Environmental economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental economic - Essay Example The propriety of using the adjusted net savings is evaluated. The paper sets off by stating the need for sustainability measurement and identifying the three most popular sustainability indicators. Thereafter, the discussion focused on its characteristics together with criticisms of the indicator. In the end, a brief discussion with reference to Solo’s and Beckerman’s criticism is included for verification of the indicator’s fitness as the sustainability measuring tool. Before moving further, it will be quite beneficial to first examine the need for such measurement. Current trend on national and global issues places environmental sustainability at the very core (Ollivier & Giruad, 2008). In equating sustainability with wealth and looking at the former from the capitalist’s approach, measurement guides policy maker into the future by being forward-looking (Atkinson). Major decisions are made from intelligent evaluation of trends and gathered statistics. It is important therefore that factors affecting any national or global issues be available in numerical form or visual trends such that decision makers need not labor more to understand the available information. To measure performance or verify the current standing, indicators are used by interested institutions and policy makers. Numerous environment and sustainability indicators were conceived depending on the interest group that conceptualized the measurement tool or data collection method. For sustainability measurement, three aggregate indicators are prominent, The Ecological Footprint (EF) of World-wide Fund (WWF) for Nature International, Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) supported by the World Economic Forum while the Adjusted Net Savings (ANS) also known as Genuine Savings was developed and published by the World Bank (Ollivier & Giruad, 2008). The latter being a product of World Bank is receiving considerable interest and is the subject of this evaluation. The Adjus ted Net Savings is an attempt of the World Bank to measure true savings rate of an economy after factoring in investments from human capital, depletion of natural resources, and damage to the environment as a result from pollution. This indicator is not wholly dependent on environmental indicators but infuses some macroeconomic and social indicator as can be seen in the current equation (Bolt, et al, 2002): ANS = (GNS - Dh + CSE - ? Rn,i - CD) / GNI, where: ANS = Adjusted Net Savings Rate GNS = Gross National Saving Dh = Depreciation of produced capital CSE = Current (non-fixed-capital) expenditure on education Rn,i = Rent from depletion of natural capitali CD = Damages from carbon dioxide emissions GNI = Gross National Income at Market Prices. The above model suggests that sustainable economy is indicated by a positive or at the very least 0 ANS rating. For that to happen, the sum of gross national savings and expenditure on education must exceed the total amount of depreciation an d depletion and damages combined. All these factors are highly dependent on policies supported by an economy. It is highly important therefore to refer to ANS in evaluating or assessing the policies maintained with respect to sustainability as they indicate performance or direction to which an economy must thread on. As previously mentioned, it is advantageous to use ANS because of measurability.

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY_2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY_2 - Essay Example In the last few years, however, this has changed dramatically. Rising government debt, and indeed, the economic health of several nations, is now at the center of the public policy debate. The results of the recent national election in Britain, was in part, a reflection of public dissatisfaction with the state of the economy and the growth in the level of debt under the Labour Party’s administration. As long as deficits are kept at manageable levels and as long as the economy experiences growth, there is no need for concern. The question, of course, is what constitutes â€Å"manageable† and what level of economic growth is sufficient to honour the repayment of the debt? Economists prefer to compute a measure of debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because it is a reliable indicator that controls for the size of the economy. For example, if the U.K.’s debt is five percent of GDP in a given year and Denmark’s debt ratio is nine percent of GDP, we have a reasonably accurate means of examining the comparative debt level even though the economic output of each country is different. The International Monetary Fund data shows that during most of the 1990s, the annual debt to GDP ratios for Britain and the United States averaged between three and five percent [http://www.imfstatistics.org]. This was considered acceptable because the economies of the two countries were growing at between four and six percent per year. In 2010, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the debt to GDP ratio for the US at 9.9% of GDP while economic growth is estimated at 3.2 percent [http://www.cbo.gov]. The Statistics Office estimates that the debt to GDP ratio for the U.K. in 2010 at 10.6% of GDP with economic growth forecast at 3 percent [http://www.statsitics.gov.uk]. The current debt to GDP ratios for both countries are clearly unsustainable. Warnings have recently been issued to the U.K. that the country’s credit rating may be lowered over fear

An Investigation Of The Common Reason Special Education Students Fail Dissertation

An Investigation Of The Common Reason Special Education Students Fail To Graduate From High School - Dissertation Example ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iii CHAPTER ONE 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Background 2 Problem Statement 12 Purpose of the Study 15 Research Questions 16 Scope of the Study 16 Limitations and Delimitations 17 Definition of Terms 20 Research Plan 21 CHAPTER TWO 25 LITERATURE REVIEW 25 Introduction 25 Overview 26 Institutional reasons for dropping out 39 School belonging and dropout rates 45 Special education services and dropout rates 48 Exit exams 50 Inclusion: Does it reduce dropout rates? 55 Teachers and inclusion 65 Dropout prevention programs 72 IEP programming 75 Transition programming 77 Programs attending to social and academic elements of student lives: Finn’s participation-identification model of school engagement-belonging 80 School belonging and engagement and special education 92 Case studies of best practice school engagement programs that have improved the retention level of special education students in high school 100 C onclusion 103 CHAPTER THREE 105 METHODOLOGY 105 Introduction 105 Research Questions 106 Design 107 Active Observation 113 Intensive Interview 115 Replication of the Study 117 The Researcher’s Role 118 Data Collection Procedures 118 In-depth Interviews 119 Qualitative Data Analysis 122 The Coding Process 123 Trustworthiness 127 Ethical Considerations 129 APPENDIX A 143 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION High School Dropout Concerns Educators, policy makers and researchers have consistently tied the achievement gap to the student dropout rate (Ladson-Billings, 2006). As a result, educators, parents, employers and policy makers have expressed concerned over the persistent high drop-out rate particularly among high school students (Burris & Welner, 2005). For instance, reports from the US Census Bureau...For instance, reports from the US Census Bureau indicate that over the last 20 years or so, high school rates in the US have steadily declined to such an extent that it reached 90% (Barton , 2006). There has been a corresponding decline in labor force numbers indicating that fewer and fewer under-educated persons are entering the workforce (Lee and Mather, 2008). Tyler and Lofstrom (2009) reviewed US student data and concluded that dropout rate consistently fluctuates between 22 and 25 percent. The Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center (2010) conducted a national report, which found that approximately 1.3 million youth drop out of high school every year. However, the White House (as cited in America’s Promise Alliance, 2009) reported the number as a slightly lower figure of 1.2 million. A quantitative review of statistics by Sum et al (2009) demonstrates that â€Å"the incidence of institutionalization problems among young high school dropouts was more than 63 times higher than among young four-year college graduates† (p. 9). The need for effective dropout prevention strategies is important because the increasingly significant gap between the student who leaves high school without earning his/her diploma and the high school graduate has increasingly widened since the 1970s with regard to career mobility, unemploy ment rates and wages.

Kinship Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kinship Anthropology - Essay Example This paper shall seek to establish the similarities and differences in the characteristics of Achilles and Agamemnon, who were two great men that were skilled in the art of war and relate their characteristics to the roles they played in dictating the outcome of the Trojan War. It is the strong characteristics possessed by Achilles and Agamemnon that made the battle of Troy historic and legendary (Homer). Achilles and Agamemnon were two great Achaean fighters that had several weaknesses as warriors. Achilles and Agamemnon were known for their hot temper (Homer 414). Though one could argue that Achilles is more temperamental than Agamemnon, but the fact remains that these two men had elements of fury and wrath in them. It should be noted that Achilles’ show of anger resulted in his withdrawal from battle and this ultimately led to the overpowering of the Achaean forces by the Trojan forces (Homer 327). One of Achilles’ demonstrations of anger was when Agamemnon ordered h im to relinquish his war prize, Briseis; and as a result he forcefully withdrew from the war and this gave the Trojans the boldness to attack the Greek army (Homer 437-438). Thus, Achilles’ anger also played a part in the Trojan War. Another similarity that exists between Achilles and Agamemnon is in their pride and arrogance. ... Agamemnon’s arrogance is seen when he expects to get the highest share of the spoils of war, even in situations that he did not take active part in the battle. Being the king, Agamemnon always wanted to take up the leadership role and this was the reason that he wanted to be at the forefront when it was time to make decisions on the Trojan War, when it was actually Menelaus that was affected by the snatching of his wife, Helen by Prince Paris of Troy (Homer 78). Agamemnon took delight in reminding the Achaeans of his kingly status. In terms of strength, Achilles was stronger than Agamemnon in all ramifications. Achilles was the greatest warrior of Greek army during the battle of Troy, while Agamemnon was the King of Mycenae and the commander of the Greek forces during the battle of Troy. While Achilles had a close relationship with the gods as the gods loved him for his strength and bravery in battle, Agamemnon did not really have any significant relationship with the gods. Wh ile Achilles could not control his anger and fury, Agamemnon intentionally made people to feel the effect of his wrath. While Achilles did not take the Trojan War too serious, Agamemnon was too serious about the war as he did everything possible to ensure the victory of the Achaean army. There was even a time that Achilles abandoned his fellow Greek warriors and even prayed that the Trojan forces should overrun them. Agamemnon is also different from Achilles in his ability to make intelligent and refined judgments about a situation. Agamemnon is not usually too quick to act, but takes his time before embarking on an action; while Achilles lets his own anger and fury to determine his actions. Achilles usually

The importance of HBCUs in the modern world Research Paper

The importance of HBCUs in the modern world - Research Paper Example Equality was often the cry. Nowadays, when people think they have achieved the desires of their old folks, social issues such as discrimination or racism are seriously examined on every corner of the world. With the acceptance of the merging of different races towards a global goal, it is being considered if racism has indeed been eradicated or if there is still the scars of racism that show that in the modern world, racism still exists. One of the things being closely examined in relation to this issue is the existence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in a world wherein such racist impositions are greatly criticized. In this paper, it will be studied if the HBCUs are still relevant or if they should be dissolved just as slavery has been dissolved in order to get rid not only of the pains of racism but also its memories and scars. In order to consider well the different angles of the HBCUs, it is important to learn about the history of the colleges and universit ies. According to the title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, an HBCU is a school of higher learning whose principal mission was and is the education of African Americans accredited and established before 1964 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Higher Education Center on the other hand specifically mentions that it is any historically black college or university (higheredcenter.org) and continues with the definition mentioned earlier. The first HBCU was established in 1837, twenty six years before the end of slavery (Coleman), in Pennsylvania and named Cheney University. The school catered to African Americans who have just earned their freedom from their slavery, who wanted to earn an education which they believed would grant them better lives. It was birthed by a Quaker who was also known to be a philanthropist, who yearned to educate and train free Blacks to become teachers (Coleman). For years, HBCUs stood for the educational rights of African American citizens and provided them with quality education that helped them actively participate in their communities. Among them are Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University organized in 1875 through the efforts of a former slave, William Hooper Council; Bowie State University which boasts of its dedication to the advancement of knowledge through teaching, research and service; and Lincoln University, known as the oldest historically black university founded in 1854 (thurgoodmarshallfund.net). The Historically Black Colleges and Universities boast of quality education that made way for a lot of African Americans and other cultures alike to succeed in the educational arena not only for undergraduates but also for graduate studies. It is claimed that nine out of ten of those who earn doctoral degrees are from HBCUs. Moreover, the HBCUs also boast about the high percentage of practicing professionals to be their graduates and African American Medical school applicants from HBCUs to have outnumbered the applic ants from Johns Hopkins, Harvard and the University of Maryland, combined (thinkhbcu.org). Among others that make HBCUs proud about their achievements are the significant number of their African American degree holders and doctorate degrees awarded for communications. HBCUs also boast that they are excellent institutions falling in line with the top ten colleges and universities for African American, even placing in the top six

Feudalism and the Manorial System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Feudalism and the Manorial System - Essay Example Manorial system was social and economic system in medieval Europe. The system regulated peasant land tenure and production, administered taxation and local justice. There is a close relationship between the manorial system and feudalism. In both cases, regulation of land tenure featured as a major factor that influenced production of the nation. The difference of the systems is the political and military aspect. In medieval Europe, feudalism and manorial system defined the structure of governance. In the feudal system, the king leased land to his immediate juniors in the monarchial hierarchy. The king gave them vast stretches of land. The people receiving land from the king were vassals. They managed the land under their control. The system was a form of exchange of services. In return, the king gained loyalty and war troops from the vassals. The vassals had a responsibility of working as knights. This included serving in castles and undertaking training for forty days. When the king waged war, the vassals were to fight for the king with all loyalty. Other returns to the king from the vassals were financial support and hosting of the king’s entourage during tours. When feudalism arose in Europe, it involved the exchange of weapons and other items. When Europe entered the agrarian period, then land was included in the feudal system. The barons further divided their land and leased it under the same conditions. Feudalism involving land formed the manorial system. Landowners hired peasants to work in the farms. The peasants earned a source of living from this. Other peasants practiced different forms of art on the small plots of land and paid taxes in return to the landowner. The manorial system led to the formation of a noble class. Landowners formed the noble class while peasants were commoners. The difference in social status explains how each of the groups lived. The rich landowners treated the peasants as slaves. The life of the peasants depended on th e landowners. In the hierarchy, the landowners had a responsibility of providing the king with war troops. The taxation and local justice system depended on each baron. Some of the barons overtaxed the peasants working on the fiefs (Spielvogel 358). Feudalism and the manorial system were distinct systems. However, sometimes barons gained land ownership through feudal grants. The highest order, the king leased land to the barons. Marriage and inheritance are the other pathways through which barons received land. The manorial system served to sustain the medieval Europe economically. Manors had the potential to produce enough for consumption and the surplus directed to the market. The medieval European society consisted of manorial villages. There was exchange of goods between the villages. Contribution of the Christian Faith in Renaissance Though perceived differently, the Renaissance in a general sense may be looked upon as the achievement of present spirit in opposition the spirit and faith that existed during the middle age. In the progression of western civilization, there was a period defined by disease, death, and waging war. During this period, there were little advances made in technology. People were less interested in literary works. However, the era that followed was different. People had a lot of interest in literary works, philosophy, and understanding of nature. The power of man’

MNC Enters India Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

MNC Enters India - Term Paper Example The company is basically involved in selling quality home furnishing products and home appliances among others through various franchises and retail outlets. The best aspect about this company is that its products are not very costly and thus are quite affordable. The company is responsible for attracting huge figure of consumers in its various retail outlets due to the deliverance of quality products to them and also complying with their requirements at large. It can be apparently viewed in this similar concern that the company was able to attract around 770 million of consumers who visited various retail outlets of IKEA in the year 2012. The company has a total of 338 stores and includes 154,000 co-workers (Inter IKEA Systems B.V., 2012). This part of the paper will entail the tracking of the exchange rate of Indian Rupee in relation to the US Dollar. It can be apparently observed in this regard that there have been a lot of fluctuations relating to India’s exchange rate. Presently, the value of Indian Rupee has fallen to a new record of 64 per dollar. The value of Rupee has been undergoing major turnarounds during the preceding two years due to the reason of weakening conduct of financial activities. It is even expected that the value of Rupee can fall to as low as 70 per dollar which can create a major turnaround in the currency exchange rate (YCharts, 2013). The following pictorial representation shows that the level up to which the value of Indian Rupees has increased. From the start of the year 2013, the value of Rupee has fallen and this trend is continuing. On the basis of the above discussion, it can be affirmed that due to much fluctuations or variations especially in the exchange rates, the financial condition of the nation i.e. of India has been adversely affected resulting in generating financial downturns by a considerable