The Car Market Within the UAE - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2158 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Transport Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? INTRODUCTION: Its not just the new cars who face a strong market in the UAE, but also the used cars have always been very much in demand. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The used car market in the UAE is worth around US$2.5 billion in business and it is growing by a strong 15 per cent annually,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  according to Kerem Kuyucu, the managing director of Carmudi Middle East, an online marketplace for new and pre-owned cars. (Scott, 2014) Predicting the price of a used car is both an important and an interesting matter. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Car Market Within the UAE" essay for you Create order According to data obtained from the Roads and Transport Authority, the number of light vehicles registered between 2009 and 2014 is more than a million which is a jump of about 80% of the cars registered solely in 2009. With respect to the economic conditions since 2009, the sale of second hand and reconditioned cars has ever since been on an increase. Predicting the resale value of a car is not a an easy task. It is common knowledge that the value of the used cars will depend on a number of factors. The most important being the age of the car, its make (and model), the origin of the car (i.e the original country of the manufacturer), its mileage (referring to the kilometres it has run) and of course its horse power. Additionally, due to the increase in fuel prices, the average fuel consumption of the car is also a crucial factor. Sadly though, most of the people do not know the exact figure for the fuel their car consumes per km driven. Moreover, factors like the type of fuel the car consumes, the interior style, the braking system, acceleration, the volume of of its cylinders (measured in cc), safety index, its size, number of doors, body colour, weight of the car, size of the tyres used for the car, type of wheels and wheel caps, consumer reviews, the fame associated with the manufacturer of the car, its physical state, it has cruise control or not, whether it has a sun roof, incorporates a manual or automatic transmission, whther it belonged to an individual or a company as well as other options such as how good is the air conditioner of the car, what type is the sound system, whether it is has a power steering, cosmic wheels, GPS navigator, all such factors may influence the price of the vehicle. In the UAE certain other special factors which buyers afix importance to is the nationality of the previous owners, whether the car had been involved in any serious accidents and whether it is a lady-driven car. Furthermore, the look and the feel of the vehicle definitely add a lot to the value of the car. Therefore, we can see that the price of the car depends on a variety of factors. Unfortunately though, all of the information regarding each factor is not usually available and the buyer has to make the final decision of purchasing the car at a particular price based on a limited factors only. In this research paper we shall also be focusing only on some of the factors mentioned above. Regression analysis is a method of estimating the relationship between several variables. Sample data is usually collected to investigate the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. This method includes many techniques for creating the best fit model by the analysis of the variables. Multiple regression is merely an extension of simple regression. Usually, a model is simply called an equation. Model can be used to predict weather, the performance of the stock market, sales, profits, river levels, and so on. ( Zainodin Khuneswari, 2009). Multiple regression can also be used for predicting the prices of houses as well as the value of used cars in the market. This paper shall be focusing on the latter use of multiple regression. PROBLEM STATEMENT: PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This study is being done on behalf of a market research company on the second hand car market in the UAE. The focal point of this study is to determine the market value of a specific model and manufacturer by taking into consideration certain factors related to the vehicle. The study shall also be concentrating on creating a model for the company, which it can use to estimate the market value of the car using limited number of factors. The manufacturer under focus in this study is Toyota and the car is Land Cruiser, taking into account the models from 2009 till 2014. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: LITERATURE REVIEW: In our attempt to understand how the second hand car market in the UAE works, we must be able to breakdown how the car models and their prices are analyzed by their buyers. There are certain definable characteristics and attributes to cars that contribute to the overall appeal and market value that a given car elicits. Essentially, any type of good or commodity can be viewed as a package with many different characteristics that add or subtract to the overall value of that particular good. This is the same for car market as well. A car is simply a combination of characteristics (such as color, price, model, mileage, etc.) that all together contribute in some measurable way to the ultimate value that a particular buyer places on that car. To analyze the varying prices of the second hand cars in relation to their different characteristics, in this paper we shall use multiple regression analysis along with descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing. MULTIPLE REGRESSION: Multiple regression is a generalization of the simple linear regression analysis. Simple regression analysis could analyze a relationship between dependent variable with a single independent variable. The same idea was used to analyze relationship between a dependent and two or more independent variables. (Nikolopoulos, Goodwin, Patelis, Assimakopoulos, 2007) suggested that multiple lregression is a common choice of method when a forecast is required and where data on several relevant independent variables are available. This technique has been widely used to produce forecasts in a wide range of areas and there is evidence that it is often used by companies to derive forecasts of demand from marketing varaibles and various macroeconomic measures. Multiple regression has been successfully used in many business applications. For example, (Evans Olson, 2003) studied the NFL data, it would be logical to say that the number of Games WON would not only on Yards Gained but also on the other variables like Takeaways, Giveaways, Yards Allowed and Points scored. Multiple linear regression is a popular method for producing forecasts when data on relevant independent variables is available. DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics are used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. They provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures. Together with simple graphics analysis, they form the basis of virtually every quantitative analysis of data. Descriptive Statistics are used to present quantitative descriptions in a manageable form. In a research study we may have lots of measures. Or we may measure a large number of people on any measure. Descriptive statistics help us to simplify large amounts of data in a sensible way. Each descriptive statistic reduces lots of data into a simpler summary. For instance, consider a simple number used to summarize how well a batter is performing in baseball, the batting average. This single number is simply the number of hits divided by the number of times at bat (reported to three significant digits). A batter who is hitting .333 is getting a hit one time in every three at bats. One batting .250 is hitting one time in four. T he single number describes a large number of discrete events. STATISTICAL HYPOTHESIS TESTING: It is common knowledge that researchers usually wish to demonstrate that the phenomenon in question is present (i.e., reject the null hypothesis in the favor of the alternative one). However, there are instances in which researchers do have a priority, theoretically justified reasons to hypothesize formal, statistical null relationships. (Cohen, 1990; Cortina Dunlap, 1997; Cortina Folger, 1998; Greenwald, 1975, 1993). Support for positing and testing null relationships between variables of interest is offered by Greenwald (1993), who noted that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“scientific advance is often most powerfully achieved by rejecting theories. A major strategy for doing this is to demonstrate that relationships predicted by a theory are not obtained, and this would often require acceptance of a null hypothesisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 421). Others have argued that the tenability of the null hypothesis is as legitimate a goal of research as is demonstrating the tenability of any alternative hypo thesis (Chow, 1996; Cortina Folger, 1998; Frick, 1995; Nickerson, 2000). We do believe that theoretically based arguments that lead researchers to predict null relationships between their research variables of interest are justified. The formal statistical procedure for performing a hypothesis is to state two hypothesis and to use an appropriate statistical test to reject one of the hypotheses and therefore accept (or fail to reject) the other one. The first hypothesis is usually referred to as the Null hypothesis because it is the hypothesis of no effect or no difference between the populations of interest. It is usually given the symbol H0. On the other hand, the second hypothesis is usually the Alternative Hypothesis by statisticians, but since it is often the hypothesis that the researcher would like to be true, it is also sometimes referred to as the Study Hypothesis or Research Hypothesis. This is give the symbol H1 OR HA. The Alternative Hypothesis states that there is an effect or that there is a difference between the populations. HYPOTHESIS ANALYSIS: Furthermore, in this study we conducted hypothesis tests on some of the variables of our report. Paired sample t-tests were performed on the model year and the price of the respective car models. The following tables show the results of the tests performed in the SPSS Statistical Software. Paired Samples Statistics Mean N Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Pair 1 Model Year 2011.70 80 1.672 .187 Selling Price 171152.50 80 45514.126 5088.634 The above table shows that for a mean of 2011 (for the model year), with the standard deviation at 1.672, the selling price is calculated to be at a mean of 171152.50 with a standard deviation of 45514.12. Paired Samples Test Paired Differences t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper Pair 1 Model Year Selling Price -169140.800 45512.738 5088.479 -179269.164 -159012.436 -33.240 79 .000 The above table shows that overall mean of the model year and the selling price is 169140.8 with a standard deviation of 45512.73. These tables were obtained by the SPSS statistical software by applying paired-samples t-test to compare the model year and the selling prices of the Land Cruisers discussed in this report. The results thereby, show that the mean selling price is 169140.8 for these cars with a standard deviation of 45512.73. The value of the t-test is 33.240 and the degree of freedom is 79. These results suggest that the model year really does affect the price of the Land Cruiser. Specifically, our results suggest the older the carà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model year the lower the price of the car will be and vice versa. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was computed to assess the relationship between the model year of the Land Cruisers and their respective selling prices. Correlations Model Year Selling Price Model Year Pearson Correlation 1 .830** Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 80 80 Selling Price Pearson Correlation .830** 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 80 80 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The above table suggests that there was a positive correlation between the two variables, r = 0.830, n = 80, p = .000. A scatterplot summarizes the results (Figure 1). Overall, there was a strong, positive correlation between the model year of the cars and the selling prices. Increase in model year (latest model) results in a higher selling price of the car. Bibliography Chow, S. L., 1996. Statistical significance: Rationale, validity and utility. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Cohen, J., 1977. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Rev ed. New York: Academic Press. Cohen, J., 1990. Things I have learned (so far). American Psychologist, Volume 45, pp. 1304-1312. Cortina, J. M. Dunlap, W. P., 1997. On the logic and purpose of significance testing. Psychological Methods, Volume 2, pp. 161-172. Cortina, J. M. Folger, R. G., 1998. When is it acceptable to accept a null hypothesis: No way, Jose?. Organizational Research Methods, Volume 1, pp. 334-350. Evans, J. R. Olson, D. L., 2003. Statistics, Data Analysis and Decision Modeling. 2 ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Frick, R. W., 1995. Accepting the null hypothesis. Memory Cognition, Volume 23, pp. 132-138. Greenwald, A. G., 1975. Consequences of prejudice against the null hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, Volume 82, pp. 1-20. Greenwald, A. G., 1993. Consequences of prejudice against the null hypothesis. In: K. G L. C, eds. A handbook for data analysis in the behavioral sciences: Methodological Issues. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 419-448. Nickerson, R. S., 2000. Null hypothesis significance testing: A review of an old and continuing controversy. Psychological Methods, Volume 5, pp. 241-301. Nikolopoulos, K., Goodwin, P., Patelis, A. Assimakopoulos, V., 2007. Forecasting with cue information: A comparison of multiple regression with alternative forecasting approaches. European Journal of Operational Research, 180(1), pp. 354-368.

Essay on Media Ethics and Their Relation to Business

Media Ethics and Their Relation to Business In this world, there is an obvious connection between the media and its involvement in business ethics. No matter what the form of media looked at, they all have the ability of being either an aid to business’s success or a detriment. The press and the media are responsible for reporting news, issues and events as clearly as possible. Any distortions can cause the message being sent to be misinterpreted or completely wrong. News organizations are given a responsibility of representing the public interest. In order to gain the public’s trust, such broadcasters are required to work within the parameters of ethical and responsible new casting. No matter what the issue, company or news†¦show more content†¦Names in the business world that are known to be accurate and reliable include CNN, CSPAN, local news stations such as CBS, NBC, ABC etc. Those who watch the business world closely are more inclined to go to reliable sources for their information. What is reported on these stations are considered as true based mainly on their past records. But when the occasion does arise, where the media goes about treating a business, or situation in an unethical manner many problems arise. In order to understand this type of situation clearly, it is good to look at actual examples where the media ethics become involved in communicating or the miscommunication of a business. Many recent problems in the media world are being attributed to the advances in technology. Although these advances are great and making life easier, things are being done so quickly that many important steps are being forgotten. In the rush to present a story first, many journalists are forgetting to be accurate and balanced in their covered stories. The pressures of live broadcast are requiring journalists to focus on a new set of questions in order to check and be sure the position and format in which they present their story is clear of any unethical issues. A committee known as SPJ is focused on the ethics of journalism in all forms of media and claims â€Å"The SPJ Code of Ethics encourages journalists to minimize harm by recognizing thatShow MoreRelatedF Williams MKTG340 U2IP Essay1438 Words   |  6 PagesUnit  2  Individual  Project  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 Abstract In  today’s  media  society  journalist  and  marketing  public  relations  professionals  are  very   comparable  in  many  ways.  Both  jobs  involve  writing  Ã‚  and  collecting  information  so  it  can  be   edited  for  mass  media  play.  These  two  also  has  its  differences  one  relies  on  facts  while  the  other   collect  and  edit  data. Unit  2  Individual  Project  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 Introduction   In  this  research  explaining  journal  ethics  and  marketing  public  relations  it  is  safe  to  say   that  both  jobs  have  similar  goalsRead MoreA Brief Note On Ethics And Conduct And Behavior1089 Words   |  5 PagesEthics Research Report Student Name: Longfei Wang Student ID: 11529471 Executive Summary This report describe the two professional areas, they are Early Childhood and Public Relation (PR). In this two areas, this article illustrates the importance of three professional codes which are ethics, conduct and behavior. The report also reveal some ethical or unethical behaviors in the light of the two professional areas. Then the two professions will be compared in the codes ofRead More International Business: The Importance of Ethics in Business1636 Words   |  7 PagesInternational Business The business world has always relied heavily on contractual agreements while conducting business. These contracts while written in ink, are set in stone. Once your business partner signs his/her name on the dotted line the pact has been sealed and nothing else needs to be said. But what happens when you take away the physical contractual element and everything is agreed upon through ones word? The world of business ethics is an old discipline in most parts of the worldRead MoreSocial Media: The Impact It Has In Public Relations. According1424 Words   |  6 Pages Social Media: The impact it has in Public Relations According to Hootsuite, â€Å"2.8 billion people were using social media by the end of 2016, up 21 percent from 2015.† Over the past decade, social media has managed to take our world by storm and only continues to grow, especially in the field of public relations. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have become some of the most prevalent tools to use for businesses. Social media has grown into a tool that plays a huge role in publicRead MoreThe Responsibility Of A Public Relation Agency1504 Words   |  7 PagesPublic relation could be a strategic communication method that happens in between the organization and also the public. The first responsibility of a public relation agency is to take care of effective communication with the stakeholders and to supply them necessary facilities and advantages for gaining structure name. Roxy being a winning publisher and highlighted Australian celebrity has achieved Brobdingnag name and image throughout her entire caree r. She is that the owner of a bone relation agencyRead MoreHistory of Mass Media1150 Words   |  5 PagesHISTORY OF MASS MEDIA UNIT PLAN LECTURE AND TUTORIAL:- DAY : MONDAY TIME : 8.00 to 11.00 am ROOM : R4.2 OBJECTIVE To introduce students to the historical development of media, including books, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV broadcasting and cinema. Students will be able to trace the emergence of modern media institutions from their historical roots and discuss the impact of social and technological change. This will be ableRead MoreEthics Fired Over Social Media802 Words   |  4 Pages Ethics Fired Over Social Media Ethics Fired Over Social Media The purpose of this literary review is to enlighten my viewers of the importance of the ethical idea of companies crossing the lines of business with your personal life, when involving social media accounts. Most of my research has operated from the ATU library using the find it tool. Furthermost, the researched information use was from peer-reviewed research journal. I will discuss includes social media cons in the workRead MoreThe Ethical Landscape Of Public Relations950 Words   |  4 Pagesethical landscape of public relations. The code of ethics for public relations can be found on the Public Relations Society of America website. The website states, â€Å"PR can present unique and challenging ethical issues, but protecting integrity and public trust are fundamental†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The code of ethics indicates that someone in the field of public relations should hold advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty, and fairness above all else. If the public relations professi onals are honest andRead MoreEthics in Corporate Communicatons Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesCode of Ethics – Assignment 2 Andrea Denette March 18, 2015 Integrated Corporate Communication, Comm 3010 Paul Lindsley, M.A., ABC The word ethics has many definitions depending on who you are speaking with and if it is business related. One person may tell you that ethics has to do with what is right and wrong. Another may say it has to do with that law of the land. In fact there are many interpretations and definitions for ethics. In Corporate Communications there is a totally differentRead MoreIt301 Unit 9 Project Kaplan989 Words   |  4 PagesRaw score | Weighted Score | Product Quality | 4 | 5 | 20 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 20 | Product Capabilities | 5 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 25 | Business Experience | 3 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 9 | Reputation/History | 4 | 4 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 4 | 16 | Time in Business | 3 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 9 | Warranty | 3 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 9 | Cost | 5 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 20 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 15 | | Weighted

Evolution of an Urban Area Free Essays

James L. Minter, III PD 120 Assignment #2: Evolution of an Urban Area Location: Atlanta, Ga. / Fulton County I have chosen to do my research on the city of Atlanta, Georgia within Fulton County. We will write a custom essay sample on Evolution of an Urban Area or any similar topic only for you Order Now Atlanta is the largest city within Fulton County and has significant value to the Black community. It is of interest to me as Black/Latino man who has been astonished by how quickly so many minorities have jumped at the opportunity to head south when we not so long ago were heading north at a record pace for the same reason, opportunity. I will discuss what I have read, researched, and learned from my own experiences as well.In this country, so many squirm at the very mention of the suburban â€Å"White Flight† of White persons buying suburban homes every since WWII. However, the fact remains that in this country no matter what race you are if you are presented with a better alternative for living and working you will gravitate towards that lifestyle. This is extremely evident in my research, as so many Blacks headed back to where their mother’s and father’s fled to either escape death, racism, slavery or was just simply looking for a job to make a living.Within my community the state of Georgia was not looked upon favorably, in fact, when I was a child, 40 years ago, it would have been considered just about crazy to leave progressive New York for the racist south, especially Georgia where cotton was a mainstay to the economy. Nowadays, it’s becoming just the opposite; the businesses are leaving for the south (along with the jobs) and the racism being experienced up north, I believe, is because of the shrinking market for jobs and the disdain for someone in a minority group â€Å"taking† what used to be â€Å"yours job†.So for those reasons, I’d like to take you on a journey to understand what Atlanta has become and why many Blacks affectionately refer it to as â€Å"Chocolate City†. Fulton County in 1900 had a population of 117,363 persons and has grown to 816,006 in the 2000 census. Whereas, the City of Atlanta in 1900 had a population of 89,872 persons and has grown to 537,958 since the 2000 census. Fulton county since the early 1900’s has steadily been in the low single digits as far as foreign born persons residing within the county ntil 2000 where the foreign born rate climbed to 10%. Although historically in Atlanta and Fulton County the predominant immigrants are those whose ancestry are from Russia, Germany, UK, Italy, Ireland, and Greece it wasn’t until the 2000 census that Africans were migrating to Atlanta as the 4th largest migrating group on record. It further demonstrated that those of African descent and those who were American Blacks looked upon Atlanta as a chance for minorities to â€Å"get ahead† and share some form of American success.Many Blacks from the north began migrating south, just the opposite as the early 1900â €™s, as industries such as auto plants began downsizing, steel plants were shutting down more and more, affirmative action was being frowned upon, and the large incomes that were being made within the construction industries (both via developing and trade unions in the west and north east) was not being shared with northern western Blacks. The trade unionist, still to this day, struggle to â€Å"give up† what they perceive to be their own trade with minority groups (i. e.Italian cement masons laborers, German Operators, Irish Iron Workers, etc. ). This shutting out phenomenon of varying industries, especially within the northeast, has caused many minority groups (esp. Blacks and Latinos) to migrate south for opportunities that were not present to them at home. When you couple the â€Å"black/brown migration† south to Atlanta along with subsidies being given to oil companies and big corporations to relocate headquarters along the â€Å"Sunbelt†; there is no wonder that opportunity was available for those who were willing to work non-union and compete for low paying jobs against migrant workers.Since the immigration laws were eased via legislation in 1965, the most extreme documentation of â€Å"Sunbelt† workers in Fulton County have been those of Spanish speaking origin for various reasons. Since the 1970 census, Hispanic ethnicity in Fulton County went from 8,260 to a whopping 48,056 in the 2000 census. Whether it be Cubans fleeing communism, Mexicans looking to just make a decent living, or Blacks fleeing being shut out during the up rise of our economy during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the fact remains that Atlanta was viewed as a city where minorities could go and make a better life for themselves and their families.This â€Å"black/brown migration† was not going unnoticed by the native White’s of Atlanta. As Blacks became the majority group in Atlanta by 2000 at 60% of the city’s population, Whites continued to move away to their suburban homelands of Fulton County, as they made up 66% of the suburbs population in 2000. Atlanta and Fulton County continued to grow but it was evident that it was growing into a more extreme segregated population. However, there was a transformation-taking place, the Black suburb.The more populated th e city of Atlanta was getting; the more Blacks began populating the suburbs themselves. Along with the pattern of the housing market targeting low and middle-income residents to buy homes from the mid 1990’s through the 2000’s. Blacks (and other minority groups) began buying suburban homes attempting to gain the â€Å"American Dream†. As a political foresight to the â€Å"black/brown† migration, the affluent suburb of Buckhead was annexed and became part of Atlanta, as many believe, to keep the majority-voting block in the city White.So, now being part of Atlanta, many Blacks began buying beautiful homes in Buckhead and other surrounding suburbs creating the vision of a â€Å"Black suburb†. However, since this annexation there has been increased feuding with the northern residents of the more affluent White suburbs with the collection and distribution of taxes towards the southern portion of the county. The feeling amongst the northerners within the county is that they are subsidizing the south because that’s where the most loc al support service dollars are being spent.So after the 2000 census Blacks now make up at least 28% of the Fulton County suburbs, and still maintain over 60% of the population in the city of Atlanta, thus justifying the affectionate name of â€Å"Chocolate City†. Another varying phenomenon is the research numbers that show that even with a heavy influx of Asian/Pacific Islander into Fulton County and the city of Atlanta less than 1% actually migrated to the city while over 4% migrated immediately to the suburb.This further shows the trend of those even born in another country knows that to live in the suburbs in America is a matter of status more than anything else. Especially when the suburbs in European cities represent all the ills of their societies, and it’s literally vice versa. Our affluent residents look to leave the central cities, while European affluent residents look to live as close to the center of the city as possible (Paris, for example).Between 1950 and 1960 is when the greatest changes came to the region, with the city growing by almost 140,000 persons due to its annexation of the Buckhead suburb. The city of Atlanta varies from its suburbs in Fulton County for one main reason, the highway structure and volumes of he adquarters for major corporations and media outlets. While the suburbs in Fulton County are littered with strip malls and sub divisions, the City of Atlanta is filled with tall corporate buildings surrounded by winding and crisscrossing highway roads. The Fulton County suburbs are predominantly White (with a heavy influence of Russian and German ancestry), clean and quiet within the neighborhoods, while the City of Atlanta is predominantly Black, loud and busy (especially during the day), with stand still traffic on the highways during the morning and evening rush hours, covered under a layer of fog from vehicle emissions. The problem that â€Å"Chocolate City† and Fulton County will be facing soon is the lack of jobs even in this economy that may be on the rise.The burst of the dot com bubbles, the failing oil refineries, and globalization of businesses will surely have the residents of this once bubbling land of opportunity in Atlanta possibly fleeing again for greener pastures elsewhere, or fighting for jobs for even less pay with migrant workers or desperate residents willing to take almost anything that you would not, if you had a choice. So â€Å"Chocolate City† has been good to many minority workers, especiall y over the last two decades, however the sun may be rising and the chocolate sweetness of success may be melting sooner than one might think. How to cite Evolution of an Urban Area, Papers

Logistics and Operations Management in Tesco

Qustion: Identify component activities for the Tesco. Then evaluate the performance objectives used by each and critically examine and suggest ways in which the performance could be improved? Answer: Introduction Logistics and operations management are the two important areas in an organisation that are crucial to its overall performance levels. In order to perform the management of these two important areas of an organisation, it is essential that their methods of planning and organising such processes need to be focused. This is mainly because the effectiveness of planning and organising of organisational processes is crucial from the point of view of achieving success in the areas of operations and networking management. Operations management involves the performance of large number of processes and activities aimed at achieving operational efficiency. This in turn allows for delivering the products and services to the final consumers in an efficient way because the operational efficiency allows firms with the accessibility to competitive advantage. Apart from this, the logistics management is also known as establishing networking across different operational areas of the organisation so t hat the entire chain can be carried out efficiently and ultimately, timely delivery of the finished products to the final consumers can be ensured (Dlabay, Burrow and Kleindl, 2011). This report is aimed at performing an analysis of the component activities of Tesco Plc with specific attention being placed towards the oil business of the company. As a part of this component activity analysis, the assessment of the performance objectives as utilised by each such component activity would be performed, and the actual performance assessment of the company would result into appropriate recommendations for achieving further level of improvement in its performance. Analysis of Tesco Petrol Filling Station As the organisation chosen for the purpose of analysis is Tesco Plc, this section of analysis is now aimed at evaluating Tesco Plc in brief. Tesco Plc is mainly a supermarket retailer based in UK. The company has diverse range of operations, and Tesco Petrol Filling Station is known for selling petrol. The company has initially started selling its petrol in 1974, and it performs the selling of its petrol at most of its superstores and extra locations. The fuel as sold by Tesco is mainly developed by Greenergy. Tesco has also entered into business alliance with Esso, a part of Exxon Mobil and this has resulted into several filling stations on lease from Esso by the company. Tesco operates its stores under their express format. The company has been successful in selling petrol through its wide distribution network (Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, 2015). Identification of Component Activities in Respect to Tesco Petrol Filling This section of analysis is now aimed at analysing the component activities in respect to Petrol Filling Station Service as offered by Tesco Plc. An analysis of the component activity concept is essential before actually carrying out the evaluation in respect to Tesco Filling Station. The component activities are mainly the component parts that must be carried out by an organisation in order to accomplish the organisational goals (Greasley, 1999). As Tesco Filling Station, the primary goal of the company has been to provide best quality service and quality oil to its customers across wide geographic areas. In ensuring the delivery of such services, there are a large range of component activities that are essential to be carried out so that best possible services can be delivered to the final consumers. The component activities need to achieve operational efficiency so that the final consumers are provided with higher value for the money as spent by them. An analysis of the case of Te sco Petrol Filling station leads to the identification of key component activities such as providing values to the customers, providing oil filling opportunities to its customers, and assisting them with additional services (Tesco, 2015). Key Performance Objective in Relation to the Component Activity There are various important component activities that have been identified in respect to the Tesco Petrol Filling Stations. These activities are briefly summarised below and followed by this is the explanation of the objectives that the organisation seeks to accomplish from each such component activities. The important component activities along with their objectives are indicated below: Providing Values to Customers- This is an important component activity that has been noted in relation to Tesco Petrol Filling Station. As per this component activity, Tesco Petrol filling station seeks to provide higher values to its consumers for the money spent by them across different filling stations of the company. In relation to this, the important objectives are indicated as follows: To provide quality fuels to its customers that enhances their vehicle performance. To ensure the positive compliance with the British specifications for oil. To make sure that quality fuels are being availed from its suppliers that best comply with its requirements (Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, 2015). Providing Oil Filling Opportunities- The particular component activity is concerned with meeting out the needs and requirements for fuels within its customers. The important objectives as noted in relation to this particular filling opportunity are identified as follows: To ensure the availability of wide range of fuels across different destinations in UK so as to offer consumer value. To provide different grades of fuel aimed at meeting out the needs and expectations of its customers for diverse quality (Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, 2015). Providing Additional Services: At Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, the company not only aims at providing best quality fuels to its customers, but its aim also include delivering additional services to its customers. The objective in relation to this component activity is indicated as follows: To provide additional services in its petrol filling stations from its different range of products across other stores. To promote its petrol filling station service by offering wide range of food items from its Tesco departmental stores (Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, 2015). These are the important component activities that have been noted in respect to Tesco Petrol Filling Station, and there are different important objectives that are also noted. The next section analyses the actual performance of Tesco Filling Station with respect to the above identified objectives. These are indicated as follows: Tesco Petrol Filling Performance against the Objectives The analysis above has indicated about various such component activities in relation to Tesco Plc, and the objectives are also identified in this respect. However, the actual performance assessment is essential so that based on its current performance in relation to such performance objectives, appropriate recommendations would be provided. In respect to the companys component activity of providing values to its customers, an analysis of Tesco Petrol Filling Station in particular indicates that there are a range of activities that are considered by the company in providing values to its customers. As for example, within the oil segment, there has been categorisation being done by Tesco Plc in terms of Tesco Unleaded, Tesco Diesel, and Tesco Momentum. This categorisation is aimed at meeting different kinds of need of its customers. The company looks towards charging prices based on the quality, as best quality fuel is charged higher and vice versa. This particular strategy allows Tesc o in servicing its customers with higher value. In addition to this, additional values are aimed to provide to their customers by Tesco Filling Station by way of ensuring that its fuels are refined in its behalf which is aimed at cleaning and protecting the engine of vehicles. There are wide range of British Standards being used in order to maintain the quality levels of its different fuels such as : Tesco Unleaded: (BS EN228) Tesco Diesel: (BS EN590) Tesco Momentum (BS EN7800). These are some of the ways in which value is being sought to provide to the final consumers by the company. Apart from the component activity of providing value to customers, the analysis of Tescos Petrol Filling Stations component activity also shows that it aims at providing large range of opportunities to its customers. The organisation focuses on providing its customers with petrol filling opportunities across wide range of areas. In relation to this, the performance of analysis of Tescos Petrol Filling Stations indicated that there has been alliance being formed by the company with Esso and this allowed it in providing its fuel across wide range of areas catering to the needs and requirements of its customers. This alliance has allowed Tesco in increasing the number of Tesco Filling Stations which in turn has facilitated wider geographic distribution to the company. The sale of petrol can be increased by providing its accessibility to large geographic areas, and this kind of strategy in the form of alliances allows Tesco Petrol filling station in serving more and more of its customers (Nair, 2002). Finally, with respect to the component of providing additional services, the objective of the company is to assist its customers with other products and services. The performance of Tesco Petrol in this respect is mainly efficient because there are a large range of activities and initiatives that are considered by the company in order to provide additional assistance to its customers. As for example, there are petrol filling station kiosks which offer customers on-the-go convenience for their journey without charging any premium. There are tailored ranges of products that are offered across the kiosks of the company and with such additional services, the company do not charges any extra prices from its customers. Overall, the analysis of the performance of Tesco indicated that there is significant level of efforts by the company in order to achieve the desired level of objectives in its business performance. This has allowed it in achieving higher level of effectiveness with respect to meeting out its objectives (Tesco, 2015). Recommendations for Improving Performance A critical analysis has been carried out with respect to the performance of Tesco Petrol filling station in respect to its key component activities and the performance of the company has been analysed in this respect. Based on the analysis of performance, there are certain major recommendations that are considered essential and these are indicated as follows: Tesco Petrol Filling Retail should consider for additional ways of delivering its wide range of fuel to its customers. Although there are various such filling stations that are operational at the moment, yet it can achieve further level of expansion by way of focusing more on increasing the number of such stations (Meredith and Shafer, 2009). It is also recommended that the strategy of offering Kiosks is a good strategy, and it should be expanded to all the filling stations (Bakliwal, 2011). The value to the customers can be provided by way of providing them good quality of foods and services and also the good quality fuel. In this respect, the company should focus more on the refining process so that the fuel as offered would positively support the engines of customers. There should be additional value added services that should be considered by Tesco Petrol Filling Stations such as providing large range of options in selling its fuel. It can be in the form of discounts on huge purchases of oil by its customers, or it can also be in terms of supporting through accepting wide payment options from its customers (Lewis and Slack, 2003). These are some of the major recommendations that are considered essential and by focusing on them, improvement in the performance of Tesco can be achieved. Conclusion In this report, a critical assessment of the component activities of Tesco Petrol Filling Station has been performed, and there are important performance objectives of the company that have been noted in this regard. On the basis of analysis of performance, it has been evaluated that there are specific component activities in the operation of Tesco Petrol Filling Station such as providing values to customers, ensuring them larger opportunities and also making it sure that there are additional options being provided to them. The analysis of the performance of Tesco Petrol Filling has indicated that the company has been largely successful in providing these services and there has been improved overall performance objectives being achieved by it. However, in order to accomplish further level of improvements in its performance, it has been recommended that the company should look for expanding its reach by opening more such petrol filling stations. References Bakliwal, V.K. (2011), Production and Operation Management, Pinnacle Technology, pp. 1- Dlabay, L.R., Burrow, J.L. and Kleindl, B.A.(2011), Principles of Business, Cengage Learning, pp. 228-230 Greasley, A. (1999), Operations Management in Business, Nelson Thornes, pp. 176-190. Lewis, M. and Slack, N. (2003), Operations Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management, Routledge, pp. 45-54. Meredith, J.R. and Shafer, S.M. (2009), Operations Management For Mbas, 3Rd Ed, John Wiley Sons, pp. 123-143. Nair, (2002), Production and Operations Management, Tata McGraw-Hill Education, pp. 154-172. Tesco Petrol Filling Stations, (2015) [Online]. Available at: https://www.tescopfs.com/about-us/range Accessed: 03 April 2015].

Freedom Writers free essay sample

Possible answers for Six Step Analysis of Freedom Writers exposed 1. List all the different examples of belonging evident in the text: The students are clearly identified as belonging to an ethnic group, based on colour, race and ethnicity, e. g. the Cambodians, the Latinos, the African Americans and the ‘whites’. They also identify themselves as being gang members and belonging to the gang, including having territory and ‘protecting your own’. The majority of the students live in an area called the ‘projects’ and belong to the area of Longbeach.As students, they belong to Woodrow Wilson High School and by being placed in Miss Gruwell’s class they identify themselves as belonging to the ‘dumb’ class. Then, as the movie progresses, the students clearly see themselves as belonging to Miss Gruwell, the class and the classroom Room 203. 2. Choose three interesting, possibly contrasting examples of belonging / not belonging, not all from the same category. We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom Writers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ? For each example, build up a set of notes in response to these questions: a. Describe the person and the other person or group or society or place or the world as depicted in the text. . Describe the connection between the person and the other person or group or society or place or world in terms of belonging. c. How does the person’s context influence his/her experience and sense of belonging (or lack of it)? d. What other factors impinge on the person’s experience and sense of belonging (or lack of it)? e. How do the person’s experience and sense of belonging (or lack of it) affect his/her self-concept and world-view? f. Do the experience and sense of belonging change through the course of the text? If so, explain why. At the beginning of the movie we are introduced to Eva and given an understanding of what it is to belong to the Latino group. We hear it from her perspective and see both the danger and the security that comes from belonging to a gang. Eva’s father is well-respected in the Latino world. However, he is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit when a member of a rival gang/ethnic group identifies him as the perpetrator. Eva’s father taught her to fight and to be proud to be Latino. He taught her to always ‘take care of her own’.Eva’s father’s experience influences the family, and particularly Eva, into believing that it is more important to support your fellow gang members than to tell the truth or see justice done. It is all about the victories of the gang and not about the ‘right’ or ‘moral’ act. When Eva witnesses one of her gang members commit murder, she is encouraged to blame it on an African American boy who was also there at the scene, rather than tell the truth. She is told to protect her own and to blame the rival gang. After all, that is what happened to her father, and it is time for them to win a victory.At first Eva is willing to do this, but as time goes on and she begins to belong more consciously and willingly to Miss Gruwell’s class, she realises that to blame someone else is not the right thing to do. The lessons she is learning in Erin Gruwell’s class are now causing an internal conflict for her as she struggles to work out what to do in court. By the end of the movie, Eva makes the decision to do the ‘right’ thing rather than to blindly ‘protect her own’, and identifies her fellow gang-member as the murderer. Her life is then in danger from the gang she belongs to, but she belongs now even more firmly to Miss Gruwell’s class, and believes that she can make a difference and have a life better than the one she has led thus far. Initially, her sense of belonging only extended as far as her family, her gang and her ethnic group. Ultimately, her sense of belonging expanded to include those members of her class and Miss Gruwell, and the learning that took place changed her self-concept and her world view. Example 2 -When Erin Gruwell arrives for class on the first day, it is clear that she does not belong to the same social class or ethnic group as her students. She is in a business suit with pearls and appears naive and idealistic about the class she will shortly face. The class arrives and settles into various groups within the classroom – clearly divided boundaries separate the different groups of students. Erin Gruwell belongs to none of them. Nor can she identify with them – she does not know their world or their experiences, and has no understanding of their world-view or their lives.Erin’s father had been involved in the Civil Rights Movement and Erin had been inspired by that and wanted to make her own difference in the world. Knowing that Woodrow Wilson High School was an integrated high school, she chose to work there, hoping to be an instrument for change. Clinging to the belief that she can make a difference, Erin proceeds to learn about her students and their lives, and to use that knowledge to make their learning relevant and worthwhile for them. In the process the students come together as one group, er class, rather than the conglomeration of separate groups in the one room that they had been in the beginning. Over time, the students begin to feel that they belong to her, and she to them, referring to themselves no longer as just a class, but now a ‘family’. They fight to keep her as their teacher when she would normally have passed on to teaching other classes. Once Erin has an understanding of her students and the lives they live, she is even more determined to do whatever it takes to give them a better future. She takes on two additional jobs to fund resources and excursions for the students.Erin’s understanding of the Holocaust allows her to open a new world for her students, where they grow to understand that children were persecuted and killed in another country during the Holocaust due to the same type of intolerance they themselves are perpetrating. As they begin to widen their own world-view, they change their initial sense of belonging, widening it from the restrictive narrowness of their ethnicity. Example 3 – The white boy in class, Ben, clearly does not belong. He is scared at having to be in the class with all the other ethnic groups and gangs.Ben does not want to be a part of them and clearly is not affiliated with any one gang or ethnic group. He is the only white student in the class. At one stage Eva declares that she hates white people, and when Miss Gruwell then asks Ben if he would like to respond to that, his only answer is ‘Can I get out of here? ’ Over time, as the learning in Miss Gruwell’s class begins to overcome the clear boundaries of each ethnic group, Ben begins to become an accepted member of the class and to clearly belong with all of the students.His world-view changes as he begins to understand the lives his fellow-students live, and he stops being afraid of them and starts to identify himself as belonging to them. Initially Ben’s only sense of belonging to the rest of the class was that he was ‘dumb’ enough to belong in that class. Eventually he is an accepted part of the class and clearly belongs. Back 3. What techniques does the composer use to represent belonging in particular ways in the text? The composer begins with the voice-over narration of Eva, reading what turns out to be sections from her diary. We are shown a glimpse of the events she is recounting and then taken to the present day. In this way, we are encouraged to identify and empathise with Eva, and clearly understand her strong sense of belonging to the Latino group. The music played throughout the film is usually rap, hip hop and RB, clearly connecting the audience to the world of the youth in the film. The lyrics of the songs often reflect the events of the students’ lives, despite their youth.The use of a soundtrack that appeals to a youthful audience will draw the younger audience to watch and relate to the movie, and hopefully inspire them accordingly. A large part of the movie is filmed within the classroom or grounds of Woodrow Wilson High School. Throughout the movie, we see the transformation of the barren environment of Room 203 into one with bright posters, functioning equipment and a welcoming atmosphere. The transformation of the set echoes the transformation of the students and their attitudes. As progress is made with the students, we see it reflected in the way the room looks.This assists the audience to see the personal growth and change that is occurring in the students, in a quick, visual way without needing lengthy explanations or dialogue. There are a lot of close-up shots used to show the audience the students’ facial expressions. We are guided to focus on their emotions in order to truly understand what is taking place within the classroom. It is rare that we are focused on their books or the board (in fact, there are a number of continuity errors that involve the blackboard so it was clearly not designed to be our focus).In other movies about teachers and students, there is often a lot of focus on the equipment of their learning for instance in ‘Stand and Deliver’, the movie depicts the students’ struggle to learn advanced calculus and thus more camera time is spent focusing on the tools of their learning. In ‘Freedom Writers’, the learning is not primarily about English, though English is taught and learned also, and therefore the camera focuses on the faces to show us that it is in the students and their emotions and understanding of the world that the vital learning is taking place. Back 4.Overall, what ideas about belonging are presented in the text? The text begins by showing the dangers and benefits of belonging to a gang. These gangs are based on racial groups and thus you can be clearly identified as belonging merely by the colour of your skin. By the end of the text, the responder has been shown that belonging only to one group can result in a dangerous narrowing of your worldview. The students in the text discover that belonging to a wider group, that of their class and teacher, has exposed them to greater understandings of what it is to belong to the world.The concept of belonging is represented in the text through the use of racial groups and gangs, and the te acher, Erin Gruwell, who is outside these groups, challenging the students to belong to each other, and the world, in a way that will open up a better future for them. 5. How are you, as reader or audience, positioned to view the representation of belonging? The responder is clearly positioned at the beginning to see the benefits of belonging to a gang, including security, affection, friendship and support.However, the composer has also shown the more dangerous side of this type of belonging, including being shot at and beaten up for belonging to a particular racial group. The continual use of excerpts from the students’ diaries, usually narrated by the students in a voiceover and combined with a visual impression of the event, positions the responder to understand and empathise with the world of the students. We are encouraged to see the students through Erin Gruwell’s eyes – sympathetically, with an enthusiasm to affect change and a belief in the students’ ability to have a better future.The responders are encouraged to ‘belong’ to the text through their glimpses into the personal lives of the students an d the teacher, as well as seeing some of their classroom experiences. Erin Gruwell made a difference through her persistence and hard work, and the audience is positioned to see the same hope for change and promise of a better future that Erin Gruwell works towards. The movie is designed to inspire and educate, and the responder is positioned to leave the movie theatre happy and keen to make a difference in their world.Back 6. Earlier you considered the context of the character/person within the text and in the previous question you considered your own context as audience. Now consider the context of the text itself. The movie ‘Freedom Writers’ is based on the true story of Erin Gruwell and her class. The movie is set in 1994 and was released in cinemas on January 12th, 2007 in the USA and 22nd March in Australia. In Longbeach, California in 1992 they experienced the Rodney King Riots and racial tensions were still high two years later. Following the Rodney King Riots and the O. J. Simpson trial, the mood in our city was unsettling, and on our first day of high school, we had only three things in common: we hated school, we hated our teacher, and we hated each other. Whether it was official or not, we all knew that we had been written off. Low test scores, juvenile hall, alienation, and racial hostility helped us fit the labels the educational system placed on us: â€Å"unteachable,† â€Å"below average,† and â€Å"delinquents. † Somehow, Ms.G recognized our similarities, and used them to unite us. She gave us books written by teenagers that we could relate to, and it was through these books that we began to realize that if we could relate to a little girl who lived on the other side the world, fifty years before we did, we could certainly relate to each other. ’ * The Freedom Writers, http://www. freedomwritersfoundation. org The class produced a book entitled The Freedom Writers Diary, and the Freedom Writers official website (http://www. freedomwritersfoundation. rg ) gives information about the context of the book and the movie, and goes on to tell of the experiences of the group after the events in the movie. This excerpt from the website provides more information about the context of the film: ‘The Freedom Writers Diary is the amazing true story of strength, courage, and achievement in the face of adversity. In the fall of 1994, in Room 203 at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, an idealistic twenty-four-year-old teacher named Erin Gruwell faced her first group of students, dubbed by the administration as unteachable, at-risk teenagers.This group was unlike any she had ever interacted with. The kids took bets on how long their new teacher would last in their classroom. Then a pivotal event changed their lives forever: when a racial caricature of one of the African American students circulated the classroom, Erin angrily intercepted the drawing and compared it to a Nazi exaggeration of Jews during the Holocaust. To her amazement, the students responded with puzzled looks. Erin was appalled to discover that not one child in her class knew of the Holocaust and its unspeakable horrors.When asked how many had been shot at, however, all raised their hands, and a battle-scar show-and-tell began that shocked Erin even more. Erin Gruwell had touched a nerve, and she ran with it. Knowing that her students were all too familiar with violence, she introduced them to Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and Zlatas Diary: A Childs Life in Sarajevo. Reluctant at first to read the strange texts, the students of Room 203 soon paralleled their lives to those of Anne and Zlata- teenagers also surrounded by violence- and could not believe their intense connections to the stories.Each student began to keep his or her own anonymous diary, recording tormenting stories of drug use, struggles with physical and mental abuse, reaction to Erin and her unconventional teaching methods. The results were the foundation of a life-changing, spiritually enriching journey that began with a symbolic toast for change, and has not stopped since. From the moment they named themselves the Freedom Writers, the students of Room 203 changed from a group of apathetic delinquents to a closely knit, motivated family with Erin Gruwell as th eir guide.The Freedom Writers worked extremely hard to bring their first influences off the page and into their lives, with funds raised from a Read-a-thon for Tolerance set up by Erin, as well as endless moonlighting jobs that Erin worked, they arranged for Miep Gies, the courageous Dutch woman who sheltered the Frank family, to visit them in California. Soon after, Zlata Filipovic responded to the Freedom Writers many letters inviting her to Long Beach, and she spent five days with them, allowing the Freedom Writers to compare notes with her.This reinforced to the Freedom Writers that voices are heard, change is possible, and a difference can be made in people through the power of words. The Freedom Writers have since continued to spread their story and message throughout the world. In 1997 they held an Echoes of the Soul fund-raising concert to help pay for a trip to Washington, D. C. , where they toured the Holocaust Museum and presented their diary to Secretary of Education Richard Riley. This trip also allowed them to emulate their heroes, the Freedom Riders, by holding a peace march and prayer vigil for victims of intolerance at the Washington Monument. In 1998 they won the Spirit of Anne Frank Award- the Freedom Writers traveled to New York to accept the award. Most recently, in the summer of 1999, one of their most far-reaching goals was achieved. The Freedom Writers and Erin visited Anne Franks house in Amsterdam; the concentration camps Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Chelmno in Poland; and visited Zlata in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Most important all 150 Freedom Writers have graduated from High School and are attending college. ’

Failure is feedback Why objective opinions improve your work

Failure is feedback Why objective opinions improve your work Oftentimes in life, the difference between a crushing setback and an opportunity is perspective. HealthRise Solutions David Farbman believes that a â€Å"failure† is simply a time for feedback, an opportunity to make yourself better. Business is a long and winding road, and the ability to see opportunities for what they are (without lying to yourself) is a crucial skill for anyone trying to navigate it. [Source: Daily Fuel]

English Legal System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

English Legal System - Essay Example Thus, consistency within the law is both in practice and theory, to a maximum extent is preserved and can be regarded as one of the fundamental demands of the meaning of justice, which is covered by giving equal treatment of like cases, in like manner1. UK can be said to be the birth place of the legal concept namely judicial precedent or stare decisis or ratio decidendi. Now, judicial precedent is widely followed by the common law jurisdictions around the world. The judicial precedent concept is footed upon the rule that once a court has given its verdict in a given background, the analogous verdict should be arrived at in any future litigation where the facts of the cases are alike. The judicial precedent principle is based upon the concept that if a verdict was given by a superior court, then lower court is under obligation to follow it, whereas there is no obligation on the superior court to follow the decision given by a lower court. It is to be remembered that decision given by Lord Atkin in Donoghue v Stevenson2 in 1932 as regards to â€Å"neighbour principle† which has become the reference case for the cases involving ‘negligence’ in the latter period3. A gullible consumer may under proper scenarios recoup damages for harm sustained by a defective product either it be car as held in Andrews v Hopkinson,4 or it may be an underwear as held in Grant v Australian Knitting Mills.5 Likewise , the verdict given in Salomon v Salomon & Co Ltd6 also became a precedent in subsequent cases where it was held that a company is a juristic person , has separate legal entity and a company is different from its members.7 In these cases, the courts have considered only the legal principle involved and not the particular facts of the earlier cases. Thus, the legal principle, which is known as the ratio decidendi is the crux portion of the judicial decision which is a binding precedent.8 An obiter dictum in judicial verdict deals with observation made by a judge in the course of litigation, which is not essential for the final verdict and hence is not regarded as a binding precedent. For instance, in R v Howe & Bannister9, it was held by the House of Lords that defence of duress could not be extended to murder crime and this has been regarded as the ratio decidendi of the case. Further, it was observed by the House of Lords, whether the defence should be made available to those accused who engaged in an attempt of murder and observed obiter dicta that the defence of duress should not be made available to the attempted murder also10. It is to be noted that obiter dicta is also referred by other names namely persuasive precedent, which refers to the legal principles observed by the judges which just offer some elucidation on the subject. Thus, persuasive precedents may also emanate from lower courts and also from the verdicts of other jurisdiction11. In R v Gotts12 , the House of Lords was of the view that justification under duress cannot be extended for

What do Advertisements Tell Young People They Should Value Essay

What do Advertisements Tell Young People They Should Value - Essay Example Advertising has been part of American life for centuries, and has certainly always had some kind of effect on the behaviour of Americans in a wide variety of ways. Throughout the past ten to twenty years, however, the amount of advertising exposure and kind of advertising has changed significantly, and may have an increased effect on American youths. It is incredibly difficult to construct a causal relationship between advertising and behaviour, something that advertisers have used to their advantage to fight regulation throughout history, from the cigarette era to today. The problems of determining causal relationships are myriad, but most simply rest on the well known idea that correlation is not causation: wearing your favorite team’s jersey and them winning does not indicate any causal relationship between your jersey choice and your team’s success. Furthering the complexity of this problem is the fact that advertising in fact mirrors many of the issues inherent to many forms of media, such as film and television, in, for instance, constructing unrealistic ideas of beauty. Advertisers, for instance, are often blamed on helping to cause eating disorders, while there may be many different societal and media factors at work in those issues. To construct a causal relationship, one must therefore go much further than simply analyzing correlation (though correlation certainly plays some part in the analysis). Through analyzing the behaviour advertisers, the explosion of new media, the psychological makeup of young adults, and the correlation between youth behaviour and advertising, it is possible to construct a causal relationship between advertiser’s construction of the ideals of beauty and negative behaviour among young adults, such as the development of eating disorders. The first thing that must be unequivocally establishes is the fact that advertising does, in fact, affect behaviour. This is its whole point of the entire industry, to lea d people to buy products. There are various interpretations of the role of advertising. The most generous would say that advertising merely influences behaviour through demonstrations of a product’s usefulness to its client; advertising affects behaviour merely through informing (). The least generous would say that advertising twists people’s emotions, world view, and so on, in order to manipulate them into buying a given product (). The truth is probably somewhere in between, that advertising does rely on a product’s abilities, but that advertising also manipulates viewers to a significant extent. That advertising affects people’s behaviour can be seen merely by the size of the industry: it is a multi-hundred billion dollar industry worldwide (Shaman, 2012), and a single thirty second spot in the Super Bowl can sell for â€Å"upwards of $5 million† (Shaman, 2012). There is no way corporations would spend this kind of money on advertising if they were not confident in its

Research paper on mapreduce Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On mapreduce - Research Paper Example Reduce collects relevant parts from the locations where the map function occurred and return the result to HDFS. IBM defines MapReduce based on its association with Hadoop (IBM 1). The company affirms that MapReduce denotes two distinct roles performed by Hadoop programs. The initial role pertains to map job. It engages data and changes it into another set by breaking down individual aspects into value pairs (IBM 1). Reduce job engages the output generated by a map and engages it to produces smaller value pairs. Based on IBM definition, it is clear that MapReduce is a popular programming technology that allows the use of many computers in order to process huge amount of data. It helps in coordinating tasks in order to avoid issues such as input problems and harmonization delays. One can perform various tasks such as data mining and graph processing using this concept. The concept is popular in industries and conducting complex researches. An example of commonly use MapReduce implementations is Hadoop. Vianna, Almeida & Kuno (1) further define Map Reduce based on its sorting process. The authors indicate that when one has many sets of records and he needs to sort or process them in a specific order, he may use MapReduce. MapReduce is an invention that allows an individual to use Mappers that have sorting keys that dive the data set based on the values associated with them. Vianna, Almeida & Kuno (1) further define MapReduce as a process involving the combination all the sorted data. This concept is usually applied in data analysis. The authors provide an example of MapReduce as used in data filtering. They indicate that when one has sets of records that require arrangements to ensure they meet a certain condition, he can filter them using MapReduce. For instance, one can filter the records using Mappers which produce transformed versions of the

The Phosphate In The Moroccan Industry Economics Essay

The Phosphate In The Moroccan Industry Economics Essay The resources of Moroccan economy based on agriculture, phosphate, and tourism, and also sales of fish and see food plays a major role in economy of Morocco. Industry and mining contribute about one-third of the annual GDP gross domestic product which means all revenues earning by a country in the last twelve months period. As you know in the worldwide Morocco is the worlds second or third-largest producer of phosphates after United States and China. In this assignment I will explain and focus about the phosphate and the major role of phosphate in the economy of Morocco, because phosphate mining in Morocco is responsible for more than half of the nations income, which very important for growing and developing the economy of morocco. The phosphate industry in Morocco As you know Morocco is one of the largest countries of producing and exporting the phosphate in the world wide. Morocco phosphate is perhaps the most important mineral in the country, having diverse usages. The production of phosphate in Morocco is carried out in the four mining centers in the country, namely Youssoufia, Boucraa, Khouribga and Benguerir. The mines in Khouribga functions on the basis of the Oulad Abdoun deposit of phosphates, found about 140 kilometers south-east of Casablanca. The extraction potential of this mine is around 17-18 million tons annually. The phosphate ore extracted from this mine forms the basis of exporting them in foreign lands. Moreover, the ores also offer considerable support to the new chemical industry located in Jorf Lasfar The production of Morocco phosphate is owned and controlled by OCP, the state-owned company, the OCP group which stands for (office chà ©rifien des phosphates): this group operates on the five continents. Its traditional op ening on the international scene since its creation in 1920 quite naturally urges it to permanently develop adjustment, flexibility and anticipation capacities so as to adequately meet customers increasingly stringent requirements in a very competitive market(1). The OCP group is one of the largest enterprise in the kingdom and also employs more than 2% of population who work in the group OCP which help to decrease the unemployment in Morocco, because the unemployment affect the economy of the country and the OCP group which owned by the government they have more responsibility of employing as much as they can to help the decreasing of unemployment, and also this group help the employees to do training with the development of the technology. Morocco houses approximately 2/3 of the worlds phosphate reserves, putting it in a higher league than major competitors China, Russia, and the United States, and this table will show you more details about the reserve of phosphate in Morocco and other countries which producing the phosphate: Of the four major producers, Moroccan reserves account for around 50% of the world total. With Phosphate consumption growth estimated at 1-2% per year, global phosphate reserves extend, for All intents and purposes well into the future, for centuries. Meanwhile, depletion of the most economically exploitable reserves can be estimated to occur within a period of 100-130 years. (2) Morocco takes measures to cut phosphate prices in the third of June 2008 because the general director of OCP Mr. Mostafa Terrab announced on Monday (June 2nd). Using an estimated $4m in investment, Morocco plans to increase phosphate production from 30 to 55 million tons per year. Terrab said the measure is expected to bring phosphate prices down from the current $300 per ton to $100. Morocco owns an estimated 50 to 71% of the worlds phosphate reserves. As you notice from this chart in 2001 Morocco is the second large country of producing phosphate rock in the world after United State, and Morocco produce more than 20.000 tons per year. This is why phosphate helps the increase of GDP in Moroccan economy every year, and also this large huge quantity of production the phosphate in Morocco can put the Morocco as the famous country in the world and to attract many countries to reach their market especially those that not have any business relationship in the phosphate industry with Morocco. The secretary-general of Moroccos Finance Ministry Abdeltif Loudyi said in an interview on April 7, 2009 in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Morocco will open a special zone for the phosphate industry and hopes to attract 50 billion dirhams ($6 billion) of investments and also said The North African country will probably hold an international tender to attract investors this year, and build a pipe to transport the phosphate more cheaply.(3) When Morocco export phosphate to other countries especially to one which too far from Morocco can cost a huge amount of money in transportation, according to this problem Morocco want to use a certain strategy to reduce the cost of transportation and this is why Abdeltit Loudyi went to Sudan to discuss this economic issue of phosphate with the minister of Sudan. Moroccan phosphate affects economic issues The phosphate industry actively contributes to the countrys economic development; by its presence in five geographical areas in Morocco such as: El Jadida, Safi, and Khouribgaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and the phosphate create wealth, provide jobs, offer training, get supplies from and have sub-contracts with a large and famous network of national companies and contributes in the creation of businesses. And also it is keen to ensure the wellbeing of its employees, collaborate with universities and support humanitarian, sport which OCP group is sponsorship with a lot of football teams in Morocco and also help cultural actions. The most important industrial exports are raw phosphates And processed products, including phosphoric acid and fertilizers, but Morocco also exports textiles, clothing, and shoes. Although Morocco is the worlds largest exporter of raw and processed phosphates, the phosphates sector overall contributes only 3 percent to the GDP (4), which helps the economy of Morocco to growth every year. The new agreement adds an industrial dimension, with the companies planning to launch a joint feasibility study into an industrial site to produce uranium from phosphoric acid. And this agreement is signed between Morocco and French this deal its very important to develop the economy of Morocco, this agreement which the president of French Nicolas Sarkozy visit Morocco with the purpose to develop the cooperation and research initiatives in the field of natural uranium between the OCP group and other French companies in the same sector. According to the last statistics which launched in the newspapers the exports of Moroccan phosphate increased by 7.3% in 2002, thanks to the Expansion of deliveries to India, and the 8% rise in purchases by the United States.(5) This increase helps the development of Moroccan economy especially in the mineral industry which increases by 5% this year. As you notice from the table there is a change between 1989 and 1999 in exporting of phosphate in Morocco to those countries, there is a very decrease of exporting in US by 40%, which can affect the economy of Morocco in a negative way. But there is a huge increase of exporting in Poland by 92% its too near to double, this increases help the development of the economy of Morocco in a positive way. The OCP group launched in the news Morocco exports of fertilizers dropped by 6.2%, and also its exports of phosphoric acid increased by 6.2% and those by a phosphate rock by 13.2% its a large increasing, and exports recorded an increase of 8.3%, all those increases confirms Moroccos position as the world leading exporter of phosphate under all form, with a market share that climbed from 28.2% in 2004 to 30.7% in 2005.(6) Just between 2004 and 2005 Morocco the exports of all types of phosphate increase by 2.5% which good for the economy of Morocco, this also resulted in a record turnover, as it rose to 2.055 billion dollars, an increase of 17.8% compared with the last statistic of 2004, and also a huge increase of 49.34% compared to 2003. This increase of Moroccan turnover can change the economy to grow progressively in the future. The impact of Moroccan phosphate in the environment As you know the produce of phosphates can effect the environment of Morocco in a negative way, which means the OCP group when they produces any types of phosphate can affect the environment and increase the percentage of pollution in Moroccan society over the sea or the air. The main areas of producing phosphates by OCP group are Jorf Lasfar and Safi, on the Moroccan Atlantic coastline; there are chemical industry plants that produce phosphate derivates including phosphoric acid and fertilizers, together with by-products such as sulphuric acid. The liquid effluents of the plants are discharged directly into the sea. In order to evaluate their impact, we have compared the distribution of intertidal macro benthos in several locations, along industry pollution. The results illustrate how biological diversity and species densities decrease abruptly in the vicinity of these industrial effluents, and also how recovery, as measured by the same parameters, proceeds with distance from the discharge points.(7) But the OCP group mentions in the annual report in 2005, which the group wants to have a good development and the implementation of the first OCP group environmental policy as well as the setting-up of the quality-safety-environment charter on July 20 in the same year 2005, according to this great initiative the group commits itself to contribute further towards improved community conditions life in Morocco. Morocco plan to develop the production of phosphate In 2009 Morocco especially OCP group launched a new plan to develop the production of phosphate or to help the phosphate industry by purchasing or using new materials and using new technology which help the production of phosphate to be easily and too quick. Moroccos Office Cherifien de Phosphate (OCP), the worlds leading phosphate exporter, said on this year it plans to spend 16 billion Moroccan Dirhams on chemicals as part of five-year, 22 billion dirhams development scheme.(8) The OCP group and also the Moroccan government it would spend the remainder of the money for the 2008-2012 development scheme on modernizing facilities, upgrading infrastructure and increasing capacity to produce phosphoric acid and fertiliser at its Jorf Lasfar site. And also Morocco will increase export of rock phosphate and phosphoric acid to India and has  offered India two sites for setting up a phosphoric acid joint venture, the Indian government said on Thursday 27 March 2008: Leading a delegation to Rabat, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan  and Moroccan Prime Minister Abbas el-Fassi discussed the prospects of increasing supply of fertilizer feedstock and intermediates as well as investments by Indian firms in the chemicals, fertilizers, steel and automobiles sectors in Morocco.(9) This good deal by the Indian and Moroccan government will help the increased of the exporting of phosphate and reach the market in India because this country spent and imports more than 5 million tons yearly of rock phosphate which include phosphoric acid and diammonium phosphate, this is why Morocco wants to get a good business relationship with India which imports about 1.1 millions tons/year of rock phosphate and 1.2 millions tons/year of phosphoric acid, and Morocco in this two last year wants to increase the export of phosphate to India and also export other types of phosphate which produce by Morocco especially by OCP group, another goal of Morocco and OCP group they want to target and reach other countries for examples: Belgium, Germany, and Italyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and they want to do an agreement between the OCP group and Belgium government, and this agreement include other sectors not the only phosphate. Moroccos Office Cherifien de Phosphate (OCP), the worlds leading phosphate exporter, plans to nearly double production in the next six or seven years, a senior executive told Reuters on 28 Wednesday 2009. OCP already controls around 45 percent of the world market for lime phosphate, and controls more than 30 percent of global phosphate exports, according to company data. (10) And also the company wants to remain as the market leaders in the global phosphate business in the future, so the only way to do that is to almost double or production from 30 million tons per year to 54 million, (Ahmed Nabzar), whos the executive vice president of OCP Group, said in an interview. OCP group last year announced a $12 billion expansion plan for the next seven or eight years. The company has already begun exploring three new mines to achieve its output goals, and expanding those would cost $100 million in the future. And also OCP group with the Support of the Moroccan government they want to increa se the export of phosphate to the market including Asia, Europe, and United Statesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Conclusion We know that the United States is currently produce more phosphate rock than Morocco, but an estimated that the phosphate reserve by Moroccan it can nearly six or seven times that reserve by the United States, according to this information and looking towards the future. This puts Morocco in a good place and also in a very advantageous position to become the leading player and reach the international market in the mining of phosphate. OCP group starts to spend more money in the research and development, training which include education in Morocco or abroad. This strategy it can be very costly in a short-term, and the benefit of it can help the group to earn more profit in a long-term period.

Alternative Medicine and the Christian Responsibility Essay -- Medical

Alternative Medicine and the Christian Responsibility Acupuncture, ayurveda, chiropractice, homeopathy, meditation, osteopathy, and yoga are just a few of the many types of medicine practiced all over the world. According to the western establishment, all these forms of medicine are called alternative medicines. However, some of the aforementioned techniques have been in continuous use for over six thousand years, predating western medicine by over four thousand years. Yet, still many M.D.'s reject alternative forms of medicine. One of the buzzwords in medicine in recent years has been "holistic medicine". Physicians are becoming more aware of the need to treat the whole patient rather than just certain symptoms. Due to this realization, a small percentage of doctors are turning to ancient forms of medicine as a guide to alternative treatments. As alternative forms of medicine emerge in the western world, Christian scientists need to determine the moral, religious, and scientific validity of such techniques in order to gain a more holis tic approach to medicine. Moral Issues According to the Hippocratic Oath, which every physician must take, each physician is expected to deliver the form of care which she considers most beneficial to a patient's health. There are a few minor stipulations guiding treatment by a physician, but for the most part, doctors have much liberty in choosing a regimen for a particular patient. If we look only at the Hippocratic Oath as the governing body of a physician's actions, then we must admit that no doctor is obligated to broaden his views and seed treatments with which he is not already familiar. However, every year doctors are required to fulfill certain requirements in continuing educatio... ...at an open mind about many of the forms of alternative medicine may reveal new forms of beneficial treatment that can save money and even lives. Each Christian scientist has the responsibility to seek morally, religiously, and scientifically sound forms of alternative medicine as a supplement to the western medicine in our society today. Works Cited Collinge, William. 1996. The American holistic health association complete guide to alternative medicine. New York: Warner Books. Inglis, Brian and Ruth West. 1983. The alternative health guide. New York: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Maciocia, Giovanni. 1989. The foundations of Chinese medicine. New York: Churchill Livingstone. Marti, James E. 1995. Alternative health medicine encyclopedia. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. Plotkin, Mark J. 1993. Tales of a shaman's apprentice. New York: Penguin Books Ltd.

My Childhood Hero Essay

Every child has a hero, someone they look up to, someone who guides their thoughts and influences their life. My childhood hero was Belle from the fairytale, The Beauty and the Beast. As a child, I watched the movie end to end and read the book countless times, losing myself in her magical world so completely that I actually began to know the lines by heart. I never once got bored of it and frankly, right until today, Belle is still my inspiration. Though I first admired her for her outer beauty, I then began to look up to her for her inner beauty. She was portrayed as such a happy young woman, helpful and loving and with a warm smile for all. Her ability to be everyoneÂ’s friend, to sing such delightful songs always made me happy and feel like part of her world, not just an on-looker. I actually used to wish that Belle would come alive and be my friend. However, the main reason Belle became my hero was because of her sacrifice. Her willingness to let go of all she knew and loved to save her father has never ceased to impress me. This truly showed me the depth of her love for her father and taught me the value of family and parents. Besides depicting BelleÂ’s loving side, her sacrifice also gave me an insight to her courage. She braved the hound dogs in the mountains and continued with what she started out for, as a sacrifice to the beast who resided in a huge, deserted palace in the loneliest part of the mountains. It was through Belle that I learnt the importance of patience, endurance and perseverance. She had the courage to face the beast, to endure his fearful sight and to bear the brunt of his volatile temper just to save her fatherÂ’s life. Not only that, Belle was also able to see through physical countenances and fall in love with the ugly beast instead of shunning him away and marrying the handsome but shallow Gaston. To me, Belle was and still is someone I want to be. I always wished to grow up to be the way Belle was. I related to her through our common passion for books and loved her for who she was. Through BelleÂ’s final victory where the beast transformed back to a Prince and Gaston got defeated, she became my image of how the good and righteous always triumphs over the evil. The magic  within the tale and the “happily ever after” ending has given me a reason to belief in the unbelievable, to have faith and truly trust the existence of a greater power. The true love between the Beauty and the Beast is why I dream of my Prince charming finding me one day. BelleÂ’s heart of gold made her my childhood hero. Ten years have passed and unabashedly I confess that she is still my role model and I still do hope that I am able to be as admirable as her. Who says fairy tales are for kids?

The Problem With The Music Ind essays

The Problem With The Music Ind essays The Problems With The Music Industry Today Its 1:15 am on Saturday, August Xth, and I lay semi-conscious in North Carolina, being pumped full of shit by the good people at MTV. Total Request Live is on and theyre playing the Number One video Britney Spears Lucky. Ive heard this song millions of times before (two younger sisters) but this time something went off in my head (its funny how that tends to happen in the wee morning hours). Perhaps I should explain something first a close friend of mine and I were having an argument about this song the other day. She is convinced that Britney has a right to bitch about the issue covered in the song, whereas I felt that if shes going to portray herself as perfect to the public, and deny anything imperfect from happening (for example, her denial of being offered $17 million for sex), she has no right to whine. Well, as I said, something went off in my head that night Britney isnt complaining at all. That song had nothing to do with her. For fucks sake, she didnt write the goddamn thing! She paid some person, who in all likeliness received no recognition for the piece at all, and is definitely not at all famous, to write it for her! The lyrics, therefore, are as deep in emotional merit as a grease stain left on a paper plate by a slice of pizza. And yet I sit on my couch watching as person after person comments on how deep Ms. Spears is! Which bring me, of course, to my main point. I am a music enthusiast, not in the sense that I like all music from all genres, but rather in the sense that I am constantly listening to, writing, playing and even recording, music. Currently, Im in a band as a singer and bassist. When I write a song, its an expression. An expression of how I feel, or about someone else, etc. The point Im getting to is that my songs are a reflection of me. I pu ...

Importance of Natural Resources essay

Importance of Natural Resources essay Importance of Natural Resources essay Importance of Natural Resources essayNatural resources were historically an important condition of the successful development of countries. The disparity in the access to natural resources predetermined, to a significant extent, the socioeconomic disparity in the development of Northern countries and Southern ones. In fact, the economic and technological development of countries and the difference in their development was driven by the availability of natural resources, which stimulated the development of technology and, therefore, economic progress of those communities and countries, which benefited from the available natural resources and the backwardness of those countries and communities, which lacked natural resources. Even though today the process of globalization makes natural resources available worldwide, but the world economy still depends on natural resources and those countries, which have access to natural resources, especially fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, can keep progressing fast, while those, which have limited opportunities to use natural resources are doomed to backwardness.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Historically, natural resources played the role of the main driver of the economic development of nations (Deudney Flavin 114). For example, coal mining and the availability of iron to Great Britain allowed the country to become one of the leaders in the world economy and conduct its industrial revolution successfully. Similarly the availability of natural resources became the major condition of the successful economic and technological development of other powers, including the US, France, Germany and others (Kraft Kameniecky 158).At the same time, the significant role of natural resources as the major driver of the economic development becomes obvious, when the availability of natural resources, their use and historical socioeconomic and technological development of countries is compared. In this regard, the disparity b etween North and South is particularly obvious (McCormick 214). For example, early civilizations emerged in Northern hemisphere of the world basically due to the availability of natural resources, such as iron ore, for example, which allowed people to start making first tools as well as weapon. At this point, it is worth mentioning early civilizations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, India and China, which were all located in Northern hemisphere due to the available natural resources, such as iron ores (Best 664). For example, the beginning of the early production of bronze boosted the technological and economic development of those civilizations. The further introduction of iron, steel and other materials based on the use of natural resources accelerated their economic and technological development even more. Moreover, even the early settlement of people were determined by their natural environment and availability of natural resources, such as water and fertile soil, which people us ed for their regular life and basic needs.In the course of time, the role of natural resources increased even more because they became essential for the economic development of nations and fast technological progress (Lewis 245). At this point, it is possible to return to the time of the industrial revolution once again since the industrial revolution would be impossible without rich natural resources available to leading nations, such as Great Britain, France, Germany and the US (McCormick 148). The availability of such natural resources as coal and iron ore allowed them to boost their industrial production and develop transportation system, which, in its turn, accelerated trade within those countries as well as between those countries. At the same time, the rest of the world that had limited access to natural resources remained under-developed and suffered from technological and economic backwardness.The role of natural resources as the major driver of the economic and technologic al development became even more evident in the 20th century, when the traditional major powers, such as Great Britain, the US and others faced the tightening competition from the part of emerging economies of Southeast Asia (Kassman 149). In fact, the successful economic and technological development became possible due to the process of accelerated industrialization with the further transition to scientific, knowledge-based industries. The economic development of nations was therefore determined by the use of natural resources.In this respect, it is possible to refer to the level of the energy consumption in the world in the 20th century as well as today. The energy consumption is the major indicator of the level of economic and technological development of nations (Best 665). So far, the most developed nations have the highest level of the energy consumption, although they are trying to do their best to reduce this level to protect their environment and focus on the sustainable de velopment (McCormick 124). However, the energy is still an essential condition of the successful economic and technological development as well as it is an essential condition of the maintenance of the competitive position of nations in the global economy.At the same time, the lion share of energy in the world is generated by means of using natural resources, especially fossil fuels, like oil and gas. The share of renewable or alternative sources of energy is still low, whereas the major source of energy remains to be fossil fuels (McCormick 195). The availability of fossil fuels becomes the major factor that determines the competitive position of nations in the global economy. At this point, it is possible to refer to the crisis of the mid-1970s, which was triggered by the refusal of the Middle Eastern countries to sell oil at the low price (McCormick 202). This energy war resulted in a profound downturn in the economic development of the US and other well-developed nations. Today, the dependence of nations on fossil fuels is still very significant.On the other hand, the availability of oil and natural gas allow countries to boost their economic development, even if they are mere exporters of natural resources. At this point, it is possible to refer to countries of the Persian Gulf region, which used to be poor, under-developed nations, while today, they have become prosperous, technologically advanced nations that play an important part in the global economy. Their progress was the result of the oil export, which boosted their development and allowed them to increase their role in the world economy since they become the major suppliers of oil to the global market (McCormick 215). At any rate, decisions taken by Saudi Arabia and other oil exporting countries located in the Persian Gulf have a considerable impact on the oil price and situation in the global economy because oil is still the major source of energy, which is required for the fast economic develop ment and maintenance of stable functioning of well-developed economies. In such a way, the oil production and consumption has become the major driver of the economic development in the second half of the 20th century and still remains today. Hence, oil is one of the most valuable natural resources today, which is essential for the normal existence of the modern civilization because without oil the current level of the energy production would be impossible, while the modern civilization will not survive without the high level of the energy production at the moment.On the other hand, oil is just an example of the great significance of natural resources in the economic development of nations. The consumption of natural resources have become a norm that leads to the destructive impact of human economic activities as well as regular, everyday life activities on their environment (McCormick 156). For example, the consumption of timber has triggered the deforestation of many regions of the world that raises the problem of the threat to the natural environment. In addition, the use of natural resources leads to the pollution of the environment but the real problem of the modern world is the dilemma which virtually all countries face. On the one hand, they need natural resources to boost their economic and technological development, whereas, on the other hand, the use of natural resources leads to the further deterioration of the environmental situation.Thus, today, nations need to develop new policies oriented on the wise and effective use of natural resources. However, what proves to be beyond a doubt is the great role of natural resources in the development of nations. Historically, naturally resources played the key part in the economic and technological development of countries and today they still play the crucial part in the development of nations because they determine the competitive position of nations in the global economy.