Global Poverty Essay

Poverty is the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs e. g. nutrition, clothing, shelter, clean water, healthcare etc. Mahatma Gandhi has previously referred to it as the worst form of violence. Prior to the industrial revolution, poverty had been mostly accepted as inevitable as economies produced little thus making wealth scarce. Today, rises in the cost of living makes poor people less able to afford basic human needs e. g. poor people spend a big portion of their budgets on food in comparison to the rich. It is, however, not enough to blame the poor for their predicament. Governments have also been culpable as they pursue policies that harm successful development. Globalization leads to decisions, policies and practices that are typically influenced, driven or formulated by the rich. These have resulted in a few people getting wealthy while the majority struggle. Poverty is determined by finding the total cost of all essential resources that an average human adult consumes in a year. Poverty threshold or the poverty line is the minimum level of income that is necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country. It is significantly higher in developed countries than it is in the developing world. Poverty threshold is a useful economic tool which measures poverty on a global scale. Poverty was identified by the United Nations early this century as the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that each country was to work towards eradicating by 2015. Statistically, this goal still seems a long way off going by current indicators. According to the World Bank Development Indicators 2008, at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $1 a day with more than 80% of the population living in countries where income differentials are widening. It is also prudent to note that the poorest 40% of the world’s population accounts for 5% of global income. The richest 20% account for three-quarters of world income. There are various causes that have been identified as contributing to global poverty. From a historical perspective, most poor countries were vassals of the great colonial powers of the 19th and 20th centuries. At independence, exit strategies by the colonial masters resulted in geographical boundaries that were inspired more by politics than the creation of new states. Too many countries found themselves lacking a critical mass of resources or with the population being landlocked thus explaining why a significant portion of today’s global poverty exists in war torn and post-conflict countries e. g. the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also, the newly independent countries were also denied fair representation in international negotiations either by exclusion or lack of capacity. Global trade rules have obstructed developing countries from reproducing proven models of industrialization with Agriculture, a mainstay of most African economies, being impeded by massive subsidies. Many developing countries have been architects of their own misfortune with self perpetuating kleptomaniac governance which fails to invest in agriculture. The broader lack of institutional capacity and infrastructure hinders delivery of aid programmes and business investments and is responsible for perpetuating global poverty. To aggregate global poverty on a consistent basis, the World Bank calculates an international poverty line by reference to the average of the national poverty lines in 10-20 of the world’s poorest countries. Using data from 2005, the international poverty line of $1. 25 resulted. However, two countries with the largest populations in the world i. e. India and China have adopted national poverty lines which are even lower. India’s approach, for example, is based on the food poverty line which gives a national poverty rate of 28% compared to 42% on the international basis. Based on World Bank figures, the number of people living below the international poverty line of $1. 25 fell from 1. 8 billion to 1. 4 billion between 1990 and 2005. China accounted for 465 million of this reduction implying that poverty had increased elsewhere within the period e. g. in Sub-Saharan Africa, the increase was 100 million. The need to eradicate global poverty stems from religious teaching which finds secular expression in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which asserts that ‘everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and his family’. Another reason that calls for the eradication of global poverty lies in self interest as in a globalized world, countries large and small are interdependent. Extreme poverty leads to international labor migration which on its own can lead to other problems such as spread of disease. International solutions to global poverty include anti-poverty campaigners pressing rich governments to honor promises made in the Millennium Declaration, lobbying for the removal of agricultural subsidies that protect rich farmers at the expense of poor ones. Countries should also be at the fore front of embracing MDG programs so as to build capacity of national and provincial institutions. Two countries with the greatest success in poverty reduction are China and Vietnam even though their strategies are often at odds with western models. The medical profession, which is in the business of saving life and reducing suffering, should lead the world out of the trap of poverty and death from starvation and preventable diseases. The World Bank Development indicators of 2008 point out that infectious disease continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world with an estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Also, every year there are 350-500 million cases of malaria with one million fatalities. Africa thus accounts for 90% of malarial deaths with African children accounting for over 80% of malaria victims worldwide. With such grim statistics, it is clear that the medical profession plays a vital role in saving lives in developing countries and this can ultimately lead to poverty eradication as the population which is a critical resource to any country will not be wiped out. Medics are also actively involved in the health of children worldwide especially in poor countries. With 2. 2 million children dying worldwide due to lack of immunization and a greater number of 10. 6 million children dying worldwide before they reach the age of 5, the role of medicine cannot be gainsaid. Further, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation leads to the annual deaths of 1. 4 million children. By training more health professionals especially in developing countries, curbing such alarming statistics would be made possible. Averting children’s deaths builds a firm foundation for a country in its attempts to escape the clutches of poverty. Doctors can also get involved in highlighting and tackling water problems affecting half of humanity as some 1. 1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water with 2. 6 billion lacking basic sanitation. Sanitation issues have been known to cause 1. 8 million child deaths each year as a result of preventable ailments such as diarrhea. Doctors can help in educating communities on how best to tackle such relatively straightforward problems thus avoiding attendant problems caused by water and sanitation deficits. In conclusion, poverty has the effect of creating a ‘poverty cycle’ which operates across multiple levels i. e. individual, local, national and global with the affected sectors mostly being health, education and housing. Although poverty reduction has historically come about as a result of economic growth, medicine and the medical profession in general ought to be at the forefront of fighting this global scourge as results have shown how much of an impact the programs they run have had an impact on communities around the globe. In the words of Anais Nin ‘If all of us acted in unison as I act individually there would be no wars and no poverty. I have made myself personally responsible for the fate of every human being who has come my way’. In a sense, this is the hallmark of the medical profession.

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management

Running head: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Marissa Krick Grand Canyon University: NRS-415V November 18, 2012 Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Many healthcare organizations worldwide are striving to achieve magnet designation. Having the magnet title is essential because it recognizes healthcare organizations that act as a â€Å"magnet† for excellence by establishing a work environment that identifies, rewards, and promotes professional nursing (ANCC Magnet Designation, 2012).A magnet hospital is considered to be one where nursing provides excellent patient care, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate. This paper will discuss how nursing leaders and managers obtain magnet designation. Nursing leaders and managers play an important role in attaining magnet designation and take different approaches in order to achieve such status. Obtaining magnet status is essential and highly recognized in the nursing practice today.Nurses play a vital role in patients’ and families’ overall experience and are the primary source of care and support during the most vulnerable times in an individuals’ life. At magnet hospitals, nurses are attentive and knowledgeable, spending more time at patients' bedsides providing compassionate and upmost quality of care. Managers are constantly striving to maintain quality service and patient care through the use of patient surveys in order to plan short and long term objectives in order to take appropriate actions.With the use of patient surveys, managers are able to inform their staff on areas for improvement or where to keep up the good work. Managers provide direction and motivation to their nursing unit in order to carry out desired actions and are focused on making sure that their staff are following the correct policies and procedures in order to maintain a sa fe workplace. Leadership in nursing maintains proper policies and procedures, but the main focus is on influencing staff to accomplish goals. Feature article about  Production ManagementNurse leaders inspire others to work together in quest of a shared goal, for instance, improved patient care. The nurse leader is a critical thinker, sets goals, uses effective communication, and recognizes the emotional needs of others (Roskoski, 2012). Nurse leaders carry out any changes that are to be made that have been implemented by management. Scottsdale Healthcare is an organization of magnet status and is continuously striving to find ways in which to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.As of October 2011, Scottsdale Healthcare implemented bedside report in order increase patient satisfaction providing the patient and family knowledge in regards to their condition and plan of care in order to set goals for the patients recovery and gives them the ability to ask questions. Prior to bedside report taking effect, management gathered all employees from the unit going over what is to be expected and how bedside report was not only taking effect on our unit alone, but hospital wide.Nursing leaders knew that they had a situation at hand due to the fact that nursing staff was so comfortable in giving report at the nurses station and did not want to wake the patient or deal with a family member, but they remained positive and encouraged staff that this would dramatically change our satisfaction scores. In maintaining patient satisfaction scores, the hospital would qualify for reimbursement from Medicare. The nurse leaders were the one’s who made the transition a smooth process, as the managers just informed staff how things were going to be.The nurse leaders give others the ability to understand the vision, informing those of why they are being asked to do things, and how it relates to the bigger picture (The difference between leadership and management, 2012). In order to maintain magnet status, managers and nurse leaders must work together in order to meet the necessary requirements. With imple menting bedside report, not only have patient satisfaction scores increased, the rapport between patient and nurse and quality of care has increased as well.Organizations such as Scottsdale Healthcare are recognized for treating their employees with respect and encourage educational growth in offering tuition reimbursement. With upholding magnet status, organizations are able to keep their employees when given the ability to offer such programs. This writer has been an employee at Scottsdale Healthcare for five years now and has seen many changes take effect on the unit implemented by the nurse manager striving to increase patient satisfaction. Changes that have occurred on the unit consist of edside reporting, hourly rounding, and updated white boards for patient information, just to name a few. Within the past couple of months, patient satisfaction scores have decreased and management is not happy. The nurse managers have informed staff that if hourly rounding, bedside reporting, and updating white boards are not being completed employees will be reprimanded. The nurse managers have been going into patient rooms asking the patients if their nurse has been performing the tasks as listed above, and take it upon themselves to tell the patient that if these tasks are not being performed, then the nurse could possibly be terminated.With all the negative feedback from the managers, nurses are becoming burned out. The nurse managers want to see an increase in outcomes, but drive to do so is lacking from constant negative feedback. At the last staff meeting, we were informed that if patient outcomes did not increase, then we need to start looking for employment because there are other individuals out there that would love to have our position. On the other hand, the nurse leaders acknowledge the irritation of decreased satisfaction scores, but go above and beyond to build up morale for a positive change.Those who take the time to listen to others and incorporate way s to improve issues on the unit are considered as participatory leaders. This leadership style includes the leader and one or more employees in the decision making process (Leadership Styles, 2010). As a team, the nurse leader and employees will be able to come up with a plan on ways to improve patient satisfaction, with the nurse leader having the final say. All in all, managers and nurse leaders ultimately have the same goal; it is just the difference in approaches and how one handles stress.A nurse leader wants to provide assistance in any way possible, they are creative and remain positive, whereas, nurse managers will stay completely focused on improving situations and are more controlling not providing any assistance. This writer believes that she is a better leader than manager. Participatory leadership is this writers way of dealing with situations at hand. Effective communication and taking into consideration the feelings of others along with providing a helping hand whenev er in need is of upmost importance to this writer.A way that patient satisfaction scores could increase on the unit that this writer works on is if the managers took a different approach in how they speak to their staff creating a different vibe on the floor rather than biting your tongue every time you see their face. However, it is very possible that due to the clientele we provide care to, a lot of them suffer addiction problems and often times request more medications than what we are able to give. These unhappy patients are more than likely the ones who return the patient satisfaction surveys, therefore, resulting in poor satisfaction scores.Leadership and management play an important role in the nursing process, but their focus is different depending on the situation. Nurse managers and leaders strive for doing the right thing and doing things right. With the dramatic and rapid changes in healthcare today, possessing critical thinking, active listening, and coping skills are e ssential in the nursing workforce. Together, leaders and managers need to imagine the future and lead the way to a productive and well-organized unit with satisfied employees in order to maintain magnet status. References ANCC Magnet Designation. (2012). Meridian Health.Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. meridianhealth. com/MH/ForHealthProfessionals/NursingAtMeridian/ANCCMagnetDesignation. cfm Leadership Styles. (2010). Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadstl. html Roskoski, J. (2012). What Is Nursing Leadership?. eHow. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. ehow. com/about_6579387_nursing-leadership_. html The difference between leadership and management. (2012). Strategies for Nurse Managers. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. strategiesfornursemanagers. com/ce_detail/208037. cfm

Sport Obermeyer Minimum

Wally Obermeyer is facing a challenge in accurately forecasting the market response and demand for the upcoming season. Historically, the company founder, Klaus Obermeyer, relied minimally on forecast data, and more on intuition and artistic tastes. In comparison, his son Wally prefers to make decisions based on analytical techniques and information gathering.If Wally’s approach proves successful, it can change how Sport Obermeyer approaches its manufacturing processes, secure its position long-term as the middle- to high-end producer of skiwear, increase profits, and better meet the company’s objective of delivering matching collections to retailers at the same time and earlier in the season. Sport Obermeyer has many challenges to overcome. Forecasting is problematic since production commitments are required in November, but the bulk of the orders are not placed by retailers until the Las Vegas trade show in the following March.Also, the market trends are seasonal, cha nging frequently, and adding to the difficulty in forecasting. The company cannot postpone production completion dates due to the quota limit on importation of goods from China, where a bulk of its production occurs. Adding further complications to the manufacturing decisions, the company has a new manufacturing facility coming online in Hong Kong, and must determine what products, and how much of those products should be manufactured in each of the facilities. Issues with vendors of raw materials must be addressed.There are long lead times for some vendors, and because of that, excess inventory is maintained in the manufacturing facilities. The company must also maintain a competitive edge with the growing pressure from competitors, specifically Columbia. Sport Obermeyer has relied on a buying committee comprised of key manager to forecast production demands, and make decisions regarding production commitments. Historically, this committee has done fairly well in predicting which s tyles will be popular, and forecasting has been best for the styles on which agreement was greatest between the committee members.In order to take the greatest advantage of this committee, Wally Obermeyer is utilizing the Delphi method. This method will give Wally the opportunity to determine which members of the committee have the greatest accuracy. While it may not pay off in the immediate decisions, over several years, he will be able to determine which members’ opinions should receive the greatest weight when making production decisions. In the meantime, a decision must be made regarding the upcoming season.Wally should proceed with the minimum order necessary, one-half of the total expected demand for the season (10,000 units), to keep up with production demands. Since the minimum production quantity for a style is 600 units from the Hong Kong facility, Wally should initially only consider production of styles predicted to exceed this limit until the bulk of the order co me in following the Las Vegas show. In doing so, the risk of overproducing a style, and being forced to sell it at a deficit will be mitigated. Past data indicates the buying committee’s forecast is accurate within two standard deviations.Using these forecasts, Sport Obermeyer should delay production of the Isis, Teri, and Stephanie styles since they demand is forecasted to be low for them, and proceed with the remainder of the items in consideration (See Table 1 for quantities relating to each style). Forecasting also has difficulties due to the delay in information from retailers regarding which products are most popular. Long-term, and if financially feasible, Sport Obermeyer should consider providing retailers responsible for the majority of purchases of their good with software that will provide Sport Obermeyer with real-time data on sales of its product.By doing so, the company will better be able to predict what items are desired for replenishment orders, and greatly r educe goods sold to South America at prices below manufacturing costs. Furthermore, Sports Obermeyer can approach retailers sooner regarding replenishment orders based upon the data it has collected. If replenishment orders are received sooner, then the cost of shipment is greatly reduced since fewer will require air shipment. Lastly, the company should take an active role in influencing the demand of products it forecasts as being most popular to ensure these items are in high demand.Sport Obermeyer should pressure its sales force to promote these items by providing incentives, such as bonuses, to its personnel. If need be, the company can also provide discounts for large bulk orders to retailers. Lastly, the company should heavily promote these items via advertisements campaigns. Sport Obermeyer needs to be able to keep up with production demand, and in the case the company is overly successful in pushing the styles it predicts to be in highest demand, resulting in Sport Obermeyer needs to be able to meet the production demands generated.The manufacturing facility in China can produce goods much more cheaply than the facility in Hong Kong, but the quality and startup time are inferior to the Hong Kong facility. Obersport, a joint venture of Sport Obermeyer, is responsible for monitoring quality of the raw materials, and coordinating production Sport Obermeyer products in the Far East. Obersport should implement and expand upon its current quality control and quality assurance practices.Sport Obermeyer should pare down the variation in its products to reduce the frequency in changing manufacturing lines resulting in the facility in China being able to complete orders faster. Sport Obermeyer needs to reduce the planning time required for each season. Currently, planning for a season must start two years in advance. This is a hindrance to the company since forecasting data improves as the start of the season being planned for becomes closer. Reducing the number of vendors for raw materials, as well as the variety of styles available will shorten the time for planning.Furthermore, Sport Obermeyer will be ordering more from a few vendors, giving them greater buyer power to negotiate discounts, resulting in increased profits. Reducing the variety in the raw materials used should increase quality in addition to speeding up production. Long-term, after lead time and vendor issues are resolved, Sport Obermeyer should consider spinning off another brand within the company to be marketed separately from its current line. As costs for manufacturing are reduced due to a more streamlined production process, Sport Obermeyer will be better able to compete at the same price point as Columbia.By creating a new brand, the company will not risk reducing the reputation for quality associated with Sport Obermeyer, but will be able to compete directly with Columbia and take part of its market share. This move will increase sales for Sport Obermeyer, as well as limit the growth of Columbia. Furthermore, Sport Obermeyer should consider producing street wear for both the current high-end brand and the lower-end brand that will compete with Columbia. This will expand the markets to which Sport Obermeyer is competing in, and increase visibility of the brands since the clothing will be worn year round.Sport Obermeyer places production orders three times each season. The first order is placed prior to the Las Vegas trade show, the second is placed the week following the trade show, and the third comes at the end of the season when replenishment orders are made. Short-term, until quality and vendor issues are resolved, Sport Obermeyer should place the first order with the Hong Kong manufacturing facility. The labor in the Hong Kong facility is significantly higher than the facility in China, but the quality is better in Hong Kong.Also, the Hong Kong facility is able to produce goods faster. The second order should be placed with the facility i n China to take advantage of the markedly reduced labor costs. The third order should be placed in Hong Kong since these orders need to be produced quickly to reduce the use of expensive air shipment in lieu of using an ocean carrier. Long-term, if Sport Obermeyer elects to pursue a spinoff brand, the lower quality product should be manufactured in China to take advantage of the reduced cost of production.The Hong Kong labor force should have increased labor skills by this point, and production output should be optimized. The Hong Kong facility should continue to produce the high-end Sport Obermeyer lines. Even though the cost of production will be greater in the Hong Kong facility, the revenues generated by this facility should be greater since the high-end clothing can be offered at a higher price point. Sport Obermeyer has many problems to address, but with just a few adjustments, they can be rectified. By paring down the variety of options in the lines, quality will be increased .Forecasting is improved by implementing the Delphi method in the Buying Committee, and adding a weighted accuracy measurement to the Committee members in future seasons. Reducing the number of vendors remedies the excessively long lead times, and provides Obersport with buyer power to negotiate discounts. Providing the primary purchasers of Sport Obermeyer products with free software for tracking sales allows Sport Obermeyer to better predict replenishment orders, and eliminates much of the use of air carriers, as well as eliminates overproduction of goods that are sold below manufacturing cost.By creating a second brand, Sport Obermeyer can compete directly with Columbia, and not tarnish the image of quality associated with its current lines. Lastly, Sport Obermeyer can drive sales toward the items it predicts will be popular by offering incentives to sales personnel, large customers, and launching advertisement campaigns to also eliminate overproduction and lost revenues. Table 1 : Recommendation of order quantity for each style of Parka considered by the Buying Committee.Since orders had to be placed in Hong Kong where a 600 unit amount is needed, the styles of Isis, Teri, and Stephanie were ignored in the order placement for the first phase of production due to uncertainty of need. Style| Average Forecast| 2SD| k=1| k=0. 9675| Gail| 1017| 388| 629| 642| Isis| 1042| 646| 396*| –| Entice| 1358| 496| 862| 878| Assault| 2525| 680| 1845| 1867| Teri| 1100| 762| 338*| –| Electra| 2150| 807| 1343| 1369| Stephanie| 1113| 1048| 65*| –| Seduced| 4017| 1113| 2904| 2940| Anita| 3296| 2094| 1202| 1270| Daphne| 2383| 1394| 989| 1034| Total| | | 9774*| 10001| | I

Sibling Rivalry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sibling Rivalry - Essay Example Parents should properly take care of their children and should be careful in providing equal attention to all of them so that none of the children feels left out or deprived in any way. Sibling rivalry starts from very early ages when children start fighting. This competition goes on between children and it can continue throughout their lifetime that is they keep on competing with their siblings. It can result from undue attention being provided to one of the children and the other one feels discriminated or it can also be due to the fact that one child is more intellectual than the other and he receives more praise and attention. The other child hence starts dealing with it in his own way which leads to fights. This competition can start from a very early age and it can mostly be seen in children who have a very small age difference and hence are together most of the time. This problem can have a psychological impact and it can lead to isolating one of the siblings. Hence this problem should be understood and dealt with. Parents can play a leading role in solving this problem. They should understand the fact that all children should be taken care of equally. They should work towards bringing together the siblings and reducing their differences. If they praise one of the children for his intelligence, the other child should also be supported in a manner and told that he can also work hard and achieve similar results. Hence all the children should be given attention and they should all be praised considering the fact that every child is gifted in his own way. This is the most effective method for dealing with this condition because it is the parents themselves who can know best about their children and their demands. It needs to be understood that most of the siblings in their childhood spend more time with each other than they do with their parents. Hence it is

Comparative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparative Law - Essay Example It is a necessary element of a contract that is intended to be legally binding. In cases where a party is attempting to prove the existence of a contract, evidence of consideration often proves useful. However, "the onus is on the party seeking to prove the contract to demonstrate intention and the nature of the relationship between the parties." (Clarke, 2008). Additionally, in order to prove that both parties intended to enter into legal relations with one another, the agreement must have been very specific in its material components. "An agreement which is 'vague or ambiguious', incomplete or constitues a mere 'agreement to agree' will not be enforceable." (Clarke, 2008). In terms of proving a contract's validity, it is important to note that contracts do not always have to be written; they can be oral. Certain types of contracts, as protected by the 1677 Statute of Frauds, do have to be signed. And it is certainly much easier to prove the validity of a contract with a signed docu ment. (Clarke, 2008). German contract law is known to place an emphasis on citizens' rights to govern their own affairs with no or little interference from the government. According to the Principle of Abstraction, "contracts only create an obligation, but there are no actual changes to the legal correlation concerning the object of the contract." (Wikipedia, 2008). In recent years, however, Germany has been moving toward a trend of greater regulation. According to Germany's Civil Code 157, "contracts are to be interpreted in accordance with good faith and fair dealing having regard to commercial practices." (Lando, 1996). Contracts are often voided if an unfair weight is placed on one of the involved parties, especially if that party is somehow weaker, such as a minority or a consumer rather than a professional. In contemplating the validity of a contract, also to be considered are the issues that were involved in the initial formation of that particular contract. (Wikipedia, 2008). Germany is a member of the European Union, which has its own set of regulatory principles regarding contracts. (Wikipedia, 2008). The Principles of European Contract Law is a lengthy document detailing regulations of contracts to be governed by law of the European Union. Some of the articles in this set of principles, to be addressed subsequently, pertain to contract terms, revocation of an offer, and unfair advantages. The European Union includes, as of January 1, 2007, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. (Rosenberg, 2007). Chinese contract law holds both parties involved in a contract to be legally equal. Similar to contract law in Germany, those contracts in which one party unfairly takes advantage of another party may be voided. Contracts in China may be oral or written but similar to both Australia and Germany, there are certain circumstances in which a contract must be written and signed. One of these cases is that of a lease. Whether oral or written, contracts must include which parties are involved, the object or subject of the contract, quantity and quality specifications, remuneration, time limit, method of performance, legal

Research one of the European Union's agencies ( Europol ). Critically Essay

Research one of the European Union's agencies ( Europol ). Critically assess their role and effectiveness - Essay Example Four years later, the EU Member States expanded Europol’s mandate by ratifying the Europol Convention; a treaty that became fully operational in July 1999. The agency, from its seat of power in The Hague, deploys its assets including about 800 officers to combat crime in the whole of Europe (Deflem, 2009). The scope of Europol contradicts the fact that it is in constant cooperation with several law enforcement organisations working within the EU member states. As of 2013, Europol has jurisdiction in all states within the European Union. Nuthall and Paun (2013) have noted that for the agency to effectively curb organised crime across national territories, Europol liaises with several countries and police agencies within EU and neighbouring countries (Emanuel, 1999; Resodihardjo, Eijk and Carroll, 2012). Notably, when there is need to liaise with non-EU members Europol’s Europol External Strategy established the parameters within which the agency should work in its effort to fight organized crime that might compromise the safety of EU citizens (Berdal, & Serrano, 2002). Europol has undergone major transformations over the years to become an EU agency with more powers to gather criminal intelligence and act upon them (Ladenburger, 2008). Today Europol has the full backing of the European Parliament that addresses its budget. History of Europol Europol can be traced to 1975’s TREVI, an internal organization that was responsible for ensuring a better liaison amongst European Commission members on security issues (House of Lords European Union Committee, 2008). In 1993, however, the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty replaced it (Mounier, 2009). Prior to its establishment, Germany had made proposals to the EC, pressing for the establishment of an international police agency. In 1991, the state formally proposed the establishment of a European Police Office in Luxembourg before member states of the EU (Deflem, 2009). And by the end the year, the In tergovernmental Conference was convinced that by establishing Europol under the Maastricht Treaty, the whole of EU region would be more secure. The result was the formation of a rather weak Europol, whose primary purpose was to facilitate the sharing of intelligence amongst police agencies under the European Union (Nuthall, & Paun, 2013; Santiago, 2000). Delays in enacting the Maastricht Treaty prompted TREVI officials to form the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU) Agreement in mid-1993 (Mounier, 2009). The EDU, being unconstitutional led to the setting up of a lean team of law enforcers led by Jurgen Storbeck. The team immediately embarked on policing campaigns from temporary structures in a Strasbourg neighbourhood, while lasting solutions were being sought. After the enactment of the Maastricht Treaty, EU member states began to deliberate upon legitimising a Europol Convention. Meanwhile, the mandate of Europol Drugs Unit (EDU) was expanded between 1995 and 1996 to encompass several traffi cking crimes (Gregory, 1998). Back then, police officers could only share information bilaterally, as the establishment of a joint database for the entire EU membership was not possible without the prior passage of the Europol Convention (Andreescut and Keeling, 2012; Byrne, 2013). Eventually, the Europol Convention became functional in late 1998 after its ratification by more than half of the 28 member states. Nonetheless, certain legal issues such as the protection of primary data and

Chinese Communist Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chinese Communist Party - Essay Example This country has several more amazing features. The land contains nearly 9.57 million square kilometers of which mountains occupy about one-third, numerous liquid flowing paths where one measures nearly three thousand miles called the Yangtze, and steppe as well as deserts. Not to forget a dazzling 1.3 billion inhabitants (Farah 124-129). The country went through horrible times during which Chinese citizens were suffering of starvation, anguish, and the outcome was death upon innocent beings. The main cause of this ordeal was a man who contributed to the change of the Republic of China. This intelligent but mad communist brought the concept of Communism to the third largest country of the world and that is no other than Mao Zedong (a great fan of Marx theory of communism) or rather say:" scientific socialism".(Wikipedia: free encyclopedia) Although under a totally different concept of living, China is a well respected and a highly productive industrial nation. Forty-eight million representatives make up the* CCP 1today. The CCP functions in a completely different way because authority does not only control politics, but also it reaches deep into the lives of the Chinese (Farah 220). Many reside in agricultural sections where food and crops are produced. Work-strength depends on human and animal force, but nowadays farmers are able to purchase efficient tools (Farah 221). Since its founding in 1921, the Chinese Communist Party gradually expanded its guiding principles to incorporate the philosophical musings of Russia's Vladimir Lenin as well as homegrown revolutionaries Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. The party has traveled a long ideological path from its Marxist roots to its present struggle to maintain its relevance in China's modern and increasingly capitalistic society. Now the whole world looks at it as a country whose scale dwarfs the United States-1.3 billion people, four times America's population. For more than a hundred years it was dreams of this magnitude that fascinated small groups of American missionaries and businessmen-1 billion souls to save; 2 billion armpits to deodorize-but it never amounted to anything. China was very big, but very poor, all that has changed totally. But now the very size and scale that seemed so alluring is beginning to look ominous. And Americans are wondering whether the "China threat" is nightmarishly real. China is now the world's largest producer of coal, steel and cement, the second largest consumer of energy and the third largest importer of oil, which is why gas prices are soaring. China's exports to the United States have grown by 1,600 percent over the past 15 years, and U.S. exports to China have grown by 415 percent. All these figures are so thrilling to here. At the height of the Industrial Revolution, Britain was called "the workshop of the world." That title surely belongs to China today. It manufactures two thirds of the world's copiers, microwave ovens, DVD players and shoes. China's rise is no longer a prediction. It is a fact. It is already the world's fastest-growing