Columbia Business Environment

According to (Walter, J. (2006), any business worthy its salt must carry out a business analysis audit before venturing into expansion plans. This often saves an organization time and resources which would be lost if the decision to expand or relocate business is not based on sound business practices. The case below analyses the business environment in Colombia, by addressing the political, cultural, economic, and domestic and industry analysis of the country. Finally the paper gives a verdict based on the findings of the analysis which is basically a recommendation on the economic investment options for a business aiming at venturing into the Colombian market. Location. Colombia, neighbors Caribbean Sea, Panama, Venezuela, a well as North Pacific Ocean. With a population of about 40 million people, the country has a good domestic market. Colombia enjoys a mixture of climates such as coastal- tropic climate as well as in the eastern plains it also has cool highlands climate suitable for agricultural activities. Political environment Major political parties currently include, Democratic Alliance, Liberal Party, Patriotic Union, and Social Conservative Party (Kline, & Harvey, 1985). Political leaders include the president, Carlos Franco Echavarria, Antonio Navarro Wolff, Otty Patino, Carlos Alonso Lucio, Jose Fernando Bautista, Aida Abella and Dr. Eugenio Merlano de la Ossa. The country has democratic ties with the US and has ambassador in the US as well as hosts an ambassador from the US. In terms of religion the people are largely Roman Catholics, which constitute over 90% of the population with other religions forming the 10 percent. Currently the country is grappling with civil riots, poverty, lawlessness, depreciating currency as well as unstable political environment. The country has been faced with civil strife for the past 40 years something which has led to the displacement of over 200,000 people internally (Amnesty International, 2002). Currently, the presidency is from right –wing and many pundits have predicted that, as long as he continues to favor socialist ideals, the long waited reforms especially those addressing the plight of the poor in Columbia will continue unresolved. Economic conditions. The economy is predicted to grow at a rate of 6. 1something attributable to stable domestic consumption as well as favorable private investment situation. In the year 2005 the GDP was 5. 13 and a 6. 1 growth this year is appositive indicator of a favorable economic environment. The best performing sectors are trade, infrastructure and industry. Columbia’s GDP has been growing at a rate of 3. 1 to 3-6 in the last 3 years that is from the year 2004 to presently. Improved global economic environment is the reason behind a lot of economic activity being experienced in Colombia (Bagley, & Michael, 1987). In addition, the domestic market is growing in a sharp contrast to the impoverished people. The growth rate can be termed as encouraging with the country experiencing strong and predictable exchange rates, as well as low and favorable interest rates. On top of the above, the credit conditions have improved significantly as compared to the situation in the 90’s. Major economic sectors include textiles, oil exploration, beverages, chemicals, cement; as well as minerals like gold, coal, and emeralds (Thoumi, Francisco 1987). Labor conditions. The labor market in Colombia is ready and oversupplied. However major challenges lay ahead because of the deplorable labor movement conditions in that country. In a nut shell it is evident from the available literature that, labor organizations are non operational in Colombia, joining trade union is equitable to courting death something which has greatly affected the labor relations in the country. On top of that, employees’ morale in the country is on an all-time low due to the fact that, the workers in that country do not have a strong bargaining power (Peeler, &John, 1976). The situation becomes more complex due to the involvement of military groups which besides being armed, seem to operate undeterred by law enforcement agencies. There have been reported numerous abductions, threats and assassinations all directly related to labor issues something which calls for great planning on the side of a foreign company wishing to invest in Colombia. The above have had a negative effect on the economic environment of the country and have been the leading causes for investors shunning from investing in the country. Besides the above named conditions of crime, there has been of late a wave of economic crime such as hijackings of shipments, ransom demand kidnappings, counterfeit goods trade, all of which have made production costs to go up due to high risks. Colombia is active in regional and international organizations such as UN, Andean community, the Rio group and OAS (Martz, & John, 1962). The country’s political system is a democracy of bicameral congress and independent executive as well as judiciary. The biggest political parties are the Liberal and Conservative currently the president is, Alvaro Uribe. The people speak their ethnic languages of their respective ethnic groups but Spanish is the official and national language, such ethnic groups and languages include; Mestizo, Whites, Blacks, mulatto and Amerindian. The literacy level is very high with 91% of the population being literate which implies that skilled labor is readily available in the country. The people are known to be hospitable and rarely has there been reported animosity related to foreigners. Evidently, Colombia is not a politically stable country something which has resulted from continued guerrilla warfare as well as paramilitary activities. Urban crime rate is very high as well as the insecurity conditions in the whole country. Corruption is reported to be very high couple with drug trafficking and all other manner of social crimes. It is correct to say that Columbia is one of the most unsafe places to invest in and therefore the business should postpone its expansion plans in Colombia and perhaps relocate to other neighboring countries with same strategic business advantages as Columbia but less risks and therefore operational costs..

Response Essay

Response Essay In reading the three articles, â€Å"From Degrading to De-Grading† by Alfie Kohn, â€Å"And Now He is Nothing† by Michael Specter and â€Å"Dilma Rousseff† by Simon Romero my impressions of each article varies from one of unbelief to affirmation. As compelling as the ideology of not grading is, the practicality of implementation would be enormous. The assumption that Lance Armstrong is now nothing can it really be so easily dismissed? Finally, Dilma Rousseff rise to power as a right of previous wrongs remains to be seen; each writer conveying a very persuasive argument.I embrace Alfie Kohn’s ideology that by grading a student’s work one actually hinders the process of learning. Having three school-aged children myself, I see the effect grades have on their mindset. If they do not achieve an â€Å"A† they feel less than their peers. I also have seen instances where they will pick the easiest assignment or not bother to complete extra credit assignments for grading. Therefore, in this regard I do agree that grading does play a factor in their learning experience.However, the practicality of overcoming the mindset of a nation of people is a daunting task that may very well take years to persuade. As much as I may agree with Mr. Kohn’s ideology, I do not see this becoming mainstreamed within the educational system any time in the near future. His ideology would have to be fully embraced by the educational system for steps of improvement in grading students to take hold. This may very well take a grass roots effort from the parents and citizens themselves before ideology could be changed, which would take much time in educating the public on this subject.As much as I personally would love to see this type of learning be prevalent within our educational system I do not see it happening in my lifetime. One can only hope. Such as the case with Lance Armstrong, our hopes in him as a nation were dashed with the admission of doping. As with many of our athletes, it is always a disappointment when news of their achievement is eroded by one form of cheating or another. His achievements are outstanding and his passion and dedication for bicycling is inspiring, especially having overcome the dread of cancer.We are always looking to others to motivate us, or inspire us to do more than we think we are capable of doing, which is what makes his admission so painful. I agree that I was shocked by the news, but is the punishment truly warranted; to remove all seven of his Tour de France victories? I don’t believe it is warranted, neither can it be proven as he had been tested numerous times over the years and never tested positive. An admission alone is not proof enough and should not warrant such an ardent punishment. Although I agree with the writer’s disappointment I do not agree with striping him of all his wins.People are not always what you think they are. As with Dilma Rousse ff, the darling of the Brazilian government, her rags to riches story is compelling. While I applaud Ms. Rousseff’s accomplishments, it remains to be seen if she in fact will be the savior of her country or the start of its demise. Her ideology that government can fix all the economic problems by stimulating the economy with stimulus packages in my opinion is just a temporary fix. Just as we have seen in our own country with the bank bailouts and the loans to the automotive corporations has only delayed the effects of a slumped economy.The promise that better days are ahead remains exactly that, somewhere over the horizon. Do I feel that it is wrong for the government to stimulate the economy, no, but neither do I believe that the government is our savior. This world’s economy is such a delicate balancing act that anything outside of your own four walls can ultimately be your downfall. Each article evokes a different response from the wish of a complete overhaul of our educational system, to our hopes dashed by choices made by one of our star athletes, to skepticism of big brother being our fix all.As much as I agree with the ideology of De-Grading the implementation would be difficult at best. Armstrong’s rise to fame and demise is one that will be remembered for years by those for and against the ruling levied against him. Finally, everyone loves the underdog such as the case with Ms. Rousseff but it remains to be seen if her ideology of government intervention is truly the best approach for Brazil’s economic future. In conclusion, I would more than likely read more articles written by these writers because of their ability to persuade and keep the attention of the reader.

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business Using Internet technology to provide improved customer service, make more efficient business processes, increase sales, and reduce wastage is called E-business. E-business uses the internet tools such as websites, online banking, and web based customer relationship. Advantages of E-Business: There are many benefits an organisation can get with having an E-Business solution for the business. Worldwide Presence: The major advantage of engaging business online, to have presence nationwide or worldwide. IBM uses the e-business term to provide services to the customer and was one of the first companies uses this term. Dell Inc. and Amazon are the other success stories using E-Business to flourish their business. Cost Effective Marketing and Promotions: using internet to market products is a very nominal method which guarantees the worldwide reach. Pay per click advertising is a effective technique which ensure the business only pay for the advertisement that actually viewed. Better Custo mer Service: E-Business has change the customer services image enormously. Number of customers can visit or the website at same time. Some website have online chat feature to help the customer to find out more about the product they are interested in. moreover orders can be placed online by processing payments securely over the internet and products can be shipped to the customer. In this case customers even do not have to leave the house. Disadvantages of E-Business: Even above mentioned advantages there are some disadvantages of the E-Business. Some of them are listed below. Sartorial limitation: the main disadvantage of E-Business is lack of growth in some sectors i.e. food. Consumer prefers to look the food products physically before buying. Costly maintenance: substantial recourses are required to setup online business which requires computer upgrade, personnel trainings and website upgrade. This can be a disadvantage for some organisation. Security concern: The security concer ns also lead to privacy issue. There are many examples of contact lists and personal details were hacked or exposed due to weak E-Business system security. Virus threat. Physical products constrain. Perishable goods. Types of business organisation: There are two major types of the business. Private sector: Private firms are owned and run by private individual. There is further classification in private sector firms. Sole traders: A sole trader owns and runs a business. They contribute capital to start the enterprise, run it with or without employees, and earn the profits or stand the losses of the venture. Sole traders are found mainly in the retail trades (local newsagents), small scale service industries (plumbers), and small manufacturing and craft industries. Advantages: Easy to setup Can keep all the profits Make key decision. Flexibility Disadvantages: Unlimited liability Limited access to capital Pressure of being solely responsible. Partnership: Partnership is defined as â⠂¬Ëœthe relation who subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit’. A partnership is not a separate legal person distinct from its members; it is merely a ‘relation’ between persons. Each partner (there must be at least two) is usually personally liable for all the debts of the firm.

Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constitution - Essay Example It has become a fundamental right that is universally recognized by the courts and public alike. Under this presumption, defendants are entitled to a presumption of innocence. Defendants do not have to prove their innocence. The government must establish guilt ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’ This right and others are outlined in four Amendments, the Fourth which protects against searches and seizures without benefit of a court warrant, in addition to the Fifth, Sixth and Eighth. These aforementioned four Amendments are essential to the U.S. criminal justice system functioning as the framers of the Constitution envisioned it. (Twining v. New Jersey, 1908). The Fifth Amendment guarantees the defendant’s right to ‘due process of law’ and from being subjected to ‘double jeopardy’ or testifying against themselves. Double jeopardy means being put on trial twice for the same offense (U.S. Department of State, 2001). The ‘Miranda Rightsâ€℠¢ are covered by the Fifth Amendment. The Eighth Amendment prohibits courts assessing ‘excessive bail’ and implementing ‘cruel and unusual punishments.’ It is the Sixth Amendment that offers the most protection for citizens. Defendants are guaranteed the right to a ‘speedy trial’ and an ‘impartial jury’ by the Sixth Amendment. ... Today, the courts interpret this Sixth Amendment right to include appointing an attorney for defendants that can’t pay for one. Prior to the Gideon v. Wainwright ruling in 1963, courts had generally understood that legal representation would be appointed in special situations only such as when the defendant was not capable of comprehending the charges brought against them because of a mental deficiency. This was accepted as being fair and just but disregarded the indigent who could not afford legal counsel. Gideon was a compelling affirmation that both groups, those that could not understand the charges and those that did not have the financial means to retain counsel, were at equal disadvantage and that all citizens had a fundamental right to be represented by legal counsel. â€Å"The underpinning of Gideon is the notion that a fair trial requires a balance of power, and to the extent that the government spends money in support of the prosecution, it should also spend money on defense† (Black, 1963). The Bill of Rights does not include specific or even ambiguous instructions regarding victim protections. Interestingly, the Sixth Amendment, which outlines the most important rights for the defendant also addresses rights, of sorts, for the victim. Because this Amendment stipulates that the defendant be â€Å"confronted with the witnesses against him† (â€Å"Bill of Rights†) it allows for victims to confront the person who wronged them. The accused must be able to confront their accuser which cannot happen unless, of course, the victim confronts the accused. Confronting the person who perpetrated the crime is therapeutic for the victim and is a practice that has grown in popularity in recent years. The First Amendment

Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Technology - Essay Example This can be a stepping-stone to the child or adolescent to start bullying their immediate or fellow students and their teachers. Children bullying at tender age may just tease their fellow student, neighbors and teachers but when they grow up with such mentality, bullying altogether take a different meaning and as it expands, date violence, sexually harassing girls. As a human being we express our feelings through emotions, when we feel happy we express it through smile, when we are angry we show it by shouting at someone or by through force, when we feel sad we cry, like that human beings emotions are a way to express themselves. Emotions are complex that don’t have a single universally accepted definition. These are termed as mental states that arise spontaneously without any conscious effort. Some experts feel emotions are a cognitive process and are physical expressions that are related to feelings, perceptions or belief about objects and relations between them. When it comes to scientific research emotions are divided into multiple dimensions such as behavioral, physiological, subjective and cognitive. According to experts deeds, ideas, emotions and physiological states are the four components of human behavior. Idea and deed can be chosen independently but emotions and physiological states cannot be chosen independently. The basics start at school and slowly as they become mature they realize learning is a long process and helps them to be disciplined. The importance of learning is to share with others and make them educated. Studying at colleges and universities is totally a different ball game compared to schools. In colleges and universities the curriculum will be based on practical assumptions. Courses offering at universities and colleges are termed as professional courses and inclined towards engineering, management and political careers. The

What do the sounds in White Noise foreshadow Essay

What do the sounds in White Noise foreshadow - Essay Example This may mean his work has enhanced his art to, a significant level, or his work has accomplished larger commercial achievement than his previous works. This paper analyzes the significance of sounds in White Noise. White Noise made tremendous sales and got terrific reviews all through the career of Don DeLillo. It is straightforward to understand the reasons that made it one of the best fictional works of the time. A number of factors contributed to its superior position over other similar works. They include its crafty satire of academia, advertising, and television, its letter-perfect illustration of the sights and sounds of malls and supermarkets, its ironically humorous structure of the post nuclear household, and expression of events that strongly relate with contemporary Americans. In addition, Don DeLillo has focused more on the need for association between the world, the national communities and the self, survival and the subtle, and culture, than with character. People are technologically oriented, and elements of nature entangled in the riddle of history, therefore, the superhero, the outlaw and the notion of man against other elements exist as fiction in the contemporary world (DeLillo 6). DeLillo’s work illustrates a form of intelligence and suspense, a feeling of the tight-drawn net and widening gyre. White Noise is a story based on a professor of Hitler studies, Jack Gladney, in an institution, in America. The life of the professor with his family is pervaded by the ubiquitous complain of technological advancements. The radio and television offer constant commercials and commentary. This helps unite Jack’s family with the other parts of America in a significant cover of consumerism. The professor is enjoying his life, only indistinctly traumatized by the concern of his ultimate death (DeLillo 8). This changes when a chemical discharge emits a dark cloud of insecticide elements. The in the air poisonous condition makes the professor and his family leave their home. John and his family’s peaceful life are interrupted, in spite, the permission to return to their home one week after the toxic event. His contact with the toxic event makes him concentrate on the probability of his looming death. In addition, her fourth wife is also affected by her concern over death. A possible solution for their fear of death is in the form of medicine that guarantees to deal with the fear of death, Dylar. Jack turns to tremendous solutions to lessen his pain when the medication is unsuccessful. The hum of technology continues to engross Jack all through his troubles. The book is more than a deliberation on death. White Noise is a reflection of the impact of commercialism and technological activities on an individual’s everyday life. The professor is not afraid of his natural demise. It is only after Jack has contact with a manmade disastrous event that he is worried of his unnatural death. The toxic activities seem t o remove excitement about life. The author shows that the white noise engrossing Jack had started to demean his survival. The toxic events make jack conscious of demeaned existence (DeLillo 117). The professor’s associations are characterized by technologically related activities. The ease and comfort provided by all the gadgets encircling John and his family is attractive but dulling in the long run. It conceals the line between projected situations and

Common core Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Common core - Research Paper Example On the other hand, the Common core standard initiative conflicts the teachers instructional training that the teachers received during their teaching preparation training. This makes it difficult for the teachers to adjust to the new instructional requirement under the Common core standard (Sewall, 2014). Thus, this discussion seeks to assess the dangers that the Common core standard of education presents to children. The issue was selected because it is a nationwide concern for all educational stakeholders; parents, teachers, students and the employers have issues related to the overall impact of the introduction of the Common core standard on the high school graduate abilities and skills to cope with the requirements of the outside world (Exstrom & Thatcher, 2014). The discussion will first define the Common core standard problem, and then venture into the analysis of the available literature and studies that have explored the need, justification, benefits and dangers posed by the educational initiative to the students. Finally, the discussion will conclude with giving the suggestion for improvement. However, it can easily be concluded that the Common core standard poses some educational danger to school children. The need to adapt to the global working environment cannot be ignored at this time and age where globalization has made it essential for employment preparation and training to be shaped such that it does not only suit the local environment, but also the global working environment (Rycik, 2014). Thus, the establishment of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was a necessary move towards aligning the elementary and the high school education in the United States to match with the college education and the work expectations of the top performing countries globally (Boslaugh, 2014). Thus, the students were required to undergo the learning and

Battling Obesity in Adults with health promotion programmes Essay

Battling Obesity in Adults with health promotion programmes - Essay Example The research paper â€Å"Battling Obesity in Adults with health promotion programmes† examines the unhealthy lifestyle habits and ways of preventing a serious contemporary public health issue, obesity. Obesity is becoming very common with the current lifestyles of people. Nowadays, life is made more convenient by technology and the accessibility of basic needs. For example, instead of walking to the store to buy things, one can just call for delivery. Instead of cooking food from scratch, one can just buy â€Å"fast food† or heat up instant meals in the microwave oven. These lifestyle habits are likely to cause weight gain in people especially if they do not engage in physical activities. If not controlled, it can even lead to obesity. It is posing a big health problem not only of the individual but for families and society in general. Overweight and obese individuals have an increased risk to illnesses and disease such as heart disease, stroke and other deadly diseases . Hence, a health awareness program for the prevention of obesity as well as some interventions to treat obesity should be put in place. It is part of the nurses’ duties to ensure the health and well-being of patients through preventative strategies such as health promotion. Since being overweight and obese is getting to be more common, nurses need to be educated on its risks, causes and prevention so they can explain it well to their patients, as well as practice healthy living themselves so as to keep physically fit. (Sellwood, 2013). With life/work getting more complicated and busy, people resort to fast food for convenience, but these are all filled with processed ingredients which are not healthy to consume (Tiggermann, 2004). Instead of such convenience food, nurses can advise their patients to eat freshly cooked food, fresh fruits and vegetables for better nutrition. Preparing food from scratch may take more time and effort, but nurses need to emphasize to their patien ts that these are better for them in the long run, as their health should be their priority. In order to be credible nurses, they need to model their conviction to be healthy. That is why they need to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to implement appropriate health promotion programmes (Hayden, 2008; Azjen, 1985; Ewles & Simnett, 2004). Obesity exists when there is an excess fat in the body which adversely affects the health and well-being of individuals. (Mascie-Taylor & Goto, 2007). The body fat is measured with the body mass index (BMI). Brewis (2010) shares that when the BMI level of an individual goes over 25 kg/m2 , then he or she may be classified as overweight. If the BMI level reaches 30 kg/m2 and over, then it is already classified as obesity. Currently a major health problem, obesity contributes to increased morbidity and mortality among adults. It makes them more vulnerable to cardiovascular illnesses. The significant increase in mortality of obese patients with cardiovascular disease is a cause for alarm (Parsons et al., 2005). Obesity has likewise been associated with other medical conditions resulting in human suffering and health care costs, becoming an increasing burden to those afflicted with it, their families, and the government (Finkelstein et al. 2003). It is considered the fifth major cause of death globally as more than 2.8 million deaths annually result from this disease (WHO, 2011). It has also been reported that more than 23% of ischaemic heart disease, 44% of diabetes and 7% to 41% of some cancer burdens are caused or aggravated by obesity (WHO, 2011). From the latest update of the World Health

Discussion 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Discussion 3 - Assignment Example rpret that sign to mean getting a go ahead to do something while others may interpret the same to mean being sent away or being reprimanded in one way or another. An example of a euphemism that I have come across is a mother conversing with the daughter touching on sex in the presence of other peers. In this case, the mother uses expressions that explain to the daughter that her body is changing, and that sooner or later, she would start developing mountains on her chest. The mother also tells the daughter that visitors will visit her every month to mean that she would start experiencing her monthly periods. She later explains to her daughter that forests will grow on her body, to mean that the daughter will start developing pubic hair on her body. These kinds of expressions help in communication as Moore & Parker (2011) write. In this case, the euphemisms make it less embarrassing to discuss the body changes in the human

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example Thus, the issue of awarding the capital punishment remains a highly controversial topic across the world. In the US many states award death penalty to offenders who commit premeditated homicide while some others do not have capital punishment. Killing a human being intentionally is a heinous crime and offenders who commit premeditated homicide need to be punished with capital punishment to deter others from engaging in such criminal activities. Criminal justice system awards punishment to the criminals with a view to prevent the recurrence of crimes. The society considers that every criminal offender needs to be awarded a punishment appropriate to the crime he or she commits. Thus, the advocates of death penalty contend that when capital punishment is awarded to a person who commits murder, â€Å"potential murderers will think twice before killing for fear of losing their own life† (The Death Penalty: Arguments for and Against the Death Penalty 1). Evidence also points to an a nalysis by the criminologist Isaac Ehrlich, which shows that â€Å"for every inmate who was executed, 7 lives were spared† as other perpetrators become deterred from committing similar crimes (1). This source concedes to the fact that studies relating to deterrence are sometimes â€Å"inconclusive† but it attributes this to the rare use of death penalty and the delay in its execution (1). Thus, it can be construed that death penalty acts as a deterrent to crime, which is a â€Å"practical justification† for the award of capital punishment (2). Criminal justice system relies on the basic tenet that every crime deserves a proportionate punishment for meeting the objectives of natural justice. Therefore, it appears natural that the person who perpetrates a premeditated murder of another person should be punished with death so that the victim and his or her family receive justice. Thus, the principle evolves that criminal justice must consider the extent of â€Å"h arm caused by the criminal† and award a punishment that is â€Å"proportionate† to the crime (Bidinotto 20). However, the opponents of capital punishment hold the view that punitive measures derive from the concept of vengeance and the â€Å"vindictive notion of an eye for an eye† (23). Refuting this theory, Bidinotto argues that justice does not rely on the notion of vengeance but, on the other hand, is â€Å"based on retribution† (23). He further contends that showing mercy to murderers amounts to â€Å"negation of simple justice† and will actually act as an encouragement for criminals as they can â€Å"gain more from crimes than any costs they will have to bear† (23). Thus, it becomes evident that a punishment proportionate to the crime is only moral and, therefore, the award of capital punishment to a murderer is justified. Deliberate murder is a crime that destabilizes the society and, therefore, when such crimes occur the community has a responsibility to respond. The death penalty can be considered as a â€Å"uniquely powerful† response to such a crime due to its being a â€Å"permanent† solution that cannot be â€Å"retracted or overturned† (Gelernter 26). Thus, by awarding death penalty to criminals who commit the offence of premeditated homicide, society makes a proclamation that such crimes are â€Å"absolutely evil and absolutely intolerable† (26). Therefore, it will dissuade criminals from engaging in such crimes and reduce murders. Though the opponents of death penalty are

City of New London Essay Example for Free

City of New London Essay The City of New London exercised its power of eminent domain to appropriate properties of a number of its citizens for purposes of selling it to private developers. Unwilling citizens including petitioner Suzette Kelo and other similarly situated individuals contested the aforementioned governmental action saying that it was done in violation of the takings clause in the Constitution. The city, on the other hand, argues that there was compliance with the requirements in the Fifth Amendment because the integrated development plan was intended for public use, i. e. to develop the barren land which will eventually lead to the creation of employment opportunities for the citizens as well as increased revenue for the city which had been earlier labeled as a â€Å"distressed municipality. † All the State courts have ruled in favor of the validity of the proposed takings. Issue: Does the public purpose intended by New London in the appropriation satisfy the public use requirement of the Takings Clause in the Constitution? Rule: The rule involved is the Taking Clause of the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment which states that â€Å"No person shall be †¦ deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. † Application: The rule clearly states that the government may only appropriate private properties if the intended use is for the general public. However, in this case, the state is in effect appropriating the private properties with the end of transferring it to another private entity which is tasked to undertake the project that will yield public use. Conclusion: The Court made a distinction between two kinds of expropriation. The first involves the taking of private property for direct governmental benefit which will lead to public use. On the other hand, the second type of taking has to do with seizing private property and transferring it in the name of another private entity for purposes of developing it on the condition that there is a â€Å"future public use. † The taking involved in New City did not grant undue advantage to the private company because there remains a legitimate purpose provided to the government. Further, it is not necessary that all the citizens will be benefited by the taking. It is sufficient that the private lessees of the developed land will cater to the general public. The Court likewise emphasized that the attainment of public use criterion is sometimes better served when delegated to private corporations rather than when undertaken by the government itself. Therefore, economic development squarely comes within the public use requirement under the Takings Clause in the Constitution. Critique: In the case of Kelo v City of New London, the Court accorded a very liberal construction of the Takings Clause of the Constitution when it allowed the expropriation of the private property in favor of another private property. At the very outset, the controversy already becomes very apparent. As have been pointed out by Justice O’Connor, the government may freely exercise its power of eminent domain so long as it complies with the requirements of the Constitution, namely â€Å"just compensation† and â€Å"public use,† with the latter being the most contentious phrase in this case. Would it suffice that there is incidental public benefit derivable from the expropriation? The clear reading of the black letter law answers in the negative. The power of eminent domain should only strictly be for the government’s benefit. Whatever incidental or fringe advantage should be left for other adjacent private properties, but most certainly, not the other way around. All the more that it should not be confused with the more sweeping term â€Å"general welfare. † The implication of this decision hence renders nugatory the â€Å"Public Use† clause in its entirety. Furthermore, this case establishes a dangerous precedent. One should note the composition of the local governments as well as those in the congress. They are all affluent individuals who are more often than not propertied private individuals, too. They can easily invoke this case to justify the undue advantage they have for themselves. Justice O’Connor had this possibility in mind when she stated that now those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms can exploit the weak who had nothing but the lands passed down to them. Ordinarily, judicial activism is resorted to for purposes of maintaining equity and social justice especially when the law is too oppressive for the majority (Morgan, 2001). However, this case is an outlier as it sanctioned the suppression. Thayer has enumerated at least three evils that attend the increased exercise of judicial review. First, the Congress grows more and more accustomed to turning the subject of constitutional restraints over to the courts, falling insensibly into a habit of â€Å"assuming that whatever they may constitutionally do, they may do. † Second, the people become more careless in electing their representatives since the few and, presumably, wiser occupants of the Bench are there to protect them anyway should the incompetence of these legislators shine eventually. Finally, judicial review is inherently not preferable because the correction of laws come â€Å"from the outside† and so those people primarily tasked to make the laws lose the opportunity to improve their own political competence (Wolfe, 1997). References Morgan, D. G. (2001). A judgment too far? : judicial activism and the constitution. Ireland: Cork University Press. Powers, S. (2002). The Least Dangerous Branch? Consequences of Judicial Activism. Connecticut: Praeger. Schmidt, S. W. , Shelley, M. C. , Bardes, B. A. (2008). American Government Politics Today. Boston: Cengage Learning Inc. Wolfe, C. (1997). Judicial activism: bulwark of freedom or precarious security? New York: Rowman Littlefield.

To Study Promotional Mix Of Coca Cola Products Marketing Essay

To Study Promotional Mix Of Coca Cola Products Marketing Essay Coca-Cola is the most recognised brand name in the world with 94 per cent recognition. This profile has spread with increasing rapidity in recent years as evidenced for example in China, where Coca-Cola became the most recognised trademark in the late 1990s. Today you can buy a Coke almost anywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires, from Moscow to Mexico City. The Coca-Cola Company sells half of all soft drinks consumed throughout the world. Coca Cola Great Britain 5 Image 1 The Mission Statement of the Coca Cola Company Their mission statement is to maximize shareholder value over time. In order to achieve this mission, they must create value for all the constraints they serve, including their consumers, customers, bottlers, and communities. The Coca Cola Company creates value by executing comprehensive business strategy guided by six key beliefs: 1. Consumer demand drives everything we do. 2. Brand Coca Cola is our core business 3. We will serve consumers, broad selection of the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages they want to drink through out the day. 4. We will be the best marketers in the globe. 5. We will think and act locally. 6. We will lead as a model corporate citizen. The ultimate objectives of our business strategy are to increase volume, expand our share of worldwide nonalcoholic ready to drink beverages sales, maximize our longterm cash flows, and create economic value added by improving economic profit. The Coca Cola system has more than 16 million customers around the world that sells or serves our products directly to consumers. We keenly focus on enhancing value for these customers and helping them grow their beverage businesses. We strive to understand each customers business and needs, whether that customer is a sophisticated retailer in a developed market a kiosk owner in an emerging market. There are nearly 6 million people in the world who are potential consumers of our companys product. Ultimately, our success in achieving our mission depends on our ability to satisfy more of their beverage consumption demands and our ability to add value for customers. We achieve this when we place the right products in the right markets at the right time. COCA COLA INTERNATIONAL HISTORY Coca-Cola Enterprises, established in 1986. Each of its franchises has a strong heritage in the traditions of coca cola that is the foundation for this Company. The coca cola Company traces its beginning to 1886, when an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John Pemberton , began to produce Coca-Cola syrup for sale in fountain drinks. However the bottling business began in 1899 when two Chattanooga businessmen, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead , secured the exclusive rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola for most of the United States from The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola bottling system continued to operate as independent, local businesses until the early 1980s when bottling franchises began to consolidate. In 1986, The Coca-Cola Company merged some of its company-owned operations with two large ownership groups that were for sale, the John T. Lupton franchises and BCI Holding Corporations bottling holdings, to form Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. The Company offered its stock to the public on November 21, 1986, at a split-adjusted price of $5.50 a share. On an annual basis, total unit case sales were 880,000 in 1986. In December 1991, a merger between Coca-Cola Enterprises and the Johnston Coca-Cola Bottling Group, Inc. (Johnston) created a larger, stronger Company, again helping accelerate bottler consolidation. As part of the merger, the senior management team of Johnston assumed responsibility for managing the Company, and began a dramatic, successful restructuring in 1992.Unit case sales had climbed to 1.4 billion, and total revenues were $5 billion. Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries.[1] It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke (a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States since March 27, 1944). Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores and vending machines. Such bottlers include Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is the largest single Coca-Cola bottler in North America and western Europe. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for soda fountains to major restaurants and food service distributors. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special versions with lemon, lime or coffee. Based on Interbrands best global brand 2011, Coca-Cola was the worlds most valuable brand. https://sites.google.com/site/engineeringmbaproject/mba-project-report-on-marketing-strategies-of-coca-cola http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola Acquisitions The company has a long list of acquisition history. Coca-Cola took over Minute Maid in 1960, the Indian cola brand thums Up in 1993, and Barqs in 1995. In 2001, it took over the Odwalla brand of fruit juices, smoothies and bars for $181  million. In 2007, it acquired Fuze Beverage from founder Lance Collins and Castanea Partners for an estimated $250  million. The companys 2009 bid to buy a Chinese juice maker ended when China rejected its $2.4  billion bid for the Huiyuan Juice Group on the grounds that it would be a virtual monopoly. Nationalism was also thought to be a reason for aborting the deal. In 1982, coca cola made its only non-beverage acquisition, when it purchased Columbia Pictures for $692 million. It sold the movie studio to Sony for $1.5 billion in 1989. Coca-Cola Brands n UK CocaCola Diet Coke Coke Zero Powerade Powerade Zero Powerade Energy Glaceau Schweppes Schweppes Water Schweppes Mixers Schweppes Lemonade Schweppes Cordials Schweppes Slimline Sprite Sprite Zero Fanta Fanta Zero Dr Pepper Dr Pepper Zero Lilt Lilt Zero Oasis Oasis Light 5 Alive Kia Ora Kia Ora No Added Sugar Relentless Relentless Sugar Free Competitors Direct Competitor Comparison KO DPS NSRGY PEP Industry Market Cap: 170.12b 9.33b 204.90b 108.57b 1.29b Employees: 146,200 19,000 328,000 297,000 3.53k Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): 0.01 -0.00 0.08 -0.05 0.14 Revenue (ttm): 47.60b 5.97b 93.06b 65.70b 1.60b Gross Margin (ttm): 0.60 0.58 0.47 0.52 0.41 EBITDA (ttm): 13.01b 1.31b 17.32b 12.59b 201.40m Operating Margin (ttm): 0.23 0.18 0.16 0.15 0.11 Net Income (ttm): 8.80b 625.00m 10.61b 5.92b N/A EPS (ttm): 1.91 2.92 3.32 3.76 0.50 P/E (ttm): 19.83 15.33 19.39 18.69 22.62 PEG (5 yr expected): 2.28 2.07 3.34 4.02 1.59 P/S (ttm): 3.52 1.53 2.16 1.63 1.42 DPS = Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. NSRGY = Nestl PEP = Pepsico, Inc. Industry = Beverages Soft Drinks Nonalcoholic Beverage Makers Ranked by Beverage Sales Company Symbol Price Change Market Cap P/E The Coca-Cola Company KO 37.93 0.01 170.12b 19.83 Pepsico, Inc. PEP 70.19 0.01 108.57b 18.69 Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. DPS 44.81 0.02 9.33b 15.33 Groupe Danone Water Division Private Nestlà © Waters Private ITO EN, LTD. Private Red Bull GmbH Private Cott Corporation COT 8.71 0.01 822.98m 24.47 Britvic Plc BTVCY 11.64 0.00 1.41b 14.62 Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Private Nestl NSRGY 64.43 0.02 204.90b 19.39 Diageo plc DEO 120.69 0.02 75.28b 24.27 Heineken NV HINKY 32.14 0.02 36.96b 17.83 SABMiller plc SBMRY 45.52 0.08 72.21b 17.26 Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV BUD 86.98 0.02 139.16b 19.17 Suntory International Corp. COMPETATIVE ADVANTAGE OF COCA COLA Competitive advantage than a company has over the rivals by providing better customer satisfaction, by means of cost, benefits or due the services. STRONG BRAND NAME: Coca cola has developed a very strong brand by its strategies that it has followed during so many years and as a result has came up with a global brand name that is almost known by 90% of the global population. STRONG MARKETING STRATEGIE: Coca cola concentrates on the customer in whatever they do. And it focuses on all the age group of people that is children, youngsters and matured customers and come with marketing strategies that  influence on all the targeted consumers. NEW PRODUCT INNOVATIONS: With time to time Coca cola comes with new product innovation that attracts it customer towards itself again and again. These days people are becoming more and more health conscious, so coca cola has came up with non carbonate drinks and fruit juice products for example Diet coke, juices etc. BOTTELING SYSTEM: Bottling system is one of the most significant advantages that the company enjoys, among its other competitors and that allows infinite growth all over the the world. Coca cola has given rights to the bottlers companies around the globe to make and sell its products. Marketing strategy Marketing involves getting the right product to the right place, at the right time, at the right price and with the most suitable promotional activity. Coca-Cola has always been successful in creating the most appropriate marketing mix. Since the beginning, coca cola has built its business using a universal strategy based on three timeless principles: Acceptability- through effective marketing, the company ensurs that coca cola brands are an integral part of consumers daily lives, making coca cola the preferred beverage everywhere Affordability- Coca-Cola guarantees that it offers the best price in terms of value for money Availability Making sure that Coca-Cola brands are available anywhere, where people want refreshment. Coca-Cola has created well organized and extensive global distribution network guaranteeing the ubiquity of its products. (Ubiquity means ability to appear to be present everywhere at once.) Its approach is founded on the belief that coca cola must try to quench the thirst of everyone in the world -of all 5.6 billion people The Company operates a worldwide franchise system supplying syrups and concentrates to over 1,200 bottling operations, (there are more than 350 in the US alone) which thus include local companies and suppliers in the 200 countries in which coca cola is sold. The bottling companies distribute the worlds favourite brand using the most sophisticated technology and distribution networks that is available. The Company supports its international bottler network with sophisticated marketing programs seeking to guarantee that the companys brands are available where anyone is seeking refreshment. Coca Colas bottling system is the largest and most widespread production and distribution network in the globe. Pricing Strategy Coca cola has a high market share, competitor pressure has forced customer sensitivity to price to be fairly high, sales volume is of course high and profit margin is fairly low as the Coca-Cola products are fast moving consumer goods. This points to penetration strategy. Penetration pricing means the setting of lower rather than high prices to achieve potentially dominant share in the market. This can only be done when the demand for the product is believed to be highly flexible, basically demand is price-sensitive and either a new consumers will be involved, or existing consumers will buy more of the product because of a low price. A good penetration strategy may lead to large amount of sales and large share in the market. The strategy may also promote complimentary products. The main product may be priced low to attract sales, customers are then sold accessories. This strategy will work nicely in promoting re-use of Coca-Cola packaging via a beverage holder of vessel which is purchased separately and refilled. The potential disadvantage of bringing in this strategy is the likelihood of competitors doing the same by reducing their prices, therefore damaging any advantage of the reduced price. Price Penetration is most appropriate in industries where standardization is important. The product that achieves high market penetration often becomes the industry standard, in regards to the new Coca-Cola beverage vessel, it is trying to create a standardization of how consumers use the beverage container. Coca-Cola are likely to receive stiff competition soon after introduction of the product, although the product that achieves high market penetration often becomes the industry standard and other products, even superior products, become marginalized. Standards carry heavy momentum. Global branding The ability to engage in global branding is a key advantage to any large company.   Coca-Cola is fortunate in that it possesses a number of instantly recognisable icons which go beyond the familiar taste of its product. In particular the Company benefits from its registered trade mark, the characteristic classic shapes of its bottles and the highly familiar red and white Coca-Cola can No story of Coca-Cola would be complete without the Coca-Cola glass bottle. The design for the bottle was created in the early 1900s when the bottlers of Coca-Cola faced constant threat of imitation of both product and packaging. We need a Coca-Cola bottle which a person will recognise as a Coca-Cola bottle even if he feels it in the dark. The bottle should be so shaped that, even if broken, a person could tell at a glance what it was. (The Coca-Cola bottle design brief in 1915.) Today the glass bottle is seen as an icon. An icon is a symbol or image which directly refers to a specific entity or moment. Acclaimed as one of the most famous packages, the Coca-Cola glass bottle was re-launched in 1997 in a unique new format for Britain at The Coca-Cola Bottle exhibition at Londons Design Museum. Coca-Cola also produces the worlds most popular flavoured soft drinks: Fanta and Sprite, as well as diet Coke and Cherry Coke. These products can be mass marketed across the globe using standard promotions and advertising campaigns. This dramatically cuts promotional and advertising costs as these are distributed over a large market area. As Coca-Cola is the flagship of the Company, more money is spent advertising and promoting Coke than any of the other drinks. In the United Kingdom, Coca-Cola advertises all year round. Sponsorship and brand recognition The relationship Coca-Cola has with sport seeks to advance the development of sport overall. It aims to make sporting competitions possible by supporting events for the participation and pleasure of athletes and spectators. Coca-Cola has a long history of sports sponsorship including the Olympic Games, football, tennis and Special Olympics. Coca-Cola has been involved with the Olympic Games since 1928. It has been sponsoring the football World Cup since 1978 and is actively involved with the Wimbledon Championships. Coca-Colas support is at all levels. In 1993, Coca-Cola became sponsors of The Coca-Cola Cup in England, with Scotland following in 1994. Support is also provided for the English National Football Team and the Scottish International Youth Teams with a grass roots programme for mini-soccer with the Football Association Development Programme. Through sponsorship in leisure activities, Coca-Cola is able to combine the promise of refreshment with a sense of thrill, celebration and passion together with the universal necessity of a healthy, active lifestyle. Coca-Cola is a global product and can largely be marketed using a global approach, but the Company also engages in national and regional marketing strategies which illustrate a recognition of local and cultural differences. The first advertisement of Coca-Cola was an oil-cloth sign containing the phrase Delicious and Refreshing Now throughout the world, you can see Coca-Cola advertised in the cinema, on TV, on posters and in magazines. The Coca-Cola Companys overall advertising strategy is summed up by the phrase Think Global, Act Local Some campaigns are designed for worldwide use and others developed for individual markets. In some cases a product is developed for local consumption, such as Lilt in Great Britain and Ireland. The Always Coca-Cola campaign theme has been used worldwide to reinforce the universality of the brand which is always there. However, different advertisements are also made for each market. This enables Coca-Cola to choose the most relevant advertisements for its consumers and to choose how and when they should appear. In Great Britain, for example, where football is a national passion, Eat Football, Sleep Football, Drink Coca-Cola is a massively successful advertising campaign reinforcing the link between Coca-Cola and football while continuing the brands support of the game and fans. Sponsorship Sports Coca Cola sponsored the english football league in the beginning of the 2004-05 season (beginning August 2004) to the start of 2010/11 season, when the Football League found a new sponsor in NPower. Along with this, coca cola sponsored the coca-cola Football Camp, otherwise known as a soccer camp, that took place in South Africa, Pretoria during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, during which hundreds of teenagers from around the world were able to come together and share their passion for the game, partly due to Best Buys efforts through their program. Other major sponsorships include NASCAR, the NBA, the PGA Tour, NCAA Championships, the Olympic Games, the NRL, the FIFA World Cups and the UEFA Euro. In the Philippines, it has a team in the Philippine Basketball Association, the Powerade Tigers. Television The company sponsors the hit Fox singing-competition series American Idol. Coca-Cola is a sponsor of the nightly talk show on PBS, Charlie Rose in the US. Marketing Strategies of Coca Cola in UK Coca-Colas long-running Holidays are coming Christmas ad is to return to TV this weekend, this year with added social media integration. Coca Cola Trucks This years campaign will also see the return of the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck tour. The truck in the advert will visit more than 60 towns, cities and supermarkets in Great Britain and Ireland over the coming weeks. A dedicated hub will be set up on cokezone.co.uk to let consumers know where it will be visiting and will highlight local heroes, who will be nominated by their local communities to win the chance to have the truck visit their homes. The Christmas theme will continue on-pack, with the Sundblom-designed Coca-Cola Santa featuring on 2 litre bottles, 330ml cans and multipacks. Coca-Colas spot on Londons Piccadilly billboard is also part of the activity and will play the Holidays are Coming on rotation over the coming weeks. Zoe Howorth, marketing director for Coca-Cola Great Britain, says: Coca-Cola has a rich history of spreading Christmas joy through our marketing campaigns, with our Holidays are Coming ad and truck which are loved across the world. Were excited to be joining together with consumers in the countdown to Christmas and sprinkling some Coca-Cola Christmas magic, harnessing both the brands heritage and core media platforms to spread some festive cheer. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/coke-holidays-are-coming-ad-returns/4004676.article Olympic marketing boosts Coke volumes Coca-Colas marketing to promote its sponsorship of the Olympics helped boost the number of products bought by consumers in its last financial quarter, but revenue was hit by promotional pricing across the sector. CocaCola Level of customer service Personal Selling When the distributor want to purchase the new product made from coca cola, the staff need to provide the suitable information to the distributor to ensure they have the understand on the new products. After sales service When the customers and distributor discover that, there may be some damage on the product after they purchase the product, the company has the responsibility to solve the problem. Warranties and guarantees Coca Cola make sure all machine is in good condition, has been factory tested and cleaned. Equipment may have some minor cosmetic imperfections but works perfectly and it has 30 day warranty for people who want to change the drinks. Conclusion Global companies need to generate high levels of profit in order to build on existing competitive advantages. For example, Coca-Cola needs to continually build on its brand image through successful advertising, promotion and provision of value for money products. The Company requires consistent expansion and development in its distribution systems. Coca-Cola is able to do this effectively due to its strategy of growth which has enabled the Company to develop international market leadership. Through manipulating and co-ordinating the tools of branding and advertising via image and activity, such as through sport sponsorship, The Coca-Cola Company seeks to provide refreshment for all of the people on the planet not just the 20% who currently account for 80% of sales.

Ethical And Effective Practice With Service Users Social Work Essay

Ethical And Effective Practice With Service Users Social Work Essay Selecting an appropriate method of intervention is central to ethical and effective practice with service users. The aim of this essay is to define what is meant my method of intervention, explore the main factors which influence the worker when selecting a method and critically consider the role of partnership working and empowerment. Intervention is rarely defined. It originates from the Latin inter (between) and venire (to come) and means coming between (Trevithick, 2005: 66). Interventions are at the heart of everyday social interactions and make inevitably make up a substantial majority of human behaviour and are made by those who desire and intend to influence some part of the world and the beings within it (Kennard et al. 1993:3). Social work interventions are purposeful actions we undertake as workers which are based on knowledge and understanding acquired, skills learnt and values adopted. Therefore, interventions are knowledge, skills, understanding and values in action. Intervention may focus on individuals, families, communities, or groups and be in different forms depending on their purpose and whether directive or non-directive. Generally, interventions that are directive aim to purposefully change the course of events and can be highly influenced by agency policy and practice or by the practitioners perspective on how to move events forward. This may involve offering advice, providing information and suggestions about what to do, or how to behave and can be important and a professional requirement where immediate danger or risk is involved. In non-directive interventions the worker does not attempt to decide for people, or to lead, guide or persuade them to accept his/her specific conclusions (Coulshed and Orme, 1998: 216). Work is done in a way to enable individuals to decide for themselves and involves helping people to problem solve or talk about their thoughts, feelings and the different courses of action they may take (Lishman, 1994). Counselling skills can be beneficial or important in this regard (Thompson 2000b). Work with service users can therefore involve both directive and non-directive elements and both types have advantages and disadvantages (Mayo, 1994). Behaviourist, cognitive and psychosocial approaches tend to be directive but this depends on perspective adopted and the practitioners character. In contrast, community work is generally non-directive and person-centred. Interventions have different time periods and levels of intensity which are dependent on several factors such as setting where the work is located, problem presented, individuals involved and agency policy and practice. Several practice approaches have a time limited factor such as task-centred work, crisis intervention and some behavioural approaches and are often preferred by agencies for this reason. In addition, practice approaches that are designed to be used for a considerable time such as psychosocial are often geared towards more planned short-term, time limited and focused work (Fanger 1995). Although negotiation should take place with service users to ensure their needs and expectations are taken into account, it is not common practice for practitioners to offer choice on whether they would prefer a directive or non-directive approach or the practice approach adopted (Lishman, 1994). However, this lack of choice is now being recognised and addressed with the involvement of service users and others in the decision-making process in relation to agency policy, practice and service delivery (Barton, 2002; Croft and Beresford, 2000). The purpose and use of different interventions is contentious. Payne (1996: 43) argues that the term intervention is oppressive as it indicates the moral and political authority of the social worker. This concern is also shared by others with Langan and Lee (1989:83) describing the potentially invasive nature of interventions and how they can be used to control others. Jones suggests that in relation to power differences and the attitude of social workers especially with regards to people living in poverty: the working class poor have been generally antagonistic toward social work intervention and have rejected social works downward gaze and highly interventionist and moralistic approach to their poverty and associated difficulties (Jones, 2002a: 12). It is recognised that intervention can be oppressive, delivered with no clear purpose or in-depth experience however, some seek and find interventions that are empathic, caring and non-judgemental due to practitioners demonstrating rele vant experience and show appropriate knowledge (Lishman, 1994:14). For many practitioners, these attributes are essential in any intervention and are demonstrated through commitment, concern and respect for others which are qualities that are valued by service users (Cheetham et al. 1992; Wilson, 2000). Dependent on the nature of help sought there are different opinions on whether interventions should be targeted on personal change or wider societal, environmental or political change. Some may want assistance in accessing a particular service or other forms of help and not embrace interventions that may take them in a particular direction i.e. social action (Payne et al. 2002). In contrast, problems may recur or become worse if no collective action is taken. Importance has reduced in relation to methods of intervention over recent years as social work agencies have given more focus to assessment and immediate or short-term solutions (Howe, 1996; Lymbery 2001). This is strengthened by the reactive nature of service provision which is more concerned with practical results than with theories and principles. This has a reduced effect on workers knowledge of a range of methods resulting in workers using a preferred method which is not evidenced in their practice (Thompson, 2000). Methods of intervention should be the basis of ongoing intervention with service users, but often lacks structured planning and is reactive to crisis. This reactive response with emphasis on assessment frameworks is concerning, as workers are still managing high caseloads and if not supervised and supported appropriately, workers are at risk of stress and eventual burn-out (Jones, 2001; Charles and Butler, 2004). Effective use of methods of intervention allows work to be planned, structured and prioritised depending on service users needs. Methods can be complicated as they are underpinned by a wide range of skills and influenced by the approach of the worker. Most methods tend to follow similar processes of application: assessment, planning of goals, implementation, termination, evaluation and review. Although the process of some methods is completed in three/four interactions others take longer. This difference shows how some methods place more or less importance on factors such as personality or society, which then informs the type of intervention required to resolve issues in the service users situation (Watson and West, 2006). More than one method can be used in conjunction with another, depending on how comprehensive work with service users needs to be (Milner and OByrne, 1998). However, each method has different assessment and an implementation process which looks for different types of information about the service users situation for example, task centred looks for causes and solutions in the present situation and psychosocial explores past experiences. Additionally, the method of assessment may require that at least two assessments be undertaken: the first to explore the necessity of involvement and secondly, to negotiate the method of intervention with the service user. An effective assessment framework that is flexible and has various options is beneficial but should not awkward or time consuming to either the worker or the service user. As Dalrymple and Burke (1995) suggest, a biography framework is an ideal way as it enables service users to locate present issues in the context of their life both past and present. Workers should aim to practice in a way which is empowering and the process of information gathering should attempt to fit into the exchange model of assessment, irrespective of the method of intervention and should be the basis of a working relationship which moves towards partnership (Watson and West, 2006). As part of the engagement and assessment process, the worker needs to negotiate with the service user to understand the issue(s) that need to be addressed and method(s) employed and take into account not only the nature of the problem but also the urgency and potential consequences of not intervening (Doel and Marsh, 1992). Importance should be placed on presenting and underlying issues early in the assessment process as it enables the worker to look at an assessment framework and approach that assists short or long-term methods of intervention. An inclusive and holistic assessment enables the service user to have a direct influence on the method of intervention selected and be at the heart of the process. The process of assessment must be shared with and understood by the service user for any method of intervention to be successful (Watson and West, 2006). The workers approach also has an influence on method selection as this will affect how they perceive and adapt to specific situations. The implementation of methods is affected by both the values of the method and value base of the individual worker. The worker will also influence how the method is applied in practice through implementation, evaluation, perceived expertise and attitude to empowerment and partnership. Methods such as task centred are seen to be empowering with ethnic minority and other oppressed groups as service users are seen to be able to define their own problems (Ahmad, 1990). However, when an approach is used which is worker or agency focused the service user may not be fully enabled to define the problem and results in informing but not engaging them in determining priorities. Empowerment and partnership involves sharing and involving service users in method selection, application of the method, allocation of tasks, responsibilities, evaluation and review and is crucial in enabling facing challenges in their situations and lives. However, service users can have difficulty with this level of information-sharing and may prefer that the worker take the lead role rather than negotiating something different and not wish to acquire new skills to have full advantage of the partnership offered. Selecting a method of intervention should not be a technical process of information gathering and a tick box process to achieve a desired outcome. Milner and OByrne (2002) suggest it requires combining various components such as analysis and understanding of the service user, worker and the mandate of the agency providing the service otherwise intervention could be is restrictive and limit available options. However, negotiation and the competing demands of all involved parties must be considered and the basis of anti-oppresive practice established. Methods of intervention can be a complex and demanding activity especially in terms of time and energy and therefore, short-term term methods are seen as less intensive and demanding of the worker as well as more successful in practice. However, Watson and West (2006: 62) see this as a misconception, as the popular more short-term methods often make extensive demands on the workers time and energy. Workers are often dealing with uncertainty as each service user have different capabilities, levels of confidence and support networks. Therefore, there is no one ideal method for any given situation but a range of methods that have both advantages and disadvantages and as Trethivick (2005: 1) suggests workers need to have a toolkit to begin to understand people and need to widen the range of options available in order for them to respond flexibly and appropriately to each new situation (Parker and Bradley, 2003). When using methods of intervention, workers have to be organised to ensure that the task is proactively carried out and often attempt to prioritise involvement with service users against both local and national contexts and provide an appropriate level of service within managerial constraints. This prioritisation means in practice that, given the extensive demands, work using methods can only be with four or five service users at any one time and with the additional pressure of monitoring and supervising service users and reports, risk response is often responsive and crisis driven (Watson and West, 2006). To work in an empowering and anti-oppressive perspective is to ensure that intervention focuses clearly on the needs of the service user, is appropriate to the situation than the needs of the service. An understanding of these competing demands and the workers ability to influence decision-making processes does impact on method selection however, this should not mean that the service is diluted and methods be partially implemented as this is not conducive to managerial or professional agendas on good practice. Thompson (2000:43) sees this as the set of common patterns, assumptions, values and norms that become established within an organisation over time and a concern of workers is competitive workplace cultures where ability is based on the number of cases managed rather than the quality that is provided to service users which may result in use of less time-consuming methods. For work to be effective, an ethical and a professional not just a bureaucratic response to pressures faced is required and is not about the service user fitting into the worker or agencys preferred way of working but looking at what is best for the service user and finding creative ways to make this happen. Workers need to be careful not to seen as the expert who will resolve the situation as even the most established and experienced practitioners have skills gaps and often develop skills when working with the service users. This process of learning in practice requires good support and supervision, enabling the worker to reflect on assumptions about service users and their capabilities especially in relation to gender, race, age or disability to prevent internalised bias to impact on what the service user requires to work on to change the situation (Watson and West, 2006). It is crucial to appreciate the situation from the service users perspective and see them as unique individuals as Taylor and Devine (1993: 4) state the clients perception of the situation has to be the basis of effective social work. This concern is also shared by Howe (1987:3) describing the clients perception is an integral part of the practice of social work. Service users often have their own assumptions about what social work is and what workers are able to provide which is generally based on past relationships and experiences for example, black service users experience may reflect a service which in the past was not appropriate to their needs (Milner and Byrne, 1998: 23) but to alleviate this practitioners need to work in an open, honest and empowering manner and recognise that although service users may be in negative situations they also have strengths and skills that need to be utilised in the social work relationship. Workers should ensure that written agreements are developed that acknowledge all participants roles and responsibilities and avoid assumptions or issues (Lishman, 1994), this avoids breakdown in trust and encourages honesty and open shared responsibility between service user and worker. This involves negotiation on what should be achieved, by whom, including agency input. Agreements can provide the potential for empowering practice that involves partnership. However, cognisance has to be taken to ensure that the agreement does not become a set of non-negotiated tasks that service users have no possibility of achieving, combined with no reciprocal commitment or obligations by the worker as this does not address the issue of empowerment or oppression and can reinforce the power difference (Rojek and Collins, 1988). The final stage of the process is termination which should be planned and allow both parties time and opportunity to prepare for the future however, it has to be carefully and sensitively constructed and is much easier to achieve if the work has been methodical with clear goals as it demonstrates what has been achieved. Evaluation is beneficial as it enables the service user and worker to be reminded of timescales and can acknowledge the service users increasing skills, empowerment, confidence and self-esteem which can be utilised after the intervention has ended. Endings can however, be difficult for both the worker and service user resulting from various factors such as complexity of service users situation, issues of dependency and lack of clarity about purpose and intervention. This lack of clarity can result in a situation of uncertainty for both worker and service user (Watson and West, 2006). Finally, termination as part of the change process creates opportunities but also fea r, anxiety and loss (Coulshed and Orme, 1998). It is important for workers to take a step back and reflect on their practice and review their experiences to ensure that they are providing the best possible service in the most ethical and effective manner. Reflective practice provides support and enables workers to not just meet the needs of the organisation but also develop their own knowledge and skills and increased understanding of their own approach and the situation experienced by service users. A good tool to facilitate this is the use of reflective diaries. Reflecting in action and on action both influences and enhances current and future practice. The use of effective supervision is another process where workload management, forum for learning and problem-solving should take place which should be supportive and enabling to the worker (Kadushin and Harkness, 2002). However, the workers role in supervision is often viewed as passive as the supervisor sets the agenda. This can lead to disempowerment of the worker in relation to the agency and is potentially oppressive and discriminatory and provides a poor role model for work with service users and therefore consideration must be given on how they can create a positive and empowering relationship (Thompson, 2002). In conclusion, good practice requires workers to have knowledge to understand the person in situation, (Hollis, 1972) understanding both sociological (society and community) and psychological (personality and life span) and the interrelation and impact on the service user (Howe, 1987). A critical skill for effective and ethical practice is empowerment which is based on knowledge and values and is the difference between informing and genuine partnership and the importance of active participation of service users throughout the process. Social work is a value based activity and workers through reflection and supervision can all learn from experiences, adapt and enhance these to develop practice and gain self-awareness to understand how they themselves and their approach impacts on service users.

Essay --

Josh Harold Mr. Parson Advanced English 12 9 February 2014 The Influence of War on Surveillance Surveillance is the act of watching someone or something for suspicious activity. Throughout the years, surveillance technology has developed significantly. War has contributed greatly to this development. From camouflage to cameras to remote controlled drones, surveillance technology has always been essential both on the battlefield, and in our every day lives. In the past, we have had to rely on basic tools for surveillance. The earliest devices that were used for it were telescopes and spyglasses. The earliest working telescope was invented in 1608 by a man named Hans Lippershey, a spectacle maker from the Netherlands. These devices could were used to see far distances and contributed to many things such as war, exploration, research, and astronomy. Binoculars are also an invention that was made for the same purpose, and eventually ended up replacing the telescope because they were more convenient functionally better. Cameras have been around for a long time. They started off being c...

How to Make the Malahat Safer Essay -- mountain highway on Vancouver Is

How to Make the Malahat Safer The debate about how to improve the treacherously narrow and winding Malahat Mountain Highway on South Vancouver Island has been an on-going issue since its conception back in 1861 when it was built as a cattle trail, then up-graded to wagon-road status in 1884 and eventually paved in 1911 (Commission). Currently vital safety upgrades are underway such as concrete barriers to divide the road lanes and stabilization solutions for falling debris. The presence of physical law enforcement units on the highway to manage problems like cell phone usage, impaired drivers and vehicles that are ill equipped for weather conditions is a necessary and crucial part of maintaining safety on the Malahat (Unit). However, due to the fact that the Malahat is built on the side of a mountain, with sheer drop-offs on one side and rock cliffs on the other, there are very few spots from which law enforcement can enforce speed limits. Furthermore, the highway spans over many different municipalities, and en forcement suffers from jurisdictional issues (Rondeau). Speeding is a critical safety problem that is prevalent on the Malahat; reducing speeding by installing speed cameras will substantially decrease the amount of fatal accidents on the highway, as well as save precious natural resources and billions of dollars in taxpayers’ money. There have been substantial government studies done to find solutions for the Malahat, ranging from double decking the highway to building bridges across the Sannich Peninsula inlet, all of which have serious environmental impacts, and are estimated to cost hundreds of millions to billions of dollars (Transportation). The twinning or double decking of the current highway would come with many... ...tober 2013. http://www.traffic-safety.ca/index.htm Reutter, Mark. "New Speed cameras will cost more, not less, from city's preferred vender." 19 April 2013. Baltimore Brew. Web. 10 October 2013. http://www.baltimorebrew.com/2013/04/19/new-speed-cameras-will-cost-more-not-less-from-citys-preferred-vendor/ Rondeau, Andrea. "Two-week crack down solves mystrey of Malahat crashes." 04 July 2007. Cowichan Valley Citizen. Web. 01 October 2013. http://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/news/two-week-crackdown-solves-mystery-of-malahat-crashes-1.159199 Transportation, Ministry of. "Trans-Canada Highway 1- Malahat Corridor study area Final Report." Not given July 2007. Web. 10 October 2013. http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/malahat/finalreport/ Unit, Constable from Intergrated Road Safety. Personal interview, getting opion on Malahat issues Linda Mather. 30 Sept 2013. Personal Interview.

NATO :: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO

NATO We have already advanced the war on terrorism into Iraq, we have the ability to look back at it with additional knowledge. The expression,† hindsight is 20/20," is also relevant. We have additional knowledge now that we did not have prior to advancing the war on terrorism into Iraq and that knowledge can easily influence our perspective. During the time prior to moving into Iraq, I think we, as a nation, reacted resolutely to stop terrorists and their ability to train. After the events of Sept. 11 the movement into Afghanistan I do not think met with much resistance by the American public. That same public opinion was different for the advance into Iraq. I think the previous action, namely the Gulf War, influenced that reaction as well. In the four major paradigms or schools of thought on international relations, the realist school of thought believes politics is a power struggle among nation-states. Thomas Morgenthau is the â€Å"father† of realism. Realists have little faith in international law or international organizations. The globalist school of thought focuses on economic interdependence of the global arena. Political and economic decisions in one industrialized nation have consequences for all other nations as well as non-state actors. We believe President Bush acted on Iraq primarily using the realist school of thought. The realists have "little faith in international law or international organizations." The situation in Iraq had been degrading for some time as Saddam Hussein was not adhering to the resolutions from the Gulf War. We tried to get the international community and NATO to back us and agree with our position. But this didn't happen. I believe President Bush lost confidence in NATO and acted independently. Alternately, we acted with the globalist school of thought in regards to the war on terrorism.

History of the Malaysian Constitution Essay

The foundation of the Constitution of Malaysia was laid on 10 September 1877. It began with the first meeting of the Council of State in Perak, where the British first started to assert their influence in the Malay states. Under the terms of the Pangkor Engagement of 1874 between the Sultan of Perak and the British, the Sultan was obliged to accept a British Resident. Hugh Low, the second British Resident, convinced the Sultan to set up advisory Council of State, the forerunner of the state legislative assembly. Similar Councils were constituted in the other Malay states as and when they came under British protection. Originally playing an advisory role, the function of the council was later extended to include both legislative and executive functions. This continued until 1948 when the Federation of Malaya was formed by two agreements, namely the State Agreement and the Federation of Malaya Agreement. The State Agreement was of great significance to Malaysia’s constitutional development. By virtue of this agreement, the Malay Rulers with the advice and concurrence of the traditional chiefs and elders of the states promulgated their respective State Constitutions except for Johor and Terengganu where Constitutions had already been in place since 1895 and 1911 respectively. The Rulers were also required to distinguish the legislative power in their respective states from the executive power, by constituting a legislative body, called the Council of State and State Executive Council whose advice he was required to obtained. The Federation of Malaya Agreement that served as the core for the current federal system of central government was concluded as a compromise to the much-opposed Malayan Union. The Federation consisted of the Federated Malay States (FMS), the Unfederated Malay States and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Melaka. The FMS consisted of Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan while the non-FMS were Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor. The federal government comprised the High Commissioner, an Executive Council and Legislative Council. The agreement also provided for a Conference of Rulers with its own elected chairman. Each of the states had its own Executive Council and Council of States to deal with all matters not specifically reserved to the Federation. The Federal Government was responsible for defence, the police, and the railways, labour, broadcasting, post and finance. This 1948 Constitution remained in force with some essential amendments, until 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained its ndependence. A constitutional conference was held in London from 18 January to 6 February 1956 when the British promised Independence and self-government to the Federation of Malaya. It was attended by a delegation from the Federation of Malaya, consisting of four representatives of the Malay Rulers, the Chief Minister of the Federation (Tunku Abdul Rahman) and three other ministers, and also by the British High Commissioner in Malaya and his advisers. 1] The conference proposed the appointment of a commission to devise a constitution for a fully self-governing and independent Federation of Malaya. [2] This proposal was accepted by Queen Elizabeth II and the Malay Rulers. Accordingly, pursuant to such agreement, the Reid Commission, consisting of constitutional experts from fellow Commonwealth countries and headed by Lord William Reid, a distinguished Lord-of-Appeal-in-Ordinary, was appointed to make recommendations for a suitable constitution. The report of the Commission was completed on 11 February 1957. The report was then examined by a working party appointed by the British Government, the Conference of Rulers and the Government of the Federation of Malaya and the Federal Constitution was enacted on the basis of its recommendations. [4] The Constitution came into force on 27 August 1957 but formal independence was only achieved on 31 August however. The constitutional machinery devised to bring the new constitution into force consisted of: In the United Kingdom, the Federation of Malaya Independence Act 1957, together with the Orders in Council made under it. The Federation of Malaya Independence Act, 1957 passed by the British Parliament gave parliamentary approval to Her Britannic Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to terminate her sovereignty and jurisdiction in respect of the Straits Settlements of Melaka and Penang and all powers and jurisdiction in respect of the Malay States or the Federation as a whole. The Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957, made on 5 August 1957 between the British High Commissioner on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and the Malay Rulers. The Agreement contained the new Constitution of the Federation of Malaya (and the new constitutions of Penang and Melaka). In the Federation, the Federal Constitution Ordinance 1957, passed on 27 August 1957 by the Federal Legislative Council of the Federation of Malaya formed under the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1948. The new constitutions of the Federation as well as Penang and Melaka were given the force of law by the Ordinance. In each of the Malay states, State Enactments, and in Melaka and Penang, resolutions of the State Legislatures, approving and giving force of law to the federal constitution. The Federal Constitution was significantly amended when Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the Federation to form Malaysia in 1963.

Mandatory Marriage Counseling

America is continuously plagued by divorce at an alarming rate destroying the basic structure of our society, which is the family. The trend is ever increasing and a growing problem in American culture. Divorce rate kept rising since 1920s with 13.4 per 100 marriages to 32.8 per 100 marriages in 1988. Today, studies have shown that 50% of first marriages in the United States fail. In 1940, the National Center for Health Statistics recorded 264,000 divorces and annulments and reached 1,182,000 in 1990.On the other hand, the National Survey of Families and Household cited that 84 percent of separated women would seek divorce after three years of marriage and 91 percent after five years of marriage. Some studies find the divorce rate for second marriages is as much as 10 percent higher than for first-timers. The chance of getting divorced remains so high that it makes sense for all married couples – including those who are currently satisfied with their relationship – to p ut extra effort into their marriages to keep them strong. (Gottman & Silver 4).The effects of divorce are most severe among women and especially to children who may develop psychological problems leading to juvenile delinquency. Economically dependent to their husbands and fathers, these women and children are forced to live on welfare and practically left homeless.Realizing this serious problem, state governments are now initiating measures to save marriages from deteriorating and protect families from breaking apart by enacting laws of mandatory marriage counseling prior to getting a marriage license in hope of preventing more divorces. I favor such law that would educate couples about the seriousness of marriage and the necessity to lifelong commitment. Critics oppose this early intervention because it is just a waste of time and money or that counseling does not work.More often in marriage expectations are in contrast with realities resulting to various conflicts. It is extremel y important therefore that would be married couples completely comprehend what they are up against, know the challenges that they may encounter, and learn how to deal with uncertainties. When Louisiana passed the law in 1997, Steven L. Nock conducted a five-year empirical study about the consequences of premarital counseling. In the report entitled Can Louisiana’s Covenant Marriage Law Solve America’s Divorce Problem?, 81% of the 521 married couples believed that mandatory counseling was very important.Their overall marital quality was better compared to those who did not take premarital counseling. In addition, their levels of commitment and agreement were higher. They experienced fewer worries and have greater sharing of household chores.The Evil of Divorce. To clearly discuss the merits of mandatory marriage counseling, I feel the urge to talk about the evils of divorce so that one can truly appreciate the benefits of counseling in the preservation of marriage. Each year, some 1.2 million children become products of divorced parents. Their normal childhood experiences are disrupted and filled with all sorts of stress. Many of them carry physical and emotional pain throughout their adulthood and may commit the same mistakes as their parents did. It is a chain reaction that affects family and our society.Children raised in single-parent families are more likely to drop out of high school, have lower grades and attendance while in school, and are less likely to attend and graduate from college than children raised in two-parent families. They are more likely to be out of school and unemployed and are also more likely to become single parents themselves, than children raised in two-parent families. Studies have found that, compared to children in two-parent families, children of divorce score lower on measures of self-concept, social competence, conduct, psychological adjustment and long-term health. (Bramlett & Mosher 4).Furthermore, they commit crimes, exhibit suicidal tendency, hook in illegal drugs, and become victims of abuse. They have turned into unproductive members of American society. The government spends almost $150 billion annually trying to subsidize single-parent families. However, only $150 million a year is devoted to programs that strengthen marriages. Most marriages end in divorce because of poor communications, financial problems, lack of commitment, infidelity, failed expectations, and physical, emotional or sexual abuse.As an institution, the government has the obligation to protect and restore the integrity of marriage. Thus mandatory marriage counseling is one of the best ways to teach couples the importance and true meaning of lifelong commitment. To rebuild the traditions of family life, the government in all levels must have the will to act to safeguard the sanctity of marriage.The Benefits of Marriage Counseling. The principal aim of marital counseling is to help couples stay together. Marital edu cation â€Å"immunizes couples against disappointment and despair†¦it also prevents the development of problems that are costly to children and all of society. Mismanaged conflict†¦ predicts both marital distress and negative effects on children's physical and mental health†. (Leslie par. 21). Preparation before marriage is critical to the success of family life. Mandatory counseling will help couples strengthen their relationship, love, intimacy, and commitment. It will enhance their communication skills and manage conflicts with the right attitude.This process will also evaluate the views and determination of the couples whether they are ready and compatible for marriage at the same time identify possible setbacks and weaknesses to better equip themselves in overcoming future challenges. Having a better view of marriage with its legal and natural obligations, couples will have a better chance to live a healthier marriage.Through counseling, couples will have infor med decisions to enrich their married life. A well-planned marriage is the key to combat divorce. More often people get married only to discover the true character of their partner and it is already too late to retreat. With mandatory counseling, couples will have the opportunity to know each other sincerely and have the chance to confront and resolve their problems and apprehensions before living together for a very long time. I suggest that couples seek premarital counseling so that they would fully understand and value the meaning of marriage and family.Conclusion. In our modern culture many Americans no longer see the importance of marriage. They look at marriage as a private contract rather than a lifelong commitment. One can easily obtain divorce by simply writing â€Å"irreconcilable differences†. They forget that marriage has special obligations: 1) to love and respect each other; (2) to live together; (3) to make decisions relating to family life in the best interest of the family; (4) to maintain and teach their children â€Å"in accordance with their capacities, natural inclinations, and aspirations†; and (5) the right and duty of each spouse to manage the household. (Spaht 469).Marriage is a social institution and the foundation of every family. As a moral fiber of American society, families must be protected by all means. It is the duty of all citizens. However, the government must take steps to enact laws in preserving family values as well as formulate and invest in social programs that strengthen marriages.Counseling is a helpful tool in rescuing marriages. That is why I advocate for the passage of bills that would require couples to attend mandatory marriage counseling before they can obtain their license so that they be educated on the responsibilities and commitment they have to render to society and their families. Should it be necessary, the rules on divorce must be strict and that â€Å"no-fault† divorce must end.The government must set goals to reduce divorce and campaign on its risks. Community-based marriage programs are advantageous to assist couples in getting married and monitor those marriages that are endangered. In this way, any problem would be resolved immediately. By saving marriages, we save our families.ReferencesGottman, John and Silver, Nan. â€Å"The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert†. Three Rivers Press, New York. 16 May 2000.Bramlett, Matthew D. Ph.D. and Mosher, William D. Ph.D. Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the United States. Vital and Health Statistics, Series 23, No. 22. Department of Health and Human Services. July 2002. 10 April 2007 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_022.pdfLeslie, Mark A. Legislative Efforts to Strengthen Marriage. Public Law Research Institute. University of California Hastings College of Law. 2004. 10 April 2007 http://sierra.uchastings. edu/plri/spring98/marriage.htmlSpaht, Katherine Shaw. Covenant Marriage: An Achievable Legal Response to the Inherent Nature of Marriage and its Various Goods. Ave Maria Law Review. Vol. 4:2. 2006. 10 April 2007 http://www.avemarialaw.edu/publications/lawReview/articles/AMLR.v4i2.spaht.final2.pdf