The Chinese Economy and the MNCs

It is factual that China is one of the world’s emerging economies. It is categorized as one of the Asian tigers. This implies that its influence in the international system is felt even by developed states.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Chinese Economy and the MNCs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Chinese economy is growing at a fastest rate, which has made other players in the international financial system to review their economic policies. This paper analyzes the causes and effects of this new trend. Financial Times Report It is evident that Chinese economic and political policies are rapidly shaping the current world financial market. The recent significant step made by Chinese financial system is posing a threat to the World Bank and other global financial systems. According to the Financial Times, the Chinese Development Bank single handedly gave out $65 billion to governments and companies of the developing countries in the year 2009 and 2010. In the same period, the Chinese Export-Import Bank managed to lend out similar amount to African states and other developing countries in the Caribbean. Between mid 2008 and 2010, World Bank was able to assign a loan of $ 100.3 billion to borrowers from developing countries. This was aimed at responding to the financial crisis that occurred between mid 2008 and 2010. However, in the same period China managed to offer loans to Chinese and overseas energy producing companies at affordable interest rates, which ensured consistent production of energy even at times of financial hardships. For instance, it is notable that China issued huge loans to oil producing countries such as Russia, Brazil and Venezuela. It furthermore lent out considerable amount to the Indian company for the purchase of power equipments. Countries approached Chinese government and companies for loans to finance important projects such as railway construction in A rgentina.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This move threatened the position of developed states in the international system, which forced the world financial regimes to engage China in discussions. China was further requested to take an action in order to end the financial crisis witnessed in the years. This proves that China is a force to reckon with in the international financial market (Cheng Zhou 2007, p. 21). The issue of financing oil-producing companies in particular threatened the U.S. economy. The US government on the other hand interpreted China’s move to finance oil-processing countries as an attempt to cut it from the world oil market. Although, in the real sense states and individuals from developing countries preferred Chinese financial assistance because of its terms. The interest charged is affordable to many and some are given preferential treatment. The Chinese lending institutions charge 10% of the total amount borrowed at a period of six months while the IMF demands 20% of the total amount in the same period (Bach, Newman Weber 2006, p. 501). Most importantly, Chinese assistance is not tied to political and social values such as democracy and transparency. Chinese government engages in trade with any kind of government or leader. Western aid has conditionality that cannot be met by many. For instance, Iran cannot qualify for aid from the western powers mainly because of witnessed cases of violations against human rights (Naughton 1993, p. 495). Causes of Chinese Success in the International System It is uncontestable that the Chinese economy is expanding at a very high rate as compared to other economies. Its rampant growth is largely attributed to the large volumes of exports. However, the country also imports high volumes of raw materials from other countries. What puts China in an advantaged position is the production of cheap goods that have dominated many foreign markets. The cheap products have given other foreign products stiff competition. The Chinese economy is greatly endowed with cheap labor, which enables most Chinese companies to run their operations at affordable costs. As a result, China has been able to achieve strong competitive advantage at the global market. The purchase of foreign businesses and government bonds has also placed the Chinese economy in an influential position worldwide. For instance, the Chinese government was able to purchase the U.S (Pettis 2005, p. 28). Treasury bond after the U.S. government found itself in a large budget deficit. Similarly, China purchased the Greek bonds after the government encountered hiccups in the economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Chinese Economy and the MNCs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Europe is said to be the largest market for the Chinese products. Ho wever, many countries saw it wise to collaborate with both developing countries and fastest growing economies with an ultimate goal of mutual benefit. The recent economical policies put forward by Chinese officials are alleged to focus on furthering Chinese businesses in other countries. In addition, the Chinese government is looking forward to stabilize its currency as well as internationalizing it. This will definitely have negative effects to the U.S. currency and economy (Cai 2006, p. 627). The government decided to hedge its currency to reduce the influence of international financial crisis to the economy (Clarke 2003, p. 498). Hedging implies reducing or managing danger. This is carried out through taking a stand in the upcoming market that is contrary to the one in the existing market with the aim of reducing or preventing hazards linked to price variations. This guarantees stability to both borrowers and international businesspersons. In the beginning of 1990s, China was rel ying heavily on agricultural sector for its economic improvement. However, large portion of workforce left the rural areas in search of employment in urban centers (Wu 2005, p. 441). Today China is gradually leaving the industrial based economy towards manufacturing and service based economy. This has largely been influenced by the fact that China is strongly embracing modern technology as well as value chain. This has consequently led to production of high quality products similar to those ones from superior economies. Recent researches indicate that China is the third largest trading nation in the world. China relies heavily on exports of manufactured goods for growth of the economy. Through this, the state has experienced a 25% rise in GDP in the last twenty years. Of the total GDP, sixty percent comes from exports. China has co-opted even the most powerful states in its development agenda, especially those from the EU. Chinese trading terms have attracted the western powers forc ing them to welcome Chinese MNCs in their financial systems. In the recent arguments, it is claimed that China is growing first because of the soaring levels of exports. In fact, China has been accused of dumping goods low quality to other countries (Wu Chen 2001, p. 1246). Often, the growth of general economy through exports undervalues the wellbeing of the domestic economy. China is now embracing consumer consumption, which is an advantage to its domestic economic growth.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More China is also blamed for its high level of investment in consumer goods. The data acknowledges that about 40 percent of GDP has been made by investing in finished goods (Taylor 2002, p. 211). This kind of investment is not safe to the economy since many people prefer saving their finances to spending them in unnecessary goods. The government understood this trend and acted accordingly by restricting private and public companies from manufacturing for local markets (Ye 1992, p. 127). This encouraged many companies to produce goods that would meet international standards. The only option for local companies was to produce for goods for export Effects of Chinese Domination Although China is doing very well in the export market, the country currently imports raw materials, expertise, capital goods as well as intermediate goods from a number of trading partners (Xiao Sun 2005, p. 45). The trading partners enjoy doing business with China because of excellent prices to their raw materials . Consequently, China does not earn substantial profits in its imports and exports trade. Nevertheless, China is not only regarded as having much exports in the world but also has a high level of imports, which puts it in fourth position worldwide (Tseng Mak 1996, p. 153). China faces this consequence as result of engaging in trade with many states. As it has happened in the past, China continues to experience steady flow of Foreign Direct Investment to its economy. According to statistics, it is approximated that non-financial FDI increased from US $60.3 billion in the year 2005 to US$ 63 billion in the year 2006 (Meyer Nguyen 2005, p. 73). This represented an increase of four and a half percent within two years. The state has capitalized on this increase to build up more financial relations with other states. Japan is alleged to be the largest investor in Chinese economy followed closely by Taiwan while EU ranks in the third position, with its heavy investment being in the techn ology sector (Zhu 2001, p. 31). However, China has significantly invested in other countries mostly in ICT, telecommunication, oil and industrial sector. Accordingly, the percentage of investment in Latin America is much higher as compared to that in Asian region. In particular, the largest investment of Chinese FDI stock is in Germany followed by Spain, UK and Denmark. Generally, the GDP of China stands at US$ 3 trillion, which is large though less as compared to sixteen trillion of the entire Europe (Chow 1993, p. 123). Conversely, China buys some products from Europe. This means that in case the Euro is to stabilize, Europe has to monitor the movement of the Chinese economy. Certainly, China is shaping the world economy. Comparatively, the Chinese companies are making imperative investment in Africa. For instance, the Wu Yi Company from China has invested in infrastructural development, specifically in the construction of superhighways Kenya. In exchange, the Chinese government a nd its multinational companies get an opportunity of operating businesses within the Kenyan territory without many obstructions such as imposition of quotas, payment of high tariffs and taxes mostly imposed on foreign commodities. In most cases, the U.S. economy as well as the European financial system fails to do well. In such an event, China seems to drive the economy through its share increase at the global market. In fact, economic analysts predict that in the next 10 or 20 years China will be one of the feared world economies. Chinese MNCs The Chinese market is growing rapidly with a lot of promising restructuring going on in the financial sector. This has no doubt attracted a number of multinational corporations to the economy (Ding 2000, p. 133). These emerging firms in the Chinese market are tagged as second-generation MMCs. In most cases, these businesses come up with several objectives that improve Chinese financial system. For instance, some target to build a dominant pos ition in the market while others focus on nationwide market and establishment of excellent businesses. However, in this country several MNCs find themselves in great problems of dealing with large number of public entities. Such agencies are set up to regulate the activities of firms. Through this, the government benefits from improved trade in the country. Apparently, many MNCs always endeavor to manage different business units in different parts in order to ensure value maximization and reduction of costs (Child Tse 2001, p. 12). This strengthens Chinese economy by diversifying it. The country does not face serious financial crisis in case of recession. In dealing with local partners, managers are sometimes faced with the challenge of being new in the market. This implies that local partners fail to understand the new commodity, the market and the best mode of distribution channel. Local partners also suffer from sourcing that is, they do not know where to get finances for sustai ning business (Delios Henisz 2003, p. 1158). Another problem that faces foreign investors in China is inadequate and unskilled personnel. It is near to impossibility to get a trained manager who is willing to be employed by a foreigner in China. Although a number of challenges exist in respect to MNCs investment in China, the government came up with a few organizational policies to ensure good performance of MNCs (Guo Han 2004, p. 96). MNCs have collaborated with government to strengthen the country’s global market. The third idea was to ensure that an efficient external relationship is established among MNCs by coming up with a powerful Chinese corporate center whose responsibility would be formulation of policies and eventual implementation. Finally, the MNCs were to have close and strong control on the perceived weak joint ventures. The MNCs were to have shares in weak businesses and have a right to propose good members of staff to such investments, as well as offering e xternal support. Most of the MNCs investing in China have to follow the Chinese corporate values in order to flourish. For the past few years, it was commended that majority of MNCs with investments in China did very well partly due to good performance of Chinese economy. Specifically, China contributed about 10 percent of the global revenues mostly derived from the 180 multinational corporations (Fernando 2007, p. 367). The government decided that almost the entire MNCs in China would have to reform their businesses by coming up with rules that are more favorable to issues pertaining to investment and reposition themselves in the market by employing a global strategy (Cushman 1985, p. 306). The country benefited from MNCs’ efforts because many investors were willing to enter the market. Chinese products are no longer facing stiff competition from other products in the world. China is no longer focusing on producing cheap products but also paying much attention on producing q uality products through employment of advanced technology in the production processes. Hardly will an organization flourish in its domestic market without having the corporation of the Chinese multinational corporation. It is however fascinating to note that several companies in china are state owned. If a company is not owned by the state then most probably, the government influences its operations through regulations and legal systems (Bach, Newman Weber 2006, p. 507). The unique feature that characterizes Chinese multinational corporations is its concentration of ownership. Family members own most of the Chinese MNCs. This has been assumed to have great effect on the performance of the Chinese corporations. For instance, the Chinese companies such as the Chinese Development Bank in which family members own majority shares outperform other companies in the world due to strong corporation among shareholders. This in turn transforms the company’s performance to new heights o f success (Child Rodrigues 2005, p. 390). In addition, Chinese companies generally employ the Japanese corporate governance style in their management. This kind of corporate governance always looks on the benefits of the organization to its stakeholders. The stakeholders comprise of shareholders, managers, employees, customers and the government itself. The idea behind this is to encourage each partner to work hard towards the overall performance of the organization. Certainly, value maximization does not encourage managers to pursue a goal of maximizing profit. This automatically prevents managers from fulfilling their selfish interest and consequently increases share value maximization on the side of shareholders. Therefore, Chinese companies encourage both profit maximization and share value maximization. This guarantees cooperation between shareholders and managers, which further ensures the wellbeing of customers and employees. There is no doubt that this has been the driving force behind the success of Chinese MNCs (Deschandol Luckock 2005, p. 32). It is obvious that great deal of issues should have automatically attracted MNCs in China while at the same time promoting Chinese firms elsewhere in the world. It is certain that the high level of population assures any firm of the large size of the product market. A large market ensures that manufactured products are easily disposed off (Zhan 1995, p. 89). On the other hand, the Chinese financial institutions are preferred by most MNCs as far as capital financing is concerned. Perhaps the low interest rates offered by Chinese lending institutions as well as the long-term basis for full repayment of loans could have attracted large number of MNCs in China. In addition, most MNCs find it impossible to operate in a country, which have political policies that interfere with their smooth operations (Boisot Child 1996, p. 620). Conclusion Diverse policies have promoted investments of Chinese firms in other coun tries. For instance, the â€Å"Go Global† policy has strengthened interactions between China and other trading partners. In particular, within the African continent China was able to form the Forum for China Cooperation. This has consequently improved the style in with which China is doing business with its African partners. The connection between Africa and China is furthermore strengthened by the established investment fund which is has a budget of approximately five billion US dollars. This simply promotes more Chinese investment in the African continent. Similarly, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) that was set up to regulate and harmonize Chinese economy and its subsequent industrial policy has successfully come up with strategies that enable domestic firms to easily access loans. This is interpreted as an attempt to finance â€Å"Going Global† strategy. Transparency, liberalization and technological advancement shown by Chinese government and its investment firms have significantly led to soaring rate of outward investment. Finally, it is evident that liberalization of trade as well as government support continues to promote MNCs operations in the domestic market while promoting domestic firms’ investment abroad. It is therefore evident that China is re-shaping the world financial market through several means. Many developed countries have come up with policies aimed at countering the influence of China in the world market. Chinese corporate governance is attributable to its popularity. It should be noted that even though China is powerful economically; it remains a third world country. Many resources in the country belong to the state implying that many are languishing in poverty. List of references Bach, D, Newman, AL Weber, S 2006, â€Å"The international implications of China’s fledgling regulatory state: from product maker to rule maker†, New Political Economy, Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 499-518. Bois ot, M Child, J 1996, â€Å"From fiefs to clans and network capitalism: explaining China’s emerging economic order†, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 41, no. 4, pp 600-628. Cai, C 2006, â€Å"Outward foreign direct investment protection and the effectiveness of Chinese BIT Practise†, Journal of World Investment and Trade, Vol. 7, no. 5, pp 621-652. Cheng, LR Zhou, X 2007, â€Å"Characteristics of the new policy system of Chinese foreign direct investment†, China-USA Business Review, Vol. 6, no. 3, pp 19-21. Child, J Rodrigues, SB 2005, â€Å"The internationalization of Chinese firms: a case for theoretical extension?† Management and Organization Review, Vol. 1, no. 3, pp 381-410. Child, J Tse, DK 2001, â€Å"China’s transition and its implications for international business†, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 32, no. 1, pp 5-21. Chow, GC 1993, â€Å"How and why China succeeded in her economic reform†, Chi na Economic Review, Vol. 4, no. 2, pp 117-128. Clarke, DC 2003, â€Å"Corporate governance in China: an overview†, China Economic Review, Vol. 14, no. 3, pp 494-507. Cushman, DO 1985, â€Å"Real exchange rate risk, expectations, and the level of foreign direct investment†, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 67, no. 2, pp 297-308. Delios, A Henisz, WJ 2003, â€Å"Political hazards, experience, and sequential entry strategies: the international expansion of Japanese firms, 1980–1988†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, no. 1, pp 1153–1164. Deschandol, JM Luckock, T 2005, â€Å"Tips for foreign vendors in Chinese M A†, International Financial Law Review, Vol. 24, no. 1, pp 31-32. Ding, XL 2000, â€Å"Informal privatization through internationalization: the rise of nomenklatura capitalism in China’s offshore business†, British Journal of Political Science, Vol. 30, no. 1, pp 121-146. Fernando, S 2007, â€Å"Chrono logy of China-Africa Relations†, China Report, Vol. 43, no. 1, pp 363-373. Guo, J Han, S 2004, â€Å"Reforms of China’s foreign exchange regime and RMB exchange rate behaviour†, The Chinese Economy, Vol. 37, no. 2, pp 76-101. Meyer, KE Nguyen, HV 2005, â€Å"Foreign Investment Strategies and Sub-national Institutions in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Vietnam†, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 42, no. 1, pp 63–93. Naughton, B 1993, â€Å"Deng Xiaoping: the economist†, China Quarterly, Vol. 135, no. 1, pp 491-514. Pettis, M 2005, â€Å"Buy abroad, benefit at home†, Far Eastern Economic Review, Vol. 168, no. 7, pp 27-29. Taylor, R 2002, â€Å"Globalization strategies of Chinese companies: current developments and future prospects†, Asian Business and Management, Vol. 1, no. 2, pp 209-225. Tseng, CS Mak, SKM 1996, â€Å"Strategy and motivation for PRC outward direct investments with particular reference to enterprises from t he Pearl River Delta†, in Macpherson, JYS Cheng, Y (eds.) Economic and Social Development in South China, Edward Elgar, London, pp 140-161. Wu, HL Chen, CH 2001, â€Å"An assessment of outward foreign direct investment from China’s transitional economy†, Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 53, no. 8, pp 1235-1254. Wu, X 2005, â€Å"General Situation of the implementation of â€Å"Going Global† strategy in 2005†, in MOFCOM (ed.), China Commerce Yearbook 2006, MOFCOM, Beijing, pp 440-443. Xiao, J Sun, F 2005, â€Å"The challenges facing outbound Chinese MA†, International Financial Law Review, Vol. 24, no. 12, pp 44-46. Ye, G 1992, â€Å"Chinese transnational corporations†, Transnational Corporations, Vol. 1, no. 2, pp 125-133. Zhan, JX 1995, â€Å"Trans-nationalization and outward investment: the case of Chinese firms†, Transnational Corporations, Vol. 4, no. 3, pp 67-100. Zhu, R 2001, â€Å"Report on the outline of the Tenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (Excerpts)†, in Shi Guangsheng (ed.) Almanac of China’s Foreign Economic Relations and Trade 2001, MOFCOM, Beijing, pp 31-44. This essay on The Chinese Economy and the MNCs was written and submitted by user Ray Wolfe to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conjugating Chasser in French

Conjugating Chasser in French When you want to say to hunt or to chase in French, use the verb  chasser. This is pretty straightforward because it looks and sounds a lot like the English chase. You will find that conjugating  chasser  is relatively easy as well. Conjugating the French Verb  Chasser Chasser  is a  regular -ER verb  and that means we can use the most common verb conjugation pattern. If you learn how to transform this word to the appropriate tense, it makes similar words like  cesser  (to stop) and  brà »ler  (to burn)  a little easier to learn. Conjugating is as simple as recognizing the stem in this case,  chass   and adding the appropriate ending. For the  je  (I) present tense, its as simple as an -e  and for the future  je, it will be -erai. Unlike English, French requires you to match the subject pronoun with the tense. In English, hunting applies no matter if youre talking about I, you, or we, but in French, each subject requires a different ending. The chart will help you learn these forms: I hunt is je chasse and we will hunt is nous chasserons. Subject Present Future Imperfect je chasse chasserai chassais tu chasses chasseras chassais il chasse chassera chassait nous chassons chasserons chassions vous chassez chasserez chassiez ils chassent chasseront chassaient The Present Participle of  Chasser Using the stem of  chasser, add the ending -ant  and you have the  present participle  chassant. This is a verb  but can be used as an adjective, gerund, or noun as well. The Passà © Composà © and Past Participle A  common way to express the past tense in French is the  passà © composà ©. To use this, conjugate the  auxiliary verb  avoir  to match the subject, then add the  past participle  chassà ©. For example, I chased is jai chassà © and we hunted is nous avons chassà ©. More  Chasser  Conjugations to Know In less frequent instances, you may find a use for the following conjugations. The subjunctive and conditional are used when there is uncertainty to the verb and these are used quite often. In contrast, the passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are rare and found primarily in literature. In the least, you should be able to recognize each of these. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je chasse chasserais chassai chassasse tu chasses chasserais chassas chassasses il chasse chasserait chassa chassà ¢t nous chassions chasserions chassà ¢mes chassassions vous chassiez chasseriez chassà ¢tes chassassiez ils chassent chasseraient chassà ¨rent chassassent To use  chasser  in an exclamation and quickly request or demand something be hunted, use the imperative. When doing so, its perfectly acceptable to skip the subject pronoun and say only the verb: chasse rather than  tu chasse. Imperative (tu) chasse (nous) chassons (vous) chassez

ISMG 3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ISMG 3000 - Essay Example Debbi’s passionate zeal for baking and Randy’s business sense was complementary for starting a successful business. Hence, Debbi and Randy would seem to have reasonable future for each other. Debbi’s cookies were very much in demand amongst Randy’s clients which inspired Debbi to start an independent business of selling cookies. Debbi had confidence on her expertise in making mouth watering cookies which had always been very popular amongst her relatives. She was therefore able to convince her husband, Randy for starting a cookie business. Her main goal was to bake great cookies and make customers feel good. Thus, it was important for her to create an ambience of caring that would attract customers and provide them with quality cookies to make them feel good. On the other hand, Randy’s goal was to develop an enviable corporate structure with state of the art information technology that would help run the various operations smoothly. His goal was to exploit technology to optimize information flow within and across stores so that effective decision making could be based on informed choice. He strongly believed that machines must relieve people of mundane task and make them free to exploit their creativity in ways that would benefit the business like selling cookies directly to customers and giving personal touch. Debbi was in dilemma while opening her second store of Mrs. Fields’ Cookies. She loved baking cookies and strongly believed that personal involvement was an important part of running successful cookie business. She was afraid of delegating and thought that it might lower the quality of her cookies and most importantly, she would not be able to interact with her customers. Thus, the dilemma was genuine as she could not be in both the places at the same time. Her management style was fundamentally based on the simple principle that if one believes in something, one would be more convincing. Hence,

Sampling and Data Collection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sampling and Data Collection - Assignment Example A research problem where probability sampling is appropriate is in a study of effects of brand modification on a product’s popularity. The research problem targets a diversified population by such factors as age, income, levels of education, and area of residence. Significance of sub-populations, within the factors, may further vary and a representative sample that also factors relative significance of the sub-populations requires a stratified random sampling approach. The population is in the case divided into the subgroups and each group allocated a probability of sampling a participant. Random sampling is a method of obtaining a sample, based on unrestricted probability sampling approach, while random selection is an approach to allocating sampled research participants to different groups in a study (Black, 1999; Christensen, Johnson, and Turner, 2011). Random assignment is important in experimental research situations in which participants are to be assigned to treatment and control

The impact of the new technologies is revolutionising typographic Essay

The impact of the new technologies is revolutionising typographic practice. How is typograhpy and the role of typographic designers changing to meet new challen - Essay Example drew Haslam (2005), in their book Type and Typography, referred to the term as that concerned with the creation of typefaces and their arrangement to convey a message. (introduction) There are various other versions of these definitions but it all boils down to one thing: Typography’s existence occurred sometime in the 15th century and is tied with the invention of the printing press because it was responsible for the mechanical notation and arrangement of language. To borrow the words of Philipp Meggs, Rob Carter and Ben Day (2002): â€Å"The development of printing technology so drastically changed the nature of written communication that the term typography was coined to describe the study, use, and design of sets of identical repeated letterforms. According to Meggs, Carter and Day, the invention of typography was, in fact, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, writing that the earliest mechanization of a handicraft is the hand-lettering of books. (p. 103) With the above information established, we underscore that typography evolves because of technology and thus, have had slightly differing meanings at different periods of history. In the age of the metal type, for instance, type and typeface were distinguished from each other, while in today’s digital age, they are used interchangeably. This will discussed, further later on. Peter Bil’ak offered us an interesting perspective when he said that typography should not be connected to any specific medium because it tends to change and evolve. The idea is that we continue to define and redefine the visual systems of visual language. We see this in the great leap we have achieved since the cave paintings to the synthesis of the digital pictographs. Tova Rabinowitz (2006) tells us that the widespread participation in typography’s recent evolution and its vibrant and experimental nature present an optimistic outlook for the continuation of type as a vehicle for expression and a democratizing cultural

The River Murray, Australia

The River Murray, Australia 1. Introduction The river Murray is one of the largest river in Australia and also known as The Mighty River and Murray Darling the name of the basin is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River. River Murray had been in Australia for thousands of years and it is the biggest river in Australia, there are many activities that happened along the river side for many years and the impact of human to the river is very big. It is a major source of domestic water for 1.25 million people. Hydro-electricity generated from the River and supplies electricity for Victoria and New South Wales; but the water of the river is getting more polluted meanwhile the Murray valley is becoming well known for its tourism. 2. Geographical location The Murray Darling river pass through Australia and because of its length as the total 2.341 miles and Murray river pass through Corryong, Albury-Wodonga, Echuca, Moama and Swan Hill. It content: 85 species of mammals, with 20 extinct and 16 endangered, 53 species of frogs, with none endangered, 46 species of snakes, with 5 endangered, 5 species of tortoises, with none endangered, and 34 species of fish, with none endangered. Total water flow in the Murray-Darling in the period in 1885 is average 24,000 gigalitres per year. Estimated total annual flows for the river range from 5,000 gigalitres and in 1902 to 57,000 gigalitres in 1956 and average rainfall = 480 mm/year = 508,000 GL/year 3. History It is thought that the Murray Darling River was formed about 60 million years ago. The Murray Darling region is full of fascinating history 40 thousand years ago, through to the more recent times of early European settlement. The history of the Murray River in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the Murray River became an important transportation route to carry goods to and from Melbourne. Between 2.5 and 0.5 million years ago the Murray River end and form freshwater lake that called Lake Bungunia. Discovered by European explorers Hamilton H. Hume and William H. Hovell in 1824. The river also the start of many species of animal in Australia for example: emus, koala bears, Western Grey kangaroos, Bearded Dragon lizards, red-rumped parrots, black swans, pelicans, and dolphins. For many years in history the Murray Darling river help people co carry wood, wheat, and facilities up and down the river the first trips being made by two boats from South Australia. In 1919 a dam that name Hume D am had been build and the dam had change the entire river. Hume Dam is located in the downstream of the Murray River and Mitta Mitta River 16 kilometers east of Albury-Wodonga the dam is 2,225 km from the Murray mouth at Goolwa. 4. Impact of human use The industrial and domestic needs for water have meant that regulation and control of the rivers natural flow that effect the plant and animal that depend on the river. The use of locks and dams interrupted the river flow and restrict water in some area that needed, while other areas receive more water than they normally would in a heavy rainfall or flooded. This has affected the breeding cycles of animals and plants depend on the river. The river system is now in a serious problem with salinity. This problem is blame for agriculture because of the fertilizer, chemical and pesticide runoff that put into the water then increase the amount of salt flow into the water, it is also blame for lower productivity such as the poor water quality and flooding. It is estimated that salinity costs the users of the Murray River $47 million each year to filter the water for usage. Dame use in river had changed the entire river and life along the river side. Hume Dame had limited the amount of water flow and extremely lowers the water level. The lower water level makes agricultural decrease its productivity and salinity is increase because that water level is too low so it cant dilute the water. Because of the salinity so animal and plant had a very big impact and at the Murray mouth at Goolwa, it had been found that the water is just like sea water because of its pollution. And because of these effects, its affect the water use of people and affect the peoples who use water from the river as water resource.

Essay --

1. BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON THE SYSTEM This project is to develop a web-based service application for The Malaysian Association of Practicing Opticians (MAPO) with database system. The project is focused to solve client problem, generally to convert the file-based system into a web-based service with database. Title of this system is â€Å"MAPO Membership Loyalty System† that performed as web-based application, allows the organization to manage their clients and solve other matter arise. 1.1 COMPANY BACKGROUND The Malaysian Association of Practicing Opticians (MAPO) is the professional body that represents optometrists in Malaysia. Optometrists are graduates with at least a Bachelor of Optometry degree from a recognized university. Some optometrists also possess other entry-level qualifications such as the professional masters and doctoral degrees in optometry. Optometrists are the primary eye care professionals who provide comprehensive eye examination and vision care services which include: prescription of glasses and contact lenses, rehabilitation of the visual system in lazy eyes and in cases of binocular vision difficulties, and the detection of common eye diseases. MAPO was born in 1985 and this year they are celebrating its 28th Successful Year. The association has been greatly active throughout these years, organizing fairs and educations to help their members upgrading their knowledge, hence provide a better service in the market. Consists of a large group of professionals, the association was formed with the following objectives: 1. To raise or improve the standard of practice in order to project an image of professionalism. 2. To protect the overall interest of MAPO members. 3. Strive to provide the best primary eyecare to t... ...on each request are imposed to fully dependence to the application service / server as its responsibility. This is to ensure that there are no sniffing to potentially leaked data management to the very complex details such variable names, row / column / tuple name of database and even exposed unsecure port. However, as using three tier client server architecture with asp.net services, too much security might overly restrict the end user thus denying the actual service that should be able available for them. Developer could be blamed if this matter are arise especially during their essential works. Thus using unique cached ID together with RBAC trained services and sessions, it’s like digging a secured tunnel for the respective user for them to work without any interruption as every path are measured and assigned with the suitable permission and access validation.

Reaction Paper †Fiction: Short Story

â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† is a small story written by Katherine Anne Porter, the American writer. It was published in 1930 along with other short stories alike, as part of story collection called â€Å"Flowering Judas†. The reaction to this fiction story from a reader’s point of view I’m going to express in this short essay. The whole setting of this story is drawn around the bed of Ms. Weatherall, where she is spending the last moments of her life. The author is focusing her attention on Granny’s thoughts in form of her own self-monologue. The other characters present in the final scene of Granny’s life are: her own daughter, Cornelia, Dr. Harry, the priest, and her grandchildren, who are invited to visit their grandmother before she dies. The fact that Granny Weatherall is having a serious illness is concealed from her by the doctor and the relatives. Being close to death Ms. Weatherall is staying in bright mind and is rehearsing her own thoughts of the past and is fantasizing about present as what she would do if she did not have to stay in bed. The other characters in the story display little action, like quiet talk of Granny’s daughter to the doctor that irritates Ms. Weatherall as she starts feeling more concern about herself. The doctor, on the other hand, is trying to cheer Ms. Weatherall up by telling her that she is looking good and referring to her as â€Å"little girl†, which is inappropriate with ladies of her age. The author is mainly concentrating on Granny’s thoughts in this story. In her memories she goes back into past, sees her husband that died many years ago, and, even against her will, she reminds about events that happened to her when she was a teenager. The author is writing the story the way readers can see not only old woman dying among her relatives but as she watches her own life before her eyes before she passes away. The other people who surround Ms. Weatherall seem not to destruct her from her own thoughts with their actions. The concept of this inner journey is to introduce the reader to Ms. Weatherall’s personality and what her life was about. All the sudden the old lady is seeing things that happened to her many years ago, the memories she either regretted or kept hidden through her entire life. These memories become so lose that she almost experiences them over again after so many years. The author makes it obvious that the old lady has given her heart and soul to being a mother and wife up to her final breath. The whole flow of the story changes as Ms. Weatherall gets close to dying. It seems like the flow of her thoughts is becoming more emotional. Granny starts denying her critical condition and it seems like sh e loses control over the situation. She recalls, once when she thought she was close to dying twenty years ago she did not feel that way and she did not expect death coming. This event has given her the experience of not being afraid of it. She survived that day, and from that point on death has become something invisible to her. Granny almost fell as she could get up of the bed and return to her daily activities. In her own thoughts she acts as she has got things to do tomorrow. She displays incredible stubbornness and will to continue as her death comes closer. The author wanted to make connection between the simple rehearsal of thoughts to almost euphorical state of mind as death comes closer. Ms. Weatherall was always an honest catholic, and her faith in God is inspiring her even now. She remembers, when she was young her faith helped her to overcome any obstacles, and everything she was about to take on could easily be accomplished. â€Å"Thank God there was a little margin over for peace: then a person could spread out the plan of life and tuck in the edges orderly†. Finally Granny Weatherall rests in peace like her long lived father who was her hero and whose image she kept in her mind until her final hour. I personally like the story and how it is told. I found myself relate to this story because a year ago I went through the same period of sorrow when my grandmother was passing away. In this story I felt not only sympathy to Ms. Weatherall as I read it, but I was pleasantly impressed of her courage and will to live even after knowing that she was close to dying. I think this is because she is not only courageous person but she truly has God in her heart. I think this is a really good work by the author as she found a very interesting theme of life and death. I read somewhere that each person before dying sees their own life flashing before them. This was a really good example of interpretations of final thoughts of person and emotional preparation to the end of life.

Iroj Shrestha Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers

Iroj Shrestha Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers Iroj Shrestha Miss Vines EN 100-19 3 February 2016 A Week with a Hundred Adventure It was 7 o'clock in the morning, and my cup was still warm with half filled coffee. A vibration with a beep; a message from my boss "See you in my office by 0800." This was how he had exactly texted me. His brand new office set up, the smell of fresh paint, and a chocolate-colored wooden floor was nice to enjoy with the sound of my footsteps. His frown wrinkled face with a handful of paper could easily express what I was assigned for. A new office, new boss and a new task. I got out of his office with the job specs, a brief description of a place we were heading for, shelter points, logistics management paper and a 4x4 map. Trucks were passing through the gate in a convoy and there was a jeep arranged for us to manage until the first rendezvous at Gorkha. "Have a good day, son" he patted on my shoulder, with a brief nod saying no single word, I jumped into the jeep. I shouldn't have address seniors that way, but I was already on the jeep. The only thing I could always hear was the sound of the engine disregarding the folk song in that audio system I switched myself to earbuds. The highway was dense with trees on both sides and some small huts selling hot tea. After a 6 hours drive we were at first rendezvous, it was almost dark at the bank of a river where we had set up for our first night before a week trek to Lamjung. "sir, supper is ready" a 6 feet tall muscular guy stood in front of me. "Okay, serve our boys first and get me a packet of cigarette" I said. "sir, there are no any stores around here, we are at the bank of a river" he responded. A chilly night without a cigarette I thought to myself and said "its okay, you can leave". A table with a folding mechanism was laid and two chairs and the supper was ready. I asked one of my boys "why is this extra chair here?" "sir" he responded, "Maj. Basnet will be here to join you for the dinner." "well, where is he?" I asked. "Sir, he is on the phone and said he would be back soon." It's freezing and I don't know why we are made to wait for seniors all the time. With a majestic voice Major Basnet said "hey, you could have started" "Its okay, sir" I replied. Basnet was tall, short haired and kind of mute all the time as I was not. After the supper Major Basnet stood up and expressed his appreciation for our hospitality. "Thank you for the dinner, Charlie Company and welcome to your very first adventure mr., "Iroj, Sir" I replied. "Okay, Iroj have a good night" he responded. "good night, sir." Strange and short conversation anyway the food was great. Melodies from the chirping birds and a harsh pull of boot lace woke me up. I slowly pulled the zipper down the sleeping bag and got out of my tent. "Good morning, sir" all my boys roared at one voice "Good morning guys". We were all set to march after reporting Maj. Basnet. I would really miss the chance viewing such magnificent scenic views if I was not listed to on the move. Anyway, I should thank Col. For his graciousness providing me this opportunity I thought to myself. Walking all day long with one heavy lunch and no dinner arrangements, sounds pretty much survival training. And for me, it was a real survival as I had no any cigarettes for the day until the next rendezvous which was village Maaling. Small creeks, dense wood, damp smelling soil, large rocky hills were all we had to come across and move on like we had no other clue to Maaling. Finally, we made the second rendezvous point, village Maaling. Well, If I have to define someday a paradise, it would be no other than village Maaling. Located at a peak of a hill, to lay a beautiful village with merely fifty houses was like god's creativity,

The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church †Research Paper

The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church – Research Paper Free Online Research Papers The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church Research Paper Objectively speaking, an icon is a two-dimensional work of art found in the Eastern Orthodox religion, often portraying religious figures such as Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and various saints. Obviously, icons (sometimes spelled ikons) are revered in this tradition, but their precise significance is often hard to understand. The very concept of religious images is, in fact, a broad area of concern, one that did not begin even with Christianity (Gerhard 8). However, the case within this specific tradition is a very unique one. In Eastern Orthodoxy, icons are religious works of art, which, although possessing a long history and complexity of manufacture, are centrally concerned with portraying a symbolic message and serving as a tool of worship rather than exhibiting any aesthetic value. The origin of religious concern for representative images does not lie with the Eastern Orthodox faith, nor did it begin with Christianity at all. The Mosaic law of Judaism contained a tenet which read, â€Å"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth† (Exodus 20:4). Although the English translation appears quite clear, in ancient Judaism, this commandment was a constant subject of argumentation, as many interpreted the word â€Å"image† as closer to â€Å"idol† than any literal image (9). The developing Christian world, however, was nurtured in a land influenced by more than Jewish tradition. The Greek attitude toward images and even image worship was quite favorable. Paintings and statues of their mythical gods and heroes covered classical Greece, while even Rome adopted the Greek imagery into the culture of its own people (12). In addition, the Syrian civilization introduced to the Mediterranean world its own artistic style of frontal poses and large facial features (Cavarnos 14). Israel, the birthplace and location of the ministry of Jesus, was the cradle of Christianity and was centrally Jewish, which usually rejected images unconditionally. However, Christianity was quickly becoming an expanding church, and its increasing acceptance forced Christians throughout the Old World to evaluate their stand on representative images (Gerhard 14). Among the Orthodox tradition, there exists a legend of the first icon, which began with Christ. John Stuart explains: Tradition has it that Abgar, King of Edessa, who was afflicted with leprosy, heard tell that Christ could restore him to health. He accordingly sent one Ananias as an ambassador to Palestine with instructions to find Our Lord and return with him to Edessa. When Ananias finally caught up with him, Christ was addressing a great throng of people. Being unable to approach nearer, Ananias began to sketch the face of Christ, although needless to say, with very little success. But Christ was aware of what Ananias was doing. When he had dismissed the crowds, he took a piece of linen; soaking it in water, he pressed it firmly to his face and then handed it to Ananias. When the latter had taken the towel into his hands, he saw that Christ’s features were clearly imprinted upon it. Christ declined to go to Edessa but promised to send a disciple after his death. And Edessa was to become, in fact, the first Christian state. Meanwhile, Ananias was instructed to take the towel to King Abgar, as a substitute for Christ’s presence. (31) Eventually, with the increasing influx of complete Mediterranean culture in the Christian world, images gained greater acceptance. In the Byzantine area (the region around Constantinople named for the old name of the city, Byzantium), the Christian imagery was mostly affected by the Hellenistic (Greek and Roman) and Syrian culture (Cavarnos 14). The central Hellenistic influence in Christian iconography was the art of mosaics. Early Christians used this technique to decorate the walls, floors, domes, etc of their churches. Syrian art effectively gave rise to the use of frescoes in Christian churches. The third type of icon- the panel icon- is the most widely used in Russia and most other regions of the Orthodox faith. It consists of a picture painted on a chalk-covered wooden panel treated with an egg solution, or tempera (17). The actual process of creating a panel icon is very complex. First, the icon-maker must go search for the correct type of wood. Cypress was used in Greece; birch and oak were often sought after in Russia, as well as was a good, sturdy pine from Siberia (Gerhard 208). After carving the panel into the correct size and shape with an axe or two-handed plane, it is stored away to remove its moisture. This process normally takes five or six years. After this period, gesso, or chalk, is ground onto its surface to prepare the panel for the next step. This step involves the draughtsman, who sketches the basic outline of the picture in charcoal. When this is completed, he removes the charcoal and paints the outline in a black-colored paint. After the fundamental outline of the image is complete, the surface is gilded with an egg-paste mixture to prepare it for the actual pigmented paint (Stuart 42). On the icon, the first sections painted are the background (such as buildings and nature) and the clothing of the subjects involved. Normally, gold ornamentation follows, which involves painting on sticky resin followed by the application of light gold sheets, after which the sheets are polished. Next, the icon-painter begins painting the subjects’ faces. These comprise the most precise skill on the part of the painter, who must endow the faces with the very spirit and life force of the subject in the picture. A layer of varnish, normally comprised of linseed or olive oil is applied. Finally, it is transported to a church for a blessing (Gerhard 210). The icon is then complete. The Byzantine art style is fundamentally different from the classic western style of realistic sketches and Renaissance-type paintings. The icon painter, as a member of this Byzantine tradition, approaches art with symbols in mind, rather than a realistic concept of some natural object (Stuart 25). Much like a Chinese calligrapher wanting to depict a tree in a work of writing composes a specific character meaning â€Å"tree,† rather than drawing any actual tree that he may see or conceptualize, the icon painter creates specific symbolic paintings that illustrate the various religious ideas wishing to be expressed. Truly, iconography is more concerned with symbolism than physical appearances. The object of an icon is to capture the spirit and meaning of what the image is trying to portray. Constantine Cavarnos maintains that â€Å"True iconography is intended to take us beyond anatomy and the three-dimensional world of matter to a realm that is immaterial, spaceless, timeless- the realm of the spirit, of eternity. And hence the forms and colors are not those that one customarily observes around him, but have something unworldly about them† (38). Indeed, these metaphors elicit associations and can give an extended message than what is possible in a work concerned with physical beauty and perspective exactness. It is of importance to note that the colors used in an icon are metaphorical rather than actual; icon colors often do not follow the color patterns in nature. Rather than making sure all the colors are in harmony with natural appearance, the icon painter will seek a harmony with the spiritual message in his art. Colors are very important for this harmony; each color symbolizes an aspect of the icon and gives a special meaning. For instance, deep red and royal purple are symbolic of the blood of Christ and are often used for the shoes of royal figures. Blue represents heaven and the ethereal. The greens and browns are usually used in familiar manners, representing the earth and vegetation- a reminder of our existence on this earth. From scarlet red comes vigor and vitality, a color used for the blood of martyrs and the cloak of St. George. Orange-red symbolizes the purification of the spirit. White suggests purity and colors the garments of Christ and his angels (28). To give a specific example of the abstract nature of icon art, the faces of the characters depicted always are turned facing the viewer- the person giving their respects and their prayers. This rule holds true regardless of the character’s perspective position in their environment (Upensky 60). In fact, not only are the heads facing the viewer, the important figures in the image have their entire body turned outward in this manner. The rest, the less important, are normally subject to the laws of three-dimensional perspectives. Additionally, where those significant figures are generally depicted as stationary, the rest are again interacting with their environment and are often moving (65). Superceding the hassle over the concern of the icon complying with the â€Å"hows† of natural laws and perspectives is the concern of why the natural laws work. This question of â€Å"why?† has always been a consideration for Byzantine religious artists. They do not comply with the classic paintings- those that depict photographically accurate settings; again, icons portray the religious nature and symbolism of their scenes (Stuart 36). A naturalistic painting may show Saint Peter as tall and powerful, completely in perspective with his environment, but an icon will depict him in an unrealistic-looking but completely symbolic and explanatory setting. Icons may be placed in any location, such as a home or shop, but the central location where they are situated is, of course, the church. When one enters an Orthodox church, immediately noticeable is the iconostasis- a giant screen, composed of wood or marble, that supports the panel icons. On top of the iconostasis is a large cross with the figure of the crucified Christ. In Eastern Orthodoxy, there is great significance given to the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, whose icons are placed on the iconostasis to the right and left of Christ (Cavarnos 23). In most church buildings, icons cover most of the interior. As mentioned before, each icon portrays a religious message. When all the icons are displayed, the composite of the images inside the church gives the building an entirely new symbolism. The church is, in effect, a microcosm for the universe, where the iconographic messages reveal the universal plan of eternal salvation (Stuart 38). During church services, the icons are ritually given respect. The deacon of the church wields a censer and directs it toward the icons. This indicates to the congregation that they are to contemplate the icons and understand that the saints painted on the icons are participating in the service in a similar manner as the worshippers themselves (33). Icons in the Eastern Orthodox tradition serve several primary purposes. Most apparent to outsiders is their aesthetic value. They embellish and amplify the beauty of a church. Secondly, they instruct their faithful members in matters of doctrine, many times employing symbols that effectively surpass written doctrine (Cavarnos 30). Icons also remind these members of their faith. Their powerful message serves to remind and awaken the faith of the members of the church. In almost every instance, a saint or holy figure is portrayed on the icon. This serves to set an example for the members of the Eastern Orthodox faith. The righteous individual on the icon gives them a model with which to pattern their lives. This person on the image causes the member to be stirred up in faith and righteous zeal (32). Surpassing all other purposes, the icon is a conduit for prayer and worship (Stuart 29). Each member of the congregation is allowed to light a candle, come to an icon, and make the sign of the cross. They then will reverence the icon with a kiss and say a prayer (Ugolnik 45). The Eastern Orthodox Church makes it very clear, however, that its members are not worshipping the icon, but giving it â€Å"honorable reverence.† Worship is due only to God, and the icon is a medium through which that worship may be expressed (Cavarnos 33). This worship is the ultimate fulfillment of Byzantine iconography. Even with its extensive history and stunning methods of artistry, the sacredness of the icon surpasses all aesthetic and external value. The symbolism of the holy icon is truly the center of Eastern Orthodox worship. It allows its members to transcend their visible physical reality and enter into the ultimate reality, where spiritual truth is juxtaposed with material truth (Stuart 39). It allows one to comprehend the mutual dependence of matter and spirit and truly gives a perspective of far greater significance than the visible temporal universe that one is commonly allowed. Cavarnos, Constantine. Orthodox Iconography. Belmont, Massachusetts: The Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Science, 1977. Gerhard, H.P. The World of Icons. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1971. Stuart, John. Ikons. London: Faber and Faber, 1975. Ugolnok, Anthony. The Illuminating Icon. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989. Upensky, Boris. The Semiotics of the Russian Icon. Lisse: The Peter DeRidder Press, 1976. Research Papers on The Icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church - Research PaperCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoMind TravelGenetic EngineeringBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and Autumn

Gasoline Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gasoline Economics - Essay Example According to the above diagram, the positive in demand curve from D1 to D2 will result in increasing in price (P) and quantity (Q) of the gasoline. As a result the supply curve will shift to the right from S1 to S2. Equilibrium is the point where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied, thus there's no surplus of goods and no shortage of goods. Initially, E1 is the equilibrium point and due to the increase in demand, equilibrium shows at E2. However after the demand increase supply will decrease and equilibrium point shows at E3. According to the above diagram, the positive in demand curve from D1 to D2 will result in increasing in price (P) and quantity (Q) of the gasoline. As a result the supply curve will shift to the right from S1 to S2. Equilibrium is the point where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied, thus there's no surplus of goods and no shortage of goods. Initially, E1 is the equilibrium point and due to the increase in demand, equilibrium shows at E2. However after the demand increase supply will decrease and equilibrium point shows at E3. Figure 1: Demand for and Supply of gasoline According to the above diagram, the positive shift in demand curve from D1 to D2 will result in an increase in price (P) and quantity (Q) of the gasoline. As a result the supply curve Source: Review of Economics and Statistics, 57(4), 502-07 According to the above diagram, the positive in demand curve from D1 to D2 will result in increasing in price (P) and quantity (Q) of the gasoline. As a result the supply curve will shift to the right from S1 to S2. Equilibrium is the point where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied, thus there's no surplus of goods and no shortage of goods. Initially, E1 is the equilibrium point and due to the increase in demand, equilibrium shows at E2. However after the demand increase supply will decrease and equilibrium point shows at E3.Suppliers adopt their own strategies in order to meet contingency demand by consumers. As a result suppliers tend to change their strategy according to the shifts in demand (Comnor, & Jon, 2001). Assuming a greater degree of pressure on supplier networks coming from greater market demand, suppliers would up their stake in the ultimate outcomes of the corporate strategy and business policy. This is the inevitable result of growing power of big Gasol ine organizations becoming more and more independent on to expand business. (B) Consumer demand and behavior - related to GasolineConsumers are very important for the business organization in determining its corporate strategy. For example customers can either make or break a business organization on the basis of demand. The business organization depends on customers' perceptive behavior to such an extent that the former has very little freedom in deciding the corporate strategy and production policy in any other possible way. The Gasoline prices have a big impact on consumer behavior. Thus consumers are not very responsive with their demand related to changes in the gasoline prices. As a result of rising gasoline prices consumers have been forced to cut down on their other needs and wants needed for their day today life. It also reduces savings and real income growth and other forms of consumption such as entertainment, eating out, electronic items, and vacations. Thus that the percentage of income set apart for gas and oil is inversely proportional to inco me. That is the less a person earns the higher the percentage set apart for

Reliability, Maintainability, and Supportability of COTS Research Paper

Reliability, Maintainability, and Supportability of COTS - Research Paper Example The use of COTS is wide spread across many business and governmental programs; this is because these products offer significant savings in maintenance, procurement and development. The motivation behind the usage of COTS a component includes reduced maintenance cost in the long run and hopes that the overall system cost and development, this is because components can be licensed or bought instead of developing them. COTS were considered remedies for intractable problems during the 1990s. COTS development came into being with tradeoffs which were not so obvious. An example been initial and development cost and time which not so much a problem can be reduced but at the expense of another. Such as depending on a third party who is to lease components and increase in the integration of software component works. Software specifications are encrypted externally so government agencies view that in the long run when changes are done to the product compatibility will be a hindrance (McKinney 23). COTS reliability can be verified using an analysis and reliability estimation technique applicable to high level designs. The technique is known as Scenario-Based Reliability Estimation (SBRE). SBRE is specific for COTS whose analysis is purely based on executable scenarios. While using scenarios, we construct a probability model known as Component Dependency Graph (CDG). These are graphs which represent component reliability, components, interface and link reliability, transition probabilities, transitions, components average time of execution. In CDG, components link and interface reliabilities are given focus as the first class elements to be put in the model. The reliability of the application is analyzed by an algorithm presented its analysis also include; reliability of its interface and components. The SBRE algorithm identifies critical component interface and critical components by interpolating the sensitivity of the application reliability to changes in the interface and components. To ensure a software application is reliable is a difficult task even if it was commercially pretested therefore, there has been the emergence of several techniques for analysis and estimation of components based application reliability. And they are categorized as: Component Based Reliability Estimation - the reliability of the application is estimated using the individual’s components reliability and interconnection mechanism. System Level Reliability Estimation – applications reliability is estimated as a whole. For example using system level architecture evaluation or system testing (Ammar, H , et al, 2004) Underestimating the technical risk associated with evaluation, integration and selection of software components can result to high maintenance/development cost and long schedule delays. Trends in computer based products, such as mobile phones and vehicles, is shorter lifecycles and shorter. Therefore, time spent on the development of new versions of a product or new products must be reduced. A solution to one of the emerging problems is reusing of solutions and software designs in new versions of products and systems. Properly handling reuse will greatly improve the reliability since the code is executed in a different context and longer time. However, reuse is not trivial; it puts strong demands on the methods of development in order to achieve success. Reuse