A Debate of the Death Penalty Essay - 1242 Words

The death penalty raises important questions about the right to life, who has a right to life, and under what circumstances a right to life can be taken away. I believe there are no circumstances under which capital punishment is justified. I will proceed to defend my claim that capital punishment is unjustified by arguing a position that killing is wrong because it deprives individuals of valuable futures. To support my thesis that capital punishment is not justified, I will expand upon an argument made my Don Marquis in his essay â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral† in which he argues that killing is immoral on the grounds that it deprives human beings of a valuable future. My argument is as follows: 1. Killing is wrong because it deprives the†¦show more content†¦The outside factors and conditions are irrelevant. Rather, the value is determined by how that person perceives his or her own life and these future experiences. Thus, when someone is killed, he or she is deprived of all the things that were of value and will be of value to him or her in the future. Causing this loss of a valuable future is ultimately what makes killing wrong and immoral because that individual has permanently lost the opportunity to enjoy his or her future experiences which are valuable to him or her. My second premise states that death row criminals are in the same moral category as other human beings with respect to the moral value of their lives. The only factor which differentiates a criminal from a non-criminal is the fact that the criminal, usually irrefutably, violated community standards and the law to commit a crime. In the case of a criminal on death row, he or she would have had to have committed a serious capital crime to receive the death sentence. Since committing a capital offense is the only reason death row criminals are different from other human beings, death row criminals are the same as other human beings in every other respect, including with respect to the value of their futures. Furthermore, the future of a criminal on death row is just as valuable as the future of a human being not on death row. Any form of capital punishment is a form of killing. It does not matter who is actually doing theShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Death Penalty1447 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate on death penalty In her book Last Words From Death Row: The Walls Unit, Norma Herrera writes about the tribulations she and her family went through while trying to free her brother, Leonel, from the death row. Despite showing glaring and overwhelming evidence claiming his innocence, Leonel was sentenced to death for a crime that he did not commit. His last words to the world were, â€Å"I am innocent, innocent, innocent. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonightRead MoreDeath Penalty Debate2037 Words   |  9 PagesDeath Penalty Debate Paper BCOM/275 The death penalty is an issue that has continually created conflict in today’s society. Many people arguing whether or not the death penalty should exist. Who’s to say whether the death penalty is a form of justice and therefore a valid and appropriate punishment or whether it is a â€Å"cruel and unusual† form of punishment. â€Å"The Arizona Supreme Court threw out the death sentences for a Tucson man who bludgeoned his girlfriend and her two childrenRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1597 Words   |  7 PagesThe debate on the death penalty has been the ongoing question for generations. There are plenty of different sides to take on this issue. You have the side where some people think that putting prisoners to death is inhumane and that no matter what they did putting a human to death is wrong. While others may think that if the crime is extreme enough that the prisoner who committed this crime should pay for it with their own life. Throughout history there have been several instances where prisonersRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1892 Words   |  8 PagesDeath Penalty The debate on if the death penalty is ethical is something that is a long-standing debate depending on what side of the issue you are on. Both sides of this issue have their points yet there are always things about the issue that kept it in the forefront. The right to life is taken for granted without thinking twice, however, due to the laws of this country the freedom we take for granted can be taken away with the mistakes we made. Looking at both sides of the issue gives insightRead MoreDeath Penalty Debate Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversial debate over the death penalty has been going on for a very long time and still has no conclusive solution. In the United States that is, most of the rest of the civilized world has done away with the death penalty a long time ago. Many people have different views on this issue. Although, there is a consensus that heinous murders need to be severely punished, there is no consensus on the choice of that punished. The debate over the proper punishment lies between the death penalty and lifeRead MoreIntroduction Of The Death Penalty Debate1523 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to the Death Penalty Debate It was said by an Iowa State Supreme Court justice in the 1840s, â€Å"Crime indicates a diseased mind in the same manner that sickness and pain do a diseased body. And as in the one case we provide hospitals for the treatment of severe and contagious diseases, so in the other, prisons and asylums should be provided for similar reasons† (Banner, 2002, p.118). Individuals who have committed crimes serve their sentences and punishments, or are â€Å"treated†, in prisonsRead More The Death Penalty Debate Essay1041 Words   |  5 PagesThe Death Penalty Debate The issue of the death penalty is widely disputed. So disputed that maybe I shouldn’t have picked this topic. But nevertheless, the death penalty is an issue that needs to be addressed. Should the death penalty be abolished from our criminal justice system? Well, that depends on whom you ask. If you ask me†¦ no. I personally don’t see anything wrong with the death penalty because there are a lot of criminals that are just too dangerous to society and death is the onlyRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay746 Words   |  3 PagesThe Death Penalty Debate To kill or not to kill. That is the question. Some people think it is wrong; however, a close look into the matter will show it is the right thing to do. The Bible states thou shall not kill but it also states an eye for eye. The death penalty is the worst and most deserved punishment for those who choose to take a life. There is no excuse for a life to be taken; therefore, the murderer should be punished to the full extent. Imagine a lovedRead MoreThe Debate Over Death Penalty1618 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Reiner Writing 39C 7/20/16 Debates over Death Penalty in the United States The issue of death penalty today is a popular topic for numerous public and scholarly discussions. The death penalty has a long and distinguished history in the United States, as it has been around in some form—either official or otherwise—since the beginning of American society. America originally adopted the British justice system, with hundreds of crimes being punishable by death. Slowly but surely, states beganRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesThe death penalty seems to be a very debatable subject. There are arguments and support for both sides of the debate, but which side is right? That is a tough question to ask. After reading the article in the textbook, two other articles, and looking at statistics, I seem to feel that the death penalty may not be the right answer. The article in the textbook The Death Penalty in the United States and Worldwide was fairly informative. One of the points it brought up was the cost of life without

Critical Analysis of the India Sri Lanka Fta Free Essays

string(65) " was ultimately the major player in the move towards free trade\." INDIA – SRI LANKA BILATERAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT: Critical Analysis INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW PROJECT REPORT LLB 404 Submitted to: Asst. Professor MANISH SHARMA Submitted by: ADITYA VASHISTH 13510303809 (VIII Semester) May, 2013 Amity Law School, New Delhi TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Analysis of the India Sri Lanka Fta or any similar topic only for you Order Now 3 2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 3. CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 4. CHARACHTERESTICS OF THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 5. ASSESSMENT OF TRADE UNDER THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 6. LOOKING BEYOND FTA: CEPA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 7. CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦19 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦20 INTRODUCTION The growth of regional trade blocs has been one of the major developments in international relations in recent years. During the 1990s, regionalism was conceived as a developmental option in itself that would promote competitiveness of trade bloc members and help their fast integration into the international economy. As per the World Bank report on Global Economic Prospects (2005) the number of the Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) has more than quadrupled since 1990 rising to around 230 by late 2004 and the trade between RTA partners now constitutes nearly 40% of total global trade. Quoting, World Trade Organisation (WTO) this report estimates another 60 agreements at various stages of negotiations. The World Bank report points out that the boom in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) reflects changes in certain countries trade policy objectives, the changing perceptions of the multilateral liberalization process, and the reintegration into the global economy of countries in transition from socialism. Regional agreements vary widely, but all have the objective of reducing barriers to trade between member countries which implies discrimination against trade with other countries. At their simplest, these agreements merely remove tariffs on intra bloc trade in goods, but many go beyond that to cover non-tariff barriers and to extend liberalization to investment and other policies. At their deepest, they have the goal of economic union and involve the construction of shared executive, judicial, and legislative institutions. [1] Among the seven member countries of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), India and Sri Lanka accounts for the largest bilateral trade flow in the region. Thanks to the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) that was signed between the two countries in December 1998 and operationalized in March 2000. However, almost at the same time in 1993 the agreement on South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed among the seven member countries of SAARC. The objective was to promote and sustain trade and economic cooperation within the SAARC region through the exchange of concessions. This pushed the agenda for promoting bilateral trade between India and Sri Lanka to the background. However, the negotiations under SAPTA progressed at a very slow pace and became a time consuming process. The failure of SAPTA brought about the desire for a free trade agreement with India to the forefront from the Sri Lankan side. It was felt that such an agreement would give the much needed market access to the exporters from Sri Lanka. India was also keen to acquire the South Asian markets and expressed its willingness to consider bilateral free trade agreements with its South Asian neighbours. Accordingly, the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) was signed between the two countries on 28 December, 1998 in New Delhi, India and came into operation on 1 March, 2000. India and Sri Lanka look upon regional/bilateral FTAs as a complement to the multilateral trading system by ensuring the compatibility of the FTAs with the rules laid down by the WTO. Also, both countries are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) which envisaged the formation of a South Asian Free Trading Arrangement (SAFTA) through successive rounds of tariff concessions between member countries. However, the efforts of member countries have not yielded the expected results. [2] A Joint Study Group with representatives from both countries was set up which submitted its report in October 2003 that paved the way for negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). In the present context of Indo-Sri Lanka trade, the services agreement aims to remove/reduce market access and national treatment barriers, and promote co-operation between the services sectors of the two countries. [3] HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Trade relations between Sri Lanka and India date back to pre-colonial times. Under British rule, trade between the two countries was geared to fulfill the needs of the colonial power in the occupying territory, and was dominated by imports and exports in food-related items. After independence in 1947 and 1948 for India and Sri Lanka respectively, both national governments adopted inward-looking policies centered on the concepts of â€Å"self-reliance† and import substitution industrialization. Consequentially, a very modest level of trading took place between what became two virtually closed economies. In 1977, Sri Lanka became the first South Asian country to liberalize its economy, opening it up to the rest of the world. However, substandard products from India – the result of excessive inward-looking policies were not competitive against the goods from East Asia that flooded the Sri Lankan market. With partial liberalization of the Indian economy during the 1980s and further liberalization in 1991, trade began to pick up, particularly in favour of India. Between 1993 and 1996, there was a doubling of two-way trade, and between 1990 and 1996 imports of Indian goods to Sri Lanka grew by 556 per cent. In 1995, India replaced Japan as the largest source of imports to Sri Lanka, accounting for 8-9 per cent of total imports. For Sri Lanka, it became evident that trade with the SAARC region ultimately amounted to trade with India owing to the sheer size of the latter’s rapidly emerging economy and expanding middle-class population. Hence, the perceived mutual benefits of free trade between the two countries became increasingly clear. Sri Lanka’s private sector – frustrated by the slow progress of the SAPTA[4] to boost regional trade – pressurized the government to enter into a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Indian government that would increase market access for Sri Lankan exporters. [5] Birth of the ISFTA (India – Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement)[6] Politics was ultimately the major player in the move towards free trade. You read "Critical Analysis of the India Sri Lanka Fta" in category "Papers" Sri Lanka entertained the hope of clearing away the political tensions of the 1980s and engaging India’s assistance once more in solving the North/East conflict of the country. India was propelled by an immediate need to acquire South Asian markets following economic sanctions imposed on the country for the nuclear tests conducted in May 1998. Among other factors, these political forces led to the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (ILBFTA) on December 28, 1998. The Commerce Secretary of India and Finance Secretary of Sri Lanka exchanged letters that operationalise the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) between India and Sri Lanka signed in New Delhi on 28 December 1998 by H. E. the President of Sri Lanka and the Honorable Prime Minister of India with effect from 1st March 2000. [7] The economic objectives of Sri Lanka were to increase Trade ties with South Asia’s dominant economic power, to induce the transformation of Sri Lanka’s exports from low-value added goods to high value-added goods aimed at niche markets, and to provide low-income groups with cheap consumer imports from India. Moreover, Sri Lanka hoped to attract more export-oriented foreign direct investment (FDI) from third countries by promoting itself as an effective entry point into the Indian market. With the Board of Investment (BOI) being made a â€Å"one stop shop† in the early 1990s, Sri Lanka has long been a relatively appealing location for foreign investors compared to its more bureaucratized South Asian neighbours. [8] Thus, the agreement with effect from 1st March 2000, aimed to provide duty free as well as duty preference access for the goods manufactured in the two countries. Both the countries had listed products for immediate duty free entry into each other’s territories. India having agreed to phase out its tariffs on a large number of items within a period of three years. Sri Lanka, likewise to do so in eight years. Both the countries had drawn up ‘Negative Lists’ in respect of which no duty concessions will apply. These Lists would include items on which protection to local industry had been considered essential. Both the countries intended to reduce the items in the Negative List through periodic consultations. [9] The Agreement sets out the ‘Rules of Origin’ criteria for eligibility for preferential access. Products having domestic value addition of 35% will qualify for preferential market access. Sri Lanka’s exports with a domestic value addition content of 25% will also qualify for entry to the Indian market if they have a minimum of 10% Indian content. [10] CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE ISFTA The conceptualization phase of the ISFTA occurred between December 1998 and March 2000, and was based on several previous studies and recommendations. [11] The agreement was intended to supersede the existing economic partnership under the SAARC, viz. , SAPTA. Bilateral free trade greements are traditionally formulated using the â€Å"positive list† approach, whereby each participating country catalogues the individual commodities for which it would grant preferences to the other. Nonetheless, owing to the time-consuming nature of such a method, the ISFTA was formulated on the â€Å"negative list† approach; each country extending concessions/ preferences to all commodities except those indicated in its â€Å"negative† list, namely items of a sensitive nature with regard to protecting national interests. The two countries agreed for preferential treatment on 5112 tariff lines (by 6-digit HS Code). An 8-year time table was devised for phasing out tariffs. Non-tariff barriers, such as Indian State taxes and customs- level procedures (e. g. , landing tax), were to be gradually removed as well. [12] Taking into account the asymmetry between the two countries, Sri Lanka was accorded special and differential treatment; the immediate duty- free list (319 items) and 50 per cent preferential duty list (889 items) were considerably smaller than those offered by India (1,351 items and 2,799 items, respectively), while the Sri Lankan negative list (1,180 items) was considerably larger than India’s (196 items). Among others, the agricultural sector of Sri Lanka was not subject to liberalization and was included in the negative list. The majority of Indian exports were initially granted only a 35 per cent duty concession with an 8-year tariff reduction period, while Sri Lankan exports were granted a 50 per cent concession with a 3-year tariff reduction period. Moreover, Sri Lanka was granted the freedom to reduce its negative list at her comfort level, instead of a pre-determined formula. Rules of origin (ROO) criteria were also relaxed in Sri Lanka’s favour. Preferential treatment requires a minimum of 35 per cent domestic value addition, or 25 per cent when Indian inputs comprise 10 per cent. In addition, although the agreement does not feature revenue compensation, Sri Lanka maintained that tariff concessions would not be granted for high-duty imports such as automobiles; import duties are an important source of government revenue and comprise 2 per cent of Sri Lankan GDP. Some aspects of the agreement were deferred for subsequent negotiation; these include the number of entry ports, Indian state-level taxes, customs procedures, and the specifics of phasing out non-tariff barriers. 13] The agreement included mechanisms for review and consultation, as well as settlement of disputes above and beyond the protection afforded to both countries under the safeguards clause. CHARACHTERESTICS OF THE ISFTA The ILFTA between India and Sri Lanka is a landmark in the bilateral relations between the two countries. It is expected to bring about enhan ced trade between the two countries as well as to expanded and diversified cooperation in a range of economic spheres, including investments. This is the first such Agreement in the South Asian region which could serve as a model for similar bilateral Agreements in the region. It has an institutional framework in the form of the Indo-Lanka Joint Commission, a dispute settlement mechanism, and so forth. Its significance further lies in that it can be implemented more expeditiously and also more flexibly, unlike the protracted nature of negotiations generally associated with multilateral arrangements. [14] These following features characterize Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement: Elimination of Tariffs: 1. By India †¢ Zero duty on items upon entering into force of the Agreement – the list is to be finalized within 60 days of signing of the Agreement. E): 1351 products. †¢ Concessions on Textile items restricted to 25% on Chapters 51-56, 58-60, 63. Four Chapters under the Textile sector retained in the negative list (Chapters 50, 57, 61 and 62) (TEX): 528 products. †¢ Garments covering Chapters 6162 while remaining in the negative list, will be given 50% tariff concessions on a fixed basis, subject to an annual restriction of eight mill ion pieces, of which six million shall be extended the concession only if made of Indian fabric, provided that no category of garments shall exceed one and half million ieces per annum (GAM). †¢ 50% tariff preference on five tea items, subject to a quota of 15 million Kg. Per year (TEA): 5 products. †¢ 50% margin of preference upon coming into force of this Agreement on all items, except for those on the negative list. To be phased out to zero duty in three years (IR): 2799 products. †¢ A negative list of 429 items to be retained (D I): 429 products 2. By Sri Lanka †¢ Zero duty on about 319 items upon entering into force of the Agreement (F I): 319 products. Phasing out of tariffs on items with 50% margin of preference on 889 products upon coming into force of the Agreement, with up to 70% at the end of the 1st year, up to 90% at the end of the 2nd year and 100% at the end of 3rd year (F II): 889 products. †¢ For the remaining items, (except for those on the negative list), which is the Residual List, preference would be not less than 35% before the expiry of three years, 70% before the expiry of six years and 100% before the expiry of eighth year. (SLR): 2724 products. A negative list of 1180 items (DII): 1180 products. OBJECTIVES: The Objectives adopted are: †¢ Analyze how much of the bilateral trade – both imports and exports are covered under different categories of concessions offered and received by India and Sri Lanka over the past five years, viz. 1996-97 to 2000-01. †¢ To analyze, in terms of 21 HS Sections, the distribution of trade under each category. †¢ To analyze the top products in terms of 8-digit HS Classification for India and 6-digit classification for Sri Lanka under each category to identify the success stories. To ascertain the trade potential between the two countries and assess the same in terms of products offered concessions under different categories. This exercise is based on the last y ear of data availability. The concessions offered by the Contracting States have been at 6-digit HS classification. In order to attain the aforementioned objectives, the bilateral trade data[15] is analyzed at the highest level of desegregation for India, viz. 8-digit HS classification by disaggregating all concessions at 6-digit classification to 8-digit levels. ASSESSMENT OF TRADE UNDER THE ISFTA The India Sri Lanka FTA was signed in 1998 and became operational in March 2000. Mutual phased tariff concessions on different products on 6 digit Harmonized Classification (HS Code) basis have been granted by both the partners. Each side is having its negative lists[16] (no concessions), positive list (immediate full concessions) and a residual list5 (phased tariff reductions) as per the framework of ISLFTA. The preferential trade under the FTA is governed by Rules of Origin, which specify the criteria for a product to qualify for tariff concessions from the importing member. After signing of ISFTA, trade between India and Sri Lanka has increased manifold. India‘s import from Sri Lanka was US$ 45 million (0. 10% of total imports) in 1999, which increased to US$ 499 million (0. 29%) in 2006; India‘s export to Sri Lanka was US$ 482 million (1. 4% of total exports), which became US$ 2110 (1. 74%) in 2006. Similarly, Sri Lanka‘s import form India in 1998 was 538 million (9. 49%), which increased to US$ 1804 million (18. 46% rank 1) in 2006. Sri Lanka‘s exports to India has grown from US$ 35 million (0. 5%) in 1998 to US$ 490 million (7. 26%, rank 3) in the year 2006. In this way India became the major trading partner for Sri Lanka after the signing of the Agreement. The number of Sri Lanka‘s export items to India increased from 505 in 1996 to 1,062 in 2006 items on 6 digits of HS classification. There is a visible shift in Sri Lanka‘s exports from agricultural products to manufacturing goods The major products exported by S ri Lanka to India in 2006 included – Fats and Oils (22. 3%), Copper and Articles of Copper (8. 6%), Electrical Machinery (8. %) and Spices, Coffee, Tea (6. 2%). Similarly, India exported Mineral Fuel, Oil (22. 44%), Vehicles (18. 08%), Iron and Steel (4. 54%), Machinery, Reactors, Boilers (4. 22%) and Pharmaceutical Products (4. 13%) to Sri Lanka. There has been an increase in total share of import of Sri Lankan goods from 0. 10% in 1999 to 0. 29% in 2006. The import from Sri Lanka has also increased in the items on the residual list from 0. 2% in 1996 to 0. 47% in 2006. It is noteworthy that there has been an increase in the imports even in the negative list items from 0. % in 2001 to 1. 19 % in 2006. This could be mainly due to the increased awareness to partners market, smoothening of customs issues and improved access to ports of entry due to the increased engagement of partner countries on products having preferential tariffs on residual list, the so called border effect s. By 2008, the ISFTA entered into full force. Both governments were pleased with the results achieved through the Free Trade Agreement and proclaim that it had facilitated the expansion of two-way trade between India and Sri Lanka. India, which was once the second largest exporter to Sri Lanka pre-ISLFTA, has now become the island‘s largest source of imports. Meanwhile India has become the third largest export destination for Sri Lankan products (after the United States of America and the European Union). The argument is that, given the asymmetrical proportions of the economies of the two countries, if not for the ISLFTA, Sri Lankan exports would not have been able to achieve their current level of market penetration. The bilateral import-export ratio that had been 10. :1 in 2000 had improved in Sri Lanka‘s favour to 5. 3:1 by 2007. According to the then Indian High Commissioner to Colombo, the ratio may have been as skewed as 40:1 (in India‘s advantage, of course) had the ISLFTA not been in operation. [17] Over the ten years in which the ISLFTA has been in operation, Indian foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka has also expanded exponentially, most recently in telecommunications (Bharti Airt el) and glass-manufacturing (Piramal Glass), and biscuits and sweets (Britannia). In 2009, India was the island‘s third largest foreign investor (after China and the United Kingdom) with inflows of US$78 million and largely attracted to the telecommunications, energy and power sectors (Central Bank of Sri Lanka 2010: 114). The Institute of Policy Studies (2008: 47-48) has estimated that Indian foreign direct investment has expanded from a cumulative total of LKR165 million in 1998 (1. 3 percent of total FDI) to LKR19. 5 billion in 2005 (8. 3 percent of total FDI). However, the causal connection between the commencement of the ISLFTA and the spiral in inward foreign direct nvestment from India is asserted rather than demonstrated, and may have more to do with aggressive Indian investment strategies since that country‘s economic boom, than the existence of the Free Trade Agreement. [18] IMPACT OF THE FTA Despite its importance in the South Asian region, not many empirical studies have been conducted to access the impact of ISFTA. One study that attempted to analyze the impact of this FTA was conducted by Kelegema and Mukherjee in February 2007[19]. Their study is based on the bilateral trade flows under different categories of products. Sector wise imports and exports figures are compared before and after the FTA. They have concluded that the two countries have displayed political will to forge ahead towards economic integration and the considerable size disparity between the two economies does not hinder bilateral free trade when appropriate special and differential treatment is accorded to the smaller country. Some new goods from Sri Lanka have found entry into the Indian market following the exchange of preferences. Finally, they have concluded that the economic benefits of free trade can and do override political problems. [20] Another report on evaluating economic performance of the FTA is ? Joint Study Group on India –Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement constituted by the partner Governments (JSG report, 2003)[21]. JSG (2003) has concluded that ISLFTA promoted a 48% increase in bilateral trade between 2001 and 2002, and at present India is the largest source of imports into Sri Lanka, accounting for 14% of Sri Lanka‘s global imports. India is the fifth largest export destination for Sri Lankan goods accounting for 3. 6% of Sri Lanka‘s global exports. [22] Based on the success of ISFTA, the JSG has recommended that the two countries enter into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) covering trade in services and investment and to build upon the ISLFTA by deepening and widening the coverage and binding of trade in goods. LOOKING BEYOND FTA: CEPA The decision to work towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was taken in June 2002. During the visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to India in June 2002, the Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka discussed the profound changes in the international economic and political arena that have been generated by the process of globalization, on the one hand, and emergence of closer regional economic associations, on the other. They agreed on the need to widen the ambit of the ISLFTA to go beyond trade in goods to include services and to facilitate greater investment flow between the two countries. Accordingly, a Joint Study Group (JSG) was set up to make recommendations on how to take the two economies beyond trade towards greater integration and to impart renewed impetus and synergy to the bilateral economic interaction, through the conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). [23] Both sides have committed to an agreement consistent with the rules of the WTO. While the numerous shortcomings of the existing FTA must be remedied, its evident achievements can be built upon with relative ease to formulate the new agreement. The required institutional support is already in place with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ceylon Chamber Commerce, which function as the focal points for economic cooperation, as well as the Indo-Lanka Joint Commission and the FTA’s Working Group on Customs. The first round of technical-level negotiations (TLNs) on the CEPA commenced in February 2005, somewhat delayed after changes in government in both countries. Seven rounds of negotiations have been completed by 2006. The CEPA is to cover trade in goods and services, investment liberalization, and economic cooperation. The negotiations on goods focus primarily on reducing the ISFTA’s negative lists, relaxing ROO criteria, signing mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) on product standards and certification procedures, and concluding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on consumer protection and legal metrology. Particular attention will be given to developing the supply side of the Sri Lankan economy. The CEPA will be notified under the GATT’s Article XXIV[24], which covers substantial trade instead of under the â€Å"Enabling Clause† which provides more flexibility to etermine the trade coverage between developing countries. In a nutshell, the main objectives of the CEPA are to: 1. Deepen existing preferential trade between the two countries 2. Reduce the negative lists of the ILBFTA 3. Relax ROO criteria 4. Liberalize the services sector beyond the coverage of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) 5. Liberalize investment 6. Facilitate economic cooperation as an i mpetus for liberalization of the services and investment sectors, with the Indian Line of Credit to play a crucial role. [25] CONCLUSION The operationalisation of the ISFTA in 2000 was an important step taken by the two countries to harness the economic complementarities between them. As expected, post  ­ISFTA bilateral trade performance between India and Sri Lanka indicates that exports and imports have grown considerably, accompanied by significant product diversification. Despite the fact that the ISFTA was confined to trade in goods, increases in trade links between India and Sri Lanka have been further triggered by large investment flows as well as services integration between two countries over time. Nevertheless, investment flows have been mostly one sided as would be expected, flowing from India to Sri Lanka, where the bulk of Indian investment in manufacturing in the post  ­ ISFTA phase has come from Indian investors keen to take advantage of preferential duty access to the Indian market in key sectors such as Vanaspathi and copper. Nevertheless, the potential for greater linkages in investment and services has been fairly obvious based on recent performance, and in part has encouraged both countries to further deepen integration in these areas under the CEPA framework. It is evident from detailed analysis of post ­ISFTA trade flows that Sri Lanka’s exports to India have expanded significantly. However, it is also clear that the overwhelming share of the increase has originated in a few commodities, raising concerns about the sustainability of the growth momentum in the long term. The bulk of the exports have been concentrated in two items, namely the vegetable fats and oils and copper and articles of copper, which are not considered to be sustainable in the long run. It is by resolving these issues that the movement towards CEPA could be put on fast track to make it a reality. CEPA has the potential to break new ground in South Asia’s forward movement towards economic prosperity. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Mukherjee, I. N. , T. Jayawardena and S. Kelegama (2002), ‘India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement: An Assessment of Potential and Impact’, SANEI completed study (www. saneinetwork. net ). 2. The Graduate Institute Geneva, HEID Working Paper No: 04/2010: An Econometric Analysis of the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. 3. Kelegama, S. nd Mukherji I. N. (2007), India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free Trade Agreement: Six Years Performance and Beyond, RIS DP# 119, February 2007, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, New Delhi. 4. JSG (2003), India-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Joint Study Group, October 2003, http://www. ips. lk/publications/etc/cepa_reprot/islcepa. pdf 5. Jayawardena, L. et al. (1993 ), Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Cooperation: Facilitating Trade Expansion through a Reciprocal Preference Scheme, The United Nations University, WIDER, Helsinki. 6. An Act of Faith? † ten years of the India-Sri Lanka FTA, Law Society Trust, Sri Lanka, March 2010 (PDF File) 7. â€Å"India – Sri Lanka FTA: Lessons for SAFTA†, CUTS International, Dushni Weerakoon, Jayanthi Thennakoon. (PDF File) 8. Panchamukhi, V. R. et al. (1992), Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Cooperation: An Operational Programme, the United Nations University, WIDER, Helsinki. 9. Taneja, N. , A. Mukherjee, S. Jayanetti, and T. Jayawardena (2004), ‘Indo-Sri Lanka Trade in Services: FTA II and Beyond’, SANEI completed study (www. saneinetwork. net ). ———————– 1] An Econometric Analysis of India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, HEID Working Paper No: 04/2010 [2] See Shome (2001); Harilal and Joseph (1999); Taneja (2001). [3] Several Free Trad e Agreements related to goods trade are more of Preferential Trade Agreements rather than Free Trade Agreements. In the case of Indo-Sri Lanka, the terms CEPA and FTA are interchangeable. [4] The SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) was signed in April 1993 and came into operation in December 1995. [5] RIS-DP # 119: India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free trade Agreement, Saman Kelegama Indra Nath Mukherjee. 6] Available on the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka website, http://www. boi. lk [7] Supra, note 5. [8] Supra note 5. [9] Indo-Sri Lanka FTA: An Assessment of Potential and Impact, Saman Kelegama Indra Nath Mukherjee. [10] Supra note 9. [11] See Jayawardena, L. et al. (1993) and Panchamukhi, V. R. et al. (1992). [12] Supra note 5. [13] India had committed to the WTO that it would remove non-tariff barriers by 2004. [14] Supra note 9. [15] The data has been obtained from the Ministry of Commerce (India) electronic database over the period of 1996-97 to 2000-01. 16] Items, which are considered sensitive to the domestic industry by each partner to FTA, are included in the respective negative list. The items in negative list of Sri Lanka are not entitled for any duty concessions for imports from India. The same rule applies in case of India‘s negative list for Sri Lan kan products. [17] â€Å"An Act of Faith? † ten years of the India-Sri Lanka FTA, Law Society Trust, Sri Lanka, March 2010. [18] Supra note 17. [19] Supra note 9. [20] Supra note 1. [21] Joint Study Group Report on India-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (JSG, 2003), can be found at : http://www. ps. lk/news/newsarchive/2003/20102003_islcepa_final/islcepa. pdf#search=’India%20Sri%20Lanka%20Trade%20Study’ [22] Supra note 1. [23] Supra note 21. [24] GATT– General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. [25] The Indian Line of Credit is a credit facility granted by India to other developing countries to purchase goods and services from India, usually with a long re-payment period. Since January 2001, Sri Lanka has borrowed a total of US $281 million for the purchase of food, petroleum, buses, roofing sheets, and consulting services. How to cite Critical Analysis of the India Sri Lanka Fta, Papers

Crucial Target of Stability and Equilibrium

Question: Discuss about the Crucial Target of Stability and Equilibrium. Answer: Introduction: The crucial target of any economy is to maintain stability and equilibrium in the nation. Economics deals with this equilibrium, which can be defined as the ways in which the economic forces are balanced within the nation by the interaction of the two factors, the demand and the supply (Mankiw, 2014). The state of equilibrium is such that at that point none of the agents are willing to deviate from their situation unless some distortion in the market takes place as that may hamper their utility. In this write-up the interaction of the aggregate demand and the aggregate supply theory has been used to interpret the stability of the market. The concept of both the short run and the long run aggregate supply has been used to illustrate the reason behind the economy not deviating from the equilibrium in the long-run. Analysis and Discussion: The term aggregate demand can be described as the total quantity of goods and services that the consumers may demand at every possible range of prices (Michaillat Saez, 2013). Like any other demand curve the AD is also downward sloping which implies that consumers wants more goods a lower prices and vice-versa. At any point on the AD curve there is a match between the actual expenditure and planned expenditure of the consumers. The aggregate supply on other hand indicates the total production of the economy at every possible price ranges. The total quantity of services and goods produced in the market over a certain period of time indicates the aggregate supply of the economy. The AS curve is upward sloping as producers feel it fruitful to produce more goods at higher prices and less amount of goods when prices offered to them are less (Canto, Joines, Laffer, 2014). The economy can be divided into three types of market namely the labor market, the financial market and product market. Amalgamation of the three markets leads to the global equilibrium where the financial market acts as an intermediary between the two other markets. The AD curve has been generated from the IS-LM model and the AD-AS model helps us in understanding the short-run fluctuations in the economy (Bernanke, Antonovics, Frank, 2015). The diagram below highlights the short run scenario of the economy. The figure above highlights the equilibrium scenario of the market. At the initial level the equilibrium was at point E1 with the price at P1 and quantity at Y1. If there is a sudden rise in the output level then the short-run supply curve shifts outward. Also if there is a sudden decline in the price of the components that reduces the total production cost then there can be a possibility of change in the supply curve. Due to this shift in the SRAS curve, the equilibrium is distorted and the price decreases to point P2 from P1. At the same time the output produced increases to Y2 from Y1. Keeping other thing constant, the resultant effect is the change in the short run level of equilibrium in the economy. In the short run, at least one of the factors used in the production are fixed in nature and hence the economy may or may not be able to gain back the stability lost in the market. The government intervenes in the short run to restore the lost equilibrium by taking up either the expansionary or contractionary fiscal policy (Schwieelmann, 2013). If the government wants to reduce the output in the market then it takes up the contractionary policy. The government can raise the level of tax in this regard to cut down the level of output produced in the economy (Motyovszki, 2013).There can be several justification of the government behind taking up a contractionary policy. The government tries to keep the rate of unemployment within its natural level, it also tries to curb the inflation and prevent any misconception in the form of asset bubble within the economy. The figure below shows the equilibrium in the long run as given by the intersecting point of the long-run supply curve, the supply curve in the short run and the demand curve in which stability is ensured (Ogun, 2014). From the figure it can be seen that the long run supply curve, LRAS is vertical in shape. This can be possible because in the long run it is assumed that there is existence of NAIRU. The economy after utilizing all its resources has no way to deviate and bring changes in its production process. If it can be assumed that in the long run there is sudden increase in demand of any goods which caused a shift of the demand curve outward at AD1 then as a result the price is going to increase to P2. As the resources are already used optimally hence there is dearth of resources to expand the supply the quantity demanded cannot be matched with the supply. Gradually the demand gets reduced due to the increase in the price and the demand curve shifts back to its previous position. Hence, even if there is any change in the aggregate demand curve or supply curve in the long-run, it will be restored back to the original level (Keating, 2013). Conclusion: The write up can be summarized by stating that the 3 different kinds of market interacts and establishes the equilibrium in the market. The main motto of any economic planner is to plan policies that can help the market in attaining equilibrium. The government intervenes in the short-run to restore any discrepancies that crops up. It has been using the fiscal policy as their chief instrument and helping the nation in maintaining the balance between the total demand and total supply of goods, reducing unemployment and curbing the inflation. Ultimately in the long run the economic fluctuations are minimized and a stable equilibrium is restored in the economy. References: Bernanke, B., Antonovics, K., Frank, R. (2015). Principles of macroeconomics. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Canto, V. A., Joines, D. H., Laffer, A. B. (2014). Foundations of supply-side economics: Theory and evidence. Academic Press. Keating, J. W. (2013). Interpreting permanent shocks to output when aggregate demand may not be neutral in the long run. Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, 45(4) , 747-756. Mankiw, N. G. (2014). Principles of macroeconomics. Cengage Learning. Michaillat, P., Saez, E. (2013). Aggregate Demand, Idle Time, and Unemployment (No. w18826). National Bureau of Economic Research. Motyovszki, G. E. (2013). The Evolution of the Phillips Curve Concepts and Their Implications for Economic Policy. Ogun, O. (2014). Reconstructing Long-Run Economics: Survey and Issues. Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research, 15(3) , 147. Schwieelmann, J. (2013). Effects of Fiscal Policy. Grin Verlag Ohg.

Rise and fall of marks and Spencer Essay Example

Rise and fall of marks and Spencer Essay When Michael Marks established a penny bazaar in mid 1880s, it was the beginning of a British success story that no one could have predicted. Marks Spencer Group (MS) has been a legendary organisation for over a century. However, after years of success, the retailing giant showed an alerting signal. This study provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the changes at MS from mid 1980s to 2002 and the results of its managements endeavours. This is undertaken by scanning through the history of MS and its background. Strategic tools like SWOT analysis, PEST analysis , Porters five model industry analysis , BCG Matrix and the Value Chain analysis are used to evaluate the whole spectrum of factors that contributed to the rise and decline of Marks and Spencer. An attempt is also made to suggest future strategies to be adopted to regain the lost ground. MS Background The company was started in Leeds in 1884 by Michael Marks , a Russian immigrant. Ten years later , Tom Spencer joined partnership with Marks and MS was born (Beaver, 1999). Their partnership had all the components of success, uniting entrepreneurial flair with the commercial expertise required to create a string of Penny Bazaars (Christopher, 2001). In the 1920s, the business exercised a revolutionary policy of buying directly from manufacturers rather than going through wholesalers. These unique relationships with suppliers gave the business an advantage and convenience that few of its competitors could match. We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and fall of marks and Spencer specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and fall of marks and Spencer specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rise and fall of marks and Spencer specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The growth of MS was fast and in 1926 it was listed in the London Stock Exchange as a public company (Whitehead, 1994). Two years later, Simon Marks took over the reins of MS from his father. He introduced the St. Michael brand , a symbol of excellence and quality. In 1930s, MS flagship store was opened at Marble Arch, London. Afterwards, food departments, which sold canned products, were introduced into the company. Moreover, MS started to made forays into the foreign markets in 1970s and had a mixed success in its foreign operations. It opened its first overseas store in Canada in 1973 and then the expansion continued in Europe (Daniels, 1995). It also exported its St. Michael brand merchandise to franchised stores in seventeen countries. This environmental analysis generates information which is structured and directed in a meaningful way for marketing and strategic planning process with respect to the present and anticipated situations. The internal environments are explored using the strength and weaknesses where as the opportunities and threats are analyzed for the external. The detailed factors that characterizes the strengths , weaknesses , opportunities and threats are listed as Appendix I. PEST Analysis Through the PEST analysis the external macro environment is explored. Here factors pertaining to the political, economical socio-cultural and technological aspects are looked into. Political The stability of the present labour government, its taxation policies, anti monopolistic policies, the employment laws and the formation of the competition commission so on are having a direct impact on the retail industry as well as M S. Mergers and acquisitions are not encouraged and hence thoroughly investigated. Because of the presence of the strong trade unions the companies are not in a position to introduce operation simplification just as the legendary Marks could introduce it in Marks and Spencer, immediately after the Second world war. As such firms have had to adapt to wage rises and have been forced to find other ways to lower costs. Supermarkets such as Tesco have in the past reduced costs by exploiting suppliers by taking advantage of their strong buyers bargaining power. Farmers in particular have been the subject of such exploitation though the governments competition commission has since attempted to rectify the situation by introducing a code of practice (BBC online 2001, Supermarkets code too weak ) Economic Corporation tax is currently 30% for large firms. Tax credit is allowed for research and development. Inflation and interest rates are at reasonable level with positive indicators in GNP growth rate. Even though recessionary trends are speculated about its drastic effects are not yet perceptibly seen in the economy. Of course the economy show signs of weakening. The underlying rate of inflation was 2.3% for March 2002. The Bank of England is attempting to keep inflation below 2.5% and hopes to prevent a rise in interest rates. A rise in interest rates will complicate any financing decisions and may hinder any long-term investments as it will increase the cost of debt as such alternative forms of investment such as equity become a more desirable form of investment though historically equity finance is seldom used for financing long term objectives due to the fact that it can be very costly and will dilute shareholder control. For the past two years the prediction of an impending recession has loomed large though this has not happened. Many economists predict an imminent recession. If that prediction is proved correct , history dictates that , in times of recession , consumers will be more price sensitive and less likely to purchase high priced goods due to a lack of disposable income. Socio-cultural Current trends suggest that over the last 10 years there has been a large rise in the popularity of bulk buying , with food items in particular being bought in bulk. Moreover there has been a increase in demand for convenient foods such as sandwiches and microwave meals. The impact of September 11th in conjunction with the rise of charity initiatives suggest that many people are likely to adopt a more sympathetic view to world problems and thus greater importance is likely to be placed on corporate responsibility and charity initiatives. Though Tesco and Gap practices in the past have been deemed irresponsible and yet their profit was not adversely affected. Technological The ever-increasing popularity of the Internet and the advent of broadband technology has resulted in many firms now offering online services allowing for home shopping. The use of intricate computer systems has enabled firms to automate and accelerate many procedures previously done by hand. Linked system have also enabled easier account collection, statistical analysis and identification of demographic data Porters Five Model Industry Analysis The widely accepted and commonly used Porters five model industry analysis rests upon the industry dynamics which in turn are influenced by the forces of macro and micro environments. This analysis is not one of activity alone but an on-going process. These forces exercise relative power at a point of time and it is really important to identify which of these five forces are the key forces at operation and evolve a strategy to position itself to take advantage of the opportunities and over come the threats. Because of the dynamic nature of these forces the analysis is to be repeated on an on-going basis so as to deprive of the potential competitors to overtake , regain , sustain and improve the market share and growth as the situation demands. The threats from the New entrants , buyers and suppliers bargaining power , substitutes and competitive rivalry are analyzed and shown in Appendix II Porters 5 forces model suggests that when buyers exert a high degree of choice and are able to choose from a variety of substitutes product quality, price, product differentiation and branding are likely to become prevalent factors as concerns the success of a firm. As such this is likely to be common within the market MS operates as there is a high degree of competition incurred in direct and indirect forms meaning buyers (customers) will have a high degree of choice thus firms must cater to this in the manners outlined above. Additionally the fickle nature of the fashion industry i.e. product life cycle is low due to ever changing fashion trends means that a quick and efficient response to customer demand can critically affect the degree of success a firm experiences. Additionally an awareness of future environmental conditions can be of vital importance to a firms success as the importance of price, product quality branding and differentiation can vary greatly within different cir cumstances. I.e. during a period of recession price becomes a prevailing factor, which is likely to dictate customer choice. Whereas during a period of prosperity quality and brand become dominant factors. The Core Competences Critical Success factors and Competitive Advantage Core competences arises from the unique and distinctive way that M S builds, develops , integrates and deploys its resources and competences. It can be evaluated like this. M S has a clear customer focus. Because of the inbuilt , robust competences the uniqueness of M S cannot be easily imitated. With regard to its flexibility this is one area in which M S did not respond timely in adequate measure. They lagged behind other competitors in adapting to the changes in the market or industry conditions. The company has paid a bitter price for this laxity. The extent to which value is added to the product/service is quite is good. Finally, with respect to sustainability M S could not retain the tempo of its momentum and march even though it is still the market leader. The critical success factors and core competences are pictorially depicted and is shown in Appendix III. Competitive Advantage M S could attain competitive advantage by developing and implementing these distinctive resources capabilities and competences. The strategies adopted after the great fall of 1998 enabled M S to regain its lost territory. The competitive advantage of M S can be explained in terms of its reputation for quality ,its special relationships with its suppliers and its customers. M S has a very exacting but mutually profitable relationship with the suppliers. It demands high quality at reasonable cost and flexibility in return for large volume of business. Its relationship with the customers is based upon its reputation for good service , refunds , exchange of goods and high quality value for money goods. Real competitive advantages take longer to build and last longer. M S has the best brands on high street. The customers associates with the company with dependability and value for money. The employees are always a privileged lot resulting in their high involvement and commitment. In the end result it has a performance that is superior to most of its high street competitors.

4 traits all great talent acquisition teams should have

4 traits all great talent acquisition teams should have Here’s a simple business truth: In any company, regardless of age, focus, or industry, you’re only as good as your talent- which also means that you’re only as good as your talent acquisition team.It’s true- talent acquisition is an essential aspect of any strategic, forward-thinking business, and with the intense level of competition among companies at all tiers vying to build the best teams possible, you better make sure that the individuals in charge of sourcing, vetting, and acquiring new candidates for your company are at the top of their games.While there’s no simple â€Å"one size fits all† formula for building a great talent acquisition team, there are some things that you should look out for when building your team, in an effort to stack the odds in your favor that you have effective recruiting professionals working for you. HR Blog recently published an article that highlights some of the qualities you should keep an eye out for whe n building your team. Consider the following to help guide your team-building efforts!Stellar communication skillsIt’s no surprise that great recruiters are usually great communicators who possess the skills to attract top-tier potential candidates, hold their interest and make them realize how important and valued they are, get them excited at the prospect of joining your company, and convince them that your company is the best choice for their next great professional opportunity. In today’s rapidly evolving work world, where top-tier talent has more options than ever before, the ability of your recruiting team to attract and acquire new talent is critical. If recruiters can’t sell you on the idea that they’re effective professionals, how are they ever going to sell candidates on the idea of joining your team? Make sure you hire individuals with top-notch communication skills to staff your talent acquisition team.The ability to self-manageGreat recruiter s are tireless professionals who seem to operate at higher frequencies than mere mortal employees, and must be experts at managing their own schedules and juggling their constantly rotating list of priorities. According to the HR Blog, â€Å"Recruiters are usually rather busy. Great recruiters are busy doing the tasks that will create the most value for the company. You have to be able to prioritize and manage your time. You need to know when to say no and where to go that extra mile. Of all the attributes you need as a recruiter, understanding what to prioritize might be the most difficult thing. This competency comes from experience in understanding all elements related to recruitment, and often takes some time to achieve.† When you’re staffing your talent acquisition team, make sure you hire self-directed leaders who possess the ability to manage both their time and your company’s needs.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});Organ izational knowledgeIn order to effectively sell your company to potential candidates and address any and all questions and concerns that could arise on interviews and during recruiting calls, your recruiters will need to have an unparalleled and in-depth knowledge of your company- from its history to its organization and future plans and everything in-between. Bottom line: don’t send out any recruiter to represent your company who doesn’t have an understanding of your company and business down cold. Remember, in many instances recruiters will make your first impression to potential talent for you, and you always want it to be a good one.Great instinctsEffective recruiters have great innate instincts for talent- both obvious and not-so-obvious- which includes both the all-stars and oddballs who typically move the needle, disrupt the status quo, and lead to real innovation and growth. You should be operating with complete faith that the talent acquisition professionals o n your team will be able to unearth real talent and potential at all levels.Are you looking to build a killer talent acquisition team for your business? If so, then consider the qualities mentioned here when vetting recruiters. Good luck!

Types of Solids and How to Categorize Them

Types of Solids and How to Categorize Them In the broadest sense, solids may be categorized as either crystalline solids or amorphous solids. Most specifically, scientists typically recognize six main types of solids, each characterized by specific properties and structures. Ionic Solids Ionic solids form when electrostatic attraction causes anions and cations to form a crystal lattice. In an ionic crystal, each ion is surrounded by ions with an opposite charge. Ionic crystals are extremely stable because considerable energy is required to break ionic bonds. Metallic Solids The positively charged nuclei of metal atoms are held together by valence electrons to form metallic solids. The electrons are considered delocalized because they arent bound to any particular atoms, as in covalent bonds. Delocalized electrons can move throughout the solid. This is the electron sea model of metallic solids- positive nuclei float in a sea of negative electrons. Metals are characterized by high thermal and electrical conductivity and are typically hard, shiny, and ductile. Examples: Almost all metals and their alloys, such as gold, brass, steel. Network Atomic Solids This type of solid is also known simply as a network solid. Network atomic solids are huge crystals consisting of atoms held together by covalent bonds. Many gemstones are network atomic solids. Examples: Diamond, amethyst, ruby. Atomic Solids Atomic solids form when weak London dispersion forces bind the atoms of cold noble gasses. Examples: These solids are not seen in everyday life since they require extremely low temperatures. An example would be solid krypton or solid argon. Molecular Solids Covalent molecules held together by intermolecular forces form molecular solids. While the intermolecular forces are strong enough to hold the molecules in place, molecular solids typically have lower melting and boiling points than metallic, ionic, or network atomic solids, which are held together by stronger bonds. Example: Water ice. Amorphous Solids Unlike all of the other types of solids, amorphous solids do not exhibit a crystal structure. This type of solid is characterized by an irregular bonding pattern. Amorphous solids may be soft and rubbery when they are formed by long molecules, tangled together and held by intermolecular forces. Glassy solids are hard and brittle, formed by atoms irregularly joined by covalent bonds. Examples: Plastic, glass.

Performance Pay at Safelight Auto Glass Case Study

Performance Pay at Safelight Auto Glass - Case Study Example The installer’s problem as identified in the PPP was related to the turnover rates. It has been found that the turnover rate of the company has been quite high because the glass installation was a seasonal business. The busy periods were spring and summer and it was found that at this time, the competition for new hires was mounting. However, the demand for the windshield replacement troughed and as a result the repair shops found it necessary to lay off many of their workers and hire them back during spring and summer. In addition to this, another biggest problem was associated with technicians who were lured by other companies’ offer, which promised to pay them a fraction more than what they were currently receiving. Therefore, as a result it was evident that the installers were changing their jobs since they were paid a Dollar more an hour and were allowed to take the company’s truck home during night. In order to reduce the turnover rate, Safelite also offere d truck privileges for a time being, but then stopped it later. It was a matter of concern for the recruiters in HR with regards to getting technicians from other companies to come to Safelite. These were the problems that the PPP had tried to identify which were affecting the company’s productivity. Question Two Pros and Cons of Switching From Wage Rates to Piece Rates After going through the case study, it can be revealed that Performance Pay Plan was revised for both the managers as well as the technicians. It was decided to pay the technicians according to the piece rate system rather than the wage rate system which was previously being practiced. The plan was implemented for the technicians to receive the piece rate for every windshield that they installed. According to this plan, the number of windshield that the technician would install in a week would be accumulated. As a result, the technicians’ pay for the week was decided to be based upon the number of insta llations. The new plan brought both advantages and disadvantages to the technicians. Previously, the technicians received $10-$12 an hour. However, it was analyzed that according to the new PPP, the technicians would receive $15.22 per hour. Therefore, it can be examined that there would be a substantial hike in the salary of the technicians. However, the disadvantages of the plan for the technicians was that for the first twelve weeks of the plan, if the technician did not reach a weekly average which was equal to his previous hourly wage, then he would receive the hourly wage as a guaranteed rate. After that first twelve-week period, his guarantee rate would lower by 30% so that he gets encouraged to work towards the PPP rate. This is quite demotivating for the technicians. This may even discourage the technicians to improve the productivity. The other disadvantage has been that the installers were paid different rates depending on the area of the country in which they lived. It w as also apparent from the case study that the technicians were at times asked to remove a work shield while the auto body work was being completed on a vehicle and then replace it later. The Safelite installers can be considered as good

The problem of realism in Animation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The problem of realism in Animation - Essay Example The essay "The problem of realism in Animation" analyzes he issue with Realism in the context of animation. Contemporary film production has and currently, is undergoing a rapid makeover ever since the onset of digital revolution. Film makers today, storyboard, shoot and edit their films with the assistance of computer manipulation of images commonly referred to as digital imagery. With respect to the ordinary audience, the most evident relevance of these technologies is the new wave of computer generated and computer enhanced special effects which are capable of generating outstanding graphic images – which have conquered new heights and reached the epitome of visual excellence. Examples include: the watery creature in The Alyss (1989) or the glistening, irregular shaped Terminator 2 (1991). The images viewed in these movies were unlike any of those witnessed previously. However, such swift transformations and the resultant changes is creating grave setbacks for film theory f or the reason that the digital manipulation of ordinary images is so original and the artistic potential it presents are so unparalleled, that its impact on cinematic depiction as well as on the viewer's reaction are inadequately understood. This paper seeks to analyze, explore and discuss the various aspects involved in animation with respect to its relativity to realism. Realism in visual arts and literature refers to the representation of themes, premises and characters as they appear in everyday life, devoid of exaggeration.

History Technology 20th Century Essay Example for Free

History Technology 20th Century Essay The role of technology played a huge part in developing our way of life today as we exist. The technology field developed quickly in the span of the 20th century. We had communication technology, transportation technology and the technology that contributed to the advancement of modern science. These all contributed to a better way of living and enhancing our quality of life throughout the 20th century and it continues today. Communications technology played an important part in our evolving culture in the 20th century. Radio, radar, and early sound recording were key technologies that paved the way for the development of the telephone, fax machine and the storage of data. The way we communicate with others is a great tool for our society to evolve and communicate with one another. This helped with the way we developed our relationships with our countries as well by providing a quick way to speak to someone or find someone that is a half way around the world. This technology also helped our economy by providing an important avenue for the way we can do business. We can hold conference calls with multiple parties that were not thought of before. The personal computer was developed in the 1980’s as well as cell phones. The public use Internet was introduced in the 1990’s. With these technologies it gave businesses a chance to enhance productivity and increase our economy and provide us a better quality of life. Transportation technology had a significant impact on our quality of life and the way we become mobile. The combination of the ability to travel by air and automobile allowed people to have unprecedented personal mobility that they did not have before. One of the most notable technologies in the area of transportation came with the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. This gave a peaceful outlet for political and military tensions of the Cold War. This lead to the first human spaceflight with the Soviet Union’s mission in 1961 and man’s first landing on the moon in 1969. The first space station was launched by the Soviet space program. The United States developed the first reusable spacecraft system with the Space Shuttle program. It was first launched in 1981. The technology that lead to the evolution of the space program for human space travel also allowed for orbiting space probes that have been developed to work with our communication technologies to not only protect us but provide further exploration in the future. The advancement of medicine has allowed us to live longer more productive lives. Antibiotics was developed that drastically reduced mortality from bacterial diseases. Vaccines were developed to protect us from epidemics that caused death. X-rays became a powerful tool to diagnose diseases and broken bones. Imaging was developed to help doctors find better ways to treat individuals. All of the medical advancements from the 20th century have provided our morality to increase not only in adults but young people who did not have the chance at life as they do today. Vietnam War Outcome/Results The war that I choose to discuss is the Vietnam War. This war was a prolonged struggle between nationalist’s forces that were attempting to unify the country of Vietnam under a communist government. The United States was trying to prevent the spread of communism. Many people viewed this war as a no win war. The United States leaders had lost the American public’s support for the war. What many people did not realize is that there had been fighting in Vietnam long before the Vietnam War began. The Vietnamese people had suffered under French colonial rule for over six decades. Japan had invaded many parts of Vietnam which brought the Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh back to his country after traveling around the world. He established the Viet Minh. Their goal was to get rid of the French and Japanese people that occupied their land. The French were not willing to give up their colony and fought back. Ho Chi Minh had tried for years to get the United States to support him against the French. He even supplied the United States with military intelligence about the Japanese during World War II. The United States decided to help the French for fear that the country would become a communist country. Viet Cong was established by communist sympathizers in South Vietnam to use guerilla warfare against the South Vietnamese. The United States sent advisors to South Vietnam but the North Vietnamese fired directly upon two U. S. Ships in international waters. This resulted in a resolution that the Congress issued that gave the President authority to escalate the United States involvement in Vietnam. The President’s goal was not for the United States to win but to bolster South Vietnam’s defenses until South Vietnam could take over. Because the United States entered into this war without a goal, President Johnson set the stage for the public and troop disappointment when the United States was in a stalemate with the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. The U. S. troops fought the war in the jungle where the Viet Cong were very well supplied and set booby traps for the U. S. troops. This became a difficult war to fight for the Americans. The U.S. troops became frustrated at the conditions they were forced to be in that many became angry and some used drugs to cope. The surprise attack that the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong organized against the South Vietnamese cities and towns was the turning point. This proved to the Americans that the enemy was stronger and organized better than they thought. As news spread to the U. S., the American public was unhappy so the President decided that he would not escalate the war any longer. Newly appointed President Nixon wanted nothing more than to end the war. He began the process of withdrawing troops in 1969 and expanded the war to other countries. This move created protests throughout America. The President worked toward a peaceful solution and peace talks began. The cease fire did not happen until 1973 and the last U. S. troops left Vietnam in March 1973. Even though the United States had withdrawn it’s troops, the fighting continued in Vietnam. Finally, South Vietnam officially surrendered to North Vietnam on April 30, 1975. The United States was trying to prevent the spread of communism when ultimately; Vietnam was reunited as a communist country in 1976. This was a war the United States should have never been involved in but the government thought otherwise. [Insert Paper Title Here] [Insert introductory text here] Paper should be printed on 8.5 X 11 inch white paper. Entire paper should be double-spaced. The paper should be clean. The printer should produce letters that are dark enough and clear enough to be easily read. Margins should be 1 inch at the top, bottom, left, and right of every page. Do not justify the right margin, instead leave it ragged by using left justify. Use Times Roman using font size of 12. Type no more than 27 lines of text on each page (not counting the header at the top of the page). References

Magical Elements in The Day We Were Dogs :: Day We Were Dogs Essays

Magical Elements in The Day We Were Dogs      Ã‚  Ã‚   The short story "The Day We Were Dogs", first published in 1993, was written by Elena Garro. She was born in Pueblo, Mexico, on December 15, 1920. I feel that the story definitely has to deal with magical realism. "The Day We Were Dogs" has too many magical elements that are treated as normal not to be magical realism. However, I also felt that the story has some unreal elements that are not treated as normal. Therefore, I feel that the story may also fit into the genre of fantastic literature, which creates questions about the unreal elements. Given this fact that the story hovers between magical realism and fantastic literature, it can not be absolutely defined as an example of magical realism. After reading "The Day We Were Dogs", I felt that some things were treated as normal. One of the characteristics of magical realism is the fact that the girls might be dogs. To me, this is an obvious magical element. A human can not turn into a dog in any way, shape, or form. Also, a magical realist characteristic is when one of the girls touched a worm with her fingertip and it became a red ring (208). If she is a dog, I find myself asking: Why is he touching the worm with his fingertip? In addition, Eva rested her head on her fore paws and closed her eyes (209). The fact that the girls are switching from a human back to an animal seems magical to me. Most importantly, these magical elements are treated as normal by the characters, a necessary criteria for magical realism (Faris 172). The sun beating down, the earth burned, and the dogs' food was heavy as bags of rocks (209), however, in my opinion, is an example of an unreal element that is questionable. Dog food is heavy, but I do not think that it is as heavy as rocks. I felt that it was somewhat an exaggeration. Therefore, I feel that it is a fantastic element, one that is questioned (Todorov), rather than an example of magical realism in which the unreal is treated as normal. Grounding the magical elements in reality is also a characteristic of magical realism. I found some realistic elements in the story "The Day We Were Dogs" as well.

Automotive industry Essay

In compliance with the fulfillment of the requirements on the course â€Å"Writing in the Discipline† and in accordance with your oral instructions dated November 19, 2013, we are submitting our library research paper entitled â€Å"The Uses of Automobiles†. The main purpose of this research paper is to know automobiles and its uses, to explain the advantages and disadvantages that automobiles bring to the society, and to suggest ways on how to conserve energy using new technologies of automobiles. We hope that this paper will meet your approval. Respectfully yours, Kenneth Llauderes and Mark Joseph Sueta BSME- 1 BSME- 1. The Uses of Automobiles A Library Research Paper Presented to Mrs. Astrid O. Haresco Faculty, Department of Languages Western Institute of Technology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course ENGLISH 2- Writing in the Discipline By Kenneth Llauderes- BSME 1 Mark Joseph Sueta- BSME 1 February 2014 Table of Contents Page †¢Introduction 1 ?History 2 ?Contribution to the society 4 †¢Application of automobile as Transportation 5 ?Automobile Industry 5 ?Automobile Racing 6 ?Automobiles Business 9 †¢New Technologies of Automobiles 11 ?Antipollution Strategies 11 ?Safety Features 12 ?Hybrid- Electric Vehicles 13? Computers and Navigation Devices 14 ?Eco- Friendly Automobile 16 ?Other Improvements 19 †¢Conclusion 20 †¢Recommendation 20 †¢Bibliography 21 Llauderes, K. & Sueta, M. J. â€Å"The uses of automobiles†. Western Institute of Technology. 2014 Automobiles transport people in a more comfortable and more efficient manner. It is a propelled vehicle used primarily on public roads but adaptable to other surface. They are classified by size, style, number of doors and intended use. The typical automobile also called a car, auto, motorcar, and passenger car, has four wheels and can carry up to six people including a driver. The researchers travelled and gathered information from the correct and truthful data from the internet and different libraries in Iloilo. The researchers conclude that automobiles change the world and the lives of the people because it has a profound impact on the society. As a whole it played a very important role in the society and it is one of the key elements of industrial economies and no doubt, it will continue to shape our culture and economy well into the next generations. The researchers recommend that the overnment agencies especially Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) support the production of automobiles that have antipollution features and they must impose rules and regulations, and build more highways and bridges in response on the increasing number of automobiles. THESIS STATEMENT: Automobiles transport people in a more comfortable and more efficient manner. I. What is an automobile A. Definition B. History C. Contribution to the society II. Application of automobile as Transportation A. Automobile Industry B. Automobile Racing C. Automobiles Business III. New Technologies of Automobiles A. Antipollution Strategies B. Safety Features C. Hybrid- Electric Vehicles D. Computers and Navigation Devices E. Eco- Friendly Automobile F. Other Improvements Introduction An automobile is a self- propelled vehicle used primarily on public roads but adaptable to other surfaces. They are classified by size, style, number of doors and intended use. The typical automobile also called a car, auto, motorcar, and passenger car, has four wheels and can carry up to six people including a driver. Larger vehicles designed to carry more passengers are called vans, minivans, omnibuses, or buses. In this paper, those used to carry cargo are called pickups or trucks, depending on their size and design. Minivans are van- style vehicles built on a passenger car frame that can usually carry up to eight passengers. Sport- utility vehicles, also known as SUVs are more rugged than passenger cars and are designed for driving in mud or snow. The researchers chose automobile as their topic among all the topics because it is the one that people uses in their daily lives as transportation and because it is one of the key elements of industrial economies and no doubt it will continue to shape their culture and economy well into the next generations. This paper is intended to analyze and examine how technology especially automobiles change the world and the lives of the people. This paper is all about automobiles, its history, uses and countries that produce automobiles. It also discusses about the advantages and disadvantages that automobiles bring to them. It also focuses on the manufacture and servicing of automobiles. 1 This paper is gathered from the correct and truthful data from different libraries in Iloilo and by the use of the internet, the researchers also gathered some data from different resources. They use the information from the latest resources of the library. They also travelled in nearby provinces of Iloilo to collect knowledge that they apply in this paper. This paper is divided into three parts namely: what is an automobile; application of automobile as transportation and; new technologies of automobile to support the thesis statement: automobiles transport people in a more comfortable and more efficient manner. History The history of the automobile actually began about 4,000 years ago when the first wheel was used for transportation in India. In the early 15th century the Portuguese arrived in China and the interaction of the two cultures led to a variety of new technologies, including the creation of a wheel that turned under its own power. By the 1600s small steam-powered engine models had been developed, but it was another century before a full-sized engine-powered vehicle was created. In 1769 French Army officer Captain Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built what has been called the first automobile. Cugnot’s three-wheeled, steam-powered vehicle carried four persons. Designed to move artillery pieces, it had a top speed of a little more than 3. 2 km/h (2 mph) and had to stop every 20 minutes to build up a fresh head of steam 2 As early as 1801 successful but very heavy steam automobiles were introduced in England. Laws barred them from public roads and forced their owners to run them like trains on private tracks. In 1802 a steam-powered coach designed by British engineer Richard Trevithick journeyed more than 160 km (100 mi) from Cornwall to London. Steam power caught the attention of other vehicle builders. In 1804 American inventor Oliver Evans built a steam-powered vehicle in Chicago, Illinois. French engineer Onesiphore Pecqueur built one in 1828. British inventor Walter Handcock built a series of steam carriages in the mid-1830s that were used for the first omnibus service in London. By the mid-1800s England had an extensive network of steam coach lines. Horse-drawn stagecoach companies and the new railroad companies pressured the British Parliament to approve heavy tolls on steam-powered road vehicles. The tolls quickly drove the steam coach operators out of business. During the early 20th century steam cars were popular in the United States. Most famous was the Stanley Steamer, built by American twin brothers Freelan and Francis Stanley. A Stanley Steamer established a world land speed record in 1906 of 205. 44 km/h (121. 573 mph). Manufacturers produced about 125 models of steam-powered automobiles, including the Stanley, until 1932. 3 Contribution to the society The automobile has had a profound impact on the society. It has brought superhighways, paved bridges, motels, vacations, suburbia and economic growth which accompanied them. Automobiles provide a great deal of personal freedom to their owners. The article by journalist Kevin A. Wilson provides a history of automobile design and production in the United States, and surveys recent efforts to develop lower- and zero-emissions vehicles, such as electric cars and diesel-electric hybrid cars. As suburbs, generally without public transportation, grew, cars became necessary and auto sales increased. Easy credit facilitated the purchase of cars. The number of cars on the road leaped from 40 million in 1950 to 60 million in 1960. The Federal Highway Act of 1956 created the Interstate Highway System, a 68,400-km (42,500-mi) network of limited-access highways. This system spurred further suburban growth. Technological advances transformed production. The new machine-tool industry, a trail of inventions, including the telephone, typewriter, linotype, phonograph, electric light, cash register, air brake, refrigerator car, and automobile, led to new industries. Business leaders learned how to operate and coordinate many different economic activities across broad geographic areas. Businesses were thus able to become larger, and the modern corporation became an important form of business organization. 4 Application of Automobile as Transportation Automobile industry Automobile Industry is an industry that produces automobiles and other gasoline-powered vehicles, such as buses, trucks, and motorcycles. The automobile industry is one of the most important industries in the world, affecting not only the economy but also the cultures of the world. It provides jobs for millions of people, generates billions of dollars in worldwide revenues, and provides the basis for a multitude of related service and support industries. Automobiles revolutionized transportation in the 20th century, changing forever the way people live, travel, and do business. The automobile has enabled people to travel and transport goods farther and faster, and has opened wider market areas for business and commerce. The auto industry has also reduced the overall cost of transportation by using methods such as mass production (making several products at once, rather than one at a time), mass marketing (selling products nationally rather than locally), and globalization of production (assembling products with parts made worldwide). From 1886 to 1898, about 300 automobiles were built, but there was no real established industry. A century later, with automakers and auto buyers expanding globally, automaking became the world’s largest manufacturing activity, with nearly 58 million new vehicles built each year worldwide. 5 As a result of easier and faster transportation, the United States and world economies have become dependent on the mobility that automobiles, trucks, and buses provide. This mobility allowed remote populations to interact with one another, which increased commerce. The transportation of goods to consumers and consumers to goods has become an industry in itself. The automobile has also brought related problems, such as air pollution, the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, congested traffic, and highway fatalities. Nevertheless, the automobile industry continues to be an important source of employment and transportation for millions of people worldwide. Automobile Racing Automobile Racing is a sport in which drivers race specially designed automobiles over tracks or courses of differing lengths, designs, and constructions. The competition tests the skills of the drivers, the speed capabilities of the vehicles, and the endurance of both. Originally consisting of occasional challenges among wealthy individuals in the United States and continental Europe, automobile racing has evolved into an international year-round professional sport that is one of the most popular spectator attractions in the world. There are three basic types of race courses in automobile racing: (1) the oval track, (2) the road course, and (3) the straight-line course. Oval tracks, which can be dirt, asphalt, or concrete, range in length from 0. 16 to 2. 5 mi 6 (0. 27 to 4 km). Some oval tracks, longer than 1 mi (1. 6 km) and highly banked (angled toward the ground), are called superspeedways. Road courses have either of two forms: courses that are created by temporarily closing city streets, and courses specially designed to duplicate the twists and turns of country roads but used only for racing. Road courses of both types are generally 1. 5 to 4 mi (2. 4 to 6. 4 km) long in the United States, sometimes longer in other countries. Straight-line courses consist of a simple strip of asphalt or concrete used for drag races between two vehicles. Straight-line courses are generally 0. 25 mi (0. 4 km) long, but they can be 0. 125 mi (0. 2 km) long as well. There are five basic components of an automobile racing team: (1) the ownership, (2) the team manager, (3) the driver, (4) the support crew, and (5) the sponsors. The ownership of the car is in charge of the team but usually employs a manager to run operations on a day-to-day basis. The driver is always an independent contractor. Drivers usually compete in a variety of different cars for different owners throughout their careers. The support crew maintains the car before, during, and after races. The driver and support crew work together during races to handle needed repairs, tire changes, and fuel refills (done during brief service breaks known as pit stops). Finally, sponsors, usually corporations, provide money to the racing team in exchange for promotional ties. The most obvious examples of this relationship are company and product logos, which are commonly seen on the outside of vehicles during races. 7 Although there are many categories of automobile racing—and many types and levels of competition within each category—the major forms of the sport differ in the United States and abroad. In most parts of the world, the premier race series are those for Formula One (F1) vehicles and for sports cars. These competitions receive less attention in the United States, where the most important race series are those for Indianapolis (Indy) cars and for stock cars. Some drivers and teams move between American and overseas forms of racing, but this are uncommon. The coordinating committee for automobile racing in the United States is the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), which serves as the U. S. representative on the Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA; International Automobile. Federation), the worldwide governing body of the sport. ACCUS coordinates activities between FIA and six major sanctioning bodies for automobile racing in the United States—addressing rules, regulations, automotive specifications, safety, and related matters. The eight organizational members of ACCUS are Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), Indy Racing League (IRL), Grand American Road Racing Association (GRAND-AM), Professional Sports Car Racing (PSC), the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), and the United States Auto Club (USAC). 8 Automobile Business Automobiles have changed and developed in response to consumer wishes, economic conditions, and advancing technology. The first gas-powered vehicles looked like horse buggies with engines mounted underneath because this was the style to which people were accustomed. By 1910, however, features like the front-mounted engine were already established, giving the automobile a look that was all its own. As public demand for cars increased, the vehicles became more stylized. The classic cars of the 1920s and 1930s epitomize the sleek, individually designed luxury cars called the â€Å"classic cars. † During the 1940s and 1950s, automobiles generally became larger until the advent of the â€Å"compact† car, which immediately became a popular alternative. The gasoline crisis is reflected in the fuel-efficient cars made in the 1970s and 1980s. Current designs continue to reflect economy awareness, although many different markets exist. In a turnaround economy like India, small can mean handsome returns. As auto makers Suzuki and Hyundai, focused on the sub-compact segment. It is thanks to buoyant small-car sales by their subsidiaries here that both Hyundai and Suzuki have posted record earnings growth, in the midst of a severe global downturn. It suggests a growth-driver role for the domestic automobile industry, and not merely in terms of volumes and sales. 9 The auto companies and ancillary makers are confident of posting 10 percent rise in business, provided barriers to free movement of goods are removed. Over 80 percent of the players in the automobile industry, having units in north India, said business activities could grow by 10 per cent while 20 per cent of the respondents said business was likely to go beyond 10 percent, a survey conducted by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. Reeling under subdued demand for long, the domestic steel industry now hopes that the proposal to reduce excise duty on automobiles in the Interim Budget 2014-15 would spur demand for flat products. â€Å"The proposal to reduce excise duty on automobiles in the current economic environment is a welcome step, however it would have been more meaningful and impactful if the excise duty on steel would have been reduced,† Essar Steel. Leaving direct taxes untouched except for continuing the income tax surcharge on ‘super-rich’ individuals and corporate, the Interim Budget today slashed excise duty on cars and two-wheelers, and capital goods and consumer durables to boost manufacturing and growth. 10 New Technologies of Automobiles Antipollution Strategies Pollution-control laws adopted at the beginning of the 1990s in some of the United States and in Europe called for automobiles that produced better gas mileage with lower emissions. The California Air Resources Board required companies with the largest market shares to begin selling vehicles that were pollution free—in other words, electric. In 1996 General Motors became the first to begin selling an all-electric car, the EV1, to California buyers. The all-electric cars introduced so far have been limited by low range, long recharges, and weak consumer interest. Engines that run on hydrogen have been tested. Hydrogen combustion produces only a trace of harmful emissions, no carbon dioxide, and a water-vapor by-product. However, technical problems related to the gas’s density and flammability remains to be solved. Diesel engines burn fuel more efficiently, and produce fewer pollutants, but they are noisy. Popular in trucks and heavy vehicles, diesel engines are only a small portion of the automobile market. A redesigned, quieter diesel engine introduced by Volkswagen in 1996 may pave the way for more diesels, and less pollution, in passenger cars. 11 Safety Features. Manufacturers continue to build lighter vehicles with improved structural rigidity and ability to protect the driver and passengers during collisions. Bumpers evolved as rails or bars to protect the front and rear of the car’s body from damage in minor collisions. Over the years, bumpers became stylish and, in some cases, not strong enough to survive minor collisions without expensive repairs. Eventually, government regulations required bumpers designed to withstand low-speed collisions with less damage. Some bumpers can withstand 4-km/h (2. 5-mph) collisions with no damage, while others can withstand 8-km/h (5-mph) collisions with no damage. Modern vehicles feature crumple zones, portions of the automobile designed to absorb forces that otherwise would be transmitted to the passenger compartment. Passenger compartments on many vehicles also have reinforced roll bar structures in the roof, in case the vehicle overturns, and protective beams in the doors to help protect passengers from side impacts. Seat belt and upper-body restraints that relax to permit comfort but tighten automatically during an impact are now common. Some car models are equipped with shoulder-restraint belts that slide into position automatically when the car’s doors close. 12. An air bag is a high-speed inflation device hidden in the hub of the steering wheel or in the dash on the passenger’s side. Some automobiles have side-impact air bags, located in doors or seats. At impact, the bag inflates almost instantaneously. The inflated bag creates a cushion between the occupant and the vehicle’s interior. Air bags first appeared in the mid-1970s, available as an optional accessory. Today they are installed on all new passenger cars sold in the United States. Air bags inflate with great force, which occasionally endangers a child or infant passenger. Some newer automobile models are equipped with switches to disable the passenger-side air bags when a child or infant is traveling in the passenger seat. Automakers continue to research ways to make air-bag systems less dangerous for frail and small passengers, yet effective in collisions. Hybrid- Electric Vehicles While some developers searched for additional alternatives, others investigated ways to combine electricity with liquid fuels to produce low-emissions power systems. The hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) uses both an electric motor or motors and a gasoline or diesel engine that charges the batteries in order to extend the distance that the vehicle can travel without having to recharge the batteries. An HEV at a stoplight typically sits silent, burning no fuel and making no pollution, if the batteries are sufficiently charged. If driven slowly, as in heavy traffic, the vehicle might move only on electric power. 13 Only when more power is demanded for acceleration or to move a heavy load, does the gasoline or diesel engine come into play. Two automobiles with such hybrid engines, the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight, became available in the late 1990s. The Prius hit automobile showrooms in Japan in 1997, selling 30,000 models in its first two years of production. The Prius became available for sale in North America in 2000. The Honda Insight debuted in North America in late 1999. Both vehicles promised to double the fuel efficiency of conventional gasoline-powered cars while significantly reducing toxic emissions. The Ford Motor Company introduced the first U. S. -made hybrid when it began production for the Ford Escape Hybrid in August 2004. The 2005 model year Escape was also the first hybrid in the sport-utility vehicle (SUV) category. Electric Car. Computers and Navigation Devices Computer control of automobile systems increased dramatically during the 1990s. The central processing unit (CPU) in modern engines manages overall engine performance. Microprocessors regulating other systems share data with the CPU. Computers manage fuel and air mixture ratios, ignition timing, and exhaust-emission levels. They adjust the antilock braking and traction control systems. In many models, computers also control the air conditioning and heating, the sound system, and the information displayed in the vehicle’s dashboard. 14 Expanded use of computer technology, development of stronger and lighter materials, and research on pollution control will produce better, â€Å"smarter† automobiles. In the 1980s the notion that a car would â€Å"talk† to its driver was science fiction; by the 1990s it had become reality. Onboard navigation was one of the new automotive technologies in the 1990s. By using the satellite-aided global positioning system (GPS), a computer in the automobile can pinpoint the vehicle’s location within a few meters. The onboard navigation system uses an electronic compass, digitized maps, and a display screen showing where the vehicle is relative to the destination the driver wants to reach. After being told the destination, the computer locates it and directs the driver to it, offering alternative routes if needed. Some cars now come equipped with GPS locator beacons, enabling a GPS system operator to locate the vehicle, map its location, and if necessary, direct repair or emergency workers to the scene. Cars equipped with computers and cellular telephones can link to the Internet to obtain constantly updated traffic reports, weather information, route directions, and other data. Future built-in computer systems may be used to automatically obtain business information over the Internet and manage personal affairs while the vehicle’s owner is driving. 15. Eco- Friendly Automobile Eight decades after the American auto industry turned away from the electric car in favor of gas-powered vehicles, the giant General Motors Corporation (GM) made a heralded return to the market with the first mass-produced version in the modern era, the EV1. The completely battery-powered $34,000 car, in development by GM since the late 1980s, was delivered amid fanfare to select dealerships in Arizona and southern California on December 5, 1996. Boasting a 137-horsepower engine that can silently accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in less than nine seconds, the EV1. (Electric Vehicle 1) is hailed by some observers as an automotive breakthrough. With few moving. parts there is little regular maintenance required and no tailpipe emissions at all. Engineered to be ultralight and extremely aerodynamic to conserve energy, the EV1 is the first electric car to be made entirely from scratch as a battery-powered vehicle since the early years of the century, when as many as one-third of automobiles were electric. Most current electric cars are converted gas-powered vehicles, such as an electricity-powered Ford Ranger introduced in the summer of 1996. The EV1 was first shown to the public as a prototype model called Impact at the 1990 Los Angeles Auto Show. Consumer trials followed, as GM worked to overcome the challenges posed by an electric car: the limited travel range before needing a recharge, size and weight restrictions, power-draining auxiliaries 16 (such as heating systems), and the lack of an infrastructure of charging stations—the â€Å"gas stations† of the 21st century, according to electric vehicle backers. But there are also critics of the EV1, who point to the automobile’s relatively high cost and its limited range of 113 to 145 km (70 to 90 m) before its lead-acid batteries must be recharged. The special device that can recharge the EV1 in about three hours costs an extra $2000. (Fully charging from a regular household outlet takes about 15 hours. ) Many of the doubters believe that battery technology is still too limited and that the EV1 risks ultimately hurting the cause of alternative-fuel vehicles. The more advanced nickel-metal hydride battery, which can hold a greater charge than a lead-acid battery, is just now becoming commercially available. Others argue that hybrid cars—combining electric power with internal-combustion technology— hold the best promise for the future of the automobile. Other criticisms of the EV1 include the fact that the sporty vehicle is small, holding just two people. Because electric cars generally do not perform well in cold weather, the EV1 is available only in a few warm-climate cities to start out—Los Angeles and San Diego in California, and Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona. GM plans to make and lease—rather than sell—only a few thousand cars in the initial rollout. Critics of electric cars achieved a victory in March 1996, when California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) pulled back its controversial regulations that would have forced major auto companies to make zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) account for at least 2 percent of their sales in the state starting in 1998. While the 17 ARB backed down on the first restriction, after being heavily lobbied by auto company representatives who argued that the technology was not adequately advanced, it retained the ambitious requirement that 10 percent of all new car fleets be ZEVs by 2003. The air quality of California’s urban areas is among the worst in the United States, and other pollution-plagued regions around the country are beginning to pass similar electric-car measures to address the problem. Beyond the threat of air quality regulations, General Motors is eyeing the electric vehicle as an important new product. They believe that consumers concerned about air pollution levels and rising gasoline prices will be interested in purchasing electric cars. The world’s largest automobile manufacturer, GM was able to devote the resources necessary for such a costly, large-scale project—an estimated $350 million in development costs. The company has made the EV1 such a priority that it created a special division for the vehicle and bestowed the corporate name of General Motors on a car for the first time in history (although it is being marketed and distributed by GM’s Saturn division). The EV1 is only the first of a variety of low- and zero-emission vehicles that are expected from auto manufacturers in the next several years. The Honda EV, powered by nickel-metal hydride batteries, is expected in 1997, and electric cars from automakers such as Ford, Toyota, and Chrysler are planned for release no later than 1998. GM also hopes to expand its line of electric cars in the near future, including an electric Chevrolet pickup truck targeted at commercial vehicle fleets in 1997. 18 Other Improvements During the 1980s and 1990s, manufacturers trimmed 450 kg. (1,000 lb) from the weight of the typical car by making cars smaller. Less weight, coupled with more efficient engines, doubled the gas mileage obtained by the average new car between 1974 and 1995. Further reductions in vehicle size are not practical, so the emphasis has shifted to using lighter materials, such as plastics, aluminum alloys, and carbon composites, in the engine and the rest of the vehicle. Looking ahead, engineers are devising ways to reduce driver errors and poor driving habits. Systems already exist in some locales to prevent intoxicated drivers from starting their vehicles. The technology may be expanded to new vehicles. Anticollision systems with sensors and warning signals are being developed. In some, the car’s brakes automatically slow the vehicle if it is following another vehicle too closely. New infrared sensors or radar systems may warn drivers when another vehicle is in their â€Å"blind spot. † Catalytic converters work only when they are warm, so most of the pollution they emit occurs in the first few minutes of operation. Engineers are working on ways to keep the converters warm for longer periods between drives, or heat the converters more rapidly. 19 Conclusion. Based on the data presented in this paper, the researchers conclude that automobiles transport people in a more comfortable and more efficient manner because it is used in the daily lives of the people as transportation and it is also good for business. The researchers further conclude that the automobile has had a profound impact on the society. It has brought superhighways, paved bridges, motels, vacations, suburbia and economic growth which accompanied them. As a whole, the creation of automobile has played a very important role in the society and in the daily lives of the people because it is one of the key elements of industrial economies and no doubt, it will continue to shape the culture and economy well into the next generations. Recommendation Based on the conclusion, the researchers recommend the following: (1) That government agencies especially Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) support the production of hybrid- electric vehicles, and eco- friendly automobiles because these have antipollution features. (2) That the government should conduct further research about automobiles because the researchers only comply the library research paper having limited information. (3) That the government agencies should impose rules and regulations on the increasing number of automobiles; and or they should build more highways and bridges in response to this problem. Bibliography Bellis, Mary. (N. D. ). â€Å"Automobile history†. Retrieved on December 20, 2013 at www. about. com. Coffey, Frank. 2003. America on wheels: the first 100 years. United States of America: General Publishing. Crouse, William Harry. Automotive mechanics. United States of America: McGraw- Hill Inc. Grant, Alex. January, 2013. â€Å"Entrepreneur Philippines†. Covering all bases. Page 27. Inolino, Leth. July, 2013. â€Å"Entrepreneur Philippines†. Pushing.