Prospects for the Future of Liberal Democracy in Libya

Following the death of the infamous former Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi former Libyan leader, a lot of debates and concerns have been raised worldwide about the future of the nation. A range of issues from social, economic, religious and political are being raised and the big question seems to be, what next? After years of authoritarian rule and with the ‘enemy’ finally out of the picture, the Libyan government faces different prospects for its development and in this essay I will be looking at different possibilities for the nation in relation to the promotion of liberal democracy.Currently under a transitional government, Libya stands the chance to embrace change and adopt what may be considered by some as positive western ideals. According to a Freedom house report â€Å"another country that endured decades of brutal misrule, Libya, now has the potential for significant gains thanks to the overthrow of al-Qadhafi. † (Puddington, 2012) Democracy has at no other time in history been knocking at the doors of many political regimes and with voices calling not only from foreigners but also from indigenous citizens it would be very hard to ignore the relevance that democracy plays in our modern day society.Over the past year especially, the world has witnessed many political resistance campaigns; what is now popularly referred to as the Arab Spring has flooded the news very often and one common outcry from these people is the need for change. One might wonder what fuelled this uprising from the people to demand new leadership, in my educate d opinion, decades of authoritarian rule, human rights abuses, oppression on opposition and the inability of people to speak freely amongst others have all led to this desire for change. Before delving into the prospects for democracy in Libya, I feel it will be essential to underline what democracy entails.Robert Dahl in his book ‘On democracy’ lists various desirable features of a dem ocratic society as follows: †¢Control of military and police by elected officials. †¢Democratic beliefs and political culture †¢No strong foreign control hostile to democracy †¢A modern market economy and society †¢Weak subcultural pluralism (Dahl, 2005) Based on this it is fair to say that liberal democracy demands the inclusion of people, it believes in equality and fairness and encourages the notion of two (or many) heads being better than one.However it is also true that democracy is not the only route for stability, in reality â€Å"the highest risk of political crisis lies in the middle ground between authoritarianism and democracy† (Goldstone, 2005) I believe a democratic and representative government can be attainable in Libya despite being broken into various sects for close to fifty years. Both pro and anti Qaddafi forces can push Libya forward but as to whether this will mature fully into a liberal democracy is tricky. The prospects for Lib ya would look bleak especially when considered from the perspective of historical precedents.In the Libyan case, several factors cement this view. To begin with, Libya is a society filled with many different tribes. From what might be considered extreme Islamists, to the more moderate ones, to the presence of Christians and then other religious and secular divisions the presence of diversity in terms of culture or beliefs could either hinder or promote liberal democracy. In other parts of the continent, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, this situation has been witnessed before but â€Å"among the most important lessons to emerge is the importance of avoiding factionalism. (Goldstone, 2005) Take Rwanda for example, where Hutu’s and Tutsi rebels have shed blood over conflicting tribalistic views. In places where there is a vast difference in opinions, quite often people tend to disagree rather than agree and in order for democracy to prevail it is mandatory that people learn to compromise and agree for the better of the people. In the eastern part of the nation, we can find the current ruling rebels and in the West where Sirte is located there is a stronger presence of pro Qaddafi forces or loyalists. In order for democracy to take place it will take a combined effort from the North to South and East to West.A scholar who has engaged in different studies of transitional governments, Professor Michael Greig made several observations on the Libyan scenario, he bases his conclusions from his studies on transitions over the last 170 years of history and notes that the more diverse a society is, the less stable new regimes tend to be. (Coleman, 2011)With the murder of the former leader, the fear for this transition to be peaceful of fairly smooth is that loyalists might try to hold reprisal attacks, there could be various terror attacks even on innocent victims and militants, leaders, or officials under the former regime might strongly esist cooperating with t he new government and this will undermine attempts to achieve a sound and stable democratic environment. Should this occur, it could lead to an indefinite civil war and the country which already seems to be broken down into various fragments could end up losing more lives, it could also deter foreign investment and trade and regardless of the large oil reserve the country has, it could still have serious economic implications such as higher inflation rates.On the political front also, as to how confident citizens are in the government and how effect institutions being put in place will benefit the nation, only time will tell. Indeed Libyans have been shown a glimmer of hope since the death of their former leader however can they be guaranteed that another Qaddafi will not surface? â€Å"And while Libya has benefited greatly from the demise of the Qadhafi dictatorship, the country confronts an array of daunting political and security challenges, and has yet to hold its first electio ns†. Puddington, 2012)The Libyan people understandably seem to have trust issues in their new government and with this lack of trust, the people might not be too welcoming to the new rules or laws that might be put in place. Should they not have faith in the new government for too long they could be a coup d’Etat or some other form of uprising. Unrest could take place and this could just mean that democracy will fail yet again. Furthermore, there are serious doubts about how women, former members of the Qaddafi government and minorities will fare in the new order.The role of women is essential in achieving a liberal democracy. Women can be instrumental in broadening the parameters of democratic participation. They can challenge and sensitize others about the preconceived notions of what Islam can entail in a liberal democracy. For example, in Turkey, women activists achieved this to within the Islamist Refah (Welfare) Party. Libya has no democratic role models in the Ar ab world from whom to seek mentorship.One main factor that the people of Libya have going in their favour is the fact that when they finally decided to come out and rebel against their long term leader they were not influenced by the western nations or the international community as a whole. The effort was undoubtedly from within the very borders of the country and throughout the country there were many cries which eventually fell unto the ears of the international community. The freedom house report confirms this by stating â€Å"America’s firmness in assisting NATO’s Libyan campaign was an important step.After initial hesitation, the administration has also cautiously supported the process of building democratic systems in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. † (Puddington 2012) The Libyans did indeed capture and kill Muammar Qaddafi with the help of NATO forces however they initially started the movement and asked for help to take power away from Qaddafi. The significa nce of this is that there are dependency theorists for example who believe that the western world continues to infiltrate third world nations and prevents them from standing on their own but in this particular case that can be debunked.The issue of neocolonialism at least at the time that the uprising in Libya took place was arguably not present or wasn’t the main driving force and this means that the people of Libya do indeed have a voice of their own and will not be coerced into making policies or vital decisions presented to them by countries like the United Kingdom and United States of America. Liberal democracy therefore can eventually be introduced and maintained in a society like this where the people have a voice and do what they believe and agree together is best rather than allowing external forces to impose laws on them.Another positive factor about Libya which should well favour the nation is that due to its large oil reserves and the fact that they are a major ex porter of oil to different parts of the world, they have a more attractive economy as compared to others in the Arab spring. It is common for nations to establish and develop their political and democratic institutions before any significant change is seen in the economy, however the presence of an already good and healthy economy makes it fairly easier for the presence of democracy.The important thing here would be to have competent people in government to take key and important decisions and also to manage the resources of the nation well. When this is done and the citizens see an even better improvement in the economy it will build their confidence in the government and promote more civilian participation (a very important feature for liberal democracy). With higher literacy rates than other African nations (Puddington, 2012) and with the introduction of new laws for the land Libya in the future can definitely be a success story.To reiterate what has been mentioned above in this essay there is a fair possibility of the existence of a liberal democracy in Libya. It is important to note that â€Å"remarkably, after several years of assembling and sifting data , the panel found that economic , ethnic , and regional effect shave only a modest impact on a country’s risk of political instability. Rather, stability is overwhelmingly determined by a country’s patterns of political competition and political authority. (Goldstone, 2005). Although Libya is a country that is divided along tribal lines, it also has a good educated population and a decent economic growth. Research has shown that economic, regional and ethnic effects only have a modest effect on a country’s risk of political instability and â€Å"clearly, what â€Å"works† in establishing a stable democracy is moving toward a political system with completely open and fully competitive parties that maintains strong checks on executive authority. (Goldstone, 2005) Stability is hugely determined by the prevailing patterns of political authority and competition. The key to maintaining stability lies in the following 1. making democratic institutions that promote open and fair competition 2. Avoiding political polarization and factionalism 3. Imposing substantial measures against abuse of executive power Furthermore, wealth and few or no communal tensions help, but a country does not need wealth or a homogenous population to achieve stability.The fact of Libya having a well educated population also aids in its capability for liberal democracy. Educated people tend to hold liberal views and be more tolerant of divergent views. In the case of Libya, there exist factors that are in its favour in terms of achieving a liberal democracy. In addition, its oil reserves and a wealthy treasury are assets that can be used to build democratic institutions and improve capacity building in its current institutions. The enactment of laws that curb excesses by the executive will be huge boost in this direction.Thus, the prospects of democracy in Libya are not so bleak when considering its wealthy treasury and its small and talented population which have proven that they possess a voice to speak out for the promotion of a good agenda in Libya. Unlike poorer countries who may have to seek external funding to support their democratic initiatives, it need not do so. It has the necessary capital to start a wide range of socio-economic programs aimed towards a liberal democracy.For now, the rebel leaders seem to be receiving acceptable levels of support from the populace and this among other factors serve as crucial pointers that the prospects of a liberal democratic Libya are real. To conclude, we deduce from the above highlighted points that democratic development in Libya is faced with numerous challenges, political and economic, internal and external of long year’s authoritarian regimes, coupled with bad governance, fear of mismanagement of accum ulated capital and mass participation, non-conducive investor atmosphere and a shield from the West.At a minimum, the core elements of developing political democracy are: A strong, pluralistic civil society independent of state control and able to hold government accountable; Regular and effective mechanisms to choose and to change representatives, governments, and policies by non-violent means; wide dispersion of economic resources and state commitment to broadly distributed human development; The rule of law incorporating the principles of the supremacy of the law, equality before the law, and the impartial and fair administration of the law; Strong institutions and an international environment which supports, or at least not harmful to, the above element. This is what Africa and other emerging liberal democracies need in achieving political and economic development of this ‘new world order’ regime.

Paul’s Rhetoric at Mars Hill

Verses 16 and 17 of the passage that the speaker here is the Apostle Paul. He had been caught in this rhetoric with some Jews and devout persons whose background the Bible is silent and provides no elaboration [Verse 17]. According to Verse 18, there were also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. While the Jews follow Judaism as their religion and uphold belief in a coming Messiah, their religion traditionally emphasizes ethical conduct and the treatment of others as one would for one's self.Jewish law is based on the Torah, which essentially s the Five Books of Moses. On the contrary, the Epicureans were rivaled by the Stoics. The Stoics upheld a philosophy that life was about living in harmony with Nature. They encouraged self- control and saw courage as a means of monopolizing harmful emotions. Again, while the Jewish religion has thrived over the years, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophies faded out around the Third Century. It was wealth these deleting religious and philosophi cal backgrounds that the Apostle Paul had to address his audiences.Theirs was both a religious and heathen culture which one could identify more as a Gentile environment that knew nothing about the new faith the Apostle was trying to portray. Hence, his attempt to present what he believed in was met with hostility. To them it was a new teaching that they considered strange ideas as stated in Verse 18. It is obvious that, although a heathen society, it was equally religious as would be found in every human society. They knew about gods. In Verse 18, it is reported that, some of the people confronting the Apostle said that he seemed to be advocating foreign gods.Paul was definitely aware of their false religious beliefs. He capitalized on this when he addressed them. For when he was brought before the Reappears he told the people of Athens that he could see that they were very religious. He mentioned in Verses 23, 24 that as he walked around and looked carefully at their objects of wo rship, he even found an altar with the inscription. That to the Apostle meant that they were not ignorant of the very things they worshipped. Cleverly, he informed them that it was exactly what he was going to proclaim to them.Having opened up like this, it was apparent that the Apostle caught their attention and then charged on with his presentation of the Gospel. Essentially, the Apostle wanted to let them know that there was no hope of salvation for them In the gods In whom they had chosen to put their trust. Those were Just false gods that had no power to deliver them. In the end, the Apostle's persuasion became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysus, a member of the Reappears, also a woman named Dammars, and a number of others.

A) The definition of purchasing and supply management and the Essay

A) The definition of purchasing and supply management and the importance to the business world - Essay Example All the activities carried out under purchasing and supply management, call for cost-effectiveness. Individuals assigned the tasks of purchasing and supply management have to apply tactics and strategies when selecting suppliers and negotiating prices. This paper provides a discussion of purchasing and supply management. The discussion includes the importance of purchasing and supply to the business world, steps in creating project supply, service, and material budget, selecting suppliers, strategies for negotiating prices and costs of outsourcing. The paper concludes by evaluating organizations that are benchmark in purchasing and supply management. Purchasing entails acquiring goods and services necessary for the organization’s day to day operation or manufacturing of products. Supply management, also referred to as supply chain management is the process employed by organizations with the objective of having a cost-effective and efficient supply chain. In commerce, through purchasing, industries and public corporations procure raw materials, supplies and services. The important processes included in purchasing are identifying the needs, selecting the supplier, negotiating appropriate price, reviewing the terms and conditions, issuing the order or contract, and finally, follow up on the delivery. Basically, purchasing is centered on the task of ensuring that materials or products, which are of right quantity, quality and price are obtained from the selected supplier at the right time and place. Purchasing is done either for resale by retailers and wholesalers or for transformation that is industrial purchasing (Benton, 2 006). A supply chain in most cases comprises five important stages, which are plan, develop, make, deliver and lastly return. In supply chain management, the first stage, known as a plan is to determine how goods and services will satisfy customers’ requirements and needs. Develop, as the

Electoral capture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electoral capture - Essay Example Frymer states that the ideas of electoral capture is a phenomenon where a topical and relevant group of citizens confidently votes for a certain leader and supports one of the key political parties, and thus realize the majority opposition party noticing little or no attempts to recruit or get any support from the group. This practice occurs for a long time because of ideological and historical reasons (Frymer 24). With time, the group will support a specific party. Electoral capture is especially applied in instances when a certain group has no other option apart from remaining with the political party it is associated with, since the opposing party has no or little interest in winning the group's support. In this sense therefore, the party with the majority that has been backed takes it for granted that the group voted for it. Thus, the "captured" voters are politically trapped and their issues are done away with, on both sides of the coin. Baatels's arguments become consistent with Frymer's theory at some point. Bartels found that, the poor do better in times when Democrats are in power though neither of the parties represents them as expected. It is logical to argue that, Frymer's findings have changed since in the election of Obama. During Bill Clinton's times, the Blacks felt neglected on several spectrums by the Democrats. However, with Obama's election, there has been a tremendous change in diversity in America. The Latino population has risen for more than 50%., as well as a noticeable expansion in the Pacific/Asian population, which are some of the minority groups. This means that ultimately, the candidates will appeal to such marginalized groups of voters. Eventually, legislators' representation to citizens, there is a big number of the rich, white men in power, but critically thinking, this does not show their constituents' dynamism in wealth, race, or class, and when such an idea is brought into light, the i nadequacy of diverse representation is blown off as political correctness ramblings. To suggest that the unequal consideration is true and taking effect and that misrepresentation is evident between the legislatures and the citizens being represented is indeed correct. Maligning such a reality is diminutive, and does not address the issue that maybe legislators fail to understand their constituents, and simply take their votes for

Animation film of Madagascar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Animation film of Madagascar - Essay Example According to most producers and directors, it takes 3-5 years to come up with a well-furnished animated film. The first step in the making process of an animated movie is writing a script. Concept is the key factor in this step. In the script, writers, producers and directors mix their original ideas with ideas inspired by a wide range of sources that include comic strips and children’s book. A script is then written once the writers, producers and directors settle on an idea. The second phase is passing the already made script to the storyboard artistes. Storyboard artistes imagine how the words in the script would translate into pictures and actions by making a series of sketches in the form of a comic book with an aim of not only telling the story but also bringing the story to life. The drawings are then digitally photographed and strung together to create a story reel (a flipbook that allows you to see how drawings flow together) upon the approval of the producers and directors of Madagascar concerning the series of sketches. The story reel is then combined with temporary sound, music and dialogue and the producers and directors work with this combination for about eighteen months. The next step is planning the look of the Madagascar film, which is done by the department of visual development. The visual development department develops the overall artistic technique to each succession, tone, style and color. This stage also marks the designing of everything ranging from the key characters to the smallest of props by employing multiple paintings, blueprints, sculptures, drawings and models. The end product at this stage is the design of characters and a fantasy world to tell the story, courtesy of development artistes. The features of Madagascar film are produced in stereoscopic 3D.This new visual format offers an outstanding experience that is similar to the color advent and later, sound in the history of cinema. This advanced technology has

The Bottom Billion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Bottom Billion - Essay Example Collier writes that ‘the countries at the bottom coexist with the 21st century, but their reality is the 14th century: civil war, plague, ignorance’. Collier has studied for decades about the countries, their struggles and their efforts to escape poverty. He wrote the book with a compilation of a lifetime’s findings and technical research. The book focuses on the billions of people who are facing problems because of the never ending poverty (Quinn 1). In this book, Collier has based his research on the hard-headed analysis of the cost-benefits rather than emotional aspects or post colonial guilt. He has talked with facts and the calculations for instance the cost of the badly governed diminishing state and its neighbours is the loss of the economic growth of about $100bn. In this situation, it seems like a bargain to spend a few million dollars on skilled administrators for government support, infrastructure projects and sending troops to put down rebellions. Collier’s findings have overturned the persistent myths about the failure that Africa is facing for decades. He finds that the history of failure and civil wars is not because of the poor politicians or restless populace, but because of poverty. So he states that all countries that are poor and low income face about 14 per cent chances of entering in a civil war during a five year period. Collier writes that the young men who are recruited by the rebel armies are cheap in an environment of immense poverty. Hence, joining the rebel movements give these young men a minor chance of riches (Collier 57). The four poverty traps described in the book includes conflict as the first. Conflict is a trap which cannot be escaped without the help of global aid and support. Other three traps are landlocked with bad or poor neighbours, natural resources abundant and bad governance. Example is that of Switzerland which is landlocked but its neighbours Germany and Italy have giant markets and they are able to sell their goods to rich consumers, whereas Uganda is landlocked but it has neighbours such as Sudan and Somalia that are failed states. Abundant natural resources mean economic boon but in poor countries, these resources mean encouragement for corrupt politicians to snatch power and make economies vulnerable whether it is the oil discovery, copper or diamonds (Saucier 2). Bad governance is a trap which can be seen in Africa and because of which Africa has become disreputable. Countries that are not landlocked and are on the coast can be lucky with the large workforce and for them governance wouldn’t matter much. If the state doesn’t come in the way, growth from exports can take off. However, for countries that are landlocked, the economy is dependent on air-flows or on the revenues from natural resources hence governance is critical. In such countries if bad governance is present, the country can continue to fail. Collier has given the example of Chad where the cash that has to be spent on government healthcare sector, is disappeared even before it reaches the hospitals. This book overall addresses the poorest billion people in the world, most of who are in Africa. Collier has analyzed about 58 countries in this world that harbour the poorest people. The four traps are what cause the poverty to increase and the nations to fail. These traps cause the divergence of these countries from the rest of the world. These countries are failing since

Presentation Essentials Mary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentation Essentials Mary - Essay Example In every country, there are laws that govern the relationship between employees and employers including reporting mechanisms and channels. This paper seeks to compare the rights of employees and responsibilities of employers in the United States and Europe in relation to Mary’s case study. In the United States, employees are subjected to things like, benefits, breaks, vacations, leaves, pay, and safety. These elements stabilize employees in any given company. The employment law in the United States requires that employees be given equal opportunities without any form of discrimination. This makes employees feel protected and safe in the workplace. Employees also enjoy freedom of expression. This ensures that the opinions and ideas are considered so as to keep the company activities moving smoothly and fairly (David, 2010). Employees and employers are obligated to one another to uphold each other’s rights. The responsibilities and rights of employers and employees respec tively relate to such things as the provision of employment terms and conditions, health and safety, rights to minimum wage, and equal opportunities. ... These bodies also set number of hours that employees are expected to work in a week. The form of relationship existing between employers and employees in United States is that of master to servant, employees are obligated to recognize their employer’s authority. However, employers also have the responsibility to protect their employees and treat them fairly as dictated by employment. Some of the obligations that both employers and employees are expected to observe towards each other include: regard and respect, health and safety, working hours and pay, loyalty, and fairness. Therefore employees should feel respected, honored and valued by their employers. On the other hand, employers are expecting their employees to work and perform their duties as stipulated in the terms and conditions of the job description. On the other hand, Europe has labor laws and regulations that determine the rights of employees and responsibilities of employers in the European countries. The European employment law governs employment in terms of working conditions, health and safety, and consulting and informing employees. The rights of employees and responsibilities of employers are very important in the European nations. They uphold laws of minimum wage, disability, pensions, work opportunities, medical insurance, and retirements. This is similar to the United States which plays a significant part in the process of hiring. Some employment specific laws that are common to Europe and the United States include the following: Anti-discrimination Working time and employment contract Equal treatment of all employees at workplace Protection of personal data Informing and consulting employees Social security and right to pension Fixed, part, and posted workers Parental leave and

Pacific Settlement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Pacific Settlement - Essay Example The concept of Orientalism was introduced by Edward Said where the West was considered as the developed one and they were referred as the accident. The non-Europeans were considered as orients, who were traditional in nature and lacked capital-centric approach. It has been argued that institutions like the census, map, and museum play a big role in shaping the dominion of the colonial state. It included â€Å"nature of the human beings ruled, the geography of its domain, and the legitimacy of its ancestry†. While analyzing the concept of the formation of the nation-state, one first needs to understand the meaning of a nation. A nation is defined as an imagined state. The nation is imagined to be limited or finite in spite of having large areas and it is a community in the sense that even if there is exploitation, the nation is also perceived as an emblem of deep â€Å"comradeship†. The nation is also imagined to be limited. This is so because even if a country is large in size with a billion populations still its boundary is finite as beyond that there are other nations. The concept of Orientalism can be used to trace the origin of the Pacific islands. The contact between the Europeans and the Pacific islands, in fact, gave birth to the concept of nations and nation states. One can even notice that the Pacific islands had a considerable â€Å"intellectual influence† on the Westerners. This was seen even though the relative size of the islands was small and they lacked resources compared to the western countries.... The non Europeans were considered as orients, who were traditional in nature and lacked capital centric approach (Said, 1-3). It has been argued that institutions like the census, map, and museum play a big role in shaping the dominion of the colonial state. It included â€Å"nature of the human beings ruled, geography of its domain, and the legitimacy of its ancestry† (Benedict, 163-164). While analyzing the concept of the formation of nation state, one first needs to understand the meaning of a nation. A nation is defined as an imagined state. The nation is imagined to be limited or finite in spite of having large areas and it is a community in the sense that even if there is exploitation, the nation is also perceived as an emblem of deep â€Å"comradeship†. The nation is also imagined to be limited. This is so because even if a country is large in size with a billion populations still its boundary is finite as beyond that there are other nations (Benedict, 6-7). The concept of orientalism can be used to trace the origin of the Pacific islands. The contact between the Europeans and the Pacific islands in fact gave birth to the concept of nations and nation states. One can even notice that the Pacific islands had a considerable â€Å"intellectual influence† on the Westerners. This was seen even though the relative size of the islands was small and they lacked resources compared to the western countries. In fact the Europeans though for a brief moment was compelled to admit after the discovery of Tahiti in 1760s that their life was better than many Europeans. The people of Tahiti had in fact proved the myth of â€Å"noble savage† true to the Europeans. (Lansdown, 5-13). COLONIALISM, NATIONALISM, AND

Qualities of Good Teachers Essay Example for Free

Qualities of Good Teachers Essay There are many internet sources that post lists of qualities that all great teachers should possess. These lists range from 10-15 characteristics, but I believe that they can be summed into a love for children, not only a firm knowledge in their content area but passion as well, and that they take the time to get to know their students by developing a healthy student-teacher relationship. In his book Qualities of an Effective Teacher, James Stronge subcategorizes qualities into the teacher as a person, as an individual, and he lists specific qualities that show caring and responsibility for students. However, I believe what it really boils down to is a joy of being around students and a love for the job. If a teacher genuinely loves children, he or she will do whatever necessary to help that child succeed, including planning, mentoring, differentiated teaching, etc. Harry Wong states in The First Days of School that the students are going to want to know the teacher as a person and if the teacher will treat them with respect. Therefore, effective teachers will take the time to show the students respect and involve them in their own learning process. I don’t think that there is a difference between good and effective. I think that is just a matter of semantics. Of course we might be able to specify a good teacher is one who has a joy and gets the students motivated to learn while an effective teacher is one who performs the preparation tasks well: good planning, classroom management, monitors student progress. However, I think that if a teacher has such a joy for teaching and is enthusiastic, he or she will want to be effective as well and keep good records and plans, etc. The same is true for those teachers who are great at the behind-the-scenes tasks. If someone is so well-prepared, why wouldn’t he have enthusiasm and be able to motivate the students? Therefore, I believe separating these two words is impossible, for all good teachers are effective and vice versa.

Social Security Policy In Hong Kong Social Work Essay

Social Security Policy In Hong Kong Social Work Essay Welfare services are significant elements in a society, which welfare should provide, to what extent the welfare can be provided and how to provide may vary among different society. There are some models help us to understand the factors affecting the welfare system such as the Residual Welfare Model and the East Asian Welfare Model. We will examine whether Hong Kong a typical example of these two models by analyzing the social welfare policies. Social welfare refers to the well-being or betterment for individuals through direct benefits, services or disposable income (Wong, 2010). According to Ronald B. Dear, Social policies are those principles, procedures, and courses of action established in statute, administrative code, and agency regulation that affect peoples social well-being. Social Welfare Policies are some sort of these social policies. They may be thought of as those policies that affect the distribution of resources Richan (1988). In the following analysis, we will 5 main kinds of welfare policies which are housing, education health care, social care and social security to illustrate whether Hong Kong a typical example of both the East Asian Welfare Model and Residual Welfare Model or not. There are various characteristics of the Residual Welfare Model, the individual characteristics, economic characteristics and the characteristics of government and state. For the individual characteristics, people are recognized to be self-independent, self-interested and self-responsible. For the economic characteristics, laissez fair economy and the invisible hand are upheld since people believes that market can solve the social problems and to maintain the well- being of the society. The government and state are the major providers of social welfare and control to what extent the welfare can be provided. Under RWM, the government and state should not over burden itself with social welfare/ services and interfere with individual right and interests. Therefore, only the basic welfare should be provided i.e. law and order, defense, transport and communication infra- structure. Welfare seems as residual, temporary and substitutes of the normal structure of supply which means the family and the market economy. Only when the normal structure of supply breaks down, social welfare and services should be provided. In order to avoid the reliance on the welfare system, some of the welfare/ services may come with the stigma of dole or charity element. The poor is the major group of people to receipt welfare and they always recognized as the incompetent second class members of society. To ensure the welfare can be provided to the people in need, welfare will always have selec tivity. The most common method is by means test. According the Mishra, the main features show that a minimal government or state is preferred. The government just wants to provide welfare for the paupers and poor which is just minority group of the society. The services provided are just serving the basic need for them and range of statutory services is limited. Combining all these elements, welfare is just a safety net, confined to those who are unable to manage otherwise. Main features Residual 1. State responsibility in meeting needs (ideology of state intervention) Minimal 2. Need-based distribution as a value (ideology of distribution) Marginal 3. Range of statutory services Limited 4. Population covered by statutory services Minority 5. Level of benefits Low 6. Proportion of national income spent on state service Low 7. Use of means test Primary 8. Nature of clients Paupers/ the poor 9. Status of clients Low 10.Orientation of the service Coercive 11. Role of non-statutory agencies in welfare Primary Fig.1, The main features of Residual Welfare Model, (Mishra, 1984) Whether Hong Kong a typical example of Residual Welfare Model? We used the 5 main kinds of social welfare policies in Hong Kong to illustrate Hong Kong is adopting the RWM or not. Education Hong Kong provided different schemes for people to pay for their education fee. One of the education subsidy schemes is Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme. Government will subsidize the parents to meet towards school fees for pre-primary education of their children in the form of Pre-primary Education Vouchers. In addition, Hong Kong government announced 12 years of free education in Policy Address 2009-2010. It provides 12 years compulsory free education to children. For the Tertiary students, Tertiary Student Finance Scheme was released. Government provided larger amount of subsidies to tertiary students. The total amount of grant paid by government is $621.93 million in 2009-10. Fig.2, Publicly-funded Programmes Summary of Statistics The Continuing Education Fund (CEF) subsidizes adults who willing to pursue continuing education and training courses. Adequate applicants will be refunded 80% of their fees, a maximum sum of HK$10,000. Apparently, government pays effort on the education policies and the population covered is really broad. Health Care For the Clinics part, 70 % of primary consultations take place in private sector while others take place in government funded clinics. Moreover, there are 41 public hospitals in Hong Kong. However, there are only 12 private hospitals. And the Hong Kongs 12 private hospitals provide a total of 2794 beds. It less than 10% into the number of hospital beds in Hong Kong. Furthermore, in Healthcare Reform (2009-2010 Policy Address), government decided to increase the healthcare expenditure from 15% of the Governments recurrent expenditure to 17% by 2012. The strategy of healthcare reform reflects the governments direction of healthcare in the follow few years will still highly intervene in the healthcare services. All of these healthcare policies show that government has a quite high level of intervention and these services are open to all the Hong Kong residents without any selectivity. As a result, the health care does not match to the principles of residual welfare model. Housing Government also had launched lot of policies about housing. There are about 710  000 public rental housing in the Housing Authoritys portfolio, housing about two million people. Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) was introduced in 1997 to enable at least 250  000 families living in public rental housing to buy their flats at an affordable price which is lower than the market price. Besides, Home ownership schemes (HOS) is another ownership scheme. It is designed to assist residents to buy their own flats and HOS flats are subsidized public housing. It is easily to find that government had interfered a lot in the housing supply. The population covered not just focus on the minority. Therefore, it differs from the principles of residual welfare model. Social Care In the field of social care, it provides a wide range of services taking care of the elderly, children, young people, disabilities, the victims of domestic violence, etc. This is quite different from the RWM since the population covered is large. The most common method adopted by the HK Government to provide the welfare services is to form partnership with non-government organizations. The government give a Lump Sum Grant to the NGOs and they provide the services to those in need. The expense on the Social Welfare Organization occupied the third large proportion of the total expense on welfare in Hong Kong. Fig.3, The expense of the social services organization Social Security Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme The characteristics on providing services on social security seem more close to the RWM. The aim of social security is to provide for the basic and special needs of the members of the community who are in need of financial or material assistance (Social Welfare Department, 2008). It is a short- time help. CSSA is a safety net for those who cannot support themselves financially and bring their income up to a prescribed level to meet their basic needs (Social Welfare Department, 2008). The old age, single parent and unemployment are the three major groups of people of to apply CSSA (Statistics on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme 1998-2008, 2009). In order to select the most needed, people apply for CSSA should go through the financial tests. They need to pass the income and assets tests. Office interview and home visit will conduct to investigate and verify the applicants circumstances and information provided. Since this is a short-time help, the government do not want people rely on it, there is some special arrangement for those aged 15-59 in normal health to actively seek full-time jobs and participate in the Support for Self-reliance Scheme of the Department (Social Welfare Department, 2008). Sub-conclusion In the 5 main kinds of social policies, only the social security seems to be the typical example of residual welfare model. Social security just provides short-term help and to fulfill the basic needs of the recipients. Moreover, a series and comprehensive investigation and financial test are needed. And the CSSA may cause the Stigmatization. People may have bias on those CSSA recipients. Besides Government pays effort to teach and encourage the recipient to work in other to leave the safety net. In this sense, it conforms to the principle of residual welfare model. On the other hand, the other four categories of social welfare policies are not much like the residual welfare model. They are more like universal benefits and services having no or less selectivity, because benefits available to everyone. Those policies not only provide basic needs of individual but also to improve the quality of life, cultivate the citizens, and so on. Therefore, the expenditure on welfare keeps increasing. Thus, Hong Kong is not a typical example of residual welfare model. The East Asian Welfare Model (the EAWM) Definition There is another model related to social welfare policy which is the East Asian Welfare Model. It shares the Confucian ethics and value emphasizing on education, strong family relations, benevolent paternalism, social harmony, discipline, respect for tradition and strong work ethic. To determine whether Hong Kong is a typical example of The East Asian Welfare Model, we can see if it matches the elements of the model. Dominated on economic concerns In the EAWM, welfare policies are dominated on economic concerns in order to improve the productivity of labour force and provide strong working incentive. As it aims to help increasing the productivity of an economy, it is also called as a productivist social policy. Hong Kong does match this element. There is a concept of from welfare to workin Hong Kong. When more people have their own jobs, the numbers of CSSA recipients will decreases and the productivity of an economy will be increased too. Targeted employment assistance for various CSSA Recipients In Hong Kong, the government targets employment assistance for various CSSA recipients. For example, the Three trial Enhanced Community Work Projects which includes training elements in 2005 to 2006 were aimed to enhance the employability of participants. Up to October in 2006, there were 145 Intensive Employment Assistance Projects which provided intensive employment assistance services to unemployed CSSA recipients. Hong Kong government also supports for Self-reliance Scheme (SFS) that encourages and assists employable recipients to take up paid employment so as to make them to become self-reliant. This scheme includes Active Employment Assistance programme and Community Work programme. They aimed to help people finding jobs and thus increase the productivity of Hong Kong. Regulator rather than provider The Hong government acts as a regulator of welfare policy rather than a provider in EAWM. Hong Kong matches this element since Hong Kong government contracts out the services by giving funds to different organizations and asks them to provide welfare services for it. For example, it provides funds to The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council to build Family Crisis Support Centres in order to tackle family crisis. It also gives funds to Po Leung Kuk and Childtime International Nursery Limited to build up child care centre so as to provide child care services. It gives funds to St. James Settlement and Hong Kong Society for the Aged to provide elderly services such as building up Elderly Community Centres. Way to maintain social stability and legitimacy In the EAWM, welfare has been seen and used as a key element to maintain social stability, to get the legitimacy of governments which lacked democratic legitimacy and to ameliorate grievances. Hong Kong matches this element. In Hong Kong, the Chief Executive and government officials are not elected by universal suffrage. With less legitimacy, welfare service becomes one of the tactics to pacify the grievances and to maintain social stability. Welfares can keep social stability as when peoples needs have been satisfied, they are expected not to commit crimes. Hong Kong government does do a lot to give financial assistance to the poor. For example, CSSA Scheme gives financial assistance to those who cannot support themselves. Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme provides monthly allowance to Hong Kong residents who are severely disabled or 65 years old or above. It shows that Hong Kong government uses welfare as a tool to maintain social stability, and so as to retain the legitimacy of the government. Low social welfare expenditure Hong Kong Government expenditure on social welfare is low compared with the Western countries. The welfare expenditure (% of GDP) of some western countries is above 20%, some are up to 29%. In Hong Kong, the welfare expenditure (% of GDP) is around 8% due to the low tax rate and the reliance on the market and the family to provide welfare. Hostile to the idea of welfare state Hong Kong is also hostile to the idea of welfare state. In the welfare states, the tax rate is high such as the corporate tax rate is 25% and the personal tax is up to 58% in Denmark. The high tax can support rate of large welfare expenditure. Welfare states provide comprehensive coverage of welfare including old-age pensions, unemployment benefits health and childcare services. The welfare is also very favourable since is more than the basic needs. In Sweden, the unemployed will receive 80 percent of his or her normal income under the unemployment benefits. However, in Hong Kong, the tax rates are extremely low compared with the OECD standards. The corporation tax rate is 17.5% and personal tax rate is only 16%, around 1/3 of the OECD standard. Hong Kong is one of the places with the lowest tax rates, named as tax haven. The low tax rates encourage competition i.e. the harder you work and more you gain. In the White Paper Social Welfare into the 1990s, government stated that it worked hard to improve the dependency culture and remind the citizens incentive to work and undermines the productive engine of the economy. It is to encourage self- independence and responsibility. Significant role of the family The family plays a significant role in Hong Kong social welfare. Hong Kong is influenced by the traditional Confucian culture which is family oriented. The role of family is measured not just by its affluence but also by its core values, the kindness, caring for others and mutual support. The family members support and look after each other. The number of elderly living with their son is higher than that in Western countries. The Government policies also promote the family values to lighten the dependency on social welfare system. Under Hong Kong tax system, allowances are given to the taxpayers who taking care of their children, parents and grandparents. It is to encourage family members to look after the youth and the elderly. Besides, the Public housing allocation policy will give special consideration to the family with elderly. The housing policy is family oriented. In the Policy Address 2009-2010, CE suggested to set up a Happy Family Info Hub to promote family core values, and to introduce family education as well as support services for the family. (Policy Address 2009-2010) Piecemeal, pragmatic and ad hoc welfare development Welfare development in Hong Kong is piecemeal, pragmatic and ad hoc. There is no comprehensive long term development plans on social  welfare, for example, the public housing policy in 50s, the aims of the policy is to settle the fire victims of Shek Kei Mei squatter areas. Besides, The Government legitimacy is shattered in the 67 riot. After that, Government started the social security policy including public assistance scheme, old age and disability allowances in the early 70s. The aims of the social security policy are to deal with critical issues and maintain society stability. Social welfare policies are reactive measures to address ad hoc issues without long term planning. Conclusion In conclusion, only social security policy in Hong Kong fit the Residual Welfare Model but other policies such as housing, education, health care and social care do not fit the model. On the other hand, the social welfare systems in Hong Kong fit most of the elements of The East Asian Welfare Model. Therefore, we do not agree that Hong Kong is a typical example of both models since it is not a typical example of the Residual Welfare Model but a typical example of the East Asian Welfare Model.

My Personal Teaching Philosophy Education Essay

My Personal Teaching Philosophy Education Essay Teaching. Teaching is a delivery of knowledge and giving impact on the next generation. In terms of teaching, I will discuss my roles as a teacher and a learner, narrate clearly about my teaching styles that I used to and will intend to apply. Relevant examples are given to cover the importance of the effectiveness of my teaching style as well as its downside. My teaching style is dominated by two preeminent styles: all-round flexible and adaptable teacher and big conference teacher. 1 These results are in line with what I have experienced. Currently, I lecture both theoretical and practical medical subjects. In small groups, I teach Problem-Based Learning (PBL) for theoretical subjects and Skills Laboratory as practical one. Whereas in large classes, I assist one of the lectures in Elective Block. As a medical teacher, I maintain my teaching roles as: 1. Motivator Dreams need a helping hand. As a teacher, I feel responsible to motivate learners. I energize students spirit when they fail, guide and coach them in achieving their dreams. Students should be given an understanding that no goals can be achieved without putting any efforts. Conversely, learning is built with frequent exposure and practising.2 2. Mentor As a mentor, I am alert to students aptitude and learning styles. This allows me to nurture their development and heighten their enthusiasm. To do this, I use inspiring quotations to pump out the students mood. Consequently, not only they enjoy the class, but also love the lessons. Quality time, a form of dedication, is highly important for both of us. 3 3. Role model Our words and actions create our own world. This motto keeps me to provide positive reinforcement for students continually. As a role model, I realize that there is a hidden curriculum that I have to nourish in students performance, particularly: attitude, communication skills, and social awareness. I do hope that my words and actions can inspire students to value other peoples lives, including patients lives. Encouraging learners to see all subjects holistically is equally important, thereby they will have a capability in making wise decision as junior doctors. 3 Learning. Based on educational theory, I found out that I am a Reflector and Pragmatist learner.4 This questionnaire enriched my previous perspective as a visual learner. I realize that being a constructivist learner also impacts my teaching methods. When I teach, for instance, I frequently provide examples and illustration, then relate them to my live experiences. 4-6 By sharing my experiences, I hope that learners compare them to their experiences. Classroom Effectiveness. I use various methods of teaching. This helps students to get accustomed to working collaboratively as a clinical team later. I love using dynamic and interactive methods, including: discussions, activities, games, field trip, and role play. When I teach, for instance, I form the class into small groups, present a few questions, then let them brainstorm. I structure my teaching for not more than two hours by imposing recess in the middle. The aim of this is to create an alive and conducive learning atmosphere, either in PBL or small group discussion. With good organization, I set aside my time prior to lectures to adjust materials and sequence appropriate with the time allocation. To facilitate, I provide up-to-date material, innovative teaching aids and media. Instructional technologies that I use include slides, pointer, flipchart, video, e-learning and simulation. I tend to prevent overload information. This is done by emphasizing most frequent cases and compiling similar topics into one module. Several steps that I perform in classroom: 1. Offer students a Pre-test and Learning Styles Survey I use Index of Learning Styles to find out deeply about my students preference and background.7 Over the years, most of the students are visual learners. Hence, it is advisable not to give lectures in one-way teaching method. For instance, I put visual aids like eye-catching pictures, diagrams, or video in class. 2. Define Learning Objectives Learning objectives are important for students to have a broad viewpoint of what knowledge or skills they will accomplish by the end of the class.8,9 I emphasize the importance of understanding the materials along with other subjects as a whole, not only certain chunks of organ systems. 3. Illuminate rules and roles for learners In large group settings, I discuss with students my teaching rules and learning outline at every first session.8,9 Whereas, in small classes, each student is given a chance to take turn in demonstrating the skills and procedures. I also provide them free time and rooms to practise out of class hours. Sometimes, there is an uncertainty in students own motivation. However, I have a belief, the more we restrict learners, the more they do not respect us. Principally, I trust them as an adult learner and let them learn freely without my full supervision or intervention. Students feedback showed that they favor my teaching methods because they feel valued for being treated as colleagues. Their marks and attitudes are generally excellent. Likewise, faculty members have described my teaching as flexible and professional. Students Background. My teaching is mostly based on class size, students background and interests. I had once a student who was always absent and come late. Previously, other stakeholders did not recognize his problems. After asking him in person, I came to know that he could not come to morning class due to consuming certain medicine. Next, I gathered the group which he involves in class. I asked the other students to help him participate in any discussions and project. Though his participation was slight in the first time, I could see a good progress of his passion to finish a degree. Later on, his internship performance was excellent and he graduated. Another case like students unwillingness to be a doctor is also plentiful to find. Being a sensitive teacher to students problems and conditions help me nourish their development and create an enjoyable environment for them to keep going. Downside. One of my biggest struggles in teaching is facing destructive learners, especially those who often fail the whole entire semester. In PBL settings, for instance, such student is more likely to interrupt and not willing to tolerate other learners perspective. Above all, I need to enhance my teaching capacity tremendously over time. To lead younger generations, I have to learn from others and understand the learners. This will allow me to ensure that all graduates are fit into the best practices as medical field is very much related to humans lives.

The Presidency of F.D. Roosevelt :: American America History

The Presidency of F.D. Roosevelt In the ancient world, the only way a person could become famous through out the world was to be some sort of king, master warlord, or a descendent of a holy entity. Monarchies, that lasted long enough, kept the memories of their former leaders alive, conquered peoples never forgot the names of their conquerors, and religions have a knack for constantly worshiping the same divine prophets. Some remain of the ancient celebrities are still famous to this day, many of them now shrouded in the mists of time and have become slightly warped by literature and business. For example, the charitable St. Nicholas, warped by language translations and commercialism, is now a large gift giving elf by the name of Santa Claus. But in this day and age, where anyone can record anything he or she wants to, will any of the present day lords and prophets shine as brightly through the shroud of mythology and time as the ones of old? In 500 years - providing anyone is still alive to care - a few men and women will stand out against the haze of time and represent the twentieth century. If there is a group, among them will be at least man involved in World War II. Roosevelt, Churchill, Tojo and Hitler -especially Hitler - are all candidates for the group because of their involvements in the bloodiest wars of the twentieth century. In this world,blood is a hard thing to forget about. Which ones, and in what light they'll be remembered in depends entirely on the biases of historians and the abilities of governments to cover up the embarrassing moments blemishing the memories of their leaders. So if the United States is still around and as powerful as now in five centuries - and hopefully it will - F.D Roosevelt will most likely be one of the mist breakers from the second world war because of the American people's great interest in the presidents involved in wars and the governments talent for hiding less than flattering information from the world. Roosevelt's involvement in the great World War II allows him to fit , comfortably, the U.S standard of fighting presidents. Entering the war on the side of the Allies after a sneak attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt became a kind of vengeful hero, fighting the good fight in the name of justice. In so doing he ended an economic slump by gearing the

The Forgotten: Uninsured Children Essays -- Health Care

This paper is going to define oppression, describe an oppressed group and a framework. Oppression is defined as â€Å"unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power or a sense of being weighed down in body or mind† (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010) The oppressed population that I am going to describe is uninsured children with a disability. Typically, children obtain health insurance coverage through their parents. If parents lack health insurance, so will their children. This paper will discuss the social problem of the inability of children with a disability to obtain health insurance. The primary social welfare issue to be addressed is the absence of affordable, comprehensive health insurance for children from birth to eighteen. When a child is uninsured it often means that people will postpone necessary care and forego preventive care - such as childhood immunizations and routine check-ups-completely. Because the uninsured usually have no regular doctor and limited access to prescription medications, they are more likely to be hospitalized for health conditions that could be avoided. One example, regarding this was told by a medical student. American Medical Student Association told a story of a young boy with a heart defect which made him vulnerable to infections. His mother, a janitor, couldn't afford to take him to the dentist when he developed a tooth infection. By the time his pain grew intolerable; his heart was infected with bacteria from the tooth infection. Spiking fevers, fatigue and chest pain developed a few weeks later. He arrived at the ER wit h sub acute bacterial endocarditic, which required six weeks of preventable hospitalization. Damage to the boy's heart was irreversible. The conceptual framework... ..., H. J., & Stoesz, D. (2005). American social welfare policy: a pluralistic approach. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, (2010). Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Missouri Foundation for Health. (2004). Economic and health benefits of Missouri Medicaid. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www.mffh.org National Coalition of Healthcare. (2004). Facts on health insurance coverage. Retrieved April19, 2005, from http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.pdf National Coalition of Healthcare. (2004). Health insurance cost. Retrieved February 3, 2005, from http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml National Health Policy Forum. (2005). The basics: Medicaid. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://www.nhpf.org United States Department of Labor. (2010) Retrieved June 4, 2010 from http://www.dol.gov/

Cricket: My hobby Essay

I love cricket! Absolutely adore it! Why ? Because it is one of the biggest pleasures in life with your trousers on. It is a different game – much more relaxed as the players have time for tea and lunch but also a very intelligent and interesting one which is why it is often criticised for being a sport for lazy people and hypocrites. Absolute rubbish, isn’t it? Anyway, although I wouldn’t like to bore you with the weird rules of this magnificent game (if you already know it). However, just in case you haven’t a clue about the game: there are eleven players on each team and three main aspects of the game are dominating batting, busy bowling and laborious fielding – it is a big ask I tell you. Both sides have to bat and the team which gets the most runs wins the game. I know the sentence probably doesn’t make sense to you so I would explain in a bit more detail but not in my words but in the words of my cricket coach. â€Å"Cricket is a game in which you have two sides, one out on the field, and the other in. Each man in the side that’s in goes out and when he is out, he comes in, and the next man goes out until he is out and then he comes in. When the side that’s in is all out, the side that has been out goes in, and the side that was in goes out and tries to get out the side that goes in. Sometimes you get men still in and not out when thw side that is in is finally out. When both sides have been in and out, including those not out yet no longer in, that is the end of the game.† Bravo! Doesn’t that help in the understanding of the game ? Of course it doesn’t. You readers probably think I am some sort of a fool. I’ll make it a lot simpler this time, I promise. A cricket team consists of eleven players, or cricketers or simply lazy men as the game’s critics call them. At the start of a game, the decision over which of the two teams will get the right to choose to bat or to bowl and field is made at the flick of a coin. Whichever team bats is said to be â€Å"in† and the whole idea is to score runs in the process of defending the wicket while the other team attempts to get each of the team members â€Å"out† to get their turn to bat and go â€Å"in†. There are many ways bowlers of the bowling team can get the batters of the opposition team out. The batsman guards his wickets as the bowler attempts to hit them to get him out. When the batsman fails to guard his wicket and the ball knocks off the bail and if possible the set of stumps, the Batsman is rendered â€Å"bowled out† and obviously he is a dead duck. For a fast bowler, there can’t be a better site than that – the three pale willow sticks or stumps cadaverously shattered on the cinnamon brown cricket strip or pitch. Nevertheless, there are several other ways that a batsman can be dismissed from the game. The most common way batsmen get out is by getting caught by the fielders of the opposition as he is in the process of hitting the ball in the gaps between them so he can run while they chase the ball like pet dogs. Many batsmen who are chubby and have problems in running often find themselves in a situation when they get run out. This method of dismissal is when the batsman fails to reach the other end of the pitch while running to score runs and the bails are knocked off by a member of the opposing team before he reaches. If a batsman tries to use his pads to deflect a bowl aimed to crash on to his waiting stumps, he can be given out LBW – leg before wicket. The decision to declare him out or not out can only be made by the Umpire who stands directly in front of the batsman and judges whether the bowl was going to hit the stumps when it made contact with the batman’s leg, sorry, not the leg, his pads. A hit on the leg or thereabout would probably break the poor batman’s let as cricket ball is a very hard object. Unsurprisingly, a cricket umpire has to be as sober as a judge as there are many times when the bowler invariably appeals to him for a LBW decision or a â€Å"caught behind† by shouting at his face â€Å"HOWWSSSSSAATT† which means something like â€Å"How does that look to you Umpire – is he out†. These appeals are normally ignored by the umpires as they more often than not false and fake but are elements which make the game of cricket exciting to watch causing tension in the dressing room of the batting side, generating thrill and hope amongst the bowing side as well as providing sheer entertainment for the crowd and in international matches – for the millions glued to their television screens. Nonetheless, if the umpire does think that the appeal is genuine and that the bowl would surely have bombarded the stumps had the batsman’s leg not been in the way, he would stick his finger up at the batsman to indicate, â€Å"sorry mate, that was going to hit your wickets†. In other words, he was out. Obviously, he wouldn’t stick up his middle finger up at the batsman to count as an offence and having his umpiring fee cancelled but his index finger which is how it has always been through the cricket tradition. Finally, a very loser like way to get out is â€Å"hit wicket† when the batsman accidentally hits his own wickets while playing a shot and I can tell you having done it once myself, it is a horrible feeling. Yet, nothing can be more embarrassing as getting out without scoring any runs for your team – a duck or worse a golden duck when you miserably get out the first ball you face. The 50 yard shameful back to the pavilion feels like a 50 mile marathon being the worst site for a batsman. Just like there are several ways by which you can be given out, you can score runs as well and lots of them if you are good enough. The cricket field is shape of the oval and the fielders of the bowling team are spread throughout the field where the bowler bowling wants them to. Conversely, a significant factor which has to be taken into account is that there are only nine fielders as there has to be bowler to bowl at the batsmen and a wicket keeper which works a bit like a backstop in rounders. Because there are only nine fielders and not nine million on a cricket field, there are lots of gaps in the field. Intelligent batsmen unlike myself place the bowl in these gaps, let the fielders chase for the bowl to return to the bowler while they gingerly run up and down the pitch to score runs. However, an easier and more beneficial way to score runs is by hitting the bowl past the boundary line. If a batsmen hits the bowl past the boundary line on the bounce, he scores four runs for his team whereas hitting the bowl over the boundary in flight is signalled by the umpire as the optimum – six runs. However, hitting aerial shots are always risky as there is always a chance of being caught by a fielder if the shot is mistimed. This is what makes six hitting so hard for number 11s like me (the worst and hence the last batsmen to bat for the team). On the other hand, an opening batsmen who start off the batting for the team would probably be gifted with amazing reflexes and great hand-eye coordination which allows them to do considerable damage to the opposition’s bowling figure. Accomplished batsmen who score hundred runs or over in a match are said to have scored a â€Å"century† and I believe that one day I will make one as well which my coach thinks is far too ambitious for me. The reason is that I simply can’t bat. Fielders are placed at strategic positions (in order to both stop runs and to catch a batsman out if possible) and these positions have distinct names. For example, the long off position is near the boundary, far away from the batsman to his front and right, while silly mid-on represents a position of extreme danger, as the name might suggest, being as it is immediately to a batsman’s left. A square leg says more about where one umpire stands rather than how he is standing, while backward point or deep fine leg says nothing about any mental or physical ability at all. This was just a bad joke so if you didn’t get it then just ignore me. I had said earlier on if you can probably remember that the team which scores the most runs wins the match. However, there are two distinct ways to say how exactly a team won a game of cricket. A team can either win by x wickets or lose by y number of runs. For instance, if there was a match going on between the flamboyant and the invincible Aussies who surprisingly had lost six of their world class batsmen but still exceeded the score the Indians made by two runs which they usually do, they would be declared winners by two runs and four wickets as they still had four of their batsmen who hadn’t got their turn to bat. This isn’t all that much confusing, is it? So far I have only talked about the rules of the great game but not of its structure or the duration. The duration of a game of cricket depends on the type of match which will be played. There are two distinct forms of cricket – limited overs cricket and unlimited overs cricket. In limited overs cricket, there are a set number of overs – an over a series of six bowls bowled by a bowler at a time. For example, in a typical one day game, there would be 50 overs which the bowling side would have to bowl but this varies to about 20 overs. This type of cricket is played by most amateur cricket clubs as it is neither time consuming nor too expensive. Professional playing county cricket also play this. However, unlimited overs cricket requires cricketers of higher ability and technique – tough guys who can concentrate on a cricket field for up to five days without being distracted by the wandering birds, the critical spectators or the voluptuous ladies in the crowd if they are lucky. Contrastingly, I would like to inform you of my own cricket – my own game. I play cricket every lunch time in school and at weekends for Stourbridge Cricket Club in the summer. Being a spin bowler I can get frustrated quite easily as it easier for a batsman to drive, pull or loft me because I bowl at a much slower pace – actually two times slower than a fast bustling fast bowler, giving the batsman ample time to make decisions and encounter the ball. Their weapons are fingers, flight and deception when imparting spin on the ball instead of sheer pace, bounce and swing which the faster bowlers use being the tall giants of cricket and sometimes bullies too – look at the Aussie Glenn McGrath’s intimidating attitude for example – no offence to any proud Australian reading this. Like most world famous sports, cricket has never been short of legendary characters – not just players, but also their mentors umpires. In my opinion, the wizard of cricket was undoubtedly Sir Garfield Sobers of the West Indies. What a player he was. An opening bowler who swung the bowl both ways making it almost impossible for even the best batsmen to guess which way the bowl would shoot off after pitching. Besides, being one of the most elegant and explosive batsmen the game has ever seen who could also be a useful wicket keeper and spin bowler – like myself but a million times better. Cricket has seen many other great players who have contributed to the game to a very large extent. Unfortunately, the list is enormous. Personally, I believe the best batsman ever was the late Sir Don Bradman who scored at an average of 99.96 runs every match he played. It was a shame that he got out on a golden duck in the last ever match he played which restricted his average to not be 100. People say â€Å"Cricket is a Batsman’s game† meaning it is a batsman dominated game but I disagree. It is true that in the modern era, world class players like Gilchrist, Jayasurya and Tendulkar have caused terror around bowlers worldwide. Still, guys or deceivers shall I say, like Shane Warne of Australia and Courtney Walsch of the West Indies have also puzzled and bamboozled hundreds of batsmen and earned popularity amongst millions of viewers across the globe. Courtney Walsch is famously known as the â€Å"man with the most ducks† as he has taken the most number of Test wickets and, unfortunately for him, he is also the only person to score 43 ducks as well. By the way, as you know by now that duck is a shameful score of 0 but don’t think many number 11s like me care these days. We are not meant to score the runs. The team has got people called â€Å"batsmen† to do the job. Don’t you agree? Yes? No? Similarly, Shane Warne is regarded by most as the best leg spinner the world has ever seen and how can I disagree. By the way, a leg spinner is a spin bowler who spins the bowl away from the batsman and not someone who spins on one leg to entertain the crowd as some people may guess literally. Cricket has had many lovely and fair umpires but none have been more popular than the English Dickie Bird. As well as being a terrific umpire, he was a lovely human being who would win the crowd wherever he went to do his duty. Even he agrees with me as he has mentioned in his autobiography when he talks about the famous phenomenon of 1994 when the then latest sensation Warne bowled the England Batsman Mike Gatting by the bowl of the century. â€Å"and it was there in Old Trafford that Shane Warne bowled that magic bowl that pitched 15 inches outside his leg stump and went on to hit the top of the off stump. It was a magnificent delivery – a never before seen marvel†. Although I am really inspired by Shane Warne especially after reading his autobiography, my favourite cricketer of all times will still be the current best batsman in the world – master blaster Sachin Tendulkar of India. He has been described by the greatest batsman of all times Sir Don himself as his modern clone. In an interview in 1996 Sir Don admitted that whenever he watches Tendulkar play, he reminds him of the way he, himself, used to play in his playing days which I believe to be an invaluable praise for any batsman. He is a scintillating batsman of sheer technique as well as sheer performance as he has scored the most runs in International Cricket as well as creating a record for the biggest number of centuries. Even Warne who is measured by many as the craftiest bowler in the game once admitted in his autobiography about the master blaster, â€Å"I don’t think I have seen a better player than Sachin Tendulkar†. This is what makes me wonder that even though the all time greats such as Lara, the Waugh brothers and the Viv Richards may return but you would never see a better player than Sachin Tendulkar. I have been to see my life time hero Sachin bat live enough times at various grounds. However, there was one match which I will never forget. That match was at Edgbaston when India were playing Australia in the Natwest final. The pitch was velvet smooth and it wasn’t long before the windows of the pavilion were frosty spider webs as the English batsmen demolished the Indian bowlers. They had given us an almost impossible target to chase – 325. Millions across the globe had turned off their television even before the Indian batsmen came out to bat. I obviously didn’t as I believed as long as there is Sachin, there is hope and how correct was I. He was determined to play a gem of an innings to see India home for a glorious win and which he did. Right from the first bowl he was ready to attack the English bowlers and smashed them to all parts of the ground. There was a shower of sixes and a stream of fours and anyone who was there that day would not forget the majestic pocket Hercules glowing in Tendulkar. I can never forget his grandiose stance when he prepared to pay England in her own coins by ripping apart their bowling. The enormous international recognition that this strange game has achieved throughout its history wouldn’t have been possible, had the crowds and venues of cricket matches not been magical. Besides, just like there are rivals teams like Rangers and Celtic or Villa and West Brom in football, the cricket rivalry of India and Pakistan is said to be the fiercest of the fierce. Where Lords’ in England is the Mecca of cricket – the finest ground in the world, Eden Gardens of Calcutta is said to be the biggest and the most lively cricket stadium in the world. Its exhilarating atmosphere magnifies when old enemies India and Pakistan play. The political conflict between the two countries rubs on their cricket as well and the stadium roars through out the match or matches. A few years ago, I had a chat with the former Pakistan Captain Wasim Akram about the tense feeling you get as a player when you set foot at the lush and leaf green ground of the Eden Gardens. He smiled and said, â€Å"the pressure to perform is so high and the crowd are so lively that you don’t hear anything. You just try to do what you really want to do which is to tear the opposition apart†. If you look up the definition of cricket in a decent encyclopaedia, it would come up with two main definitions. Either something like chirping insect like a grass hopper or the cricket game definition as to be something like the following: – â€Å"A bat and ball, team game played during the summer in the British Isles and in several other countries influenced by the British all over the world such as Australia and New Zealand, the whole of the Indian continent, African countries of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya as well as the Windies in the Caribbean. You probably would have guessed that the glamorous British had invented the game but the fact that really magnifies the popularity of the sport is that even though being the first group of people to play the game, England frequently get slaughtered by most of the other countries outside the British isles which I am sure must lend them some satisfaction. Apparently, this is the reason why this slow game has gained so much popularity in the world why it was estimated that over a billion people were watching the Cricket World Cup between India and Australia in the March month of 2003. Being a true Indian supporter, this was the worst game of cricket I have ever watched and probably the best one for a die hard Aussie fan as the glorious Australians took the game away from us right from the first go when our captain Sourav Ganguly decided to bowl first despite our batsmen regarded as the best in the world. In a long and short tale, we got whopped – our bowlers got thumped and walloped so much that the Aussies had scored a mammoth 359 in their allotted 50 overs – an almost impossible task which it did prove when our batsmen came out to bat. Richie Benaud of Australia and Tony Greig of England are two very different commentators but are thought of as the best ever in the business as they have made the slow game of cricket seem very interesting to millions across the world still keeping their interest in this game. Benaud’s famous phrase â€Å"Thanks the name of the co-commentator. Good Morning Everyone.† with his laid back manner of commentary and high praise for deserving players is imitated by many other commentators. Whereas, Greig’s animated tone in his comments on the television have contributed over the years in attracting the younger generation to the game as they are used to the â€Å"cat and mouse† commentaries of football, basketball and rugby. Indeed. It has been said that the amount you know about cricket is inversely proportional to a greater understanding of how to play. The popular American entertainer Andy Williams, on seeing his first cricket match, was completely intrigued by the bowlers, who spend a great deal of time rubbing the ball up and down on their groin! I know this doesn’t sound very straight but you would be surprised to know that other neutral observers would be advised to follow his example and worry not about the rules, teams or results but instead treat the whole experience as a strange and fascinating ceremonial ritual. I am talking cricket – my biggest passion in my life. Therefore I can instinctively go on forever but would finally like to conclude that it is the commitment of the devoted and jubilant players and the jovial crowds along with the commentaries of golden voiced and silver tongued people like Tony Greig as well as the rivalries of old friends and enemies accompanied by the just demeanour of the umpires which makes the prodigious game of Cricket a pleasure to watch or play if you are lucky enough . . .

Computer Of My Dream Essay

Computer of my dream First, I need a motherboard because it’s like the backbone of the system, without a good motherboard it won’t be able to support the CPU, the brain of the system, very well. I choose a Pentium 4 motherboard because I want to keep myself up to date and the ASAU brand is a popular one. Then I chose a Pentium 4 CPU for its speed, also because Intel is a well-known brand. I chose an expensive RAM product, made by HP, because I want top notch quality for the RAM as it is very important in a computer. For video card I chose a Voodoo 5500 PCI as it is recommended by many sites. For sound card I will just buy a cheap one because I don’t think it’s going to make a big difference in the sound quality. I am going to buy a hard drive with 60 gigabytes because I like to install a lot of software and download a lot of songs. A big case is needed since I would like to upgrade my computer a lot. The speakers has to be a subwoofer as I like the feel of the bass. I will buy a Sony 27 inches monitor since I don’t want to hurt my eyes and want the best monitor to get the maximum performance from the graphics. Although it is cheap, I like this logitech mouse because it is cordless thus easy to move around. I am buying a Microsoft keyboard since the company is a reliable one, and it is cheap also. I chose this 56x CD ROM because it supports all types of cd formats, including the state-of-the-art Cd-rw. I will add a cd-rw drive to my computer because I like to make music cds, Creative is a reliable brand whose quality is always satisfactory. Plus, it enables me to download the latest digital audio file from the Internet and store them on CDs instead of on my hard drive. Lastly, I will buy a Canon bubble jet color printer. The product might not be as top notch as the other kinds but I just need a average printer since I don’t print things a lot. This is the computer of my dream.

Expanding Target to China Essay

China is, without a doubt, the fastest growing economy in the world today. Companies from around the world have wanted to tap into China’s market to cash in on the tremendous success that it continues to experience. There had been many restrictions for foreign companies who tried to do business in China, limiting the number of foreign companies, and allowing only the big players to come into China. Even then, these big players from around the globe faced more restrictions and rules once they entered China. But things have changed since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001; a new milestone for this country, as well as for other economies. Since then, restrictions for foreign investors and businesses to enter China’s market had begun to ease up. By December 11th, 2004, China must remove remaining restrictions on the retail sector in order to comply with the WTO rules. This means it will be much easier for foreign retailers to enter the market, and for c urrent foreign retailers in China to expand (1). Many retailers from all over the world will seize this golden opportunity, and Target should do so too. Target, a Minnesota based national retail company, has come a long way from being Dayton’s department store back in 1961 to being one of the biggest players in United States’ retail market, as we know it today. Over the last ten years, Target has experienced a continuous incline in growth year after year. Sales reached over $48 billion this past year, a 10 percent increase from the year prior (2). Just like its revenue, the number of stores across the United States has been on the rise. Currently there are 1313 Target stores operating in 47 states, including 136 SuperTarget stores in 20 states (3). Not surprisingly, Target ranks number four in Triversity’s Top 100 Retailers in the United States behind Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Kroger (4). Globally, Target is ranked number 7 in the top 100 retailers worldwide (5). With this kind of statistics, Target has the potential and the resources to begin expanding into the international market, such as China. Comparing to Metro AG, a German retailer, which ranks a couple spots ahead of Target on the worldwide list, is not that much ahead of Target in terms of sales. And yet, Metro AG is one of the largest foreign retailers in China, along with  Wal-Mart and Carrefour (6). Not only should Target continue to expand domestically, but it should also start looking to expand in other markets around the world as well, such as China. This will allow Target to become a multinational company and begin creating a global recognition for itself in the retail sector. Now of course Target cannot dive right into the China Market and expect everything to just work out. Like any other company entering a foreign market, there are challenges and factors that Target must consider and evaluate before doing business in China. In this report, different reasons why Target should enter China’s retail market and the benefits it offers to the company will be presented. China’s economic status, political status, and economic status, along with options of entry and other factors that will affect Target’s business, will be discussed. China’s Economic Status China is currently the world’s most potential market for consumer goods. Its average annual GDP growth rate of nearly 10 percent for the last 10 years is the strongest among other major economies around the world (7). This is mainly due to the increase in manufacturing investment from foreign companies over the years because China is full of resources and cheap labor. Many products we see today are labeled â€Å"Made in China† since China has essentially developed into â€Å"a manufacturing centre for the world’s consumer goods production† (8). With a population of 1.3 billion people and having more consumers than Europe and the United States put together, it is obvious that China is by far one of the most attractive markets to invest in for foreign companies that are in the retail and consumer sector (8). When combining the strong, continuous growth of the economy with a population of this magnitude, the results are more money in consumers’ pockets, meaning more money to spend on goods. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, â€Å"the retail sales of consumer goods in China quadrupled with a span of 10 years† (7). With this kind of statistics, it will be Target’s best interest to pursuit an expansion into China’s retail market. China’s economy and consumer market will continue to grow. The more people there are in a  market, the more money will be spent. Everyone will always need food and daily accessories regardless of how much money they have, and those that have more money to spend will spend that extra money on other goods. So by setting up operations there, Target will have a chance to go along with the ride and reap the promising rewards that China’s consumer market offers, which is what other foreign retailers are looking for. China’s Political Status One of the major milestones for China, which made a global impact, is its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. This is the main reason why the forecast of China’s growing economy remains strong. Since then, China’s has begun to ease up restrictions on imports and exports, and also for foreign businesses entering China’s market, most significantly the retail sector. By December 11, 2004, all restrictions on foreign retailing in China will be lifted, including restrictions on foreign ownership, number of branches, and geographic locations for where to set up stores (9). Currently, there are limited foreign investments in China’s retail sector. In 2000, the Retail and Wholesale sector only accounts for 2 percent of the total foreign direct investment in China (7). Today, this percentage is not much higher than it was in 2000. This is because prior to China’s accession to the WTO, there were many restrictions and regulations for foreign companies entering China. Some of the main restrictions were the annual sales volume requirement, assets requirement, and the minimum registered capital requirement. Before, in order to enter China’s retail sector, a foreign company must have annual sales volume of at least US $2 billion, assets of at least US $200 million, and minimum registered capital of at least RMB 50 million, or about US $6.1 million. Also, they were only allowed to enter the market with approval, and in a form of a joint venture with local partners with no more than 49 percent ownership (10). This limited China’s retail market to only the big international players such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Metro AG, etc, who all have already established a presence in China. But after China starts to comply with WTO rules next month; dramatic changes will take place in China’s retail sector. Once all the restrictions for foreign retail companies are lifted by China, the number of foreign retailers entering China will increase sharply, both small and medium retailers. All a company will need is a good reputation and a minimum registered capital requirement of US $36,000. Other than a joint venture, a wholly foreign-owned enterprise will become an option (10). Also, the foreign players that are currently in the market will be able expand more rapidly under the new rules. This is another reason why Target should enter China’s retail market, and soon. The percentage that the retail sector represents in the total direct foreign investment is still low, meaning there is a lot of room to grow. The sooner Target steps in, the more market share will be available for Target to gain. If Target delays its entry, other foreign retailers from all over the world will start to swarm in and the big players that are currently in the market will expand quickly; therefore making it more difficult for Target to create a significant presence. If Target decides not to enter this goldmine, then an incredible opportunity will be missed. WFOE or Joint Venture There are two options for Target to start business in China, establishing a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) or a joint venture with a local Chinese company. There are advantages and disadvantages for both options, and it will be important to understand each. Joint ventures were the only way to enter China for any foreign company due to the restrictions set by China prior to joining the WTO. With joint ventures, foreign companies were able enter China’s market easier. It really helps to have a local partner that is already familiar with the market and know the laws of doing business in China. Also, with a joint venture, it is much less capital intensive since the local partner will be contributing to the business. The downside of a joint venture is that it is difficult to find the right partner, and it requires a lot time because a good relationship must be formed before any negotiations take place. In China, a good relationship is the key to doing business. Some major causes of joint  venture failures have been overestimation of the partner’s capabilities, differing expectations, and different management styles (11). These are some of the reasons that limit a foreign company’s desire to expand. WFOE, an option that will be open to foreign retail companies doing or planning to do business in China after next month, would probably be the direction that most foreign retailers will choose. It should be Target’s choice as well when entering China. But before a WFOE can be set up, an application must be submitted to MOFCOM’s (Ministry of Commerce) provincial-level counterparts. The applications will then be forwarded to MOFOCOM for approval. The approval process takes about three to four months, but approval is only granted if the proposed business will help the development of China’s economy (12). Target will have no problem getting approved because it will help create more jobs in China, bring in more sophisticated technology to run its stores and operations, and increase manufacturing production in China since a good portion of the products that will be in Target stores will be made in China. The disadvantage of setting up a WFOE is that it is much more capital intensive. Foreign companies do not have anyone to share the investment costs with in the country. China only allows money coming from outside of the country when foreign companies want to set up a WFOE (12). However, the advantages that WFOE offers outweigh the disadvantages. A WFOE can enjoy the exclusive management control and operational controls with less interference from the Chinese government (13). A foreign company can bring in sophisticated technology without having to worry about losing its intellectual property or figure out how many shares the technology is worth in a joint venture (14). Because of all this, a WFOE can expand into other areas more freely. Although WFOE would be a capital intensive option for Target, it will pay off in the long run. Having complete control over its management and operations, less governmental interference, and less limitations to expand will be beneficial for Target. China’s Social Status There are some other things that it must take into account before Target jumps into China’s retail market, one of which is the social landscape of China. Just like in the United States, knowing where the customers are and where to set up stores are important strategies. The more wealthy cities are concentrated in China’s east and south-east coastal provinces. The top ten most prosperous provinces in China are: Shanghai, Guangdong, Beijing, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Liaoning, Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Chongqing. These areas are obviously where foreign investors want to go because of higher per capita income and consumer spending in those areas. Consumer activities in some major inland cities are slowly on the rise, but are still fairly undeveloped compared to the east (7). But it may be a good idea to start investing in those areas and capture those markets while competition level is still low. Target should obviously start with investing in a couple of the more prosperous areas, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, or Zhejiang. These four provinces have the highest per capita income and household consumption, which means there are more money spent by consumers (8). Besides this, Target should start investing in the major inland cities that are beginning to develop, such as Wuhan, Chengdu, Changsha, and Sichuan. Almost half of China’s population lives in the central and northwest provinces (7). Take advantage of the new rules that will lift restrictions on locations and the number of stores, and enjoy the benefit of being able to expand easier by being a wholly foreign-owned enterprise. The developing areas should be Target’s concentration. It may be a little more risky, and sales may be lower at first, but it will be beneficial in the long run. The biggest competitors, both domestic and foreign, are mostly located in the prosperous areas (8). It will be more difficult to establish a solid foothold in China’s retail market if Target starts off trying to compete with big foreign players such as Wal-Mart and Carrefour, or big domestic players such as Lianhua and Hualian, all of which are much more familiar with the market. So it will be a good idea for Target to tap into the less developed major  inland cities and create a niche market while competition is still very low in those areas. This can help them develop a presence in China, and become one of the major foreign players in China’s retail market. U.S. Commercial Service After understand all the details described previously throughout the report, Target still needs some help entering China’s retail market. Target is very successful in the United States, but China is a totally different market. There are different consumers, different languages, and different laws. Target needs to find someone that is familiar with the languages (Chinese and English), the Chinese retail market, and all the rules that foreign business must comply with. It would be the best if Target has some managers that fit these criterions within the corporation because then those people can be assigned to assist in Target’s plan to enter China. They will be familiar with China’s market and rules, as well as Target’s objectives and operations. But if there are no qualified candidates within Target, then this is where the U.S. Commercial Service comes in play to help. The U.S. Commercial Service offers customized solutions to help US companies enter and expand in the China Market. They have six offices in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. There are several services that a US company can purchase, one of which is the Gold Key Service (GKS). This service identifies and arranges appointments with the people that the company will need to meet in order to break into the China market successfully. The U.S. Commercial Service will tailor the service to the company’s needs. They can assess the competition, and/or find lawyers, consultants, government officials, agents and distributors, etc (15). This is a great service that Target should use if they do not have people to use internally. Going into a foreign market, especially China, without being knowledgeable in the country’s laws and regulations, competition, consumers, and business environment is very risky. Any company that does this is essentially setting up for failure in the new market. This is why Target  needs to find experts that know how to do business in China. By being able to access competition, access the business environment, and working with a consultant or lawyer that knows the business laws in China will definitely help Target develop a safe and successful entry into China’s retail market. To order the Gold Key Service from the U.S. Commercial Service, all Target have to do is contact the nearest U.S. Commercial Service assistance center, call 1-800-USA-Trade, or email their FCS Beijing Office at Export.China@mail.doc.gov (15). Other Factors In the Chinese culture, the colors red and gold are favorable colors. They represent happiness, good luck, and good fortune. During festive holidays, such as Chinese New Year, red is seen every where. All businesses, as well as households, would put up red lanterns and decorations. This may be beneficial to Target since red is Target’s color. By having red in the stores in China, it may attract more consumers because people may associate the Target stores with the same meanings that they associate with the colors, especially during festive holidays. Aside from culture, Target should look into other things, such as education in China. Education is very important to China’s future development if it is to be sustainable, but it is not an easy task. The government has been focusing on the country’s economic development, and has neglected to improve the education system and health. However, the government’s new goal is to raise education spending to about 4 percent of GPD, with help from the private sector (8). In the United States, Target currently have a Community Giving Program where Target gives back over $2 million a week to neighborhoods, programs, and schools across the country (16). If Target sets up a similar program in China, it may help build its reputation in the China market. By helping the community receive better education, improving living conditions, and improving living standards will help Target gain favoritism from both consumers and the government, which can only help Target’s goal for success in the market. Conclusion China offers a golden opportunity for foreign retailers, such as Target. Target should take advantage of China’s accession to the WTO and seize the opportunity by entering China’s retail market. There are many factors that Target must review and consider before entering China. Main factors like China’s economic status, political status, and social status. As well as evaluating options of entry (WFOE vs. JV), understanding the culture, assessing both foreign and domestic competitions, and become knowledgeable in business rules and regulations in the country. Target will be very successful in establishing a foothold in China’s retail market and become a major foreign retailer in the country as long as all aspects are carefully reviewed, planned, and understood. Target’s presence and success has been well established in the United States, and now it is time to expand to the next big thing – China. End Notes (1) http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0401/01.html (2) http://quicktake.morningstar.com/Stock/Income10.asp?Country=USA&Symbol= TGT&stocktab=finance (3) http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/investor-relations/investor- relations.jhtml (4) http://www.stores.org/pdf/04TOP100chart2.pdf (5) http://retailindustry.about.com/library/bl/03q2/bl_rf100603.htm (6) http://www.bjreview.com.cn/200414/Business-200414(C).htm (7) http://www.pwchk.com/home/webmedia/1024303622085/RetailMarket_ China.pdf (8) http://www.pwcglobal.com/gx/eng/about/ind/retail/wef%20jan04_external.pdf3 (9) http://en-1.ce.cn/subject/RetailinginChina/Regulation&Policy/200409/29/ t20040929_1882374.shtml (10) http://www.osec.ch/~0xc1878d1b_0x0001b994/Investments/foreign_investment_ restrictions_in_trade_and_retail_lifted/en/china_fipdf (11) http://www.sinomedia.net/eurobiz/v200404/story0404.html (12) http://www.isinolaw.com/jsp/fie/fie/FIE_wfoe1.jsp?LangID=0 (13) http://english.sohu.com/2004/07/04/81/article220848132.shtml (14) http://www.businessweek.com/adsections/country/asia/ (15) http://www.buyusa.gov/china/en/gks.html (16) http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/index.jhtml