The Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency

Case Study Report Introduction This case study report will explore the company Phase Separation Solutions (PS2) and identify the key problems and alternatives. An analysis and application of models will then be conducted. Specifically, the five models chosen consist of a PESTEL analysis, Porters Five Forces, a SWOT analysis, the VRIN model and the organisational configuration model. An evaluation of alternatives involving advantages and disadvantages for the alternatives are then investigated. Finally, a conclusion and recommendations are presented for PS2.Identification of Key Problems and Alternatives Within the case study there are a set of key problems and alternatives presented. The first problem deals with whether PS2 should enter the Chinese market. To investigate this further, economic problems, regulatory problems, and the problem of potential limited markets in Canada and North America may compel PS2 to internationalise. Declining economic markets and volatile industry prop ensity in Canada and North America display limited sustainable future revenues and weakening PCB-contaminated soil allocation.Regulatory issues prohibit PS2 from transporting soils from the US to Canada in addition to PCBs only providing PS2 with short term momentum as PCB treatment is a declining market in Canada. Currently, in the Canadian market there is a potential limit in regards to the amount of PCB-contaminated soil and unfavourable cost advantages which may require PS2 to look abroad in order to increase their business activities. These factors raise issues of constraints in PS2s existing markets (Canada and North America) which will cause assessment whether PS2 should internationalise into China.The second problem deals with which of the two opportunities should PS2 pursue. PS2 needs to weigh up the two options. Option one is a joint venture (JV) with Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIES) in the remediation POP-contaminated soil while option two is a JV with Z houshan Nahai Solid Waste Central Disposal (Nahai) in oil recovery from oil sludge. Either none, option one, option two, or both need to assessed and then selected. Would it be feasible to pursue both? Assessments of internal capabilities would need to be undertaken, focusing on financials and costs to determine the possibility of pursuing both options.In order to undertake both options, PS2 has to assess the cost and benefits. The third problem deals with whether PS2 possess the required resources and capabilities to pursue an equity-based entry. An internal assessment of resources and capabilities will need to be undertaken to determine current capacity and any future resources and capabilities needed to expand. Additionally, determining the affect cooperative opportunities with NIES and Nahai in China would do to impact the metrics of PS2 and the flow-on impact on corporate resources and the organisational structure.The fourth problem deals with what ownership levels PS2 should a ssume for each option. Investigating both options and determining the percentage of ownership levels for both options (i. e. equal joint control, majority control or minority control) needs to be undertaken. Therefore contract negotiations with potential JV partners must suit PS2. Based on ownership levels, the fifth problem would be how PS2 would staff its Chinese operation(s) if they decide to pursue the opportunities in China.Organisational structures, systems, and staffing need to be considered when determining the JV and the collaboration of staff. The sixth problem could be that the Chinese market is still in an emerging stage which brings about issues of lagged development of industry in terms of research capabilities and techniques of treatment facilities even though the potential size of this market appears a decent size for small firms such as PS2. The seventh problem deals with competitors (i. e. BEV) who have been seeking opportunities for geographical diversification wh ich could saturate the market and put pressure on PS2.Competitor analysis and determination of future potential industry outcomes are needed to determine a long-term plan for PS2 to internationalise into China. Lastly, the modes of international involvement have previously been on a non-equity basis, in the form of equipment exporting, licensing and service contracts. The eighth problem is that PS2 has no experience in international expansion of an equity-based manner which could present unforeseen issues PS2 has not previously faced. Therefore determination of company capabilities to set-up operation systems to effectively implement an equity-based entry will require copious assessments.Analysis and Application of Models 1)PESTEL Model (macro analysis) PS2 is no stranger to international markets and is presented with the opportunity to enter the unfamiliar yet seemingly attractive Chinese market. An analysis of the Chinese market is necessary to determine the expansion viability. P ESTLE is a model which can provide comprehensive information about the macro-environment of the Chinese market and can help answer the problems of whether or not PS2 should enter the Chinese market and which option(s) to choose.Political Factors: The Chinese government has realised and reached a consensus on the importance of prioritising environmental protection beyond a â€Å"basic policy† of country agenda from 2009. The Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency spent $162. 5 billion on environmental protection in 2009 and the Chinese government strongly committed to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which meant the government needed to pay more attention and spend more money on environmental protection (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 9).Furthermore, in 2010, the Chinese government claimed that $3 billion would be invested to oil investigation and oil remediation from 2011 to 2016 (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 10). Economic Factors: In the past 30 years, economic development of China was rapid where the real GDP per capita rose from $220 in 1980 to $2,883 in 2010 and the annual growth rate was around 9% per annum (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 8). The huge economic development will provide many opportunities for companies to enter. The Chinese economic environmental is still at the early stage however it has great potential to grow.Social Factors: Environmental pollution has become a serious social issue facing the Chinese government due to its negative consequences on society’s health. Around 410,000 people die every year in China because of environmental pollution (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 9). Meanwhile, the number of protests related to environmental pollution increased with an annual rate of 29% in recent years (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 9). Technological Factors: China’s technological capabilities are not as developed as other nations and causing lags in potential growth.TDU technology is widely used in China’s POP market. Compared with TDU, PS2’s TPS technology has higher mobility. In China, the oil sludge industry is in its infancy so advanced technologies are needed to propel development. Environmental Factors: China is critically affected by environmental pollution with smog causing negative effects on worker attendance and productivity. Environmental pollution has placed a burden on the country’s medical system causing pressure on the government to solve the problem.Dumping of untreated oil sludge into pits or the fact that they were incinerated is also bad for the environment. Legal Factors: The government is on its way to addressing environmental pollution. On one hand, it takes measures to reduce pollution. On the other hand, regulations have been created in order to treat pollution properly such as the regulation to forbid the traditional way to deal with the oil sludge, which can be positive for PS2 to compete in the market. Overall, the PESTEL model analyses the ma cro-environment of China. Generally the environmental industry of China is attractive.On one hand, China has seen huge economic growth so that the country has the ability to spend money on environmental protection. On the other hand, the economic development was made at the cost of the environment and people in China have been negatively affected by the environmental pollution, which means it is necessary to take measures to protect the environment. Moreover, the technology of the environmental industry in China is not developed. To sum up, the macro-environment of China is positive for companies to enter with advanced echnologies. Both the POP industry and oil sludge industry are at the early stage with great potential, so the external factors are positive for PS2 to pursue both options and enter into the Chinese market. 2)Porters Five Forces Model (micro analysis) The treatment of POP and Industrial Sludge micro-industry analysis within China addresses the aspects which directly i nfluence PS2 and its competitive behaviour and responses. Porter’s Five Forces interact and determine an industry’s attractiveness and profit potential.One problem PS2 can review to gain a clear picture of whether they should enter the Chinese market in order to determine its viability and what forces offer potential attractiveness or barriers. Another problem PS2 can review is the competitive nature of the Chinese industry with potential opportunities or obstructions as well as varying competitor market saturation levels. Industry analysis will enable an overall assessment of the desirability to enter, difficulty to enter, and potential of the industry.Threat of New Entrants: Low threat of new entrants as there are high barriers to entry which would be difficult to overcome however regulatory changes are transforming industry operations. Both options would mean PS2 would have high start-up costs in conjunction with the JV as they would have high capital requirements f or allocation of site locations and treatment facilities as well as high fixed costs with the latest technology and transportation. The industry capabilities are specialised and require knowledge built through years of immersion in the industry.Legal barriers make entry more difficult to comply with environmental and legal policies which can restrict operations. Threat of Substitutes: Low threat of substitutes as there are no direct substitutes to the raw materials used in operations, such as POP contaminated soil and oil sludge. As both soil and oil are natural resources, the likelihood of substitutes are low however government pressures for preservation of environmental reserves means there are various substitute processes towards conversation of soil and oil which would be dependent on technology and cost advantages.The ability to switch between substitute processes is moderate however contracts with companies would limit the ability to switch as site locations grant permission t o treatment of the resource. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Low bargaining power of buyers as they have limited capacity to acquire or produce natural resources, such as clean soil and oil on their own. There are a multitude of buyers who would purchase large volumes of either soil or oil however they would lack the ability to influence the products as the technological processes are highly specialised and restricted to government policies.Buyers do however have the ability to switch between similar operational organisations if switching costs and contract negotiations enable such business transactions. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Moderate-to-high bargaining power of suppliers as they are reliant on natural reserves that determine the allocation of such resources (soil and oil) to organisations. Governments and private organisations would need to give permission for site allocation as well as importation of resources to potential buyers which can be a rigorous and costly task.The sp eciality of the resource and finite nature makes the bargaining power strong within the Chinese market. There are also other suppliers, such as the companies that supply PS2 with materials for their technology and devices. These suppliers have a high bargaining power as it is assumed that only specialised companies can provide PS2 with the materials and equipment that they need. The Threat of Competitive Rivalry: Low-moderate threat of competitive rivalry as there are a few competitors in the market with various location sites, technological processes and operational capacity.The industry growth is immensely high with regulations and environmental outlooks encouraging preservation of natural resources (soil and oil) encouraging organisations to compete. There would be limited differentiation between resources however production and technological processes would ensure some differentiation enabling PS2 to apply such processes to deliver a competitive advantage in the Chinese market. Overall the POP and Industrial Sludge industry is moderately attractive as a majority of forces pose limited threats. The process systems between buyers nd suppliers are complex however power distribution is fairly un-proportionate. The high barriers could be concerning however once entered into the market, the threat of substitutes and competitive rivalry is limited. Addressing the problems, PS2 has the ability to enter the market as it is attractive and can compete and differentiate with other competitors with the assistance of a JV. PS2 has TPS technology which has the ability to provide the Chinese industry with a highly unique and differentiated competitive alternative especially as the market has the capability for such treatment processes. ) SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis takes an overall approach to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats presented to PS2 in the case. Specifically, the SWOT analysis can review the problem of whether or not PS2 should enter the Chinese market, which of the two options they should select, the feasibility of pursuing both options, ownership levels, the problem of competitors wanting to enter the international arena, and the fact that the market was still at an emerging stage. Strengths: PS2 is no stranger to internationalisation into other markets with technology deployed in 14 countries in the past 15 years. -PS2 possesses internationally proven technology (TPS), the only one to be able to extract 90% of oil from industrial sludge (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 3). It is recognised as being world class for performance, reliability, mobility and its lack of harmful air emissions. -TPS technology can easily be deployed at fixed locations and has several advantages (stated in above point). -PS2 is well suited to the Nahai JV as they have global experience.Both owners have similar personalities and stories. A solid trust had already been developed and Nahai had solid assets with a wide range of permits already obtai ned. -The Government agency (NIES) has a degree of safety to it which reduces the risk of the project. They had extensive expertise and experience and had identified and inventoried 300+ sites in three provinces. This option also acted as a free advertising campaign for PS2. -Being an early entrant into the emerging market of remediation of POP-contaminated soil,PS2 would most likely enjoy first mover advantages. Weaknesses: -The oil recovery from oil sludge market was fragmented and the industry was still in its infancy. -The cost of both JV’s are expensive ($3 million each option). -For option one (POP-contaminated soils), the JV would need to design, engineer, manufacture and market TPS units in China for use in various regions of China. -There is no guarantee that option one will work as the JV would need to design, plan, launch and bid for, operate and participate in projects in China. Some competitors already have the rights to other regions of China which will make it harder for PS2 to gain permissions to other areas in China and cause competitive intensity in the industry. Opportunities: -The contaminated soil market has opened up significantly since regulations imposed by governments required more adequate processing of soil. -China was becoming more environmentally aware making protection a priority. Previously waste would be dumped, however now it can be treated with new regulations in some provinces. More sludge would be generated from increased oil imports which equates to more business for PS2. -Nahai was a leader in the area, possessed the only waste management processing permit in the area, and had an excellent infrastructure. -If option two goes ahead, it opens the doors up for other opportunities like consulting services and applying the technologies to other parts of China. Threats: -The main threat is the issue of the JV’s. Issues of control, management and staffing are present and could undermine PS2’s abilities. Conta minated soil sites were widely dispersed across the country. The soils would therefore need to be transported; however this is not easy due to their bulk. New laws and regulations were expected to ban the importation of waste containing POPs from province to province. Based on the SWOT analysis, it appears that the strengths and opportunities outweigh the weaknesses and threats. From the model, it looks certain that indeed PS2 should enter the Chinese market, and pursue both options as it is feasible to pursue both options.Entering the market would beat any competitor in entering the Chinese market and may even deter them, hence eliminating the problem of competition. The problem that the market was at an emerging state helped PS2 as it was in a growth stage and this seems likely to continue. Regarding ownership levels, there seems to be a good fit between the two groups who PS2 would enter the JV with, so this should not be much of a problem. 4) VRIN Model In order to determine whi ch option to pursue, or whether PS2 should choose to pursue both, the strategic capabilities and resources as a basis of competitive advantage must be explored.The internal capabilities will be examined, alongside the required resources and capabilities to pursue an equity-based entry. Furthermore, company capabilities to set-up operation systems to effectively implement an equity-based entry will be determined. Value: With the Chinese government understanding the current environmental concerns in their economy, a need for the protection of the environment was a priority for the government. Pollution was not only an issue, but posed a social issue to residents of the country.As a result, environmental protection became a â€Å"basic state policy† (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 9). Contaminated sites were randomly dispersed across China, and the mobility of PS2’s TPS technology provided them with a possible competitive advantage in this market. This ease of use across the va rious sites in China was not something offered by PS2’s competitors. Also, due to application of PS2’s technology regardless of the POPs to be treated, the opportunity in China could allow them to compete in a $725 million market (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 0). The technology PS2 possesses offers value to the company and an entry into China could extract extra value for PS2 based on favourable policy changes. Rarity: The history of the company, providing a management team with extensive knowledge of the industry, and the geographical experience possessed by these individuals provides PS2 with a supremely talented and knowledgeable workforce. With the president and CEO Paul Antle’s 25 years of experience behind him, his abilities to pursue projects have contributed to his many awards.He was recognised for his success as an entrepreneur, suggesting similar qualities to that of Nahai’s owner. This similarity, alongside an ability to direct and manage, provides PS2 with the advantage of identification with individuals and knowledgeable people to run such a project. Moreover, PS2 offered services on a â€Å"fee-for-service basis† creating a desirability surrounding their product and service Furthermore, their adoption of previous ways to raise capital, such as the Capital Pool Company program, and their insight into becoming a public company suggest that PS2 has been a strategic player in their ambition to create funds.All this confirms that the resources and capabilities that PS2 possesses are rare and hard to find in other companies within the industry. Inimitability: The TPS technology differed to that of its competitors. It produced safe soil with an 85% decrease in volume that could be returned to the environment. The TPS process not only enabled the recovery of oil and other hydrocarbons for reuse or resale, but also generated its own fuel source to fire the system. Compared with incineration and land filling, TPS technology p roduced no harmful air emissions and no land and water pollutants.And finally, compared with incineration, the TPS process produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental benefits presented by this technology dealt with the current environmental concerns facing the Chinese government (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 3). This makes the TPS technology hard to imitate by any other competitor as there is no other technology that can match its superiority. Non-substitutability: There are always risks of competitors entering the market, but not necessarily substituting PS2’s technology with the same. Rather, competitors may enter the market and look to potentially enhance PS2’s technology.The driving force behind PS2’s technology is the development of a technology that allows for the protection of the environment (p. 6). This technology may only be substituted by the use of incineration or landfills, and if substituted, to the detriment of the enviro nment (p. 6). These forms of substitution do not create the same outcome as that of PS2’s TPS technology. The VRIN model explores the resources and capabilities currently possessed by PS2. Option one allows PS2 to enter a somewhat new market in China, allowing NIES to act as an agent for PS2’s technology.Option one presents a lower level of risk for PS2, but in doing so, results in a lower level of return, contrary to option two. Option two allows a certain level of identification between the management team of Nahai, and PS2’s current management team. This, alongside Nahai’s tangible resources, may present an attractive venture for PS2. Either option presents PS2 as a new, and highly competitive, entrant in the Chinese market. Therefore, the VRIN model confirms that PS2 may have a sustainable competitive advantage and should therefore enter the Chinese market.Both options look suitable. PS2 currently has the required resources and capabilities to pursue an equity-based entry. 5) Organisational Configuration Model The organisational configuration model looks at six main elements in organisations and can be applied to PS2. Specifically, this model can review the problem of whether or not PS2 should enter the Chinese market, which of the two (if not both) options that they should select and whether PS2 possess the required resources and capabilities to pursue an equity-based entry.Leadership: Paul Antle is the CEO of PS2 and leads a team of employees who all possess skills and abilities around the TPS technology. Nahai’s owner had a similar personality to Antle and was also an entrepreneur. They both identified with each other from the beginning, so there is definitely a match in regards to the leaders and their ways of thinking. They had a solid trust based on this. The NIES had made the first call to PS2 about their technology (based on the State Environmental Protection Agency of China) so it is accepted that the leaders som ehow matched and got along well.Vision & Strategy: PS2s strategy wanted to involve international geographic diversification to propel it to not just a domestic player, but an international one. This would at the same time improve their growth potential. Since both these opportunities were international expansions, it suited the strategy of PS2 and there was a match. Their vision was to become an international player and expand in more areas on new terms (equity basis) and these options to enter into China allowed them to do just that. Formal structures: Antle as CEO leads his team of employees.Among these employees there are certain positions held such as marketing manager, operations manager and R&D manager. PS2 has a fairly rigid and hierarchical structure where certain people report to others above them. However, due to the small number of staff, there are quite frequently vertical hierarchical jumps and everyone interacts with each other. Technology: The Thermal Phase Separation (TPS) technology that PS2 possesses is an internationally proven technology which is the only one to be able to extract 90% of oil from industrial sludge (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 3).It is recognised as being world class for performance in regards to its reliability, mobility and its lack of harmful air emissions. It has been internationally proven and produces safe oil, enables the recovery of oil which can then be reused or resold. The technology produced no harmful air emissions, no land and water pollutants, and fewer green house gas emissions. This would be appreciated by the Chinese and their government in regards to recent policy changes and environmental protection developments. Processes: At PS2, there exist several processes that act in harmony to accomplish tasks and achieve goals effectively and efficiently.There are processes that deal with inputs and outputs such as information, people and materials. There are also processes formed around customer service and after sa les service for existing customers, new product development, order fulfilment as well as things like decision making and resource allocation. These could all be successfully employed in China. Informal structures: As mentioned above, although the hierarchical structure exists and is respected by all employees, informal structures are present. These informal structures don’t cause conflict as primarily it is the formal structure that employees follow.However, the CEO and management understand that sometimes it is easier to work with informal structures and that friendship groups work better with one another. For this reason, these structures exist and are granted by management to continue operating. This also leads to a higher motivated workforce. Based on the organisational configuration model that looks at six main elements of PS2, it appears that PS2 should enter the Chinese market as the leaders have good fit, the vision and strategy align with moving into global markets, and the technology is sufficient in regards to China’s new environmental standards.Both options look suitable to be pursued. From the model, it appears that PS2 possess the required resources and capabilities to pursue an equity-based entry and therefore should enter the market. Evaluation of Alternatives Option 1: Remediation of POP-Contaminated Soil Some advantages of option 1 include: -The total amount of high-density PCB waste was about 50,000 tons, a decent proportion of the low-density waste which was calculated to be 500,000 tons – this was three times the amount of the Canadian PCB market (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 9). If the government improved its measures to protect the environment, the number of POPs in China would rise (currently a $470 million and the potential to be a $725 million market) (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 10). -The TPS technology differed to that of its competitors – the TPS process was able to produce safe soil with an 85% decrease in vol ume which could be returned to the environment (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 3). The TPS process not only enabled the recovery of oil and other hydrocarbons for reuse or resale, but also generated its own fuel generated its own fuel source to fire the system. Compared with incineration, the TPS process would produce less greenhouse gas emissions. -Compared with the TDU unit (the current technology from a competitor), PS2’s TPS technological unit had higher mobility, which would be attractive to the Chinese market because there were numerous small contaminated sites in China. -PS2 would cooperate with NIES. NIES was a government agency so the risk of this project would be reduced significantly. NIES had extensive expertise and experience and had identified more than 300 sites in three provinces. This also acted as a free advertising campaign for PS2. Being an early entrant into the emerging market of remediation of POP-contaminated soil, PS2 would most likely enjoy the first move advantages. -PS2 was involved in conducting market research with the Chinese government over the past one-and-a-half years, which meant PS2 had already gained experience cooperating with the Chinese government. The experience would be helpful if PS2 entered the Chinese market. Some disadvantages of option 1 include: -The JV would need to design, engineer, manufacture and market the TPS units in China for use in various parts of China.There is no guarantee that this option will work as the JV would need to design, plan, launch and bid for, operate and participate in projects in China. -The JV would need an investment of about $3,000,000, which is a large investment for a company the size of PS2. Option 1 is attractive because the positive factors outweigh the negative factors for PS2. The Chinese market is huge and has great potential. Furthermore, PS2 has a competitive advantage to compete in the industry of remediation of POP-contaminated soils.However, there are some risks that PS 2 needs to take into account such as the big initial investment. Option 2: Oil Recovery from Oil Sludge Some advantages of option 2 include: -Chinese oil sludge industry is large with treatment of 6. 1 million tons with Zhoushan’s facilities located close to costal oil terminals such as Aoshan Oil Terminal which is China’s largest oil transhipment base (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 13). -New regulations in Chinese market is encouraging organisations not to dump but rather enforcing proper treatment to respond to environmental issues. Cooperation with Zhoushan Nahai Solid Waste Central Disposal Co. Ltd. (Nahai) in Zhejiang means PS2 would be in partnership with the largest and only permitted solid waste management system in the area of Zhoushan. -Nahai had become a â€Å"leader in the management of hazardous waste and oil sludge in the Zhoushan area† (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 13) therefore providing more tangible resources such as an oil storage facility, a waste oil recovery facility, bilge water treatment process and a solid waste destruction facility. The JV would expose PS2 to a greater window of opportunity through the capability of processing from 10,000 to up to 100,000 tonnes of oily sludge per year (Peng & Beamish, 2012, p. 13). -The ability to leverage off PS2’s international management teams experience through development opportunities of processing oil sludge recovery into other regions of China. -The internationally recognised TPS technology provided by PS2 addresses the environmental concerns of the Chinese government, and thus, partnering with Nahai will present this JV as the preferred vendor for oil sludge recovery systems. PS2 is well suited to Nahai as they have global experience, similar personalities, he is an experienced entrepreneur and they identify with each other. Some disadvantages of option 2 include: -The permit for waste management held by Nahai is only limited to the Zhoushan area. While this area may conta in a large potential of oil sludge remediation, gaining rights in other areas of China may pose an issue. -Some competitors already have the rights to other regions of China, thus gaining these permissions to other areas in China may be a drawback and saturate the industry. As Nahai is a privately owned company, and PS2 is a public company, the provisions between the two are not definite. This JV, as with any JV between a public and private company may present a lack of accountability and blur the distinctions with regards to risk, performance and funding. -The Chinese oil sludge industry is still in its infancy and is very fragmented due to various oil sludge generation locations making it difficult to expand operations into other regions. -The JV would need an investment of about $3,000,000, which a large investment for a company the size of PS2.When determining whether PS2 should enter into a JV with Nahai it is important to explore both the advantages and disadvantages that exis t. While there may be some disadvantages present, there are also advantages for PS2 to enter into a JVwith Nahai that will allow for the international growth and expansion of PS2. While it may not allow for the exploration of other suitable industries, such as research into rural environments, it does provide PS2 with substantial financial gain should they consider entering into this JV with Nahai.Recommendations and Conclusions Based on the above evaluation of alternatives, it appears that for both option one and option two, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. However, taking a closer look at both options, it appears option one has the same amount of advantages as option two but at the same time option one has far less disadvantages than option two. From this, it could be concluded that option one is perhaps better than option two in regards to which option PS2 should choose.Therefore option one is the better opportunity on face value however this is not to say that option two is not viable as the analysis illustrates both provide high potential future prosperous outcomes for PS2. It is therefore recommended that PS2 enter both option one and option two, but at different times and stages. It is recommended that PS2 pursue and enter option one, the remediation of POP-contaminated soil first and foremost. The only negatives for pursuing this option is firstly the cost, which is a price of doing business and will need to be undertaken no matter how or where PS2 expands internationally.The next negative is that there is no guarantee that the JV will work, as PS2 has to do extra work such as bidding, planning, launching, operating and participating. Therefore an element of risk does exist, but the advantages and potential return outweigh this risk. The advantages consist of large amounts of PCB waste present, the fact that the TPS technology was different to any other company including its use (such as a higher mobility) and the environmental protec tion is enforced. Nevertheless, this does not mean that PS2 should not pursue the second option of oil recovery from oil sludge.Some of the major disadvantages deal with limited permits and areas where PS2 can use its technology, the fact that other competitors have the right to other regions of China, and possibly the problem of conflictions between the JV agreements as PS2 and Nahai are private and public respectively. There are though, more advantages than disadvantages, and stronger ones as well. For example, PS2 would be exposed to a greater opportunity, Nahai has a strong reputation and possesses the only permits in the area in question, the large oil sludge industry and the fact that both PS2 and Nahai had similar founders with similar personalities.From the evaluation of alternatives, option one is preferred, but option two still appears viable. Therefore, it is recommended the corporate level strategy is to enter into option one and be monitored based on the above conclusio ns. Entering both options at the same time is unrealistic and would bear financial strain on PS2. It seems a more strategic move would be to pursue option one and monitor it in terms of its financial performance – return on equity and return on investment as well as its success. If it is successful and some of the expenses are recuperated, this could be used for potential enter into option two.Therefore, it is recommended that an entry into option two is followed by the entry of option one at a later stage (based on the assessment outcomes of option one). If however option one is a failure and there is no return on the $3 million, option two will not be pursued. Further, it is also recommended that PS2 embark on a new operational level strategy of hiring additional employees and expanding resources required to increase the probability of any entrance into China ending in a successful move for PS2.It is expected that any move into China will require a collaboration of resource s with the JV and further employees to cope with the increase in activities and make sure the entry runs smoothly. The increase and hiring of new staff should specifically involve potential employees who have some cross-cultural experience and perhaps even some business experience within China. Reference Peng, G. Z. , 2012, ‘Phase Separation Solutions (PS2): The China Question’, Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, p. 1-18

If I Met Three Famous People Essay

If I met three famous people who I like, I would be one of most happiest people in the world. I don’t know what I would do, but I would be very happy. I will tell you about three famous people who I would like to meet. At first I would like to meet my favourite boy-band Backstreet Boys. It’s the best boy-band in pop music history. They are five guys from the USA, and they became very famous after their album †Millennium† release in 1999. I’m their very big fan since 2007. And if I met them I would be very happy. I would like to meet all of them, because I couldn’t choose one of them. Their music is so great, it helps me and all their other fans. I’m waiting for their new album release . If I meet them, I would ask them how they felt when became famous. Also I would ask them what meaning has the God in their life, because they are religious people. Of course I have more questions to them, also I would tell them about my feelings and emotions. I would tell them that their music has a very special meaning in my life. I think they are the best boy-band in the world and the best singers. After that I would like to meet Katy Perry. She is a young singer and just a nice young lady. I heard about her a half a year ago and I think she is a great singer with big future. I think she is a great singer with beautiful voice and she is also very beautiful. I like the way she sings. If I met her I would be shocked and amazed. I would ask her why her songs have such unusual names. Also I would ask her what she thinks about other singers and specialy about Backstreet Boys. I would tell her how I like her and how I love her songs, songs that make my life happier. Also who I would like to meet is the hockey player Mikelis Redlihs. Of course I don’t know him but I think he is a very nice guy with a good sence of humour. I think that he is a good hockey player and he has the future in sports. Even if he doesn’t play in NHL, he will show himself in his team . He is very fast on the ice and he can hold a puck. If I met him I would ask him how he feels playing hockey, about his life and of course about his team. I want to say all about these people who I like, they made my life better. I will never stop loving and I will respect these people for what they are and what they do. They will always be in my life and in my heart.

Act of Kindness

Realistic is a story on an act of kindness I did for this girl I didnt know to well. One day as I was walking home from my old school I saw this girl, she looked like a complete nerd someone I wouldnt normally talk to. She was walking home looking really sad, kind of like she had no one to talk to. I walked over to her and introduced myself and she also told me who she was; she said her name is Baby. She was carrying books in her hands and It looked heavy I asked her If I could help. She nodded and told me I was more then welcome. I walked her home that day. I asked ere If she would like to hang out sometime to call me and gave her my number, a few weeks later we were best friends. Months down the road she found out she was pregnant, this took me by surprise since I didnt even know she was dating anyone. The guy who got her pregnant walked out and hardly never came around. I could tell by the look on Babys face that she was pretty scared. I told her no mater what Ill always be there for her If she ever needed anything.The hardest part for her was to tell her parents she was pregnant. Her parents are the strict ones, that go to church every Sunday and doesnt allow their aught to have a boyfriend or anything. So trying to explain to her parents that she had got a boyfriend and had sexual intercourse with him behind there backs was going to be a tough situation. She didnt tell anyone for three months that she was pregnant,but it got down to where she had to say something since she was starting to show.Baby asked me if I could be there with her when she teller her parents on Thursday; I told her I could and that id be there Thursday at four oclock. Thursday came and I went to her house and as soon as she answered the door she started freaking out with panic. I told her to calm down everything will be fine and that if she wants me to tell her parents I would. She appreciated it and told me to tell her parents for her. As we started walking closer to her parents I told them that Baby had something she wanted to tell them.Her parents started getting worried and asked what this was about. I then told her parents that she was scared to tell them about hows she pregnant. Eve never seen anyones face look so furious in my entire life, They asked me to leave so they could talk as a family. Later that next week Babys parents called me and asked me to come over for dinner and talk with them about mouthing. I agreed and told them old be there shortly. As I rushed to get dressed all I could think about was what they wanted to talk to me about, I began to get nervous. As I arrived and walked to the door my stomach dropped and then I knocked on the door. Babys parents answered the door and we sat down to eat. After we got done eating Abyss mom started to tell me how when I met Baby, baby wasnt In the best state of mind. I told them how already knew and how I talked her out of a bunch of things before and they thanked me. They both thanked me for being such a great friend to Baby, and to this day I help take care of Babys daughter. Act of Kindness By austerities carrying books in her hands and it looked heavy I asked her if I could help.She her if she would like to hang out sometime to call me and gave her my number, a few face that she was pretty scared. I told her no mater what ill always be there for her if something. I agreed and told them id be there shortly. As I rushed to get dressed all I As I arrived and walked to the door my stomach dropped and then I knocked on the eating Babys mom started to tell me how when I met Baby, baby wasnt in the best state of mind.

Folding and Aggregation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Folding and Aggregation - Essay Example The three dimensional structures of proteins aid in delineating protein functions at a molecular level and the structure of proteins are determined usually with X ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy etc. Some structural features of proteins would be necessary to perform certain biochemical functions although multifunctional and structural proteins may have higher number of residues than the average of 300 residues. Large aggregates are formed as a result of folding from protein subunits and actin molecules also assemble into actin filaments. The protein structure has four distinct features including amino acid sequence of peptide chains as seen in a primary structure, secondary structures which are regular sub structures, such as strands of beta sheet, tertiary structure as seen in the three dimensional structure of a single protein molecule and quaternary structure which represents a complex of polypeptide chains and protein molecules (Copley, 1997; Berg, 2002). Proteins tend to transition between structures to perform the biological functions and this would be known as conformational changes. The primary structure of proteins with amino acid sequences would be held together by covalent peptide bonds and the extremities of the amino acid chains are known as carboxy terminus (C - terminus) and amino terminus ( N -terminus). The secondary structures are defined by their patterns of hydrogen bonds between the peptide groups although these bonds are generally not too stable except in conditions when the water concentration is low as in molten globule or fully folded states (Urbanc et al, 2006). The non specific interactions and propensities of amino acids would lead to the formation of molten globules. The tertiary structure shows structurally specific interactions within the protein domain with side chains and hydrogen bonds. The disulfide bonds tend to stabilize the tertiary structures of extra cellular proteins and reduce entropy in an unfolded state. The 4 levels of protein structure are given diagrammatically as follows - Figure I - From Columbia.edu, biology courses, 2005 handouts The formation of proteins could be explained as the combination of two amino acids in a condensation reaction and long chains of residues such as amino acids in peptide bond. The sequence of amino acids forms the primary structure of the peptide or protein and is determined by a gene. Within the primary structure, a sequence of nucleotides in DNA is transcribed into mRNA and this is translated by a ribosome and the sequence tends to define the structure and functions of the protein and would be unique to any specific protein. Determining the sequence of nucleotides within the primary structure would actually help in defining the protein (Berg, 2002; Copley, 1997). In the secondary structure, alpha helix and beta sheet saturate the peptide and secondary structures tend to occur most frequently in most proteins. The secondary structure elements tend to have a regular geometry with specific values and are usually folded into a shape with loops and turns (Berg, 2002, Copley, 1997). Terti ary structures are formed with interactions such as hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions and

Changing the Requiring for Filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Research Paper

Changing the Requiring for Filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy - Research Paper Example Sometimes it is enough to push a person to the brink of financial disaster. At one time a person could seek Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and discharge the debt they could not afford to pay, but it is not so easy any more. When a person files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, s/he acknowledges that s/he is unable to pay some or all of his/her creditors. Prior to 2005, people with jobs who just overextended themselves could file Chapter 7 bankruptcy and be free of credit card or other debt such as medical bills, without relinquishing much of their property as long as they continued to make payments on the property on which they still owed money. Chapter 7 bankruptcy, also known as liquidation, â€Å"contemplates an orderly, court-supervised procedure by which a trustee takes over the assets of the debtor's estate, reduces them to cash, and makes distributions to creditors, subject to the debtor's right to retain certain exempt property and the rights of secured creditors† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). Often times, the debtor has no assets—that is s/he does not own a house, car, or other valuable goods, or, if the debtor does own them, s/he owes so much debt on them, they are foreclosed or repossessed, or, before 2005, as long as the debtor was not in arrears, creditors could not repossess or foreclose on assets of those who filed Chapter 7 as long as their payments on those assets were current. Before 2005, people who declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy often walked away from their debts with a stain on their credit history that, after a few years, no longer affected them in an adverse way. Some of these people got into trouble because they lacked the ability or desire to budget properly. Others experienced some sort of financial setback like a catastrophic illness or injury. Some went on to rack up insurmountable debt again, only to have it discharged again through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, in 2005 the law regarding Chapter 7 bankruptcy f ilings changed so that deadbeat debtors could not file Chapter 7 bankruptcy so easily, and if they did file, the penalties were much greater. In 2005, the bankruptcy laws changed from one that favored the debtor to one that favored the creditor. People now cannot get into debt over their heads and then just file Chapter 7 bankruptcy to alleviate the debt they cannot afford. â€Å"The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 [BAPCPA] require the application of a ‘means test’ to determine whether individual consumer debtors qualify for relief under chapter 7. If such a debtor's income is in excess of certain thresholds, the debtor may not be eligible for chapter 7 relief† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). In other words, if the debtor has a job, s/he may not be eligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The â€Å"means test† requires that petitioners for Chapter 7 bankruptcy â€Å"complete Official Bankruptcy Form B22A, entitled "Statement o f Current Monthly Income and Means Test Calculation - For Use in Chapter 7." This then â€Å"determine[s] whether a presumption of abuse arises† (Office of the U.S. Courts, 2011). Form B22A consists of eight pages similar to a federal tax form that examines every source of income and debt a person has, allows for exemptions of some, and sets a limit of debts between $7025 and $11,725 and a limit of greater than 25% disposable income over five years to be eligible for Chapter 7. The Golden Gate University Law Review offers a hypothetical case of a couple with $28,000 of

Extraction of plasmid DNA and set up of polymerase chain Reaction Coursework

Extraction of plasmid DNA and set up of polymerase chain Reaction (PCR) - Coursework Example g temperatures to different levels, the different steps of DNA replication, the separation of the double strand, the annealing of primers to the DNA single strands, and the activity of DNA polymerase are facilitated. The cycle of changing temperatures are repeated, producing many strands in the process. Of course, the DNA polymerase should be able to withstand these changes in temperature. The resulting amplified gene can subsequently be characterized, either through identification, measurement or expression. The information obtained from this can further be used to characterize the resulting protein product or the organism from which it was obtained. Due to the vast amount of processes PCR products can undergo, the technique has been the staple for laboratory diagnosis of diseases, bacteria and virus identification, crime scene investigations, and others. As can be seen, PCR follows and precedes many other molecular processes. In this experiment, plasmids from a transformed bacterial cell pellet were extracted to isolate the gene encoding for red fluorescent protein (RFP). After measuring the amount of DNA extracted, it was then prepared for PCR. Bacterial transformation, or insertion of gene of interest inside bacteria cells, is a viable strategy in not only housing the gene, but also amplifying the sequence. Thus, bacterial strains used for this purpose, such as E. coli DH5ÃŽ ±, JM109 and XL-1 Blue, are specialized not only to be able to imbibe the plasmids upon electric or chemical induction, but also to replicate the inserted genetic material during cell division (Yoshida and Sato, 2009). On the other hand, special plasmids, called vectors, are circular DNA used to accompany the gene inside the bacterial cell. It contains sequences for restriction enzymes, so that the vector circular configuration can be broken into two parts, through which the gene of interest can be inserted into, re-establishing the circular appearance of the vector. The vector also

Birth of the Modern Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Birth of the Modern Age - Essay Example Our reasoning is simple, a bit nave perhaps, but just and sensible: we need to establish continuity between the past and the present. First, we assume that the so-called modern age in human history came sometime after the period we are investigating. This allows us to set aside, at least for the moment, the disagreements among historians and other experts as to the exact dates on when the modern age began and whether we are still in or beyond it. Second, we also assume that the writers whose works we are to analyze to answer our question really existed, and that their accounts represent a true image of reality as they perceived it. Some may have used literary tools to paint a subtle imagery of the times in which they lived, but our knowing the trick allows us to look beyond the images and into the underlying reality of their 15th-16th century world. Third, our knowledge and observations of what historians call the modern age allow us to identify distinguishing characteristics that mark a transition from the old or ancient world to the new or modern one: the way humans performed their activities of learning, earning, governing, and looking at the world around them. These so-called modern ways - the scientific method of learning, the transition from feudalism to the rule of law, democratic government and free market economics, and a widening focus from the local and regional to the international and the universal world - are facets of the human character and culture that we witness in ourselves now and that we see as taking root in the hearts and souls of the writers whose written works we are to analyze. If we can pin down these modern developments as having their definite origins only to the period 1400 to 1600, our task would have been easier. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, a study of written works before and after 1400 is beyond the scope of this paper. Given these assumptions and limitations, how can this writer establish continuity between past chronicles and our observations of the modern world How can we conclude that the period 1400-1600 represents the birth of the modern age This last intellectual stumbling block was overcome when the writer had to decide which of the several works in the collection to include in this paper, taking into account this writer's personal biases and assumptions. The solution was simple: choose on the basis of a positive, optimistic, and hopeful image of the world, both in the present and in the future. Having taken this crucial step, the writer became "one" with each of the twenty historical figures whose selections were chosen, observing the world through their eyes and with the same positive attitude. This is how the writer established continuity between the present and the past, and the intellect having been duly satisfied dispatches itself vigorously to the task at hand. Marks of the Modern Age The modern age marked a revolution in human thought, a new outlook towards wealth, work, and money, the governance of peoples, and a more universal view of life and the world. As we assumed, this modern age happened sometime after the year 1600, the 17th century, so we question ourselves if it had its birth in the two centuries that preceded it. Before we dive into the world as it was in the 15th and 16th centuries, let us summarize what we know of the 14th century (the years 1300-1399). It was a period that saw millions of people die from famine and the plague, and

The organizational redesign with information systems Essay

The organizational redesign with information systems - Essay Example From this research it is clear that within legal systems, an information system is a combination of hardware, software, procedures, policies, people, information and data which is involved in the management of a firm’s business legal functions with an aim of meeting organizational objectives and goals with efficiency and effectiveness. The hardware within information systems includes the physical aspects of the system such as computer components and the related equipment. The software is a set of applications that are used alongside the hardware to effectively perform organizational or business functions. The software applications in a legal setting include information processing systems, database packages, finance and accounting packages, anti malware applications, and word processing packages. The policies of a legal information system comprise of the set standards for proper management of the system according to the internal and universal norms of legal firms’ functi oning. Davison and Deeks assert that procedures in a legal information system are the steps through which various legal activities and processes within the systems should follow to ensure that efficiency is enhanced and thus achievement of high quality of legal services. In an information system, the people are the human resource and expertise who are involved in various organizational activities and processes. Therefore the employees in a legal firm including the lawyers and firm management are the people who are involved in the processing of information within the information system. Data or information is a significant aspect of an information system because it helps organization to function and survive in the business environment through its application to enhance all business processes and to compete favorably within the market. The data in a law firm include records of law processes, client information, evidence material, legal proceedings and financial data. Kadiyala and Klei ner (2005) say that examples of information systems applicable in a law firm include transaction processing systems which include as set of applications for the processing of the daily legal activities and processes of the firm. Decision supports systems are other examples of information systems that are important in the decision making process of law firms and thus serve as an essential tool for the management team. Management information systems are commonly used technologies which facilitate the management process of all functional areas of any firm as demonstrated by Broadbent and Weill (1999). Other information systems such as expert systems can be used in law firms to perform specialized functions analysis of legal scenarios that would help defense of prosecuting teams to come up with a solid argument during legal processing. Forbes Solicitors Forbes Solicitors offer legal services to both commercial and individual clients. The firm operates nine offices which are committed en tirely

In 2015, why are women still earning less than men in Canada Annotated Bibliography

In 2015, why are women still earning less than men in Canada - Annotated Bibliography Example In other words, the author of the article suggest that to some degree womens professional choices predetermine the existence of the pay gap between men and women. In her article on the relationship between gender role attitudes and the pay gap between men and women, Nicole Fortin argues that the differences in wages results from discrimination against women. More specifically, the author has found that in OECD countries, it is believed that men should have more right to jobs compared to women and that the main gender role of a woman is a housewife. In addition to this, Fortin states that inner conflicts can explain the existence of the pay gap as well. In particular, she mentioned the so-called â€Å"mothers guilt†. Finally, based on the data from the World Value Survey, Fortin claims that the pay gap may be explained by the fact that women place a greater value on non-pecuniary aspects of job, which means that women may prefer jobs that offer better working environment rather than jobs that pay more. In her article, Julie Cool studies the issue of the pay gap between men and women from different points of view and suggests the possible causes of this problem. Before the analysis of causes, the author states this trend is a historical one because in Canada occupational segregation has been a normal practice for a significant period of time. As for the possible causes, Cool defines the three of them. The first one is the group of human capital factors, such as education and job experience. As the author claims, today, these factors do not account for the substantial portion of the existing pay gap. The second group of causes is demographic characteristics, such as marital status and the presence of children. The last of them is job characteristics, which include types of work, industries etc. In this regard, the author argues that it is the

Computer Crime Essay Essay Example for Free

Computer Crime Essay Essay Computer crime is an ongoing issue that we continuously see, and a major problem with this is that most people do not realize the harm that computer crime can cause. Computer crime is also a niche that continues to grow. This is based on the fact that there are many different perceptions about what computer crime is, and the harmful effects it can have. Because there is a gap between traditional views of what cyber crime is and the actual realities of these crimes, it is a criminal offense that will continue to happen. A major issue within this industry is the fact that citizens, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and the government don’t put cyber crime at the top of their list of dangerous crimes is because the actual act of computer crime is not in itself viewed as being dangerous. This is a traditional view of computer crime, and the book goes on to explain that, â€Å"many [stereotypical] computer criminals are non-threatening, socially challenged individuals, and 36.3% of officers believe that investigation of computer crime interferes with their ability to concentrate on ‘traditional’ crimes† (Britz, 7). Because police tend to not look too seriously at these crimes, the general public will form their own, similar opinions on the matter. This gives people an inaccurate belief about the effects of cyber crime. In fact, computer crime can and many times is violent today. One area of computer crime that has become particularly dangerous, especially for younger generations is cyber bullying. In recent years, we have seen more and more suicides related to cyber bullying then ever before. An example of this can be seen in the case of the United States v. Lori Drew. Lori was an older woman who pretended to be a teenaged boy and began to talk and soon after started an online relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The girl eventually began to fall for the fake 16-year-old boy that Lori Drew created. After a series of conversations, their â€Å"relationship† ended with a message from Drew telling the girl that nobody actually liked her and she should instead kill herself. Unfortunately, the 14-year-old girl, being highly impressionable and because of her feelings for this fake teenage boy, took the advice and ended up killing herself. A big issue we have seen with lawmakers imposing laws to prevent cyber crime is that, it is  such an advanced form of crime that many times it is unclear if there was an actual crime committed and if so where/when it happened. In past situations, â€Å"legislative bodies and judicial authorities have been slow to respond† (Britz, 5). This slow response allows for those committing crimes in cyber space to avoid punishment and lets these criminals continue their illegal operations. Another problem within this criminal sector is the gray area between, â€Å"someone who accesses information without authorization and someone who is actually committing an act in cyberspace meant to harm someone or destroy property† (Webster). Another traditional view when it comes to cyber crime that is probably the most commonly thought, is that â€Å"it would never happen to me†. The average American does not think that they could be a computer criminal’s targets. These people believe that because they aren’t millionaires and instead an average income American, cyber criminals won’t go after them. This unfortunately is not the case, and because these people aren’t taking the proper steps to protect themselves, they are becoming easier to target. In 2004, 54 million Americans were subject to email attacks by â€Å"phishers† looking to steal financial information from people. Roughly 4% of these 54 million people gave away their financials including credit card numbers, addresses, phone numbers, etc—that is almost 1.7 million people! In the year 2003, 1.2 billion dollars were generated in cyber attacks on average Americans. But computer criminals are not just using this phishing approach to steal information and money. They are practicing using key logging and spyware to steal passwords and other private information that can allow these people to go unnoticed while spending your money. Despite the fact that we see more and more security be put in place to avoid these issues, it continues to happen because so many people in our society believe it will not happen to them. But what is instead happening, is more of these average people are being targeted because they are essentially making it easier for these criminals to steal their personal information. While these criminals certainly could steal more money from millionaires, going after these more average Americans is easier and safer (Wilson). With how technology dependent our society has become, we see more and more  hacking crimes today. There even exist groups out there that have members from all over the world that collectively hack different websites. For example, Anonymous is probably the most well known hacking collective in the world. Parmy Olson’s book We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World, she discusses the history of the group and the attacks that they have done. This group would like us to believe that they are an activist group that seeks freedom for all people, but has hacked financial institutions such as PayPal, MasterCard and Visa. They want us to believe that they are freedom fighters and simply believe in an unregulated Internet, but they tend to go after websites and companies that simply disagree with their message. It is kind of a double-edged sword, because while they are preaching about freedom of speech, they then in turn go after people who disagree with their message. Olson even discusses the fact that the group went after her because of the books she was writing about this organization. People are definitely becoming more aware of the dangers of computer crime, many Americans still do not see the detrimental effects that cyber crime can have on society. These people that are blinded by traditional views of computer crime, have become the target of attacks. Their lack of preparations have allowed cyber criminals to go after them and gain money through their computer skills. Works Cited Britz, M. T. (2013). Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime and Introduction (3rd ed., Vol. 3). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Olson, Parmy. We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency. New York: Little, Brown and Company, . United States v. Lori Drew. (Feb. 2008): California . 2 Jul. 2012. news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/cyberlaw/usdrew51508ind.pdf. Webster, S. C. (2013, June 20). Lawmakers Propose Cyber Crime Reforms. Retrieved from Raw Story website: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/20/lawmakers-propose-cyber-crime-reforms-inspired-by-aaron-swartz/ Wilson, T. (n.d.). How Phishing Works. Retrieved June 30, 2013, from How Stuff Works website: http://www.howstuffworks.com/phishing.htm

Explaining The Iraqi Invasion Of Kuwait Politics Essay

Explaining The Iraqi Invasion Of Kuwait Politics Essay Baram (1994) explains that Iraqs claim to invade Kuwait is based on the argumentation that Kuwait was a district governed by Basra under Ottoman rule and, thus, Iraqi leaders have seen it as historically belonging to Iraq (p.5). Baram goes on to explain that this claim is wrong because Kuwait has long before been under autonomous rule by the Sabah family. Furthermore, she states that Iraqs aspiration to bring Kuwait under its control is partly due to Iraqs need to strengthen and stabilize its regimes legitimacy by uniting the different religious and ethnic minorities of Iraq under Iraqi patriotism (p.5). Iraq opposed the British-drawn borderline between Iraq and Kuwait because it left Iraq with only a short Gulf coastline and gave Kuwait control over the entrance and exit of Iraqs only port (p.6). Even though Iraq accepted Kuwait as a sovereign state in 1963, it did not accept the exact borderline. Iraq was supported by the Soviet Union and because the latter would not support an ann exation of Kuwait by Iraq, Iraq did not act earlier (p.6). Moreover, Iraq received aid from Kuwait during the Iran-Iraq war. Following this war, due to bad economic policies, Iraqi economy stagnated and as a result, Iraq could not demobilize its army which amounted to over 1 million at the end of the 1980s. The reason for this was that Saddam could not risk a high number of unemployed men which might result in social unrest (p.7). However, in order to keep such a high number of soldiers in the standing army, Saddam needed a good reason. Therefore, he started to revitalise the American and Zionist enemy (p.7). Iraq kept on spending on military expenditures which had the intention to turn Iraq into the Gulfs hegemonic power as Iraqs weapons could be used against Israeli offenses which, additionally, would make Iraq the Arabs protector (p.7). The downfall of the Soviet Union was disastrous for Iraq as it lost its biggest supporter in the face of the US. Furthermore, Iraq was alarmed by the Eastern European democratic revolutions bringing the totalitarian regimes down which were equally designed as Saddams Iraq (p.7). Another reason for Iraqi worries in the late 1980s was Iraqs failure to force the Syrian army to leave Lebanon and which was tolerated by the US and other Arab states (p.9). This became, according to Baram, an example for Iraq which saw the possibility to invade Kuwait and which then would be treated by external players like the Lebanon case (ibid.). After the end of the Iran-Iraq war, Iraq invoked the Kuwait crisis two years later by bringing up several issues, such as the border dispute with Kuwait, the Israeli-Palestinian problem, Americas presence in the Gulf, the issue of oil production quotas and Iraqs demand for financial aid (p.9). In order to solve all these issues, Iraq increasingly started to see an invasion of Kuwait as the best solution (ibid.). In 1990, Iraq for the first time publicly offered to take up the role of the Soviet Union as protector for the Arabs (p.10). Additionally, Iraq started to threat Israel in case it would attack any Arab state. These manoeuvres had the purpose to avert the public from increasing economic hardship, as well as the happenings in Eastern Europe and the regimes failure in the Lebanon case (p.11). Iraqs increasing public threats and announcements opened up the danger of Saddam being sucked into a war by his own rhetoric (p.14). Furthermore, this approach showed that Iraq was more and more diverting from a path of domestic policies to external ones in order to solve Iraqs problems (ibid.). Saddam by including the Israeli-Palestinian rhetoric and pan-Arab security, diverted the Arab world with Libya, the PLO, and Jordan being its closes supporters, but also Egypts Mubarak in the beginning supported Iraqs approach towards Arab security by believing in Iraqs good intentions (p.16). After receiving support from at least a fraction of the Arab states for its Arab security approach, Iraq started to accuse Kuwait of stealing oil from Iraq and thus, two strategically important islands in the Gulf should be given to Iraq (ibid.). Iraqi-Kuwait relations further deteriorated when oil prices fell and the OPEC quota was not fully supported by Kuwait (p.17). This in turn led to Iraq starting to mobilise troops and station them at the Kuwaiti border. Iraq shifted its demands whenever it fitted best from economic reasons to territorial claims (p.19). Egypts Mubarak in this period publicly proclaimed that Saddam promised to him that he would not attack Kuwait. The USAs reaction to the build up of the crisis was to send their ambassador Glaspie to talk to Saddam. The ambassador misjudged the situation which had the outcome that diverting and ambiguous signals were sent to Saddam and Washington (p.20). Glaspie did not put pressure on Iraq, instead she followed the approach to ally with it and improve US-Iraq relations (p.20). Glaspie, being in line with the State Departments pos ition, told Saddam that the US does not interfere in inter-Arab affairs such as the Iraq-Kuwait border dispute (ibid.). Seen in this context, the American diplomatic approach was not helpful because it sent the wrong signal to Saddam, namely that America would not use force in inter-Arab disputes (ibid.). Furthermore, in July 1990, the State Department spokesperson announced that the US has no special defence or security commitments to Kuwait (p.21). This made Saddam believe that he could invade Kuwait without US involvement and that it would not make a difference if he took only parts or the entire area of Kuwait (p.21). Taking this risk of invading all of Kuwait was based on the assumption to solve the economic problems of Iraq and to put Iraq into a power position in the Arab region and by doing so mobilise domestic support (p.25). A further explanation of why Iraq invaded all of Kuwait was, according to Baram, Saddams personality treats. Advisors could not interfere in any decis ions already made by Saddam because of his personality. He saw himself as invincible warrior and empire-builder (p.26). Barams text about the reasons of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait is very comprehensive and comprehensible and it looks at the issue in detail and from different perspectives. What was especially interesting was the detailed description of the US diplomatic approach and how a misjudgement can lead to such far-reaching outcomes. Furthermore, Barams text looks in detail at Saddam as leader and how his decisions were very logical and calculating even though they were based on false assumptions and miscalculations. Therefore, Barams text shows that Saddam did not in any way act irrationally or injudiciously. However, it could be looked at in more detail in how far Saddam became able to act in this way after the fall of the Soviet Union, its main supporter. Baram mentions that the Soviet Union would not support an invasion of Kuwait, but she does not go into more detail concerning the timing of the invasion of Kuwait and the downfall of the Soviet Union. I think the question could have been e xplored in more detail in how far that was also a part of the reason for Saddams invasion at that time or Saddams possibility for invasion since the Soviet Union no longer kept Iraq from invasion. Mark Heller (1994) discusses Iraqs army power and Western perception of the strengths of the Iraqi army. His claim is that the Gulf war was a result of Western misperception of Iraqs army strength and capabilities (p.37). According to him, a Western threat to use military force would have been enough in 1990 after the invasion to persuade Saddam to leave, however, the debate in the Western public undercut this option and made it impossible (ibid.). It was argued that a war with Iraq would result in high numbers of casualties and thus, the message that was send to Saddam was that a military US intervention was very unlikely and withdrawal was not necessary (ibid.). Heller argues that the debate about Iraqi army strength completely ignored the armys performances in the past, which had not been able to perform well in wars against foreign powers even if its weapons were plenty and effective (p.38). The reason for this is that due to Iraqs regime type, it had to give more priority to the preservation of the regime than to the military (p.47). This is due to the fragmentation of the Iraqi population and the lack of legitimacy as well as national identity which makes the regime vulnerable and the army less effective (ibid.). For this reason, Saddam had acquired weapons which could be operated by a highly centralised small elite of soldiers in order not to have to rely on the rest of the army which was rather ineffective (p.48). Heller argues that a war might have not been prevented but at least American response could have been more effective diplomacy-wise if the military capabilities of Iraq had not been overestimated by the public (p.38). Thus, Iraq would have withdrawn if the diplomatic messages and pressure would have been more evident. This article shows a very interesting view point which is not taken up by most other texts which deal with the topic. It shows a completely different angle by looking at US diplomatic shortcomings and where these were rooted in. Even though this article is rather short and more detailed evidence should be given about the public debate in the West, this article tries to give a plausible explanation for US behaviour and why the US did not put more diplomatic pressure on Iraq. However, a little flaw that occurs to me in this text is that even tough the military strength of the standing army overall were more limited, the weapons that could be used by a small elitist group could still be as disastrous concerning casualties as a high number of soldiers. Therefore, in my opinion the argument that the public overestimated the military capabilities loses a little bit of its ground. Nevertheless, the end argument still works because Saddam could have been deterred if the US had used more dipl omatic pressure but this was halted due to public discourse. Clawson (1994) discusses Iraqs economic situation prior to the war and the effects of economic sanctions on Iraq. Clawson establishes that Iraq has all the good preconditions for a well-working economy and a prosperous population. This includes that Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the world, Iraq has vast and rich agricultural areas and a, to a certain extent, well-trained manpower is available; nevertheless, Iraq has economic problems and the people liver under economic hardship (p.69). According to Clawson, the Iraqi economy has a lot of potential; however, successive Iraqi regimes have put ideology before economic stability and the well-being of the Iraqi population (ibid.). Due to damaging policies, especially the oil and the agricultural sector have been harmed (ibid.). Iraq pursued a confrontational policy towards the oil industry by making claims to Kuwaiti oil fields and it did not pursue closer relations with other oil states as well as developed countries in ord er to profit from efficient technology for oil production. Furthermore, the Baath party completely controlled the economy which halted economic growth (p.70). The government, especially under Saddam, wasted its resources for large-scale projects and investments which did not serve any useful purpose for economic growth. Clawson attributes this to Saddams Nebuchadnezzar complex which means that Saddam wants to build glorious buildings in order to underline his magnificence as a leader (ibid.). In the time prior to the war, Iraq claimed that its financial situation leads it to take action. Iraq, furthermore, claimed that Kuwait is to be blamed for part of its economic situation, which was used in order to distract the Iraqi public from the fact that it was Saddams disastrous economic policies which are responsible for the peoples hardship (p.71). According to Clawson, Iraqs economic situation in 1990 was actually better than it had been the years 1986 to 1989, which could be seen in I raqs ability to repay more debts in 1990 (ibid.). Therefore, Iraqs economic problems are long-term and not due to an allegedly short-term crisis with Kuwait. Saddam was unwilling to cut back on his grand projects for his own glorification and thus, was unable to meet the peoples expectation that after the Iran-Iraq war the economic situation of the population would improve (p.72). Saddams quest for more and more grand projects could only be continued if more money would flow in. At the same time, the argument that many economically important sites have been irreversibly destroyed during the Iran-Iraq war is also not true (p.77). Rather the damage was minor or at least easily reparable and not all economically important places have been destroyed if they were not associated with military sites (ibid.). Therefore, the main obstacle to economic growth for Iraq is Saddams anti-growth policies and the claim that Kuwait is responsible for it or that Iraq would recover with more money floa ting in is wrong. Clawsons article gives a good insight into Iraqs economic situation prior to the war and what the reasons for Iraqs miserable economic situation are. The article invalidates the claim that Iraqs invasion can be justified by short-term economic problems. Rather it is the regimes attempt to divert the attention from its own bad economic policies. Even though this article shows a different perspective on the underlying problems of Iraqs bad economic situation and it does invalidate the claim that Kuwait is in any way involved in Iraqs financial problems, this does not give a satisfactorily explanation why Iraq acted as it did towards Kuwait. The author indeed states that Saddam wanted to disguise the fact that it is his long-term policies that are damaging the economy. However, Saddam could have done that by different means. Therefore, this article should be treated as a one-sighted argument in the context of other arguments. Otherwise, the question could arise why Saddam did not simply spend a little more fraction of the money on the population in order to avoid unrests in the future, or why Saddam did not try to get closer to other states, Western and Arab, in order to receive more aid etc? Thus, overall the articles gives an interesting insight in the domestic economic situation of Iraq but it falls short of giving a complete and satisfactory explanation on why Iraq invaded Kuwait and why not another state or why it did not use other tools to counteract to the economic problems. Halliday (1994) does not approach the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in terms of the reasons for Iraqs decision; rather he describes the invasion and its impact on International Relations theories. Halliday states that the Gulf war in 1990 was one of the most significant international crises of the post-1945 epoch (p.109). Not only was a very high number of soldiers involved but also a high number of international diplomats and diplomacy attempts from various countries. According to Halliday, not enough attention was given to historical events. According to him, the crisis began with the death of Khomeini in 1989 (p.115). Saddam was not able to gain any influence in Iran because it remained stable after the death and therefore, Iraq turned to Kuwait (ibid.). Moreover, Halliday states that the ideology of the Baath party was not taken into account and thus, the outcome was wrongly predicted. Baathism represents the ideal for an Arab nation, a glorification of war and the strong man who figh ts for the Arab nation (p.115). Furthermore, the reason why all the diplomatic efforts that were actually undertaken failed was that Saddam believed that the US would not intervene militarily (p.116). Additionally, Saddam was only expecting sanctions which would have not meant an irreconcilable for him and Iraq (ibid.). According to Halliday, realists see the Gulf war as an interstate-conflict. For transnationalists the economic dimension was most important and the preservation of economic, i.e. oil, interests on all sides (p.120). For Marxists and structuralists, in turn, the war was one of a dominant and a subordinated power and which was justified by Western materialist interests, i.e. oil and which reinforced hegemonic power in the Middle East (ibid.). However, all these theories fail to explain the entirety of the Gulf war. Realists cannot properly explain why Iraq invaded all of Kuwait if it was not seen as one of the biggest miscalculation and misjudgements by Saddam (p.120). Furthermore, Iraqs references to pan-Arabism and Islamic issues cannot be properly explained by realist theory. Transnationalism, in turn, do not have a satisfactorily explanation for the UNs decision outcome which was not based on mutual decisions by various states but rather it was based solely on US ideas (ibid.). Furthermore, Marxists and structuralists theory is not completely applicable either because if the war was of imperial nature then this would mean that Iraq has to display a more progressive level of development in the international arena, which is not the case due to Iraqs Baathist ideology and its brutal regime among other reasons (p.120). As a reason Halliday concludes that such an event as the Gulf war in 1990 means that theoretical approaches have to be revised and thought through again more thoroughly (p.129). However, this does not mean that the existing theories have to be overthrown altogether, rather the war tested the limits of these theories and accordingly they have to be amended and adjusted. Even though this article does not contribute to the answering of the above stated question, it does give an interesting insight into the studies of IR and the reactions of theorists from different strands to this political event. Furthermore, it shows how such an event as the Gulf war can lead to a revision even if of limited degree of the existing theories. The summary of the article above is only a small extract of Hallidays text but it still shows the impact of political events on the studies of IR. The text is well-written and comprehensible, however, one question arises for me and that is how an outcome due to misconceptions and a rational intention are mutually exclusive as stated by Halliday in the context of realist assumptions? Saddam could have had intentions based on rational thinking; however, these rational ideas could have been based on misjudgements. Even tough this point is not clear to me, the overall message of the article, namely that the war presented new realitie s and facts which cannot be satisfactorily explained by existing theories and, therefore, a revision and partial reconsideration has to take place, is still an important conclusion. This shows that IR theories cannot be rigid and that constant improvement is important if they want to be able to explain and discuss political events in a future international arena.

Goya :: Essays Papers

Goya His name, Francisco Goya, born in 1746, one of Spains most innovative painters and etchers; also one of the triumvirate—including El Greco and Diego Velà ¡zquez—of great Spanish masters. Much in the art of Goya is derived from that of Velà ¡zquez, just as much in the art of the 19th-century French master Édouard Manet and the 20th-century genius Pablo Picasso is taken from Goya. Trained in a mediocre rococo artistic milieu , Goya transformed this often frivolous style and created works, such as the famous The third of May, 1808, that have as great an impact today as when they were created. Goya was born in the small Aragonese town of Fuendetodos (near Zaragoza) on March 30, 1746. His father was a painter and a gilder of altarpieces, and his mother was descended from a family of minor Aragonese nobility. Facts of Goya's childhood are scarce. He attended school in Zaragoza at the Escuelas Pias. Goya's formal artistic education commenced when, at the age of 14, he was apprenticed to a local master, Josà © Luzan, a competent although little-known painter in whose studio Goya spent four years. In 1763 the young artist went to Madrid, where he hoped to win a prize at the Academy of San Fernando. Although he did not win the desired award, he did make the acquaintance of Francisco Bayeu, an artist also from Aragà ³n, who was working at the court in the academic manner imported to Spain by the German painter Anton Raphael Mengs. Bayeu (the brother of Goya's wife) was influential in forming Goya's early style and was responsible for his participation in an important commis sion, the fresco decoration of the Church of the Virgin in El Pilar in Zaragoza. In 1771 Goya went to Italy for approximately one year. His activity there is relatively obscure; he spent some months in Rome and also entered a composition at the Parma Academy competition, in which he was successful. Returning to Spain about 1773, Goya participated in several other fresco projects, including that for the Charterhouse of Aula Dei, near Zaragoza, in 1774, where his paintings prefigure those of his greatest fresco project, executed in the Church of San Antonio de la Florida, Madrid, in 1798. It was at this time that Goya began to do prints after paintings by Velà ¡zquez, who would remain, along with Rembrandt, his greatest source of inspiration.

Its Time to Boycott College Classes Essay -- argumentative essay

College is hard, though not because we lack creature comforts or struggle to keep our bellies full. No, college is hard because it's so often an artificial environment. After four short years of learning, when reality intrudes on our life, we'll be left shaking cobwebs out of heads bleary from months of mind-numbing lectures and multiple choice exams. Â   Personally, the end of college scares me. As a sophomore, I have a couple of years before having to face that beastly post-college cliche, real life! That thought alone is enough to make me roll up into a ball and cry. Of course there is something that scares me more than college -- a dark, vague thought that intrudes on my consciousness, infecting my outlook on school. I'm scared that the time I spent here will be wasted. Â   As a pre-med, struggling to make the grade and ride the curve, time is a commodity in short supply. Like many students, the crunch of jamming my schedule full of classes quells my passion for learning. Sometimes I find myself in my room, books cracked open, and I wonder, what the hell am I doing? Am I happy? Where is this learning leading me? A friend of mine, in a similar academic situation, commented that he felt like he was losing his personality in his studying. No kidding -- sometimes I feel like if Catholics are right, and demons can possess your mind, it must all be directed by a God who dislikes organic chemistry students, and wants to leave them whimpering for mercy. Â   Strange metaphors aside, I wonder why someone like me, who enjoys a challenge and loves learning, is no longer cherishing this opportunity to polish his mental faculties and sharpen his mind to a keen edge. I'd like to think my doubts about the v... ...endation is to boycott classes that fail to generate consistent interaction between professors and students. As for the required classes within a major that jam hundreds of pupils into a room, if enough students petitioned deans to hire more teachers, the voice of the masses would not be ignored. Â   Listen boys and girls, I know balancing budgetary restraints with educational goals taxes the brains of some of the brightest, but I'm tired of playing a game to cram my head full of facts without really understanding where they came from. Shoving it into short-term memory and then sloughing it just isn't cutting it for me. Rather, I would love to see a tuition and fee increase that explicitly aimed to reduce the size of large lectures instead of bolstering another bloated sport program. I would love to see my student government fight for such an increase.

Asian American Literature :: essays papers

Asian American Literature Asian Americans seem to be fighting an unwinnable battle when it comes to the content of their writing. Writers are criticized by whites for speaking out against discrimination, and by their fellow Asian Americans for contributing to the stereotypes through their silence. I believe that Asian Americans should include politics in their writing as they so choose, but should not feel obligated to do so, as Frank Chin suggests. For those Asian Americans who make known their discontent with the injustice and discrimination that they feel, in the white culture, this translates to attacking American superiority and initiating insecurities. For Mura, a writer who dared to question why an Asian American was not allowed to audition for an Asian American role, his punishment was â€Å"the ostracism and demonization that ensued. In essence, he was shunned† (Hongo 4) by the white people who could not believe that he would attack their superior American ways. According to writers such as Frank Chin and the rest of the â€Å"Aiiieeeee!† group, the Americans have dictated Asian culture and created a perception as â€Å"nice and quiet† (Chin 1972, 18), â€Å"mama’s boys and crybabies† without â€Å"a man in all [the] males.† (Chin 1972, 24). This has become the belief of the proceeding generations of Asian Americans and therefore manifested these stereotypes. Those authors who contest these â€Å"American made† stereotypes are said to betray the American culture and white power around them, and to be â€Å"rocking the boat† in a seemingly decent living situation. It is as though Asian Americans are succombing to the thought that America is the only place to be and that they should be grateful to live here. On the other hand, keeping silent due to pressures from the white population means being shunned by the members of the Asian American population. I disagree with Chin’s ascertation that â€Å"years of apparent silence have made us accomplices† to the makers of stereotypes (Chin 1991, xxxix). I agree with Hongo’s argument that Chin viewpoint â€Å"limits artistic freedom† (Hongo 4). Declaring that those writers who do not argue stereotypes of the good, loyal, and feminine Chinese man or the submissive female, are in any way contributing to or disagreeing with them is ridiculous. Chin’s opinion that politics should be included in some aspect of every Asian American piece eliminates choice from writing topics for other writers. Authors are the voices of the people (whichever people they choose to represent) and should not be criticized for choosing to discuss issues other than those that Chin deems necessary.

Role of agriculture

Agriculture is the dominant activity of poor countries such as Zimbabwe, which enhance our understanding of the dualistic. In the amplification of agriculture in economic development, a leading question is how agriculture contributes to economic growth and there seems to be a paradox in the role of agriculture in economic development. A well- known economist Simon Kuznets played an imperative role in coming up with the roles of agriculture to economic development; these embrace labour contribution, foreign exchange contribution and the market contribution.The agricultural sector has preserved its position in the contribution to Zimbabwe’s economic growth as seen by its appreciable contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product. For example, it has been eminent that the agricultural sector has made a convincing contribution to the national fiscus which was disturbed by unreliable rainfall patterns which hit some parts of the country in the last season. Also, agriculture ha s maintained pole position in terms of its input to economy’s growth, having contributed 33, 9 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in year 2010.Labour contribution, as one of the major macro-economic objectives of any government to diminish unemployment, agriculture plays a trivial role in economic development through the transfer of labour from the agricultural sector to other sectors of the economy, particularly to the industrial sector. In Zimbabwe agricultural sector stipulates income and employment not far from 60% to 70% of the total population, consequently agriculture is indeed an economy’s beef in Zimbabwe.Simon Kuznets also emphasized that the marginal productivity of labour is zero or close to zero, which means that when the marginal productivity of labour is zero, we can use the available labour that is from agricultural sector without affecting other sectors of the economy, which then advantage the economy as a whole. Foreign exchange c ontribution, despite the statistic that Zimbabwe is currently using the multicurrency system, therefore it still demands foreign currency in-order to import capital from other countries.The exportation of agricultural merchandises can resource the economy with foreign exchange for purchase of capital goods. In Zimbabwe most of our export earnings emanate from the agricultural sector with an input of about 40% of our total export earnings. The major contributors to the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe’s export are cash-crops such as tobacco and cotton, though cotton was not selling for this year’s harvest. Industrialization contribution, a large and cumulative segment of economic growth during the process of development can be qualified to agriculture’s contribution to agribusiness.These undertakings of the agricultural sector provision the production, marketing and retailing of foodstuff, clothing, beverages and other associated goods for both domestic consumptio n and exports. According to Davis and Goldberg (1957), thus primary agriculture grows and evolves, reflecting agribusinesses, while agribusinesses grow and evolve reflecting primary agriculture. Also provision of raw materials to industries by the agricultural sector moderates the rate of imports of a country, thus may as a result lead to balance of payment surplus of a country.In addition this diminishes the overall production costs of a firm as a result fair and affordable prices are charged, thereby increasing the demand for that particular product which will enforce producers to increase their level of output so as to meet the current demand, hence economic growth. Food contribution, since food is a fundamental wage good in a developing economy, diversification of the economy is therefore contingent upon domestic food producers producing a surplus, in excess of their own subsistence, which is large enough to feed a growing number of non-food producers.The agricultural sector fac tors in with a pivotal role in the supply of raw material to the food producers of the economy. Market contribution, the agricultural sector, because of its sheer size, must initially be the major market for domestic industrial products. Farmers’ expenditures on industrial goods that are both consumer goods and producer goods, represent one aspect of agriculture’s market contribution to general economic development.According to Milton and Luther (1964), as farmers’ purchases of industrial goods have their counterpart in inter-sectorial sales of agricultural goods; the agricultural sector’s market contribution also includes the sale of food or other farm products to the non-agricultural sector, being accelerated by the adoption of new agricultural technology. The role of production linkages to the process of industrialization. Production linkages channels the effect of an autonomous increase in final demand of the product for the given industry, not only o n the output of that industry and the industry supplyingit with inputs, but also on output of other industry supplying the second industry with inputs. Production linkages can be, backward or forward linkages. In general, production linkages quantify how several industries are connected together. Where poverty is a substantially rural phenomenon, which appears to be the case in most low-income countries, industrialization factors through raw materials to agro-processing industries for example food processing industries and textile.According to Alderman(1984),agro-processing industry can be defined, â€Å"as a subgroup of the manufacturing sector that processes raw materials and intermediary products derived from the agricultural sector†, for example forestry and agricultural crops. The founding of certain primary processing industries can lead to forward linkages, which is the ratio of intermediate output sales to other industries to a production sector of industry to the tot al value of sales to a final consumer.Backward linkages, measure the ratio of intermediate input purchases from other industries in that industry to the total value of the total production output. For example the metals and electrical sector provides a solid backward linkage to agricultural, mining and construction sectors, thereby increasing the overall output of a country and as a result this will increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product, consequently economic growth.In conclusion, agriculture is indeed important to economic development and also production linkages to industrialisation play a trivial role. However land reform also plays a crucial role to economic development through promoting equity, employment creation, market surplus and productivity. UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS NAME FARAI MPOFU REG# R117753A COURSE ECON 211 YEAR 2012 QUESTION How would you evaluate internet information sources giving examples.