An Inside Look at the Economic Performance of China in April 2012 Essay

An Inside Look at the Economic Performance of China in April 2012 - Essay Example Recently, the china daily newspaper, reported that the economy is dwindling, a factor that has taken the country by storm, considering that the country has had a booming economic pattern in the last few years. This article looks at the factors that have affected the country’s gross domestic product, and the resultant consequences. According to the china daily, the recently released economic informants have indicated that the country’s economy have continued to slow down throughout the month of April, which has raised concerns that the country’s government will opt to adopt greater policies so that it can ease and help to stimulate the growth of the country’s gross domestic product. 2 The policy makers of the country have resulted to quickly annihilating the industrial production and fixed investment sector, in addition to the disappointing trade figures, factors that have overtaken inflation as the main issues of concern for Chinese policymakers.3 Various factors and measurement tools are used to determine the value of the gross domestic product. These factors are subdivided into four major groups of expenditures. These are consumption, investments, government purchases, and the net exports. However, other means of calculating the gross domestic product include adding up the value of every firm that is involved in the production of final goods and services. In addition, other measures can also be employed such as the total production and the total income.4 According to the China Daily, various risks are associated with this downtrend, which has driven the policy makers to act quickly. According to the analysts, the gross domestic product for the country is expected to reduce in the month of April compared to other months in the year. The reasons for these downward trends are the weak exports and dwindling real estate markets. However, there are other factors that I will analyze, which have caused the economic downtown in the country. These factors are related to consumption, investments, government purchases, and net exports.5 The basic equation for calculating the gross domestic product is GDP=C+I+G+ (X-M), where C represents the private consumption, I represents the gross investments, G represents government spending and (X-M) represents the exports minus imports.6 Production approach In order for China to experience declining economic growth in the in the production sector, a number of reasons can be attributed. One of the major factors is that the country has been experiencing a decline in the number of exports to other countries. As a result, the manufacturers have been hard hit and the ports remain piled due to the low demands of these goods. A major contributor to the low demand of the products is the availability of quality substitutes, which are produced in another country.7 Products such as the mobile phones and the electronic equipment such as the televisions have remained in low demand though the co st of production in the country is low. In addition, the value of the Chinese Yuan has constantly been on the rise due to the recent demand for its products and services. This has made the Yuan appreciate over other currencies such as the Japanese yen, the Australian dollar and the Hong Kong dollar. Consequently, importers from other countries are required to spend more to import this product. The result is that other importers cease buying from China.8 Another reason for

Australian Club and Gaming Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Australian Club and Gaming Management - Essay Example Throughout the country, governments not only operate lotteries, but they also maintain and sponsor many other forms of gambling. The lottery industry alone accounted for total spending at the consumer level of approximately $80 billion in 1993 (CALDWELL, G. T. 1994). Basically, Gambling as a form of recreation in Australia has become a national and very divisive issue. As state governments rely more on gambling for revenue-up to 15 percent of the state revenue in Victoria-unease in the community has grown over compulsive gambling and its social effects. In South Australia, the No Pokies Party elected Nick Xenophon to the upper house on an anti- gambling ticket in the last state election; in Victoria, the Baptist minister and social activist Tim Costello (the polar opposite brother of the Federal Coalition Government Treasurer and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Peter) has conducted a long campaign against Premier Kennett's gambling fixations (Kennett lost government in 1999). Costello sees gambling as the very antithesis of the "spirit of Victoria," as it is touted, and believes the avalanche of gambling with the Internet, TABs (totalisator agency board betting shops) and pokies is tearing at the social fabric of the nation. As the Canadian social critic and theorist John Ralston Saul frequently points out, gambling is the last refuge of governments that have lost social consensus and the capacity to raise revenue for the common good. It is the sign of a nation in decay. (Interview of Costello April 23, 2000; John Ralston Saul, 1997) Main Body Since the early 1990s, there has been a marked increase in state sponsorship of all types of gambling. Some of these gambling activities include casino gambling, video poker, offtrack betting, keno, video lottery, and riverboat gambling. The rationale behind the introduction of all these new types of gambling ventures is the same as the one that was used to legitimize the lottery: The ever-increasing need for more state revenue more than supersedes any reservations about the appropriateness of sponsoring additional forms of gambling. Obviously, the gamble here is that the public not only will tolerate but will participate in these additional forms of gambling. The Australian nation spends $100 billion per year on gambling; it sucks off enormous sums from all areas of the economy and reduces funding which could be employed in the capital-starved public sector. In 1999, according to the December report of the Productivity Commission to the Howard government, gamblers lose more than $12 billion-or $886 per adult-a year and even the Coalition parties now want to call a halt to the spread of gambling further in Australian society. In 1998, 80 percent of Australians engaged in some form of gambling. In casinos on the Yarra (Melbourne), the Torrens (Adelaide), and the Derwent (Hobart), as well as in thousands of clubs and pubs and in the ubiquitous TABs, Australians are fixated on recreational gambling as part of their national birthright. These venues are touted as fun for all; in Victoria, where the state reaps a massive $600 million per

The Role of Lead Teacher Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Role of Lead Teacher - Research Paper Example 11). The majority of contemporary schools functions under a continuous improvement model and is publicly measured by student achievement test results. The transformation of schools to function under more progressive models relies heavily on leveraging the expertise of the classroom teacher to extend beyond the traditional roles of individual classroom impact on students, and to include new roles in leading school reform efforts as part of a community of learners (Crowther et al, 2002). Faculty involvement in decision making, through administrators sharing their power with the teaching staff, is a way to create collaborative culture and promote student success, especially in traditionally failing schools (Papalewis and Fortune, 2002). Empowerment void of professional community is not enough to bring about needed changes in our schools. Empowerment has "proven insufficient to change teachers relationships to their work in many settings" (Louis and Kruse, 1995, p. 13). Many teachers have leadership qualities that have not yet been recognized but may be a key to transforming schools and communities (Crowther et al., 2002). Documenting the perceptions and experiences of lead teachers who are involved as agents of change can reveal insights about the nature of teacher leadership, the roles that lead teachers assume, and the impact of their involvement in educational change. Careful and critical examination of teacher leadership is important since it is perceived as bein g critical to so many current school reform initiatives (Miller, et al., 2000). PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Buckner and McDowelle (2000) reported that teachers are in a unique position to influence school reform efforts, however "teacher leadership is a concept that often lacks clear definition" (p. 35). As teachers play a greater role in the changes schools make, there is a need to better define and describe the concept of lead teacher and teacher leadership (Miller et al., 2000). Katzenmeyer and Moller (2001) stated, "teacher leadership is essential for the level of complex change schools face. In order to advance these roles for teachers, it is necessary for proponents to be clear about what teacher leadership looks like" (p. 4). Various reform efforts in modern education have recognized teachers' professional development as central to the reform efforts and have called for new ways of organizing and supporting teacher work. Providing insight into the role of lead teachers as participants in a distributed leadership model by documenting their perceptions, describing implementation activities, and identifying and analyzing the impact of their roles in modern education will help to understand the perspectives of contemporary education and learning. This deeper understanding is needed to help guide reform efforts and provide for a more enlightened conversation regarding teacher leadership so that administrators can 'identify, develop, and support lead teachers in their schools" (Buckner & McDowelle, 2000, p. 36). Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the effect of the lead teacher in changing and improving school management, learners' performance and teaching practices. LITERATURE REVIEW In the current literature the term "lead teacher" (or "teacher leader") is ill defined. It is used to discuss teachers who unofficially engage in a leadership role in activities that

Wars and Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wars and Religion - Research Paper Example We have also used religion to explain certain things in the past that we as a people could not explain, understand or accept, such as the ancient Greeks using their gods to explain how the sun rises and sets, or how Zeus used lightning. Not everyone believes in the same deity, in fact not all religions and beliefs have only one deity. Some have many gods, like Hinduism or Ancient Greek and Roman beliefs. Other beliefs do not have deities but instead, are about worshiping ancestors or objects. And for some reason, weather it is because of a lack of understanding, conflict of belief, and other factors, wars have been fought over religion. Religious wars have been part of man’s history almost as long as religion its self, and our history books are filled with conflicts, persecutions, wars that have been waged in the name of religion. This paper’s purpose is to take a look at some of these religious struggles and discuss happened in the events and provide some feedback abou t them. This paper will focus on certain wars and struggles throughout history that have had significant effects on our civilization as a whole. There will be some key points about these conflicts that will be stressed in this paper namely; how the conflict began, who were included in the conflict, some main points about the conflict such as political effects and justifications, and finally, how it ended. This paper will focus mainly on known and historical wars and conflicts and break them down with the key points mentioned above. It will attempt to make brief, concise and objective comments and analysis of these wars. The wars and conflicts that will be discussed and analyzed in this paper are as follows: †¢ The persecution of Christians in the Ancient Roman empire †¢ The crusades †¢ The Islam – Hindu conflict in India †¢ The Jewish state of Israel and its conflicts †¢ The attacks of September 11 on the United states †¢ Conclusion The persecuti on of Christians in the Ancient Roman Empire. For those who are not very familiar with history, it may be hard to understand that there was a persecution of Christians in Rome, since we now know of the religion known as â€Å"Roman Catholic† but despite the confusion, there was a mass persecution of Christians in ancient Rome. Before Rome became a Christian symbol, it first was a place of pagan religion. An article by mariamilani.com provides us with a bit if insight as to what happened during this time. The growth of the Christian church during this time meant that the Christians were also Roman citizens and because of the speed at which they multiplied, they were, as the article says â€Å"more than a religion amongst many but rather like a state within a state†. Now at first, the people of Ancient Rome were liberal and fine about the idea of worshiping different deities depending on their needs, and Rome its self was alright with its citizens worshiping whichever de ity they please as long as they do not go against the state. As for the treatment of Christians, it was not at all that bad at first. Some places were very neutral of Christians while other places even celebrated it. The problem came when the emperors of Rome began to follow a more oriental style of rule being that they were to be considered living gods that ruled over Ancient Rome and in order to pay respect to the state, a citizen would have to worship the Roman emperor. This now, was very much against the Christian belief since they have a monotheistic belief. Added to this is that fact that, according to the article, â€Å"they were following a law which had a point of reference which was not

Analysis of Mortgage Crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Mortgage Crisis - Research Paper Example The roots of the current US subprime lending crisis can be traced back to the spiraling housing prices in the first half of this decade. Extremely low lending and borrowing rates increased the demand and supply of existing and new houses. Several institutions started offering subprime mortgages, to borrowers who had an unfavorable credit history, at lower than normal repayment interest levels with little or no down payments. Many investment banks and hedge fund owners began to bet on this new aspect of the US economy. This had allowed investors to avail themselves of loans at low interest rates and invest them in higher yielding avenues. But soon with the US Central Bank (Federal Reserve) initiating a series of interest rate hikes leading to the increase of cost of borrowing to 5.25%, which is the maximum since the last half a decade, and a simultaneous decrease in housing prices, the subprime mortgages were reset at high rates leaving the borrowers to foreclose their accounts and mi ss payments. As an outcome, financial institutions and banks with mortgage securities incurred huge losses and had to trade their assets leading to the subprime lending crisis. Â   Prime debtors are the ones who are considered creditworthy. Subprime debtors are the ones with impaired or no credit history. Subprime lending can be defined simply as lending that involves higher credit risk. While prime loans are typically made to borrowers who have a strong credit history and can demonstrate a capacity to repay their loans, subprime loans are typically made to borrowers who are perceived as deficient on either or both of these grounds. Since this involves the risk of non-payment by the client, it is usually offered at a higher interest rate. The subprime mortgage financial crisis refers to the sharp rise in foreclosures in the subprime mortgage market that started in the US in 2006 and became a global financial crisis in July 2007. The subprime lending storm did not break out overnight. The clouds had been gathering strength for the past few years. Low-interest rates and ample liquidity led to unbridled credit expansion, asset growth and an increase in demand for collateralized debt.

Leading Group Challenges Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leading Group Challenges Paper - Essay Example There have been a significant number of literatures covering the nature, theories and applications of leadership and its effect to job performance and satisfaction. The diverse patterns of behavior and actions that leaders exhibit over a period of time and perceived by followers have been identified as the dominant style of leadership. This style is developed utilizing an interplay of factors which shape leadership development. In this regard, the essay is written to proffer challenges of leading groups in a criminal justice organization. Particularly, a description of the challenges currently faced by criminal justice leaders would be included in the discourse; as well as predictions of the challenges that will be faced over the next 5 years. Leadership is the process of influencing people to work or act towards the attainment of specifically defined goals (Martires & Fule 2000: 569). â€Å"Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal† (Northouse, 2004). Authors Lussier & Achua (2004) define leadership as â€Å"the influencing process of leaders and followers to achieve organizational objectives through changes†. And Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn (2008, 243) state leadership as â€Å"the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives†. All authors share the same conviction who perceived leadership as a process of influencing others. Further, all authors conform to the following factors as relevant components of the leadership process: (1) influencing people; (2) towards the achievement of a goal. There is the component of influence by exerting the ability to develop and communicate that vision to a group of people who would make that vision come true. According to McKinney (2008, par. 1),

Senior Portfolio Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Senior Portfolio Project - Research Paper Example Therefore, this analysis will make a reference to the industry PESTLE analysis in which case it will analyze the political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legislative and environmental issues. Moreover, the threats to the industry can also be viewed from the perspective of porters five forces analysis in which case according to Amrollahi and Akhgar (2013), all the threats to all stakeholders in the industry are analyzed. Therefore, this section will make an integration of these factors as far as the market is concerned. This gives an effective chance to view opportunities existing in it. It has also to be noted that America is a large region and there are some companies that can only provide their services to one state only while others serve a quite a number of states in the country. 1.1 Political and Environmental Factors The political system of the USA has had a very substantial control over the telecommunications industry. ... This, according to the state government is done for the public interest. Control of the media is done through a given number of ways among them censorship in which speech is suppressed depending on the perceived effects on those receiving this information. Censorship has always been done through the Federal Communication Commission. Many political factors have affected this industry to such an extent that some of the companies are wholly dependent on the government legislations. One of the legislations is that of taking care of the environment. The American governments are basing more emphasis on environmental issues. Disposal and care of wastes as well as care of dangerous radioactive waves have to be governed effectively so that the environment remains green. Moreover, some of the companies’ sources of raw materials are overseas nations that have different environmental rules. The companies have the obligation to take care of the environment or risk being removed from such m arkets. Another political issue is the trade regulations and tariffs laws. The communications companies are not supposed to charge beyond a given level of tariffs for their services. For instance, Verizon Inc. operates on the basis of low tariffs to all its customers because it operates on the basis of economies of scale in creation of the new technologies which make it close out any threat of entry into the same area of production. The company is not however allowed to have its rates go so low that they are below the market rates (Bukofsky, Marco and Espindola). Therefore, the telecommunications industry has been regulated by the government for a reason.