Terrorism Essay Essay Example for Free

Terrorism Essay Essay 2. Explain the differences between terrorism, state terrorism, and state-sponsored terrorism. From Merriam Webster: Terror- a state of intense fear; a cause of anxiety. Violent or destructive acts committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or Government into granting their demands. Terrorism- the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. From Terrorism Today (The Past, the Players, the Future) The Homeland Security Act of 2002 defines terrorism as â€Å" any activity that involves an act that is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any State or other subdivision of the United States and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. † From Merriam Webster: State- a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory; especially: one that is sovereign. A government or politically organized society having a particular character. Sponsor- one who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing. A person or an organization that pays for or plans and carries out a project or activity. The difference between terrorism, state terrorism, and state-sponsored terrorism comes down to the persons involved in the act being committed. Much of the terrorism we see today on the news or in the papers are acts committed by terrorist groups linked by ideology and financed through the drug trade as well as ransom obtained from kidnappings. One example of this type of terrorism are the Somali pirates, these terrorists will hijack large container ships to small pleasure craft and hold those on board and any cargo for ransom. Money made from these deals is then used by the terrorists in their fight against  the Somali government or is funneled to other like-minded groups. Another form of terrorism we have seen here in the United States is what many call the â€Å"home grown† terrorist. These terrorists are usually born in the United States or came to the United States at a young age when their families left their home country. Course#: BCJ303 Unit 1 Many of the recent acts committed by this type of terrorist have been based on ideology and were carried out against civilian personnel. One of the most recent examples is the Boston Marathon attack, the two who carried out the attack had grown up in the United States and led seemingly â€Å"American† lives but had latched onto an ideology that views the United States as an enemy of Islam and that the targeting of innocent civilians is a legitimate tactic. Terrorism in the examples given is carried out by small disconnected groups that are mostly aligned by ideology. Although these groups are not supported by a larger organization or national government many governments with a similar ideology or nation with a large population of person who share a similar mind set to the terror group will many times fail to denounce the acts. This is where terrorism differs from state terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism as both of those types of terrorism are directly supported by the sta te. State terrorism is used by a nation state as way to control its citizenry and suppress any dissenting views or beliefs that are contrary to those of the government. Many of the governments that exercise this form of terror will sometimes start the process of suppression by creating new laws designed to protect the governing class and criminalize the opposition groups and others have completely thrown out their nations laws and implemented new laws based on strict adherence to a religious ideology or total government control in all aspects of the citizens lives. This was the case recently in Egypt, the elected government (Muslim Brotherhood) removed all secular and Christian officials from the government and in their place were seated members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Many of the top military leaders were also replaced with Brotherhood members. These changes and the removal of any opposition party led to many pro government groups to further oppress the ‘non-believers† through the shutting down of  businesses to the burning down of churches and the killings of Christian and secular citizens. Another tactic that has been used in Afr ica and Latin America by state terror regimes is the use of the police and or military as death squads. These squads are dispatched to eliminate anyone seen as opposition or supportive of the opposition. This type of terrorism is directed from the top of the government down to the group leaders. This is where state terrorism differs from state-sponsored terrorism, the state terror regime is open in its support of the terrorist tactics. The state-sponsored terror regimes do not direct the acts but do support them. State-sponsored terrorism is the support of a terror group by a nation state that provides supplies, training, equipment, and weapons. As well as safe haven for the group through the use of diplomatic protection. An example of state-sponsored terrorism is the Syrian government’s support of the terror group Hamas and their co-sponsoring of the terror organization Hezbollah with Iran. For their part Iran provides Hezbollah with military training, weapons and money, while Syria provides political support. Course#: BCJ303 Unit 1 Many of the state-sponsored terror organizations have a set area of operation not far from their sponsor state but this has changed recently as Hezbollah has been taking up shop in Latin America working alongside cartel and narco-terror groups. While all three types of terrorism are used to instill fear and bring about a change that is desired by the organization or state, the main difference between the three is the support (financing, training, political backing) that the group receives.

Human Trafficking Legal Provisions and Government Responses

Human Trafficking Legal Provisions and Government Responses 1. The trafficking of women, drugs and diamonds involve huge numbers of individuals and groups, there is a higher degree of transnationalism and trade patterns are very complex. There are thousands of human traffickers operating independently within relatively hierarchical groups and exploit tens of thousands of women and girls often in cross border operations that violate countries sovereignty. Under international law governments are obligated to protect their citizens from being trafficked through policies and programmes that aim at prevention and protection of victims. 2. A review of the laws and provisions of various countries provides an impression of the growing awareness and recognition of the issues relating to trafficking across the world. Most of these countries have made efforts to amend their existing laws or to introduce new legislation in consonance with international instruments. 3. Most European countries and US have adopted legislation against human trafficking. The same holds good for South and South East Asian countries including India and her neighbours. Infact in March 1998 in recognition of International Womens Day President Clinton issued an Executive Memorandum on Steps to Combat Trafficking that pledges to combat trafficking in women and girls with a focus on areas of prostitution, victim assistance and protection, and enforcement. The role that various government agencies will play is also outlined. International Framework of Laws An overview of select protocols and conventions that regulate trafficking at the international level is listed at Appendix E- International Framework of Laws Related to Trafficking. Regional Legal Instruments The framework of law in countries of South Asia is listed at Appendix F- Legal Framework in South Asian Countries. India   Initiatives to combat trafficking 4. Prevention and com bating Trafficking of Human Beings has received the highest priority in India and as the problem is multi dimensional, we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue. Indias approach to combating trafficking is holistic, participative and inclusive and is not just restricted to primary or direct intervention against trafficking but seeks to eradicate the menace through empowering the potential victims. 4.1 Constitutional and Legal Framework to address Trafficking 4.1.1 India has a fairly wide framework of laws enacted by the Parliament as well as some of the State legislatures in addition to the various constitutional provisions. These are listed in Appendix G à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"Legal Framework to Address Trafficking in India. 4.1.2 The premier legislation to tackle trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation is the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. The Act is being amended in order to further strengthen the various provisions. Salient features of the amendments to ITPA Re-defi ne the age of the child from 16 to 18 years. Deletion of sections, which re-victimize the victims. In-Camera proceedings in Courts to safeguard privacy of victims. Enhanced punishment for traffi ckers, brothel keepers, pimps etc. Punishment for persons who visit brothels for commercial sexual exploitation. Defi nition of traffi cking adopted from the UN Protocol. Setting-up of Centre and State nodal authorities in the States for preventing and combating offence of traffi cking through coordination, investigation, rescue, rehabilitation, judicial support, research and training. 4.2 International Commitments 4.2.1 India is a signatory to a number of international instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its Optional Protocols; Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime with its UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children supplementing above Convention and Millennium Development Goals. 4.2.2 It is also part of major SAARC initiatives for South Asia which includeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution; SAARC Convention on Regional arrangements for Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia; SAARC Charter where trafficking issues are to be addressed at regional level. 4.3 Institutional Mechanisms India has a federal set up where law enforcement and public order are primarily State subjects. However, the Central Government too shares responsibility with the States for tackling organized crime such as commercial sexual exploitation rests with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, while the Ministry of Labour deals with all matters related to labour. The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for ensuring the enforcement of the various legislations related to the criminal activity of trafficking An example of Centre State collaboration is the high-level Central Advisory Committee to Combat Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation to deliberate on various aspects on trafficking and recently has formulated Blue Print for Action in the area of Inter-State Rescue Protocol, Prevention, Rehabilitation, Health, Legislation and Management Information System. The Ministry of Social Justice has taken initiatives to prepare a user-friendly system for speedy and effective restoration of missing, abducted/kidnapped and runaway children to their families. As there is a direct linkage between missing persons and trafficking. Therefore, a concerted effort to address the issue of missing women and children will be of immense use and help in preventing and combating trafficking. The Government of India has also set-up autonomous organizations such as National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which seek to protect the rights of women and children. Policies and Protocols National Plan of Action to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking with special focus on Children and Women was formulated in 1998, with the objective of mainstreaming and re-integrating women and child victims of commercial sexual exploitation in to the community. The National Plan of Action for Children, 2005 commits itself to ensure that all rights of all children up to the age of 18 years are protected. National Policy for Empowerment of Women, 2001 aims to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. Protocol for Pre-rescue, Rescue and Post-rescue Operations of Child Victims of Trafficking for the Purpose of Commercial Sexual Exploitation provides guidelines for enforcement agencies and NGOs involved in the rescue of victims from their place of exploitation, medical and legal procedures to be followed and rehabilitative measures to be provided to the victims. Protocol on Prevention, Rescue, Repatriation and Rehabilitation of Trafficked and Migrant Child Labour aims to ensure smooth rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation of trafficked and migrant child labour. A blue print of action in interalia the following areas has also been developed: Protocol on Inter-State Rescue and Post-rescue Activities Relating to Trafficked Persons providing guidelines to the State Governments on the inter-state rescue operations, the modalities involved, precautions to be undertaken and responsibility of various stakeholders in providing services to the rescued victim. Prevention of Trafficking of Women and Children à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides for various steps to be undertaken to prevent trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation and includes formation of adolescent groups and community vigilance groups, anti-trafficking regional networks, appropriate interventions that should be taken up in brothel areas to prevent second-generation prostitution, special measures targeting those communities traditionally involved in commercial sex work and rehabilitation of women who have become old to carry on the profession and are in need of care and protection. Rehabilitation of Victims of Traffi cking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides for action points related to areas of rehabilitation such as care and support programmes, community based rehabilitation, custody of victims, education and skill building of victims and their ultimate rehabilitation in the society. Human Trafficking Management Information System (HTMIS) provides a format for enforcement agencies to collect data on trafficked victims and traffickers. Programmes and Schemes The Ministry of Women and Child Development runs Shelter homes (Swadhar and Short Stay Homes) for women in difficult circumstances. These also cater to rescued trafficked victims and provides for shelter, food, clothing for women and children, counseling, clinical, medical, legal and other support, training and economic rehabilitation and helpline facilities. A relatively recent sheme known as Ujjawala (Radiance of light) is a Comprehensive Scheme for Prevention of Trafficking and Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-integration of Victims of Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation. Dhanalakshmi, is a conditional cash transfer scheme for girl child with insurance cover linked to various milestones in a girls life. It is expected that the scheme would ensure that the girl child is not only born but also that she is enrolled and retained in school which would decrease her vulnerability to traffi cking, child labour, child marriage etc. The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) scheme aims to provide for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection improved institutional care, quality non-institutional, adoption and alternative care, counselling and family support, training and capacity building, CHILDLINE services ,child tracking system and website for missing children. While programs and schemes to rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of trafficking are no doubt important, the mechanisms to prevent the occurrence of trafficking or to create an enabling environment to prevent trafficking is equally if not more important. This is particularly important as trafficking is essentially a developmental issue. Economic Empowerment of women Poverty makes women and children vulnerable to trafficking. Hence poverty alleviation programs feature high in the list to combat trafficking and at the same time achieve economic empowerment. India has embarked on massive poverty alleviation and income generation programs where women beneficiaries are significantly involved. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme ensures at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year with 30% reservation for women beneficiaries. Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women provides updated skills and new knowledge to poor and asset less women in the traditional sectors such as dairy development, animal husbandry sericulture, handloom and social forestry. The Self Help Group (SHG) movement and linking such groups to credit facilities especially micro credit facilities is effectively used in India for both poverty reduction and a conduit for routing a wide range of social development messages and schemes.. The scheme of Swayamsidha Priyadarshini etc are some such schemes based on mobilization of women into Self-Help Groups. The Rashtriya Mahila Kosh an exclusive micro credit agency for women which provides credit to poor and asset-less women in the informal sector. Social and Political Empowerment of Women Economic empowerment of women cannot deliver desired outcomes unless judiciously combined with social and political empowerment. Education was made a Fundamental Right through the 86th Constitutional Amendment. Universalization of Elementary Education, namely the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, has a pronounced gender focus, and creates an enabling environment for encouraging more and more girls to attend schools with various incentives. The National Rural Health Mission aims to improve the availability of and access to equitable, affordable and effective health care to rural people especially poor women and children. To tackle discrimination in the provision of adequate and timely nutrition the National Nutrition Mission addresses the problems of malnutrition in a holistic manner. The Food and Nutrition Board of the MWCD has regional centers and community food and nutrition education units for mass awareness, nutrition education etc. for women and children. The program for Integrated Child Development Services is the largest child care program where children below 6 years and their mothers are provided nutritional and immunization health inputs. In this process, the programme enables an in-built tracking system to ensure the well-being and safety of the beneficiaries. Adolescent girls are highly prone to many forms of violence and abuse especially trafficking . Specific interventions for the welfare of these girls is undertaken through Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls where under-weight girls are provided with additional food grains per month. Similarly the Kishori Shakti Yojana program aims at holistic improvement of these girls and equipping them with vocational skills so that they can be gainfully engaged. Political empowerment-Indias concern for safeguarding the democratic rights and privileges of women finds its best expression in the Constitution of India with provisions which empower the State to make affirmative discrimination in favour of women. In a significantly gender empowering measure, the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution, enabled a 1/3rd reservation of seats for women in the local governance or Panchayat Raj Institutions in the rural and urban areas. These special measures ushered in nearly 1 million women in the electoral fora and decision-making bodies. Gender Budgeting -To ensure that all facets and sectors of the economy are gender sensitive the Government has initiated the process of Gender budgeting which encompasses incorporating a gender perspective and sensitiveness in all sectors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" be it economic or social. Training and Capacity Building As the tasks for combating trafficking is to be performed by multi stakeholders, the government has laid stress on training and capacity building of different stakeholders such as NGOs, police, Social Workers, Medical Officers, Judiciary and Counselors with comprehensive resource material and communication strategies. Cross border One of the concerns of the Government of India is the problem associated with cross-border trafficking. The Regional Task Force of SAARC for implementation of the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution met for the first time in New Delhi on 26th June, 07 in New Delhi. The decisions taken in the SAARC Meeting included sharing best practices, setting up a toll free phone number for use of victims, capacity building and training programmes, wherever possible harmonizing national legislations to tackle trafficking and development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for operationalising the Convention, including repatriation of victims. To address the issue of cross-border trafficking between India and Bangladesh, the Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, UNICEF and Bangladesh Counterparts are in the process for formulating and finalizing a victim friendly Roadmap and Joint Plan of Action for safe, humane and quick repatriation of trafficked victims. Under this, both Indian and Bangladesh have identified that their respective Ministry of Home Affairs would be the focal point for repatriation of trafficked victims. The roadmap and joint plan of action would include §streamlining procedures and processes for safe and quick repatriation of cross border victims to and from Bangladesh; develop uniform checklists/ proformas /guidelines/protocols/case management systems for identification/ registration /interviewing; make appropriate provisions for the care and maintenance of children during the repatriation process; promote exchange of technical skills, especially of skill training/capacity building; set up safe, secure transit points /transit camps at border with adequate physical facilities. Given the seriousness of the trans-border trafficking scenario on the borders, interface has been organised between the law-enforcement officials, NGOs, etc. at various places. For example, a meeting are held between Indian officials and the appropriate authorities in Nepal and Bangladesh. Holistic Approach to Trafficking To formulate a more holistic policy and program for trafficking in persons which will incorporate all forms of trafficking (such as sexual exploitation, child labour, bonded labour, organ trade etc) and enable an integrated approach to tackle the problem, the MWCD in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs, National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women is formulating an Integrated Plan of Action to Prevent and Combat Trafficking of Human Beings, with special focus on Women and Children. International Cooperation You will all agree that International collaborations, co-operations and sharing of knowledge and information are key to address the global ramifications of trafficking. In all our efforts, our UN partners have been very proactive. The UNODC GIFT programme aims in the South Asia Region to heighten the awareness on the various facets of trafficking. The Delhi Declaration as a collaborative effort between GOI and UNODC has avery strong commitment to protect all children from sexual exploitation and stringent measures against sex selection and violence against the girl child, evolve a synergistic approach in dealing with trafficking issues, reduce demand for prostitution, use of child labour, forced labour and to strengthen the collaborative efforts of NGOs, local Governments, and other institutions to prevent all forms of trafficking. In conclusion, it can be stated that the Union Government and the state governments have taken several initiatives to address the various issues related to the trafficking of women and children. The Plan of Action by the Union Government and their monitoring of the implementation of the programmes in the states have made a notable impact in addressing several aspects of prevention, protection and prosecution. There is clearly an undercurrent of gender discrimination and consequent exploitation in human trafficking. This can be addressed only if the issue of gender is integrated with schemes, programmes and policies in all the relevant sectors. Counter-trafficking measures, especially those relating to prevention and rehabilitation, should be integrated with the policies and programmes of all the related departments. Only such a holistic approach can, in the long run, provide the required empowerment to women and children, especially those in vulnerable circumstances, and equip them w ith safe livelihood options, rights awareness and guarantee against exploitation.

National Innovation System Concept

National Innovation System Concept In a globalising world, is there any value in the concept of a â€Å"National Innovation System†? INTRODUCTION The progressive advancements in the different scientific fields and their applications in technology have become one of the most important corner stones for any nation’s wealth and economic growth. For technology and scientific research to be successful in all aspects, including the organisation and the collaboration between the different players in each technological camp, different governments and public and private organizations reached the conclusion that a whole structure of communication and cooperation should be established in order to reach the desired successes in what concerns research, development and the technological objectives that are ultimately the driving force for any economy and societal well-being within a state. One of the most important problems facing the policy making process was the lack of information regarding specific fields and the lack of knowledge in other fields. The need to have a certain kind of a long and constructive relationship between scientists and the technology specialists, on one side, and the policy makers, on the other, became more evident in the twentieth century as technological advancements (in all industrial fields and in sectors related to information technology) grew in extremely high speeds and in extremely high amounts. A stable and continuous flow of information concerning the ongoing changes that were (and still are) taking place in the research and development arena had to be maintained. This gave birth to the concept of National Innovation Systems which, in theory, should be the solution to the above mentioned problem. The idea behind the concept that was evolving is thoroughly explained by Mytelka as she stated that The 1970s and 1980s marked the passage from an era in which technological change was mainly incremental. Time was available to either amortize heavy tangible and intangible investments in new products and processes, or to catch up with a slowly moving technological frontier by mastering processes of production and distribution for what were relatively stable products. Protected national environments were both a blessing and a curse in that earlier period, since they provided time and space for infant industries to emerge but frequently little incentive for them to become competitive whether at home or abroad. At the same time, within the markets of developing countries, high levels of protection created the potential for oligopolistic market behavior by large, mainly foreign firms, which raised prices to local consumers and made exporting difficult. (15) National Innovation Systems The concept of ‘National Innovation System’ appeared as a prospective response to the necessity of having clear policies that shape the work and the interconnectedness between research, organisations, industries and governments in regards to science and technology research and the products that are expected to be received from that research. An innovation system is the result of the processes of research and development in any science and technology related field. In this context, we can understand that the innovation system involves the distribution, or spreading, of the needed information and knowledge bases regarding a given technology between the various entities that require having them. This should cover the governmental organisations, the interested centres of research, the universities, the industries and even the individuals. The need to create innovation systems on national levels became important in the 1970s and the 1980s. This is explained by Nelson and Rosenberg as they state the following: The slowdown of growth since the early 1970s in all of the advanced industrial nations, the rise of Japan as a major economic and technological power, the relative decline of the United States, and widespread concerns in Europe about being behind both have led to a rash of writing and policy concerned with supporting the technical innovative prowess of national firms. At the same time, the enhanced technical sophistication of Korea, Taiwan, and other NICs (Newly Industrialized Countries) has broadened the range of nations whose firms are competitive players in fields that used to be the preserve of a few and has led other nations who today have a weak manufacturing sector to wonder how they might emulate the performance of the successful NICs. There clearly is a new spirit of what might be called technonationalism in the air, combining a strong belief that the technological capabilities of a nations firms are a key source of their competitive prowess, with a belief that these capabil ities are in a sense national, and can be built by national action. (Nelson 3) It is evident that the concept was originally created in order to give more advantageous steps to science and technology related entities in what concerns competitiveness and the ability to survive and grow both inside the borders of the country itself and as a strong product export bridge to other countries. The main objective in this regard is economical; each country is required to establish the most suitable environment for scientific research and technological structures to flourish and, by doing so, to strengthen the economy of the country and the living standards of its people. The National Research Council defines ‘National Innovation System’ by stating that it â€Å"refers to the collection of institutions and policies that affect the creation, development, commercialization, and adoption of new technologies within an economy† (105). Another definition is that â€Å"the National Innovation System is a systemic model that shows dynamic interactions and pattern of processes that facilitate technology flow in the system, incorporating variables and players from all directions that affect the innovation process† (Hulsink 16). It must be noted here that the above mentioned process should contain, within it, all the elements leading to influence the whole technological sector within a country and this is specifically why there should be clear policies and laws regulating the way in which the system should function and how it should present the required results. Factors leading to the creation of a successful national innovation system are presented by Biegelbauer and Borras: â€Å"A national innovation system is a whole set of factors influencing the development and utilisation of new knowledge and know-how†. The authors emphasise the fact that education is an important element in the process of creating and implementing the system in question (84). For a national innovation system to be structured correctly, a thorough and comprehensive analysis should be performed on a national scale; this is because the system should be able to determine which elements are needed for growth and which policies are the most adequate. â€Å"National profiles are too complex and diverse to derive a unified representation of the system, posing the problem of defining and modelling the NIS. One useful way to deal with heterogeneous profiles of NISs is a taxonomic approach where national systems are classified into several categories† such as â€Å"large high-income countries, smaller high-income countries, and lower-income countries† or â€Å"large/rich countries, small/rich countries, and developing countries† (Park, Y. and Park, G. 403-404). According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, there are different policy making problems in what concerns the operational side of the national innovation system. â€Å"In General, the attention of policy makers moved away from an overall priority to fund the RD input to the economy, with additions along the way to the market to enhance technology transfer† and a special care was given in what concerns encouraging the collaboration and the methods of networked work and â€Å"the flows of knowledge into spin-offs and industrial use, institutional change, entrepreneurship, and improved market oriented financial systems† (14-15). The document of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development also explains that policy makers should take important factors into consideration, such as the relations and inter-dependences between a variety of market sectors, such as labour, capital, and product markets because they are the source of innovation and growth. Another important factor is that policies should also cover sectors that are not considered as related to markets, this can include partnerships in research and development activities (16). The policies in what concerns the system in question, for it to be successful on a national level, should take into consideration a variety of elements and keep them under continuous scrutiny. These elements include the amount and the quality of the performed innovation, the continuous growth in manpower (for what concerns the technological production process) and in the population (in what concerns the use of the produce), the level of growth of the economy itself with all what comes with that concerning new challenges in regards to raw materials and the human factor, the ability of firms to move from one sector into the other, according to the changes in scientific and technological advancements, independently. This creates a huge amount of work for policy makers and scientists and technology experts alike in order to keep policies efficient and effective, on one hand, and in continuous evolution and change, on the other, according to the changes on the ground and according to the changes forced by outside factors. National Innovation Systems Globalisation As clear from the concept’s name itself, the most important point to note is that it was created, and originally thought of, around the concept of a limited political and geographic entity; the country. It focuses on the ‘national’ aspect of the economical, scientific and technological sectors. In today’s world, that is certainly different from that of the 1950s and the 1960s, many changes have occurred that transformed our lives because of the tremendous advancements in science and its direct applications in technology; this includes the way we make business, the way we create products and offer new services, the way the manufacturing processes of certain products take place, and the way information and knowledge are being distributed and reached. It is now more obvious than any point in time in the past that a national system in relation to science, technology, research and industry, no matter how policies are accurately prepared and implemented, cannot survive if the international (or the global) element is not taken into consideration and if it is not dealt with adequately. Much less agreement exists†¦ on how precisely globalization and innovation interact, and what this implies for industrial dynamics and a policy-oriented theory of innovation systems An important weakness of innovation system theory is a neglect of the international dimension. There is a tendency to define a NIS as a relatively closed system, even when dealing explicitly with the impact of globalization. A central proposition rests on dynamic agglomeration economies: interactive learning requires co-location, hence a preference for national linkages. (Ernst 1) Ernst illustrates his point of view around the most developed (and the most developing) sector of industry in the world today, which is information technology. He asserts that electronics equipment and components, software and information services, audio and video, and communication technologies (this includes e-commerce and web services) are all beyond the rigid understanding of the traditional national innovation system as was originally conceived by individuals, institutions, and governments. The changes that happened in the last 25 years have brought new problems for the concept of national innovation system. According to Mytelk, this is due to two main factors: â€Å"First, over the past two decades, production has become more knowledge intensive across a broad spectrum of industries from the shrimp and salmon fisheries in the Philippines and Chile, the forestry and flower enterprises in Kenya and Colombia, to the furniture, textile and clothing firms of Denmark, Taiwan and Thailand. Second, competition has both globalized and become more innovation-based† (15-16). It is, on the other hand, important to note that firms benefit from â€Å"sharing knowledge and reduce costs by jointly sourcing services and suppliers† This on-going process of knowledge exchange will always have a positive influence on all the procedures and results of the flow of information and knowledge and will create more opportunities for co-operation in research and developments experiences and projects. â€Å"Local training institutions and a sound infrastructure can provide further benefits for companies. Moreover, rivalry between firms can stimulate competitiveness. To note also that life quality and other non economic factors can be just as important in determining growth† (Carrin et al. 24). It is necessary for the innovation systems to evolve according to the evolution of the various elements that shape research and technology today. For the concept of innovation system to survive with success, new factors should be introduced within its structure in order to enable it to keep its competitiveness and growth, keeping in mind that this should be done in a way that turns the changes that occurred because of globalization into advantages, not disadvantages. Ernst draws our attention to the bright side, stating that â€Å"globalization enhances the dispersion of knowledge across firm boundaries and national borders. Such dispersion however has remained concentrated, due to the continuous impact of agglomeration economies† (30). CONCLUSION The idea behind the concept of national innovation system, just as anything other theory or structure, should evolve†¦ And this is exactly what happened. Scientific research, technological endeavours, and industrial successes do not depend on the organisation of institutions and on the flow of information within the national boundary alone, they interact with realities created and introduced by a newly shaping world with no borders and no geopolitical boundaries. The policies that deal with the flow and exchange of information and knowledge should deal with international effects and beyond-the-borders factors that can, and will, ultimately influence the national realities. Since the time of the concept’s first presentation by Freeman (1987) and Dosi et al (1988), many changes took place in what concerns the analysis and the policies regarding its methods and implementation; this is due to the enormous changes that happened in the various scientific and technological fields. The concept of national innovation system is a precious tool that should not be dropped because of globalisation; instead, it should be reshaped to cover the elements that did not exist previously. It should encourage the collaboration and the continuous flow and distribution of information and knowledge within the country itself, and then within the regional and international space. NIS should be re-developed to cover national, regional, and multi-national corporational level. Works Cited Mytelka, Lynn K. â€Å"Local Systems of Innovation in a Globalized World Economy.† Industry and Innovation, 7.1 (2000): 15-32. Park, Yongtae and Gwangman Park. When does a national innovation system start to exhibit systemic behavior? Industry and Innovation 10.4 (2003): 403 414. Nelson, Richard and Nathan Rosenberg. Technical Innovation and National Systems. National Innovation Systems: A Comparative Analysis. Ed. Richard Nelson. New York, U.S.A.: Oxford University Press, 1993 3. National Research Council. Harnessing Science and Technology for Americas Economic Future. Washington, D.C. U.S.A.: National Academy Press, 1999. Biegelbauer, Peter and Susana Borras. Innovation Policies in Europe and the Us: The New Agenda Hampshire, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003. Hulsink, Willem. Regional Clusters in ICT. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Boom Publishers, 2002. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Dynamising National Innovation Systems. France: OECD Publications, 2002. Ernst, Dieter. How globalization reshapes the geography of innovation systems. 24 May 1999. 06 September 2006. http://geein.fclar.unesp.br/reunioes/quinta/arquivos/140306_Ernst_99_globalization_1_.p df>. Carrin, Bart, et al. Science-Technology-Industry Network. September 2004. 07 September 2006. .

The Last of the Mohicans Essay -- essays research papers

The Last of the Mohicans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In James Fenimore Coopers' book, The Last of the Mohicans, we find a classic story set in the 1700's. During this time, the war between the French and English is raging, complicated by an additional contention between the Mohican Indians and the Huron Indians. The location is in the area of Lake George in the Hudson Valley,somewhere between New York and Canada. The theme of this book is a conflict between civilization and savagery, each being personified in both the whites, the Indians, and in nature itself. The author seems to be showing the truth of human nature: that there is a fine line between acting in a civilized manner and giving in to the primitive urge to totally destroy other human beings. The ruggedness of the region provided a similar conflict with man. At times, it was beautiful, sheltering, protecting, and nourishing the characters with food and water. At other times, it was obviously wild and untamed bringing danger and aiding in destruction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were many prominent characters in the book. These include Chingachgook and his son, Uncas, who are the last remaining Mohicans and the protagonists of the story. Another was Hawk-eye, who is a white man raised from birth by Chingachgook. Major Duncan Hayward is an officer with the English military who is assigned to transport two sisters from Fort Edward to their father at Fort William Henry. The antagonist, or dominant enemy, of the story was Magua, a Huron Indian who was a leader of his people and was driven by the traditional savagery of his tribe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with Major Hayward preparing to carry out his orders to transport Alice and Cora Monroe to their father, General Monroe, at Fort William Henry. In order to make the journey safely he hired a guide familiar with the area to lead the party through the treacherous territory. Unknown to him, his guide, Mage, had a plan to entrap them by leading them to the Huron's where they would surely be killed. As they pressed on through thick forests and deep rivers, they came upon a psalmist named David Gumet sitting beside the path. Gumet was a pleasant person and a gifted singer who had lost his horse and his provisions. They encouraged him to join them for his own safety. Shortly down the path, the Mohicans ambushed them with th... ...e bargained with Magua, Uncas tried to sneak up on him. Magua saw him and killed Cora. Uncas leaped on Magua trying to pull him down, but Magua stabbed Uncas multiple times killing him. Hawk-eye took his gun and shot Magua, causing him to fall down the steep mountain cliff to his death. After joining back together for a ceremony, the story comes to an abrupt end as they all went their separate ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overall, the book was enjoyable to read because there was constant adventure and it was full of surprises. Cooper seemed to highlight the strength of the friendships between the characters throughout the book and how they were able to overcome adversity. The only Christian character in the story was David Gumet, who played a minor part. The story portrayed a definite secular worldview, particularly with the constant violence and the spiritual practices of the Indians. The wording was, at times, difficult toread and the author had a tendency to jump back-and-forth between characters and situations. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to others because it was adventurous and not boring. I found it difficult to put down once I started reading it.

Gun Control in the United States Essay -- second amendment,firearm, we

The second amendment gives people the right to own a firearm. The founding fathers might have thought a gun was the best form of protection but many years have past since then and humans have evolved. Times are different and society is different. Technology has a big impact on people and how we think and all those variables can affect people with how they react in stressful situations. We have to consider the mental stability of those in possession of the weapons, it is important to keep the weapon away from loved ones or other people, and is the law protecting those in possession of the weapons or putting lives in more danger. The human mind is a complex place filled with a variety of thoughts and desires. One may hide the deepest thought in the unconscious without even knowing it or worse, their desires reside in the conscious waiting to be acted upon. With all circumstances no one from the outside knows what is going on in another ones mind even the person himself may not be completely be sure. My confidence in ones mental stability is low because these facts show the mystery of what is inside the human mind. â€Å"To elaborate on this, in a previous study in 2004 researchers discovered that around one in four adults have a mental health disorder and one in seventeen had a serious mental illness but how many of them keep going on with their lives thinking their feelings are normal? All people are given the right to bare arms that means all people even those with these disorders. Now the right to bare arms is the right of the people to protect themselves yet giving those with weak mental stability is a scary thought† (â€Å"Mental Health†). The laws should provide us with a mental state test before being given a weapons license. .. ...929.full>. "Eligibility Requirements." / Concealed Weapon License / Licensing / Divisions & Offices / Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. . "Florida Concealed Carry Permit Information." Florida Concealed Carry Permit Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. . "Guns and Violence." Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. "Gun Control." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. "Mental Health." - Healthy People 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. . Gun Control in the United States Essay -- second amendment,firearm, we The second amendment gives people the right to own a firearm. The founding fathers might have thought a gun was the best form of protection but many years have past since then and humans have evolved. Times are different and society is different. Technology has a big impact on people and how we think and all those variables can affect people with how they react in stressful situations. We have to consider the mental stability of those in possession of the weapons, it is important to keep the weapon away from loved ones or other people, and is the law protecting those in possession of the weapons or putting lives in more danger. The human mind is a complex place filled with a variety of thoughts and desires. One may hide the deepest thought in the unconscious without even knowing it or worse, their desires reside in the conscious waiting to be acted upon. With all circumstances no one from the outside knows what is going on in another ones mind even the person himself may not be completely be sure. My confidence in ones mental stability is low because these facts show the mystery of what is inside the human mind. â€Å"To elaborate on this, in a previous study in 2004 researchers discovered that around one in four adults have a mental health disorder and one in seventeen had a serious mental illness but how many of them keep going on with their lives thinking their feelings are normal? All people are given the right to bare arms that means all people even those with these disorders. Now the right to bare arms is the right of the people to protect themselves yet giving those with weak mental stability is a scary thought† (â€Å"Mental Health†). The laws should provide us with a mental state test before being given a weapons license. .. ...929.full>. "Eligibility Requirements." / Concealed Weapon License / Licensing / Divisions & Offices / Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014. . "Florida Concealed Carry Permit Information." Florida Concealed Carry Permit Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. . "Guns and Violence." Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. "Gun Control." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. "Mental Health." - Healthy People 2020. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. .

Board Resolution Sample

B and B Communications Philippines Incorporated RESOLUTION NO: ____, S-2012 A resolution to open a Current Account with the SECURITY BANK, CUBAO BRANCH was placed before the Board for conducting its day-to-day financial transactions. After discussions, the Board unanimously: WHEREAS, B AND B COMMUNICATIONS PHILIPPINES INCORPORATED is a company duly organized and existing in accordance with law, rules and regulations with postal address at ____________________________________________________ Barangay __________________ District _____________, _____________ City;WHEREAS; the said Bank be instructed to accept and act upon any instructions relating to the account kept in the name of the Company or relating to any transactions of the Company with the Bank, provided the instructions are signed by the authorized signatory(ies) of the Company in the manner mentioned as above. WHEREAS; the said Bank be instructed to accept receipts for money, deeds, securities or other documents or papers or property or any indemnities given on behalf of the Company provided they are signed by the authorized signatory(ies) of the Company in the manner as mentioned above.WHEREAS; the bank be furnished with a list of the names of Directors of the Company and a copy of the Memorandum & Articles of Association and be from time to time informed by notice in writing under the hand of the Directors/Authorized Signatory of the Company of any changes which may take place therein and be entitled to act upon any such notice until the receipt of further notice under the hand of any Directors / Authorized Signatory. WHEREAS; the resolution be communicated to the Bank and remain in force until duly rescinded and notice thereof in writing be given to the Bank by ny of the Directors of the Company. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE B AND B COMMUNICATIONS PHILIPPINES INCORPORATED During its last regular meeting to authorize as it hereby authorizes the opening of Current Account of the company with t he SECURITY BANK CUBAO BRANCH. â€Å"RESOLVED FURTHER THAT the aforesaid power entrusted to the following official shall be valid and effective unless revoked earlier by the Board or shall be exercisable by them so long as they are in the concerned to the Company. †Name of Principal RepresentativePositionAddressContact No. Henry HinatePresidentAntipolo City09333398883 Name of Alternate RepresentativePositionAddressContact No. John Lesther MercaderVice PresidentQuezon City09165948435 For Operations â€Å"RESOLVED FURTHER THAT all acts, deeds, things, matters, etc. as foretasted shall be deemed to be valid and enforceable only if they are consistent with the instant resolution as may be relevant in this case and that the Board shall not be responsible for any acts beyond the scope of the foretasted powers done by Mr.Henry Hinate / Mr. John Lesther Mercader and such invalid, illegal acts, and acts done beyond the scope of powers granted in this Resolution shall not bind the Com pany against any third parties or before any authorities in any manner and that the Board shall not be answerable in that behalf. † â€Å"RESOLVED FURTHER THAT a certified copy of the resolution be given to anyone concerned or interested in the matter. † ADOPTED NOVEMBER , 2012 Mr Henry Hinate Board Chairperson/ PresidentMr, John Lesther Mercader Executive Vice President for Operations Board of Directors Ms. Jeane BetitoMr. Rogelio ReyesMr. Ed CunananMs. Jenny Amador Secretary CERTIFICATION This is to certify that the foregoing resolution was approved on _______________, 2012 by the majority of the members of the Board of Directors and Members of the Organization present in a meeting Called for the purpose, there being a quorum. Done in Quezon City, this _________________, 2012 MS. JEANE BETITO SECRETARY

Fredrick W Taylor Essay

Frederick W Taylor was one who led a life of earnest development in the production and manufacturing sectors. His life was one the spurned on time study and one that advanced America and the world in scientific management. Taylor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 20, 1856. He lived an eventful and noble life for 59 years and one day dying on March 21, 1915. Throughout his lifetime he was a great inventor with over 40 patents and a brilliant engineer (Britannica). In his early years Taylor was always learning and creating. At age 12, Taylor created a harness that would keep him on his back to try and prevent nightmares (www.stfrancis.edu). In 1872 he went to the Philips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Here he led his class scholastically. After his completion of studies at Philips Taylor started working as a machine shop laborer in a steel plant named Midvale Steel Company. Quickly Taylor started to grow in position; he became a successful shop clerk, machinist, gang boss, foreman, maintenance foreman, head of drawing office, and finally chief engineer. It is evident to see that Taylor was a man of wisdom and drive, who never settled for anything less than the best. In 1881, at age 25 he introduced time study at the Midvale Plant. The project was a great success and as a result the profession of time study was started. While working at Midvale, Taylor studied at night to get a degree in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. As can be seen even from an early age Taylor had successes in new areas of study which spurned on his later life accomplishments. Throughout Taylor’s mid and late life he continued to advance and spread his knowledge of time study. He retired at age 45, after that he, his wife and their three adopted children lived in Philadelphia from 1904 to 1914. He continued to devote money and time to promote the principals of scientific management through lectures at universities and professional societies (Britannica). In 1906 Taylor was elected the president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and that same year was he was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree by the University of Pennsylvania (Britannica). Taylor was a man of expert wisdom and foresight and it is seen throughout his life as we just discussed but these characteristics primary shine when you look at his theory and successes of time study. He realized that production could be increased by standardizing this system of work (smallbusiness.chrono.com). Taylor’s time study theory was that he would break each job down into specific tasks and timed how long it took a worker to complete each task (smallbusiness.chrono.com). Then he specified exactly how each task was to be performed and what tools to use, then the workers were trained to complete the task in a certain way (smallbusiness.chrono.com). He did this because he believed that there was one and only one method of work that maximized efficiency as he said, â€Å"And this one best method and best implementation can only be discovered of developed through scientific study and analysis.† (Vincenzo Sandrone). He proved this theory at the Bethlehem Steel Works where they had 500 men shoveling coal. He performed his time and motion studies and found out that using a different shovel for different size coal that it increased the amount you could shovel. So as a result of these two studies men could shovel more coal for a longer period of time. Thus he effectively reduced the number of men shoveling coal to 140 (smallbusiness.chrono.com). This is the reality of his theory and the results speak for themselves. Also, Taylor worked alongside Henry Ford to create the first assembly line (smallbusiness.chrono.com). Taylor also used his expertise and applied it to moving pig iron. He increased the amount moved from 12.5 tons per a day to 47.5 tons of pig iron a day. This leads to another point of Taylor’s theory and it was that he believed that you had to choose the right people for the task. Relating the example just mentioned, Taylor said that not all workers were fully capable of moving 47.5 tons of pig iron per a day, perhaps only 1/8 of the pig iron handlers were capable of doing that. This is because their physical capabilities were well-suited for moving pig iron. This is Taylor’s point, that workers should be picked according to how well they suit a particular job. Taylor also had a motivational theory, called the economic man (Business Studies). This was that workers were motivated or encouraged by money alone and the only factor that could stimulate further output or work was the chance of earning extra money (Business Studies). Taylor always said that workers should be paid a ‘fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work’ and that the pay should be directly linked with output (Business Studies). This leads to a further point of Taylor’s, and it is called ‘piece rate’. To encourage this, workers were pay by each unit that they produced, and the first unit were paid at a low rate and the more the worker produced that higher the pay they received. He also believed that incentive wages were of no use unless they were coupled with efficient tasks that were carefully planned and easily learned (www.stfrancis.edu). Thus is Taylor’s main motivational suggestion; to link pay with output. Taylor also standardized the role of management. This included setting managers apart from operations and giving them more authority to set the tasks workers do (smallbusiness.chrono.com). Taylors’ attitudes toward workers were laden with negative bias â€Å"in the majority of cases this man deliberately plans to do as little as he safely can.† The methods that Taylor adopted were directed solely towards the uneducated (Vincenzo Sandrone). Taylor believed that the secret of productivity was finding the right challenge for each person, then paying him well for increased output (www.stfrancis.edu). He believed that incentive wages were no solution unless they were combined with efficient tasks that were carefully planned and easily learned (www.stfrancis.edu). Throughout this passage it is evident to see what a work Taylor accomplished. He is the father of scientific management and the one who spurned off time study. Taylor spent his whole life increasing efficiency in the workplace, working with making people and companies, most notable, Henry Ford. He and many others of his time like Henry Ford did work that put the United States on the leading edge during the Industrial Revolution. Bibliography 1. Frederick Winslow Taylor, Mary Ellen Papesh, www.stfrancis.edu/content/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/bbios/biograph/fwtaylor.htm 2. Britannica, Frederick W Taylor, www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/584820/Fredrick-W-Taylor. 3. Herzberg & Taylor’s Theories of Motivation, Lisa Magloff, Demand Media, www.smallbusiness.chrono.com/herzberg-taylors-theories-motivation-704.html 4. Frederick W Taylor: Master of Scientific Management, www.skymart.com/resources/leaders/taylor/asp 5. Business Studies second edition, Peter Stimpson and Alastair Farquharson, Cambridge University Press 2010