Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Standardized Testing The Real Threat to American Schools...

Standardized testing requires student to answer same or similar questions with given answer choices that are often in multiple choice or true or false form. Dating back from 2200 B.C standardized testing is recorded being used in China ,where people applying for government jobs had to take an examination ,testing their knowledge on confucian philosophy and poetry.During the mid-1800s in Industrial Revolution ,soon after child labor laws were enacted taking children out of farms and factories and putting them into schools the use of standardized test was introduced to America in Boston. Standardized testing was being used to compare schools and teaching quality; Boston’s program was soon adopted nation wide. Types of standardized test†¦show more content†¦These forms of test either overestimate students or underestimate them. Often students that test well usually cannot explain how they got the answer they did or why it is right. Meanwhile, standardized tests are unfa ir to the students who are brilliant thinkers,but do not test well. Wrong answers do not always mean an absence of understanding , just like correct answers do not alway indicate understanding. Though multiple choice and true or false format present many problems it is easier to agree on a correct answer of a basic criteria multiple choice question than a on deeper level of thinking, essay question ,therefore making the tests easier and faster to grade.This belief that efficiency is a high priority that effectiveness is leading to a decline in teaching because standardized test do not require an reason behind answers most teachers teach for the sake of testing and sadly, not for the sake of learning. This type of teaching is often referred to as the ‘drill and kill’ method and involves students memorizing isolated information that ‘might’ be on the test. This form of teaching does not allow students to understand the information in a way that they might apply it to other situations other than testing. Those students who are not taught in a ‘drill and kill’ technique and can analyze and make connections are often asked to ‘dumb do wn’ for theShow MoreRelatedThe Dangerous Myth Of Grade Inflation1279 Words   |  6 PagesMyth of Grade Inflation,† Alfie Kohn sets out to determine if grade inflation is indeed fact or fiction. The opening quotes provided by two professors at Harvard University separated by over century has most definitely peaked my interest. It had me questioning whether or not these professors are holding our education system to a â€Å"Harvard† standard or is their actually truth to their statements; that feigned students are indeed submitting â€Å"sham work† (Bergmann, 260). Kohn goes onto indicate that:Read MoreEssay about Standardized Testing Is Inaccurate For Teacher Evaluation2463 Words   |  10 Pagesnations in the world. Over the past ten years, a new push has been made to improve education in America through programs like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. States across the country are assessing teachers and schools by using standardized test score s. By using standardized test scores, states link high stakes to the results such as grant money, salary, and jobs as incentive to improve the scores for the following year. In Wisconsin and other states, 50% of these evaluations are based solelyRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 Pagestest. Additionally, the increased production, its contribution to profitability, and the standard deviation of the contribution, would be variables in the calculations. Finally, other variables might be included in the analysis, such as the cost of testing enough applicants to obtain a sufficient number having scores above the cut-off point.15 Brian Becker and Mark Huselid’s study in a national retailing company provides another example of an application of utility theory. Becker and Huselid’s analysisRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Wo rds   |  1573 PagesThree Ethical Decision Criteria 187 †¢ Improving Creativity in Decision Making 188 Summary and Implications for Managers 190 S A S A S A L L L Self-Assessment Library What Are My Gender Role Perceptions? 166 glOBalization! Chinese Time, North American Time 171 Myth or Science? Creative Decision Making Is a Right-Brain Activity 181 Self-Assessment Library Am I A Deliberate Decision Maker? 183 An Ethical Choice Whose Ethical Standards to Follow? 185 Self-Assessment Library How Creative Am I? 190

Monday, December 16, 2019

Husky Injection Molding Systems Free Essays

Question: What is Husky’s strategy? Why has the company been so successful in the period prior to the recent problems? Husky follows a differentiation strategy by trying to offer a higher perceived value than its competitors in order to convince customers to pay a premium price for the company’s products – across its product line, Husky charges a 10% to 20% premium. Husky’s success, prior to the recent problems, can be explained by the following value drivers: Husky’s product features The company is known in the industry for its high quality products. Husky’s systems are speedier than the ones of the competition (for PET products, Husky’s cycle time is 10% to 15% shorter) and they are believed to be more rugged. We will write a custom essay sample on Husky Injection Molding Systems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Furthermore, Husky’s systems are able to produce thinner walls than competitors’ machines, and their resin utilization and durability are higher. Unlike rivals, the company offers a fully integrated system of thinwall mold, machine, and product-handling equipment. Husky’s customer service The company established technical centers in key locations to provide technical support to its customers. Husky’s internal service force is known to be the strongest in the industry, and in addition, its sales force does an extraordinary job. Husky’s complements In addition to Husky’s systems, the company offers value-added services to provide greater perceived value for its customers: Husky’s experts plan injection molding facilities for customers, train customers, integrate production systems, and produce turnkey factories. In addition to these internal developments, Husky was also able to take advantage of the fact that soft drink makers shifted rapidly to plastic bottles: The company could establish itself in the PET preform market by bringing a quick series of product innovations on the market; by 1995, 60% of the world’s preforms were manufactured on Husky systems. All factors mentioned above contributed to Husky’s good brand equity that, in turn, allows the company to charge a premium price for its products, thus creating a competitive advantage. How to cite Husky Injection Molding Systems, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Procrastination free essay sample

Do you ever have butterflies in your stomach? You know, the ones that flutter to life when you are nervous about something like homework or a test, because, well, maybe you didnt really do all the work you should have? Or are they something worse than butterflies? Like angry bees? And do you try to justify them by saying you ran out of time or just had too many other things to do? If so, Im just like you, and procrastination almost ruined my life. In tenth grade, I decided to take an online World History AP class since my school did not offer it, and I wanted a challenge. At first, I thought I was in heaven. There was only one due date: January 10. By then, all the assignments and tests had to be completed and submitted. Never had I experienced this freedom in a class. No teacher dictated when an assignment was due or in what order they needed to be completed: it was glorious. We will write a custom essay sample on Procrastination or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unfortunately, I promptly used my newfound freedom to not do any work. This began innocently enough. Studying for biology tests, reading for English, and practicing volleyball took up all my time. It was okay to push off the World History work, it could be done later. The entire time, though, my conscience kept nagging me to get to work. I would dutifully sit down at the computer, poised to attack the assignment, but a short time later my resolve would crumble. The assignments overwhelmed me – they required much greater effort than regular schoolwork. No one handed out notes, no one lectured on the material. I had to read the book myself. Without the usual schedules and deadlines set by a teacher, I fell further and further behind. My worries about the workload became a burden that I carried. By December, those worries loomed large, a huge boulder crushing the life out of me. I promised myself that I would catch up over Christmas break, that I could do the work. Delusional, right? Predictably, no homework was done. The holidays were enjoyed by goofing around and spending time with my family. When Christmas ended and visions of fairies and sugar plums faded from my mind, I knew I was in major trouble. The days marched relentlessly on until just one week remained between me and the deadline. With only thirty percent of the class completed, my stress level soared so high that I wanted to die to end the horrible concoction of nerves, stress, tension, and worry. Desperately trying to complete assignments while praying that time would somehow slow, I began to realize that no miracle was going to happen. Was there any way to hide the abysmal F from my parents and school? When I finally concluded that it would be impossible to keep my failure a  ­secret, I decided to confess. My feet meekly shuffled upstairs where my parents were watching a movie. Huge tears poured down my face as I mustered up the courage to speak. The truth came tumbling out between sobs. After the much  ­deserved lecture and rebuke, my mom sat down and helped me create a schedule. She researched the class and found that we could ask for a one-week extension, no questions asked. For the next two weeks, I ate and breathed World History, staying up until the wee hours of the morning frantically typing answers, coloring maps, and trying to read five thousand years of history. In the end, I survived and, miraculously, earned an A. But I came away with a healthy fear of procrastination, and the realization that it can grab hold of even the most diligent people.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Tall Story Essay Example For Students

Tall Story Essay Billys Tall Story begins with his mother bringing him breakfast in bed. He has bacon and egg and bread and a big pot of tea. But in actual fact Billy doesnt get much breakfast at home, for this reason he has to steal and evade, even his own brother: Billy bolted it into his mouth, slid off his chair and turned it over as soon as Jud came for him And he also steals from his employer, an old newspaper shop owner: Billy reached out and lifted two bars of chocolate from a display table at the side of the counter We will write a custom essay on Tall Story specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now He even steals from a Milk Float that his sees in the morning on his paper round Billy even has a secret pocket sewn into the inside of his coat to make stealing easier for him. So there is no wonder that Billy decides to include food in his Tall Story, as it is one of the main needs of a person. He describes is ideal home in great detail and it is exactly the opposite of his own house. He wishes he had carpet on the stairs and in the hall. This must mean that Billy doesnt already have carpet in these places. Also in Billys Tall Story, he talks about his older half-brother Jud. He mentions that when he comes downstairs, he asks his mother where Jud was and she tells him that he has gone to join the army and puts him at ease by telling him how his father has returned once again. This shows us that Billy doesnt like Jud, so much so that he would throw him out of his ideal life by sending him to the army. Billy mentions the army for no obvious reason, except for the fact that it is just an excuse to get out of his life. The simple truth is that Billy doesnt want Jud around. And quite frankly I dont blame him. Jud makes Billys life a living hell. He torments and hurts him physically and mentally in every way that you can imagine. This instance below is a classical example:- He rushed over to the settee and jumped astride Billy, pushing his face into the cushions and forcing one arm up his back in a half-nelson And Jud doesnt take any of Billys health hazards into consideration Gioer, Jud, tha breaking my arm! Billy One major part in his tall story is the fact that his father returns. Billy talks about how his mother gives up her job and they all live as one happy family again. He talks about they do what all the other families do, like go to the pictures and have ice cream at the intervals. So in other words, Billy wants everyone to treat him with love and care and look after his well-being. Billy mentions how he goes to school and all the teachers were good to him and asked him how he was doing at school and patted him on his head. This, quite clearly what Billy expects from his teachers but the mere fact is that they couldnt care less about him. Billy demands attention and affection from the teachers in the school. Even a Good Morning, Billy would not go amidst in Billys books. He also mentions that when he comes home from school, he has chips and beans for his tea. Well, its no secret that even the poorest people can afford chips and beans for their tea. So why has Billy included this in his Tall Story? Bill quite clearly doesnt get even the basic meals and this causes him to long for these things. Overall, Billys Tall Story is very basic. It includes all the things that other kids take for granted. .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .postImageUrl , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:hover , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:visited , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:active { border:0!important; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:active , .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u80a9c453e4338efdeda192288c61870e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Brave New World Essay PromptsHe longs for his father to return, while kids who have a father to look up to dont even think about. He asks for bare necessities such as a carpet in his house to walk on, which again, most people wrongly take for granted, and quite plainly, if Billy had these basic provisions it would boost is confidence to the highest degree. He is, without a doubt, gravely displeased with his present lodgings. He longs to live in a bigger house to live in. He sees a house in an area called Moors Edge, where he does his daily newspaper round. He couldnt make the fact that he doesnt want his half-brother Jud around any clearer. He just wants all the things that normal kids his age have, nothing more. He wants a loving family who think the world of him and show it. He wants his teachers to treat him right and not to lash out at him all the time. He wants a pleasant home to live. He wants proper food on the table and wants to be able to give up stealing which he did to solely survive. Reading about Billys daily lifestyle and how it differs from the majority of the population almost brings a tear to they eye.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Homelessness In The United States

Homelessness In The United States Free Online Research Papers Just about everywhere you go to visit these days you will see a lot of homeless people. Usually they will not be a threat to you but sometimes they will harass people to get things from them that they want. Since this has been happening to a lot of people they are starting to get bad reputations. People will walk down the street and see others digging through trash or sleeping on park benches. When this happens they will usually start talking trash about them. The truth is that you can not judge people by what actions they need to take to survive in this world. No one knows what struggles they put up with everyday. Yes, it is true that some homeless people are just too lazy to try and get jobs. On the other hand some people have mental problems or health problems that restrict them from working. Some groups of people have come up with an idea to send them back to their families and have them stay there until they get back up on their feet. In a way this seems kind of pointless because if they wanted their families help then they most likely would of already moved back in with them to begin with. Some people will not go back home to their families because they want to prove that they can make it on their own even if they have to go through certain struggles. Police officers in some cities will crack down hard on the homeless people while others tend to look the other way. I think that if the police and other law makers in all cities work together to help we could have a chance at turning this unfortunate life style for people around. We don’t have to sit there and support them by giving them money for beer or other things they want but we could help find them jobs. Even if the jobs weren’t permanent just get them ones that will give them a type of income to slowly get back up on their feet. In conclusion, as long as we keep ignoring this situation or just waste time talking bad about these people nothing is going to change. Everyone needs to help by finding them options that they may be incapable of doing themselves. Maybe with a little patience and time we all can fight this horrible situation that no one deserves to be in. Research Papers on Homelessness In The United StatesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresCapital PunishmentPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyTwilight of the UAWThe Hockey GameStandardized TestingPETSTEL analysis of India

Friday, November 22, 2019

Visas y licencia para trabajar como arquitecto en USA

Visas y licencia para trabajar como arquitecto en USA Varias visas permiten a arquitectos internacionales trabajar legalmente en Estados Unidos, con independencia de si se ha obtenido o no la licencia estatal para esta profesià ³n. En este artà ­culo se explican cules son las visas de trabajo de las que se pueden beneficiar los arquitectos, dependiendo de sus circunstancias personales. Adems, por su importancia, tambià ©n se alude a cà ³mo es la carrera de arquitectura en Estados Unidos y cules son las opciones para los arquitectos internacionales para obtener una licencia en este paà ­s. Visas de trabajo y residencia permanente para arquitectos Para decidir quà © visa es la ms conveniente hay que mirar a las caracterà ­sticas de cada una con sus ventajas e inconvenientes y tambià ©n a las peculiaridades del arquitecto. Estas son las visas que se podrà ­an utilizar: En primer lugar, la visa H-1B para profesionales y modelos. Esta puede considerarse como la visa por excelencia para estos casos. Sin embargo tienen el gran problema que en la mayorà ­a de los casos est sujeta a un cupo mximo anual de visas que se pueden aprobar, dejando sin opciones a un buen nà ºmero de profesionales. En el caso de los chilenos destacar que tienen a su disposicià ³n la versià ³n H-1B1 que prcticamente les garantiza que siempre hay una visa disponible para ellos si cumplen los requisitos.   Las visas de la familia H-1B tienen adems la gran ventaja desde el punto de vista migratorio de que son consideradas como de doble intencià ³n, es decir, permiten legalmente buscar de forma activa una tarjeta de residencia permanente para quedarse a vivir y trabajar en los Estados Unidos. Otra visa a destacar pero que aplica solo a mexicanos es la conocida como  visa  TN, creada  al amparo del Tratado de Libre Comercio (NAFTA). Para esta categorà ­a no hay là ­mite anual de visas que se pueden conceder y pueden ser utilizadas por arquitectos. Una gran visa abierta para todas las nacionalidades es la que se conoce como visa O, para personas con habilidades extraordinarias en los campos de Negocios, Artes, Educacià ³n, Deportes, Cine y Televisià ³n y Negocios. Los mejores arquitectos con reconocimientos notables podrà ­an tener opcià ³n a obtenerla. Otra visa disponible es la E-2 de inversià ³n. Es decir, se tendrà ­a que crear una empresa y esta compaà ±Ãƒ ­a contratarà ­a al arquitecto. Estas visas estn sà ³lo abiertas a los ciudadanos de determinados paà ­ses. Por otra parte, los estudios de arquitectura de otros paà ­ses pueden crear subsidiarias en los Estados Unidos y enviar con una visa de la familia L a sus ejecutivos o arquitectos que ya tiene empleados. Y, finalmente, otra opcià ³n de visa es la J-1 de intercambio. Permite un entrenamiento en Estados Unidos de hasta un mximo de 18 meses. Al arquitecto en prcticas se le paga al menos el mà ­nimo que habitualmente se abona a arquitectos locales con los mismos conocimientos y experiencia. Architect-us es una de las empresas que se dedica a poner en contacto a arquitectos internacionales y estudios locales para este fin. Finalmente, tambià ©n es posible obtener la tarjeta de residencia permanente por trabajo si una empresa estadounidense patrocina al arquitecto extranjero. Y en casos muy excepcionales de excelencia profesional es posible el auto patrocinio. Carrera de arquitectura en Estados Unidos En Estados Unidos, se puede estudiar arquitectura en una universidad acreditada por la NAAB y pueden ser estudios de licenciatura o de maestrà ­a. Una vez completados los estudios, es necesario realizar tres aà ±os de prcticas bajo el control de un arquitecto, es lo que se conoce en inglà ©s como IDP. Posteriormente, hay que aprobar un examen conocido como ARE que es muy amplio y abarca conocimientos de arquitectura per se pero tambià ©n de construccià ³n. El siguiente paso es obtener una licencia de Arquitecto Registrado (RA, segà ºn sus siglas en inglà ©s). Los requisitos para esta licencia varà ­an de estado a estado. Quà © hacer cuando los estudios de arquitectura se han realizado en otro paà ­s La licenciatura de arquitectura estudiada en otro paà ­s no se reconoce en Estados Unidos, excepto en el caso de Canad.   Las opciones para trabajar con las que cuentan los profesionales sin licencia que se encuentran en esa situacià ³n son varias. Es frecuente que se trabaje bajo la supervisià ³n de un arquitecto con licencia y que se utilicen descripciones profesionales como diseà ±ador, arquitecto en prcticas, etc. Otra opcià ³n es estudiar  una maestrà ­a en arquitectura en los Estados Unidos y luego seguir los pasos que siguen los estudiantes de arquitectura estadounidenses y, adems, convalidar los estudios realizados en otro paà ­s y, en ocasiones, la apostilla de la Haya. Pero hay ms opciones que ofrece el Consejo Nacional de Arquitectura (NCARB, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). En concreto, es posible seguir dos caminos diferentes. En primer lugar, el Foreign architect path to certification. Esta opcià ³n no es admitida por todos los estados. En segundo lugar,  los que no tienen tanta experiencia trabajando pueden seguir lo que se conoce como el Standard Path. Comprende, entre otros, los siguientes pasos: convalidacià ³n de crà ©ditos con realizacià ³n de los pendientes, prcticas laborales, rendir el examen del ARE. Este test tiene la caracterà ­stica de que sus resultados son tambià ©n aceptados por todas las provincias canadienses.   Finalmente, verificar la normativa de cada estado, ya que cada uno tiene jurisdiccià ³n en materia de quià ©n est autorizado a firmar como arquitecto. Y esto aplica tambià ©n a los territorios de la Commonwealth, como Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa e Islas Và ­rgenes Americanas.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Communion by Extension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communion by Extension - Essay Example Communion by Extension is an extension or expansion of the rite of Holy Communion in areas and at times wherein priests are not available for whatever reason. Holy Communion or Holy Mass is a weekly ceremony in church where the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist are observed culminating in the consecration of the bread and wine for the communion of the faithful. Three churches in Great Britain have introduced this service – the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the Church of England – amidst considerable controvery, according to Tovey (2009 p 1). It is the objective of this paper to examine this practice for its theological, liturgical and other considerations or implications with the end in view of adding enrichment and expanded understanding of the rite in the midst of the ongoing animated discussions on the subject. It is also hoped that the analysis may aid in providing guidance to non-ordained ministers who may be positioned to officiate in such a rite of the need to take extreme care in the officiating in the face of such unresolved milieu. What Is Communion by Extension? ... This practice of extended communion was officially allowed under the Guidelines approved by the House of Bishops in October 2000. Under the guidelines, communion by extension may be done only by explicit permission from the Bishop, emphasising the rite’s exceptional nature. Even when a parish has already secured a written authority to use the Commission by Extension service, the Sunday Holy Communion which is the main regular service must continue as a regular ceremony. The extension service may be led only by a person specifically authorised by the Bishop, and this person must ensure that proper care and dignity must be given to every detail of the ceremony so that it does not lose its solemnity and essence. Such a permission is always considered provisional and presumes that the service is not in itself a celebration of Holy Communion but enables the worshipping community to participate â€Å"by extension.† It is also presumed that the rules for its conduct shall stri ctly follow the Guidelines in form and substance. The act of allowing the faithful to receive communion without being part of the consecration in a Communion by Extension assumes that the gathering of the people is not a substitute for the Sunday service, which is mandated as a regular service, and is allowed only because a priest is not available to preside over a eucharistic celebration. Under this assumption, the receiving of the reserved sacrament is identified as part of the earlier Eucharistic rite and is therefore symbolically identified and linked to the universal church (Taylor, 2009 p 164). This Communion by Extension has been approved in the Anglican Church under heavy questioning over such authority granted to the laity. Some Theological Considerations A non-ordained person

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Alison Nieves Will Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Alison Nieves Will Analyses - Essay Example The essay "Alison Nieve’s Will Analyses" presents the analyses of Alison Nieve’s Will. The first clause in Alison Nieve’s Will is a standard provision pursuant to Section 20 of the Wills Act 1837 as amended. Section 20 provides for the revocation of an existing will by the execution of another Will. The second clause of the Will provides for the appointment of Simon Landsford and Asif Khan as co-trustees and co-executors of the Neive’s Will and with those appointments, there are responsibilities and obligations which as explained in greater detail below.The gift to Sarah of 50,000 pounds doesn't impose upon Simon Landsford and Asif Khan the role of trustees. The power to transfer the sum of 50,000 pounds is founded on their respective capacities as executors of Nieve’s Will. It is clear that Neive does not intend that Sarah take the funds as an absolute gift. Neive’s sole intention was the creation of a purpose trust with Sarah acting as trus tee. In order for a trust to be fully constituted and capable of enforcement it must contain three certainties. Three certainties are certainty of intention, objects and subject matters. The trust property is commonly referred to as the subject, intention refers to the words and conduct that is capable of identifying the donor’s intention to create a trust and the objects refer to the intended beneficiaries. The difficulty with this trust is that Samuel, the object of the trust is not a human beneficiary.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Environment Pollution Essay Example for Free

Environment Pollution Essay As you know, China is well known on its 5000 years history, and it’s also famous for producing poisonous food and the worst environment pollution. Living in a developing country, Chinese develop industry and handicraft industry, and making money as much as they can. Compare with environment pollution, Chinese business man more care about how much money they could make per day. There are millions of factories in China mainland. And thousands of factories are being built right now. Before factories were built, owner or designer usually choose the factory location which nearby the river or lake. Locals usually drink and take water from the river or lake. Some rivers even provide water to several cities. Usually, an industry factory could produce poisonous waste water 350 m? /h and exhaust gas or smog 14000m? /h. But each factory could treat poisonous waste water 30m? /h. that means over 300m? /h poisonous waste water cannot be treated and be discharged into river or lake. In each factory, the equipment for exhaust treatment is required, but the most factories discharge exhaust treatment into air without treatment. Industry community usually is the high incidence area of cancer and oaf. Animals which are living nearby or living in the rivers and lakes, are bigger or with strange appearance. Farmers who are local, usually take water from river or lack for irrigation and raising livestock. Locals get disease on drinking poisonous water, eating poisonous food, and breathing in seriously polluted area. In China, living healthier become people’s dream and hope. Everybody hopes long live and having a healthy life. Over 70% Chinese are not covered by health insurance, and medical bill is going higher and higher, over 85% locals cannot handle it. People usually stay at home and wait for death when they get disease. Living in polluted area make people more worry about their descendants. People start to move to foreign country for a better environment. Let descendants have a chance to live in a healthier living environment also become their goal.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Summer of SARS Essay -- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Health E

The Summer of SARS As far as I could recollect, every summer my family would travel back to Taiwan as my parents' way of paying homage to Taiwan and to immerse me and my sister in our culture and heritage. The summer of 2003 would have been just another summer spent on an over-heated and over-populated island with family and friends except for the introduction of a new viral respiratory illness named SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. It was first recognized on February 26th 2003 in Hanoi and its main symptoms and signs included high fever of over 38? Celsius, dry cough, and shortness of breath.1 At the time, my family assumed that, whatever this new disease was, it was contained within Southeast Asia and its effects would not impact our travel plans. How wrong we were! As the date for departure from LAX drew closer, more devastating reports of the rapid and deathly effects of SARS were gathered by the WHO [World Health Organization]. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 10 to 20 percent of the cases, patients required mechanical ventilation and most patients developed pneumonia. It spread by close person-to-person contact. From our relatives and friends abroad, we heard numerous distressed accounts of distantly related people who have fallen ill or possibly have come into contact with SARS. By July 2003, the cumulative number of SARS cases world wide was an impressive 8,445. Taiwan, our destination, proved to be a hot spot with 678 cases of SARS and 84 deaths since March, 2003.2 The problem with the illness was that the speed of research to understand the causative agent and the efforts to contain the illness was slower than the spread [of] disease up to this point. Ne... .... 2 WHO, "Cumulative Number of Reported Probable Cases of SARS," July 1, 2003, (accessed April 24, 2005). 3 WHO, "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-multi-country outbreak-Update," March 17, 2003, (accessed April 24, 2005). 4 WHO, "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-multi-country outbreak-Update," March 20, 2003, (accessed April 25, 2005). 5 WHO, "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-multi-country outbreak-Update," March 21, 2003, (accessed April 25, 2005). 6 WHO, "Update 61-WHO extends its SARS related travel advice to all of Taiwan province, China," May 21, 2003, (accessed April 25, 2005). 7 WHO, "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-multi-country outbreak-Update", March 8, 2003, (accessed April 24, 2005). 8 CDC, "Frequently Asked Questions About SARS," April 25, 2004, (accessed April 25, 2005).

Monday, November 11, 2019

Analyzing Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations: a Case Study

International Research Journal of Finance and Economics ISSN 1450-2887 Issue 40 (2010)  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2010 http://www. eurojournals. com/finance. htm Analyzing Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations: A Case Study Monica Singhania Associate Professor, Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, India E-mail: [email  protected] du Abstract The Indian Transfer Pricing regulations have been enacted with a view to provide a statutory framework which can lead to computation of reasonable, fair and equitable profit and tax in India so that the profits chargeable to tax in India do not get diverted elsewhere by altering the prices charged and paid in intra-group transactions leading to erosion of Indian tax revenue. Any income arising from an international transaction shall be computed having regard to the arm’s length price (ALP). The ALP shall be determined by any of the prescribed methods, being the most appropriate method. The present paper illustrates the practical aspects of the law regarding transfer pricing as it exists presently in India with the help of a case study. The relevant rules envisage determination of ALP by applying margins of each comparable company to the appropriate base of the enterprise. The regulations further provide that, where more than one price is determined by the most appropriate method, the ALP shall be taken to be the arithmetical mean of such prices. An alternative practical approach to arrive at such ALP is to compute the arithmetic mean of margins of comparable companies and apply the same to the appropriate base of the tested party to determine the ALP. The analysis shows that the mean GP/Sales of comparable companies is 33. 71% while that of the PQR India (i. e. , the tested party) is 44. 20% during the year ended March 31, 2009 indicating that the prices of international transaction of PQR India conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. Further, under Category B, costs recharged by PQR Group to PQR India are included. All these costs represent actual amounts paid by PQR Group to independent third parties and are recovered from PQR India, on a cost-to-cost basis. Applying the comparable uncontrolled price method, these recharges conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. However, there are some practical problems arising out of the applications of transfer pricing egulations, which need to be addressed by the tax administrators as early as possible. These issues include absence of advance pricing agreements (APA) mechanism in India, data limitations, extremely wide definition of associated enterprises in India, stringent penalties, difficulties encountered while conducting economic analysis/benchmarking and many more. Keywords: Transfer Pricing, Tax laws, International transactions, Arms length price 1. Introduction The Indian Transfer Pricing regulations have been enacted with a view to provide a regulatory framework which is capable of computing reasonable, fair and equitable profit and tax in India so that the profits chargeable to tax in India do not get diverted elsewhere by altering the prices charged and 204 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) paid in intra-group transactions leading to erosion of Indian tax revenue. Any income arising from an international transaction shall be computed having regard to the arm’s length price (ALP). The regulations on transfer pricing in India were clearly inevitable and long overdue. The regulations in their present form are a product of the findings of the Expert Group set up by the Government of India in November 1999 to study global transfer pricing practices and examine the need for such legislation in India. The Indian transfer pricing regulations applicable with effect from April 1, 2001 are largely based on the OECD guidelines. By manipulating a few book entries in the accounts books, multinational corporations are able to transfer huge profits with practically no actual change in the business process. For instance, X Ltd. manufactures ipods for $ 500 in China, but its US based subsidiary buys it for $ 599, and then sells it for $ 600. By doing this, the company’s taxable profit in the US is substantially decreased. At a 30 percent tax rate, the company’s tax liability in the US is only 30 cents (i. e. , 30% of $ 1) as compared to $30 (i. . , 30% of $ 100 which should have been the case). The large scale tax avoidance practices used by multinational corporations came into public notice when the drug giant MNE, GlaxoSmithKline, agreed to pay the US government $3. 4 billion to settle a long-running transfer pricing dispute over its tax dealings between the UK parent company and its American subsidiary. This was the largest settlement of a tax dispute in the US. Multinational corporations derive several benefits from transfer pricing. Since each country has different tax rates, they can increase their profits with the help of transfer pricing. By lowering prices in countries where tax rates are high and raising them in countries with a lower tax rate, such organizations can reduce their overall tax burden, thereby boosting their overall profits. Indeed one often finds that corporations located in high tax countries in fact pay very little corporate taxes. Transfer pricing features highly on the agenda of Indian tax authorities. The transfer pricing assessments relating to the first two years since the introduction of the Transfer Pricing regulations have seen incremental tax collections arising from transfer pricing adjustments in excess of US$ 800 million. The first round of transfer pricing audits in India of roughly 800 taxpayers resulted in 25% facing adjustments. The cumulative value of those adjustments aggregated US$ 300 million. In the following year, according to estimates, tax demands in excess of US$ 500 million were imposed as a result of upward adjustments. In this connection, the Indian tax authorities had initially set a very conservative threshold for audit INR 50 million (around USD 1 million) for the first four years. This threshold has been enhanced thrice with effect from the financial year 2005-06. The Indian tax authorities have also set up a specialized group for undertaking transfer pricing audits and have begun using confidential comparable data for audit purposes. Scrutiny of overall profitability as well as transactional level pricing during the course of transfer pricing audits is also frequently done. 2. Theoretical Framework The role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in world trade has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. This reflects the increased integration of national economies and technological progress. Intercompany transactions across borders are growing rapidly and are becoming much more complex. Compliance with the different requirements of multiple overlapping tax jurisdictions is a complicated and time-consuming task. At the same time, tax authorities from each jurisdiction impose stricter penalties, new documentation requirements, increased information exchange and increased audit or inspection activity. With a view to provide a detailed statutory framework which can lead to computation of reasonable, fair and equitable profits and tax in India, in the case of such multinational enterprises, the Finance Act, 2001 substituted the then existing section 92 with sections 92A to 92F in the Income-tax Act, 1961, relating to computation of income from an international transaction having regard to the arm's length price, meaning of associated enterprise, meaning of information and documents by persons entering into international transactions and definitions of certain expressions occurring in the said section (see Appendix I for summary of Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations). The essential International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) 205 documentation which needs to be maintained for complying with these provisions as also the penalties for default in compliance are given in Appendix I. As per the Indian Regulations, the comparable data to be used in anal yzing the comparability of an uncontrolled transaction with an international transaction should be the data relating to the financial year in which the international transaction has been entered into. However, data relating to a period not being more than two years prior to such financial year may also be considered if such data reveals facts, which could have an influence on the determination of the transfer price in relation to the transactions being compared. The Arm's length principle (ALP) aims at determining whether the parties to a transaction are independent and are on an equal footing. The OECD framework as per Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention ensures that the transfer prices between companies of multinational enterprises are established on a market value basis, avoiding profits being systematically deviated to lowest tax countries. It provides the legal framework for governments to have their fair share of taxes, and for enterprises to avoid double taxation on their profits. The primary onus of proving the arm’s length character of a transaction lies with the taxpayer. If during assessment proceedings, the tax authorities, on the basis of material or information or documents in their possession, are of the opinion that the arm’s length price was not applied, or adequate and correct documents/ information/ data were not maintained/ produced, the total income may be recomputed accordingly after giving the taxpayer an opportunity of being heard. 3. Literature Review There are numerous studies relating to transfer pricing in transactions taking place in developed countries1. This is primarily due to, the detailed statistical information relating to intra-firm trade made available in most of the developed countries, stringent laws requiring greater transparency, etc. In comparison, the availability of intra-firm trade data in developing countries is highly inadequate2. In addition, there is no systematic attempt in developing countries, to collect and analyze relevant data in one information repository database leading to multiple uses of such or ganized information. This is the case even though such information may in many cases exist with different government organizations, legal and administrative authorities and private business organizations engaged in creation of such databases for commercial reasons. This disjointed effort to data collection leads to multiple problems in undertaking quality research studies. It also highlights complete lack of coordination between policies, procedures and their practical application. Also the lack of any government sponsored studies, like those in Colombo, Greece and Sri Lanka, may be the reason why not many transfer pricing studies are undertaken in such countries. In United Kingdom, the transfer pricing rules were formulated as early as in 1915 [(Payan and Wilkie (19933)]. However, there was little pressure on such rules until mid 1960s when the revival of international trade and investment following World War II began. As far as United States is concerned, even before the non-traditional methods of transfer pricing were added to section 482, Schindler and Henderson (1985)4 pointed out, â€Å"Inter-corporate transfer pricing under the scope of code section 482 is one of the most complex areas of international taxation. † The non-traditional methods further added to complexity. The OECD’s Transfer Pricing Guidelines (1995)5, based on guidelines first issued in 1979, 1. Lall S. 1973), â€Å"Transfer Pricing by Multinational Manufacturing Firms†, Oxford Bulletin of Economics & Statistics, Vol. 35(3), pp. 173-95. 2 Bhagwati J. N. (1974), â€Å"On the Under Invoicing of Imports, Fiscal Polices of the Faking of Foreign Trade De clarations of the Balance of Payments†, in Bhagwati (ed. ), Illegal Transactions in International Trade, North Holland Publishing Co. 3 Pagan, Jill C. and J. Scott Wilkie, (1993) â€Å"Transfer Pricing Strategy in a Global Economy†, Amsterdam: IBFD Publications. 4 Schindler, Geunter and David Henderson (1985),â€Å" Intercorporate Transfer Pricing: 1985 Survey of Section 482 Audits,† Tax Notes, Vol. 29, pp. 1171-77. 5 OECD (1995, as updated). Transfer Pricing Guidelines (Paris: OECD). 206 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) largely influence international practice with regard to transfer pricing. The Indian transfer pricing regulations, introduced in 2001, are to an extent modeled on the OECD guidelines. Li (2003)6 describes the methods of transfer pricing by way of an international comparison involving six countries namely, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, United States and Singapore. Ring (2000)7 explains the methodology of undertaking Advance Pricing mechanisms whereby both the tax payers as well as tax administrators agree in advance on the methodology to be used to determine transfer prices in order to avoid unnecessary litigation. Lall (1979)8 highlights the need of a laid back attitude towards transfer pricing in developing countries so as to remain an attractive investment destination in the form of foreign direct investment. R. Murray [1981]9 studied the mechanism by which international tax avoidance is achieved. These mechanisms include general manipulations as well as specific manipulations to items in the profit and loss account and balance sheet. Baistrocchi (2004)10 explains the administrative inexperience of developing countries in implementing transfer pricing rules. Mo (2003)11 gives instances of manipulation of transfer prices and steps taken to combat it in China, India, Brazil and Mexico. UN Survey (1999)12 reveals that in developing countries about 61 per cent respondents felt that the domestic multinational enterprises were engaged in income shifting and 84 per cent believed that foreign enterprises were doing so. In addition, 70 per cent and 87 per cent, respectively, of these countries thought the problem to be significant. Newlon (2000)13 notes the tendency of MNCs to over report income in jurisdictions that impose heavy penalties. Mitchell (2004)14 treats worldwide taxation as a form of tax harmonization. According to his view, tax harmonization is categorically undesirable because â€Å"taxpayers are unable to benefit from better tax policy in other nations and governments are insulated from market discipline†. 4. PQR India: Case Study Design and Analysis Global Tax Consultants Pvt. Ltd. ave been engaged by PQR India to review the transfer pricing arrangements for international transactions with its associated enterprises during the year ended March 31, 2009 on the terms set out in the engagement letter. The objective of this paper is to establish whether the international transactions between PQR India and its associated enterprises adhere to the arm’s length principle, embodied in the Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations of the Indian Income-Tax Act, 1961(see Appendix I) and in addition look to the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for further guidance in applying the arm’s length standard. 6 Li, Jinyan (2003), â€Å" International Taxation in the Age of Electronic Commerce†: A Comparative Study (Toronto: Canadian tax Foundation). 7 Ring, Diane M. (2000). â€Å"On the Frontier of Procedural Innovation: Advance Pricing Agreements and the Struggle to Allocate Income for Cross Border Taxation,† Michigan Journal of International Law, Vol. 21 (winter) pp. 143-234. 8 Lall, Sanjaya. (1979). â€Å"Transfer Pricing and Developing Countries: Some Problems of Investigation,† World Development, Vol. 7 Issue 1 (January), pp. 59-71. 9 Murray R. Editor (1981), â€Å"Multinationals Beyond the Market: Intra-firm Trade and the Control of Transfer Pricing†, London: Harvester Press Brighton, pp. 119-32. 10 Baistrocchi, Eduardo. (2004). The Arm's Length Standard in the 21st Century: A Proposal for both Developed and Developing Countries. † Tax Notes International, Vol. 36 No. 3 (October 18), pp. 241-255. 11 Mo, Phyllis Lai Lan. (2003); â€Å"Tax Avoidance an d Anti-avoidance Measures in Major Developing Economies† (Westport, Conn. : Praeger), pp. 207. 12 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (1999), Transfer Pricing. (New York). 13 Newlon, T. Scott. (2000). â€Å"Transfer Pricing and Income Shifting in Integrating Economies,† in Sijbren Cnossen, editor, Taxing Capital Income in the European Union: Issues and Options for Reform (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 214-42. 14 Mitchell, Daniel J. (2004). â€Å"The Economics of Tax Competition: Harmonization vs. Liberalization,† in 2004 Index of Economic Freedom, Marc Miles, et al. , editors, (Washington: Heritage Foundation), Chapter 2. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) 4. 1. Company Profile 207 PQR Group, USA deals in design, manufacture and marketing of the state of the art photocopier machines. In addition, it also offers document management solutions, one-to-one marketing expertise and efficiency management services for various organizations in the United States and internationally. PQR India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PQR Group, USA. PQR India commences business of import and resale of photocopier machines imported from PQR Group during the financial year 200809. The development of the arm's length price in this analysis recognizes that PQR India is a distributor of photocopier machines in India and is exposed to ordinary risk profile associated with such class of businesses. PQR India, leverages on all the valuable intellectual property rights (knowhow, copyrights etc. ) and other commercial or marketing related intangibles (brand names, trademarks etc. ) owned by PQR Group. Based on the functional analysis, PQR India has relatively less complicated operations and as such bears relatively lesser share of risks and is accordingly selected as the tested party for the purpose of carrying out the economic analysis as part of determination of transfer price on the basis of arms length principle. 4. 2. Industry Overview As per the Indian Regulations (see Appendix 1), every person who has entered into an international transaction shall keep and maintain interalia, the information and documents giving a broad description of the industry in which the assessee operates. The Indian Regulations also prescribe that the comparability of an international transaction with an uncontrolled transaction shall be judged with reference to the conditions prevailing in the markets in which the respective parties to the transactions operate. Hence, for the purposes of the transfer pricing analysis a comprehensive overview of the industry is essential. Industry overview essentially consists of industry background, evolution of industry, characteristics of marketing, emerging industry trends, key drivers, key inhibitors and future outlook for the industry. 4. 3. Functional Analysis As per the Indian Regulations, every person who has entered into an international transaction shall keep and maintain inter alia, a description of the functions performed, risks assumed and assets employed or to be employed by the assessee and by the associated enterprises involved in the international transaction. A functional analysis enables mapping of the economically relevant facts and characteristics of transactions between associated enterprises with regard to their functions, assets and risks. Hence a functional analysis facilitates characterization of the associated enterprises and assists in establishing a degree of comparability with similar transactions in uncontrolled conditions. 4. 3. 1. Functions performed by PQR Group PQR Group, USA deals in design, manufacture and marketing of the state of the art photocopier machines. In addition, it also offers document management solutions, one-to-one marketing expertise and efficiency management services for various organizations in the United States and internationally. In addition, it has a massive research and development center. 4. 3. 2. Functions performed by PQR India PQR India is engaged in the business of import and resale of photocopier machines imported from PQR Group. To understand the functions performed by PQR India, it is important to have an overview of the transactions taking place, which are depicted below: Transactions classified as Category A: Import of finished goods by PQR India and thereafter wholesale distribution by PQR India 208 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) Transactions classified as Category B: Cos recharges are PQR Group from PQR India Functions performed by PQR India under Category A: PQR India, as a wholesale distributor performs a variety of functions including sales, marketing, after sales support, etc. Category B – Cost recharges: Under Category B transactions, cost-to-cost recharges on account of certain expenses incurred by PQR Group on behalf of PQR India are included. Assets employed: Any business requires assets (tangible or intangible) without which it cannot carry out its activities. Intangibles play a significant role in the functioning of a business and are accordingly more important. An understanding of the assets employed and owned by PQR India provides an insight into the resources deployed by PQR India and their contribution to the business processes/economic activities of PQR India. Tangibles owned by PQR India: It includes electrical installations, furniture and fixture, office equipments and computer hardware. Intangibles: PQR India being a relatively new company does not own any significant intangibles and does not undertake any significant research and development on its own account that leads to the development of non-routine intangibles. PQR India uses the trademarks, process, know-how, technical data, software, operating/quality standards etc. developed/owned by PQR Group. All companies of the group leverage from these intangibles for continued growth in revenues and profits. . 4. Overview of Inter-Company Transactions PQR India engages in the following inter-company transactions with its associated enterprises: Import of finished goods, import of spar e parts and consumables and cost recharges. The above transactions have been grouped together in two classes namely Category A and Category B which have been separately analyzed from a transfer pricing perspective. 4. 5. Selection of Tested Party The tested party is the participant in the controlled transaction whose profit attributable to the controlled transaction can be verified using the most reliable data and requiring the fewest and most reliable adjustments. In ost cases, the tested party is the least complex of the controlled taxpayers, that is, the taxpayer with the least amount of risk associated with its operations and without valuable intangibles or unique assets that may distinguish it from potential uncontrolled comparable companies. Based on the above, PQR India is clearly the tested party for purposes of this analysis. It does not own an interest in any of the valuable know-how, patents, brand names and trademarks owned by the PQR Group. PQR Group, on the other hand, may own valuable intellectual property rights including commercial and marketing intangibles. Therefore, the comparability adjustments that would be required if independent organizations were to be selected as tested parties, would be both substantial and unreliable. 4. 6. The Most Appropriate Method The ‘most appropriate method’ is that method which, under the facts and circumstances of the transaction under review, provides the most reliable measure of an arm’s length result. In determining the reliability of a method, the two most important factors that need to be taken into consideration are: (i) the degree of comparability between the controlled and uncontrolled transactions and (ii) the coverage and reliability of the available data. Because the selection of the â€Å"most appropriate method† involves a test of relative merit, a method that may not be perfect is not rejected unless some other method can be shown to be more reliable or clearly indicating to provide a better estimate of an arm's length result. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) 209 Selection of the Most Appropriate Method Comparable Uncontrolled Price Method (CUP): In practice, there are two types of comparable uncontrolled transactions. The first, known as an â€Å"internal comparable,† is a transaction between one of the parties to the controlled transaction and an unrelated third party. The second, known as an â€Å"external comparable,† is a transaction between two unrelated third parties. There are no internal CUPs available for all products imported by PQR India to benchmark its transactions under Category A. PQR India is engaged in import of finished goods and spares consumables for resale in India under Category A (all related to photocopier machines). However, PQR India does not purchase same/similar products from entities other than associated enterprises. Further, during the year, until the commencement of commercial operations by PQR India, overseas gr oup entities sold some similar products to a third party in India. The third party was a Tier-II distributor of PQR Group whereas PQR India acts as a Tier-I distributor. In this way due to unavailability of adequate data to make suitable adjustments to account for the aforesaid differences, it was considered inappropriate to use the third party as an internal comparable in the present case. Therefore, CUP method was not considered for the purpose of ascertaining an arm’s length price for the international transactions of PQR India under Category A. As for external comparables, it may be highlighted that the arm's length price as far as uncontrolled enterprises are concerned, is substantially dependent upon factors such as volume, contractual terms, location differences, etc. It may not be possible to estimate with reasonable reliability and accuracy, the combined effect of such factors on per unit prices in case of external comparables. Further, abstract factors such as use of intangibles make the use of CUP method difficult for benchmarking purposes. In view of the above, there are no external comparables available, which may be considered sufficiently appropriate to warrant the use of the CUP method for Category A transactions of PQR India. However, in case of transactions in the nature of costs recharges by PQR Group to PQR India, included under Category B, the third party cost reimbursed is a CUP for the reimbursement. Keeping in view the nature of transaction and the degree of comparability, CUP was considered as the most appropriate method for this class of transactions. Consequently other methods were not considered. Cost Plus Method (CPM) PQR India is a distributor. It imports the finished products, spares and consumables from the Group companies (all related to photocopier machines) and resells them in the domestic market. In this way, in this case PQR India carries out the function of a pure reseller. Since RPM is most appropriate in cases involving the purchase and resale of tangible goods, this method was considered as the most appropriate method for deriving the arm’s length price of PQR India under Category A. The application of CPM is ordinarily appropriate in two situations, the provision of services to a related party and the manufacture of tangible goods that are sold to a related party. PQR India on the other hand, operates as a distributor under Category A. Accordingly, CPM was not considered as the most appropriate method for deriving the arm’s length price for Category A transactions of PQR India. Profit Split Method (PSM): PSM is typically applied where each party to the transaction under evaluation has significant intangible assets and/or the operations of the parties to the transaction are highly integrated and cannot be evaluated on a separate basis. Also, in general, the PSM relies primarily on the internal data and assumptions pertaining to each party to the controlled transaction instead of relying on comparable uncontrolled transactions as market benchmarks, thus making the use of the PSM ordinarily less reliable than the other methods. PQR India does not own any non-routine intangibles and further the operations of PQR India can be independently evaluated. Therefore, PSM was not considered as the most appropriate method for deriving the arm’s length price of PQR India’s international transactions under Category A. Transactional Net Margin Method (TNMM) Net profits may however, be influenced by some factors that either do not have an effect or have less substantial or direct effect on gross margins. Such factors in the case of PQR India include several 210 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) extraneous factors which have been in the later write up. The losses made by the Company at the operating level, in the current financial year, is a result of these factors. The reasons for loss at operating level under Category A were: a) First year of operations and b) Acquisition of mailing business. These additional expenses incurred by the company during the year adversely impacted its profitability at the operating level. However, these expenses were necessary business expenses which had to be incurred in the first year of operations. Given the aforementioned state of affairs, in order to ensure fair comparison of the operating profitability of the company with comparable companies in the industry, one would need to make suitable economic adjustments to appropriately take into account the impact of the aforesaid acquisition of new business by the company. Conclusions of the Most Appropriate Method After reviewing all of the transfer pricing methods, we recommend given the fact and circumstances, the RPM provides the most reliable measure of an arm’s length result for Category A transactions of PQR India. CUP has been selected as the most appropriate method for the international transactions undertaken by PQR India under Category B. 4. 7. Search for Uncontrolled Comparables Databases: The two most popular and widely recognized corporate databases (i. e. , Powers & Capitaline) to identify potential uncontrolled comparables for PQR India transactions under Category A. The primarily focus was on Prowess and additional companies were considered Capitaline Plus, i. e. , companies for which data was not available in the Prowess database. Selection of time period: As per the Indian Regulations, the data to be used in analyzing the comparability of an uncontrolled transaction with an international transaction shall be the data relating to the financial year in which the international transaction has been entered into. However, data relating to a period not being more than two years prior to such financial year may also be considered if such data reveals facts which could have an influence on the determination of the transfer price in relation to the transactions being compared. The present analysis involves data analysis of companies from both databases only if they had relevant financial data for at least two out of the three financial years ending during the period April 1, 2006 and March 31, 2009. This has been done in order to eliminate, to the maximum extent possible, any variance in results caused by short-term differences in business cycles, product life cycles or business strategies of individual companies. Search Process Our comparable search strategy identified Indian independent distributors whose functions, assets and risks were broadly comparable to those of PQR India under Category A. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) Search from Prowess Criteria for selection Total number of companies whose information is available on Prowess as on March 31, 2009 Number of companies having positive sales and ratio of sales trading to sales of more than 40% over the relevant time period under consideration were selected so as to capture all possible traders available in Prowess Number of companies herein sales trading as a percentage of sales was higher than 75% were short listed, in order to eliminate companies that were primarily not engaged in trading activity Selection of only those companies with a positive net worth Qualitative Analysis, to eliminate companies operating in industries other than electronics, electrical machinery and miscellaneous distributors and to eliminate controlled/controlling companies 211 No. of Companies achieving the criterion 12,994 1,050 565 496 5 Search from Capitaline Plus Criteria for selection Total number of companies whose information is available on Capitaline Plus as on March 31, 2009 Identified additional companies with positive sales over the time period under consideration were selected i. e. companies for which information was primarily not available in Prowess database Selected companies classified in the ‘Electronics’, ‘Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles’, ‘Electrical machinery other than electronics’ and ‘Non-electrical machinery’ industries Selection of only those companies with a positive net worth Qualitative An alysis, to eliminate companies not engaged in trading activities in the same/ similar industry segment and to eliminate controlled/controlling companies. No. of companies achieving the criterion 8,160 1,650 228 86 2 Finally, at the end of the above described search process from both the databases, we were left with 7 comparable companies for benchmarking Category A transactions of PQR India. 4. 8. Choice of a Profit Level Indicator (PLI) The application of RPM requires the selection of an appropriate Profit Level Indicator (PLI). The PLI measures the relationship between (i) profits and (ii) either costs incurred, revenues earned, or assets employed. A variety of PLIs can be used. Factors relevant to the selection of the appropriate profit level indicator include the reliability of the available data and the extent to which the profit level indictor takes into account costs that would be considered by independent parties. Gross Profit Margin is the ratio of Gross Profit to Sales (GP/Sales) and was selected to reliably measure the income of PQR India that it would have earned had it dealt with uncontrolled parties at arm’s length under Category A. 4. 9. Determination of Arm’s Length Results The Indian Regulations require that the Arm’s Length Price (ALP) in relation to an international transaction shall be determined by any of the prescribed methods (CUP, RPM, CPM, TNMM and PSM), being the most appropriate method. All methods other than CUP are methods that enable determination of ALP on the basis of respective margins earned by comparable uncontrolled companies. The relevant rules envisage determination of ALP by applying margins of each comparable company to the appropriate base of the enterprise. The regulations further provide that, where more than one price is determined by the most 212 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) ppropriate method, the ALP shall be taken to be the arithmetical mean of such prices. An alternative practical approach to arrive at such ALP could be to compute the arithmetic mean of margins of comparable companies and apply the same to the appropria te base of PQR India to determine the ALP. Arm’s Length Results S. No. 1 2 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Name of the Company X1 India Ltd. X2 India Ltd. X3 India Ltd. X4 India Ltd. X5 India Ltd. X6 India Ltd. X7 India Ltd. Mean Median Upper Quartile Lower Quartile Data Source Prowess Prowess Prowess Prowess Prowess Capitaline Plus Capitaline Plus GP/Sales (%) 30. 00 40. 00 35. 00 28. 00 22. 00 45. 0 36. 00 33. 71 35 38. 00 29. 00 The above analysis shows that the mean GP/Sales of comparable companies under Category A is 33. 71%. Hence, prices of international transactions of PQR India under Category A, that achieve GP/Sales of 33. 71% or more would conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. The financial results of PQR India indicate that the company has GP/Sales of 44. 20% during the year ended March 31, 2009. For Category A transactions, GP/Sales of PQR India are higher than the mean GP/Sales of comparable companies. Further, under Ca tegory B, costs recharged by PQR Group to PQR India are included. All these costs represent actual amounts paid by PQR Group to independent third parties and are recovered from PQR India, on a cost-to-cost basis. Applying the CUP method, these recharges conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. The above analysis provides evidence that both the pricing basis itself of international transactions of PQR India during the financial year 2008-09 and the outcome of the pricing i. e. , the profitability were in accordance with the ‘Arm’s Length’ standard prescribed under the Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations. 5. Summary and Recommendations The regulations on transfer pricing in India were indeed inevitable and long overdue. The case study of PQR India clearly demonstrates the computation procedure required to be followed for scientifically determining the arm’s length price as per the provisions of transfer pricing in India. The analysis shows that the mean GP/Sales of comparable companies is 33. 71% while that of the PQR India (i. e. , the tested party) is 44. 20% during the year ended March 31, 2009 indicating that the prices of international transaction of PQR India conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. Further, under Category B, costs recharged by PQR Group to PQR India are included. All these costs represent actual amounts paid by PQR Group to independent third parties and are recovered from PQR India, on a cost-to-cost basis. Applying the comparable uncontrolled price method, these recharges conform to the arm’s length standard prescribed under the Indian regulations. However, there are some practical problems arising out of the applications of transfer pricing regulations, which need to be addressed by the tax administrators as early as possible. These issues include absence of advance pricing agreements (APA) mechanism in India, data limitations, extremely wide definition of associated enterprises in India, stringent penalties, difficulties encountered while conducting economic analysis/benchmarking and many more. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) 213 References [1] Baistrocchi, Eduardo. (2004). The Arm's Length Standard in the 21st Century: A Proposal for both Developed and Developing Countries. † Tax Notes International, Vol. 36 No. 3 (October 18), pp. 241-255. Bhagwati J. N. (1974), â€Å"On the Under Invoicing of Imports, Fiscal Polices of the Faking of Foreign Trade Declarations of the Balance of Payments†, in Bhagwati (ed. ), Illegal Transactions in International Trade, North Holland Publishing Co. Lall S. (1973), â€Å"Transfer Pricing by Multinational Manufacturing Firms†, Oxford Bulletin of Economics & Statistics, Vol. 35(3) pp. 173-95. Lall, Sanjaya. (1979). â€Å"Transfer Pricing and Developing Countries: Some Problems of Investigation,† World Development, Vol. Issue 1 (January), pp. 59-71. Li, Jinyan (2003), â€Å"International Taxation in the Age of Electronic Commerce†: A Comparative Study, Toronto: Canadian tax Foundation. Mo, Phyllis Lai Lan. (2003), â€Å"Tax Avoidance and Anti-avoidance Measures in Major Developing Economies†, Westport, Conn. : Praeger, pp. 207. Mitchell, Daniel J. (2004), â€Å"The Economics of Tax Competition: Harmonization vs. Liberalization,† in 2004 Index of Economic Freedom, Marc Miles, et al. , editors, Washington: Heritage Foundation, Cha pter 2. Murray R. Editor (1981), â€Å"Multinationals Beyond the Market: Intra-firm Trade and the Control of Transfer Pricing†, London: Harvester Press Brighton, pp. 119-32. Newlon, T. Scott. (2000), â€Å"Transfer Pricing and Income Shifting in Integrating Economies,† in Sijbren Cnossen, editor, Taxing Capital Income in the European Union: Issues and Options for Reform (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 214-42. OECD (1995, as updated). Transfer Pricing Guidelines (Paris: OECD). Pagan, Jill C. and J. Scott Wilkie (1993), â€Å"Transfer Pricing Strategy in a Global Economy†, Amsterdam: IBFD Publications. Ring, Diane M. (2000). â€Å"On the Frontier of Procedural Innovation: Advance Pricing Agreements and the struggle to allocate Income for Cross Border Taxation†, Michigan Journal of International Law, Vol. 21 (winter), pp. 143-234. Schindler, Geunter and David Henderson (1985), â€Å"Inter corporate Transfer Pricing: 1985 Survey of Section 482 Audits,† Tax Notes, Vol. 29, pp. 1171-77. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (1999). Transfer Pricing (New York). [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] 214 International Research Journal of Finance and Economics – Issue 40 (2010) Appendix I Indian Transfer Pricing Regulations Legal Position: The Finance Act 2001 introduced with effect from assessment year 2002-2003, detailed Transfer Pricing regulations vide section 92 to 92F of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has come out with Transfer Pricing Rules – Rule 10A to Rule 10E. Applicability: Transfer pricing provisions are applicable based on fulfillment of two conditions: Firstly, there must be an international transaction. Secondly, such an international transaction must be between two or more associated enterprises, either or both of whom are non-residents. Pricing Method permitted: Arm's Length Price is to be determined by adopting any one of the following methods, being the most appropriate method: Comparable Uncontrolled Price method, Resale Price Method, Cost Plus Method, Profit Split Method, Transaction Net Margin Method, or any other method prescribed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Documentation/Return: 13 different types of documents are required to be maintained. These include – 1) Enterprise-wise documents:-Description of the enterprise, relationship with other associated enterprises, nature of business carried out. 2) Transaction-specific documents:-Information regarding each transaction, description of the functions performed, assets employed and risks assumed by each party to the transaction, Economic & Market Analysis etc. 3) Computation related documents:-Describe in details the method considered, actual working assumptions, policies etc. , adjustment made to transfer price, any other relevant information, data, documents relied for determination of arm's Length price etc. A report from a Chartered Accountant in the prescribed form giving details of transactions is required to be submitted within a specific time limit. Penalty: Penalty for concealment of income or furnishing inaccurate particulars thereof100% to 300% of the tax sought to be evaded. Penalty for failure to keep and maintain information and documents in respect of International transaction2% of the value of each international transaction Penalty for failure to furnish report under section 92E- Rs. 1,00,000. OECD Guideline: No reference to OECD guidelines under Indian Transfer Pricing regulations No provisions regarding Advance Pricing Agreements Advance Pricing Agreement: under Indian law as of now Government web-link: www. incometaxindia. gov. in Source: OECD Transfer Pricing Country Profilehttp://www. oecd. org/dataoecd/9/4/42236399. pdf

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Examples Of Green Technology Methods Environmental Sciences Essay

Green engineering is a continuously germinating group of methods of utilizing stuffs that are being disposed of and recycling them to be used for other things that will non harm the environment. Building stuffs and landscape gardening are merely a twosome of things that can be done with waste stuffs. Thingss that can be recycled so that we can recycle them for bring forthing energy to nontoxic cleansing merchandises and other non-harmful things-things that could/can be harmful to our planet, ozone, and environment. We need to happen things that we can make to assist clean up our environment and planet before we wholly destruct what is left of it. By utilizing green engineering, we can â€Å" [ meet ] the demands of society in ways that will go on indefinitely into the hereafter and without damaging or consuming natural resources. † ( Green engineering, 2010 ) Examples of green engineering are energy, green edifice, environmentally preferable buying, green chemical science, and green nanotechnology. All of these resources can maintain our planet clean and we will be able to recycle cleverly. We will be able to utilize, so re-use, as needed. As we build and use, we will be able to rupture down what we have built and recycle the waste for other things. Harmonizing to Green-technology.org, here are the definitions of the illustrations from above: Energy – the development of alternate fuels, new agencies of bring forthing energy and energy efficiency. Green constructing – encompasses everything from the pick of edifice stuffs to where a edifice is located. Environmentally Preferred Purchasing ( EPP ) – authorities invention that involves the hunt for merchandises whose contents and methods of production have the smallest possible impact on the environment and mandates that these be the preferable merchandises for authorities buying. Green-chemistry – the innovation, design, and application of chemical merchandises and procedures to cut down or extinguish the usage and coevals of risky substances. Green nanotechnology – the application of green chemical science and green technology principals in the field of use of stuffs at the graduated table of the nanometre ( one billionth of a metre ) . Green energy is the usage of alternate energy other than gasolene. One such option is ethanol and maize fuels. These burn cleaner than gas and, in today ‘s cars these fuels even provide greater fuel milage. This has been a concern of consumers for a long clip. However, in older theoretical account autos, these types of fuels do non work and dry out piston rings but auto makers are rectifying this and planing autos to run on ethyl alcohol and maize fuels. This engineering is already being used today. Even battery powered autos are on the roads ; autos that do n't utilize any type of fuel except battery power. This is another signifier of green engineering. Solar heat and power are another signifier of energy that is â€Å" green † . Solar heat can be captured to heat H2O. This type of energy is already being implemented in the universe today. Solar panels capture the Sun ‘s heat and this is used to heat H2O plus used for power to run visible radiations in places. Some places are wholly powered by solar panels as are prototype solar autos. Even geothermic energy is used in certain geographical countries of the universe to run generators by steam. Wind power besides runs many points, including places that would usually trust on electricity to power visible radiations, contraptions, etc. â€Å" ManyaˆÂ ¦fields of air current turbines are being built in countries of the universe to take advantage of changeless air currents to supply economical and sustainable energy. † ( EzineArticles, 2010, parity. 4 ) Another beginning of green energy would be the usage of a Magnetic Power Generator ( MPG ) . This would bring forth free energy indefinitely and power a whole house. This device would non be much to build-not 1000s of dollars-and if you are a â€Å" make it yourself † type of individual, you could do one for reasonably inexpensive. Harmonizing to Greendepot.com, â€Å" Green edifice patterns, every bit good as the choice of the appropriate edifice stuffs, revolve around a few basic rules of scientific discipline. † ( Greendepot, 2010 ) . Using recycled stuffs to construct will ensue in a wholly â€Å" green † edifice with all parts of the edifice arising from recycled stuff from the floor to the walls, ceilings, cabinets, and even furniture can be made from recycled stuff and when old, can be recycled once more. Not merely can we construct from recycled stuffs but we can make merely about anything with those stuffs from constructing places to landscaping. One stuff that is being used for place edifice is called Durisol. These are â€Å" hollow-core blocks [ that ] are made from mineralized wood shaves and Portland cement, stacked into walls so finished with reenforcing steel and concrete. † ( Greendepot, 2010 ) Environmentally Preferable Purchasing ( EPP ) helps the federal authorities â€Å" purchase green † and uses the authorities ‘s purchasing power â€Å" to excite market demand for green merchandises and services. † ( epa.gov, 2010 ) It helps bureaus within the federal authorities comply with green demands and bureaus are directed by federal jurisprudence and such to buy things with the environment in head. The EPA created the EPP in 1993 to assist run into the already mentioned demands. Green chemical science reduces or eliminates the usage of risky substances. It â€Å" applies across the life rhythm of a chemical merchandise, including its design, industry, and usage † ( epa.gov, 2010 ) It reduces or eliminates negative environmental impact and is an effectual attack to pollution bar because it applies solutions to environmental jobs and state of affairss. The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry was originally published by Paul Anastas and John Warner in Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice ( Oxford University Press: New York, 1998 ) and provides a usher for chemists to implement Green Technology † ( epa.org, 2010 ) . The 12 rules are as follows: Prevention Atom Economy Less Hazardous Chemical Synthesis Planing Safer Chemicals Safer Solvents and Aides Design for Energy Efficiency Use of Reusable Feedstock Reduce Derived functions Catalysis Design for Degradation Real-time Analysis for Pollution Prevention Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accidental Prevention ( Anastas, P.T ; Warner, J.C. ; Green, 1998 ) Presently, China is a universe leader in the industry of solar panels and research into C gaining control, the procedure of firing coal while non breathing nursery gases. This state is supplying a theoretical account of how states should further a green economic system. ( RONAN McGREEVY.A ( 2010, A NovemberA 13 ) Nanotechnology is defined as â€Å" the art and scientific discipline of pull stringsing affair at the nanoscale to make new and alone merchandises and stuffs. † ( Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, 2010 ) . The nanoscale is the graduated table of atoms and molecules. As merchandises are made utilizing the nanometer-scale, there is a turning demand for this engineering to assist clean up the environment by cut downing pollution and seeking to bring forth a cleaner environment and economic system. It is easier than we may believe. Experiments with nanotechnology are go oning all the clip. Using this nanotechnology, scientific discipline has been experimenting on all types of things. From utilizing DNA molecules in procedures to constructing nanoscale forms on Si french friess and other surfaces to publish things ( versus lithography ) to taking arsenic in a solution base and by being able to â€Å" observe pollutants at the degree of parts per billion. † ( Project on Emerging Technology – nano ( 2007, April 26 ) . Nanotechnology has opened assuring paths to bettering and take downing the cost of fuel cells and is tilting toward tools for taking toxic and risky stuffs in waste sites. This sort of engineering is indispensable if we are traveling to clean up our planet and it is a turning engineering to be certain and, harmonizing to Lux Research, in 2005, more than $ 30 billion in nanotech merchandises were sold globally. This figure is estimated to turn to $ 2.6 trillion by the twelvemonth 2014. Green engineering is an every-growing engineering to happen what is best for our planet and its continued endurance and development. We can non go on down the way we started on old ages and old ages ago or we will non hold a planet that will prolong life. Using green engineering will let us to clean up our rivers, lakes and waterways every bit good as our environment. Recycling is one manner to make this. Not merely does this aid us use godforsaken stuffs but it keeps these waste stuffs out of mopess and landfills. Even contraptions are traveling green. A stopper, developed by 2 brothers, called the GreenPlug, plugs into a normal wall mercantile establishment, between the wall and the contraption, and stops extra power to the contraption. It stops the flow of fresh energy to the contraption therefore salvaging on energy and power. The GreenPlug helps contraptions cut down on the sum of energy that they consume and it will add to the life of older contraptions every bit good. There are hopes that green engineering can jumpstart the economic system which has been neglecting and fighting. By implementing green engineering, it is traveling to be â€Å" the following planetary occupation and wealth creative activity engine. † ( McNally, S. , 2009 ) But green engineering has a long manner to travel before it can go a key in the economic system. It has non been around long plenty to do an consequence as yet. Green engineering is still so new that it is traveling to take a long piece before it will set any sort of dent in the recession we are presently in. It is traveling to take a batch of enterprise on the parts of companies ; both little and big. Green engineering will more than probably come foremost to the wellness and transit sector as both are made more efficient by authoritiess. The economic downswing makes companies more susceptible to alter and alter, like green engineering, will likely be embraced rapidly because of the openness for alteration that is presently felt all over the universe. There are so many ways that we have already begun to utilize this engineering. The postal service in Key West, Florida, for illustration, has begun utilizing electric bringing carts alternatively of cars. Not merely the postal service but other authorities bureaus as good are seeking to do transit eco-friendly. Other countries are seeing solar power as an option to electricity. There are solar powered places, concerns, and merely late, electronics are going solar powered. Like the universe ‘s first solar powered keyboard made my Logitech. It is besides wireless which means it can be wholly recharged merely by seting it in the Sun or any other light beginning. Every portion of the keyboard, including the packaging, is reclaimable doing the first â€Å" green † keyboard. As we continue to germinate, so does the universe around us. In order for this universe and planet to acquire cleaned up, we need to maintain experimenting with the things that will finally do this universe cleansing agent and better. All the cleaning up in the universe makes no difference if we do non hold a program to â€Å" turn green † and do things eco-friendly. We will ever hold some kind of solid waste but even some of that can be turned into something that is useable and reclaimable. Even sewerage can be used as a agency of a heat beginning. Cleaning up our planet is of the extreme importance and happening new manner to make that can be done. Recycling and e-cycling demand to be of import and we need to prosecute and go on to prosecute every avenue until this planet goes wholly green. That is our hereafter ; our end. Social consciousness about the demand for cleaner, environmentally-friendly merchandises and services is important if we are to clean up our environment. Academically, green engineering demands to be taught to our kids every bit good as larning about it ourselves. It should be compulsory that our kids be taught ; non merely our simple kids but college pupils as good. â€Å" The industrial section demands to be pushed frontward to come out with more environment-friendly production and ingestion procedures. Assorted inducements need to be given to the industrial sector, which is ready to introduce and implement green engineering. † ( Green engineering is the hereafter at large.A ( 2010, A NovemberA 14 ) . Businesss need to â€Å" adult male up † and do their portion as good by traveling green and holding their employees do the same and give inducements for making so. We all have to get down someplace and the large and little concerns need to make their portion excessively. By recycling merchandises that we use every twenty-four hours, we come closer to turning our environment viridity and cleaning up our universe. Other states need to cognize this engineering and demand to implement it. Without the engineering, we will necessarily stop up destructing ourselves and our planet. Traveling green with green engineering is the lone feasible decision.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Streetcar Named Desire

Streetcar Named Desire Streetcar Named Desire In the play, Streetcar Named Desire, the author shows two different characters, who try to conceal from their true needs through hiding and fantasizing about their own way of desire. Particularly, Stella DuBois Kowalskis, who is in the middle of every conflict in the play, is doomed from using temporary solution. She was the one who abandoned her own sister, her own family behind to escape the "tradition". Only in Stanley's society, she was able to fine her own desire. Having pleasure with Stanley, she is able to have the terrific price. Eventually, Stella's perspective towards Stanley is change from her sisters' arrival; she would never have the same life that she had with Stanley. "Stella is doomed too." From the arrival of Blanche, Stella is reminded of her traditional way of life. The life she left behind for Stanley Kowalskis. "Stella is a refined girl who has found a kind of salvation or realization, but at a terrific price."Cropped screenshot of Vivien L eigh from the traile...(Pg. 304 Kazan) She likes the idea of waiting for Stanley every night, where he makes her feel special and she has no reminder of the price she is paying. Reason for her action is not proven in the play, but it is definite that Stella was in similar position as Blanche was in when she ran away from her tradition, and searched for her desire. "She tries to conceal from herself her true needs through hiding and drugging herself in a sex relationship." (Pg. 305 Kazan) No matter how Stanley treats her, Stella is so dependent on him that she gives up so much of herself. Stella is relatively very slow on reading people's mind and she gives in, accepts, let things slide. Nevertheless, Stella is in her own paradise, but when Blanche enters, Stanley...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

6 Ways to Improve Productivity at the Workplace

6 Ways to Improve Productivity at the Workplace Employees spending long hours in the office are not an uncommon sight these days. But how much of the work day is spent productively is another matter altogether. As the saying goes â€Å"it’s not the number of hours you put into work, it is the amount of work you put in those hours†. So what can you do as an employer to increase productivity at the workplace? Here are some tips you can follow. Instill accountability in your employees. By making your workers accountable for their actions and decisions (regardless of their position), it encourages them to be more cautious and meticulous when it comes to their work, hence minimising the risk of errors. In addition, instilling accountability in your employees also gives them a sense of ownership, so that they too feel they have a stake in the company and how it performs. Manage but don’t micro-manage. The fine line between managing and micro-managing can be hard to distinguish. With micro-managing, the danger lies in your employees becoming overly dependent on you and unable to make their own decisions. To prevent such a scenario, start trusting your employees to operate in whatever style they are comfortable with to get the job done — after all, they passed the screening process during the hiring process so they must possess the necessary skills. Having faith in your workers† abilities encourages and empowers them with the confidence to give their all. On the other hand, don’t be quick to pinpoint the blame whenever trouble arises. Speak to him or her first to find out what can be done to prevent the same mistake from happening again. Motivate and reward for good results. While it may sound like common sense, many employers fail to give workers recognition for a job well done — which can result in employee morale dropping. Rewarding your hardworking employees with monetary bonuses clearly shows how much you value their work and will motivate them to continue doing their best for the company. But what if budget constraints prevent you from giving them a raise? Don’t simply remain silent and expect them to know that you recognise their efforts! In fact, it is times like these when keeping staff morale up is most important. Give your staff words of encouragement and assure them that once the situation improves, they will be rewarded accordingly. Or perhaps, offer other forms of rewards such as an increase in leave days or time off. Remember, recognition can come in many forms, not just monetary. Provide the proper equipment. When menial tasks can be automated using the office equipment, it often makes sense to do so. This helps free up manpower to work on more meaningful tasks. But it’s also important to choose equipment that is functional and easy to use. That’s why when purchasing office equipment, get the competitive edge with brands that have a history of reliability such as Canon. Offering a full spectrum of high quality imaging products from input to output, Canon business solutions are renowned for high efficiency while being low in maintenance. They also come backed with strong after-sales support to ensure your business continues to run smoothly. Provide upgrading opportunities. Just like purchasing the proper equipment helps make your employees more productive, so will upgrading their skills. By sending them for training courses, you equip them with the latest skills and introduce them to new (and potentially more efficient) ways of doing their job. However, not all skills upgrading requires spending thousands of dollars and dozens of hours in classes. Having your experienced staff share their useful knowledge with other workers can also be a form of upgrading. Break the routine. Aligning job tasks with an employee’s abilities makes perfect sense but having him or her perform the same duties 40 hours a week may become tedious and even counter-productive in the long run. To break the monotony, rotate job responsibilities from time to time and introduce new roles where possible. This allows your staff to expand their skill-set and also gives them a better understanding of how the business works. Low productivity in the workplace can jeopardise the sustainability of any business, especially SMEs, if left unresolved for some time. So be sure to monitor the efficiency of your workers; not by hovering over them like a hawk, but by communicating with them to learn about any grievances they wish to share. Tackling such issues sooner rather than later will go a long way in ensuring your business reaches its true potential.