Japanese Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Japanese Economy - Essay Example An important indicator of that achievement is that Japan continues to be the only non-western nation to have had the ambition of ruling the world and the only non-western country to have implemented a policy of attempting to subjugate the whole world in modern history. Japanese economy has been described as a success in 1980s but the decade of the 1990s was a lost decade. However, data indicate that situation may have to be more accurately described. For instance, in Figure 1, we see that if gross domestic product or GDP per capita figures are not adjusted for inflation, it would appear that Japanese economy appears to be alright until the mid-1990s. However, beginning in the mid-1990s, the Japanese economy appeared to have plunged downward and started to recover sometime at the beginning of the 21st century, if not for the Fukushima nuclear and tsunami disasters of 2011. Figure 1 is a graph from the website of the Intellectual Takeout while Figure 2 is my own reconstruction of Japan’s GDP in $ at current prices based on data set of the International Monetary Fund. At least for Japan, the insight that can be obtained based on the GDP per capita in $ is that the key insight that can be developed from Figure 1 is correct: Japanese economy was on a steady rise from 1980 to around 1995 but nose-dived before slowly recovering upward. Figure 3 compare the GDP per capita in current US$ of select countries and compare them with Japan. It is worth noting that Figure 3 suggests that in terms of GDP per capita, the overall context is that Japan still belongs to the bigger league of strong nations although Japan has been weaker in the last several years. In contrast, China may be a big economy (and some report the economy as the second biggest economy) but in GDP per capita dollar terms, the citizens of Japan appear to be in a better situation than China. Meanwhile, the key insight that can be derived from Figure 4 is that globally, the

Behavioral finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Behavioral finance - Assignment Example Modern financial economics are pegged on the assumption that financial practitioners act both meticulously and with rationale. However as evidenced and earlier stated, this is not always the case. These deviations from the norm are not rampant and inherent but follow a systematic chain of events. With this information in mind it is possible to incorporate these systematic human deviations into the standard model of financial markets (Rutledge 264). In so doing, two commonly overlooked mistakes come to the foreground: Financial practitioners tend to indulge in excessive trading with belief that the next trade will rake in more lucrative returns. This is irrational trading and is propelled by emotion rather than rational thinking. The human trait of being too overconfident or corky in this case is the key driving motivation behind this bias. Some financial practitioners are also in the habit of holding on to losing stocks while at the same selling their winning stocks. This again is in stigated by lack of confidence and the need to avoid both failure and regrets coupled with poor judgments. Behavioral finance contributes to asset pricing in two major dimensions. These dimensions are reached upon by use of agents which may in them are not completely rational. These are: I. Limits to arbitrage This argues that the damage caused by irrational traders in their irrational deviations may be difficult, if not impossible to be undone by the more rational trades. The traditional asset-pricing model does not factor in market frictions and greatly undermined trading frictions like transaction cost, bid spread, ask spread etc. These forces have a great impact on asset returns and therefore should not be ignored. The limits to arbitrage create a model where mispricing exist for the simple reason that risk adverse arbitragers are not concerned mainly with the riskless values of an asset, but about the price of assets in periods following these irrational traders. This model con siders the cost of arbitrage more so the volatility returns and states that the habit of mispricing will inevitably dominate markets especially in the cases of highly volatile stocks whereby arbitragers may avoid the risky volatile position. Finding mispricing is a tasking affair and may involve institutional laws that should regulate the type of trade to be done. For instance short selling which is essential to effective arbitrage including cost of borrowing, legal fees and liquidity risk is not allowed in mutual and pension funds. Therefore there should exist a cap on the limits to arbitrage. II. Psychology: This helps in creating a continuum of deviations spurning from full rationality to completely irrational. The known concept of asset pricing therefore is in a very vibrant flux whereby there is a slow paradigm shift from the completely irrational approach to a more accommodating broader outlook based on the psychology of investors. Risk and misevaluations are therefore the two main determinants of the security expected returns. This is roughly based on a concept by Savage (183) which is a decision making method with imminent or existing risks in consideration. This concept is known as the Subjective Expected Utility whereby it is widely

Interest groups Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Interest groups - Dissertation Example This paper studies how the roles of the interest groups within the modern day American politics has shaped up, and how these roles are translated to bring out a true message for the Americans. What is even more significant here is the fact that this study aims to find which strategies are made use of by these interest groups to achieve their respective goals as far as the lengths and breadths of United States are concerned. Also the due role of the National Rifle Association as an interest group has been detailed within this discussion which only adds meat to it in the long run. ... inquire about the areas where interest groups have been able to provide their services and to see if these areas have any political perspectives present as well To explore the due role of the National Rifle Association as an interest group that has done much for the United States over a passage of time Methodology The methodology used within this paper is entirely dependent on the usage of secondary research which is the research that has been gained through evidence and available resources. The secondary research always comes ahead with the passage of time and is manifested through books, journals, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, TV interviews and reports, etc. The methodology lists down the areas from which information has been extracted for the completion of this study and the manner in which it has been done suggests the authenticity that is much required for this paper. The Role Played by the Interest Groups in American Politics Interest groups within the United States are b uilt up in such a way that they have their respective aims and objectives. The reasons why they exist are difficult to ascertain because they are serving the interests of varied stakeholders. The manner in which they operate is visible to everyone yet they exist to make sure that their interests are met in a priority basis. These interest groups have their own vested interests and they can go to any limit to make sure that they are recognized, their work done in a proper way and the results are such that nearly everyone can see and decipher easily. Now how these interest groups bring success is dependent on how well they have been devised in the first place. If these interest groups are working to satisfy a general audience, then the interests will remain broad but if these interest groups

Nursing Shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing Shortage - Essay Example The shortage is everyone's problem and the solution will need to come from the federal government, the states, hospitals, professional organizations, and local medical institutions. The nursing shortage is a national crisis and any solution will need to have the support of the federal government. The Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002 appropriated funds to aid in the recruitment and retention of nurses at all levels, but has seen budget cuts in recent years. The bill expires in 2007 and the Congress should reauthorize the bill and increase the funding from $150 million in 2007 to a minimum of $200 million in 2008. This is the level that had been recommended by the Nursing Organizations Alliance and many other members of the nursing community (Beu 1063). Known as Title VIII, it funds nursing grants, education, retention grants, loan repayment, scholarship programs, faculty loans, and diversity grants. An expansion of these programs is a necessary foundation for increasing the supply of qualified nurses. In addition to increasing the funding for Title VIII, the federal government also needs to make a legislated commitment to enhancing the educational infrastructure. In 2005, nearly 150,000 qualified nursing school applicants were turned away because there were too few places to train them (Cooper and Aiken 68S). This was due partly to a lack of faculty, but was also a result of a lack of facilities. This extends from the classroom into the clinical setting. Attracting new student nurses through scholarships and loan repayment programs can only be productive if they have quality programs to enter. The federal government should also set a policy on limiting immigrant nurses. Though there is a substantial pool of qualified nurses in developing countries, it may be counter-productive for the US to depend on this international resource. The US should pursue bilateral agreements with countries that have served as a major source of nurses. It is in the international ethical interest that the US does not deplete the nursing supply in the developing nations and leave them in a medical crisis. These agreements would also protect our nation's supply of nurses as the world becomes more mobile. Buchan warns us that though the US is currently the premier market for working nurses. " ... I think you will see some more nurses moving from your country to others, perhaps for reasons other than purely financial" (23S). By cooperating to keep the source countries at a healthy level, we can assure that this international resource will not run out. The State Responsibility While the federal government can stimulate the supply of nurses, it is up to the states and the institution of nursing to retain them. A survey by Lynn and Redman in 2006 reported that the two most important factors for nursing retention was an increase in pay and "a climate of retention in health care facilities" (685). The intangible climate that the nurses spoke of included team work, decreased workload, communications, and being a part of the staffing decision process. A policy of employee empowerment would reduce psychological burnout. Women who have traditionally made up the bulk of the nursing staff have been presented with opportunities in competing career areas. Hospitals and medical institutions need to reevaluate pay scales and working

Exceptionalism in All Quiet on the western Front Research Paper

Exceptionalism in All Quiet on the western Front - Research Paper Example The exceptionalism which is used remains throughout the book as an expression of the war; however, it is broken by the end of the book to show the shock and reality of war meaning more than the boundaries created by the country which one is a part of. The exceptionalism breaks enough to show that the soldiers were the exception, as opposed to the patriotism and beliefs about the war which many had. Defining Sides and Exceptionalism The concept of exceptionalism by the narrator is displayed from the first pages. The technique is used with the knowledge that the narrator is in a war for Germany and is fighting in France. While there is little reference to the patriotism held in Germany, there is a focus on the other surrounding countries and how these forces are causing the main suffering of the soldiers. For instance, the narrator states â€Å"It is true that we have no right to this windfall. The Prussian is not so generous. We have only a miscalculation to thank for it†¦.on th e last day an astonishing number of English heavies opened up on us with high –explosive, drumming ceaselessly on our position, so that we suffered severely and came back only eighty strong† (Remarque, 2). ... The approach of creating boundaries and defining exceptionalism by building a sense of mercy to the German troops is a tactic which the narrator displays throughout the entire book. The definition of exceptionalism is then seen through the eye of the narrator, which makes the reader sympathetic to the side that is being spoken about. The idea of warfare that is expressed becomes a means of protecting the country against the actions being taken from the other countries. It also associates with the reader being able to witness the actions which are taken, similar to a news related item. When reading this, the individual has knowledge only about the side of the narrator and the attacks that are causing suffering from the Americans, English or the Prussians. The division is instantly created because of the initiative to narrate and express the divisions of identity by nationality first (Atwood, 31). The division which was created according to the countries was furthered as the war contin ued, specifically by showing how Germany and France lost the battle to others who had more. For instance, the end of the book states how America and the English came in with â€Å"new† materials to fight (Remarque, 259). This approach shows how the divisions in country were based on the strategies which were used for war and left Germany and France at a disadvantage. It also shows how there was an unfair treatment and approach toward the war, specifically because these new strategies led to pointed deaths that the narrator speaks about. Each of these complexities then leads to sympathy with the soldiers in France and Germany as the exception fighting the war, despite the loss which occurred. Patriotism and the War The narrations of divisions that are against other

Effective communication within my time at BP Essay Example for Free

Effective communication within my time at BP Essay While on my internship I wanted to show effective communication. This involved me communicating with my team, working well within my team and giving many presentations to them. At the end of my internship I got feedback from my manager who explained how I was able to show effective communication within my time at BP. Goal To improve my communication. 1. Introduce and talk to people who I don’t know. 2. Share ideas with colleagues. 3. Ask for help when needed. Feedback Being able to communicate effectively was an important part of her’ role, as she was dealing with numerous personnel for whom English was not their first language. In her first week she was tasked with composing an email to send to all the regionally based team members. She proved straight away that her written communications skills were good, although she was naturally looking for reassurance of her emails were as required. By the end of the internship, both her written and verbal communication could only be described as â€Å"excellent†. Goal To improve my ability to ask questions 1. List down any questions that come to mind during work or home. 2. Do some research on the questions before hand and find an answer. 3. If I cannot find an answer I will ask a college or supervisor. Feedback When she did have any questions she was happy to ask, and did so in a polite and concise manner. If she needed help on tasks or wanted extra elaboration on certain topics she was able to do so. Goal To improve team working with new people 1. Introduce myself to the new people in my team. 2. Think of questions and ideas to contribute to the team. 3. Contribute my ideas to them and ask questions. 4. Use the information gained and adapt it to my work. Feedback She fitted into the team from day one, she is reliable, punctual and always polite and courteous. Her attitude to work was excellent, she was always willing to give something ago, with minimal instruction. Goal – To improve my presentation skills 1. Plan a presentation and practice it. 2. Ask for feedback from colleagues. 3. Take the feedback into consideration and improve the presentation. 4. Invite colleagues, managers to listen to the presentation. The first time I met her, she highlighted that she wanted to improve her presentation skills during her time with us. So, on her first day I asked her to help me present the safety moment in our team meeting; and she did a great job! Over the next few weeks she had other opportunities to both help compile presentation material, and also present to others on her own. By the end on the internship when it was time to present to a room full of peers, parents and work colleagues, she was a professional! In conclusion, it’s always very important to show effective communication skills in the workplace as they are vital for teamwork and overall success. These skills were skills that I wanted to improve greatly as I know they will be beneficial in the future. The majority of the feedback from my line manager was very positive and I will take into account the comments for improvement.

How Social Work Has Influenced The 21st Century Social Work Essay

How Social Work Has Influenced The 21st Century Social Work Essay The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well being (International Federation of Social Workers). Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environment. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work. In doing their day-to-day work, a social worker is expected to be knowledgeable and skilful in a variety of roles. The role that is selected and used should ideally be the role that is most effective with a particular client, in the particular circumstances. Social worker may be involved in a few or all of these roles depending on the nature of their job, and the approach to practice that they use. The purpose of this essay is to identify the establishment, growth and development of social work in Britain, from its origins in the nineteenth century to its position in the twenty-first century. The Elizabethan Poor Law or Old Poor Law was an Act of Parliament passed in 1601, which created a national poor law system for England and Wales. At the time of passing it was referred to as the 1601 Act for the Relief of the Poor. It formalised earlier practices of poor relief distribution in England and Wales and is generally considered a refinement. Johnson (2007) explains that The Old Poor Law was not one law but a collection of laws passed between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. The systems administrative unit was the parish. It was not a centralised government policy but a law, which made individual parishes responsible for Poor Law legislation. The impotent poor (people who cant work) were to be cared for in almshouse or a poorhouse. The law offered relief to people who were unable to work: mainly those who were lame, impotent, old, blind The able-bodied poor were to be set to work in a House of Industry. Materials were to be provided for the poor to be set to work. The idle poor and vagrants were to be sent to a House of Correction or even prison. Pauper children would become apprentices. The act was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the countrys poverty relief system. It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601. The Bill established a Poor Law Commission. This included the forming together of small parishes into Poor Law Unions and the building of workhouses in each union for the giving of poor relief. The Amendment Act did not ban all forms of outdoor relief, which was support without going into workhouses until the 1840s where the only method of relief for the poor was to enter a Workhouse. According to Barwell (1994) the workhouses were to be made little more than prisons and families were normally separated upon entering a Workhouse. The Act called for parishes to be put into Poor Law Unions so that relief could be provided more easily. Each union was to establish a workhouse, which met the principle of less eligibility. In 19th-century England there was a range of occupations and voluntary positions, which had been established as part of the new Poor Law (1834), The Charity Organisation Society (COS), as well as by religious and voluntary societies. Relieving officers had responsibilities in relation to outdoor relief, which was assistance, in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, given to the poor without the requirement to enter an institution such as workhouses. This was an alternative to indoor relief, which required people to enter the workhouse (Rose, 1971). The COS supported the principles of the new Poor Law (1834), whos aim was to co ordinate the work of charitable giving for the deserving poor. The 1906 1914 Liberal Reforms were acts passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the countrys poverty relief system. It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601. The Bill established a Poor Law Commission. This included the forming together of small parishes into Poor Law Unions and the building of workhouses in each union for the giving of poor relief. The Amendment Act did not ban all forms of outdoor relief, which was support without going into workhouses until the 1840s where the only method of relief for the poor was to enter a Workhouse. The Workhouses were to be made little more than prisons and families were normally separated upon entering a Workhouse. The Act called for parishes to be put into Poor Law Unions so that relief could be provided more easily. Each union was to establish a workhouse, which met the principle of less eligibility. The 1942 Beveridge Report was a government commissioned report into the ways that Britain should be rebuilt after World War Two; Beveridge was an obvious choice to take charge, Woodward (2009). He published his report in 1942 and recommended that the government should find ways of fighting the five Giant Evils of Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness. The Beveridge Report of 1942 proposed a system of National Insurance, based on three assumptions: family allowances, a National Health Service, and full employment. The 1944 Butler Education Act changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act was named after the Conservative politician R.A. Butler who introduced the Tripartite System of secondary education and made secondary education free for all pupils. The tripartite system consisted of three different types of secondary school, secondary technical schools and secondary modern schools. The original structure of the NHS (1946) in England and Wales had three aspects, known as the tripartite system. Fourteen Regional Hospital Boards were created in England and Wales to administer the majority of hospital services. In primary care GPs were independent contractors (that is they were not salaried employees) and would be paid for each person on their list. Finally in community services, maternity and child welfare clinics, health visitors, midwives, health education, vaccination immunisation and ambulance services together with environmental health services were the responsibility of local authorities. During the Second World War the issue of black settlers in Britain became an issue, as a result of the war, black workers and soldiers arrived from the colonies to fight in the British army to help with the war effort. At that time there were concern about the social consequences of the arrival of new black migrants, however immigrants from the colonies that the government encouraged were recruited by the British state specifically to resolve labour shortages. Richmond (1954). After the war, immigration in Britain was on the rise after families of the workers from the colonies came and settled. During the 1970s 80s research studies on race and council housing were conducted in a number cities like Nottingham, Liverpool and Birmingham, Simpson (1981) concluded that black applicants for council housing waited longer then white people. The study identified that the average black family were larger in size and required larger housing then white people, the council rarely offered 4 bed roomed housing because it was considered to be encouraging large families and the poverty that usually comes with large working class families. This is institutionalised racism, McPherson (1999). The Race Relations Act 1968 was a British Act of Parliament making it illegal to refuse housing, employment, or public services to a person on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic or national origins. It also created the Community Relations Commission to promote harmonious community relations. The Housing Act 1980 was an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave five million council house tenants in England and Wales the Right to buy their house from their local authority. The first of four factors leading to The 1990 NHS and Community Care Act is the government at the time, from 1979 to 1997 the Conservative party wanted to shift British politics to the right from post war liberalism under Margaret Thatcher. According to Taylor (1972) The Conservatives believed in self help so they were in favour of the informal carer where people would care for their own friends and family at home. Margaret Thatcher preached Laissez faire An economic theory from the 18th century that is strongly opposed to any government intervention in business affairs, it literally means leave things alone Margaret Thatcher wanted to end the idea of the government taking care of you, for people to look after themselves and stop Britain being a granny state. Demography is the study of population looking at things like births, deaths, marriages and immigration. Britain is in a demographic time bomb, its people are getting older as a result of the improvement of sanitation over the last century, which is the highest ever. This means people are living longer; there is a huge increase in life expectancy. As the population grows, the proportion of people aged under 16 has dropped below those over state pension age. Life expectancy at birth in the UK has risen (www.statistics.gov.uk). Pre 1990 Margaret Thatcher had to address questions such as how many more elderly can we home? Who is going to look after them? Who is going to pay for it? The issue of the old Victorian geriatric wards were far too expensive to run and maintain. The demographic issue was another factor that led to the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act. Before 1990 The NHS and Social Services were considered too wasteful and expensive. Thatcher wanted a mixed economy of welfare where independent, private sectors and Social services look after and treat people; she wanted them to compete for business. This is called Tendering for service This would save the taxpayer money. Sociological evidence appears to indicate that demographic care would cost, politicians in the 80s thought community care was a cheaper answer. Before 1990 the issue that the old Victorian wards were too expensive to run and maintain proved too cost effective however according to Townsend (1961) the government couldnt just dump people in these warehouses (p56) Townsend described this as the warehousing model of care where people were stored in these forms of warehouses, after seeing ex workhouses changed to residential homes, he was appalled at the bad conditions and dated buildings. A study of a mental hospital in America described it as a total institution which is a place of residence or work where a large number of people in the same situation is cut off from society. There are many principles to the 1990 Community Care Act; the result of the act was the change from service led delivery which was if the government did not have any money to help then people would not receive it, the care providers determined what the client needed and would provide care if it was available to needs led delivery where a statutory obligation by the NHS and Social services was to assess and consult service users. The care user would be at the centre of care delivery. Care plans were introduced to monitor progression or worsening conditions. Home based care using domiciliary support services is where people receive in their own home was introduced, informal carers needs was to be recognised and included in assessments of need. Multi-agency working has been shown to be an effective way of supporting children and young people with additional needs, and securing real improvements in their life outcomes. Wigfall Moss (2001) define it as a range of different services which have some overlapping or shared interests and objectives, brought together to work collaboratively towards some common purposes. Multi-agency working is easier where the aims of the various agencies coincide and where their targets are mutually consistent. It co-ordinates the work of those involved e.g. when conducting multi-agency assessments of children and young people and it should lead to better outcomes for children and young people as holistic needs are addressed. In 2003, the government published a green paper called Every Child Matters alongside the formal response to the report into the death of Victoria Climbià ©. The piece of legislation was designed to strengthen preventive services by focusing on four key themes: Increasing the focus on supporting families and carers. Ensuring necessary intervention takes place before children reach crisis point and protecting children from falling through the net. Addressing the underlying problems identified in the report into the death of Victoria Climbià © weak accountability and poor integration. Ensuring that the people working with children are valued, rewarded and trained. There was a wide consultation with people working in childrens services, and with parents, children and young people and following this, the government published Every Child Matters: the Next Steps, and passed the Children Act 2004, providing the legislative spine for developing more effective and accessible services focused around the needs of children, young people and families. Every Child Matters: Change for Children was published in November 2004 and it placed legal responsibilities on workers to work together to protect young people and children. Vulnerable adults are also protected under similar legislation. According to Seed (1973), three strands in the development of social work exist. The first of these is the focus on individual casework, which originated in the work of the Charity Organisation Society (COS) Woodroofe, (1962). The second is the role of social work in social administration, involving various forms of relief from poverty, which originated from the Poor Law however it was also promoted in some of the work of the COS. The third is the focus on social action, which has been identified with the growth of the Settlement Movement in Britain and the United States. This essay has addressed many issues and client groups within the social sector, how dealing with them started and how the role of social work has progressed in time. Taylor, A.J. (1972) Laissez faire and State Intervention in nineteenth century Britain Barwell, J. (1994) Victorian life. Cambridge International Federation of Social Workers: http://www.ifsw.org/ Johnson, P (2007) 20th century Britain, economic, cultural and social change. MacPherson report (1999) on Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager who was stabbed. Social Trends 2009, National Statistics, http://www.statistics.gov.uk/socialtrends39/ Richmond, A. (1954) Colour prejudice in Britain: A study of West Indian workers in Liverpool. Rose, M.E. (1971) The English Poor Law 1780-1930. Newton Abbot. Seed, P. (1973) The Expansion of Social Work in Britain. London. Simpson A. (1981) Stacking the Decks: A study of race, inequality and council housing in Nottingham. Townsend, P. (1961) Seen in The Last Refuge by Pierson, C and Francis, G. London, Routledge Wigfall, V Moss, P. (2001), More than the sum of its parts? A study of a multi-agency child care network. London, National Childrens Bureau. Woodroofe, K. (1962) From charity to Social Work in England and the United States. London. Woodward, K. (2009) Social Sciences. London.