The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens Essay Example

The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens Paper Athens, pre-574 BC, was riddled with problems, and the nobles of Athens soon realised that the revolt, resulting in a tyranny that had happened in so many surrounding cities, was a serious possibility. Their solution was to shift law making power to Solon. Solon soon revolutionised Athens by an attempt to solve the political, economic and social problems of Athens. Before Solons reforms, the political situation in Athens was not desirable. Split into 3 levels; the magistrates, nobles and held the majority of power; the Council of Areopagus, nobles who controlled the law and the state; and the Assembly, the middle classes of Athens who held little power, the government was used by nobles to exploit the poor. Solon endeavoured for Eunomia; or the reign of good order, where all classes where represented in government. Under Solons leadership, the Codes of Law, regarding family matters, were revised and brought benefits to all social classes. He established a Timocracy; a government in which political rights of citizens were determined by wealth, not by birth. He then split the government into 5 levels; the archons, the Council of Areopagus, The Council of 400, the Assembly and the Heliaea. By spreading the power evenly over the 5 levels and allowing men of non noble birth and lower income into government, Solon broke the monopoly the nobles had held over the government and set the foundation for a democracy. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The economic situation in Athens was also extreme. Widespread debt, the rising of the Hektemoroi, and Athens war against Megara, all resulted in a struggling Athens. Solon immediately passed the Seisachtheia, or the shaking off of burdens. This meant that all outstanding debt was cancelled, and all those who had become slaves due to their debt were freed. It also involved the return of those who had been sold overseas, and the removal of the Hektemoroi. As a result, Athens became a city filled with peasants who had no money or land. The wealthy of Athens lost control over large areas of land on which the Hektemoroi had worked, and they also lost the interest on their loans. Solon also placed temporary bans on exports or agricultural products to prevent famine. This prevented speculation in essential products and lowered the prices on basic necessities. He encouraged many of the landless to return to learning a craft, and made it obligatory for the father to teach his son a trade. These reforms took steps to making Athens a free citizen nation, but it only alleviated distress instead of eliminating the problems. Pre 574, Athens was split up into 4 social classes; the Eupatridae, nobles that held almost all political power; the Georgoi and Demiourgoi, farmers and craftsmen who held average rights; and the Thetes, who held no political rights or land. These classes also split into clans, the constant bickering between clans often disrupting Athens. Solons reforms meant that all 4 classes held political power, and it was more difficult for the Eupatridae to exploit the other classes. Fighting between clans also decreased, and Athens became much more stable. In conclusion, we can clearly see that Solon attempted to address all major issues prevalent in Athens at the time, from debt to social classes. His reforms aided the situation, but whether his reforms were practical for long term application is arguable.

Sociological Imagniation essays

Sociological Imagniation essays What is Sociology? Sociology enables us to understand the structure and dynamics of society, and their intricate connections to patterns of human behavior and individual life changes. It examines the ways in which the forms of social structure - groups, organizations, communities, social categories such as class, sex, age, or race, and various social institutions such as economic, political, or religious affect human attitudes, actions, and opportunities. Sociology also explores how both individuals and collectivities construct, maintain, and alter social organization in various ways. Sociology asks about the sources and consequences of change in social arrangements and institutions, and about the satisfactions and difficulties of planning, accomplishing, and adapting to such change. Sociological imagination is a special way to engage the world. To think sociologically is to realize that what we experience as personal problems are often widely shared by others like us. Many of our personal problems are actually social issues. What is the difference between trouble and issue? Troubles: Within the character of the individual and within the range of his or her immediate relationship with others. They have to deal with self and within those limited areas of social life of which he or she is directly and personally aware of. Issue: It has to do with matters that transcend the local or immediate relationships of the individual. They have to deal with different kind of environments that overlap and penetrate each other to form the larger structure of social and historic life. The difference between two is a critical issue for sociological imagination and a feature of all classic work in social science. Most issues cant be defined in terms of everyday environments of common men. Issues involve a crisis in institutional arrangements and often involve contradictions or opposition. The sociological imagination helps ...

Supremacy of EU Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Supremacy of EU Law - Essay Example The reliability of EC law is made certain by its supremacy over national law and this is the fundamental value of EC law when developed by means of the European Court of Justice. The courts started to accept the idea of supremacy and began to make a decision such cases as Costa v ENEL in a very Community optimistic way. Consequently for EC law to succeed over national law, member nations would have to change their lawful systems to stick on to the principle of supremacy. The participants to the Treaty of Rome shaped a supra-national legal structure involving themselves, with its individual enforcement systems (the Commission and ECJ). For the reason that all the Member States are identical under the Treaty, they ought to have the identical rights and responsibilities. This is attained by making sure that, in the regions where the affiliate States have decided to act as a Community, they restrict their individual national authority to take action (123HelpMe.com. 2010) The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is the legal wing of the European Union. Its major job is to interpret EU legislation and make certain that EU legislation is evenly observed by all the Member States (Skiadas, 2005). Its legitimate base is found in the Treaty creating the European Community (AKA Treaty of Rome). To alleviate the trouble of the ECJ’s vast case load, a 1988 Council resolution formed the Court of First Instance (CFI). The CFI can submit cases to the ECJ when their outcomes have the capability to seriously influence the nature of Community law. Every EU Member State appoints one judge to the ECJ and they are assisted by advocates general who present opinions to the Court.

Importance of Business Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Importance of Business Ethics - Research Paper Example The researcher states that several ethical theories exist defining what ethical and otherwise. Business ethics is derived from the ethical theories as for the behavior and conduct that any business entity adheres to in their daily interaction with their environment. Business ethics involves the application of ethical values such as integrity, fairness, respect, and transparency in business interactions. Business ethics also relates to how the business develops its structures produces and delivers its products and services to its clientele. Interaction with consumers, suppliers, employees and the wider society should align with ethical practice. Business ethics is very important due to the moral reasons which come with it. According to deontological theory, an action is considered to be ethical if it complies with the duties allocated either formally or moral duties. The utilitarian perspective of ethical actions is those that yield greater good for the majority. Personal and communit y conduct should comply to set rules and regulations for it to qualify classification as ethical. Actions that undermine the rights of other people are unethical especially exploitative behavior even if the victim is not informed of their rights. At the same time, some ethical theory as suggested by Plato and others in his school of thoughts indicates that the end justifies the means. Provided the end results are considered to be positive and acceptable then the process is ethical. Being ethical in a business is the right thing to do and business should ensure all the business behavior is governed by ethics. Business ethics and corporate governance work together to ensure accountability of the business to all stakeholders. Business ethics brings about the cooperation required for a company and the business environment to survive.

Women's Issues Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women's Issues - Thesis Example Denying the self in order to fit into roles that are defined by male dominance does not provide for freedom, but is a continuing diminishment of those roles that can only be taken on by the female gender. The female gender has been fighting a battle that cannot be won, defeating their own essential instincts in order to create a world in which male dominance is continued through female adaptation to male roles. In Kate Chopin’s (1884) The Story of an Hour, freedom is described by the absence of a husband. Having done as society required and married, when her husband died Mrs. Mallard was given freedom from both social constraint and the oppression of marriage. The oppression of marriage was not defined by love or a lack of love, but by a society that pushed women’s desires to the back in deference to their husband. It could be said that in the hour she spent within that freedom, she had established true equality. She could be female and express herself through those traditions that were decidedly feminine, but she would no longer be subject to the scrutiny or opinion of her husband. Although she would still be constrained by the conventions of the 19th century, the essential message was that she was no longer oppressed within the space of her home, her ideas, beliefs, desires and ambitions freed within the boundaries of her position in life. The point of this story is that fo r an hour she experienced this freedom, and this can be used as a structure from which to discuss the problems with feminism as it has attempted to free woman from the oppression of male dominance. Reading Mary Wollstonecraft (1792) allows the feminist with an open mind to begin to re-envision her place within a modern world. It is not the modern message that women must be both male and female to be considered successful, but that women should be given equal standing for the value of their gender. She discusses the idea that women should be companions, not merely subjugated wives,

Challenges for HRM in Internationalized SMEs

Challenges for HRM in Internationalized SMEs 1. Introduction The international SMEs have some problem in human resource management structure, the mobility of personnel is fast, the salary compensation is weak, the employee education, training and teamwork management is not enough. In the international market, these problem need to be solved as soon as possible, therefore, some international SMEs have to make a revolution in its management structure, as some international SMEs often focus some process that can profitability immediately, and dont care about the future benefit, and their management structure is overstaffed and complex. So the international SMEs have to develop the new management structure to adapt the competitive in the international market, decentralization is the trend, which can motivate the employee and managers active and responsible, decentralization firstly requires the manager who have good knowledge and skill in management. The motivation system can raise the employees motivation, the equalitarianism is not appropriate, so the international SMEs need a change in their management structure. 2. The variation in the organization structure Most international SMEs have the problem in organization structure, the variation is quite big. Usually, the organization structure is line, the result of which can cause the overstaffed, bureaucracy, and the low efficiency. Therefore, the organization structure has to simplify the organization structure, reduce the hierarchy. A flatten of an organization is one of the solution, but not the only one, and it could not be enlarged forever. The purpose of the flatten is to reduce the cost of the management, more communication between up layer and down layer, it is necessary in the international SMEs, the company originally has the problem in the management, so this method of management can increase the efficiency, it is convenient to the top manager. 3. The globalization of HRM In term of the element of the law and policy, the international SEMs should make a completed investigation on the policy environment, including the characteristic of the labor organization, and it is necessary to make a survey in the law and regular of the employment. If it does not do like these, it will suffer from the criminal charge upon the labor discrimination and the right of the labor, and the labor dispute also need to pay more litigation cost, which damages the reputation of the company in labor market. In the part of culture, the international SMEs have to integrate in the business process, due to the different cultures in the different countries, the international SMEs have to adapt the cultureà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s differentiation, except respect their culture, it also need to understand and study the local custom and culture. This is the long à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½term program, the conflict will happen in the future, but the company should pay more attention on the culture, and base on it, creating its own corporate culture in the globalization market. In the aspect of economic, the achievement of the international SMEs depends on the labor cost, the fluctuation of the currency. In the international market, the corporate need to consider which countryà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s employees should be employed, the home national, the local people or the expatriate, and the benefit of the company and the labor cost balanced. 4. Government intervention in the HRM As the international company, no matter the size of the enterprise is big or small, when the market has some movements or the policy changed. The international SMEs should adapt the different situation and then make a right decision at the right time, but this process is quite hard for them. Because the government in order to protect the right of the labor, which sets a lot of policy or regular to limit the behavior of the corporate. The government intervention in HRM will increase the cost of transaction between the employee and the employer, at the same time, in order to cut the cost, the international SMEs need to recruit the professional personal who studies the governmentà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ labor policies and labor law as the law consultant to manage the HR. if the company can react the government policy as soon as possible, it will achieve the great successful. 5. The reputation of the company in the HR marketing In the HR marketing, many candidates want to find a company which has good reputation in the market, and it has comfortable work environment, high salary, excellent management experiences and future development opportunity. But all of the above, the Small-Medium enterprises cannot afford to the employees. Because of it is lack of enough capital, and successful human resource management experience and the capability of the executive. Without enough capital, the SMEs just only can employed the candidates who are lack of the professional skill and professional knowledge, as they have no money, so they also donà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t want to waste more money on training these employees, or the opportunity for training is not regular. And then the employees who have not accepted the opportunity of training, they will lose working motivation, so the work efficient will be down. And the other hand, the employees who have more experiences want to leave the company, because the company cannot provide excellent working treatment. So the SMEs are easier to lose their good human resource. The successful human resource management experience and the capability of the executive are very important to the enterprise. But the Small-Medium Enterprises are weak in these, their management experience is quite limited and obsolete, most of that is traditional management approach. As we know, the excellent leader can change the life of the company, so the executive capability is the standard of measuring a good or bad leader. If the good leader will set up the strategy objective, during the process of the strategy, he or she will lead his or her company go in the right direction and make a right decision immediately according to the different changes, which can attract their employees, and work hard for the company.

The Absurdity of Man Essay -- essays research papers

Absurdity is defined as that which is contrary to reason; clearly untrue, unreasonable or ridiculous. It is often a topic in existentialist writings relating to life. This subject is prevalent in Camus’ â€Å"The Stranger† and â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus.† Camus depicts absurdity bringing about happiness or indifference in each of these literary works. In â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus,† it is made clear that Sisyphus is aware that his existence is absurd. He is sentenced to an eternity of rolling a boulder up a steep mountain only to let it roll back down when it reaches its peak. His tragedy lies in the fact that he is conscious of the extent of his own misery. What makes his struggle very absurd is that he knows that there is no death at the end of it. The last sentence in this essay is in itself absurd, after describing the dilemma that Sisyphus eternally faces, Camus exclaims, â€Å"One must imagine Sisyphus happy.† This paradox is upheld because S isyphus is left refusing to recognize that there is nothing to hope for, and that he must live solely with what is known. Sisyphus’ redemption is seen in his ongoing struggle against the absurd. In â€Å"The Stranger†, Meursault does not realize his absurd situation until the end of the novel. It is illustrated, however, in his indifference toward life and lack of emotion throughout. In the beginning of the novel, Meursault is seen as a detached observer of life who is devoted to appreciating sensation. His physical wants and needs overpower his reason and...

How Has Globalization Shaped Your Community Essay

The term â€Å"globalization† is a complex concept to define in a single, precise statement as one might find in a dictionary. Although the phenomenon has many facets, it is generally described as the trend whereby countries, on a global scale join socially, politically and economically. This process is facilitated in many ways, like through public and private sector decisions, education and by the ever increasing rate of information transfer via the Internet and social media, which has been a major catalyst in contemporary politics. An example of this would be the ways in which the social media has facilitated the Arab Spring revolutions, as individuals see themselves increasingly as part of the larger picture; as citizens in the global scheme. Globalization is said to bring people of all nations closer together, especially through a common medium like the Internet, and through the common mechanism of economics. Growing up in one of Brooklyn’s most iconic religious communities, I have experienced the many changes to its population and commercialism as it has â€Å"evolved† due to globalization. I have seen the resistance to this change as well, which may be typical of areas where the majority are conservative, religious men and women. However, as all communities eventually yield somewhat to the changing political and social landscape, I have noticed the ways in which Crown Heights Brooklyn has also gave way to the phenomenon of globalization. From a lifelong perspective on my particular block, I have see the changes in the ways my neighbors and I shop, how we interact, and the effects of this change on the community. In particular, I’ve notice mass merchants opening up around my neighborhood. Neighborhoods comprised of a dominant ethnicity or religious majority tend to favor the â€Å"mom and pop† version of food markets, pharmacies, as well as locally owned day cares, schools, banks and other institutions. It is therefore interesting to watch the process of globalization gradually change my community in similar ways it has changed other secular neighborhood. Particularly notable is how the the local hardware store (where we went to buy our batteries and Walkmans) was replaced by a home depot, and the Jewish operated kosher markets give way to (still Kosher) super-centers. Additionally, in the generation of my youth prior to the technological revolution, the idea of a cell phone for every able bodied adult a nd teen was as foreign as the notion of a flying car, Let alone the use of the Internet for recurrent ordering of good and service. Before everyone was on board with â€Å"America Online† and learning the ins-and-outs of the Internet in the 1900’s, the community of Crown Heights had almost blatantly-defined boundaries, and consumers rarely, if ever traversed these invisible lines for their consumer needs- they had no need for Kosher food, or religious materials or traditional Jewish food. In one article, Mele makes an analogy using the Lower east side of New York City to describe the visceral effects of globalization on the urban life (5), explaining the ways big business has reinvented and marginalized the â€Å"local character† of these neighborhoods. When big companies seek to get bigger by opening chains in small religious neighborhoods, the negatives are the same as when they open in secular locales, such as the Lower East side of the New York City- the negatives are blatant. The anti-globalization arguments are also the same region to region; that is, the fear of mistreatment to workers and low wages for them to bring home (Clawson 1) among other things. With respect to my neighborhood, I can recall discussions by a few Rabbi’s about ways to slow or ameliorate such ills of the global market sprawl. But the sprawling of global living is inevitable, and as conservative a community may be, we should look for ways to live with the effects of globalization. We should strive to maximize the advantages while minimizing the harms. I will not claim that this trend in my neighborhood has lacked any appeal or advantage. Price and convenience of products are changing for the better, as we are able to obtain goods and services from the far reaches of the world by a click of a button, a phone call or a trip to your mass retailer. These large businesses offer delivery, savings selection and convenience often not affordable to the mom and pop store. The local butcher, local grocers and authentic, traditional bakeries in my neighborhood were replaced by large supermarkets promoting deep discounts and convenience of â€Å"one stop shopping.† According to recent research, Zhu, Singh and Dukes argue that some stores located near these larger enterprises performed better than those located miles away or more (3). Still, one can not ignore that In a society which is fast paced, local community economies are suffering greatly. The availability of goods and services may be more prolific than ever, but the quality leaves much to be remembered, as I do from the time of my childhood. The citizens of Crown Heights have learned to adapt to change, yet they may be powerless after all. Globalization means you aren’t just competing against the store across the street, but rather someone in another town or other nation, one quite possibly with a lower labor rate, cheaper raw materials and cheaper overhead. In a world like this, how can the small guys survive? Actually, there have been many suggestions for local sustainability put forth by both the merchants and the consumer culture. The government has attempted tariffs and legislations to promote local industry, and there are myriad anti-globalization organizations such as environmental groups like Greenpeace, and international groups like Oxfam (â€Å"Globalization† 1) However, experience from my community suggests that it is not government agenda, but community action that will bring forth the best long term changes. Studies often result in competing and/or mixed results and conclusions, but it is clear that Crown heights has changed for the worse in many ways due to globalization. For that reason it is logical to site academic studies to explain the causes and cures to this downside of global markets. Conventional wisdom and research may suggest that when large â€Å"Wall-Mart’s† open in a community, local businesses suffer for it. This model may also explain what is going on in Crown Heights- the total drawbacks of globalization outweigh any benefits. The negative impacts of the giant Wall-Mart is often used (perhaps correctly) to generalize the ills of the globalization. One recent study analyzed them once again, making use of national data, finding that the opening of a Wall-Mart reduces local-level (county) retail employment by 150 jobs. Because Wal-Mart stores employ an average of 360 workers, this suggests that for every new retail job created by Wal-Mart, 1.4 jobs are lost as existing businesses downsize or close. The study also found that the arrival of a Wall-Mart store reduces total county-wide retail payroll by an average of about $1.2 million (Flandez 1) So it would seem that local ownership is vital to the livelihood of a community, as well as the survival of the community’s traditions and to prevent global homogenization of consumer products and services. The obvious question for a member of a local community, concerns how to take back the consumer market. Perhaps local supermarkets can offer more comprehensive and effective promotional material or increase the scope of product being sold. A community member can do his or her part by buying from the local Farmers Market. This action has been proven to help local economies, and it is also currently trendy to be a devout â€Å"locavore† in certain places in New York City. The fact that farmers are selling direct to the most proximal residents means revenue stays within the community. Even if every need cannot be fulfilled from a local market, each local purchase has an incremental impact; and, when applied by the masses, grows exponentially. By supporting local food, Tierney (1) points out some benefits to the local community: one does not support shopping malls, chains, and the roads and infrastructure needed to nourish them. Instead, one supports farms, and the natural habitat that comes with them. This is a positive from a conservationist perspective. Lastly, but by far of least importance, is that locally grown food is fresher, and more flavorful. If the model of the farmer’s market can be applied to any other commercial product, it should; and other forms of push-back by consumer behavior modification such as this should be used to enhance the benefits of local markets on their respective communities. The fact that these markets are growing independent of government influence is a sign that people do value their small community enterprises. Every aspiring entrepreneur has big dreams. Many have small budgets, though, and globalization processes have led to the suppression and elimination of these entrepreneurial types to actualize their dreams and help the communities and maintain the cultures they were born into. Globalization has changed the look and feel of my community, as well as the very physical and social definition and boundaries of my community. A visitor in Crown Heights today, taking a stroll down the street intent on some consumer purchase, may have come from much further away compared to decades past. Hopefully, this consumer will consider the affect of his or her dollar on the local economy and chose wisely about where to spend it. Many times one will find that buying a product which is â€Å"grown locally† won’t cost you more than the alternative; and even if it it does, your purchase helps future generations of your community. Even in the slow-changing conservative religious community of my youth, commercial globalization takes a toll on the local economy and eventually effects traditional values, yet we still have choice as a community about where we shop. It is my hope that the small budget entrepreneur of today’s market will make a comeback in my neighborhood! Sources Clawson, Julie. â€Å"Globalization and Consumerism.† Onehandclapping: incantations at the edge of uncertainty. Julie Clawson, 20 Nov 2008. Web. Web. 28 Feb 2013. Flandez, Raymund. â€Å"What Can You Do to Fight Wall-Mart.† Wall Street Journal. 20 Mar 2009: n. page. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Marco Lauteri, et al. â€Å"Combining Demographic And Land-Use Dynamics With Local Communities perceptions For Analyzing Socio-Ecological Systems: A Case Study In A Mountain Area Of Italy.† Iforest – Biogeosciences & Forestry 5.3 (2012): 1-8. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. Tierney, John. â€Å"Fresh and Direct From the Garden an Ocean Away.† New York Times. 30 Aug 2011: n. page. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Zhu, Ting, Vishal Singh, and Anthony Dukes. â€Å"Local Competition, Entry, And Agglomeration.† Quantitative Marketing & Economics 9.2 (2011): 129-154. Business Source Complete. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.

Expansion of urban and rural urbanization in Taiwan

Expansion of urban and rural urbanization in Taiwan Definition of Urbanization The term urbanization can be looked at from diverse perspectives. First, urbanization can be explained to be the convergence of populations. Secondly, urbanization can be described as the process in which the movement of people into a given city translates into an urban way of living. Thirdly, it is the diffusion of the urban living to agricultural oriented regions.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Expansion of urban and rural urbanization in Taiwan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fourthly, urbanization is the progression in which the magnitude of people residing in urban places multiplies (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Due to its quantitative nature, the last definition is the mostly applicable. Urbanization can therefore be generally defined as the process in which the magnitude of people residing in urban places increases with the growth in economy (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Urbanization in l ight of Taiwan In Taiwan, cities with at least 50000 people are considered as urban centers. Administratively, Taiwan is partitioned into central municipalities, provincial cities and prefectures that are two five and sixteen in number respectively (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Each prefecture encompasses at least one central city, a number of towns and several rural districts. Whereas both central municipalities and provincial cities are bigger in size, prefectures are of standard sizes, each with their central cities acting as their respective administrative centers. On the other hand, prefectural rural towns comprise of rural regions and mid-urban townships. Furthermore, Taiwan has been partitioned into four main parts: the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central parts for planning purposes (Yeung and Lo, 1996). The ratio of the urban population to the total population determines the degree of Taiwanian urbanization. Statistically, the level of urbanization in Taiwan has escalated over t ime, that is, from 24.1% in 1950 to over 74.1% in the twenty first century (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics also indicate that the gap between annual population growth rate and the urbanization growth rates has narrowed over time, since 1950 to most recently. This shows that the movement of people from the agricultural regions to urban cities had started to ease. Primarily, industrialization was the main cause of the high urban growth rate (Yeung and Lo, 1996).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from industrialization, a high birth rate emanating from mass flow of youth to the urban areas is also another determinant of high growth experienced in urban centers. Administratively, cities in Taiwan are in four groups: â€Å"Central municipalities, provincial cities, prefectural cities and towns plus rural areas† (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics sho w that between 1961 and 1989, the yearly average growth rate of the central municipalities was more than the annual growth of Taiwan itself. Prefectural cities had the fastest growth, towns and rural areas had the lowest rate of growth compared to the natural population growth rate. This shows that there has been much out migration. Most of the intermediary prefectural cities are located close to the metropolis, and in this way, they contribute towards metropolitan development (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Statistics also indicate that the rate at which small and medium sized cities are expanding is higher than that of the bigger ones. After 1980, majority of the Island’s (Taiwan’s) major cities have been located mainly in the central, southern and northern regions. This can be attributed to the accompanying spontaneous rate of development in these regions. The Eastern part has lagged behind in development mainly due to its mountainous nature that renders both transportation a nd communication cumbersome. Since 1960, the spatial distribution of cities has been inclined towards the north and south. Although there is a metropolitan area in each region, the Eastern part is devoid of any. Taiwan’s urban system â€Å"An urban system is defined in terms of size, function, and service area (or area of influence), and by differences in the social, economic, and cultural activities of cities within a specific region. Spatially speaking, a hierarchical relationship is formed. Cities higher in the hierarchy are larger and have a higher functional level. They also have a more expanded sphere of influence and complex social, economic, and cultural characteristics. Cities within the hierarchy perform functions according to a division of labour. These close ties create an orderly relationship within the system† (Yeung and Lo, 1996).Taiwan can be classified into five hierarchical levels. The first level is agricultural villages that are found after about ev ery 2-5 kilometers and have an estimated population of 4000 people. General towns are in the second level with a minimum and maximum population of 10000 and 50000 respectively. They are found between like every 10 kilometers. Local centers are found in the third level. They are independent towns, with majority being located in metropolitan regions. Their population can range between 100000-500000 people.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Expansion of urban and rural urbanization in Taiwan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are interspersed between 15-40 intervals within a sphere of influence of between 2000000-800000 persons. The third level is occupied by the regional centers, which are mostly located in metropolitan areas, although some like Taitung and Hualien, are independent towns with a population of up to and exceeding two million people. They are located about 80 kilometers apart. Level five compri ses of the political, cultural and economic center of Taiwan Taipei. It has an area of influence covering about 5 million people. The whole Taipei metropolitan region is Taipei’s sphere of influence. The time required to travel between the northern and southern regions has been greatly reduced over the last four decades. This has been enhanced by not only the installation of the railway electrification, but also by completion of the Sun Yatsen Freeway (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Population and employment in Taiwan The population of Taiwan exponentially skyrocketed between 1950 and 1990. This one of the world’s biggest growth in population was determined mainly by high birth rate since there was no international in-migration by then. However, with time, the birth rate has been reducing to an increase in the level of education and introduction of population policy that requires fewer children per family. Population in Taiwan has been classified into three: the youth, working class, and the elderly (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Over time, the working class has been the leading in number, Due to the presence of a metropolis (Taipei), the northern region has attracted majority of the population. Being the first city on the island to be globalized, Taipei has employed many people than any other city. The population in the Central, Eastern, and Southern parts has on the other hand been declining over time (Yeung and Lo, 1996). The secondary industry has been the main leading in providing employment to Taiwan people. The primary industry, though responsible for provision of employment through agriculture, forestry, and fishery, has declined. Tertiary employment has been rising gradually (Yeung and Lo, 1996). Expanding urbanization in the urban areas to minimize water pollution Taiwan like other Low Economically Developed Countries, experiences three main challenges. These are high population growth rate, reduced income levels, ineffective planning, and administrative mechanisms to handle the high population (Boult, 1999). The northern region is loaded with many industries that contribute to both water and air pollution.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is raw sewage from the households, increased application of fertilizers and pesticides, and contamination of clean water sources resulting to water pollution (Shambaugh, 1998. p.190). Besides industrial fumes, the use of automobiles such as buses, cars, and motorbikes has contributed to air pollution in Taiwan for decades (Shambaugh, 1998. p.192). There are also cases of soil pollution due to use of heavy metals and pesticides (Shambaugh, 1998. p.191). Taiwan is therefore faced with the hurdles of containing the impacts of economic growth and ensuring there is a sustainable dependency of its citizens on the Island’s economic resources (Elliot, 1999). To minimize pollution, Taiwan ought to initiate some legal requirements and fines. For example, companies found to be disposing wastes illegally should be fined, enlightening citizens on environmental aspects, directing all new vehicles to be fitted with catalytic chambers, among other restrictions (Boult, 1999). Strategies that can be implemented to help minimize rural-urban migration include creating job opportunities in the rural, introducing better educational and social services, and developing good transport network to encourage people to commute and live out of the city (Boult, 1999). Expanding urbanization to solve congestion and overpopulation As stated earlier, urbanization entails two key aspects. These are proportion of people residing in urban areas and growth in economy. In Taiwan, even though there is overpopulation within its urban centers, the growth in economy has not yet reached the level of sustaining the already increased population. Taiwan’s concentration of cities within the northern region has led to an increase in the rural urban migration. Just like other developing countries like China, Mexico, and Brazil among others, Taiwan is still a hub of overpopulation and poverty. This is due to the fact that, many people migrate from the rural districts to the urban areas in s uch for employment and better standards of living. Given that not all of them can be absorbed in employment, there are cases of congestion strain on available resources and anonymity that eventually leads to a reduction in the value system. Vices like crime and other conflicting social values set in. Generally, effects of overpopulation include: unemployment, overcrowding leading to depletion of resources, reduced living standards that curtail economic development, land fragmentation that impedes agriculture, and slum development resulting to air and water pollution, inability of the affected city to offer equitable and quality education and medical care to all and poverty, misuse of free land and deforestation (Boult, 1999). Given that Taiwan’s urban areas are more populated than its rural districts, expanding urbanization in the rural areas demands that the Taiwan government comes up with mechanisms to de-congest the urban centers. This may include investing in the health i ndustry, limiting car use, introducing lead-free fuel and putting up self-contained residences to help elevate people’s quality of life (Boult, 1999). As it has been the case in Los Angeles, railway transport can be spread to the agricultural areas to help development of such regions (Thisdell, 1993). The success of the development of new towns and industries in the southern region will be enhanced by efficient transport network between the rural parts and the metropolitan regions (Chaffey, 1994). There has been a decline in the agricultural (primary) industry and this could be one of the ways to revive it. To encourage employment, the informal sector should be established (Boult, 1999). Like other cities like Los Angeles, Taiwan ought to undertake some measures in the transport sector to minimize traffic congestion. For instance, creating an integrated underground route for passage of trains and other vehicles (Thisdell, 1993) or minimizing dependency on automobiles by devel oping a transport means that is pedestrian/cycle oriented, like has been done by other cities around the world (Newman, 1999). Conclusion Taiwan like other developing nations is experiencing industrialization and urbanization. This has led to a rise in rural – urban migration resulting to overpopulation, congestion, and pollution, which are a threat to sustainable development (Adams, 1999). These effects have in turn hampered economic growth, which is a vital ingredient in true urbanization. To disentangle itself from this problem, Taiwan should expand urbanization by spreading its industries to rural areas and technologically contain the situation in its northern region. This will help decongest the northern region. Investing more in education and health sectors and restructuring the transport system like other cities in the world have tackled it will help Taiwan stand the challenge of urbanization. This is the only way to ensure that there is sustainable development on this island. References Adams, W. N. (1999). Introducing Human Geographies: Sustainability. London: Arnold pub. (Attached material). Boult, B. et al. (1999). People, places and themes. Oxford: Heinemann. (Attached material). Chaffey, J. (1994). Core Geography: The challenge of urbanization. London: Longman publishers. (Attached material). Elliot, J. A. (1999). An introduction to sustainable development. London: Routledge. (Attached material). Newman, P. (1999). Transport: Reducing automobile dependence (p. 67-92). London: Earthscan publications. (Attached material). Shambaugh, D. (1998). Contemporary Taiwan. New York: Oxford University Press. Web. Thisdell, D. (1993). Can L.A kick the car habit? New Scientist. (Attached material). Yeung, Y. and Lo, F. (1996). Emerging world cities in Pacific Asia. Tokyo: United Nations University Press. Web.

A hope in the unseen essays

A hope in the unseen essays In this Story A Hope in the Unseen we see a young man that has great deal of potential, that is stuck inside a school where it is hard for him to advance as far as a normal student in normal circumstances would. Our main character, Cedric, is constantly put up against odds that are against him, yet he strives to achieve so much in his life. We watch him in this book go through many triumphs and failures that most of us would never imagine having to deal with in our own lives. Cedric main supporter throughout his life is his mother Barbara. She is a very religious and caring mother that has also had many hardships in her life, including the birth of Cedric due to the fact that Cedrics father wanted her to have an abortion. She is the person that always helps Cedric to find the path he needs to be on when Cedric himself lost his way. Another large supporter early on in this book was Cedrics science teacher Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor realized the great potential Cedric had academically, but he also knew that Cedric frequently set his goals too high for even himself. Mr. Taylor also encouraged Cedrics growing knowledge by supplementing Cedric with after school tasks and challenges. When Cedric is accepted into the MITES program at MIT after he applied and prayed that he would get in, he put all his focus and hopes in the fact that MIT was the school for him. After getting to MIT and realizing the great difficulty and challenge it presented him, he quickly became discouraged and decided that he did not in fact want to attend MIT. After he returned to Washington D.C. after his MIT visit, Justice Clarence Thomas asked to have a meeting with Cedric in order to discuss his goals. Justice Thomas was very straightforward with Cedric and told him how he felt about Cedrics choices regarding colleges, although some of what Justice Thomas told Cedric was not what Cedric wanted to hear. ...

Pick A Team Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pick A Team - Coursework Example This organization maintains mainly three websites named as â€Å"The red Cross Website†, â€Å"The History of The Red Cross†, and â€Å"The Clara Barton National Historic Site†. The Chairman of Board of governors is responsible for the operation of ARC in United States, and US president is the honorary chairman of the Red Cross. The most attractive feature of American Red Cross is that it offers services to beneficiaries without any discrimination on the basis of nationality, sex, race, economical class, religious beliefs, or political opinions (ICRC, 1996). The ARC is governed by volunteers and funded by community donations. In addition, income from health and safety products and blood products also add to the operating funds of the ARC. The major characteristic feature of this organization is that it is a nationwide network having more than 650 chapters and 36 blood services divisions which are fully dedicated to people in need (Community Resources Guide). ARC has millions of volunteers who are always ready to dedicate their services to disaster relief and they are the absolute assets of the organization. ARC’s main areas of focus include community services, communication services for military members, collection and distribution of blood products, educational programs, and international relief and welfare programs.

Analysis of an allocated management practitioner article using Essay

Analysis of an allocated management practitioner article using relevant organisational behaviour theory - Essay Example These findings, according to the writer are evidence of how critical it is for management to ensure they improve communication strategy by making it a vital part of their HR practice and strategy. To facilitate this, the writer makes several recommendations towards what they think should be done, this include; having a shared purpose, convincing the leaders, engaging the staff, taking the existing channels of communication to account, maintain a personal touch, working in collaboration with the stakeholders and finally measuring and evaluating the results. In summary, the writer can be seen as trying to assert the importance of communication for its own sake and also the importance of letting the staff and other stakeholders appreciate and understand the benefits of communication. For a long time, managers and researchers have agreed that organizational success is not separable from smoothness in the communication process, in every organization; the most effective employees are those that have open communication with their manager and leaders (Snyder and Morris, 1984). This is because communication helps them build health working relationship which serve, among other things to improve their organizational identification and thus boost their performance making it more effective (Gray & Laidlaw, 2004). In addition, when there are major organizational changes involving mergers or layoffs, in a firm where employees have open communication to management, it will be relatively easy to deal with such (Gopinath & Becker, 2000; Schweiger & DeNisi, 1991). When there is a culture of communication whether vertical or horizontal, managers and employees are better able to deal with job stressors, which would otherwise negatively affect performance. The Organizational suppo rt theory proposes that with time, employees come to form global beliefs, which are founded on the manner in which they