Political Analysis of Qatar

POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT Qatar also known as state of Qatar is a sovereign Arab state, located in western Asia. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. A strait of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from nearby island state of Bahrain. Qatar has been ruled absolutely by Al-Thani family since the mid 19th century. Formerly a British protectorate noted for pearl hunting, it became independent in 1971.Since, then it has become one of the region’s wealthiest states because of its enormous oil and natural gas revenues. The most important positioning Qatar are held by the members of the al Thani family, or close confidants of the al – Thani family in 1992 Qatar built a strong military ties with united states of America and Qatar is now location of U. S. central command’s forward headquarters and the combined air operations center. Qatar has the world’s highest GDP per capita and proven res erves of oil and natural gas.Qatar tops the list world’s richest countries by Forbes in 2010. Qatar did not emerge as a separate political entity until the mid 19th century when the British recognized sheikh Mohamed bin Thani. This recognition came in the aftermath of maritime Qatari Bahrain war of 1867 – 1868, prior to which the British saw Qatar as a Bahraini dependency of al – Khalifa. In march 1893, at the battle of Wajbah (10 miles west of Doha), Sheikh Jassim defeated the ottomans and forced a treaty that would later form the basis of Qatar emerging as a separate country.The reach of British Empire diminished after World War 2, especially following Indian independence in 1947. Pressure increased on British government in 1950s and British welcomed Kuwait’s declaration of independence in 1961. In 1968 Qatar joined Bahrain and seven other states in a federation, but regional dispute forced Qatar to resign from coalition. Qatar became independent sovere ign state on 3 September 1971. In 1991 Qatar played a significant role in Persian Gulf War against Iraqi army. They supported Saudi Arab National Guard units.In 1995 emir Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani seized control of the country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad al Thani while his father was enjoying vacation in Switzerland. Under emir Hamad Qatar has showed notable change like women’s right to vote, drafting a new constitution, and launch of Al Jazeera. Qatar served as headquarter and one of the main launching sites of U. S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. In December 2010, Qatar was selected to host the 2022 FIFA world cup and thus Qatar will be the first country of Middle East to host the tournament.Qataris celebrate their national day on 18th December. On this day the people of Qatar remembers Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammad al Thani as a leader in 1878 and the force which supported Sheikh Jassim. Executive Branch In Qatar, the ruling Al Thani family continued to hold power following the declaration of independence in 1971. The head of state is the Emir, and the right to rule Qatar is passed on within the Al Thani family. Politically, Qatar is evolving from a traditional society into a modern welfare state.Government departments have been established to meet the requirements of social and economic progress. The Basic Law of Qatar 1970 institutionalized local customs rooted in Qatar’s conservative Islamic heritage, granting the Emir preeminent power. There is no electoral system. Political parties are banned. The influx of expatriate Arabs has introduced ideas that call into question the tenets of Qatar’s traditional society, but there has been no serious challenge to Al Thani rule.In February 1972, the Deputy Ruler and Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad, deposed his cousin, Emir Ahmed, and assumed power. This move was supported by the key members of Al Thani and took place without violence or signs of political unrest. On June 27, 1995, the Deputy Ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa deposed his father, Emir Khalifa, in a bloodless coup. Emir Hamad and his father reconciled in 1996. Constitutional Authorities: His highness the Emir is the head of the constitutional authorities, holding both legislative and executive powers.The Council of ministers assists in implementing the general policies of the state and the Advisory Council gives recommendations and advice on public matters referred to it by the Council of ministers. Emir: The Emir is the ruler of the state. Ruler in Qatar is hereditarily within the family of Al-Thani, whereby, power is transferred from father to son. In case no son is available, power is transferred to the person whom the Emir chooses within the family of Al-Thani in accordance with the Emiri Decision No (3) for 1995 amending some provisions of the Amended ProvisionalConstitution on hereditary transfer of power. The Heir Apparent is appointed in accordance with the manner stipulated in the Article No (21) of the Constitution and carries the title of His Highness the Heir Apparent. Article (17) of the Amended Provisional Constitution authorizes the Emir to issue decrees based on the advice of the Council of Ministers and in the consultation with the Advisory Council. Article (18) gives powers to the Emir assisted by the Council of ministers. The Emir thus holds both legislative and executive powers with the assistance of Council of Ministers and the Advisory Council.The Emir’s role is influenced by continuing traditions of consultation, rule by consensus, and the citizen’s right to appeal personally to the Emir. The Emir, while directly accountable to one, cannot violate the Sharia (Islamic law) and, in practice, must consider the opinions of leading notables and the religious establishment. Council of Ministers The supreme chancellor has the exclusive power to appoint and remove the prime minister and cabinet ministers who, together, comprise the Council of Ministe rs, which is the supreme executive authority in the country.The Council of Ministers also initiates legislation. Laws and decrees proposed by the Council of Ministers are referred to the Advisory Council (Majilis Al Shura) for discussion after which they are submitted to the Emir for ratification Political parties and elections Qatar held a constitutional referendum in 2003, which was overwhelmingly supported. The first municipal elections with men and women voters and candidates were held in 2007 and 2011. The first legislative council’s 45 seats are planned for 2013.Suffrage is currently limited to municipal elections and two thirds of the seats in the legislative council, with the voting age number of residents who are prevented from applying for citizenship. The selected municipal Council has no executive powers but may offer advice to the ministers. Administrative divisions Map of the municipalities of Qatar, since 2004 Before 2004, Qatar was divided into ten municipalit ies, also occasionally or rarely translated as governorates or provinces: 1. Doha (Ad Dawhah) 2. Al Ghuwariyah 3. Al Jumaliyah 4. Al Khawr 5. Al Wakrah 6. Ar Rayyan 7.Jariyan al Batnah 8. Madinat ash Shamal 9. Umm Salal 10. Mesaieed Since 2004, Qatar has been divided into seven municipalities. A new municipality, Al Daayen, was created under Resolution No. 13, formed from parts of Umm Salal and Al  Khawr; at the same time, Al Ghuwariyah was merged with Al Khawr; Al  Jumaliyah was merged with Ar Rayyan; Jarayan al Batnah was split between Ar Rayyan and Al  Wakrah; and Mesaieed was merged with Al Wakrah. For statistical purposes, the municipalities are further subdivided into zones (87 in number as of 2004), which are in turn subdivided into blocks.The constitutional development in Qatar graduated from one phase to another, keeping pace with the development of the country and it's economic growth. The first provisional constitution was issued in 1970 before independence and it w as amended in 1972 after independence, in order to cope with the requirements and responsibilities of the new phase. Since that time the objectives and features of the state policy and its Gulf, Arab and Islamic affiliations were determined.The State's authorities and apparatus acquired their experience from actually practicing these authorities in the internal and external domains. Amendments were made on some provisions of the provisional basic statute in regard to the executive authority and hereditary rule so as to conclude the constitutional arrangements in the country. The judiciary act and other basic laws, which were enacted to regulate civil and commercial interactions, were other steps on the way to build up the government apparatus and lay down the foundation for the rule of institutions and the law.To reach that goal, an Emiri Decree was issued in July 1999 to form a high level committee to draft a new, permanent constitution for the country, one of the main provisions o f which would be to cope with the achievements of the State of Qatar and to meet the aspirations and hopes of the 21st century. At the end of June 1999, the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani issued a decision to form a ministerial committee mandated to study the planning of future economic and industrial development in the country in the light of current global trends. In December 1999 H.H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani issued an Emiri Decree to form the â€Å"High Committee for Coordination and Follow Up†, chaired by H. H. the Heir Apparent Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The Committee is mandated to study the projects proposed by the ministries of public utilities and services sector and work to explore the means to improve coordination among these ministries with a view to enhance cooperation and optimize the implementation of projects. In 1999, free elections were held to form the Central Municipal Council for the first time in the history of Qatar.The historic event marked the country's first step towards democracy in its civic sense. In a pioneering move, women were allowed both to vote and run as candidates in this initial step towards popular participation in decision making in the country. Human rights To western eyes, the Qatari authorities seem to keep a relatively tight rein freedom of expansion and moves for equality. The Freedom in the World 2010 report by Freedom House lists Qatar as â€Å"Not Free† and on a 1-7 scale rates the country a 6 for political rights and 5 for civil liberties.As of 2011, the Democracy Index describes Qatar an â€Å"authoritarian regime† with the source of 3. 18 out of 10, and ranks 138th out of 167 countries covered. The citizens of Qatar enjoy equal civil rights and responsibilities without discrimination on grounds of race, origin or religion. Laws cannot be applied retroactively and no sentence may be passed except under the terms of existing law. A suspect is in nocent until is proven guilty and is entitled to a fair trial. The civil liberties guaranteed by the state include the right of residence, freedom of press and publication and private ownership.These rights cannot be circumscribed except where the practice of such rights contravenes the law or the public interest. The basic statute requires all those residing in the state to observe public order and respect public customs and morals. On its part, the state is responsible for providing public jobs for all residents. Legislative Branch The advisory Council can draft and approve laws, but final say is in the hands of Emir. The council has 45 members, 30 of whom are elected by direct, general secret ballot, and 15 of whom are appointed by the Emir.An Advisory Council or Majlis Al-Shura has limited legislative authority to draft and approve laws, but the Emir has final say on all matters. No legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body In 2003, Qatar adopted a new constitution that provided for the direct election of 30 of the 45  members of Advisory Council. As of 2012, the Council is composed entirely of members appointed by the Emir. Elections to the Majlis Al-Shura have been announced, and then postponed, several times.In 2011 the emir announced that elections to the council would be held in the second half of 2013. An elected 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC) has limited consultative authority aimed at improving municipal services. The CMC makes recommendations to the Ministry for Municipal Affairs and Agriculture. Disagreement between the CMC and the Ministry can be brought to the Council of Ministers for resolution. Municipal elections are scheduled for every four years. The most recent elections for the council were in May 2011. Before 1999, members of the CMC were appointed by the government. Judicial BranchIn 2007, an Administrative Court, a constitutional Court, and Courts of First instances, App eal and Cassation were established. All judges are appointed by Amiri degree, on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council. Terms are for three years. The legal system is based on Islamic and civil law codes, and a discretionary system of law controlled by the Emir. Islamic law dominates family and personal issues. In May 2011, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Corporation (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services.Male and female Qataris aged 18 and older are able to vote, and run as candidates for election. There are no political parties in Qatar. Consultative Assembly The Consultative Assembly has 35 appointed members with only consultative tasks. However, the 2003 Constitution of Qatar calls for a 45 member elected Legislature, which is to be made up of 30 elected representatives and 15 appointed by the Emir. In 2006, Prime Minister Al Thani-then the Deputy PM- announced that elect ions would be held in 2007. However, only a legislative council to review the subject was created that year.The actual elections have been postponed three times; most recently in June 2010, when the Emir extended the Consultative Assembly’s tenure until 2013. Foreign Policy H. H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the state of Qatar is considered a highly competent politician and a great contributor to the enrichment of international and regional political practice. The manifestations of that contribution are reflected in the boosting of the economic and political cooperation between Qatar and the Gulf Arab States in particular and between Qatar and the rest of the world in general.Such contributions emanate from a strategic vision, which is marked by courage, objectivity and comprehensiveness. The personalities Doha received during the last five years and the official visits paid by H. H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani to the three old continents in addit ion to North America, all were positively reflected in Qatar’s high standing amongst the states of the world which qualified it to play a positive and influential role marked by reality, transparency, clarity of vision and the adoption of moderate political approach.On October 10, 2005, for the first time, Qatar was elected to a two-year term on the UN Security Council for 2006-2007. According to BBC, in April 2006 Qatar announced that it will give US$50 million to the new Hamas-1ed Palestinian government. Hamas, an ally of Iran and Hezbollah, is considered by the US and the EU to be a terrorist organization. In May 2006, Qatar pledged more than $100 million to Hurricane Katrina relief to colleges and universities in Louisiana affected by the hurricane.Some of this money was also distributed to families looking to repair damaged homes by Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans, Inc. Qatar is member of ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, International Maritime organization, Intelsat Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, and WTO. Most of the developed countries are exempt from visa requirements.Citizens of exempted countries can also request a joint visa that allows them to travel to Oman as well Israeli passport holders however are forbidden to enter Qatar. The Qatari government is the primary benefactor of the Al Jazeera television network. Accused of biased reporting against some governments, the network has been banned in Kuwait. This has led to strained relations between Qatar and some government in the region who see the Qatari government as responsible for Al Jazeera’s purportedly incendiary reporting. International RelationsQatar is very keen to participate actively in the efforts to deal with all the concerns and the challenges that the Gulf region encounters. It places increasing emphasis on support ing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and spares no effort to bring about solidarity and strengthen ties of mutual trust and communication between Arab countries, propagates the wisdom of resorting to peaceful means in resolving all the disputes among the countries, approves the United Nations efforts to uphold peace and security and works to maintain good relations with all peace-loving people and countries.Qatar rejects and denounces all forms and manifestations of terrorism, regardless of its causes, objectives and means. It, however, differentiates between terrorism and the people’s struggle and legitimate rights of freedom and self-determination in accordance with the provisions of International Laws. Qatar in all regional and international occasions, expresses its grave concerns over the escalation of conflicts, ethnic cleansing and denial of the rights of minorities in some countries of Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and other continents.Qatar welcomes all international agreements concluded with a view to resolving such problems and pledges support for the efforts exerted by regional and international organizations to achieve peace and stability in some states and regions of the world. In the International Arena Qatar works very hard to establish close ties of cooperation with all peace-loving countries and people, extends generous financial aid to many developing countries in Asia and Africa and contributes to various regional and international aid funds to create the widest possible avenue of international cooperation.Qatar has always been a staunch supporter of liberation movement and has constantly denounced all kinds of racial discrimination wherever it exists. In May 1994, Qatar hosted the meetings of the Regional Security and Arms Limitations General Committee. Qatar adopts a set of principles as a basis for peace and security in the Middle East and the world at large.At the top of those principles comes the abstention from using or threate ning to use force against territorial integrity of other countries, and seeking to resolve disputes by peaceful means such as regional or international arbitration, and dialogue. In recognition of Qatar’s vital role and contribution in the efforts to uphold peace, the special work group of the Regional Security and Arms Limitations General Committee for the Middle East decided in December 1994 to establish a regional center for the group in Doha to act as a front line dispute prevention and resolution facility.And as an expression of appreciation from the international community of the policies adopted by Qatar in the regional and the international spheres, Qatar was elected in March 1995 deputy chairman for the international social development Summit Conference, in the context of the UN regional groups representation. U. S. -Qatari Relations A U. S. embassy was established in Doha in 1973, but U. S. relations with Qatar did not blossom until the 1991 Gulf War. The United Sta tes promptly recognized the assumptions of power by Sheikh Hamad in June 1995. Qatar’s articipation in Arab-Israeli peace process accord with U. S. ’ efforts to foster and expanding dialogue between Israel and Arab States. The two governments differ to some degree in their positions regarding Iran and Iraq. Qatar favors a policy of constructive engagement with these two states. By contrast, the United States favors isolating them through the policy of ‘Dual Containment’ Trade between United States and Qatar has increased after the Gulf war. U. S. exports to Qatar amounted to $354. 11 million in 1998, consisting mainly of machinery and transport equipment.U. S. imports from Qatar, mainly textiles and fertilizers, totaled $220. 36 million in 1998. Over the past five years, the level of bilateral trade has more than doubled. Although the bulk of Qatar’s trade continues to be with a few European countries and Japan, several U. S. firms, including Mobil, Occidental, Pennzoil, Enron, and Bechtel are active in the exploitation of Qatar’s oil and gas resources. Despite the presence of U. S. firms in the Qatari hydrocarbon industry, the U. S. imports virtually no oil from Qatar.Bilateral defense and security cooperation has expanded since the Gulf war. On June 23, 1992, the United States and Qatar concluded a Defense Cooperation agreement that provided for U. S. access to Qatari bases, pre-positioning of United States material, and combined military exercises. Since the agreement, the United States and Qatar have begun to implement plans for pre-positioning U. S. military equipment for a use in a future contingency in the Gulf, including enough tanks and associated equipment for an armored brigade. A warehouse for U. S.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry Shelton stated that the pre-positioning station â€Å"is right on schedule at this time and will be a great enhancement to our capabilities as well as, I think, provide a great capability that we would not have had otherwise† Qatar has also expressed a willingness to host a forward presence for U. S. Central Command and it has begun allowing U. S. P-3 maritime patrols originating from Qatar. On several occasions, Qatar has hosted temporary deployments of U. S. Air Expeditionary Forces that enhance U. S. aircraft carrier coverage of the Gulf 10 Qatar has held informal iscussions about purchasing the U. S. built MI A2 tank and Patriot PAC ill air defense system, but no U. S. sales are anticipated at this time. The U. S. has been supportive of Qatar’s recent moves toward political liberalization. In March 1999, Rep. Sue Kelly and Rep. Carolyn Maloney headed a congressional delegation that observed Qatar’s election for a Central Municipal Council. In the election’s aftermath, Congress passed a resolution congratulating the state of Qatar and its citizens for their commitment to democratic ideals and women’s su ffrage (S. Con. Res. 14, March 4, 1999, and H. Con Res. 35, April 13, 1999)

British Literature Essay

  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prithee, go in thyself. Seek thine own ease./ This tempest will not give me : leave to ponder/ On things would hurt me more. But I’ll go in. -/ In, boy; go first.- You houseless poverty -Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray, and then I’ll sleep. [Fool exits] Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are,/ That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm! How shall your houseless heads unfed sides,/ Your looped and windowed raggedness defend you! From the seasons such as these? 0, I have ta’en! Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp./ Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That thou may’st shake the superflux to them! And show the heavens more just.† — Act III, Scene 4, Lines 27—41 Literal Interpretation of the Passage King Lear is being turned out of his own castle by his daughters, Goneril and Regan. A fierce tempest is raging outside the castle and the daughters heartlessly have their father thrown out. A totally depressed King Lear speaks these lines to Kent and the Fool when they lead him to a hovel to protect him from the storm raging outside. The king asks them to go into the hovel instead and seek comfort from the storm. He is already shaken and tells them that the tempest will not let him ponder on things that will disturb him anymore. For a moment, the confused king tells them that he would go in, but immediately asks Fool to enter the hovel first. He tells them that he would like to pray before he goes to sleep. Fool enters the hovel and the king’s disturbed mind extends pity to the houseless people who are exposed to the ravages of nature. He wonders how people without a roof over their heads and without proper clothing would survive the cruelty of such a fierce storm. He wonders how wretched people, who don’t even get proper meals, get protected from seasons as harsh as these. He feels compassionate towards them and regrets that he had never before thought about things such as these. He wishes for a purgative that would flush out his pomp and seeks to expose himself to the harshness of what wretches experience. He hopes to shake some of his superfluous splendor on the wretched people and thus seek justice from heaven. Symbolic Interpretation of the Passage The play gains momentum in the third act when the king is turned out into the storm. The scene starts by the king crying out to Kent and Fool about â€Å"filial ingratitude.† He expresses his shock at his own plight and cries out aloud. The raging storm symbolizes the king’s mental status, and the intensity of the scene is immense when the old king is mercilessly made to face the storm both from outside and from within. The storm symbolizes the king’s inner turmoil and the madness that is soon to overtake him. The powerful storm also stands in stark contrast against the frail king who kneels down and prays after sending Fool inside. This is the first time in the play that the king prays. Pathos reigns supreme when the king all too suddenly remembers the â€Å"houseless heads.† The king’s own limitations, where he is thrown out in the open from the luxury of the castle is portrayed here. When the king rambles about â€Å"the pelting of this pitiless storm,† he alludes to the merciless nature of his daughters who mercilessly turn him out. The line â€Å"O, I have ta’en! Too little care of this† portrays the king’s understanding that he has been stripped of all royal pretensions and that he has never ever given a thought to something like this. He reproaches himself for being heartless in not caring for the homeless before. This throws light on the humanization of the king. Moral Interpretation of the Passage This passage highlights the plight of a mighty king who is betrayed by his own daughters and is rendered homeless. The hopeless situation to which the king is exposed is well expressed in this passage. He has lost the love of his daughters, his kingdom, and is now in the verge of losing his sanity too. The king divided up his kingdom and resigned from his duty. He was also stupid in not recognizing the affection of Cordelia and in sending her out because she refused to be a part of a flattering game. This is his sin and he is simply left to lurch in the thunderstorm by his own daughters. In such a backdrop, the brewing storm kindles the human spirit in the king. Though nature is not gentle towards the king, it does arouse the gentle feelings in him. It makes the same king who was vein enough to turn out his daughter for not taking part in a flattering game, wonder about other commoners. This play demonstrates the absurd nature of vanity and its results. The king learns a great many things by being exposed to harsh nature than when he was in the cozy realms of the palace. The great suffering of the king is beautifully depicted in this passage and one can foresee the tragedy that is soon to befall the king.

Adoption and Race

Historically, transracial adoption began to be practiced after the Second World War. Children from war-torn countries – Korea, Vietnam, and even Europe — without families were adopted by families in the United States with Caucasian paThrough the years, as more racial ethnic minority children within the United States were without families, domestic adoption agencies began to place African American, Native American, and Hispanic children with Caucasian families who wanted children.However, in 1972 the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) became concerned about the large numbers of African American children who were being placed with Caucasian families. They condemned the practice of transracial adoption of African American children to Caucasian parents.They cited psychological maladjustment, inferior racial identity, the failure to cope with racism and discrimination, and â€Å"cultural genocide† as the likely outcomes of transracial adoptive placem ents.As an offshoot of this, legislation was introduced in the form of the Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) of 1994. MEPA, together with the Interethnic Adoption Provisions (IEP), has been signed into law to reduce the practice of race-matching in adoptive placements for children.These two pieces of legislation, commonly referred to as MEPA-IEP, were designed to decrease the amount of time children wait for adoptive placement, to improve and assist in the recruitment and retention of prospective foster and adoptive parents who are able to meet the distinctive needs of the children to be placed, and to eliminate discrimination in the practice of adoptive and foster care placements on the basis of race, color, or national origin.However, the passage of MEPA-IEP has not resolved the controversy over racial matching policies and transracial adoptions. Controversies still hound transracial adoption. Although the law prohibits categorical assumptions about the benefit of same-race placeme nts, child welfare workers still will have to make decisions about the importance of race in the life of an individual child.They are also tasked to identify reasons that may eventually require for the consideration of race. Those who believe that same-race placements are preferable may feel aggrieved that federal policy now contradicts their conviction and routinely calls for them to place children without giving weight to the child’s race.On the other hand, those who place little value on racial matching may have trouble identifying children whohave a specific need for a same-race placement.It is within this light that this study will take shape.   As issues continue to be raised regarding transracial adoption, it is only fitting to go beyond statistics and find out the feelings of those who are personally involved in the process. As this study will attempt to unravel the issues closest to the hearts of those involved, the approach that will be used will be generally qual itative.Statement of the ProblemWhat is the percentage of interracial adoption, and what are the controversies surrounding racial matching and transracial adoption?Objectives1) To define racial matching and transracial adoption;2) To find out the percentage of transracial adoption in America;3) To find out the various issues related to racial matching and transracial adoption;4) To find out the various legislations designed to address racial matching and transracial adoption.MethodologyThis study will use interview – which entails purposive sampling — as a method for gathering data. The interviews will be conducted with the aid of an interview guide which is an informally prepared unstructured questionnaire. Data will also be collected through numerous secondary sources.Materials and documents such as discourses in books, official publications, position papers, letters, newspapers and magazine clippings will also be utilized. The official websites of various organizati ons will also be used as necessary. Implications of the study will be derived from the analysis of the gathered data and issues raised in the interviews and the various secondary sources.Review of Related LiteraturePracticing social workers, leaders of minority group communities, and scholars have expressed concerns on the effects of transracial adoption (Hayes, 1993). In a study conducted by Kim (1995) on international adoption, he noted that â€Å"transracial adoption of black children stirred up many controversies regarding their psychological development, especially with respect to their ethnic identity, or cultural well-being† (p.141-142).In order to determine the effects of transracial adoption on adoptees, several studies were also conducted on the racial identity of transracial adoptees (Bagley, 1993).These studies conceptualized racial identity in terms of racial group preferences, objective racial self-identification, and knowledge or awareness of one’s racia l group membership. Andujo (1988) also studied racial identity by measuring levels of acculturation, and by assessing the degree of pride in one’s ethnic heritage and appearance.Johnson et al. (1987) found that transracially adopted Black children had greater awareness of their race at an earlier age than did intraracially adopted Black children. As they grow older, however, both groups of adopted children expressed analogous levels of awareness and preference.The findings of the study also indicated that transracially adopted children’s awareness and preference stayed constant over time, while that of intraracially adopted Black children’s both increased more swiftly to exceed that of transracially adopted children.In the end, the study concluded that transracially adopted children were developing differently from intraracially adopted children. This developmental difference could be the springboard of the problems in the transracial adoptees’ racial ide ntity.Shireman and Johnson (1986) likewise reported on the psychological adjustment, racial identity, and sexual identity of transracial adoptees as compared to intraracial adoptees and adoptees of single parents.All of the adoptees in the study were Black children and all of the parents were also Black except for the parents in the transracial placements all of whom were White. Parents and adoptees were interviewed separately. The findings of the study suggested that there were no differences in psychological adjustment among the three groups of adoptees as determined by objective ratings of the interviews.In the end, the controversies hounding transracial adoption, no matter how limited they are, still largely affect those who are involved in the process. Only when these issues are addressed and resolved can the matters be put to rest.BibliographyAndujo, E. (1988). Ethnic identity of transethnically adopted Hispanic adolescents. Social Work, 33, 531-535.Bagley, C. (1993a). Chinese adoptees in Britain: A twenty-year follow-up of adjustment and social identity. International Social Work, 36, 143-157.Hayes, P. (1993). Transracial adoption: Politics and ideology. Child Welfare, 72, 301-310.Johnson, P. R., Shireman, J. F., & Watson, K. W. (1987). Transracial adoption and the development of black identity at age eight. Child Welfare, 66, 45-55.Kim, W. J. (1995). International adoption: A case review of Korean children. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 25, 141-154.National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (2000, August). Adoption: Numbers and trends. Available: http://www.calib.com/naic/pubs/s_number.htmProject 21. (1995, March). African-American leadership group condemns racist adoption practices. (On-line). Available: http://www.nationalcenter.inter.net/TransRacialAdopt.htmlShireman, J. F., & Johnson, P. R. (1986). A longitudinal study of Black adoptions: Single parent, transracial, and traditional. Social Work, 31, 172-176.http://www.transracialadoption .net/inform.htm#Psychological%20adjustment,%20self-esteem,%20and%20racial%20identity

Business ownerships Essay

The different types of business ownerships are: Sole trader. When only one person owns the business. They do not share the profits with anyone; a sole trader is somebody who controls his/her own business. Have unlimited liability. They can employ people to help them at work but they have sole responsibility of the business. The advantages of being a sole trader are: Make own decisions. Does not have to share profits. Always know what is happening in business as they make all the decisions. Control of business cannot be lost. Easier to set up own business. Little capital is needed when setting up a sole trader. Management is simpler. More self esteem when they own their own business. The disadvantages of being a sole trader are: Because the business has unlimited liability is means that if the business in unsuccessful the sole trader will have to pay back all the businesses debt. The sole trader can become extremely stressed because they are in full control of the business. Not much time off, unless someone else takes over. Franchise When big companies are owned by sole trades. The two main parties involved are the franchisee and franchisor. The franchisor allows the franchisee to use the businesses name, product and layout in return for a share of the profits made. The advantages of being a franchise are: The business can expand. Franchisee’s get a chance to run the business for a greater chance of success. The disadvantages of being a franchise are: If the franchisee is unsuccessful the business may get a bad reputation. The franchisee cannot make decisions without the franchisors authorisation. The franchisee does not automatically have their agreement renewed. Partnership A partnership usually involves between 2-20 people. The profits made has to be shared among all workers. Legal documents such as the Deed of partnership have to be signed before the business can begin. Advantages of being a partnership: There is more than one person in charge. Ideas can always be shared. Everyone can be part in the area they are most strongest in. Disadvantages of being a partnership: Arguments may occur. Partners have unlimited liability so they will be less willing to invest. The legal documents have to be completed, and this process may take a while. Public limited company (PLC): Is usually a larger business, they employ far more people than a private limited company. Shares can be bought and sold by members of the public on the stock market. The prices of shares vary. Advantages of being a public limited company: PLC can raise capital easily. All shareholders have limited liability. Disadvantages of being a public limited company: Because shareholders of a PLC are members of the public, control of the business can be lost is someone buys a great number of shares. Shareholders may feel isolated because they don’t know each other. Workers/ retail Co-operative A workers co-operative is owned and run by the whole work force so there will be no arguments between the owners and workers as they are the same people. People who own part of workers co-operative are called members. Membership of workers co-operative tries to ensure that everyone has a say in how the business is run. All members are in control of the business. Retail co-operative shares its profits amongst its members. People who own a share of the retail co-operative is called a member. The first retail co-operative was set up in Rochdale in 1844. Advantages of workers co-operative: No arguments. Happier environment. Work harder. More motivated because they know they will receive a share out of the profits. Opinions are heard. Disadvantages of workers co-operative: Long time for decisions to be made. Business may suffer, because there are no specified leaders. Not many people have faith in co-operatives so they are not always well supported. Private limited company (LTD) People who own part of a private limited company are called shareholders. Family and friends can only buy shares for a private limited company. Advantages of a Private limited company: Family & friends can only buy shares. Capital can be raised because there is no limit on the number of shareholders. Disadvantages of a Private limited company: Shareholders may argue or disagree. Restrictions for selling shares. Competitors. Tower colliery Tower Colliery is a Worker co-operative this means that the business is owned by all of its workers. There isn’t one main person in workers co-operative because they all own it. It is a limited liability business as it is a worker co-operative, as it is the work forces problem if the company is in debt. Tower colliery has a legal status. Tower Colliery suits their workers co-operative as all the workers get an opinion on how the business is run and also they get a share of the profits. Tower colliery is a medium sized business. Some of the advantages of being a worker co-operative are: Happy workers; because views and opinions are heard. More motivated; because they know they will receive a share of profits. Work harder; because it is owned by the workface. No arguments; because they are on the same level. Some of the disadvantages of being a worker co-operative: Decisions; will take longer to make them. May suffer; because there are no specified leader which could result in failing to reach aims. Support; few people have faith in co-operatives so they are not always well supported. Spar Spar is a Franchise ownership as it is owned by a family. The only one person that owns spar is the franchisee because they have brought a branch of the group that own ‘Spar’. It has limited liability. It has legal status. Some advantages of being a franchise are: Because they have so many shops around there is more profit being made. The business can expand. Franchisees get the chance to run business that has a greater chance of success than for example, a sole trader does. Some disadvantages of being a franchise are: If the franchisee is unsuccessful the business may receive a bad reputation. The franchisee cannot make any decisions without getting permission off the franchisor. The franchisee does not automatically have their agreement renewed: the agreement has to be renewed regularly. This may create uncertainty for the franchisee. This store may suit ‘Fred’ because he may live closely to this branch and it sells everyday products that he may need so he doesn’t have to go to a larger store which is further away.

Developing Your Empowering People (Delegating) Skill Essay

Ricky Lee is the manager of the contracts group of a large regional office supply distributor. His boss, Anne Zumwalt, has asked him to prepare by the end of the month the department’s new procedures manual that will outline the steps followed in negotiating contracts with office products manufacturers who supply the organization’s products. Because Ricky has another major project he’s working on, he went to Anne and asked her if it would be possible to assign the rewriting of the procedures manual to Bill Harmon, one of his employees who’s worked in the contracts group for about three years. Anne said she had no problems with Ricky reassigning the project as long as Bill knew the parameters and the expectations for the completion of the project. Ricky is preparing for his meeting in the morning with Bill regarding this assignment. (Robbins, 2012) Assignment. Prepare a 350- to 1,050-word paper detailing how your team would handle the situation described in the scenario The Facts. Presented here are what I consider to be the facts on this scenario. * Rick Lee is the regional manager for the contract group of a large office supply * Rick Lee Reports to Anne Zumwalt * Anne requested Rick to prepare the new department procedures manual * The deadline for the manual preparation is the end of the month * Bill Harmon works for Rick Lee * Bill Harmon has worked in the contract’s group for about three years * Rick asked Anne if he can delegate the preparing of the new manual to Bill * Anne agreed to have the project to Bill Chain of command Anne Zumwalt Rick Lee Bill Harmon Anne Zumwalt Rick Lee Bill Harmon Rick should consider the following five behaviors when he meets with Bill to discuss the delegation of the project (Robbins, 2012): 1. Clarify the assignment: a. Rick must present to Bill the requirements of the project. That is, to prepare the new department procedures manual that will outline the steps to be followed in negotiating contracts with office products suppliers who supply the organization’s products. b. Rick must specifically indicate to Bill he is delegating this responsibility onto him if Bill is willing to accept the project. c. The time constraint of the project has to be clearly stated. According to the scenario, the project hast to be completed by the end of the month. Rick is ultimate project responsibility for successful completion of the project so he needs time to review the manual the manual and incorporate changes before the manual is completed. d. Rick and Bill have to agree on what the end result should be before Bill accepts the task 2. Specify Employee’s range of discretion: e. Bill project is to prepare the new procedures manual, detailing the steps of the contract negotiation process. It is important Bill is aware to what extent he is authorized to make decisions on the steps to be taken, and the order. Rick must indicate he will have the final say regarding the procedures outlined in the manual, and Bill should consult with him if questions arise while defining the creating the procedures. f. Bill will be taking on responsibilities beyond his current role. Bill will be taking part of the Rick’s responsibilities, so he must be made aware he is only dealing with matters related to the preparation of new manual 3. Allow employee to participate: g. Rick and Anne should discuss with Bill the extent of Bill’s responsibility while working on this project. Rather than informing Bill of the extent of his authority, he must participate in making the agreement of the extent of the authority. If Bill is required to use other resources, to what extent is he authorized to set resource’s utilization priority. 4. Inform others that a delegation has occurred h. Bill is part of the contracts group. Rick must inform the rest of the office that Bill has accepted the responsibility of preparing the new manual. i. Also the suppliers have to be informed of this delegation. It is very likely that Bill will be contacting them in the process of generating the new manual. j. Rick must also notify other managers within the organization who may be involved in the preparation of the new manual. k. The communication to other has to indicate the project, and the extent of the authority Bill has been delegated in order to successfully complete the project. 5. Establish feedback channels: l. Rick must agree with Bill on how the progress of the project will be tracked. In addition to tracking the project progress, Bills performance has to be monitored as well. Periodic meetings should be held between Rick and Bill to discuss the progress of the meeting and Bill’s performance. It is not clear from the scenario how much time is available to complete the project. A brief 5 to 10 minute meeting in the morning every other day could be setup between Bill and Rick to discuss the project. m. At the end of the project Rick should have a close out session with Bill to discuss the entire project. In this session Rick should provide feedback to Bill on his performance, based on the parameters that were defined at the beginning of the project. Bill should be recognized for the success of his work, pointing out those areas where he did a great job. Also Bill should be informed of the areas he needs to improve. References Robbins, Stephen P., Mary Coulter. (2012) Management, 11th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, VitalBook file.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Economics - Essay Example These relative assessments of other economic arrangements are, to be certain, innately hypothetical for two explanations (Feldman & Serrano 2005): first, they are hypothetical due to the hypothetical feature of the theories on which they are founded; second, they are hypothetical because practical limits on individual, business, and societal choices cannot be merely understood as proof of a breach of the rules of deliberate individual, business, and societal choices. These are the main reasons economic principles become increasingly important nowadays. For the two explanations abovementioned, the hypothetical assessments of other economic structures are constantly open to questions from both parts: they could be assessed because economic principles about the operating components of institutions are discovered to be insufficient, or to be inappropriately used. And they could be assessed because they wrongly analyze the unconscious or conscious feature of the ‘constitutional choi ces’ (Feldman & Serrano 2005, 64) that have situated the society, businesses, and individuals in a specific institutional context. However, the reality that the comparative assessments of economic institutions and principles will constantly be hypothetical and open to questioning in this way has one more repercussion: so long as there is no major opposition to the theories, and so long as there is no opposing proof to the dominant interpretation of the particular individual’s, business’s, and society’s constitutional interests and the unconscious or conscious character of their choices, as long as the temporary evaluation may properly be declared to be the most justifiable and well-substantiated hypothesis in sight. This kind of hypothetical comparative assessment can be used for all forms of economic structures: it can be used for institutions and principles that are the product of ‘natural development’, and to those that have been intention ally recognized. And it can be used for the wide-ranging economic principles that guide market forces, at least for the organizational-constitutional principles that rule structured general arrangements. Theories of the operating components of social and economic institutions serve a fundamental function in the assessments of other economic structures. As a result, the economic principles that generate such theories are a major root of information for the attempts in comparative organizational and constitutional assessment of choices. Specifically, obviously, not to claim that practitioners of economics could profess to be better evaluators of the appeal of other institutional structures, more ‘superior’ than the society, business, and individuals themselves who are to exist within these structures. However, due to the important function that theoretical perspective serves in any comparative assessment of economic institutions and principles, there is a substantial comp onent of ‘truth-judgment’ (Buchanan 1977, 213) required in these assessments. And one could quite be cynical about the level to which the ‘final evaluators’, the society, business, and individuals themselves, may be supposed to be directed, in their own assessments of other institutions, by a knowledgeable understanding of the concrete operating components of the economic alternatives. The economist’s ‘comparative institutional analysis and evaluation’

Design an Alternative Interface Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Design an Alternative Interface - Essay Example First of all, the interface should ensure that all key characteristics are among the inclusions in the design. These are the ten principles of interface design. This is in reference to discussions in â€Å"Hierarchical Task Analysis,† by Shepherd. There are ten key principles for the design of a user interface. Heuristics refers to these principles because of their nature in reference to usability guidelines. Below is a list of these general principles (Buxton, 2007). 6. Recognition rather than recalling – the designer does not require the user to remember information in different sections of the dialogue. The instructions should also be visible enough for easy comprehension. 8. Minimalist and aesthetic design – dialogues should avoid unnecessary information. All units of information compete for relevant units of information in dialogues, as the relative visibility diminishes. The following is an illustration of the appearance of the design. It includes implementation of the information above. It should provide the user with different applications which enables them access sufficient information. One of the characteristics of the new interface is it enhances sharing of data; the book by the name â€Å"Hierarchical Task Analysis† has further illustrations. This capability should have no limits as it will ensure the promotion all over the world. User will feel changes as the limitation of the current interface are solved in the new interface. This capability will be impacted by an account so that; senders can always drop the data for the receivers to download at their own disposal (Shneiderman, 1998). The interface should have the capabilities of analyzing weather changes. This is because areas like California suffer highly depending on daily activities, which rely on weather; this is in reference to, Human Computer Interaction. The interface should perform this task by automatically, detecting location through time zones (Buxton, 2007). The