Why There We Have Winners and Losers in the Automotive Industry

One reasons that has exposed some automobile companies to severe vagaries of recession while sparing others is the existence of structural differences between the so called auto â€Å"transplants† or foreign auto mobile manufacturing in the United States and the major automobile companies incorporated and domiciled in the United States i. e. General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and the like.The so called ‘transplants’ better represented by Toyota, Hyundai and the like are structured in such a way that they can access credit from their mother countries most of which for instance were not severely affected by the recent recession if compared with the United States (Ohno, 1988). Their deep pocket and this ready pool of credit from their mother countries made them less susceptible to the vagaries of financial meltdown. Another factor that has prejudiced some automakers while favoring others is what analysts have called bad practices of the Big Three United States automakers .These ‘bad’ practices are the ones that are responsible for the big cost differentials that have existed for some time now between them and the ‘transplant’. Another tragedy that has benefited the transplants at the expense of the Big Three is the high prices of automobile fuels that have been occasioned by the recession (Ohno, 1988). In this regard the Big Three US automakers known for their SUVs and Pickup Trucks which normally consume more fuel have found themselves uncompetitive due to the avoidance of fuel guzzlers in the United States due to the high oil prices and reduced disposable income due to inflation.Most of those who have avoided these fuel guzzlers have migrated to the cheaper and more fuel efficient car made from the so called transplant i. e. Toyota, Hyundai, et al. The labor costs have also overwhelmed the Big Three US automakers more than others from foreign countries manufacturing in the United States (McCracken, 2006). This is due to t he fact that their workers are unionized and therefore able to press for high salaries while their non-unionized counterparts in the so called transplants do not have such powers (McCracken, 2006).Importance of the New Product Development for Corporation In regard to Toyota’s New Product Development Process with the launch of the Prius The development of new product whether in form of new innovations, new applications or even completely new goods is a necessary component in business because it enhances the viability of the company. By developing new product the company is able to make a mark in the industry which is one of the best survival strategy that today’s companies have perfected in their bid to withstand cutthroat competition that characterize today’s business environment.The importance of continuously and consistently developing new product in today’s business world is better captured in the statement â€Å"innovate or die† which has of la te become a popular catchphrase adopted by both small and large corporate bodies in reference to increasingly knowledgeable consumer demand for the latest and finest products. One of the companies that have embraced the idea of developing new products in an effort to remain competitive while still providing their customers with the newest and finest goods in the respective market is Toyota Corporation.Toyota which is the second largest automaker globally realizes that in order to maintain its brand visibility as a top automaker worldwide it has keep on innovating and coming up with new and more superior models (McCracken, 2006). All these Toyota models that have been launched in succession by Toyota Corporation are informed by this strategy. This strategy has been employed by Toyota for a long time now. However the most recent product of Toyota’s innovative product development is Toyota Prius. The development of Toyota Prius is in line with Toyota’s management desire t o develop newer and more superior cars for this century.The superiority of Prius as a new and different product from the other is better demonstrated by its superior features that include more spacious cabin space, relatively higher seat position, aerodynamic exterior, a 20km/little fuel economy, and a relatively small engine placed horizontally with a variable automatic transmission (McCracken, 2006). References Ohno, Taiichi, (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. New York: Productivity Press McCracken, Jeffrey, (2006). Detroit’s Symbol of Dysfunction: Paying Employees Not to Work. The wall street journal online. 06 March 2006

Narrative Writing Assessment Essay

Warm up the prompt by reading something short, such as a picture book, that matches the prompt. †¢ The prompt is to be â€Å"loose†, that is the student can write on any subject that comes to mind, tweaking the prompt to fit him/her. †¢ The mode of the piece is narrative. This simply means a personal experience. †¢ The maximum time to write is 30 minutes. When the student is finished, proceed with other assessments or share the pieces you wrote to one another. †¢ The teacher writes as well. This encourages and motivates the student, showing him/her you value the writing †¢ This piece is to be an â€Å"on-demand† piece. This means that the writer is not to recopy. It is expected to be a rough draft. †¢ Provide composition paper with lines, or use the spiral and tear the paper out. You can cut off the messy ripped paper along the side if you want later. †¢ The primary â€Å"topics† to use are subjects many authors write about: a favorite person, place or thing. Writers usually tell about their favorite using the narrative mode because the narrative, a true story that follows a story line, is more interesting. Narrative Writing Assessment Protocols Picture Books Matching the Topics: Place All the Places to Love (MacLachlan) If You’re Not from the Prairie (Bouchard) The Canoe (Gary Paulsen) Person My Rotten Redheaded Brother (Palocco) Thank You Mr. Falker (Palocco) My Great Aunt Arizona (Houston) Thing (can be an object or a pet) My Grandpa Was a Cowboy (the ring—Silky Sullivan) The Worry Stone (Dengler). Everybody Needs a Rock (Baylor) What to say: â€Å"Today we are going to write a narrative about something–anything—that matters to you or comes to your mind about a favorite person, place or thing. Tell your piece like a story, that is, something happens. When we were younger, all of us have had something or someone or someplace that comes to mind that stands out. Which would you like to write about? (Show the student the three books, one on a favorite person, one a place, etc. The student selects. ) Pick a favorite to write about: person, place or thing. I’ll read you the picture book you pick to help stimulate some ideas. † Scoring Protocols: †¢ Use the â€Å"3† anchor papers for each grade from third through twelfth to find a match between the anchor and your student’s writing. This is holistic scoring. Record the grade and date. †¢ Count by estimating the number of words the student wrote. Record. †¢ Record how many minutes he/she wrote. †¢ Find two or three things that are strengths to use as specific reinforcements to share with the student the next day. What you notice and show to the student will be repeated in future writing.

Ethics in the Workplace

Bee and Buckley (2001) state that over the past few decades, corporate codes of ethics have proliferated. These codes have proved useful In Informing employees about legal requirements of the firm, addressing specific concerns and serving as guidelines for accepted practice within the organization. However, unethical acts continue to occur, as Is evidenced by the recent recall of Firestone tires and the 103 deaths that forced It. (p. 73) It does not matter if corporate executives are told millions of times of codes of ethical conduct as some still will conduct illegal activities.These individuals are looking to make themselves rich while other ethical individuals are looking out for the good of the organization and its stockholders. This paper will discuss the purpose statement, problem statement, topic background, necessity of study, importance of topic to the field of education as well as the potential significance of the study to scholarly literature with regard to my research stu dy entitled Employees' Perspectives of Ethics in the Workplace.Purpose Statement The purpose of this study Is to determine whether employees demonstrate ethical behavior In the workplace Problem Statement Research is needed to explore the experiences of employees with regard to ethics or the lack thereof in the workplace today. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of employees in the workplace and to examine the differences and similarities of their experiences with regard to ethics in the workplace. The methodology and design of this study were derived by using the structure to establish â€Å"goodness† advocated by Armenia and Haltered (2002).Topic Background Pain's (1994) statement that the ethical composition of the individual defines the ethical composition of the organization Is described In his article entitled â€Å"Managing for Organizational Integrity. † Therefore, who you are will Influence the values of the organization due to the followi ng reasons. First, Individuals' personal values become part of the organization. Second, the supervisors' influence over the employees' actions. Third, senior management influence over lower management and employees. Fourth, internal drive of the individual to succeed.Fifth, performance pressures within the organization. Sixth, lack of punishment within the organization. Seventh, friends and/or coworker influence over other employees. Furthermore, the organization's culture influences the values of the organization as the culture of an organization defines the ethical behavior of this particular organization by defining what is right and wrong. In order to reconcile Inconsistencies between your own values and the values of the organization, an Individual must choose whether to advance his/her own interests, the organizations, or the Interests of others.For example, bribes or personal payments, gifts, or special favors Intended to Influence decision making. Individuals should report other employees for such acts as lying to supervisors, entertainment receipt in violation of company policy. These acts are violations against the organizations Code of Ethics which is a formal statement of what an organization expects in the way of ethical behavior (what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable) and reflects senior management's organizational values, rules, and policies.However, many individuals do not report fellow co-workers for fear of not being considered a team player, do not think corrective action would be taken, fear of retribution (from management) as well as not trusting the organizational to keep the report confidential. Based on the literature, Beams, et al. (2003) experiment found that â€Å"guilt had the greatest effect on intent to trade based on insider information. Expected gain, cynicism, and perceptions of the fairness of laws were also significantly associated with the intent to trade based on insider information† (p. 320).The study also found that individuals do not necessarily engage in insider trading to gain money but to avoid a possible loss. Furthermore, the study found that insider trading was not necessarily acceptable by society as well as likely to be caught and punished for the crime. Bee and Buckley (2001) state that over the past few decades, corporate codes of ethics have proliferated. These codes have proved useful in informing employees about legal requirements of the firm, addressing specific concerns and serving as guidelines for accepted practice within the organization.However, unethical acts continue to occur, as is evidenced by the recent recall of Firestone tires and the 103 deaths that forced it. (p. 73) It does not matter if corporate executives are told millions of times of codes of ethical conduct as some still will conduct illegal activities. These individuals are looking to make themselves rich while other ethical individuals are looking out for the good of the organization and its stock holders. Dungaree and Jeep's studied six individuals who engaged in criminal and unethical activities in the corporate business world.Dungaree and Speedup's findings as related to these six individuals definitely support the Beams, et. Al. Experiment as these individuals knew that their activities were illegal as well as unethical. Furthermore, these activities were definitely not viewed favorably by society. Dungaree and Jeep's (2001) state that â€Å"all six certainly knew that they were reeking the law and most went to extra-ordinary lengths to cover up what they were doing† (p. 51).These individuals were also in high level positions, which caused individuals who knew about the criminal activities to look the other way. These individuals engaged in these activities because they were greedy and definitely not working toward organizational goals. Fell (2001) states that evidence shows that firms with ethics programs have a lower percentage of inside directors on their compen sation committees than do firms without ethics programs.Firms in which boards are actively involved in the programs have more independent roads (higher percentage of independent directors and lower percentage of inside directors and are more likely to compensate outside directors with equity than are firms in which boards are not actively involved in the programs. Taken together, the evidence indicates that a board actively involved in an ethics program, and not the simple existence of an ethics program is related to the incidence of potential conflicts employees must adhere to.Maybe these ethical standards will make individuals think before they conduct illegal and unethical activities which harm stockholders and the organization. McCall (2002) states that there should be an â€Å"alternative model for adjudicating between stakeholders' conflicting claims of rights and it applies that method to determine what responsibilities corporate management might have to employees and how ma nagement might be held accountable for discharging those responsibilities† (p. 133). Management certainly has responsibilities to the organization, the stockholders and the employees.They are supposed to conduct business in the best interest of all. Whetstone (2003) states that (1) virtue ethics and virtue language is fluently used by practicing managers, (2) virtue engage is important to understanding managerial excellence, and (3) whereas the set of virtues defining the excellent manager can be expected to be dependent on the societal, industry, and organizational context, such a set of manager virtues can be identified and prioritize within a particular organizational milieu.The implication is that, once an organization's management better understands the meaning of the excellent manager in terms of the virtue language already used by its own employees, it is better equipped to implement a practical ethic of virtues, one helpful toward recognizing and developing excellent m anagers. Ethics researchers are challenged to increase their understanding of extant virtue language as the basis for a renewed development of virtue ethics theory and applications (p. 343). All organizations should train and retain managers as well as requiring all employees to attend ethical seminars and conferences on a yearly basis.This will ensure that these individuals understand the code of ethics and their responsibilities to adhere to this code of ethics. Study of Topic Importance to the Field of Education The topic of ethics is important to the field of education as well as all other fields as well as the business world. Bà ©chamel and Bowie (2004) identify three primary arguments on the practice of preferential treatment: (a) It is Just, (b) it is unjust, and (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. The argument that is the most consistent with typical American business practices is (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible.In other words, executives and empl oyees in the business world today take the position that unethical behavior on their part is Just the way business is conducted today. Bà ©chamel (2004) â€Å"argues that even some forms of reverse discrimination can be Justified as a means to the end of a nondiscriminatory society† (p. 27). This type of behavior is illegal and known by the executives and employees to be wrong but individuals tend to lend a blind eye when this type of behavior is noticed in the corporate world. For example, At the heart of the Enron scandal is a failure of corporate governance.Senior executives who permitted or encouraged misleading accounting treatment. An audit committee that signed off on misleading accounts. Individuals enriched by transactions with the company that employed them. A board that was ineffective in supervising senior managers' actions. Weightlessness' complaints that was ignored r whitewashed. (http://www. Uncharacteristically. Com/cars/try. CGI? Articled=1679) the Board of Directors which led to its failure and bankruptcy. I believe that these individuals were only out to make themselves rich and did not care in the least about the stockholders.If the weightlessness were not disregarded, maybe Enron could have been saved before it turned into one of the largest corporate scandals in the history of the United States. The major theory that underlies workplace ethics is the stakeholder theory. According to this theory, management has an obligation to the stakeholders to make profit for the stakeholders as well as conducting business ethically. Furthermore, management must answer to the stakeholders for any wrongdoing and unethical behavior. For example, Enron executives had to answer to the stockholders as they lost their investments when the company declared bankruptcy.It is difficult for corporations to be ethical because some managers and executives are looking to profit themselves instead of what is in the best interest of the stakeholders. The tren ds with regard to ethical issues in the workplace are those of employees and management who are acting unethically. For example, stealing supplies, reaching the internet during work hours, leaving early and arriving late as well as management profiting for their own best interest. As time progresses, this type of behavior will grow worse as individuals in the workplace will have less morals than they do today.Potential Significance of Study to Scholarly Literature Developing theory from the data without preconceived ideas is an appropriate technique for this study on ethics in the workplace. Since studies examining the affect of ethical experiences are not documented in current literature, the data collected will be use to generate an original theory. The data obtained in this study Anton verify preexisting theory because this is not a relevant preexisting theory on this topic to be verified. This fact further substantiates a grounded theory methodology is an appropriate methodology for this study.Necessity of Study I believe that this is an important subject as ethics is lacking in individuals, groups, workplaces and the world today. I believe that most leaders, managers and employees act unethically in the workplace. Bà ©chamel and Bowie (2004) identify three primary arguments on the practice of preferential treatment: (a) It is Just, (b) it is unjust, and (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible. The argument that is the most consistent with typical American business practices is (c) it is not Just but it is still permissible.In other words, executives and employees in the business world today take the position that unethical behavior on their part is Just the way business is conducted today. Bà ©chamel (2004) â€Å"argues that even some forms of reverse discrimination can be Justified as a means to the end of a nondiscriminatory society† (p. 327). This type of behavior is illegal and known by the executives and employees to be wrong but indi viduals tend to lend a blind eye when this type of behavior is noticed in the corporate world.I am currently employed at The Travelers Companies as a Senior Paralegal in its Special Liability Group where I handle large commercial claims. I make my own decisions on the files that I handle including setting the reserves on a claim and supervising outside counsel until the for fifteen years. Travelers is a large company with offices all over the world so there is high growth potential as well as advancement opportunities within the Company. My department at work consists of seven claim attorneys, two secretaries and myself (the senior paralegal).My secretary, in particular, comes to work late everyday, calls in sick frequently, surfs the internet all day long, gets her hair done during work hours every four weeks, attends a weekly doctor's appointment during work hours and socializes with coworkers for long amounts of time. Furthermore, we enter our own time into our human resources da tabase, and I know for a fact that this secretary does not account for all the time she takes off, etc. In other words, she is getting more days off then she is allowed as I kept track of when she took off last year.All of these actions are a violation of my company's honesty and ethics policies. Han Cheesy Koch, El Tree H Y Boo (2004) states that organizational ethics is positively associated with not only financial performance but also employee attitudes. While it is obvious that organizational ethics are intended to guide and influence employee behavior (e. G. , in dealing with ethical dilemma and avoiding unethical situations), it is not obvious what relationship exists between organizational ethics and employee attitudes. (p. 77) Furthermore, I know that my secretary could care less about her job or the company as she has told me so on several occasions. She does not really ant to work but has to because her husband does not make much money. She would much rather sit at home an d watch television. In fact, that is all she does when she is not at work. I would say that she does not have a high level of Job satisfaction and is not motivated toward company goals. I Just do not understand her lack of motivation as my company is a great place to work and we get very competitive raises each year.I believe that the situation that I have described is both an ethical decision and a moral decision. First, my secretary is not behaving to the standard which I was taught to act and behave. I have a conscious and was raised to be an honest person. My father always said that taking even a pen from work was stealing. Second, my secretary actions are morally incorrect as they go against every value that I was ever taught. When we go to work, we should be productive and work toward the goals of the organization. We should adhere to the standards of the organization as well as our own standards.My secretary is clearly not adhering to any standards whatsoever. She is taking u p space and collecting a paycheck she does not deserve. Furthermore, my secretary actions since I have been with this department (for he past five years) are causing me a high level of dissonance because I believe that a person's work ethic should be of the highest degree. I wish every day that I was her supervisor so I could terminate her employment. I Just cannot believe that our supervisor does not see what she does everyday and those human resources do not scrutinize the time entries more closely.I have thought about saying something to my supervisor but what this secretary does or does not do at work is none of my business. Furthermore, my secretary's actions makes me want to come in late, surf he internet instead of working, take long lunches everyday and cheat on my time also. If she can do it, so can l. However, I cannot be unethical as I was raised to be honest. Also, I have a high regard for my organization's success. However, my hotlist which you can call reporting any vi olations of its ethics and honestly policies. It is an 800 number and you need not give your name.I reported my secretary using this hotlist. This report is forwarded to her direct supervisor as well as human resources and an investigation is conducted. I Just could not let this activity continue as it does against every belief and value that I have. I do not feel that this type of behavior in the workplace or anywhere else for that matter should be allowed to occur. I was raised to be an honest person who worked to achieve what I desire as well as the goals of the organization. Frankly, I hope she is terminated even through she has been with my organization for twenty-five years.I do not think she adds any productive resources to my organization and is Just taking up. Conclusion In conclusion, this paper discussed the purpose statement, problem statement, topic background, necessity of study, importance of topic to the field of education as ell as the potential significance of the study to scholarly literature with regard to my research study entitled Employees' Perspectives of Ethics in the Workplace. I believe this topic is important because if individuals and the world around us continues in its current state, there will not be an ethics whatsoever when my children grow up.

The Role of Typological Universals in SLA Essay

The Role of Typological Universals in SLA - Essay Example All humans learn their first language in the same way. Firstly through a preliminary stage of prelinguistic development and 'babbling' followed by a single word stage, and then a two-word stage. Simple sentences follow after this before the 'embedding' process is finalized through the use of complete sentences. There are a number of absolute universals that have characteristics which hold for all languages. The most powerful universals take the form of hierarchies (an ordered list). Below are examples of Color, Vowel and Animacy hierarchies: There are many ways knowledge of universal typologies can aid SLA but one important way could be termed 'The Iceberg Effect'. It can be difficult to learn a second language if you have scant knowledge of the structure and grammar of your own language. Although the L1 and L2 might be vastly different, they are still linked through the brain of the speaker. In understanding one's own language first, we then develop a framework for comparison. When we make a comparison we understand the perils of 'direct translation' from one language to another. While we see similarities in the use of certain tenses, articles, pronouns etc. we know that there are many instances when the two languages have very little in common. This helps a student to gain the 'iceberg effect', whereby one's knowledge of a subject is directly related to deeper background knowledge. Although perhaps never revealed, the hidden part of the iceberg backs up and cements SLA. The Role of Typological Universals in SLA Typological Universals have a vital role in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Typological Universals can be defined as the 'notion that human languages necessarily share important, formative, properties'.1 However, this notion can both aid and hinder SLA, as in admitting that there are certain universals which link the native language (L1) with the second language (L2), one must also remain aware of how greatly languages can differ. Being aware of the differences means avoiding direct translation from L1 to L2. Assuming that the L2 works on the same structural principles as your native tongue will ensure you make numerous grammatical, syntactical and vocabulary errors. Research into Typological Universals 'aims to establish the limits within human language'.2 Study into this subject sees the world's languages almost as a single organism with various overlapping areas between the languages closest to them in 'roots' as well as 'universal links' with all other world languages. No mat ter how diverse, all languages are connected by common principles - these are Typological Universals. In the introduction to Typology & Second Language Acquisition, Anna Giacalone Ramat stresses how 'a basic connotation of typology is cross-linguistic comparison: implicational universals which are crucial in order to create a typology of languages of the world cannot be discovered or verified by observing only a single language'. Giacolone Ramat 2003, p.1) In 1270 Roger Bacon wrote that 'grammar is substantially one and the same in all languages, despite its accidental variations'. (Thomas 2004, p.2) While the above

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and Essay

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and hearts of its readers. Explain how this might be supposed to work upon the consciousness and conscience of Blake's contemporaries - Essay Example Blake’s major poems are represented in two collections: Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. First collection of poems has many similar images of children, besides it presents many religious and social themes. The name of the collection implies that the themes and issues are present from the perspective of a child. The world is shown in the light which is different to the one an adult sees it. In his two collections of poems Blake presents the same themes, but in different lights and from different angles using words ‘innocence’ and ‘experience’ for collections’ titles. On the one hand, the contrast of the issues presented in the two great collections is strikingly vivid. However, on the other hand, the two opposing visions of life are equally important and necessary for better understanding of the wholesome picture of reality. State of innocence is a child’s vision of things and understanding of the world, while state of experience is a mature person’s perception of reality. One cannot be without the other. Two components, child’s innocence and adult’s experience, put together can create a wholesome picture of the reality and the world we live in. The poet makes his best to present all the truth of life through contrasting images of his two complementary collections of poems (Gallant 124). Blake’s intent ion is to change reader’s mind for the better by identifying evils and corruptions present in English society. He makes his contemporaries think of the reality they live in and perceive it objectively and adequately. Songs of Innocence is the representation of childhood and naivetà © it entails. Blake’s poem The Chimney Sweeper is one of the poems published in Songs of Innocence (1789). The poem contains all the hopes, fears, and naivetà © altogether a child might experience, especially during the time when child labor was such

Scholarly Paper Caring for Individuals, families and groups Research

Scholarly Caring for Individuals, families and groups - Research Paper Example (A Nation Free...p.2) The factors such as geographic location, mental health, age, gender, socioeconomic status, religion are found to be main determinants in health care discrimination. Lack of insurance is the biggest barrier, more than any other economic or demographic barrier that affects the quality of health care received by these groups. They constitute about one-third of the U.S. population, but make up more than half of the 50 million people who are uninsured. Of the total 50 million people who are uninsured, almost half belongs to the racial and ethnic group; while they constitute only one-third of the U.S. population. Reforms under the Affordable Care Act have to be seen in above light and it is likely to be a boon for many and may be a bane for someone. Some of the significant milestones of the act can be described as per the following. Benefits to Children and Senior Citizens The reforms have brought new rights and benefits for children and to those under the age of 26 t o stay on their parent's health insurance. It has also ended annual limits on care. The new act provides 50% discounts on brand-name drugs to seniors in Medicare and it also provides tax credit to small businesses for extending insurance to employees. Providing Access to Insurance for Uninsured Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Uninsured Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions A Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is made for individuals who are uninsured for at least six months for that reason. States are also free to run the new programs. The Department of Health and Human Services will run the plan, if the state does not have a plan. This program will serve as a bridge until 2014, when any discrimination against pre-existing conditions will not be allowed. The act will have influences on health and caring across wide section of ethnic minorities in varied ways. Though, the Affordable Care Act is formulated to provide the health for all but it essentially addresses th e needs of those who had no access to adequate coverage due to their underprivileged status. Well-Being, Health, and Safety of the American People The broad range of health indicators pertaining to racial and ethnic minorities is far worse than their non-Hispanic White counterparts hence well-being of these people needs special attention. Hence need is to create an environment that can control chronic diseases and associated risk factors. The effective community-based programs and policies can reduce and tackle the disparities in health standards. (A Nation free†¦p4) Racial and Ethnic Minority It is true that all American citizens do not have equal access to health care. Various racial and ethnic minorities, low-income groups and most of the underprivileged populations have higher rates of illness and less treatment options. Mostly, they do not have any insurance coverage for treatment. They’re less likely to get chance of preventive care and will have no access to the t reatment and screenings to stay healthy. Preventing diabetes and heart disease is a tough task for them. Perhaps, this is the group who is going to get the biggest benefits from this new healthcare program. Economical Ways The Affordable Care Act is geared to reduce these disparities regarding health care by improving access to health care for all citizens. This is aimed at bringing down the

BP oil company Knowledge management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BP oil company Knowledge management - Assignment Example This is then followed by a discussion on Knowledge management leadership provision and the research reveals that mid-level BP leadership together with excellence coordinators are responsible for tracking dialogue and knowledge exchange initiatives. The paper also contains an extensive assessment of learning cycle, and this illustrates that the learning sequence is prior to, during and subsequent to any experience and is supported by straightforward process tools. The paper recommends that it is crucial for BP to facilitate sharing of knowledge within its highest quality, in order not to sacrifice integrity of the company and the entire knowledge management system. The group needs to assign more individuals who will be responsible for reviewing, approving and enhancing quality of knowledge and learning cycle before it is shared to other personnel. However, the paper acknowledges that knowledge and learning scheme at BP has resulted in gains amounting to more than hundreds of billions of dollars mostly due to informal personnel networks, in addition to supplementary workplace practices. Introduction BP is among the world leading global oil and Gas Company and it offers its clients with energy for transportation, retail services plus petrochemicals products. The company makes annual sales and additional operating revenues amounting to $375,517 million as of last year. BP has over 83.400 employees spread in over 30 nations with retail sites totalling 21800 (BP Global, 2012). The company has two business segments, which are exploration, production/ refining and Marketing. However, a detached business referred to as, Alternative Energy deals with low-carbon businesses as well as future growth alternatives of oil and gas, such as solar, wind, hydrogen, and bio-fuels. The company business activities are structured into four key areas, comprising the upstream, the downstream, the chemicals, and the gas and power divisions. They all add up to around 150 self-directed bus iness units.   BP organizational structure has changed considerably to be more of an entrepreneurial emphasized business unit. Thus, the company board sets up the goals, come up with broader policy measures, and monitors the group CEO performance (Groot, 2009). However, the board does not manage the group businesses, but it delegates responsibility and executive authority to a single point, that of the CEO who is then responsible for refining and marketing affairs. The argument by BP is that a flat organization enables faster decisions making, and at the same time encourages entrepreneurial creativity from its employees along with ideas being managed better. Below the chief executive officer there is the group vice president along with the senior group vice president in charge of safety and operations, and below them there are regional vice presidents whereby individuals such as refinery managers report directly to them. Thus, every business unit contains a high level of independe nce. nevertheless they all share logic of interdependence, in addition to awareness that so as to fulfil their performance goals they will have to become skilled at both from and by each-other. The central corporate organization helps and supports individual business units, and as such individual performance contracts play a crucial role. This brings out commitment to a set of

What does Nevada gaming policy Committee should consider that will Essay

What does Nevada gaming policy Committee should consider that will improve the gaming industry or the regulation of the gaming industry - Essay Example This paper will discuss ways that Nevada gaming policy committee should consider to improve the gaming industry or regulation of the gaming industry. Nevada gaming policy committee can improve gaming industry or the regulation of the gaming industry by enlisting outside directors. Although recruitment of outside executives is a challenge for licensed gaming corporations, outside managers with strong credentials in disciplines like marketing, finance as well as information technology can bring formidable contributions to a proprietor’s growth and management. It is a shame that most prospective outside managers have under no circumstances been accredited in the gaming industry. However, when such persons encounter the mandatory certifying procedure in all its complexity and scope, they frequently decline directorships in gaming corporations; they cannot validate undergoing the indiscreet background check as well as suitability investigation intended for a part-time duty. This occurrence shrinks the ocean of talented persons available to aid this crucial function for casino industry (Stewart 6). Nevada gaming policy committee can improve regulation of the gaming industry by removing redundant regulatory filings. Within different U.S. authorities, licensees have to file specific trimestral and yearly reports, which no longer aid a material monitoring purpose. In specific cases, the material within the reports, which generally are on management, finances and ownership of the licensee are available to controllers online or elsevia other licensee tenders. However, even when a report requests simply for such predictable information, the licensee has to formulate it with caution and authenticate its precision; gaming regulation enacts stiff fines for errors within any certified report. If every licensee in Nevada must file 5 unnecessary statements

The Practice of Sharing Housework Among Spouses Essay

The Practice of Sharing Housework Among Spouses - Essay Example According to Selle (2002), â€Å"The Family: A Proclamation to the World teaches that fathers and mothers have specific, God-ordained responsibilities within an equal partnership, with neither husband nor wife seeking to dominate the other.† (par. 1) It is actually a matter of taking the time to talk about the equal division of housework to ensure a smooth, stronger, happier and positive long-range relationship within the family. In USA Today (1998, 1), the discourse proffered that â€Å"while the roles of females outside the household have changed dramatically as more women get jobs, responsibilities in the home have shifted only slightly, maintains Vicki Fitzsimmons, a professor of family economics.† A survey of 450 married university employees and their spouses revealed that â€Å"women are reluctant to give up territory to spouses or to lower their standards of cleanliness. Thus, the view of a wife as homemaker continues even though many women are the primary or co-breadwinners.† The dilemma can actually be addressed by the spouses’ participation in the decision making regarding the division of housework. It is actually not a matter of the number of household tasks divided, but the quality of tasks both spouses agree to do. Further, commitment is tested on both parties’ ability to perform their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. After all, marriage is a longtime commitment in life to supplement and complement each other – especially in sharing housework.

Presenting Business Plans Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presenting Business Plans - Research Paper Example The guitars will be relatively cheaper compared to our rivals. However, we will only sell guitars and not any other musical instruments. (Stimpson, P., & Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations. (2003) Cambridge University Press) The target market will be teenagers and adults who are interested in buying good quality guitars but cannot buy guitars from expensive brands. Also, the market would be for new guitar players who are not aware of a lot of these brands. The key aim is going to be to sell cheap guitars to people who want to learn it as the intermediate guitar players are likely to stick to companies like Gibson and Yamaha. We are going to sell all types of guitars. The types will include acoustic guitars, electric guitars, semi-electric guitars, hollow body acoustic guitars, hollow body semi-acoustic guitars and jazz guitars. Basically, we will be importing these guitars from different countries where the guitars are relatively cheaper according to our research. These countries include Thailand, Japan, Korea and Canada. The guitars will not be from a well-known brand. However, these will be from different local companies in different countries. The quality will be guaranteed on every guitar as our staff is highly trained. We are not going to have a massive number of employees. Some of my friends are good guitar players and they are capable in determining if the guitar is worth buying. It is basically a partnership firm and on the top of the hierarchy, there are going to be 3 partners including myself. The two partners will be in charge of buying the guitars from different countries. These people are highly skilled in playing guitar and they have a good idea in buying these guitars. These people will be travelling once every 6 months and are going to buy a good number of guitars. Depending on the market and the demand, these people are then going to go to buy the guitars according to the preferences from our loyal customers. Below us, there

Annotated Bibliography for Intellectual Property Rights

For Intellectual Property Rights - Annotated Bibliography Example Trading necessitate liberalized economic policies which are cited in the General Agreement on Tariff Trade which the author presupposed as an instrument that hinder the use of war as instrument for economic expansion. This policy is however should be rechecked using cost-benefit analysis to secure issues pertaining to environment, culture, use of technology, child labor, migration, and presence of other multinational organizations and concerns for world peace. Author further argued that the company explicitly argued that to secure the products being introduced to the market, necessary measure for intellectual properties rights should be adopted to protect itself from distortions happening in the market or those that are made by the government. Intellectual property (IP) is defined as creations of the mind and preservation of authorship on inventions, literatures, arts, movies, symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce (WIPO, 2012, p. 1). This cover industrial property of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source, and copyright (WIPO, 2012, p. 1) . Traders argued that IPR balance and neutralize the impacts of all possible effects of tariff policy and also improves the countrys position the worlds productivity rank. This is because it sets legal limitations to conditions in industrial developments to protect the properties and creation of innovators (Lerner, Strojwas, & Tirole, 2005). This limitations are universally applied thus can’t be considered as negative for new entrants in the market. Many research studies proved that this is a theory that protects the authors from those that can do infringement e.g. pirate the nature of products made by another. Many poor countr ies however criticized this policy as unfavourable to the indigenous people whose vast knowledge on natural medicines cannot avail of patents and

Man in the Crowd Essay Example for Free

Man in the Crowd Essay The epigraph at the beginning of â€Å"The Man in the Crowd† brings up the interesting question of what it really means to be alone. While the actual definition of alone is â€Å"quite by oneself, unaccompanied, solitary,† (â€Å"Alone†) the story, through the narrator’s thoughts and the observations of the nameless man in the crowd, can serve as a different perspective on being alone if applied beyond the situation in the tale. The epigraph says how terrible it is to never be alone, and the story serves as a metaphor for Poe to comment on how he views someone’s ability to actually be apart from the crowd. The story goes to show how social norms, thoughts of others, and inherent desires limit someone from ever being truly alone. Poe seems to believe that people are always a part society and are never fully separate and that possibly no one actually wishes to escape the crowd entirely. The thoughts of the narrator of the story represent how thoughts of others create unknowing connections that make it so no one is alone. The narrator serves as a direct example of the opinions people form while viewing others. He â€Å"regard[s] with the minute interest the innumerable varieties of figure, dress, air, gait, visage, and expression of countenance† (Poe, 233) of the individuals in the crowd. If he sees a person with â€Å"a filmy dimness of eye† and talking with â€Å"a guarded lowness of tone in conversation† then he assumes he is a gambler that â€Å"prey[s] upon the public† (Poe, 234). He uses the aforementioned characteristics to determine what type of person he or she is and ranks them on a â€Å"scale of what is termed gentility† (Poe, 234). Each person is objectified in the narrator’s mind upon observations of their clothing, cleanliness, and facial expressions. The narrator thinks that he can guess the occupation and lifestyle of a person by simply seeing them for less than a second. He then forms opinions of the people he sees and they have no way of knowing that he has those thoughts. Although, a person is unaware of the thoughts of others, thoughts create a connection between people. The narrator is connected to the people in the crowd because he is thinking about them. They are oblivious of the connection, but because of the narrator and his thoughts, they are, in a sense, there with someone else. The mysterious man that the narrator sees demonstrates that even when alone, it is impossible to be alone in the true sense of the word. Even in the large crowd, the people who are not walking or talking with anyone still combine with everyone else to make â€Å"continuous tides of population† (Poe, 233). They, although not interacting with anyone else, are always a part of society. The man that intrigues the narrator is a loner that, although unique, is still a part of the crowd. The man fits into no set group of people that the narrator names because of his contradictory and confusing appearance. His clothes were made of â€Å"linen, although dirty, (with a) beautiful texture† (Poe 236), suggesting that he is wealthy but does not care enough to look presentable. The â€Å"idiosyncrasy of (his) expression† (Poe, 234) is the greatest contributing factor to why the man cannot be grouped. The man does not fit any of the social norms of society, yet he combines with all of the people to form the crowd. Poe might be suggesting that even though the man in the crowd believes he is alone, he has the narrator following him and thinking about him. Since he is occupying the narrator’s mind for so long, the man is making a bigger difference in the crowd than he thinks he is. Poe proves through the mysterious man that even when alone, a person is making a difference and influencing his or her surroundings. The narrator’s feelings towards the crowd and the man’s anxiety when he is not within a crowd represent the need the narrator has to be a part of it. The narrator having been sick for a few months is craving the sight of others and is filled with â€Å"a delicious novelty of emotion† (Poe, 233) when he sees the crowd. The narrator’s joy at seeing others shows his unspoken desire to be a part of the outside world. He is drawn into the crowd because of the innate wish to be involved with others and his natural curiosity for them. The feeling of being together with others gives him a sense of belonging a purpose. The narrator says that the man â€Å"with every mark of agitation, pursues rapidly a route which brought (them) to the verge of the city† (Poe, 238) because â€Å"he refuses to be alone† (Poe, 239). The man wants to be surrounded by people and shows visibly that it is upsetting to not be so. Poe could be using the man’s agitation as a symbol of how the narrator subconsciously feels about the crowd. The mysterious man represents how the narrator desires to be with others and feel a sense of belonging to the crowd. Poe’s definition of being alone in the story, if applied in more general terms, seems to be if a person can actually separate from others in society. From the narrator and his pursuit of the mysterious man, it can be concluded that Poe does not believe that the separation is possible. It is the thoughts of others and the influences of actions that make it impossible for someone to escape the outside world. But more importantly than the fact that people cannot elude the opinions and preconceptions of others, is that people want to be noticed. Making a difference and influencing something is an inherent goal for the majority of people. The combination of the inability to escape everyone else and the desire people have to be apart of a group make it impossible to be, at least in the story, alone. â€Å"Alone.† Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. Poe, Edgar A, and Gary R. Thompson. The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe: Authoritative Texts, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton Co, 2004. Print.

History of the Palestinian Conflict

History of the Palestinian Conflict In order to have a thorough understanding of the Palestinian problem, events in the early 20th century, prior to 1948 (Israeli independence) should be closely examined and understood. Many historians mark the first act which led to the Palestinian problem as the Balfour Declaration in 1917. There, it was announced that Britain shall support in the goals of Zionists, and therein strive to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine, His Majestys Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people[1]. With Jewish spirits high all over the Jewish Diaspora, the third Aliyah (influx of Jews to Palestine) took place in 1919[2]. The number of Jews gradually increased in Palestine, and by 1947, the 11% population of Jews increased to a healthy 33%[3]. The immediate cause of the Palestinian problem is often dated to November 29th 1947, on which the UN announced that the British Mandate of Palestine would be divided into separate Arab and Jewish states[4]. The decree sparked great outrage from Arab nations, but was a warmly welcomed decision from the Jews and other European and North American States. Two pinnacle wars then followed which would directly influence into the Palestinian problem. The Civil War first took place as an immediate reaction eleven days after the UNs declaration. Jewish victory then led war lead to two events: the Israeli Declaration of Independence on May the 14th 1948 and the beginning of An-Nakabah, the Palestinian Exodus. In first phase of the Palestinian Exodus, 125,000 were evicted or fled from their homes, and were prevented from returning[5]. The second war that followed was the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. In this war, Israel was to face a grand Arab coalition which denounced its independence. A decisive Israeli victory, and a disastrous Arab defeat increased the final number of the Palestinian exodus to a staggering 750 000 Palestinians. By the middle of the 20th century, State of Israel was firmly established upon the former Palestinian territories, and many Palestinian settlements were either depopulated or destroyed. Hence, the Palestinian problem was herein created; an issue of Palestinians, their state, homeland, refugees, and also Palestinian-Israeli co-existence in Palestine and the stance of Jerusalem, is all to exist until this very day. Yasser Arafat and the Creation of Fatah: Born on 24 August 1929, in Cairo, Egypt, Yasser Arafat was the son of Palestinian parent[6]. During the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948, he went to Palestine to join the fighting. His role in the Palestinian problem begins early on in his political life when in 1958, Arafat, with a number of his Palestinian colleagues in Kuwait, corroborated and formed the militant group Fatah. The group was dedicated to liberate Palestine by Palestinians with a means of force. The idea was to eliminate Zionist Israel re-establish Palestinian homeland and resolve the Palestinian problem. Until this very day, Fatahs main goal is, complete liberation of Palestine, and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence.[7] A Means of Force, to Settle to Problem: The Rise of Fatah, the PLO and the 70s: In the Six Day War, Fatah did play a small role in the fighting against the Israel. The humiliating Arab defeat further broke Arab morale especially that of the Palestinians who consequently lost trust in the united Arab resolution. But Fatah was to have its first main military encounter with Israel in the Battle of Karameh on March 21st 1968. With Fatah growing in stature, organised raid were conducted against Israeli settlements. Israels retaliation was to raid the Jordanian city of Karameh, a newly made stronghold for Fatah[8]. Though the battle was a military victory for Israel, it was seen as a somewhat physiological victory for Fatah. Abdallah Frangi (a Palestinian leader at the time) labelled it the political and military turning point in the Palestinian resistance, especially for Fatah.[9] Arab support was rallied behind the group, and Arafat was able to garner a number of Palestinian recruits for his group. Fatah was inducted into the PLO in 1967, and in 1969, Yasser Arafat became chairman of the PLO. Arafat transformed the organisation into becoming a strong independent organisation intended to make Palestinian appeals be heard by the world[10]. He therein became the ultimate leader of the Palestinian resurgence. By 1970, Yasser Arafat was deeply engaging in his arms resolution of the Palestinian problem. Raids into Israeli territories were organised regularly and Fatah was became an increased threat to Israel. In Arafats and Fatahs prime years of the 70s, both the PLO and Mossad (The Israeli Intelligence Agency) engaged in terrorist style warfare against each other. The Mossads known for several key assassinations, such as that of Ghassan Kanafani [11], (writer and spokesman for the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine, considered the second largest group in the PLO after Fatah) and Dr Wadie Haddad[12] (leader of the PFLP.) For the PLO, the Fatah group, Black September were one of the key groups engaging in such activities[13]. One of the most famous works of Black September was the abduction and assassination of 11 Israeli athletes in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games[14]. Though Arafat has never been proven to be part of the attacks, Israeli and American authorities often associate him to them. Analysis of Arafats Forceful Resolve: A number of western sources agree that Yasser Arafat tried to resolve the Palestinian problem through a means of terrorism. Its stated that he saw in terrorism, not of the horrific murders, but rather a means of gaining recognition for Palestine and Palestinian struggle. Barry and Judith Rubin, authors of Yasser Arafat: A Political Biography state, He had seen how it [terrorism] mobilized Palestinian and Arab support for the PLO; raised the Palestine issues international priority; prevented other Arab states from negotiating peace with Israel, and made many western leaders eager to appease him.[15] Often using the Fatah subgroup, Black September, there are claims that Arafat often approved operations and stemmed funds to them[16]. The argument also states that Arafat consistently throughout his life would deny such acts, thereby having a remarkable ability to escape responsibility for the terrorism he committed.[17] These views clearly classify Arafats armed approach in dealing with the Palestinian problem as acts of terrorism. They proclaim that Arafat, as a terrorist, used fear antic to drive his goal of dealing with the Palestinian struggle. The alternative view, in that Arafat was a freedom fighter is believed by many other historians and writers. Its a stance expressed by one of the closest people to Arafat, Bassam Abu Sharif (Senior Advisor to Yasser Arafat.) In his book, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, he states, In my opinion, people in the west saw Arafat through the negative propaganda which rather painted Arafat as a terrorist, rather than a freedom fighter[18]. With the Palestinian problem ignored early on by many western countries[19], it indeed was Arafat who rather globalised the issue, made it a phenomenon everyone needed to solve. This is seen to make Arafats armed role in dealing with the Palestinian problem a pivotal one. These arguments also highlight Arafat as being the sole power in the Palestinian revival following the Six Day War, It was in these disheartening circumstances that the Palestinian revival began. There was little doubt that Arafats was the decisive voice[20]. Also, those which Arafat commanded are perceived as freedom fighters by some, Yasser Arafat, who had emerged as a significant figure in the Palestinian struggle for liberation, recruited young people to the resistance movement. In 1970, Palestinian freedom fighters took control of the Gaza Strip Yasser Arafat hence provided Palestinian revitalisation in the Palestinian problem, hereby making his armed role an extremely important one. As quoted by Stephen Howe, Without the Arafat of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, there might well not have been a Palestinian national movement at all. Evaluation: Surely, Arafats armed solution is interpreted differently by different cultures and people. Arafats emergence was in bloody early days of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, a time when sympathy of Palestinians and their struggle was widespread in the Muslim world whereas backing and support was provided to Israel by many western states. This makes the Palestinian debate a 2 sided debate, and consequently, an evaluation of Arafat is often affected by emotion and bias by the opposing parties. Arafats armed resolution of the Palestinian problem isnt a clear cut issue of neither terrorism nor political fanaticism. Two issues must be understood to drive this point; firstly, Arafats activities as a militant rather than a terrorist. An analysis of Yasser Arafats activates prove that he rather was present and an active member in raids and attacks against the Israeli army and troops and rather not in the alleged terrorist attacks of the PLO. Also, since he never was proven to be a terrorist, it can never be claimed he was indeed a terrorist. Secondly, a distinction must be made between the activates of Arafat and those of his bodyguards and Fatah colleagues. Often, the actions of both are confused, and when an attack by Fatah insurgents is carried of, its often stated that Arafat himself was part of then. Its true that Yasser Arafats role as leader of Palestinian spurred some to extremism, but it must be understood, though his Fatah colleagues did engaged in terrorism, he didnt. Yasser Arafat armed role in dealing with the Palestine problem should not be seen as of radicalism or extremism in thought and intent. Arafats armed struggle, though did not solve the issue, did in fact bring some results. His armed struggle brought a resurgence of the people of Palestine. With the united Arab response being habitually useless (by constant Arab defeat and loss to Israel,) only a Palestinian response seemed to solution. This but rather needed the revival of the Palestinian hope, which was severely crushed by the mid 1960 (especially with the loss of Jerusalem.) Though ludicrous it may sound, Palestinian revitalisation would not have occurred through peaceful means. The reason for this was that Palestinians where irritated and demoralised by the constant disappointment in the outcomes of Arab negotiations concerning their struggle. A symbol of an armed struggle would only then revitalise these frustrated Palestinians. With the creation of Fatah, (to liberate Palestine by Palestinians) Arafats armed struggle brought this Palestinian resurgence. Arafat also united the Palestinian people, under his armed struggle, a strong step in dealing with the Palestinian problem. In essence, hadnt this revitalisation occurred, the State of Palestine would not have been created, and future talks of peace and co-existence would not have occurred. But it should be clearly understood, that Arafat did not achieve his intended aim in his armed approach. A Peaceful Resolve for the Palestinian Problem: A Change in Contention, Olso and Camp David: In 1974, the PLO executive committee including Arafat drew up The Ten Point Program[21]. By many, is considered as the first peaceful initiative taken by Arafat to resolve the Palestinian Problem. It was a decree calling for Israel to return back liberated[22] Palestinian lands. The declaration wasnt one of change in direction, though was unique in that it did show Arafat to have a way of dealing with the problem through negotiations. The Ten Point Program was to be followed by more years of violence. After years of unrest with the rise of the terrorist group Hamas and notably the coming into being of First Intifada (which Arafat associated himself to); on the 13th and 14th of December 1988, Arafat announces a change of thought. He formally recognised the State of Israel, renounced terrorism, and revealed intentions of seeking peaceful negotiations in managing the Palestinian problem[23]. A month earlier, the Palestinian National Council (led by Arafat) announces and proclaims The Palestinian Declaration of Independence[24]. It was a new direction for Arafat in settling the Palestinian problem. In 1993 marks a historical event in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as the first direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders took place in Oslo, Norway. The talks were very secretive, with Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabik with their top ministers negotiating in terms to co-exist peacefully. Issues such as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories, Palestinian elections, economic cooperation and regional development were all discussed. Both parties agreed on the status of each, the rights of each other, and their intentions to co-exist. With the help of the Clinton government, on 13th of September 1993, the Oslo Accord was signed. It was thought to be the basis of all future talks between both. In 2000, continuing talks took place between Israel and Palestine at Camp David, in order to finalise the conditions of the Oslo Accord[25]. The talks were to therein define the boundaries of Israel and Palestine. The status of Jerusalem (a key aspect of the Palestinian problem) was the hindrance point in the talks. In regards to the possession of Jerusalem, both parties were unable to agree on a compromise, hence making the Camp David talks a failure. Analysis of Arafats Peaceful Resolve: Arafats change in approach in dealing with the Palestinian approach (i.e. seeking peaceful measures) has often incurred various interpretations. One particular arguement is that Arafat changed his strategy of armed approach to a peaceful one in order to fool others and drive his own agenda of securing Palestinian homeland. It was a typical Arafat style solution. By being so ambiguous about his methods and goals, Arafat could hope to convince the west that he was ready for peace and convince his own colleagues that he was determined to continue the struggle[26]. These views hereby make Arafats change in approach a somewhat deceitful trick that rather had true initiative. A different viewpoint states that Arafat was rather pressured by Israeli and American officials to denounce an armed approach and terrorism[27]. Throughout the Oslo Accords, its stated that Arafat was the weaker party, and that he was rather accepted terms and condition which Israel modelled[28]. This argument thereby makes Arafats peaceful resolution of the Palestinian problem not an intuitive of his, but rather a pressure he had to comply with. In regards to the Camp David Summit, a many historians believed it was doomed to fail. Kamrava argues that both parties thought they were giving up more to the other, while the other wasnt being reasonable[29] in their compromise[30].Hence, in dealing with the most controversial issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the issue of Jerusalem, there was never to be an agreement. Hence, Arafats peaceful resolve of the Palestinian problem was always doomed to fail. Nevertheless, there are others, such as Bassim Abu Sherif, who says that the new peace path was rather genuine and promising. He claims though the US authorities did put down demands for Yasser Arafat, Arafat rather wanted his announcement to first be supported by for the PLO and Palestinians, then flexible to US demands, It was clear that Arafat wanted to be flexible enough to meet American demands, but he also wanted to make sure that he had the approval of the majority of the PLO executive committee to preserve the democracy of the decision making process of the PLO.[31] It was clear that Arafat was aware that by this time, both he and Palestinians were exhausted from fighting. Hence, this different approach in dealing with the Palestinian struggle might be interpreted as a new path, thereby creating new opportunities in dealing with the Palestinian problem. Evaluation: Arafats change in means resolving the Palestinian problem is also an issue of debate. The question of why change in direction and whether it was genuine is truly the discussion. But a deduction of Arafats activities brings an understanding of genuinity. Hence, his role in trying to resolve the Palestinian problem is herein magnified by his actions of this new resolve. Its evident that with years of unrest and the lack of advancement in resolving the Palestinian problem, Arafat needed to find a new resolve. He needed to settle the Palestinian crisis that now nearly turned into internal feuding. So, by understanding this dire need of change, it must be clear that he, Arafat, chose to change the idea of an armed struggle. It seems that he neither needed the pressure of Israel or the U.S. but rather chose to do it because of situation of the Palestinian people. Hence, it makes the resolution a genuine on Arafats part. Therefore, we see in Arafats change in thought his striving quest of solving the Palestinian problem. Arafats role in dealing with the Palestinian problem could further be evaluated by his actions at Oslo and Camp David. First of all, he dealt with the issue of Palestinian homeland in Palestine with the Oslo Accord. In this regard, Arafat failed to clearly resolve the issue, due to the vagueness of the matter he agreed on. This leads to the next issue of Jerusalem. Arafats Oslo agreements failure is exacerbated by the fact that the continuation of Oslo, (Camp David) broke down with the issue of Jerusalem. This issue of Israeli-Palestinian co-existence was spoken of the most in both talks, but without decisively dealing with this tension point issues, Arafat was doomed to fail. Hence, though Arafat tried to drive and resolve the Palestinian problem peacefully, he achieve no more than his armed resolution. Bibliography: Books: Lukacs, Yehuda, 1992, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict a documentary record 1967-1990, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Barry Rubin Judith Colp Rubin, 2003, Arafat: A Political Biography, Oxford University Press, Inc, New York. Bassam Abu Sharif, 2009, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. T.G. Fraser, 2008, The Arab-Israeli conflict, 3rd ed., Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Brown, Nathan. J, 2003, Palestinian Politics after the Oslo Accord: Arab Palestine, University of Californian Press, London, England. Dan Cohn-Sherbok Dawoud El-Alami (eds), 2008, The Palestine-Israeli Conflict, Oneworld Publication, Oxford, England. Mehran Kamrava, 2005, The Modern Middle East, University of California Press, Ltd, London England. Mark Tesseler, 1994, A History Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, USA, Journals: Simha Flapan, 1987, The Palestinian Exodus of 1948, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Summer, 1987),University of California Press. Websites: UN Partition Plan, 2001, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1681322.stm Yasser Arafat, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Timeline: Yasser Arafat, 2004, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4004859.stm Political Program Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestine National Council Cairo, 8 June 1974, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.un.int/palestine/PLO/docone.html Muin Rabbani, 2000, Encyclopedia Of The Palestinians: Biography of Gassan Kanafani, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Acre/Story168.html Poisoned Mossad chocolate killed PFLP leader in 1977, says book, 2006, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://web.archive.org/web/20060517211510/http://metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060505-102327-8910r Terrorist Organisation Profile: Black September,2007, University of Maryland, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=153 Arafat at the UN general Assembly, 2009, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/pal/pal5.htm Prof. Francis A. Boyle, 2006 Palestine Independence Day, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=vaaid=3864 Why did the PLO suddenly decide, in 1988, that Israel had a right to exist?, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_plo_israel_exist_1988.php The Balfour Declaration, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/The+Balfour+Declaration.htm The Population of Palestine Prior to 1948, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm Fateh Constitution, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.alzaytouna.net/arabic/?c=1598a=97061 The Israeli Camp David II Proposal for Final Settlement, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mideastweb.org/campdavid2.htm The Balfour Decleration, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/The+Balfour+Declaration.htm The Third Aliyah, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Third_Aliyah.html The Population of Palestine Prior to 1948, http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm UN Partition Plan, 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1681322.stm Simha Flapan, 1987, The Palestinian Exodus of 1948, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Summer, 1987), pp. 3-26,University of California Press. Yasser Arafat, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Fateh Constitution, http://www.alzaytouna.net/arabic/?c=1598a=97061 Mark Tesseler, A History Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, USA, 1994, pg. 425 Ibid, pg.426 Yasser Arafat, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Muin Rabbani, 2000, Encyclopedia Of The Palestinians: Biography of Gassan Kanafani, http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Acre/Story168.html Poisoned Mossad chocolate killed PFLP leader in 1977, says book, 2006, http://web.archive.org/web/20060517211510/http://metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060505-102327-8910r. Terrorist Organisation Profile: Black September, 2007, University of Maryland http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=153 ibid Barry Rubin, Judith Colp Rubin, Arafat: A Political Biography, Oxford University Press, Inc, New York, 2003, pg.61 Ibid, pg.61 Ibid, pg.63 Bassam Abu Sharif, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2009, pg. T.G. Fraser, The Arab-Israeli conflict, 3rd ed., Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2008, pg.57 Ibid, pg.88 Political Program Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestine National Council Cairo, 8 June 1974, http://www.un.int/palestine/PLO/docone.html ibid Arafat at the UN general Assembly, 2009, http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/pal/pal5.htm Prof. Francis A. Boyle, 2006 Palestine Independence Day, http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=vaaid=3864 The Israeli Camp David II Proposal for Final Settlement, http://www.mideastweb.org/campdavid2.htm Rubin, op.cit., pg.113 Why did the PLO suddenly decide, in 1988, that Israel had a right to exist?, http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_plo_israel_exist_1988.php Mehran Kamrava, The Modern Middle East, University of California Press, Ltd, London England, 2005, pg. 243-244 Ibid, pg.248 ibid Abu Sharif, op.cit., pg.183 History of the Palestinian Conflict History of the Palestinian Conflict In order to have a thorough understanding of the Palestinian problem, events in the early 20th century, prior to 1948 (Israeli independence) should be closely examined and understood. Many historians mark the first act which led to the Palestinian problem as the Balfour Declaration in 1917. There, it was announced that Britain shall support in the goals of Zionists, and therein strive to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine, His Majestys Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people[1]. With Jewish spirits high all over the Jewish Diaspora, the third Aliyah (influx of Jews to Palestine) took place in 1919[2]. The number of Jews gradually increased in Palestine, and by 1947, the 11% population of Jews increased to a healthy 33%[3]. The immediate cause of the Palestinian problem is often dated to November 29th 1947, on which the UN announced that the British Mandate of Palestine would be divided into separate Arab and Jewish states[4]. The decree sparked great outrage from Arab nations, but was a warmly welcomed decision from the Jews and other European and North American States. Two pinnacle wars then followed which would directly influence into the Palestinian problem. The Civil War first took place as an immediate reaction eleven days after the UNs declaration. Jewish victory then led war lead to two events: the Israeli Declaration of Independence on May the 14th 1948 and the beginning of An-Nakabah, the Palestinian Exodus. In first phase of the Palestinian Exodus, 125,000 were evicted or fled from their homes, and were prevented from returning[5]. The second war that followed was the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. In this war, Israel was to face a grand Arab coalition which denounced its independence. A decisive Israeli victory, and a disastrous Arab defeat increased the final number of the Palestinian exodus to a staggering 750 000 Palestinians. By the middle of the 20th century, State of Israel was firmly established upon the former Palestinian territories, and many Palestinian settlements were either depopulated or destroyed. Hence, the Palestinian problem was herein created; an issue of Palestinians, their state, homeland, refugees, and also Palestinian-Israeli co-existence in Palestine and the stance of Jerusalem, is all to exist until this very day. Yasser Arafat and the Creation of Fatah: Born on 24 August 1929, in Cairo, Egypt, Yasser Arafat was the son of Palestinian parent[6]. During the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948, he went to Palestine to join the fighting. His role in the Palestinian problem begins early on in his political life when in 1958, Arafat, with a number of his Palestinian colleagues in Kuwait, corroborated and formed the militant group Fatah. The group was dedicated to liberate Palestine by Palestinians with a means of force. The idea was to eliminate Zionist Israel re-establish Palestinian homeland and resolve the Palestinian problem. Until this very day, Fatahs main goal is, complete liberation of Palestine, and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence.[7] A Means of Force, to Settle to Problem: The Rise of Fatah, the PLO and the 70s: In the Six Day War, Fatah did play a small role in the fighting against the Israel. The humiliating Arab defeat further broke Arab morale especially that of the Palestinians who consequently lost trust in the united Arab resolution. But Fatah was to have its first main military encounter with Israel in the Battle of Karameh on March 21st 1968. With Fatah growing in stature, organised raid were conducted against Israeli settlements. Israels retaliation was to raid the Jordanian city of Karameh, a newly made stronghold for Fatah[8]. Though the battle was a military victory for Israel, it was seen as a somewhat physiological victory for Fatah. Abdallah Frangi (a Palestinian leader at the time) labelled it the political and military turning point in the Palestinian resistance, especially for Fatah.[9] Arab support was rallied behind the group, and Arafat was able to garner a number of Palestinian recruits for his group. Fatah was inducted into the PLO in 1967, and in 1969, Yasser Arafat became chairman of the PLO. Arafat transformed the organisation into becoming a strong independent organisation intended to make Palestinian appeals be heard by the world[10]. He therein became the ultimate leader of the Palestinian resurgence. By 1970, Yasser Arafat was deeply engaging in his arms resolution of the Palestinian problem. Raids into Israeli territories were organised regularly and Fatah was became an increased threat to Israel. In Arafats and Fatahs prime years of the 70s, both the PLO and Mossad (The Israeli Intelligence Agency) engaged in terrorist style warfare against each other. The Mossads known for several key assassinations, such as that of Ghassan Kanafani [11], (writer and spokesman for the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine, considered the second largest group in the PLO after Fatah) and Dr Wadie Haddad[12] (leader of the PFLP.) For the PLO, the Fatah group, Black September were one of the key groups engaging in such activities[13]. One of the most famous works of Black September was the abduction and assassination of 11 Israeli athletes in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games[14]. Though Arafat has never been proven to be part of the attacks, Israeli and American authorities often associate him to them. Analysis of Arafats Forceful Resolve: A number of western sources agree that Yasser Arafat tried to resolve the Palestinian problem through a means of terrorism. Its stated that he saw in terrorism, not of the horrific murders, but rather a means of gaining recognition for Palestine and Palestinian struggle. Barry and Judith Rubin, authors of Yasser Arafat: A Political Biography state, He had seen how it [terrorism] mobilized Palestinian and Arab support for the PLO; raised the Palestine issues international priority; prevented other Arab states from negotiating peace with Israel, and made many western leaders eager to appease him.[15] Often using the Fatah subgroup, Black September, there are claims that Arafat often approved operations and stemmed funds to them[16]. The argument also states that Arafat consistently throughout his life would deny such acts, thereby having a remarkable ability to escape responsibility for the terrorism he committed.[17] These views clearly classify Arafats armed approach in dealing with the Palestinian problem as acts of terrorism. They proclaim that Arafat, as a terrorist, used fear antic to drive his goal of dealing with the Palestinian struggle. The alternative view, in that Arafat was a freedom fighter is believed by many other historians and writers. Its a stance expressed by one of the closest people to Arafat, Bassam Abu Sharif (Senior Advisor to Yasser Arafat.) In his book, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, he states, In my opinion, people in the west saw Arafat through the negative propaganda which rather painted Arafat as a terrorist, rather than a freedom fighter[18]. With the Palestinian problem ignored early on by many western countries[19], it indeed was Arafat who rather globalised the issue, made it a phenomenon everyone needed to solve. This is seen to make Arafats armed role in dealing with the Palestinian problem a pivotal one. These arguments also highlight Arafat as being the sole power in the Palestinian revival following the Six Day War, It was in these disheartening circumstances that the Palestinian revival began. There was little doubt that Arafats was the decisive voice[20]. Also, those which Arafat commanded are perceived as freedom fighters by some, Yasser Arafat, who had emerged as a significant figure in the Palestinian struggle for liberation, recruited young people to the resistance movement. In 1970, Palestinian freedom fighters took control of the Gaza Strip Yasser Arafat hence provided Palestinian revitalisation in the Palestinian problem, hereby making his armed role an extremely important one. As quoted by Stephen Howe, Without the Arafat of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, there might well not have been a Palestinian national movement at all. Evaluation: Surely, Arafats armed solution is interpreted differently by different cultures and people. Arafats emergence was in bloody early days of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, a time when sympathy of Palestinians and their struggle was widespread in the Muslim world whereas backing and support was provided to Israel by many western states. This makes the Palestinian debate a 2 sided debate, and consequently, an evaluation of Arafat is often affected by emotion and bias by the opposing parties. Arafats armed resolution of the Palestinian problem isnt a clear cut issue of neither terrorism nor political fanaticism. Two issues must be understood to drive this point; firstly, Arafats activities as a militant rather than a terrorist. An analysis of Yasser Arafats activates prove that he rather was present and an active member in raids and attacks against the Israeli army and troops and rather not in the alleged terrorist attacks of the PLO. Also, since he never was proven to be a terrorist, it can never be claimed he was indeed a terrorist. Secondly, a distinction must be made between the activates of Arafat and those of his bodyguards and Fatah colleagues. Often, the actions of both are confused, and when an attack by Fatah insurgents is carried of, its often stated that Arafat himself was part of then. Its true that Yasser Arafats role as leader of Palestinian spurred some to extremism, but it must be understood, though his Fatah colleagues did engaged in terrorism, he didnt. Yasser Arafat armed role in dealing with the Palestine problem should not be seen as of radicalism or extremism in thought and intent. Arafats armed struggle, though did not solve the issue, did in fact bring some results. His armed struggle brought a resurgence of the people of Palestine. With the united Arab response being habitually useless (by constant Arab defeat and loss to Israel,) only a Palestinian response seemed to solution. This but rather needed the revival of the Palestinian hope, which was severely crushed by the mid 1960 (especially with the loss of Jerusalem.) Though ludicrous it may sound, Palestinian revitalisation would not have occurred through peaceful means. The reason for this was that Palestinians where irritated and demoralised by the constant disappointment in the outcomes of Arab negotiations concerning their struggle. A symbol of an armed struggle would only then revitalise these frustrated Palestinians. With the creation of Fatah, (to liberate Palestine by Palestinians) Arafats armed struggle brought this Palestinian resurgence. Arafat also united the Palestinian people, under his armed struggle, a strong step in dealing with the Palestinian problem. In essence, hadnt this revitalisation occurred, the State of Palestine would not have been created, and future talks of peace and co-existence would not have occurred. But it should be clearly understood, that Arafat did not achieve his intended aim in his armed approach. A Peaceful Resolve for the Palestinian Problem: A Change in Contention, Olso and Camp David: In 1974, the PLO executive committee including Arafat drew up The Ten Point Program[21]. By many, is considered as the first peaceful initiative taken by Arafat to resolve the Palestinian Problem. It was a decree calling for Israel to return back liberated[22] Palestinian lands. The declaration wasnt one of change in direction, though was unique in that it did show Arafat to have a way of dealing with the problem through negotiations. The Ten Point Program was to be followed by more years of violence. After years of unrest with the rise of the terrorist group Hamas and notably the coming into being of First Intifada (which Arafat associated himself to); on the 13th and 14th of December 1988, Arafat announces a change of thought. He formally recognised the State of Israel, renounced terrorism, and revealed intentions of seeking peaceful negotiations in managing the Palestinian problem[23]. A month earlier, the Palestinian National Council (led by Arafat) announces and proclaims The Palestinian Declaration of Independence[24]. It was a new direction for Arafat in settling the Palestinian problem. In 1993 marks a historical event in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as the first direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders took place in Oslo, Norway. The talks were very secretive, with Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabik with their top ministers negotiating in terms to co-exist peacefully. Issues such as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories, Palestinian elections, economic cooperation and regional development were all discussed. Both parties agreed on the status of each, the rights of each other, and their intentions to co-exist. With the help of the Clinton government, on 13th of September 1993, the Oslo Accord was signed. It was thought to be the basis of all future talks between both. In 2000, continuing talks took place between Israel and Palestine at Camp David, in order to finalise the conditions of the Oslo Accord[25]. The talks were to therein define the boundaries of Israel and Palestine. The status of Jerusalem (a key aspect of the Palestinian problem) was the hindrance point in the talks. In regards to the possession of Jerusalem, both parties were unable to agree on a compromise, hence making the Camp David talks a failure. Analysis of Arafats Peaceful Resolve: Arafats change in approach in dealing with the Palestinian approach (i.e. seeking peaceful measures) has often incurred various interpretations. One particular arguement is that Arafat changed his strategy of armed approach to a peaceful one in order to fool others and drive his own agenda of securing Palestinian homeland. It was a typical Arafat style solution. By being so ambiguous about his methods and goals, Arafat could hope to convince the west that he was ready for peace and convince his own colleagues that he was determined to continue the struggle[26]. These views hereby make Arafats change in approach a somewhat deceitful trick that rather had true initiative. A different viewpoint states that Arafat was rather pressured by Israeli and American officials to denounce an armed approach and terrorism[27]. Throughout the Oslo Accords, its stated that Arafat was the weaker party, and that he was rather accepted terms and condition which Israel modelled[28]. This argument thereby makes Arafats peaceful resolution of the Palestinian problem not an intuitive of his, but rather a pressure he had to comply with. In regards to the Camp David Summit, a many historians believed it was doomed to fail. Kamrava argues that both parties thought they were giving up more to the other, while the other wasnt being reasonable[29] in their compromise[30].Hence, in dealing with the most controversial issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the issue of Jerusalem, there was never to be an agreement. Hence, Arafats peaceful resolve of the Palestinian problem was always doomed to fail. Nevertheless, there are others, such as Bassim Abu Sherif, who says that the new peace path was rather genuine and promising. He claims though the US authorities did put down demands for Yasser Arafat, Arafat rather wanted his announcement to first be supported by for the PLO and Palestinians, then flexible to US demands, It was clear that Arafat wanted to be flexible enough to meet American demands, but he also wanted to make sure that he had the approval of the majority of the PLO executive committee to preserve the democracy of the decision making process of the PLO.[31] It was clear that Arafat was aware that by this time, both he and Palestinians were exhausted from fighting. Hence, this different approach in dealing with the Palestinian struggle might be interpreted as a new path, thereby creating new opportunities in dealing with the Palestinian problem. Evaluation: Arafats change in means resolving the Palestinian problem is also an issue of debate. The question of why change in direction and whether it was genuine is truly the discussion. But a deduction of Arafats activities brings an understanding of genuinity. Hence, his role in trying to resolve the Palestinian problem is herein magnified by his actions of this new resolve. Its evident that with years of unrest and the lack of advancement in resolving the Palestinian problem, Arafat needed to find a new resolve. He needed to settle the Palestinian crisis that now nearly turned into internal feuding. So, by understanding this dire need of change, it must be clear that he, Arafat, chose to change the idea of an armed struggle. It seems that he neither needed the pressure of Israel or the U.S. but rather chose to do it because of situation of the Palestinian people. Hence, it makes the resolution a genuine on Arafats part. Therefore, we see in Arafats change in thought his striving quest of solving the Palestinian problem. Arafats role in dealing with the Palestinian problem could further be evaluated by his actions at Oslo and Camp David. First of all, he dealt with the issue of Palestinian homeland in Palestine with the Oslo Accord. In this regard, Arafat failed to clearly resolve the issue, due to the vagueness of the matter he agreed on. This leads to the next issue of Jerusalem. Arafats Oslo agreements failure is exacerbated by the fact that the continuation of Oslo, (Camp David) broke down with the issue of Jerusalem. This issue of Israeli-Palestinian co-existence was spoken of the most in both talks, but without decisively dealing with this tension point issues, Arafat was doomed to fail. Hence, though Arafat tried to drive and resolve the Palestinian problem peacefully, he achieve no more than his armed resolution. Bibliography: Books: Lukacs, Yehuda, 1992, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict a documentary record 1967-1990, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Barry Rubin Judith Colp Rubin, 2003, Arafat: A Political Biography, Oxford University Press, Inc, New York. Bassam Abu Sharif, 2009, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. T.G. Fraser, 2008, The Arab-Israeli conflict, 3rd ed., Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Brown, Nathan. J, 2003, Palestinian Politics after the Oslo Accord: Arab Palestine, University of Californian Press, London, England. Dan Cohn-Sherbok Dawoud El-Alami (eds), 2008, The Palestine-Israeli Conflict, Oneworld Publication, Oxford, England. Mehran Kamrava, 2005, The Modern Middle East, University of California Press, Ltd, London England. Mark Tesseler, 1994, A History Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, USA, Journals: Simha Flapan, 1987, The Palestinian Exodus of 1948, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Summer, 1987),University of California Press. Websites: UN Partition Plan, 2001, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1681322.stm Yasser Arafat, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Timeline: Yasser Arafat, 2004, Retrieved 25th January, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4004859.stm Political Program Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestine National Council Cairo, 8 June 1974, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.un.int/palestine/PLO/docone.html Muin Rabbani, 2000, Encyclopedia Of The Palestinians: Biography of Gassan Kanafani, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Acre/Story168.html Poisoned Mossad chocolate killed PFLP leader in 1977, says book, 2006, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://web.archive.org/web/20060517211510/http://metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060505-102327-8910r Terrorist Organisation Profile: Black September,2007, University of Maryland, Retrieved 26th January, 2010, http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=153 Arafat at the UN general Assembly, 2009, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/pal/pal5.htm Prof. Francis A. Boyle, 2006 Palestine Independence Day, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=vaaid=3864 Why did the PLO suddenly decide, in 1988, that Israel had a right to exist?, Retrieved 27th January, 2010, http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_plo_israel_exist_1988.php The Balfour Declaration, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/The+Balfour+Declaration.htm The Population of Palestine Prior to 1948, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm Fateh Constitution, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.alzaytouna.net/arabic/?c=1598a=97061 The Israeli Camp David II Proposal for Final Settlement, Retrieved 20th February, 2010, http://www.mideastweb.org/campdavid2.htm The Balfour Decleration, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/The+Balfour+Declaration.htm The Third Aliyah, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Third_Aliyah.html The Population of Palestine Prior to 1948, http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm UN Partition Plan, 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1681322.stm Simha Flapan, 1987, The Palestinian Exodus of 1948, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Summer, 1987), pp. 3-26,University of California Press. Yasser Arafat, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Fateh Constitution, http://www.alzaytouna.net/arabic/?c=1598a=97061 Mark Tesseler, A History Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, USA, 1994, pg. 425 Ibid, pg.426 Yasser Arafat, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Arafat/ Muin Rabbani, 2000, Encyclopedia Of The Palestinians: Biography of Gassan Kanafani, http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Acre/Story168.html Poisoned Mossad chocolate killed PFLP leader in 1977, says book, 2006, http://web.archive.org/web/20060517211510/http://metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060505-102327-8910r. Terrorist Organisation Profile: Black September, 2007, University of Maryland http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=153 ibid Barry Rubin, Judith Colp Rubin, Arafat: A Political Biography, Oxford University Press, Inc, New York, 2003, pg.61 Ibid, pg.61 Ibid, pg.63 Bassam Abu Sharif, Arafat and the Dream for Palestine, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2009, pg. T.G. Fraser, The Arab-Israeli conflict, 3rd ed., Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2008, pg.57 Ibid, pg.88 Political Program Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestine National Council Cairo, 8 June 1974, http://www.un.int/palestine/PLO/docone.html ibid Arafat at the UN general Assembly, 2009, http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/pal/pal5.htm Prof. Francis A. Boyle, 2006 Palestine Independence Day, http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=vaaid=3864 The Israeli Camp David II Proposal for Final Settlement, http://www.mideastweb.org/campdavid2.htm Rubin, op.cit., pg.113 Why did the PLO suddenly decide, in 1988, that Israel had a right to exist?, http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_plo_israel_exist_1988.php Mehran Kamrava, The Modern Middle East, University of California Press, Ltd, London England, 2005, pg. 243-244 Ibid, pg.248 ibid Abu Sharif, op.cit., pg.183

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay Free and fair elections and functioning electoral systems are the quintessence of democracy. Elections are used to ensure popular support and legitimacy for those who make governmental decisions.  [i]  An electoral system is the set of processes that determine how political candidates are elected to office. These procedures include the ballot structure, how citizens cast their votes, how those votes are tallied, and how the winners are determined.  [ii]  Electoral systems are important in many ways. First, they have significant political consequences. Electoral systems shape the nature of parties and party systems, and they affect the behavior of politicians and the strategies of voters.  [iii]   Additionally, electoral systems have a strong effect on the number of parties and consequently on the nature of competition in the party system. Electoral systems also affect the ways parties are organized and how they function internally. In addition, electoral systems also reveal the preferences of politicians and shape politicians behavior.  [iv]  Brazil pdf Accordingly, there are a small number of states in the world that have very similar electoral or voting systems but continue to have dissimilar amounts of political parties. These similarities and differences are best illustrated when comparing the United States and France. Despite similar electoral systems, France has numerous political parties while the United States has only two major parties. It would be anticipated that France and the United States would contain a resemblance in its electoral system based upon the information that the original French charter was inspired by the U.S. constitution.  [v]  Essentially, both states use a first past the post, winner takes all style of electing their Presidents. The United States also uses a unique system called the Electoral College to select a President from available nominees.  [vi]   This paper will seek to analyze the similarities and differences between France and the United States electoral systems. Firstly, the party system will be compared; secondly the electoral process itself, afterwards the heads of state, the question of reforms and finally the information provided will be summarized. Party System The structure of the party system in France is quite unique compared to other democracies. France has a multi-party system as opposed to the two-party system in the United States, and within those multiple parties, there is a great variety of internal organization.  [vii]  It was in France that the distinction between left and right first appeared and it is there that this distinction is of particular importance. However, the country has developed a multiple party system, so that the differences between left and right are far from clear. The parties have arranged themselves traditionally in the structure of the National Assembly, from the extreme left to the extreme right. The reason for the numerous amounts of political parties is for the most part historical. Successive regimes have passed, leaving their defenders as political parties or factions.  [viii]   Therefore, each party then can be identified with a preferred constitutional form and they each have their own particular ideology. France has gone through a succession of revolutions and regimes in which the new order never succeeded in entirely eradicating the advocates of the old. The older doctrines and their defenders have found that the Cartesian tradition, which is a tendency to pursue theoretical distinctions to the end, has encouraged their survival.  [ix]   The Third and Fourth Republics knew two electoral systems, both of which encouraged proliferation: proportional representation which assures each tiny party of its share of representation and therefore does not discourage the voter from exercising a marginal differentiation in casting his vote, and the single-member constituency system combined with the second ballot which encouraged a multiplication of candidates, and therefore of parties, especially on the first round. This system of many parties inevitably produced political weakness and cabinet instability.  [x]   Now, in the Fifth republic, (enacted in 1958), the electoral system in France depends on the size of the municipality. In municipalities with more than 3,500 inhabitants, the first half of the seats is allocated on the basis of absolute majority and the dHondt method of proportional representation is used to distribute the second half of the seats between lists that received at least five per cent of the votes. Municipalities with up to 3,500 inhabitants elect councils on the basis of absolute majority.  [xi]   In contrast, the American system as previously stated, is based on a two-party system, even though third parties exist. This results in clearly defined political lines in the United States, without the formal need for coalition-building often required to create a ruling majority in a parliamentary system.  [xii]  One factor contributing to the two-party system in the United States is the single-member district system of electing Representatives. Single-member meaning means that whoever receives a plurality of the vote (that is, the greatest number of votes in any given voting district) is elected.  [xiii]   Moreover, the Republican and Democratic parties are the two main political parties in the U.S. The Republicans and Democrats have dominated American politics since the 1860s, and every president since 1852 has been either a Republican or Democrat.  [xiv]  Despite that fact, so-called third parties and independent candidates remain a part of American politics. Most third parties have tended to flourish for a single election and then die, fade, or be absorbed into one of the major parties.  [xv]   Presidential Electoral Process The national election for the president of the United States is held every four years. These elections are far from straightforward in terms of its organization. The procedure for a national election goes on for a year.  [xvi]  A party must present nominated people to stand for election. Of  those nominated, only one is selected by the party delegates at the national convention. This person then goes on to represent that party in the national presidential elections. The running mate for the presidential candidate is also announced. Moreover, the structure of primary elections can differ from state to state. Some delegates are elected in a straight first-past-the-post system while other states use a form of proportional representation to give a greater spread of representation among the delegates sent to a national convention.  [xvii]  The delegates, when at a convention, vote for a candidate to run in the presidential election. After the national conventions, the two partie s presidential hopefuls can focus on campaigning for winning the presidential elections.  [xviii]   A unique feature of the American system is the Electoral College. When Americans vote for a President and Vice President, they actually vote for presidential electors, together as the Electoral College. The Constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives delegations; at present, the number of electors per state ranges from three to 55, for a total of 538. It is these elector-candidates, rather than the presidential and vice presidential nominees, which the citizens vote for in the election. In most states, voters cast a single vote for the slate of electors pledged to the party presidential and vice presidential candidates of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is elected; this is known as the winner-take-all, or general ticket, system. Separate ballots are cast for President and Vice President. The electoral vote results are counted and declared at a session of Congress. A majority of elec toral votes (currently 270 of 538) is required to win.  [xix]  In the recent American elections in 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the election with 53% of the popular vote along with 365 electoral votes over Republican candidate John McCain.  [xx]   In comparison, in the French system, candidates for the Presidency must obtain 500 sponsoring signatures of elected officials from at least 30 departments or overseas territories. The post is directly elected in a two-stage voting system. A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round is elected. However, if no candidate receives 50%, there is a second round which is a run-off between the two candidates who secured the most votes in the first round. Nicolas Sarkozy, from the ruling UMP, won the second round of the Presidential election in May 2007. He gained 53% of the vote, finishing six points ahead of his Socialist rival, Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal.  [xxi]   Duties of the Head of State The constitution of the French Fifth Republic was approved by public referendum on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the powers of the executive in relation to those of Parliament. Under this constitution, presidents were elected directly for a seven-year term since 1958. However, beginning in 2002, the presidential term of office was reduced to five years and a constitutional reform passed on July 21, 2008 which limits presidents to two consecutive terms in office. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties. Traditionally, presidents under the Fifth Republic have tended to leave day-to-day policy-making to the prime minister and government; the five-year term of office is expected to make presidents more accountable for the results of domestic policies.  [xxii]   On the contrary, the American presidents chief duty is to make sure that the laws are implemented. Presidents appoint all cabinet heads and most other high-ranking officials of the executive branch of the federal government. They also nominate all judges of the federal judiciary, including the members of the Supreme Court. Their appointments to executive and judicial posts must be approved by a majority of the Senate. The president is also the commander in chief of the US military and has unconstrained authority to direct the movements of the navy, land and air forces. The president has the power to make treaties with foreign governments, though the Senate must also approve such treaties by a two-thirds majority. Finally, the president has the power to approve or veto bills passed by Congress, though Congress can override the presidents veto by summoning a two-thirds majority in favour of the measure.  [xxiii]   Electoral System Reform? With respect to proposals by some American scholars and policy makers to get rid of the U. S. Electoral College system, most reformers advocate for a direct popular vote in the French manner and most also advocate a runoff (also like the French system) in the event that no candidate receives majority support (or or a lower figure such as 40%) in a first round election. But there are many Americans who believe that two presidential elections within a period of a few weeks would be too much.  [xxiv]  Moreover, The French are starting to embrace the concept of having primaries like the Americans. Even though these are not yet systematically organized, they are helpful in sorting out the candidates of each political party. In 2006, for example, the Socialist Party fielded three candidates, and party activists chose one of them, Segolà ¨ne Royal, to represent them. It is not that unlikely to see that same process expanded in future presidential elections.  [xxv]   Conclusion While comparing United States government to French government there are many similarities and differences discovered. To reiterate, France and the United States citizens elect the president of the republic, and both democracies do it by universal suffrage.   The French, on the other hand, prefer a direct election. In other words, a two-round electoral process in which any French citizen can become a candidate given that they collect 500 signatures endorsing their candidacy. The Americans however have a different method. Every state chooses by popular vote a list of electors, each of whom represents one candidate. The list pledged to a candidate who wins a simple or absolute majority of votes takes all of the states Electoral College seats (essentially winner takes all).  [xxvi]  This two-step election process takes into consideration both American demographics and political equality among the states of the Union, which is quite different from the French system.  [xxvii]  Fr ance is a representative democratic republic like the United States. France differs from the United States in political organization. The difference is that the political power in France is split between the president and a prime minister, who leads the political party that holds majority in Parliament.  [xxviii]   In addition, France is characterized by its multi-party system, whilst the United States is seen as a two-party system, even though third parties do exist. Also, Relations between France and the United States have become friendlier after Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of France. In 2007, Sarkozy delivered a speech before the U.S. Congress which was a strong affirmation of French-American friendship. During his visit he met with President George W. Bush as well as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. This visit took place before the two senators were chosen as party nominees.  [xxix]  Both also met with Sarkozy in Paris after securing their respective nominations in 2008; after meeting Obama in July, he was quoted saying Obama? Cest mon copain which means Obama? Hes my buddy. Because of Obamas and Sarkozys relationship, relations between the two countries are expected to improve further.  [xxx]