Conclave. It wasn't a one-on-one thing; it was a four-hundred-on-one thing. And General Gau made sure people knew it. When the Conclave started bringing fleets to remove those new colonies that other races planted in defiance, there was one ship in that fleet for every race in the Conclave. I tried to imagine four hundred battle cruisers suddenly popping up over Roanoke, and then remembered that if the Colonial Union's plan worked, I'd see them soon enough. I stopped trying to imagine it. It was fair to wonder if the Colonial Union was insane for trying to pick a fight with the Conclave, but as big as it was, its newness worked against it. Every one of those four hundred allies had been enemies not too long ago. Each of them came in to the Conclave with its own plans and agenda, and not all of them, it seemed, were entirely convinced this Conclave thing was going to work; when it all came down, some of them planned to scoop up the choice pieces. It was still early enough for it all to fall apart, if someone applied just the right amount of pressure. It looked like the Colonial Union was planning to do that, up above Roanoke. Only one thing was keeping it all together, and that was the third thing I learned: That this General Gau was in his way a remarkable person. He wasn't like one of those tin-pot dictators who got lucky, seized a country and gave themselves the title of Grand High Poobah or whatever. He had been an actual general for a people called the Vrenn, and had won some important battles for them when he decided that it was wasteful to fight over resources that more than one race could easily and productively share; when he started campaigning with this idea, he was thrown into jail. No one likes a troublemaker. The ruler who tossed him in jail eventually died (Gau had nothing to do with it; it was natural causes) and Gau was offered the job, but he turned it down and instead tried to get other races to sign on to the idea of the Conclave. He had the disadvantage that he didn't get the Vrenn to go along with the idea at first; all he had to his name was an idea and a small battle cruiser called the Gentle Star, which he had gotten the Vrenn to give him after they decommissioned it. From what I could read, it seemed like the Vrenn thought they were buying him off with it, as in â€Å"here, take this, thanks for your service, go away, no need to send a postcard, bye.† But he didn't go away, and despite the fact that his idea was insane and impractical and nuts and could never possibly work because every race in our universe hated every other race too much, it worked. Because this General Gau made it work, by using his own skills and personality to get people of all different races to work together. The more I read about him, the more it seemed like the guy was really admirable. And yet he was also the person who had ordered the killing of civilian colonists. Yes, he'd offered to move them and even offered to give them space in the Conclave. But when it came right down to it, if they wouldn't move and they wouldn't join, he wiped them out. Just like he would wipe us all out, if despite everything Dad told Hickory and Dickory we didn't surrender the colony – or if, should the attack the Colonial Union had planned on the Conclave fleet go wrong, the general decided that the CU needed to be taught a lesson for daring to defy the Conclave and wiped us out just on general principles. I wasn't so sure just how admirable General Gau would be, if at the end of the day he wouldn't stop from killing me and every single person I cared about. It was a puzzle. He was a puzzle. I spent those two weeks trying to sort it out. Gretchen got grumpy with me that I'd been locked away without telling her what I was up to; Hickory and Dickory had to remind me to get out and work on my training. Even Jane wondered if I might not need to get outside more. The only person not to give me much grief was Enzo; since we got back together he was actually very accommodating about my schedule. I appreciated that. I made sure he knew. He seemed to appreciate that. And then just like that we all ran out of time. The Gentle Star, General Gau's ship, appeared above our colony one afternoon, disabled our communications satellite so Gau could have some time to chat, and then sent a message to Roanoke asking to meet with the colony leaders. John replied that he would meet with him. That evening, as the sun set, they met on the ridge outside the colony, about a klick away. â€Å"Hand me the binoculars, please,† I said to Hickory, as we climbed out to the roof of the bungalow. It obliged me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Dickory was below us, on the ground; old habits die hard. Even with the binoculars General Gau and Dad were little more than dots. I looked anyway. I wasn't the only one; on other roofs, in Croatoan and in the homesteads, other people sat on roofs with binoculars and telescopes, looking at Dad and the general, or scanning the sky, looking in the dusk for the Gentle Star. As night finally fell, I spotted the ship myself; a tiny dot between two stars, shining unblinkingly where the other stars twinkled. â€Å"How long until the other ships arrive, do you think?† I asked Hickory. The Gentle Star always arrived first, alone, and then at Gau's command, the hundreds of other ships would appear, a not-at-all-subtle bit of showmanship to get a reluctant colony leader to agree to get his or her people to leave their homes. I had watched it on previous colony removal videos. It would happen here, too. â€Å"Not long now,† Hickory said. â€Å"By now Major Perry will have refused to surrender the colony.† I took down my binoculars and glanced over to Hickory in the gloom. â€Å"You don't seem concerned about this,† I said. â€Å"That's a different tune than you were singing before.† â€Å"Things have changed,† Hickory said. â€Å"I wish I had your confidence,† I said. â€Å"Look,† Hickory said. â€Å"It has begun.† I glanced up. New stars had begun to appear in the sky. First one or two, then small groups, and then entire constellations. So many had begun to appear it was impossible to track every single appearance. I knew there were four hundred. It seemed like thousands. â€Å"Dear God,† I said, and I was afraid. Truly afraid. â€Å"Look at them all.† â€Å"Do not fear this attack, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"We believe this plan will work.† â€Å"You know the plan?† I asked. I didn't take my eyes off the sky. â€Å"We learned of it this afternoon,† Hickory said. â€Å"Major Perry told us, as a courtesy to our government.† â€Å"You didn't tell me,† I said. â€Å"We thought you knew,† Hickory said. â€Å"You said you had spoken to Major Perry about it.† â€Å"We talked about the Colonial Union attacking the Conclave fleet,† I said. â€Å"But we didn't talk about how.† â€Å"My apologies, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"I would have told you.† â€Å"Tell me now,† I said, and then something happened in the sky. The new stars started going nova. First one or two, then small groups, and then entire constellations. So many expanded and brightened that they had begun to blend into each other, forming an arm of a small and violent galaxy. It was beautiful. And it was the worst thing I had ever seen. â€Å"Antimatter bombs,† Hickory said. â€Å"The Colonial Union learned the identity of the ships in the Conclave fleet. It assigned members of your Special Forces to locate them and plant the bombs just before the jump here. Another Special Forces member here activated them.† â€Å"Bombs on how many ships?† I asked. â€Å"All of them,† Hickory said. â€Å"All but the Gentle Star.† I tried to turn to look at Hickory but I couldn't move my eyes from the sky. â€Å"That's impossible,† I said. â€Å"No,† Hickory said. â€Å"Not impossible. Extraordinarily difficult. But not impossible.† From other roofs and from the streets of Croatoan, cheers and shouts lifted into the air. I finally turned away, and wiped the tears off my face. Hickory noticed. â€Å"You cry for the Conclave fleet,† it said. â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"For the people on those ships.† â€Å"Those ships were here to destroy the colony,† Hickory said. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"You are sorry they were destroyed,† Hickory said. â€Å"I am sorry that we couldn't think of anything better,† I said. â€Å"I'm sorry that it had to be us or them.† â€Å"The Colonial Union believes this will be a great victory,† Hickory said. â€Å"It believes that destroying the Conclave's fleet in one engagement will cause the Conclave to collapse, ending its threat. This is what it has told my government.† â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"It is to be hoped they are correct,† Hickory said. I was finally able to look away and face Hickory. The afterimages of the explosions placed blotches all around it. â€Å"Do you believe they are correct?† I asked. â€Å"Would your government believe it?† â€Å"Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"You will recall that just before you left for Roanoke, my government invited you to visit our worlds.† â€Å"I remember,† I said. â€Å"We invited you because our people longed to see you, and to see you among us,† Hickory said. â€Å"We also invited you because we believed that your government was going to use Roanoke as a ruse to open a battle against the Conclave. And while we did not know whether this ruse would be successful, we believed strongly that you would have been safer with us. There is no doubt that your life has been in danger here, Zoe, both in ways we had foreseen and in ways that we could not. We invited you, Zoe, because we feared for you. Do you understand what I am saying to you?† â€Å"I do,† I said. â€Å"You asked me if I believe the Colonial Union is correct, that this is a great victory, and if my government would believe the same,† Hickory said. â€Å"My response is to say that once again my government extends an invitation to you, Zoe, to come visit our worlds, and to travel safe among them.† I nodded, and looked back to the sky, where stars were still going nova. â€Å"And when would you want this trip to begin?† I asked. â€Å"Now,† Hickory said. â€Å"Or as close to now as possible.† I didn't say anything to that. I looked up to the sky, and then closed my eyes and for the first time, started to pray. I prayed for the crews of the ships above me. I prayed for the colonists below me. I prayed for John and Jane. For Gretchen and her father. For Magdy and for Enzo and their families. For Hickory and Dickory. I prayed for General Gau. I prayed for everyone. I prayed. â€Å"Zoe,† Hickory said. I opened my eyes. â€Å"Thank you for the invitation,† I said. â€Å"I regret I must decline.† Hickory was silent. â€Å"Thank you, Hickory,† I said. â€Å"Really, thank you. But I am right where I belong.†

Homework Essay

Chapter 18 p534 1.What is the key assumption of the basic Keynesian model? Explain why this assumption is needed if one is to accept the view that aggregate spending is a driving force behind short-term economic fluctuations. The Keynesian model shows how fluctuations in planned aggregate expenditure can cause actual output to differ from potential output. This method is necessary because if it were not used companies would have to change prices every time there was a possible change in demand or quantity shift in inventory. With this method short term economic flux can happen when the a company does shift their price to meet demand. 3. Define planned aggregate expenditure and list its components. Why does planned spending change when output changes relatively infrequently. What accounts for the difference? This is a total planned spending on goods and services including; consumption, investment, government purchases and net ports. If spending change happens infrequently then added goods go into inventory causing company to spend capital on invested inventory. Consumption function accounts for the difference between changes in expenditure. Chapter 19 1. Why does the real interest rate affect planned aggregate expenditure? Give examples. Because the raising or lowering affects the cost of borrowing, which affects consumption and planned investment (which all is a part of aggregate expenditure). If the Fed raises rates the housing market will slow down buying. If the Fed lowers rates more people are likely to buy homes and refinance. 2. The Fed faces a recessionary gap. How would you expect it to respond? Explain step by step how its policy change is likely to affect the economy. The Fed’s position is to eliminate output gaps and maintain low inflation. To eliminate a recessionary output gap, the Fed will raise the real interest rate.

Elections and Democracy

Elections have widely been accepted as major tool for expressing the will of the people about the political government in a democratic state. It can be said that elections are a form of direct democracy as well as a democratic highway to a representative government .The concept of democracy, electoral systems and political parties is cardinal to the modern state but at the same time difficult to define. This assignment will attempt to explain these concepts and amplify the significance of electoral systems as a key pre requisite for democracy.Elections and Democracy Commenting on the concept of democracy, Makinda held that democracy can be seen as: â€Å"†¦ a way of government firmly rooted in the belief that people in a society should be free to determine their own political, social, economic and cultural systems.†1 From the aforegoing, it can be said that the concept of democracy is used to describe a political system designed to widen the participation of ordinary citi zens in government, the powers of which are clearly defined and limited. The building pillars of any democratic political systems remain without any doubt, elections which are seen as the most critical and visible means through which all citizens can peacefully choose or remove their leaders,2 In other words, elections are the principal instruments that compel or encourage policy makers to pay attention to the electorate (citizens)3 It follows that in a democratic dispensation elections require the existence of a system that allows citizens to make a political decision by voting for competing candidates fielded by various political parties holding divergent views and providing different alternatives .In this case, political opposition is held to be legal, legitimate and somewhat necessary because there will be no real test of the competence of the ruling party without the opposition in elections. It is generally agreed among political scientists that one of the key elements of a hea lthy democracy is the existence of an enduring opposition that critically checks the day to day activities of the ruling party.4 The opposition parties point out defects in the ruling parties’ public policies and make alternative proposals hoping that the voters will entrust them with power in four ,five or six years’ time. The opposition takes on the role of essentially being a government in waiting.5 It can be said that in any  political system the litmus test for democracy will be by default ,the peaceful changeover of the reins of governmental power with the opposition winning elections and constituting a government with the ruling party quietly accepting the result and not responding with violence and intimidation .A notable case is that of Zimbabwe, where the ruling party accepted its defeat in the first round of the elections of March 2008 with trepidation and almost immediately resorting to absurd retribution .6 It is with this in mind that the electoral syst em of any state takes centre stage .whether it allow the general populance to exercise their choice during elections or the system favours those currently in power. Electoral SystemsAt its 51st session in June 2002, the Venice Commission for Democracy through Law adopted a number of standards which define the democratic running of elections. These were summarised in a CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE IN ELECTORAL MATTERS (Guidelines and Explanatory Report).7 These European standards were formulated in two groups; the first group, Principles of Europe’s Electoral Heritage, includes five basic principles which are universal suffrage, equal suffrage, secret vote and direct elections .The European commission further adds the characteristic ‘periodical elections’ to the five principles.8. The second group is conditions for implementing the principals mentioned in the first group .These include: respect for fundamental rights, high regulatory level and stability of objective elec toral law ,procedural guarantees containing organization of elections by an independent body, observers at elections and an effective system of appeal . Based on the principles mentioned and the absolutely necessary conditions for implementing these principles, the Commission made the following very bold conclusion: â€Å"†¦ Electoral System. Within the respect of the above mentioned principles, any electoral system may be chosen.9. It is very clear that elections and the functions performed thereby are vital and hence require systemizing and institutionalizing. This is achieved through the electoral system. The electoral system thus consists of the legal rules, techniques and framework whereby voters express their political will by casting votes for the purpose of constituting the representative government bodies in a state. Therefore a balanced election system which contains and implements the principles of universal, equal and direct suffrage with secret voting is a mandato ry  technique of establishing and maintaining a democratic state. The electoral system is thus a critical factor in that it puts into motion the principles of Election Law as a branch of the effective objective law of the state.In applying any type of electoral system to a state, the following factors have to be analysed and answered: I. The legal and technological aspect: Finding the formula and legal techniques which will ensure those who are governed are best represented in the public authority institutions, in the process assimilating them into â€Å"those who govern†. The question would therefore be how to achieve proportionality of the votes cast and the mandates they are converted into having at the same time a stable government? II. The political aspect: How to have the election system reflect accurately the separate exercise of power in the state and promote citizen’s interest at the same time?The heart of democracy in a state depends on the implementation o f an electoral system because the will of the sovereign people designates through election of legitimate representatives who in turn are responsible before the people and supervise the Executive and the Judiciary and are responsible before the electorate in periodical and definitive elections.Types of Electoral Systems Electoral systems are by no means uniform and identical and the selection of one type or a combination of electoral system depends on a number of important variables. The legal theory10 ascertains that the general indicators of the election system are in two categories; the first category includes those factors which concern the election organization, implementation and procedures of the elections; these include the constituencies, the qualification of candidates and methods of voting.The second category provides for the rules related to the counting of the votes and the distribution of mandates that is, the valuation of given votes. When considering the different ele ctoral systems practiced in different countries, this paper will mainly concentrate on the second category (on the distribution of mandates) because this the defining factor of the electoral system and according to Professor Drumeva, it runs in two stages: The first stage is the distribution of mandates between the constituencies that is  implemented before the voting, in most cases, is a subject of legislation.The second stage is the distribution of mandates between the participating political parties/ and independent candidates if it is foreseen, the second stage is the decisive one.11 Electoral systems are broadly grouped into major categories with their own variations: the plurality system, the majority system and the proportional representation system.Plurality System Also known as the first-past-the-post or winner-takes-all system originated in Medieval England and has a centuries old history. This system is based on territorially demarcated single member constituencies, wit h the candidate or party getting the greater number of votes winning in only one round even if the proportion of votes does not constitute a majority.12The electoral system currently used in Zambia is modeled on the plurality system. Articles 63(2)13 and 77(1)14 of the Constitution of Zambia15confirm that the Parliamentary elections and based on direct adult franchise, first past the post constituency elections.The President of Zambia is equally elected by plurality through universal adult suffrage as provided for under Article 34(8)16 of the Constitution. The major advantage of the plurality system is that of personal choice. This seems to be so because votes cast for individual candidates or personalities. A notable relationship between electors and the elected is since established. Another positive for the first-past-the-post system is that it is very simple and easy to understand. In a first past the post system, elections turn into a decision of who will be the ruling party and who will be in opposition.In addition, the plurality system is considered to be less costly than other more complex systems. The first past the post formula which is practiced in Zambia, as a decisive principle of the plurality system has a concentrating and integrating on the electorate and the society in general. This effect is regarded as both a big plus and big minus. Proponents of the plurality system, point out that it ensures a working parliament and a stable, in most cases, single party government. While this may seem to be convenient, the advantages of the plurality system are offset by the most important disadvantage which critics call non-representativeness. This is because all votes cast for the losing candidate are lost and remain unrepresented.Murithi cites the system as constituting both a structural inadequacy and an obstacle to democracy in Africa’s highly ethnicised politics as the votes cast for losers are considered wasted in the sense that they do not se rve as effective instruments for expressing voters’ will.17 This assertion holds true for Zambia, where there are ten provinces and seven major tribes among over seventy ethnicities countrywide. Besa18 seems to allude to this assertion and criticizes the first past the post system as a means of electing a president by advancing the argument that in the Zambian scenario where Bemba speaking people account for over 45% of the population, he observed that if the plurality system is maintained, in the near future, all presidents in Zambia will be elected from that particular region. This will undoubtedly lead to tribal tension as the other ethnicities will feel left-out of the country’s leadership.Furthermore, opponents of the first-past-the post system regard the so called integrating effect of the system as a defect which encourages extremities in the electorate’s behavior, either through voter apathy and political interference or violent contests with unforeseeab le results. Critics of this system19 have proposed supplementary votes and proportional representation to be adopted in Zambia as a means of enhancing democracy by the increasing the participation of smaller parties in the legislature.The Majority System The majority system is a modification of the plurality system that ensures that a candidate only wins if he or she receives an absolute majority of the votes cast in the election that is one more than fifty percent of the votes cast.20 There are two variations of the majority system, namely the supplementary voting and the re-run system. In the re-run system, if none of the candidates contesting the initial votes attains more than 50% of the votes cast, the electorate are given an opportunity to choose between the top two candidates through a second round of voting known as the ‘re-run’.Where a candidate manages 50 % plus one vote or more in the first round, a second round of voting will not be required. The supplementa ry voting system is much similar to a re-run because it also operates on the basis of elimination.21 In this scenario, the top two contenders would share the  second preferences of the remaining candidates. The candidate that emerges with most votes after the allocation of preference votes have been allocated is declared the winner.Examples of countries which use the majority system in presidential elections are France, Liberia and Zimbabwe. In the last election held in France, in February 2012, a total of ten presidential candidates contested the first round of polling with none of them reaching the 50% plus one required to claim an outright victory, the top two contenders, namely Francois hollande and the incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy contested the re-run. Hollande managed to garner 51,62% of the second round vote compared to Nicolas Sarkozy’s 48,38% to be declared President of France.The undeniable advantage of the majority system, is that unlike the plural system, it places power on a candidate who can garner support from the majority and not one elected on ethnic lines. This system effectively eliminates questions of legitimacy which is a major criticism of the plurality system. Proponents of the system like Besa, contend that the majority system operates in accordance with the tenets of democracy, where the majority rules.Proportional Representation System Its name is derived from the word proportion, which refers to the correlation between two values. This system treats the entire state as one constituency or provides for multimember constituencies. The purpose of this system is to ensure that all political parties are guaranteed a place in the legislatures. The system attempts to relate the allocation of seats as closely as possible to the distribution of votes. Under the proportional representation system, there are two variables namely the single transferrable vote and the party list system. The single transferrable vote emphasizes the personal rather than the territorial principle and provides for a candidate to obtain a quota of votes which is approximately the number of votes equal to the total votes cast divided by the number of seats to be filled.This system is applied in the United States of America for the Presidential election where a winning candidate is supposed to garner a certain number of electoral college votes to be declared the winner. With the party list system, it is practically impossible for one political party  to dominate the legislature because even the smaller parties participating in elections are allowed, through their representatives in the legislature to express their views. In addition, proportional representation is economical in that, in the case of an early vacating of mandate, the seat is taken by the next candidate on the list. In an event that the candidate list is exhausted, the seat remains vacant until the next general election. In this way, no efforts or expenses are incurred to con duct by-elections as is the case with a plurality system.However, the proportional representation system under the party list system does not concern itself with majority rule but only concerns itself with issues of participation of political parties in the process of governance, thus its widespread use in countries with two legislative chambers like the United States of America and its limited use in countries with a single legislative chamber. Besa observes that the party list system is not ideal for elections to the legislature of a country with a single chamber, but rather, proposes the establishment of a second chamber in the legislature for the system to be implemented in Zambia.We can therefore conclude that there is no electoral system which is totally good from every angle. Each system has its own advantages and drawbacks, which vary in magnitude on what function fulfilled by the electoral system is put to the fore. Some writers have propagated the use of a combination of e lectoral systems so as to advance democracy. Mulenga Besa, in his book, Constitution, Governance and Democracy suggests that for democracy to thrive in Zambia, a combination of the fifty percent plus one majority and the proportional representation system under the party list formula should be employed.For this to work he suggests a Fifty percent plus one system to elect the president and proportional representation to be used to elect members of the Legislature in a two chamber system. The discussion presented in this assignment made no pretence of comprehensiveness and the suppositions that that re affirm the idea that substantial democracy demands more than just the conducting of elections without choice or caricature of elections.For democracy to flourish, it requires the careful selection of the fairest and most efficient electoral system which should mainly ensure  the systematic and regular conduct of elections, the non-discriminatory allocation of votes and broadest possib le representation of all political parties. It also requires the sustainability of de-ethnicised political parties which are diligently involved in mobilizing popular support thereby linking the demands of all citizens in forming either a reasonably institutionalized government or convincingly effective opposition.