Teen Project

Teen Driving Issues Project Topic: Teen Crashes Part 1 – Identify the Issue * Why is this problem, especially for teen drivers? Teens are the ones who are mostly in crashes due to recklessness, drugs, being on the phone, under the influence, and road rage. * Statistics from research regarding teen crash rate. Show that teen have the highest involvement in all types of crashes. 10 teens lose their life every day in crashes.A most of the time it is because they are speeding and and trying to get around the road conditions. Also 65% of teen are on the phone while driving which leads them to not paying attention and lose control over their vehicle. * How is one organization or group trying to solve this problem? Name group and what they are doing. â€Å"Partnering with Safe Teen Driving Club† is another organization that communicates with parents and teens to tell the effects of certain things they are trying to reduce deaths of teen drivers. How another organization or gro up is working to solve the problem? Name the group and what they are doing. â€Å"Injury and Violence Prevention and Control†. They are and organization that tries to teach driver the dangers rate of road carelessness. * Web sites where this information was found. http://roadreadywatchdog. com/index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=57 http://www. safeteendrivingclub. org/stdc_page. php? age_ID=1151903270#Partner_Programs http://www. cdc. gov/injury/index. html Part 2 – Solutions for the Issue * Something else that should be done to help solve or curb the problem. You should have to be 18 before you can purchase a car and have insurance on it because until then you should be under you parents care , they are still aloud to drive just under more restriction and they have to follow the rules and speed limits and if pulled over more than twice their license will be revoked My own ideas for solving this problem. This may not be something that is currently being done more restrictions to help out guide the teens in a better directions * What I can personally do to make more people aware of this issue? I would have to speak up and show the DMV or anyone else to show how much better it would be for the teens to have a little more restrictions.

Israel Palestine Conflict

Israel-Palestine Conflict Two films, Zero and 5 Broken Cameras, explain the ideologies, policies, and practices in the OPT and Israel. These films show how these ideologies are perpetuating the Israel-Palestine Conflict and suggest ways to end the occupation and problem. Zero looks in depth at the Israel education system and society and 5 Broken Cameras looks at the nonviolent resistance movement in the OPT. Both films suggest that this conflict will be never-ending If something does not change soon.This Is because the films show what children learn from the conflict, and how It will continue on both ides because of what is seen and taught by and to children in Israel and the OPT. Zero teaches that ideologies in Israel need to change because children are taught that the violence is Justifiable. 5 Broken Cameras teaches that nonviolent protests and filming are productive ways to help end the occupation. These films together show that It Is extremely necessary for conditions to change because If they do not then the conflict will be carried on and Intensified by future generations. Zero, Slaves of Memory looks into the Israeli society.For a month out of the school ear children in Israeli schools are taught to remember their history. Children of all ages are taught about Passover, the Shoo, and Independence Day. They are taught that horrible things have happened to their people. Through this education all children learn the importance of the Israeli state, army, and a nationalist identity to prevent atrocities from happening to them again. The filmmaker suggests that educators In Israel focus too much on the Holocaust. At one point the Interviewer asks a teacher if Israelis are â€Å"slaves to memory' (Zero, Part 7, 9:20) because of the education system.The teacher vehemently opposes that statement but the footage speaks for itself. The children who are interviewed seem programmed to answer in certain ways, even though one student argues â€Å"It's not brainwash ing. It's more part of a tradition† (Part 9, 4:15). This film suggests that education in Israel Is perpetuating the conflict more than anything else. From kindergarten to the army, children of all ages are taught that it is their duty to be willing to die for their country. They are taught that Jews must have an army and independent and sovereign state to fight heir enemies (Part 6, 9:55).The problem with the ideology and education system in Israel is that the most important value taught to children is â€Å"Be a good soldier† rather than â€Å"Be a good person† ((Part 7, 8:12). Dry. Liability suggests that it should not be the Jews who are working hard to remember the tragedies that have happened to them. It Is those who committed the acts. If people define themselves as victims It diverts the mind from all responsibility. He sarcastically says, â€Å"We can kill Arabs in refugee camps because of the terrible things that were done to us† (Part 5, 1:33).Co mmitting so much education to victimized allows Israelis to justify the violence toward the Palestinians, thus allowing the conflict to continue. Billing. The footage shows the men of Billing nonviolently protest Israel's Wall. He is proof that not even Journalists are safe from Israeli soldiers. His camera was fired at and broken by soldiers multiple times. One reason his cameras are broken is because Israeli soldiers are very uncomfortable with Dam's filming. Deep down the soldiers seem to know that what they are doing is morally wrong, and so they don't want the world to see the violence.There is a lack of knowledge about the conflict around the world, and Dam's footage of tear gas, arrests, shootings, and even the murder of his friend Phil helps spread the truth of who the victims are. Edam parallels the protests with the birth and growth of his son, Gabriel. He shows how children in Billing are affected by the conflict and how they will carry it on when their fathers are gone. Gabriel says he wants to hurt the Israeli soldiers for killing Phil (Cameras, 13). Even after a violent act happens, the anger remains and the children will remember the injustices against their fathers (Cameras, 12).Because of the violence of Israeli soldiers against Palestinians who did not do anything wrong, the conflict is perpetuated by creating more anger and hate between the two sides. Many aspects of these films built on my understanding of what Eve learned about the conflict in class. Zero made me think of the Refusing, or the men who refused to join the army. They were seen as traitors but really they were some of the few who could see that they should be angry at the system for brainwashing children instead of angry with the Palestinians.The system â€Å"perverts the children† (Part 7, 6:57) cause it teaches that nationalism and violence in the name of protecting Israel is the most important value rather than being a decent human being. 5 Broken Cameras built on my understanding of life in the OPT. I have previously learned about and seen footage of the occupation and the horrors that come with it, but this film was the most effective. This is because Dam's footage lets the experiences speak for themselves instead of an interviewee sharing their political viewpoints. In this way, 5 Broken Cameras is about human beings rather than the politics of the conflict.I have learned many statistics about the OPT but it was instrumental to my understanding to see how a family lives and keeps moral up in the OPT. 5 Broken Cameras teaches that nonviolent demonstrations can be very valuable. It takes a lot of bravery to protest against people with weapons when you do not have a weapon, and it shows who the true victims are. Nonviolent demonstrations show that Palestinians are peaceful and willing to cooperate. It Just does not make sense to fight for peace by using violence. Violent protests by Palestinians allow Israelis to call Palestinians â€Å"terror ists† and make Israelis seem like the victims.If Israeli soldiers are harming peaceful Palestinians, it is more obvious to outsiders who the victim in the situation is. The â€Å"outsiders† aspect is why filming is an important model of nonviolent resistance. Filming is important because it gets the word out more and so more people are able to help and know the truth (Cameras, 15:20). Edam says that people come from all over the world to protest with them and they are treated the same way as Palestinian protestors. Filming does not only show the world the realities of life in the OPT; it also encourages more nonviolent resistance. When Edam shows the nonviolent ways too (Cameras, 34).Methods of nonviolent resistance such as peaceful protests and filming have a higher potential to help end the occupation than violent resistance, but they might not be enough to completely resolve the conflict. The best solution I can see to solving this conflict is to end U. S. Funding to Israel. However, because of Israeli lobbyists that does not seem to be a realistic possibility. Because of this, there needs to be something that forces the United States to end funding to Israel. The UN has not done anything that's worked for decades so Hereford it is the international community's duty.Public opinion in America and the rest of the world needs to be strongly anti-lesser funding. A way to do this is to spread the truth of the horrors committed by Israel. Articles written by Journalists visiting the OPT and films like 5 Broken Cameras that show what is happening in the OPT need to get more attention. However, because of American media it is difficult to spread the truth in these ways. Upon doing some research of 5 Broken Cameras, I was surprised to read that the Israeli co-director, David', said that he thinks that abbey more Israeli activist blood needs to be spilled by Israeli soldiers in order to get the point across.This shocked me because in general I think that nonviolent solutions are best, but it made me consider the validity of this idea. Israel values its own citizens and should not want to harm them. Maybe if more Israeli citizens opposed the wall then Israel would reconsider its practices. However, 5 Broken Cameras shows that the soldiers treat Israeli activists the same as they do the Palestinians. Because of this, I am taking Davit's idea a step further. When even one American tourist or Journalist dies abroad at the hand of another country soldiers or police, people know about it because it is highly publicized.If more activists from around the world and particularly from America went and protested with the Palestinians in the OPT then maybe the United States government would stop funding Israel because it is killing American citizens. If more Americans were dying at the hands of weapons funded by America, the public would be furious. I think the best way to help end this conflict is to end funding to Israel, and maybe the best w ay o force funding to stop is for tons of people to be really angry about it. It is not a pleasant solution, but highly publicized deaths of citizens of powerful countries could be a way to force the U.S. To stop Israel's violence. Another potential way to help end the conflict is Israeli-Palestinian cooperation. 5 Broken Cameras is co-directed by an Israeli, therefore making it a Palestinian-Israeli film. This film shows teamwork between Israelis and Palestinians. This makes the film successful because it shows that Israelis and Palestinians are not natural born enemies and that cooperation is Seibel and productive. If the two communities started working together and were willing to compromise then the conflict could be solved without outside influence.This solution would work in a perfect world but it is unlikely to happen. Zero and 5 Broken Cameras are very different films about the Israel-Palestine conflict but the theme is the same: something needs to change and soon. Actions n eed to be taken by both sides to help end the conflict. Palestinians in the OPT must focus on nonviolent resistance and filming their experiences to help bring an end to the hat â€Å"There is no lesson to be learned from the Shoo† (Part 8, 2:1 1) and that if Israeli education continues the way it is then they are headed towards destruction.Israeli soldiers are taught that they are doing the right thing in the name of nationalism, but violence by soldiers in the OPT promotes anger among Palestinians and a lessening chance of cooperation. Children on both sides will grow up and continue the fight of their parents. These films show that this conflict is a vicious cycle and if a solution is not found soon the situation will intensify and worsen.

International Business – Midterm Review

AFM 333 Midterm Review Module 1: – Fall of Berlin Wall 1989 – Two Trends altering global market: globalization of markets and technological advances – Globalization: interconnectedness of national economies, growing interdependence of buyers, producers and suppliers in different countries G6 economies: US, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy – Account for half of global consumption with only 1/10 of population –B6 economies: China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea – China is the biggest market for phones, TVs, and cars in 2007 – China and India have more middle class households than all of the households in the United States – Growth in B6 more than 3x the growth in G6 economies 62 Multinationals in Fortune Global 500 20 of these multinationals are in China 12 from South Korea 6 from India 5 from Mexico and 5 from Russia B6 have three times the labour force of G6 countries 33 million university-educated young professiona ls in developing world compared to 14 million in the developed world 00 000 IT Engineers in India vs. 50 K in US In the decade to 2020, the working-age population of emerging economies is expected to increase by more than 500 million, compared with an increase of only 3. 7 million in developed economies. Drivers of Market Globalization – 1. Reduction of trade and investment barriers – 2. Market Liberalization: move to market based economies + adopt free trade in China + Soviet Union etc. – 3. Industrialization + Modernization + developing economies creating higher value adding products – 4.Integration of World Financial Markets: international banks, globalization of finance – 5. Advances in Technology: reduces cost and time, improves coordination and communication, facilitates development, helps share information/marketing, virtual space removes distance Dimensions of Market Globalization – integration/interdependence of global economies â⠂¬â€œ increase regional economic integration bloc – growth of global investment – convergence of buyer lifestyles/preferences – globalization of production activities Social Concequences – loss of national soverignity offshoring/outsourcing jobs – effects on the poor, the natural environment and national culture Firm-level consequences – new business opportunities – new risks and rivalries – more demanding buyers (less bargaining power to supplier) – international value chains Phases of Globalization 1. 1830-1880: Introduction of railway and ocean transport (trains and ships) + phone and telegraph invented 2. 1900-1930: increased steel and electricity production + Western Europe most industrialized country so established first multinational subs through colonization (Nestle, Shell, BP) 3. 948-1970: Form general agreement on tariff and trade + high demand for consumer products and input goods to rebuild after the war 4. 1 980- now: radical advances in IT, communication, manufacturing, consultation, and privatization. Caused by: †¢Commercialization of the personal computer. †¢Arrival of the Internet and the web browser. †¢Advances in communication and manufacturing technologies. †¢Collapse of the Soviet Union and ensuing market liberalization in central and Eastern Europe. †¢Substantial industrialization and modernization efforts of the East Asian economies including China.GDP growth rates highest in developing economies who emphasize global integration Information travels faster now than ever before (ships/carraiges, steamships/cars, motor vehicles/aircraft, internet (speed of light)). Firm Level Consequences of Globalization – international value chain – demanding buyers – increased rivalry and competition – increased opportunity for business – Management must change focus – Must partner and outsource better – look for product ivity and operational efficiency gains – find and measure key global strategic assets of org. International Business trade and investment activities of firms across borders Globalization – economic integration and growing interdependency worldwide Theories of Trade – mercantilism – national prosperity = positive balance of trade (trade surplus) – absolute advantage principle – produce only products for which your country/region has an absolute advantage – comparative advantage principle – both countries produce even if one has absolute advantage in all products, relative efficiency matters, specialize in what you produce best and trade for the rest you can use scarce resources more efficientlyNational Comparative Advantages – China low cost labour – India – IT workers in Bangalore – Ireland – service economy – Dubai – knowledge based economy Comparative Advantage = superior featu res with unique benefits in global market either naturally endowed or put in place through national policy – NATIONAL Competitive Advantage = distinctive competencies of a firm from cost, size, innovation that are difficult for competitors to replicate – FIRM Factor Proportions/Endowments Theory = produce and export products that use abundant factors of production and import goods that use scarce resourcesLimitations of Early Trade Theories – they don’t account for cost of international transportation – tariffs and import restrictions distort trade flows – economies of scale bring about additional efficiencies – low cost capital now available on global markets How do Nations Enhance Competitive Advantage – governments can proactively implement policies to subsidize and stimulate the economy outside of natural endowments – create national economic advantage through: innovation stimulus, target industries for development, provide incentives and low cost capitalNational Industrial Policy – economic development plan by public sector to nurture and support promising industries through: tax incentives, monetary/fiscal policy, rigorous educational systems, investment in national infrastructure, strong legal and regulatory systems – Example Ireland: fiscal, monetary and tax consolidation, partnership of gov with unions, emphasis on high value add industry like pharma, biotech and IT, membership in EU, investment in education – improved GDP, Unemployment and National Debt 3x by 2003 from 1987 Porter’s Diamond Model: Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry – strong competitors in country serves as national competitive advantage – clusters ? Factor Conditions – labour, natural resources, capital, technology, knowledge and entrepreneurship ? Demand Conditions – strengths and sophistication of consumer demand ? Related and Supporting Industries – avail ability of clusters and complementary firms in the value chain Industrial Clusters: – concentration of suppliers and supporting firms in the same regional area – ex. silicon valley, Switzerland pharma, fashion in italy/paris, IT in Bangalore – export platform for the nationClassical Theories – International Product Cycle Theory: introduction, growth and maturity of each product and its associated manufacturing – INTRO: inventor country enjoys a monopoly in manufacturing and exports – GROWTH: other countries enter the global market place with more standard manufacturing – MATURITY: original innovator becomes net importer of product – Now – hard for innovator to maintain a lead because there is a short product life cycle – New Trade Theory: economies of scale important for international performance in some industries.Ex. high fixed costs = high volume sales to breakeven Reasons to Invest Abroad: – market seek ing – efficiency/cost seeking – resource seeking – knowledge seeking Why Internationalize? 1. opp for growth through diversification of market 2. higher profit margins 3. new P&S ideas and business methods 4. serve customers who have relocated abroad (increase/maintain market) 5. closer to supply sources, use global sourcing advantages, flexibility in sourcing products 6. access to lower cost/better value factors of production 7. evelop economies of scale in sourcing, production, marketing, economies of scale 8. confront international competitors 9. invest in relationship with a foreign partner Nature of International Business – value adding activities can be done internationally (source, manufacture, market) – cross border trade not limited to raw materials, include capital, tech, knowledge, products, services etc. – Internationalize through: Export, FDI, Licence, Franchise and JV FDI – longterm acquisition of productive assets like capital, tech, labour P&E etc – large commitment used to manufacture products in low labour cost countries MNE – big company with lots of resources, subs and affiliates in many countries (US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain) SME – small to medium size enterprise, 500 or fewer employees Born Global Firm – young company that initiates business on the global market Risks in International Business: 1. Commercial Risk – weak partnerships, bad timing of entry, high competition, poor execution of strategy, operational problems 2.Currency Risk – tax, inflation, asset valuation, transfer pricing, currency exposure 3. Country Risk – protectionism/gov intervention, bureaucracy, lack of legal safeguards/poor leagal system, social/political unrest 4. Cross-Cultural Risk – cultural differences, negotiation, different decision making styles, different ethical practices MNE Avenues for Involvement: ? Import/Export ? Licencing/Franchising ? Joi ng Venture ? FDI – get progressively more risky, higher investment, higher potential benefit, higher commitmentIntermediaries Include: – Distributor – extension of firm, takes goods under their name to sell – Manufacturer Rep – under contract of exporter to rep and sell merch – Retailer – bypass wholesaler/distributer and sell to retailer to sell to customers – IKEA, WALMART – Trading Company – based in home country, high volume, low margin resellers. – Export Management Company – US, export agent who secures contracts to export goods – usually specialize in industries and areas – Agent – works on commission Licensor – Focal firm grants the right to the foreign partner to use certain intellectual property in exchange for royalties – Franchisor – grant right to use a business system for fees and royalties – ICV – share cost and risk fo new ventur e with another company – JV – create a jointly owned new entitiy with foreign partners – Project Based Venture – collaboration with a timeline without creating a new entity, common with R&D intensive ventures Facilitator – provide services for cross border transactions: Bank, Lawyers, Freight, Consultants, ad agency, custom brokers, insurance companies, tax accountants,Turnkey Contractor: Provide engineering, design, and architectural services in the construction of airports, hospitals, oil refineries, and other types of infrastructure. †¢These projects are typically awarded on the basis of open bidding by the sponsor. †¢Examples- European Channel Tunnel, the Three Gorges Dam in China, Delhi Metro Rail Ltd. and the Hong Kong Airport. †¢Build-own-transfer venture- an increasingly popular type of turnkey contract in the developing economies where contractors acquire an ownership in the facility for a period of time until it is turned o ver to the client.MODULE 3 [pic] Advanced economies are post-industrial countries characterized by high per capita income, highly competitive industries, and well-developed commercial infrastructure. †¢Examples- world’s richest countries and include Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and Western European countries. Developing economies are low-income countries characterized by limited industrialization and stagnant economies. †¢Examples- low-income countries, with limited industrialization and stagnant economies- e. g. Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Zaire.Emerging market economies are a subset of former developing economies that have achieved substantial industrialization, modernization, improved living standards and remarkable economic growth. †¢Examples- some 27 countries in East and South Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe- including Brazil, Russia, India, China (so called BRIC countries). [pic] Advanced Economies – 2 – 4% growth rates – mature industrial development – moved from manufacturing to service based economies – typically democratic political systems and capital economic systems – host worlds biggest MNEs – Emerging Economies – 7 – 10% growth rates 40% of world GDP – 30% of exports – 20% of FDI – low cost labour and capital, knowledgeable workers, gov support – fastest growth rate – attractive: growing middle class, manufacturing bases, sourcing destinations – market potential: percapita income, size of middle class, GNI, use adjusted GDP for PPP – middle class has some economic independence and discretionary income Hong Kong, Isreal, Saudi Arabia The EMPI combines factors that provide firms with a realistic measure of export market potential: †¢Market Size: the country’s population, especially urban population †¢Market Growth Rate: the country’s real GDP gr owth rate Market Intensity: private consumption and GNI represent discretionary expenditures of citizens †¢Market Consumption Capacity: The percentage share of income held by the country’s middle class †¢Commercial Infrastructure: characteristics such as number of mobile phone subscribers, density of telephone lines, number of PCs, density of paved roads, and population per retail outlet †¢Economic Freedom: the degree of government intervention †¢Market Receptivity: the particular country’s inclination to trade with the exporter’s country as estimated by the volume of imports †¢Country Risk: the degree of political riskChallenges of doing business with Ems – political stability – hard to forecast in uncertain conditions – beauraucracy/lack of transparency – weak IP rights – availability of good partners – presence of family conglomerates †¢Regional economic integration, refers to the growing economic interdependence that results when countries within a geographic region form an alliance aimed at reducing barriers to trade and investment. †¢40% of world trade today is under some bloc preferential trade agreement. Premise- mutual advantages for cooperating nations within a common geography, history, culture, language, economics, and/or politics †¢Free trade that results from economic integration helps nations attain higher living standards by encouraging specialization, lower prices, greater choices, increased productivity, and more efficient use of resources. 1. Market access. Tariffs and most non-tariff barriers have been eliminated for trade in products and services, and rules of origin favor manufacturing that uses parts and other inputs produced in the EU. . Common market. The EU removed barriers to the cross-national movement of production factors—labor, capital, and technology. 3. Trade rules. The member countries have largely eliminated customs p rocedures and regulations, which streamlines transportation and logistics within Europe. 4. Standards harmonization. The EU is harmonizing technical standards, regulations, and enforcement procedures that relate to products, services, and commercial activities. 5. Common fiscal, monetary, taxation, and social welfare policies in the long run.The euro (common currency since 2002): †¢Simplified the process of cross-border trade and enhanced Europe’s international competitiveness. †¢Eliminated exchange rate risk in much of the bloc and forced member countries to improve their fiscal and monetary policies. †¢Unified consumers and businesses to think of Europe as a single market †¢Forced national governments to relinquish monetary power to the European Central Bank, in Luxembourg, which oversees EU monetary functions. †¢NAFTA passage (1994) was facilitated by the maquiladora program – U. S. firms locate manufacturing facilities just south of the U. S. order and access low-cost labor without having to pay significant tariffs. NAFTA has: †¢Eliminated tariffs and most nontariff barriers for products/services. †¢Initiated bidding for government contracts by member country firms †¢Established trade rules and uniform customs procedures. †¢Prohibited standards/technical regulations to be used as trade barriers. †¢Instituted rules for investment and intellectual property rights. †¢Provided for dispute settlement for investment, unfair pricing, labor issues, and the environment. †¢Trade among the members has more than tripled and now exceeds $1 trillion per year. In the early 1980s, Mexico’s tariffs averaged 100% and gradually disappeared under NAFTA. †¢Member countries now trade more with each other than with former trading partners outside the NAFTA zone. †¢Both Canada and Mexico now have some 80% of their trade with, and 60% of their FDI stocks in the United States. †¢Mexican exports to the U. S. grew from $50 billion to over $160 billion per year. †¢Access to Canada and the U. S. helped launch numerous Mexican firms in industries such as electronics, automobiles, textiles, medical products, and services. †¢Annual U. S. nd Canadian investment in Mexico rose from $4 billion in 1993 to nearly $20 billion by 2006. †¢Mexico’s per capita income rose to about $11,000 in 2007, making Mexico the wealthiest country in Latin America. †¢By increasing Mexico’s attractiveness as a manufacturing location, firms like Gap Inc. and Liz Claiborne moved their factories from Asia to Mexico during the 1990s. †¢IBM shifted much of its production of computer parts from Singapore to Mexico. ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Coop – Australia, Canada, Chile, US, China, Japan, Mexico CER – Aussie and New Zealand – removed 80% of tarriffsWhy Nations Expand? 1. Ex pand market size  §Regional integration greatly increases the scale of the marketplace for firms inside the economic bloc.  §Example- Belgium has a population of just 10 million; the EU gives Belgian firms easier access to a total market of roughly 490 million. 2. Achieve scale economies and enhanced productivity  §Expansion of market size within an economic bloc gives member country firms the opportunity to gain economies of scale in production and marketing.  §Internationalization inside the bloc helps firms learn to compete more effectively outside the bloc as well. Labor and other inputs are allocated more efficiently among the member countries- leading to lower prices for consumers. 3. Attract direct investment from outside the bloc  §Compared to investing in stand-alone countries, foreign firms prefer to invest in countries that are part of an economic bloc as they receive preferential treatment for exports to other member countries.  §Examples- General Mills, Sams ung, and Tata- have invested heavily in the EU to take advantage of Europe's economic integration.  §By establishing operations in a single EU country, these firms gain free trade access to the entire EU market. 4.Acquire stronger defensive and political posture  §Provide member countries with a stronger defensive posture relative to other nations and world regions- this was one of the motives for the initial creation of the European Community (precursor to the EU). †¢The value chain can be thought of as the complete business system of the focal firm. It comprises all of the activities that the focal firm performs. †¢The focal firm may retain core activities such as production and marketing, and outsource distribution and customer service responsibilities to foreign-market based distributors, thus the global reconfiguration of the value chain. Dell makes a variety of products, each with its own value chain. The total supply chain for a notebook computer, including mult iple tiers of suppliers, involves about 400 companies, primarily in Asia, but also in Europe and the Americas. †¢On a typical day, Dell processes orders for 150,000 computers, which are distributed to customers around the world, with non-U. S. sales accounting for 40 percent. †¢Shipping is handled via air transport, e. g. from the Dell Malaysia factory to the U. S. Dell charters a China Airlines 747 hat flies to Nashville, Tennessee six days a week, with each jet carries 25,000 Dell notebooks that weigh a total of 110,000 kilograms, or 242,500 pounds. †¢One of the hallmarks of Dell’s value chain is collaboration. CEO Michael Dell and his team constantly work with their suppliers to make process improvements in Dell’s value chain. [pic] Automotive Industry †¢Manufacturing of the Chevrolet Malibu illustrates national and geographic diversity of suppliers that provide content for an automobile, a truly global value chain. †¢Suppliers are headquart ered in Germany, Japan, France, Korea, and United Kingdom, and the U.S. , and the components they sell to General Motors are manufactured in typically low-cost countries and then shipped to the General Motors plant in Fairfax, Kansas. †¢The German automaker BMW employs 70,000 factory personnel at 23 sites in 13 countries to manufacture its vehicles. †¢Workers at the Munich plant build the BMW 3 Series and supply engines and key body components to other BMW factories abroad. †¢In the U. S. , BMW has a plant in South Carolina, which makes over 500 vehicles daily for the world market. †¢In Northeast China, BMW makes cars in a joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. In India, BMW has a manufacturing presence to serve the needs of the rapidly growing South Asia market. †¢BMW must configure sourcing at the best locations worldwide, in order to minimize costs (e. g. , by producing in China), access skilled personnel (by producing in Germany), r emain close to key markets (by producing in China, India and the U. S. ). †¢Global sourcing is the procurement of products or services from suppliers or company-owned subsidiaries located abroad for consumption in the home country or a third country. Technological advances, including instant Internet connectivity and broadband availability TECHNOLOGY †¢Declining communication and transportation costs †¢Widespread access to vast information including growing connectivity between suppliers and the customers that they serve; and SUPPLY CHAIN †¢Entrepreneurship and rapid economic transformation in emerging markets. GLOBALIZATION †¢Managers must decide between internalization and externalization — whether each value-adding activity should be conducted in-house or by an independent supplier. This is known as the ‘make or buy’ decision: â€Å"Should we make a product or conduct a particular value-chain activity ourselves, or should we source it from an outside contractor? † †¢Firms usually internalize those value-chain activities they consider a part of their core competence, or which involve the use of proprietary knowledge and trade secrets that they want to control. †¢Configuration of value-adding activity: The pattern or geographic arrangement of locations where the firm carries out value-chain activities. Instead of concentrating value-adding activities in the home country, many firms configure these activities across the world to save money, reduce delivery time, access factors of production, and extract maximal advantages relative to competitors. †¢This helps explain the migration of traditional industries from Europe, Japan, and the U. S. to emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. [pic] †¢Outsourcing refers to the procurement of selected value-adding activities, including production of intermediate goods or finished products, from independent suppliers. This practice of externalizing a particular value-adding activity to outside contractors is known as outsourcing. †¢Firms outsource because they generally are not superior at performing all primary and support activities. Most value-adding activities — from manufacturing to marketing to after-sales service — are candidates for outsourcing. †¢Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). The outsourcing of business functions to independent suppliers such as accounting, payroll, and human resource functions, IT services, customer service, and technical support. BPO includes:  §Back-office activities, which includes internal, upstream business functions such as payroll and billing, and  §Front-office activities, which includes downstream, customer-related services such as marketing or technical support. †¢Offshoring is a natural extension of global sourcing. It refers to the relocation of a business process or entire manufacturing facility to a foreign country. †¢MNEs are particularly active in shifting production facilities or business processes to foreign countries to enhance their competitive advantages. Offshoring is especially common in the service sector, including banking, software code writing, legal services, and customer-service activities. †¢E. g. , large legal hubs have emerged in India that provide services such as drafting contracts and patent applications, conducting research and negotiations, as well as performing paralegal work on behalf of Western clients. With lawyers in N. America and Europe costing $300 an hour or more, Indian firms can cut legal bills by 75 percent. Best Jobs for Offshoring: Large-scale manufacturing industries whose primary competitive advantage is efficiency and low cost; †¢Industries such as automobiles that have uniform customer needs and highly standardized processes in production and other value-chain activities; †¢Service industries that are highly labor intensive, e. g. , call centers and legal transcription; †¢Information-based industries whose functions and activities can be easily transmitted via the Internet, e. g. , accounting, billing, and payroll; and †¢Industries such as software preparation whose outputs are easy to codify and transmit over the Internet or by telephone, e. g. routine technical support and customer service activities. [pic] †¢Cost efficiency is the traditional rationale for sourcing abroad. The firm takes advantage of ‘labor arbitrage’ – the large wage gap between advanced economies and emerging markets. †¢One study found that firms expect to save an average of more than 40% off baseline costs as a result of offshoring. These savings tend to occur particularly in R&D, product design activities, and back-office operations such as accounting and data processing. Benefits of Outsourcing: †¢Faster corporate growth. †¢Access to qualified personnel abroad. †¢Improved productivity and service. Business process redesign. †¢Increased speed to market. †¢Access to new markets. †¢Technological flexibility. Improved agility by shedding unnecessary overhead. Disadvantages to Outsourcing: †¢Vulnerability to exchange rate fluctuations †¢Partner selection, qualification, and monitoring costs †¢Increased complexity of managing a worldwide network of production locations and partners †¢Complexity of managing global supply chain †¢Limited influence over the manufacturing processes of the supplier †¢Potential vulnerability to opportunistic behavior or actions in bad faith by suppliers †¢Constrained ability to safeguard intellectual assetsRisks in Global Sourcing: 1. Less-than-expected cost savings. Conflicts and misunderstandings arise because of differences in the national and organizational cultures between the focal firm and foreign supplier. Such factors give rise to cost-savings that are less than originally anticipated. 2. Environ mental factors. Numerous environmental challenges confront focal firms including: exchange rate fluctuations, labor strikes, adverse macro-economic events, high tariffs and other trade barriers, and high energy and transportation costs. 3. Weak legal environment.Many popular locations for global outsourcing have weak laws and enforcement regarding intellectual property, which can lead to erosion of key strategic assets. 4. Risk of creating competitors. As the focal firm shares its intellectual property and business-process knowledge with foreign suppliers, it also runs the risk of creating future rivals (e. g. , Schwinn). 5. Inadequate or low-skilled workers. Some foreign suppliers may be staffed by employees who lack appropriate knowledge about the tasks with which they are charged. Other suppliers suffer rapid turnover of skilled employees. 6. Over-reliance on suppliers.Unreliable suppliers may put earlier work aside when they gain a more important client. Suppliers occasionally e ncounter financial difficulties or are acquired by other firms with different priorities and procedures. Over-reliance can shift control of key activities too much in favor of the supplier. 7. Erosion of morale and commitment among home-country employees. Global sourcing can create a situation in which employees are caught in the middle between their employer and their employer’s clients. At the extreme, workers find themselves in a psychological limbo, unclear about who their employer really is.

Drowling Mountain Ski Resort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Drowling Mountain Ski Resort - Essay Example The 2008-09 figures show that an approximate 4 million people came to New York during the skiing season to enjoy the thrills of the sport, which is more or less similar to previous statistics. However, it must be kept in mind that there are around 34 ski resorts to choose from and Drowling Mountains Resort fairs poorly in certain aspects that have caused business troubles for the Board of Directors in the past. Recommendations for Improvement The major problem, of course, is the relatively secluded location of the resort compared to the larger, more populated cities. Syracuse is nearly five hours away from New York, and two hours from Albany. In addition to this, the Drowling Mountain resort must face the problem of low populations within the state. This decreases the opportunity of securing new clientele as well as lacking a healthy number of steady client bases. While it had a respectable position and a high esteem among its clients previously, it has seen a steady decline in its p opularity in the past 10 years. The economic crash in the recent years had dealt its final blow and left the Board of Directors struggling to find financing. The proposed hike in ticket sales, though indeed a positive initiative, can hardly be enough to turn the company around entirely. I think, good and cleverly targeted positive advertising would be an essential requirement of the moment. The initiation should be targeted at young and athletic groups like sponsoring skiing lessons in collaboration with the local high school or offer limited period discounts for children’s outings arranged by the school. This would create a renewed interest in the resort. This essay focuses on the analysis of sports tourism industry aspects. In order to present comprehensive, well-informed and judicious recommendations regarding the issues at hand in Drowling Mountain Ski Resort, the researcher must first focus on the present statistical and financial dynamics of the current snow sports tourism and snow games industry. In the recent past, tourism, particularly, snow tourism has attracted widespread business interests, its central attraction lying mainly in its combination of beauty, adventure sports, and entertainment. The economic centrality of snow tourism has seen significant growth in the past few decades. However, though the last 3 years have seen substantial growth in the Skiing and snow gaming industry of the US, it is indeed a tough area of business, that makes the Drowling Mountain Ski Resort case rather a tricky one. After analyzing the various figures, statistics and a thorough study of the data provided on the three rival companies, as pre sented the paper, it is concluded that an overall marketing makeover has the potential to change the face of the Drowling Mountain Resort. The best course of action, thus, should be one that exploits the opportunities presented by such a rise in interest. While the competition is steep and the inventiveness of business strategies must necessarily be restricted mostly by the involved factors of demographic, geographical and seasonal challenges and recommendations, the researcher believes, will initiate a positive change in the business.

An analyst for the Bank of England and you have been asked to analyse Essay

An analyst for the Bank of England and you have been asked to analyse and critically evaluate the causes and consequences of the - Essay Example It is apparent that events in the previous years such as the dotcom crash, bankruptcies and frauds of large firms such as Enron and the sub prime crisis all lead to successive weakening of the financial markets. The money and capital markets showed extreme distress selling and in the crash, assets were depreciated to the extent of 300 trillion USD. Money supply and demand underwent some dynamic changes with banks reluctant to release funds to borrowers for fear of that the loans would not repaid. The UK government attempted to correct the problems by bring in a number of measures and methods. These included macroeconomic instruments and quantitative easing that was used for the first time in UK financial history. The market reacted in a diffident manner to these economic policies and some slight recovery is apparent in the GDP, inflation and other indicators. Table of Contents An analyst for the Bank of England and you have been asked to analyse and critically evaluate the causes and consequences of the world financial crisis of 2007/2008 in the UK 1 January 19, 2013 1 1. Introduction 5 2. Causes and consequences of the financial crisis 6 3. Response of capital and money markets 11 4. Response and effectiveness of the macroeconomic policies 16 5. Conclusions 26 References 28 List of Figures Figure 2.1. LIBOR-OIS Spreads (Kacperczyk and Schnabl, 2012) 7 Figure 2.2. Rise in risk premium (McKibbin and Stoeckel, 2009) 8 Figure 2.3. Euro Area Government Bond Rate (Kacperczyk and Schnabl, 2012) 10 Figure 2.4. The US housing bubble and crash (McKibbin and Stoeckel, 2009) 10 Figure 3.1. UK market index FTSE100 (Stockcube 2012) 11 Figure 3.2. Global financial assets value reduction (McKinsey, 2009) 12 Figure 3.3. Dispersion in Money Market Funds (Kacperczyk and Schnabl, 2012) 13 Figure 3.4. Asset holding and their spread (Kacperczyk and Schnabl, 2012) 14 Figure 3.5. M2 Multiplier and the ratio of M2 to reserves (Hodson and Mabbett, 2009) 16 Figure 4.1. GBP response to p olicies (Benford, et al, 2010) 17 Figure 4.2. UK Percent Change in GDP (Benford, et al 2010) 18 Figure 4.3. Central Banks Asset Holdings (Benford, et al 2010) 19 Figure 4.4. Transmission mechanism for purchase of assets (Benford, et al 2010) 20 Figure 4.5. Desired movement of the LM curve (Thomas, 2010) 21 Figure 4.6. Actual movement of the LM curve (Benford, et al 2010) 22 Figure 4.7. New equilibrium point in the IS-LM model (Athey, 2009) 23 Figure 4.8. Impact of QE on the economy (Joyce, et al, 2011) 24 Figure 4.9. UK Money Multiplier (Bank of England, 2010) 25 Figure 4.10. UK GDP growth (ONS, 2012) 25 Figure 4.11. UK CPI Inflation rate (Benford, et al, 2011) 26 1. Introduction The previous decade saw one of the worst and most widespread financial crisis in modern history when global financial markets crashed from 2007-2008. The financial loss across the world measured in terms of devaluation of assets, insolvencies of banks and asset depreciation is estimated at 290 trillion Doll ars (Barrel, 2011). According to a report by Rose and Spiegel (2009), the recession was fallout of the sub prime crisis that originated in 2005 and the market crash occurred in 2007. Mishkin (2008) is of the opinion that the years before 2007 that saw the dotcom boom and bust, the peak in crude oil prices and the high value of the stock market were signs that a crash was coming. Nothing was done to prevent the market

Ethical Issue. Organ donation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Issue. Organ donation - Term Paper Example Often, brain dead individuals who are still breathing and whose hearts have not yet stopped beating are deemed as dead and their organs are retrieved with the consent of their closest relatives. The question here is – how can a person be defined as dead? And whether relatives who are grieving the death of a loved one be allowed to go through the harassing and mentally painful proceedings of donating the organs of their loved one while he/she is still at the death bed? Even more remorseful is the situation wherein the organs of a dead individual are removed prior to sending the body to his/her home for a funeral. Most countries around the world have laws that presume that an individual is ready to donate organs upon death, unless he/she registers against donation, beforehand. This law is in force in many European and Asian countries such as Spain and Singapore, due to which the rates of organ donation are very high in these countries (Abouna 56). In case of living individuals, there are other causes of concern. It is often seen that family members coerce a healthy individual, whose organ matches that of a needy relative, into donating an organ against his/her wish. Although most countries have banned forced organ donation and coercion, familial pressure and emotional blackmail lead most individuals into doing so, reluctantly. In another scenario, economically backward individuals sell their organs for money. This brings forth another cause of concern as rich individuals in need of organs can easily exploit the poor. Organ donation is thus a huge problem and the issues are not just ethical but also economical, political and social. Donation by living persons falls in three categories – Directed donation to a relative, Directed donation to a stranger and Non-directed donation in which an organ is donated to a general pool and transplanted to a needy individual on top of the waiting list (Truog 444). Each of these donations has its own

Can we get along Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Can we get along - Essay Example â€Å"In Australia, Canada and the United States, one of the most important factors determining levels of inequality is race. In western New York state, for instance, nearly 40 percent of the black, Hispanic, and mixed-race households earned less than $15,000 in 1999, compared with 15 percent of non-Hispanic white households.† (UN-Habitat) â€Å"One should bear in mind that larger cities offer very different kinds of opportunities that allow the poor to better their lot. However, there is compelling evidence that these cities have much higher crime rates than small cities. (Glaeser and Sacerdote, 1999). In addition, urban polarization is strengthened by â€Å"spatial segregation† in education and access to the job market, which in turn fosters criminality.† (Delacote, 92) â€Å"... the widening of income and wealth inequality in the United States has placed great financial pressure on lower-income families. This pressure has encouraged legislatures and governing boards to accommodate easier college entry and to subsidize poorer applicants, relying primarily on the tuition revenue of students who have the ability to pay.† (Policano and Fethke, 16) â€Å"While African-Americans and whites at higher income and higher educational levels were more likely to desire fewer hours than their lower-income, less-educated counterparts, African-Americans are still more likely than whites to desire more hours at all income and educational levels. This racial difference most likely is due to greater wage inequality among African-Americans than whites. (Negrey, 94) The disparity between different income groups gives birth to the question: Can we get along? It is imperative for America to be America again, in order to reduce the crime rate, and agonistic feelings that people belonging to lower income groups harbour for the higher-income group. â€Å"The burgeoning inequality threatens the integrity and moral authority of the social order. Those locked out of the

Consulting for Entertainment Weekly Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consulting for Entertainment Weekly - Case Study Example Disney has the rights to â€Å"any other technology yet to be invented,† this includes the distribution of videocassettes of the Lady and the Tramp film in 1987. The company has also made clear that it was their practice not to allow profit participation deals for voice performers, as manifested by the testimonies of Jodi Bension (the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid) and Cheech Marin (voice performer in Oliver and Co.). As for the case of Ms. Peggy Lee, she is pressing the advantage that despite the contract’s specification on residual payments she is also pressing the right that the company violated her right to privacy, especially on the use of her name and likeness without her consent. The distribution of the 1987 videocassettes, with her voice used, is in her case a violation to her right to privacy. However, it must also be pointed out that she misinterpreted her claim that she is entitled to $9 million as of March 1988 videocassette sales of Lady and the Tramp. Lee misinterpreted the Income Statement and multiplied the $77 million sales to 12.5% residual payments Based from the evidences presented, it is clear that Disney has an edge in winning the case against Ms. Lee. The unauthorized commercial use of name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness is defined as the unknowing use of a person’s name, voice, etc. without such person’s permission. In this case, Ms. Lee permitted Disney to use her voice and talent when she agreed on working with the film back in 1955. The later release of the film in 1987 is not a violation of her right to privacy since her contract specified that Disney has rights to â€Å"any other technology yet to be invented† and that phonographic recordings later sold entitles her to residual rights. If this is the case, then Ms. Lee is only entitled to 12.5% of the profit generated by the videocassette release, which was capped (under union rules) to $381,000. If the future value of money is calculated, Disney would calculate

Discussion questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion questions - Coursework Example ather encourage employers to put selection system favoring women in the hiring process as an affirmative action in order to boost their participation in national building. This implies that the discrimination could be justified as a mechanism of smoothening out the employment sector on the basis of quotas and proportional presentation in the employment sector (Coral & Practising Law Institute, et al. 2009). Employment discrimination has often been responsible for enhanced equality in job placements especially in across Canada where inequality is highly integrated. However, discrimination is based upon diverse variables or grounds. Certain grounds are unacceptable while others are mutually accepted. In the Canadian province of Alberta, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited. In particular, either gay or lesbians facing discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation are prohibited from recourse via apt mechanisms laid down in the IRPA enabling them to subject their experiences of discrimination besides incapacitating them to uphold a legal remedy (Koral & Practising Law Institute, et al. 2009). A Canadian employer may justify the adverse implications of the procedure used in employment selection on several grounds. For instance, according to the Alberta Human Rights Act, there are exemptions to discrimination. This means that some grounds of discrimination are justifiable. In section 7 of the Act, an employer may be justified to discriminate if such discrimination is based on occupational requirement. Subsequently, section 11 justifies discrimination if such action is both ‘reasonable and permissible within the prevailing circumstances’ (Koral & Practising Law Institute, et al. 2009). In this regard, employer’s discriminatory practices demonstrate the fact that their standards do not contravene the law. To accommodate an individual to a point of undue hardship basically entails a provision under the Supreme Court of Canada

HR PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HR PROJECT - Essay Example The individual will receive tough operational predisposition for aspects like recruitment, performance management, benefits, compensation, employee relationship, and benefits to management and training (Armstrong, 2003). Job Duties: An ideal candidate should have motivational skills, should enjoy leading teams actively and can be an integral part of the wining team. Other essential requirements have been mentioned below: Prior experience in working in Middle-East is necessary. An effective track of stability and career progress Candidate should hold (preferred) an EU passport Minimum experience of around 3 years in multi-site or senior cluster with regards to HRD is essential Experience in Five star deluxe or five star is essential Should have both pragmatic and strategic approach Strong attitude with regards to approach and attitude Strong interpersonal and communication skills (Barclay, 2001). Due to specific requirement with regards to this role, the candidates considered for this role would be personally interviewed by the senior management. Job title: Assistant Security Director, Security and Compliance Dept. Date of Analysis: 13 December 2013 Reporting: COO Job Code: #1004002 Summary of the Job: Currently candidates for Assistant Security Director are being looked for. This role will assist the security department in the hotel to guarantee the completion of compliance accordingly to the hotel policies and the procedures. Every regulations stated by the government under the safety and security standard framework has to be duly followed. The candidate would be responsible for the safety and security within the hotel premises to ensure that safety of the hotel properties and overall safety of the employees, guests and their personal belonging. The major responsibilities would not be limited to educating and training the employees regarding the present safety issues, fire protection and security for ensuring compliances by abiding by the group loss control gu idelines (Bernadin, 2007). The scheduled preventive repairs and maintenance for the security equipment would be required and it has to be ensured that the equipments are prepared and operational for daily activities. Job Duties: Candidate need to have at least 3 years of experience in handling similar responsibilities for hotel industry. Experience in military, law enforcement, supervisory experience or equivalent combination would also suffice. Even First Aid instructor, Certified CPR, training for law enforcement, etc would be also preferable. The person would be also required to work on weekends, holidays or night if required. The individual will also have to bring in strong management ability and skill for analyzing the statistics and metrics for preparation of action plan and also communicate them through written reports. In return the candidate would be offered benefits, competitive pay and an opportunity to work with a pool of talented people. Moreover, the candidate would be given independence to work and implement his/ her own plan of action. We are an equal opportunity employer (Berry, 1997). Job Title: Reservation Manager, Operations Date of Analysis: 13 December 2013 Reporting: Director (Hotel Operations) Job Code: #1005001 Summary of the Job: In the position of a Reservation Manag

Delivery and Quality in Bar and Restaurant Essay

Delivery and Quality in Bar and Restaurant - Essay Example According to the discussion  DINESERV was redefined from SERVQUAL after Stevens, Knutson and Patton adapted it the tool to the restaurant industry using their acquired experience and knowledge of drafting the LODGSERV. The scholars thus went ahead to use the tool to measure consumer customer’s expectations concerning the quality of service they received in three segments of restaurants vis-à  -vis, casual, fine dining and quick service. They identified the service quality dimensions that were almost similar to those of SERVQUAL except that their order of preference and importance was different. According to DINESERV, the five dimensions of quality services were as follows; reliability, tangibles, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy. The five dimensions were to measure and examine the level of perceptions and expectations in relation to restaurant services such as fine dining restaurants and airport food services.From this paper it is clear that a  research done in Zagr eb city in Croatia using the DINESERV in restaurants revealed that customers` expectations are higher than their perceptions. In this research, a number of questionnaires were distributed to 12 restaurants in the city where the restaurant`s staff helped in distributing the questionnaires to the customers who participated in the study. The data was analysed using the SPSS while the descriptive method was used data to analyse the demographic profiles of respondents and the evaluation of their expectations and perceptions.

The History of the “Jim Crow” System Essay Example for Free

The History of the â€Å"Jim Crow† System Essay For most white Americans, the demise of the Reconstruction in 1877 was not an occasion for mourning. Rather, it was an opportunity to reestablish the inferior status of the Negro in American society. The period from the 1880s to the 1960s was therefore characterized with the emergence of laws that implemented segregation between blacks and whites (Carlisle and Golson 214). These edicts, collectively known as the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, ultimately brought about a way of life that relegated blacks to the status of second-class citizens. â€Å"Jim Crow† originally referred to a minstrel character that was created in 1830 by a white actor named Thomas Dartmouth â€Å"Daddy† Rice. According to legend, Rice was able to come up with the concept of â€Å"Jim Crow† after chancing upon an elderly African-American man who was suffering from rheumatism. Drawing inspiration from the old man’s appearance and movements, he went onstage sporting blackface makeup and danced a ridiculous jig while singing the lyrics to the song Jump Jim Crow (Sotiropoulos 20). But Rice never used â€Å"Jim Crow† as a racial slur – he often portrayed the character in black song and dance as a trickster figure (Sotiropoulos 21). â€Å"Jim Crow,† however, eventually became an ethnic affront when the minstrelsy evolved into an overwhelmingly racist form of popular entertainment. In the decades before and after the Civil War, pro-slavery factions used minstrel shows as a means of expressing their opposition to abolitionist sentiment. As a result, the minstrelsy ended up spawning several caricatures that embodied bigoted misconceptions about blacks. â€Å"Jim Crow,† for example, was made to resemble â€Å"Sambo,† the â€Å"plantation darky† stereotype that was formed in order to give whites the assurance that blacks were contented with being plantation workers. There were likewise instances when â€Å"Jim Crow† was depicted as â€Å"Zip Coon,† an urban buffoon who derided free blacks and therefore implied that blacks were unfit for freedom and urban life (Sotiropoulos 21). It was not until the 1880s that â€Å"Jim Crow† was associated with legal forms of discrimination against blacks. Many white Southerners greatly resented the Reconstruction (1863-1877) because the latter provided small possibilities for racial equality between blacks and whites. The passage of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments emancipated blacks from slavery and turned them into American citizens with enforceable rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1875, meanwhile, guaranteed blacks admission to public facilities (Norgren and Nanda 46). Thus, at the end of the Reconstruction, many Southern whites sought to return blacks as close to slave status as possible. After the 1876 presidential elections, a new set of laws were created with the objective of segregating blacks and discriminating against them in every aspect of political, economic and social life. The â€Å"Jim Crow† system reminded blacks of their inferiority to whites from the cradle to the grave (Norgren and Nanda 46). Several state constitutions passed in the South between 1890 and 1900 mandated literacy tests, property qualifications and poll taxes for electors, disenfranchising many black voters as a result (Earle 98). Certain laws also kept blacks separate from whites in public establishments such as schools, parks, hospitals, mass transportation, theaters and even courts (Norgren and Nanda 47). Nineteenth-century efforts to put an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system proved to be futile. This was mainly because the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the laws that made up the â€Å"Jim Crow† system (Norgren and Nanda 47). The landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) is generally believed to be responsible for the legitimization of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. Homer A. Plessy, a light-skinned black man, was arrested in New Orleans after refusing to ride in a â€Å"blacks only† rail car. After he was convicted in Louisiana, he appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the segregation of blacks and whites was constitutional provided that both races received equal treatment (Earle 98). Although racially discriminatory laws were already commonplace in the Antebellum Era and the Reconstruction, the â€Å"separate but equal† ruling of the Supreme Court in the aforementioned lawsuit legalized exclusion from juries, segregation, disenfranchisement, anti-miscegenation acts and lynching (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157). In the process, blacks were transformed into second-class citizens – they enjoyed the same rights and privileges as whites, but only to a limited extent. For instance, as long as a black man and a white man are riding the same train, the black man has no right to complain even if he was assigned to a dirty cabin while his white fellow passenger was ushered into a clean one. The law, after all, guaranteed blacks equality, but not integration, with whites. The â€Å"equality but not integration† philosophy of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system eventually became a justification for extralegal violence against blacks. In the 1890s, many cotton plantations in the South closed down due to the scarcity in slave labor and fierce competition from Egypt, India, California and the Southwest (Schultz 17). Because cotton was the lifeblood of the Southern economy, the latter inevitably collapsed as a result. Once-wealthy plantation owners suddenly found themselves competing with emancipated blacks even over menial jobs such as sharecropping and construction. As the crisis went on, many whites started to view blacks with resentment and hostility – they accused the blacks of stealing jobs from them (Booker 167). Many whites were appalled that the blacks were passing themselves off as whites by competing with them for jobs and establishing their own institutions like churches and mutual aid societies. Furthermore, the whites felt that the blacks were attempting to elevate themselves at their expense. It should no longer come as a surprise, therefore, if extralegal violence became the primary weapon in which the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was enforced. The threatened and desperate whites viewed brutality as the only means of â€Å"putting blacks in their place† (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Angry white mobs stormed the Southern countryside and subjected every black person they could find to beatings, mutilation and even castration. Lynching, however, became increasingly widespread as the economic crisis went on. During the 1890s, the average number of blacks that were lynched in the South was about two per week. So popular was lynching in the South that it became a public spectacle that drew large crowds, including women and children. There were even cases wherein refreshments were served and souvenirs, including the victim’s body parts, were sold or stolen (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Many Southern whites overwhelmingly approved of the public lynching of blacks – they viewed the latter as a demonstration of the white community’s power and a means of preserving the racial order. Moreover, blacks during the 1890s were depicted as criminal and savage â€Å"Brutes† who preyed on white women. Thus, lynching was also seen as a way of preserving the â€Å"racial purity† of the whites. Rebecca Latimer Felton, a women’s rights advocate and prohibitionist from Georgia, once claimed, â€Å"If it takes lynching to protect women’s dearest possession from drunken, ravening human beasts, then I say lynch a thousand a week if it becomes necessary† (Harrell, Gaustad, Boles, Griffith, Miller and Woods 537). Because of the institutionalized racism and violence that was associated with the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, blacks had no choice but to live with it for almost 80 years. In the process, they had to accept the erroneous belief that whites were superior to them. It did not matter whether or not they truly believed this premise – defying the whites in any form could cost them their jobs, properties or even their lives. Stetson Kennedy (1959/1990), author of The Jim Crow Guide, claimed that the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was based on the following rationalizations: First, whites were superior to blacks in all important ways. This superiority included, but was not limited to, intelligence, morality and civilized behavior. Second, sexual relations between blacks and whites would produce a mongrel that would destroy America. Simply put, intermarriage between the two races would â€Å"threaten† American racial â€Å"purity† (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Third, sexual relations between blacks and whites would produce a mongrel which would destroy America. Biracial individuals were another â€Å"threat† to American racial â€Å"purity† because they served as living reminders of how blacks â€Å"corrupted† the cultural homogeneity of the whites. Lastly, violence must be used to keep Blacks at the bottom of the racial hierarchy if necessary. Discrimination, imprisonment under false charges and even lynching were acceptable as long as these safeguarded whites from black â€Å"brutes† (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Kennedy (1959/1990) added that blacks had to observe these simple rules when conversing with whites: First, never assert or even intimate that a white person is telling a lie. Second, never impute dishonorable intentions to a white person. Third, never suggest that a white person is from an inferior class. Fourth, never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence. Fifth, never curse a white person (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157-158). Sixth, never laugh derisively at a white person. To do otherwise was to imply that he or she was of inferior character. Lastly, never comment upon the appearance of a white female. Such a gesture implied lust, which would eventually lead to rape (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 157-158). In order to show how racism was deeply entrenched in American society at the time of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia provided the following etiquette standards: A black male could not offer his hand (to shake hands) with a White man because it implied being socially equal. A black man was also not allowed to offer his hand or any other part of his body to a white woman, because he risked being accused of rape. Blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together. If blacks and whites did eat together, they must be kept separate from each other by some sort of partition and whites were to be served first (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Under no circumstance was a Black male to offer to light the cigarette of a White female. This was a gesture that implied intimacy. Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing. The whites considered this intimation to be very offensive (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Blacks were introduced to whites, not the other way around. For example: â€Å"Mr. Peters (the white person), this is Charlie (the black person), that I spoke to you about. † Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to blacks (i. e. , Mr. , Mrs. , Miss, Sir or Ma’am). Instead, blacks were called by their first names (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). Blacks, on the other hand, had to use courtesy titles when referring to whites. Blacks were never allowed to call whites by their first names. If a black person rode in a car driven by a white person, the former had to seat in the back seat or the back of the truck. White motorists had the right-of-way at all intersections (Schramm-Pate and Jeffries 158). By the beginning of the 20th century, the â€Å"Jim Crow† system had finally succeeded in its quest to implement racial segregation in the South. Intermarriages were strictly forbidden, while schools, trains, streetcars, hotels, barbershops, restaurants and theaters had signs that indicated whether or not they accommodated blacks (Hill and Jones 41). Black workers were excluded from high-paying jobs and unions and were instead confined to low-paying jobs, thus creating a cheap labor pool which could be exploited by white entrepreneurs. Akin to the period of slavery, the â€Å"Jim Crow† system created a status quo in which blacks were accorded a lowly status simply because they were an â€Å"inferior† race (Hill and Jones 42). In the early 20th century, education was probably the â€Å"Jim Crow† system’s most effective means of subjugating the blacks. Although public education was available to black children living in the South, the region had few effective schools. Many of the South’s black schoolchildren had no school buildings and met for class in churches, lodges, homes or barns, served by privies and without electricity – a trend which continued into the 1940s (Rose 251). Black teachers, meanwhile, had to make do with faulty castoffs from white schools (Rose 252). These conditions instilled in black children a lifelong aversion to learning. Indeed, what is the point of going to school when little can be learned there? It would be much better for the children to just stay home and help their parents in the cotton fields. Another possible factor behind their lack of motivation to stay in school is the hegemonic belief that whites are superior to blacks. Growing up, black children in the South were constantly taught by their elders to be subservient to whites (Rose 254). As a result, they would be discouraged in pursuing an education, because even a highly-educated black person would still be a â€Å"slave† in the eyes of the whites. But not all blacks opted to live with the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. Prior to the modern civil rights movement, many blacks have already protested against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system of domination. Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, for instance, openly criticized racial segregation in public facilities in the North during and after the period of slavery. From 1900 to 1906, meanwhile, many blacks in most major cities of the South staged boycotts against racial segregation in streetcars (Hill and Jones 43). Even black women participated in the struggle for racial equality in the South. Black journalist and newspaper editor Ida B. Wells, for example, led major campaigns against lynching. During the last decade of the 19th century, many other black women formed local and national organizations that called for both the end of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system and for black women’s rights (Hill and Jones 43). Black women cannot be blamed for their extreme dedication to putting an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. The latter had very detrimental effects on their political, economic and social status. Foremost among these negative upshots are the â€Å"Jezebel† and the â€Å"Matriarch stereotypes. The Jezebel image depicted black women as sexually promiscuous, lustful and immoral. Historians argue that the Jezebel caricature was formed in order to rationalize the rape and forced breeding of black women – black women deserved to be subjected to sexual atrocities because they were â€Å"immoral† (West 98). The â€Å"Matriarch† image, meanwhile, presented black women as self-sufficient and independent women who have taken over the leadership role of men in the family. Although this stereotype is a possible survival strategy, it is not without a darker side. The â€Å"Matriarch† caricature was a probable scapegoat to the problems hounding blacks, such as poor academic performance of black youths and high incarceration rates. Simply put, her unwillingness to conform to traditional female roles was blamed as the cause of lower moral values and poverty (West 99). Given these negative images that whites associated with black women at the height of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system, it should no longer come as a surprise if black women were politically, economically and socially marginalized during this period. Between 1900 and 1920, at least 2 million blacks migrated to the more industrialized North. Black women, however, were limited to domestic and agricultural work – mechanized steam laundries, meat slaughtering, packing houses and crab and peanut factories. By the 1930s, about 60% of employed black women were engaged in domestic work (Parker 47). During the Great Depression, black women in the South were excluded from many stable job opportunities offered by the New Deal. Although black women in the North fared better, employers perceived them as expendable members of the labor force. For one, they received smaller wages than their white counterparts. In addition, they were the first to be laid off when an enterprise closed down (Parker 47). The period from 1909 to 1910 is considered as a watershed in the fight against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. It was during this time that one of the most important progressive black organizations, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), was formed. The primary goal of the NAACP was to discredit the legality of â€Å"Jim Crow† laws and practices. Meanwhile, its official organ, The Crisis, edited by W. E. B. Du Bois, raised oppositional consciousness among blacks by challenging the ideology of white supremacy (Hill and Jones 43). The black protest movement became even more militant during the Great Depression. At the height of the latter, many black workers were either laid off from or denied work in favor of white workers. Those who were able to find work, on the other hand, were paid very low wages and were subjected to abysmal working conditions. Thus, many progressive black groups engaged in grassroots organizing in order to fight racism in the government, corporations and labor unions. Furthermore, the scope of black activism during the Great Depression was no longer confined to the South – even blacks from the North started to organize themselves as well (Jackson 6). At the start of the Great Depression, blacks were excluded from most trade unions in the American Federation of Labor (AFL). But in 1933 and 1934, the United Mine Workers and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union began to accept blacks into their respective folds. By 1935, the predominantly black Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters had already achieved recognition as a legitimate labor union. The Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union signed up thousands of blacks in the most antiunion parts of the South. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which was formed in 1935 as a splinter group of the AFL, mobilized black workers in steel, automobile and meatpacking industries (Jackson 8). The issue of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system was temporarily set aside with the advent of World War II. Wartime labor demands gave black workers new employment opportunities, such as better wages, safe working conditions and security of tenure (Horton n. pag. ). With most white males fighting in the war, businesses had no choice but to tap into the country’s pool of black workers. As the country’s number of black workers was not enough for all of the nation’s enterprises, employers offered attractive compensation packages in order to attract as many employees as they could. But whatever optimism blacks had during the war were shattered with the arrival of the white soldiers. In the postwar era, blacks returned to their old status as second-class citizens. They were once again subjected to segregation and low-paying jobs. The prevalence of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system in the South forced at least 1. 5 million blacks to migrate to other parts of the US during the 1940s and the early 1950s (Horton n. pag. ). But the postwar era was likewise the period that was characterized with the demise of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. The Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) that racially segregated facilities were unconstitutional because these violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution (Jackson 530). The Supreme Court’s decision in Brown was an important victory for the anti-â€Å"Jim Crow† movement – the former nullified the â€Å"separate but equal† premise on which the ruling in Plessy was based (Fine 503). The blacks finally had a chance to attain equality with the whites that was based on actual integration with them. But the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown was met with violent reprisals from racist organizations. Many white Southerners staunchly defended the system of racial privilege and even used violence and intimidation in order to forestall change. Various racist and terrorist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and the White Citizens’ Councils, resurfaced in order to spread fear among the populace. White politicians and other leaders, meanwhile, retaliated through very adamant statements of racist resistance. In the end, it was still the people who were at the losing end of this battle – public schools in Prince Edward County in central Virginia were kept closed for five years rather than undergo racial integration (Healey 226). The blacks, however, were already tired of living in fear. A seamstress named Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955 after she refused to give up her seat in the city bus to a white male passenger. Her arrest and detention sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott; a year-long boycott of the city’s bus lines that was led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King later founded the Civil Rights Movement, a protest movement that fought racism through peaceful street demonstrations (Healey 226). Although its members experienced brutal repression and violence at the hands of the police and terrorist groups like the KKK, the Civil Rights Movement finally succeeded in putting an end to the â€Å"Jim Crow† system. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law which banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or gender. This directive was applicable to all public facilities including parks, municipal swimming pools and businesses, as well as to any program that received federal aid. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was soon followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which banned practices that had been used to prevent blacks from registering to vote, such as literacy tests and whites-only primaries (Healey 227). The existence of the â€Å"Jim Crow† system is one of the most shameful periods in American history. Just because the blacks were regarded as an inferior race, certain laws were created in order to segregate them and discriminate against them in every aspect of political, economic and social life. Worse, the enforcement of these laws through violence was even encouraged. Although the blacks were supposedly equal to the whites, this equality existed as long as they did interact with each other. It would be fair to say, therefore, that the black protest movements against the â€Å"Jim Crow† system added credibility to the American value of egalitarianism. If not for the black activists who fought against racism, the said value would only be applicable to the whites even to this day. The US would have no right to parade itself as the bastion of democracy and human rights. After all, how can it say that it is a champion of democracy and human rights if racism was rampant in its own backyard? Works Cited Booker, Christopher Brian. â€Å"I Will Wear No Chain! † A Social History of African- American Males. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2000. Carlisle, Rodney P. , and J. Geoffrey Golson. Colonial America from the Settlement to the Revolution. Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 2006. Earle, Jonathan Halperin. The Routledge Atlas of African-American History. New York: Routledge, 2000. Fine, Michelle. â€Å"The Power of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision: Theorizing Threats to Sustainability. † American Psychologist September 2004: 59. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 12 April 2009 http://swtuop. museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Harrell, David Edwin, Edwin S. Gaustad, John B. Boles, Sally Foreman Griffith, Randall M. Miller, and Randall Bennett Woods. Unto a Good Land: A History of the American People, Volume 2: From 1865. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005. Healey, Joseph F. Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. 4th ed. London: Pine Forge Press, 2005. Hill, Herbert, and James E. Jones. Race in America: The Struggle for Equality. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1993. Horton, Lois E. A History of the African American People: The History, Traditions Culture of African Americans. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1997. Jackson, Walter A. Gunnar Myrdal and Americas Conscience: Social Engineering and Racial Liberalism, 1938-1987. Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1994. Jackson, John P. â€Å"The Scientific Attack on Brown v. Board of Education, 1954-1964. † American Psychologist September 2004: 59. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 11 April 2009 http://swtuop. museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Norgren, Jill, and Serena Nanda. American Cultural Pluralism and Law. 3rd ed. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Parker, Patricia Sue. Race, Gender, and Leadership: Re-envisioning Organizational Leadership from the Perspectives of African American Women Executives. New York: Routledge, 2006. Rose, Anne C. â€Å"The Discovery of Southern Childhoods: Psychology and the Transformation of Schooling in the Jim Crow South. † History of Psychology 2007: 10. Apollo Library. EBSCO. University of Phoenix Library. 10 April 2009 http://swtuop.museglobal. com/muse/servlet/MusePeer. Schramm-Pate, Susan, and Rhonda Baynes Jeffries. Grappling with Diversity: Readings on Civil Rights Pedagogy and Critical Multiculturalism. London: SUNY Press, 2008. Schultz, Mark. The Rural Face of White Supremacy: Beyond Jim Crow. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2005. Sotiropoulos, Karen. Staging Race: Black Performers in Turn of the Century America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006. West, Caroline Marie. Violence in the Lives of Black Women: Battered, Black and Blue. New York: Haworth Press, 2003.

Egypt And Water Crisis Issues

Egypt And Water Crisis Issues Water is an essential resource that humans demands on In order to live, some countries are affected by the water crisis due to three important resources the scarcity of usable water, drought, and water pollution. Egypt faces water crisis mainly water pollution, which is one of the major problem facing the global circumstance, one of the causes to the water pollution problem is that it is not actually illegal to dump pollutants into water bodies. (Caroline, 2009) In my research paper I will be explaining why was Egypt hit by water crisis describing its causes, effects, and solutions, I will also be using four types of methodology descriptive, statistical descriptive, analytical, and data. Egypt has signed an agreement with other 10 countries to share the Nile river water that provides fresh water for agriculture, industry and human consumption. Egypt not like any other country which is located at the end of the river system allows it exploit massive control over how countries up-stream uses the Niles water resources. Due to the high growth of population and climate change the share of water will be reduced. (Cathcart, 2007) Another problem that Egypt might be facing soon is the share of water between Egypt and the Nile basin states. In the beginning of 2010, several states that are located on the Nile River signed an agreement among them for a redistribution of Nile waters, and by that they threatened Egypts uneven share based on previous treaties. In Egypts poor areas people travel a really long distance to just get clean water and when they get there they maybe shortage of water so they will start fighting over the clean water .(barsoum, 2007) Body Several facts that have hit Egypt with water crisis first of all Egypt maintain legal and political position on Nile water crisis. The main objective of the study is to analyze the crisis of the Nile Basin, and its effect on Egypt. As it, influence the relation between the ten countries falling aside the Nile River. Literature review Eleiba, 2011 explained the new agreement for the redistribution of the Nile water signed by several Nile basins countries. By this new agreement they threatened Egypts uneven share based on previous treaties. Participant states argued the need for a greater share of Nile waters to drive domestic development. Egyptian prime mister of irrigation and water resources also said at the time that there must be consensus among all Nile states to amend any standing arrangement. Upon the new agreement that was signed Egypt and Sudan werent involved and it was a shock for the prime minister because the agreement put an end to the assurance of signatory states towards Egypt. Egypt sent a report to the national security agency and the ministry of foreign affairs to aid us on this false agreement that Egypt didnt sign to but unfortunately no action was taken. But Egypts legal advisor moahamed sameh amr said that they had more than one problem blocking the accomplishment of the framework agreement by foundation countries without the contribution of Egypt and Sudan. Both counties maintain the old status quo of them using the biggest percentage of the water as stipulated in two colonial agreements they signed with the British in 1929 and 1959. Egypt has a right to use about 75 percent of the water while Sudan has 11 percent and the rest of the seven countries share 14 percent. (Eleiba, 2011) After that we will see that Water pollution in Egypt reached complex stage, a report by the Egyptian ministry of environment has indicated that Egypt had reached a drinking water pollution problem which is a complex stage. This resulted from the Nile river which suffered from pollution particularly from canals branching from it, these pollution are caused by swage from cities, towns and, epically from direct and indirect waste produced factories, Egyptian ministry of environment stated that there was lack of cleanliness services over the past years. The problem of water pollution is very complex due to including the lack of enormous investments to get rid of pollution, plus wide number of laws and bodies organization water resources has blocked solution to the problem. (George, 2009) The drought problem now according to Ibrahim Abou Ouf, an Egyptian Member of Parliament, Egypt will face severe water shortages by the year 2025 and portrayed the crisis as a possible drought, the Water Research Center of Egypt announced The report which was issued by the Egypts Water Research center stated that 60% of farms would not be receiving any water due to the limiting of water supplements. Increasing pollution will be one of the main reasons of the shortage of water facing Egypt. The rapid increase in population in Egypt, moreover miscarriage, absence of good management of water distribution and water pollution will be expected as the main reasons for the shortage. During the summer of 2010 Egyptians take to streets to protest water crisis (Ouf, 2007) The methodology included in this paper is descriptive which describes the causes of water crisis in Egypt and the agreements with the Nile basin countries. Second type of methodology is statistical descriptive I will be using indicators to show the economic effects of the water crisis on the Egyptian economy. Third type of methodology is analytical I will analyze the impact of the water crisis and how it influences the potentials of the Egyptian economy and discussing different solutions. The fourth type of methodology is data where the total consumption of water in Egypt has risen to 17%, the share of Egypt they consume 55.5 billion Cubic meters of waters year the main problem is people consider the water when it is being polluted that it is spoiled by anthropogenic which is effected by human activity or does not contain the support of human use, we have other sources that cause to water pollution like storms, volcanoes and earthquakes these phenomena changes the quality and the ecological status of the water. We have two types of water that they are likely to be contaminated but they are naturally, the first type is surface water consists of the rivers, lakes, and oceans covering most of the earths surface. The second type is groundwater which is considered a pristine resource has been shown to be subject to considerable contamination from toxic chemicals. Groundwater is water beneath the earths surface in soils or rocks, or in geological formations that are fully saturated. Some contamination maybe be considered accidental the product of unintended and unexpected waste migration to water supplies, a portion of the contamination was deliberate. Watercourses were simply a convenient place to dump municipal or private swage and industrial wastes. Along the shoreline of many lakes or rivers, pipes dumping human or industrial wastes directly into the water a common occurrence before laws limiting this activity were enacted ad enforced. Water crisis hits Egypt due to two main things water pollution and drought, I will give an example about how water is being polluted in Egypt In one of the articles that I found is talking about the lake temsah in suez . Lake Temsah is at a point where nearly all the waste waters are discharged like public agriculture and industrial this lake is connected to the Suez Canal and of course by that we will see that petroleum oil will be passed that are being produced by the Arab gulf to the rest of the world. The Temsah Lake is a major source of fishing because it serves the area of Ismailia which is a tourism site where the industries flourishes. There have been many complaints and it caused a great affect to the fishing and the tourism industries due to the high level of pollution happening to the lake. For the people living in Brulus on the Nile delta they only have a large puddle of drinking water which is contaminated, fury and desperation took place in Brulus and they went to the s treets protesting about the contained water, one of the protestors said We have to use this water, we have no choice. Dead dogs and donkeys are thrown into this water. Its very dirty yet. We use it for drinking, to wash our clothes and dishes. According to the UN tens of thousands of people die each year in Egypt from water borne diseases or dehydration. Not only people are suffering from water even the crops they are dying from thirst, the farmers are not producing enough crops and it puts the farmers in a critical situation which they are falling in debt due to bad harvest, farmers cant sleep at night because of thirst and they have no option except to ask God for help. One of the parliament members Hadeen Sabbahi said: There is a hidden and ignored thirst problem in Egypt. The protests here brought light to the problem. How can a country that has the Nile River suffer like this? A glass of clean water is a basic right of all citizens. (barsoum, 2007) Now I will shift to the drought problem When the high damn was first bulit in 1964. After 6 years the reservior called lake nasser was full. A predict of 90,000 people were put out of place and more than 5,000 square kilometers of land was flooded. The only everlasting grazing areas of the Ababda and the Besharin were gone under water and the remains of their lands have suffered from a decades long drought. This lead to a decrease in the wealth of the bedouin and the Ababda and the Besharin were one of poorest people in Egypt. In 2007 the Egyptian government and the World Food Program started agricultural projects to present the bedouins an option to life in the desert. The drought problem now according to Ibrahim Abou Ouf, an Egyptian Member of Parliament, Egypt will face severe water shortages by the year 2025 and portrayed the crisis as a possible drought, the Water Research Center of Egypt announced The report which was issued by the Egypts Water Research center stated that 60% of farms would not be receiving any water due to the limiting of water supplements. The factors causing this drought is the Increasing pollution will be one of the main reasons of the shortage of water facing Egypt. moreover miscarriage, absence of good management of water distribution and water pollution will be expected as the main reasons for the shortage. (ouf, 2007). The citezines living in poor area could not take it any more so it lead the to protest in the streets. On the 28th of July 2010 there were thousands of people protested in Cairo upon the government to try to make the government aware of the severe water crisis that is affecting the livelihoods. We will find that the water consumption has increased over time and the reason behind this is the irrigation method these protest are some ways the governments reluctance to relinquish its current share of River Nile water. There were other cities also included in the protest such as minya there were 600 people went and sat in front of the irrigation ministry in Cairo due to the lack of water they are facing. During the previous years there have been protest about the shortage of water but in 2010 it has been more extraordinary. One engineering student from Cairo college riad aldamk was working on a project and he said that Egypts total water consumption had increased by 17% in the last five years, according to studies conducted by the college. Hotter summers were partly to blame. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) also stated that by 2017 we will face a massive decline of 15.2billion cubic meters from a required 86.2 billion cubic meters to a projected 71.4 billion cubic meters. Egypt consumes 700 cubic meters of water per year and the average consumption of the 15 countries is 1000 cubic meter, the CAMPAS also said that the loss of water comes from agriculture and the blame goes to the irrigation method because they lose about 8-17 billion cubic meter of water per year which is enormous. To help the irrigations system the Egyptian government went on an agreement with the water user association (WUA). During 1984 the water user association (WUA) was established and is one of the measures associated with the IIP project. The irrigation improvement project (IIP a major nation-wide program accepted out by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the USAID, World Bank and other donors since 1984. Their job is to improve t he efficiency of the water and farms level. This program aims to save freshwater by reducing losses on farm level. The WUA also helps the farmers to be involved on how to improve water delivery system and of course that requires them to play a role to ensure efficiency operation and maintenance. The Egyptian government issued law 213 in 1994 where WUAs were defined as legal private organizations at the mesqa level in the improved irrigation systems, owned and operated by their members for their own benefit in the old lands. The same also introduced the Water Users Unions, (WUUs) which are applicable for the New Lands. The WUA and the IIp are related together and by that they have certain functions. The main functions of WUAs as described within the IIP are: Participation in planning, design, and construction of improved mesqas. Operation, maintenance, and follow-up of the improved mesqas. Improvement of water use activities on the mesqa level. Identification of roles and responsibilities of the mesqas head and setting up rules to resolve conflicts. Establishment of linkages for coordination with other agriculture and irrigation concerned agencies. Establishment of linkages for coordination with other WUAs. Development of financial resources in order to improve operation and maintenance. Participation with higher-level organizations of the branch canal and cooperation with the district engineer. Water pollution in Egypt reached complex stage, a report by the Egyptian ministry of environment has pointed out that Egypt had reached a drinking water pollution problem. This resulted from the Nile river which suffered from pollution particularly from canals branching from it, these pollution are caused by swage from cities, towns and, epically from direct and indirect waste produced factories, Egyptian ministry of environment stated that there was lack of cleanliness services over the past years. The problem of water pollution in is very complex due to including the lack of enormous investments to get rid of pollution, plus wide number of laws and bodies organization water resources has blocked solution to the problem. (Aldamk, 2010). Egypt the Nile basin, though, is in the trusteeship of 11 civilizing and ethnically various African nation states, four of which (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda), have very serious national interests tied up in the river. The river Nile flows in Egypt through Lake Nasser, an artificial lake created by the building of the Aswan High Dam., Egypts capability to manage the annual flooding of the lower Nile river valley through the building of dams and the construction of irrigation systems. Due to global climate change by the year 2020 around 250million people are to be exposed to water shortage Local food supplies are predictable to be negatively precious by decreasing fisheries resources in large lakes due to rising water temperatures, which may be exacerbated by continued over-fishing. Towards the end of the 21st century, projected sea-level rise will affect low-lying coastal areas with large populations. The cost of adaptation could amount to at least 5-10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (Cathcart, 2007) Another problem that Egypt might be facing soon is the share of water between Egypt and the Nile basin states. An emerging water crisis is emerging between the 10 Nile Basin countries depends on the 6741kilometre stretch Nile River; Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi. In 1999, The Nile Basin countries created the NBI Nile Basin Initiative. Consequently, many disputes created between Egypt and Sudan occurred. Besides, there were many challenges from the other countries on the validity of the agreement. The other countries argue that the agreement was not fair, and that it was assigned during a colonial period, but now Africa is independent. Now, Egypt and Sudan did not want to join the agreement with the other countries. Besides, five countries (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) signed an agreement in May without the rest of countries. However, the rest of the countries do not depend on the Nile, but for Egypt and Sudan, the Nile River considered their whole life. From here, the disputes emerged. However, the countries signed the agreement and trying it begins it. Besides, they gave the other countries -Egypt, Sudan, Burundi, and Democratic republics Congo-a chance one year in order to join the agreement. Nevertheless, this agreement ne eds a minimum of six countries to sign. Thus, Democratic Republic Congo and Burundi seemed to be silent about what they plan, but Egypt and Sudan disagreeing about this agreement. In addition, the minister of water Kamal Ali Muhamed decided to stop the cooperation with the NBI as a result of the agreement. (E. Sokari, July 2010) The Nile River is about 3.35 million KM2. Agriculture is the main activity for the people in the Nile Basin. Most of the people in the upper and lower Basin were pastoralist. The upper riparian included Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo that they have a small use of the Nile as well as generate a hydro-electric power. But Egypt and Sudan located in the lower that used the river widely for irrigation and generate hydro electric power. The upper riparian supply the Nile Water to the lower riparian(K. Abraham, 1997). Egypt considered one of the riparian that use the Nile River greatly. This is because of its historical, geographical and economic situations. Most of the Egyptian people are farmers so they depend on the Nile River in order to live and about 98% of the population lives in the Nile River. The Nile is considered the source of life for all Egyptian so; Egypt made good relations with Ethiopia because 86% of the Nile water originates in Ethiopia (K. Abraham, 1997). After the 1929 agreement between Egypt and Britain, Egypt started to build a huge dam and barrages without asking the Upper riparian. Arsano stated that the Egyptian government desired to control the all the Nile water, during the 19th and the 20th century, by restoring the Nile water into the dams during the floods and this led to increase the security for permanent irrigation(K. Abraham, 1997). After the 1959 agreement between Egypt and Sudan without including the other Nile Basin countries, Sudan get about 18.5 billion Cubic meters but Egypt get 55.5 billion Cubic meters of waters and the high Dam was build that helped in increasing the cropped areas by 103 million acres and helped in generating more hydro electric powers. After this agreement Egypt neglected the need of others upper riparian. Moreover, the new investment of Sinai and Khraga/Dakhala water creations projects were made without any discussions with the upper riparian. Egypt started to make more projects in Sinai and new artificial lakes which led the upper riparian to take actions to use the water of the Nile (K. Abraham, 1997). The second country that uses the Nile water greatly is Sudan. Sudan started to build many dams to protect water for irrigation. In 1925, the first dam was build on the Blue Nile in Sudan called Senna Dam and Jebel Awlia Dam was the second Dam was built on the White Nile in 1937. After the 1959 agreement, the Rosaries Dam was built on the Blue Nile, which helped in storing about 2.4 billion cubic meters km2. Moreover, in 1962, the Khasim-el Gerba Dam was founded and helped in increase the cultivated areas in Sudan (K. Abraham, 1997). One of the main problems of conflict is associated with the equitable sharing of the resources of the Nile River water; Ethiopia is the supplier of the Nile River water but it used a very small share of it. K. Abraham stated that the other upper countries had the same problem as Ethiopia. On the other hand, Sudan considered itself as the main beneficiary of this water. It found that the use of the Nile river water did not depend on law but upper countries said that Egypt and Sudan supplied nothing of it but using most of it. The upper riparian use a very small amount of the Nile River water although they are the suppliers of the Nile Water. Arsona stated that the Nile Basin upper countries want to use some of their resources of the Nile River water but the lower countries (Egypt and Sudan) are going to use more Nile water above their needs. Arsona stated that the water problem increased because of increasing the population rate sharply and each Nile Basin country want to use its water resource to the maximum. This level that each country needed are higher the level of available water resources. The lower riparian used about 65.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile water in the agriculture projects. This amount I 12.26 billion cubic meter more than the total available water resource in the Nile basin (K. Abraham, 1997). According to Arsona This is a clear indication that when all riparian come up with their respective national water master plans the available water resources and national demands will be at irreconcilable variance. (K. Abraham, 1997). Growth of population is not only the main problem but it is one of the main factors, another other significant factor of this water issue that there is no a legal mechanism on the base of which water sharing could be made and regulated. The current agreements are bilateral as well as excessively support lower riparian. K. Abraham stated that the difficulty of the water issue of the using and sharing an equal amount of the Nile water (K. Abraham, 1997). According to K. Abraham, The difficulty of water problem is using and sharing an equal amount of the water; this amount is highlighted by a lot of agreement such as 1902 Anglo- Ethiopia agreement and the water agreement between Egypt and Sudan without Ethiopia in 1929 and 1959 and Ethiopia did not find an available amount of water to use. The increase in the population rate in the Nile Basin countries led to increase the pressure on the Nile water. (K. Abraham, 1997). Actions taken by Egypt In the beginning of 2010, several states that are on the Nile signed an agreement among them for a redistribution of Nile waters, and by that they threatened Egypts uneven share based on previous treaties. Participant states argued the need for a greater share of Nile waters to drive domestic development. Egyptian prime mister of irrigation and water resources also said at the time that there must be consensus among all Nile states to amend any standing arrangement. Upon the new agreement that was signed Egypt and Sudan werent involved and it was a shock for the prime minister because the agreement put an end to the assurance of signatory states towards Egypt. Egypt sent a report to the national security agency and the ministry of foreign affairs to aid us on this false agreement that Egypt didnt sign to but unfortunately no action was taken. But Egypts legal advisor moahamed sameh amr said that they had more than one problem blocking the accomplishment of the framework agreement by foundation countries without the contribution of Egypt and Sudan. First of all the incomplete agreement between the Nile basin countries since the they didnt not meet legal requirements, most importantly the text of Article 14b residues under discussion, which pertains to Egypts privileges to river water according to previous international agreements. Authorized committees had agreed to follow a consensual not a mainstream decision-making model, as is the rule for adopting resolutions. Most importantly the agreement was signed and this leads to a clear contravention of standing rules since it was opened for signatures before reaching consensus. The fact that some source countries have already signed unilaterally is a breach of procedure. Amr has stated I an important question: How can we reach out to these countries at a time when they are drafting agreements against Egypts interests? This cooperation will not be fruitful because of them. concerning the legal consequence of source countries unilaterally signing the agreement without upriver states, Amr clarified that according to international law the agreement is not obligatory except for on its signatories, and that they alone are responsible for its stipulations. This means that legal action is confined to the signatories and anyone else is considered a third party, even if they had participated in the negotiation process. At the same time other countries cant cross the line of the international rules before notifying any development project they are willing to make therefore Egypt must take notice or be consulted before any country of upper river are willing to take action. The director of the centre for African studies and research has stated that the relation between the source countries and the other country that are upriver in particularly Egypt is fractured. He also added that Ethiopia has played an aggressive role and despite of Cairos policies it will be hard to change this ro le. The Ethiopians regularly maintain Egyptian imperialism. Conclusion: In my point of view water pollution cannot be solved if they have found one it would be that much of a problem or Hassel, the Egyptian government has taken the aid of the water user association (WUA) in order to improve the management of water distribution and the failure of the agriculture and irrigation system by doing only this step we can solve water crisis in Egypt because the irrigation system wastes about 8-17 billion cubic meter of water a year and the Egyptian government consumes 55 billion cubic meter of water per year. In order to make some different in this prospective we have 3 major categories education, laws and economics. By education u make people aware by the problem and how they can try to solve it. Like in Britain when they suffered from catching illness from polluted water and they formed and organization called surfers against sewage to make the government and water companies to work and clean up. By law the government has to put rules against polluters and sanctions against factories that produce pollution and each country should have a certain amount of pollution it should produce. By economics they all think in economics the best way to fight pollution is to do something called polluter pays principles its exactly the same like laws who ever creates pollution should pay for it and to clean up for what he did. Outline Introduction Literature review Water pollution Causes of water pollution and drought in Egypt Effects of water pollution and droughts in Egypt Solutions to water pollution and drought in Egypt Conclusion