Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Impact Of Immigration On The Economy Essay - 1842 Words

The Economic Impact of Immigration The impact of immigration on the U.S economy has been one of the major topics in the last presidential debates. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton (Democrats) believes that immigrants workforce helps the economy growth. Clinton s immigration plan containing a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants whom already in the country and encouraging legal immigration. Economists believe that Clinton s immigration plan would increase the annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth, on average, over the next ten years. On the other hand, the Republicans candidate, who has won the recent election, Donald Trump looks at immigrants as a burden on the American economy. Donald Trump s plan to reduce immigration and deport undocumented immigrants would have the opposite effect. Economics experts think that his immigration strategies would reduce inflation-adjusted GDP and hurt the American economy. Through the history, immigrants have come to American s shores from all around the globe looking for the freedoms and the economic opportunities that the American economy grants. According to 2010 Census Bureau survey, the population of the United States was over 309 million people. The same survey showed that the U.S. foreign- born were about 40 million and it approximated that about 11 million of them are illegal immigrants. Anti-Immigration groups have suggested that immigrants, especially the undocumented, overburden the U.S. economy. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Immigration On The Us Economy929 Words   |  4 PagesUS economy. US economy has proved to be raised dramatically in the past few years. This made me think about Immigration and the US economy on a same page in my mind. Many questions started populating in my head such as Does immigration in some way affect the US economy? If yes, how? After doing some research, I found that Immigration plays an important role in the US economy. I’ll start with my own background, how this question is connected to me and what other people think about immigration. NextRead MoreImmigration Impact On The United States Economy. Introduction:1124 Words   |  5 PagesImmigration Impact on The United States Economy Introduction: The United States of America, is built on immigration much of the progress of the country is because of it. Immigration is rapidly growing, as of 2014, 13% of the United States population are immigrants (The National Academic Press). Today, there’s so much opposition to immigration for reasons that aren’t concrete. Some Americans believe, immigrants are here to cause problems and steal their jobs. They believe that there aren’t enoughRead MoreThe Impact Of Immigration On Australia s Terms Of Society And Economy1092 Words   |  5 PagesOF ESSAY/ REPORT/ ASSIGNMENT: Essay 2 - IMMIGRATION Whether immigration might bring benefits to a country or not is a controversial topic. In recent years, many migrants have left their countries to look for a better life, especially in developed countries. It is believed that immigrants can have many negative effects on a country because of social disturbances. This essay will examine the impacts of immigration on Australia in terms of society and economy. It has been seen that society might beRead MoreIllegal Immigrants Are Good For The Economy Of The United States1250 Words   |  5 Pagessought to ascertain the political, social, and economic impacts of the illegal immigrants (Hanson 11). Particularly, there has been raging debate regarding the economic impact of illegal immigration to the United States of America. It has become a matter of debate and study as it relates considerably to the nation’s politics and economy. At the centre of this debate is the question of whether illegal immigrants are good or bad to the economy of the United States (Dudley 18). Various studies haveRead MoreDanielle Grieco. Ms. Mahoney. English 8 Aap B.1. 5 May1317 Words   |  6 PagesDanielle Grieco Ms. Mahoney English 8 AAP B.1 5 May 2017 The Impact of People and Policy on Immigration Americans display the most admirable level of responsibility of which many countries are envious. Whether it comes to family, economics or self-accountability, citizens of the U.S. consistently exhibit high standards for being responsible. Imitating America, immigrants from foreign countries that are undergoing arduous economical or physical circumstances must take the only step they know willRead MoreImmigration On The United States1302 Words   |  6 PagesImmigration Rights in the U.S. Immigration has occurred in the U.S. for for many years. Some say it’s the foundation of our country. America is the country where people leave their own country to live. People would leave due to mistreatment, hunger issues or job opportunities. America is known for starting over or accomplishing dreams, so immigrants travel over to follow those dreams. People emigrate from one country to another for a variety of complex reasons. Some are forced to move, due to conflictRead MoreThe Effects Of Immigrants On The Economy908 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction From terrorism, to global warming, to immigration, hot-button political issues often affect many parts of people’s lives. When looking at the many issues facing the country, there are a rare few that only affect one aspect of life. Instead the problems in the country have diverse and extensive impacts and therefore need all-encompassing solutions. One of the issues that garners a great deal of discussion is immigration and its impacts on the economic environment. As a nation of immigrantsRead MoreShould Immigration Benefit Communities?824 Words   |  4 PagesWill immigration benefit communities? Immigration is a sensitive subject in many countries, especially in the USA presently. First, when an immigrant becomes successful this can keep those positions away from natural born citizens. This can anger people who see immigration as a problem. Second, when people are allowed to immigrate, most natural born citizens don’t know that it actually benefits them. Marshall Fit z in April 16, 2013 of The New York Times reports that â€Å"an average wage increase afterRead MoreUnderstanding Americans Perspective Toward Immigration Essay1362 Words   |  6 PagesUnderstanding Americans’ Perspective toward Immigration Introduction It is no astonishingly to observe that the American population has increased enormously in the last fifteen years. Nevertheless, the massive population growth has occurred due to the arrival of immigrants at a large scale. The Pew Hispanic Center published that from 2005 to 2015, immigrants and their offspring born in the America contributed 45 percent to its total population growth. Within this group of immigrants, Latino immigrantsRead MoreThe Benefits of Immigrants in the United States Essay1027 Words   |  5 Pageshelp the economy and country grow. These undocumented immigrants do have some downside to them, which makes people question do they really help this country. Many people question if this is a good or bad thing for the U.S. economy or the country. Immigrants have helped the U.S. economy out a lot and propose more positives then negatives on the country. Immigrants have a big impact on the economy, which helps the U.S. economy become more prosperous. Immigrants help sta bilize the U.S. economy and provides

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Eia Malaysia Free Essays

string(94) " Malaysia is designed to follow the Integrated Project Planning Concept as shown in Figure 2\." ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) Procedure and Requirements in Malaysia CONTENTS Page I. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Why do we need EIA? Which activities are subject to EIA How to conduct EIA II. THE EIA PROCEDURE IN MALAYSIA Integrated Project Planning Concept How is EIA Report Processed and Approved ? Organisational Structure Preliminary EIA Reports Detailed EIA Reports Classification of Projects by Timing of EIA Report Submission (Project Planning Cycle) Consultation III. We will write a custom essay sample on Eia Malaysia or any similar topic only for you Order Now ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO EIA 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 4 4 5 9 9 9 LIST OF FIGURES 1 2 3a 3b Outline of Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure in Malaysia Integrated Project Planning Concept Organisational Structure of EIA Report Processing and Approval Procedure at State Offices Organisational Structure of EIA Report Processing and Approval Procedure at the Department of Environment Headquarters Organisational Structure of Detailed EIA Report Processing and Approval Procedure LIST OF TABLES 1 2a 2b 2c Classification of Projects by Timing of EIA Report Submission (Project Planning Cycle) Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Defined by Quantum) Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Defined by Project Size) Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Not Defined by Unit of Measure) 3 4 4 5 3c 6 7 11 12 13 ii LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 Environmental Quality Act, 1974 1985) Section 34a 2 Environmental Quality Act, 1974. Environmental Qua lity (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 1987 Offices of the Department of Environment Page (Amendment, 14 16 21 3 iii I. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)? EIA is a study to identify, predict, evaluate and communicate information about the impacts on the environment of a proposed project and to detail out the mitigating measures prior to project approval and implementation. Why do we need EIA? EIA is essentially a planning tool for preventing environmental problems due to an action. It seeks to avoid costly mistakes in project implementation, either because of the environmental damages that are likely to arise during project implementation, or because of modifications that may be required subsequently in order to make the action environmentally acceptable. In Malaysia, EIA is required under section 34A, Environmental Quality Act, 1974 (APPENDIX 1). EIA when integrated into the existing planning and decision-making machinery, provides additional information towards better decision-making. Which activities are subject to EIA? Activities subject to EIA are prescribed under the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order, 1987 (APPENDIX 2). A copy of this Order may be obtained from the Government Printers or from any office of the Department of Environment (APPENDIX 3). How to conduct EIA? To assist you in the preparation of environmental impact assessment reports, you may refer to â€Å"A Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines† and EIA guidelines for specific activities published by the Department of Environment. II. THE EIA PROCEDURE IN MALAYSIA The EIA procedure adopted in Malaysia consists of three major steps. The steps in the EIA procedure, which are shown in Figure 1, can be described as follows: Preliminary assessment relates to the initial assessment of the impacts due to those activities that are prescribed. Preliminary assessment is the stage of the EIA procedure that should normally be initiated at the pre-feasibility study stage of the development of an activity. Project options are identified at this stage and any significant residual environmental impacts are made known. The preliminary report that is prepared is reviewed by a technical committee in the DOE internally. However, where expertise within the Department is lacking, assistance from other government and non-government agencies may be sought. Detailed assessment is undertaken for those projects for which significant residual environmental impacts have been predicted in the preliminary assessment. The assessment should ideally continue during project feasibility, and the detailed EIA Report be submitted for approval by the Director General of Environmental Quality prior to the giving of approval by the relevant Federal or State Government authority for the implementation of the project. Detailed assessment is carried out based on specific terms of reference issued by an ad hoc Review Panel appointed by the Director General. The EIA Report that is prepared is reviewed by the ad hoc Review Panel chaired by the Director General. Review of EIA Reports is carried out internally by the DOE for preliminary assessment reports and by an ad hoc Review Panel for detailed assessment reports. Recommendations arising out of the review are transmitted to the relevant project approving authorities for consideration in making a decision on the project. The normal period allocated for a review of a preliminary assessment report is one month while that for a detailed assessment report is two months. The DOE maintains a list of experts who may be called upon to sit as 1 members of any Review Panel established. The selection of the experts depends on the areas of environmental impacts to be reviewed. Other main features of the EIA procedure as shown in Figure 1 include the following: The Approving Authority is the Government Authority that has the task of deciding, whether or not a project should proceed. The authorities include the following: 1. The National Development Planning Committee (NDPC) for Federal Government sponsored projects; 2. The State Executive Council (EXCO) for State Government sponsored projects; 3. The various Local Authorities or Regional Development Authorities (RDA) with respect to planning approval within their respective area; and 4. The Ministry of Trade and Industry or MIDA for industrial projects. Recommendations arising from the review of the EIA Reports are forwarded to the relevant project approving authorities. At the completion of the review period for a detailed EIA, a Detailed Assessment Review Document is issued by the Review Panel. This document may include: 1. Comments on the Detailed Assessment report; 2. Recommendations to the project proponent and the project approving authority including any specific conditions attached to the project approval; and 3. Recommendations for environmental monitoring and auditing. Integrated Project Planning Concept The EIA Procedure in Malaysia is designed to follow the Integrated Project Planning Concept as shown in Figure 2. You read "Eia Malaysia" in category "Papers" The features of the concept include the following: 1. At the onset, during the project identification stage, the need to conduct an EIA study is also determined. 2. If the project requires Preliminary Assessment, it is done in parallel with the Pre-feasibility Study for the project. 3. Similarly, if Detailed Assessment is required, it is conducted as part of the Feasibility Study for the project. 4. The Preliminary Assessment and Detailed Assessment reports are reviewed simultaneously with the Pre-feasibility and Feasibility reports respectively, before a final decision on the project is made. During project construction and project operation environmental monitoring is carried out. 2 3 The concept is recommended to be followed to minimise project delay and improve project planning. How are EIA Reports Processed and Approved? Organisational Structure As of 1st January 1994, all Preliminary EIA Reports are processed and approved by the Department of Environment State Offices except for Kedah and Perlis. EIA Reports for Kedah and Perlis and those for projects within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and projects involving more than one state are processed by officers at the Department of Environment Headquarters. All Detailed EIA Reports are processed and approved at Headquarters. Preliminary EIA Reports Figure 3a illustrates the organisational structure of the Preliminary EIA Report processing and approval procedure at the Department of Environment State Offices. The organisational structure is headed by the State Director. He is responsible for approving or rejecting an EIA Report. One-Stop Agency meetings with other relevant agencies or departments are held when necessary. Comments and verifications from relevant agencies or departments are sought for certain cases. The State Director is assisted by Environmental Control Officers and Assistant Environmental Control Officers. Figure 3a. Organisational Structure of EIA Report Processing and Approval Procedure at State Offices Figure 3b shows the organisational structure of the EIA Report processing and approval procedure at the Department of Environment Headquarters. The organisational set-up is headed by the Director of Prevention Division. He is assisted by the Head of Evaluation Section and Senior Environmental Control Officers chairing the EIA Technical Committee meeting. The EIA Technical Committee is an in-house committee set 4 up to examine the Preliminary EIA Reports. One-Stop Agency meetings with relevant departments or agencies are held when necessary. Comments and verifications from the departments or agencies are acquired when necessary. The Committee formulates recommendations to the Director of Prevention Division on the acceptability of the Preliminary EIA Report. Detailed EIA Reports Figure 3c illustrates the organisational structure of the Detailed EIA Report processing and approval procedure. The Organisational set-up is headed by the Director General of Environment Quality who is responsible for approving or rejecting the EIA report. He is assisted by the Director of Prevention Division, who also functions as Secretary to the Detailed EIA ad hoc Review Panel. The Chairman of this panel is the Director General of Environmental Quality. The Detailed EIA Review Panel’s main task is to critically review Detailed EIA Reports and formulate recommendations to the relevant project approving authority. The Detailed EIA Review Panel is established on an ad hoc basis specifically for a particular project. The panel comprises independent members of relevant disciplines, from different organisations such as Universities and Non-Governmental organisations. Detailed EIA Reports are also displayed at all Department of Environment Offices, as well as public and university libraries for public comments. The public are widely notified through the mass media when and where the Detailed EIA Reports are available for review and comment. The Evaluation (EIA) section which is headed by a Principal Assistant Director comprises EIA Report Processing Desk Officers assisted by Assistant Environmental Control Officers. The desk officers are trained in different disciplines including Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Physics, Economics, Sociology and Ecology. 5 6 TABLE 1 CLASSIFICATION OF EIA REPORTS BY TIMING OF SUBMISSION (PROJECT PLANNING CYCLE) PROJECT PLANNING CYCLE Project Identification Sourcing for Technology or Licence Pre-feasibility/ Siting Decision Feasibility/Project Design REPORT CLASSIFICATION 0 1 EIA ISSUE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING CYCLE Exploring environmentally sound projects Assessment for environmentally sound technology Base line study and submission of preliminary assessment report Extended cost benefit analysis and submission of complete or detailed EIA report EIA report to be approved by the Director General of DOE, prior to licence to be granted by relevant government agencies, or lease to be given, land conversion or change of ownership approval by State Government Budget approval Contract 4 Are sufficient environmental specifications and safeguard incorporated in contract documents and agreements? Is the design complying with all the specifications? PROJECT APPROVAL Is the project environmentally sound? Is the technolo gy most advanced and clean? Is the proposed site environmentally least sensitive? Own approval or Memorandum of Understanding Business transactions, technology transfer and licence agreement DOE clearance 2 3 Does the project design incorporate all the required pollution control and other environment mitigating measures? Written permission Detailed Design 5 Submission of plans on pollution control and other environmental mitigating measures Tendering 6 Is sufficient budget provided for environmental control and other environmental mitigating measures in the tender exercise and award? Are project development and construction closely supervised? Does the project meeting all set standards and conditions? Is the project fully complying with the imposed standards all the time? Are there significant residual environmental impacts? – Development and Construction Commissioning 7 Environmental monitoring Approval by land, resources, safety, health, environment and local authorities Certification by safety, health, environment, and local authorities – 8 Continuation of monitoring and project auditting Source and environmental monitoring Operation and Maintenance Abandonment/End of Project Line 9 x Continued environmental monitoring Approval by the relevant Federal, State and Environment Authorities 7 Key Classification 1 – High Distinction 2 – Distinction 3 – High Credit 4 5 6 – Credit – Simple Credit – Low Credit 7 – Low Pass 8 – Just Pass 9 – Fail 8 Classification of Projects by Timing of EIA Report Submission (Project Planning Cycle) In order to integrate the environmental dimension in the project planning or designing process, the timing of submission of an EIA Report to the Department of Environment for approval is vital. The proper timing of submission of an EIA Report is essential so as not to cause any major disruption to the overall project planning cycle. The project initiator is encouraged to submit the EIA Report as early as at the project identification stage to enable recommendations on environmental changes or modifications to the project plan to be incorporated. On the other hand, submission of an EIA Report towards the end of the project planning cycle will reduce the value of an EIA, and possibly increase environmental costs or delay implementation of the project. In order to guide project proponents, a classification system for EIA reports has been made in accordance with time of submission as tabulated in Table 1. The timing of submission of an EIA Report corresponding to the stage of project planning cycle has been divided into nine classifications. The nine classifications are ranked from ‘high distinction’ to ‘failure’. In addition, the corresponding environmental issues, and requirements for project approval have also been identified for the various stages of project planning. For example, the submission of an EIA Report at the stage of project identification or sourcing for technology is classified as Class 1 and given ‘high distinction’, whilst reports submitted towards the end of project construction or commissioning falls under Class 8 and is ranked ‘low pass’. An EIA Report submitted at the commencement of the project identification stage will give an opportunity to project planners to exhaust environmental issues and to find solutions to them prior to project implementation. In instances where undesirable significant adverse environmental impacts are identified, alternatives which are environmentally acceptable should be found. This exercise should be repeated until an acceptable solutions is found. Consultation Although there is no requirement for notification and a project proponent is under no formal obligation to consult the Department of Environment about his proposal before submission of his EIA Report, there are practical reasons for doing so. The Department of Environment and other relevant departments will often possess useful information in particular, data on environmental quality, local problems, as well as aspects of the project most likely to be of concern and requiring emphasis in the EIA Report. It would be beneficial for all concerned if project approval authorities can advise potential project proponents as soon as a project is conceived to check with the Department of Environment to ascertain if EIA is required. By doing this, the issues of timing and delay can be avoided. III. ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO EIA The Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activites) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 1987 which is made under powers conferred by section 34A of the Environmental Quality Act, 1974 (Amendment) 1985 specifies those activities that are subject to EIA. Nineteen categories of activities are prescribed and these include those related to: agriculture, airport, drainage and irrigation, land reclamation, fisheries, forestry, housing, industry, infrastructure, ports, mining, petroleum, power generation, quarries, railways, transportation, resort and recreational development, waste treatment and disposal, and water supply. Many of the activities related to these nineteen categories are defined in terms of project size (as area), capacity (quantum) while others are not defined by any unit of measure. Hence, to assist project initiators or project approving authorities to make quick decisions on whether a proposed activity is subject to the Act or otherwise, three simple checklists have been prepared as follows: a) Activities defined by quantum (Table 2a); 9 b) Activities defined by project size (Table 2b); and c) Activities not defined by unit of measure (Table 2c). 10 Table 2a Malaysia: Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Defined by Quantum) Quantum 60000 5000 4500 200 100 100 100 100 50 50 50 30 10 Unit Barrel Tonne Cubicmetres Tonnes/ day Family Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ day Tonnes/ hour Megawatts Activity Construction of product depot for storage of petrol, gas or diesel Shipyards Groundwater development for industrial, agricultural or urban water supply Iron and steel industries using scrap iron Agricultural programmes necessitating resettlement Chemical production industries Lime production industries using rotary kiln Iron and steel industries using iron ore Non ferrous industries other than aluminium and copper Lime production industries using vertical kiln Pulp and paper industry Cement industries Construction of steam generated power stations using fossil fuels 8 (c) 8 (d) 8 (g) 8 (d) 1 (b) 8 (a) 8 (d) 8 (e) Number 12 (e) 8 (f) 19 (b) 8 (e) 13 (a) 11 Table 2b Malaysia: Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Defined by Project Size) Project Size Unit Activity Number 5000 Hectare 500 Hectare 500 Hectare 500 Hectare 400 Hectare 250 Hectare 200 Hectare 200 100 100 80 50 50 Hectare Family Hectare Room Hectare Hectare 50 Hectare 50 Hectare 50 Hectare 50 Hectare 50 50 50 40 Hectare Hectare Kilometre Hectare 2. 5 Kilometre Irrigation schemes Land development schemes to bring forest land into agricultural production Development of agricultural estates involving changes in types of agricultural use Logging Construction of dams and hydroelectric power scheme reservoirs Mining of mineral in new areas Construction of dams and man-made lakes and artificial enlargement of lakes Construction of dams or impounding reservoirs Agricultural programmes necessitating resettlement Drainage of wetland, wild-life habitat or virgin forest Construction of coastal resort facilities or hotel Coastal reclamation Land-based aquaculture projects accompanied by clearing of mangrove swamp forest Conversion of hill forest land to other land use Conversion of mangrove swamps for industrial, housing, or agricultural use Housing development Industrial estate development for medium and heavy industries Sand dredging Hill station resort or hotel development Construction of off-shore and on-shore pipeline Construction of dams and hydr oelectric power schemes with dams over 15 metres high Construction of airports 3 (c) 1 (a) 1 (c) 6 (c) 13 (b) ii 11 (a) 3 (a) 19 (a) 1 (b) 3 (b) 17 (a) 4 5 (c) 6 (a) 6 (d) 7 9 (b) 11 (c) 17 (b) 12 (b) 13 (b)i 2 (a) 12 Table 2c Malaysia: Summary of Activities Subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (Activities Not Defined by Unit of Measure) Prescribed Activity AIRPORT FISHERIES Activity Airstrip development in state and national parks Construction of fishing harbours Harbour expansion involving an increase of 0 per cent or more in fish landing capacity per annum Logging or conversion of forest land to other land use within the catchment area of reservoirs used for municipal water supply, irrigation or hydropower generation or in areas adjacent to state and national parks and national marine parks Clearing of mangrove swamps on islands adjacent to national marine parks Petrochemicals industries – all sizes Primary smelting of aluminium and copper – all sizes Construc tion of hospitals with outfall into beachfronts used for recreational purposes Construction of expressways Construction of national highways Construction of new townships Construction of ports Port expansion involving an increase of 50 per cent or more in handling capacity per annum Ore processing including concentrating for aluminium, copper, gold or tantalum Oil and gas fields development Construction of oil and gas separation, processing, handling and storage facilities Construction of oil refineries Construction of combined cycle power stations Construction of nuclear-fueled power stations Number 2 (b) 5 (a) 5 (b) FORESTRY 6 (b) 6 (e) 8 (b) 8 (c) 9 (a) 9 (c) 9 (d) 9 (e) 10 (a) 10 (b) INDUSTRY INFRASTRUCTURE PORTS MINING 11 (b) 12 (a) 12 ( c) 12 (d) 13 (c) 13 (d) PETROLEUM POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION 13 Table 2c (Continuation) Prescribed Activity QUARRIES Activity Proposed quarrying of aggregate limestone, silica, quartzite, sandstone, marble and decorative building stone within 3 kilometres of any existing residential, commercial or industrial areas, or any area for which a licence, permit or approval has been granted for residential, commercial or industrial development Construction of new routes Construction of branch lines Construction of Mass Rapid Transport projects Number 14 15 (a) 15 (b) 16 RAILWAYS TRANSPORTATION RESORT AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Development of tourist or recreational facilities in national parks 17 (c) Development of tourist or recreational facilities on islands in surrounding waters which are gazetted as national marine parks 17 (d) WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL (Toxic and Hazardous Waste) Construction of incineration plant Construction of recovery plant (off-site) Construction of wastewater treatment plant (off-site) Construction of secure landfill facility Construction of storage facility (off-site) Construction of incineration plant Construction of composting plant Construction of recovery/recycling plant Construction of municipal solid waste landfill facility Construction of wastewater treatment plant Construction of marine outfall 18 (a)i 18 (a)ii 18 (a)iii 18 (a)iv 18 (a)v 18 (b)i 18 (b)ii 18 (b)iii 18 (b)iv 18 (c)i 18 (c)ii (Municipal Solid Waste) (Municipal Sewage) 14 APPENDIX 1 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, 1974 (AMENDMENT, 1985) SECTION 34A The Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 1985, amended the Environmental Quality Act, 1974. Amendments include the insertion of section 34A which requires any person intending to carry out any prescribed activity to submit report on the impact on the environment to the Director General of Environmental Quality for examination. The Amendment act was gazetted on 9 January 1986 and section 34A reads as follows:â€Å"34A (1) The Minister, after consultation with the Council, may by order prescribe any activity which have significant environment impact as prescribed activity. Any person intending to carry out any of the prescribed activities shall, before any approval for the carrying out of such activity is granted by the relevant approving authority, submit a report to the Director General. The report shall be in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Director General and shall contain an assessment of the impact such activity will have or is likely to have on the environment and the proposed measures that shall be undertaken to prevent, reduce or control the adverse impact on the environment. If the Director General on examining the report and after making such inquiries as he considers necessary, is of the opinion that the report satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) and that the measures to be undertaken to prevent, reduce or control the adverse impact on the environment are adequate, he shall approve the report, with or without conditions attached thereto, and shall inform the person intending to carry out the prescrived activity and the relevant approving authorities accordingly. If the Director General, on examining the report and after making such inquiries as he considers necessary, is of the opinion that the report does not satisfy the requirements of subsection (2) or that the measures to be undertaken to prevent, reduce or control the adverse impact on the environment are inadequate, he shall not approve the report and shall give his reasons therefore and shall inform the person intending to carry out the prescribed activity and the relevant approving authorities accordingly. Provided that where such report is not approved it shall not preclude such person from revising and re-submitting the revised report to the Director General for the approval. The Director General may if he considers it necessary require more than one report to be submitted to him for his approval. Any person intending to carry out a prescribed activity shall not carry out such activity until the report required under this section to be submitted to the Director General has been sub mitted and approved. If the Director General approves the report, the person carrying out the prescribed activity, in the course of carrying out such activity, shall provide sufficient proof that the conditions attached to the report (if any) are being complied with and that the proposed measures to be taken to prevent, reduce or control the adverse impact on the environment are being incorporated into the design, construction and operation of the prescribed activity. Any person who contravenes this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both and to a further fine of one thousand ringgit for every day that the offence is continued after a notice by the Director General requiring him to comply with the act specified therein has been served upon him. † 15 (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 16 APPENDIX 2 P. U. A) 362 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, 1974 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (PRESCRIBED ACTIV ITES) (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) ORDER 1987 In exercise of the powers conferred by section 34A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the Minister, after consultation with the Environmental Quality Council, makes the following order: 1. This order may be cited as the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order, 1987 and shall come into force on the 1st April 1988. 2. The activities specified in the Schedule are prescribed to be prescribed activities. SCHEDULE 1. AGRICULTURE (a) Land development schemes covering an area of 500 hectares or more to bring forest land into agricultural production. Agricultural programmes necessitating the resettlement of 100 families or more. Development of agricultural estates covering an area of 500 hectares or more involving changes in types of agricultural use. (b) (c) 2. AIRPORT (a) (b) Construction of airports (having an airstrip of 2,500 metres or longer) Airstrip development in state and national parks. 3. DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION (a) Construction of dams and man-made lakes and artificial enlargement of lakes with surface area of 200 hectares or more. Drainage of wet land, wild-life habitat or of virgin forest covering an area of 100 hectares or more. Irrigation schemes covering an area of 5,000 hectares or more. (b) (c) 4. LAND RECLAMATION Coastal reclamation involving an area of 50 hectares or more. 5. FISHERIES (a) Construction of fishing harbours. 17 (b) Harbour expansion involving an increase of 50 per cent or more in fish landing capacity per annum. Land based aquaculture projects accompanied by clearing of mangrove swamp forests covering an area of 50 hectares or more. (c) 6. FORESTRY (a) (b) Conversion of hill land to other land use covering an area of 50 hectares of more. Logging or conversion of forest land to other land use within the catchment area of reservoirs used for municipal water supply, irrigation or hydro-power generation or in areas adjacent to state and national parks and national marine parks. Logging covering an area of 500 hectares or more. Conversion of mangrove swamps for industrial, housing or agriculture use covering an area of 50 hectares or more. Clearing of mangrove swamps on islands adjacent to national marine parks. (c) (d) (e) 7. HOUSING Housing development covering an area of 50 hectares or more. 8. INDUSTRY (a) Chemical – Where production capacity of each product or of combined product is greater than 100 tonnes/day. – All sizes. – Primary smelting: Alluminium Copper Others (b) (c) Petrochemicals Non-ferrous – all sizes. – all sizes. – producing 50 tonnes/day and above of products. for clinker throughput of 30 tonnes/hour and above. – 100 tonnes/day and above burnt lime rotary kiln or 50 tonnes/day and above vertical kiln. (d) Non-metallic – Cement – Lime e) Iron and steel – Require iron ore as raw materials for production greater than 100 tonnes/day; or – Using scrap iron as raw materials for production greater than 200 tonnes/day – Dead Weight Tonnages greater than 5,000 tonnes. 18 (f) Shipyards (g) Pulp and paper industry – Production capacity greater than 50 tonnes/day 9. INFRASTRUCTURE (a) (b) Construction of hospitals with outfall into beachfronts used for recreational purposes. Industrial estate development for medium and heavy industries covering an area of 50 hectares or more. Construction of expressways. Construction of national highways. Construction of new townships. (c) (d) (e) 10. PORTS (a) (b) Construction of ports. Port expansion involving an increase of 50 per cent or more in handling capacity per annum. 11. MINING (a) Mining of minerals in new areas where the mining lease covers a total area in excess of 250 hectares. Ore processing, including concentrating for aluminium, copper, gold, or tantalum. Sand dredging involving an area of 50 hectares or more. (b) (c) 12. PETROLEUM (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Oil and gas fields development. Construction of off-shore and on-shore pipelines in excess of 50 kilometres in length. Construction of oil and gas separation, processing, handling, and storage facilities. Construction of oil refineries. Construction of product depots for the storage of petrol, gas or diesel (excluding service stations) which are located within 3 kilometre of any commercial, industrial or residential areas which have a combined storage capacity of 60,000 barrels or more. 13. POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION (a) Construction of steam generated power stations burning fossil fuels and having a capacity of more than 10 megawatts. Dams and hydroelectric power schemes with either or both of the following: i) dams over 15 metres high and ancillary structures covering a total area in excess of 40 hectares. 19 (b) ii) (c) (d) 14. reservoirs with a surface area in excess of 400 hectares. Construction of combined cycle power stations. Construction of nuclear-fueled stations. QUARRIES Proposed quarrying of aggregate, limestone, silica, quartzite, sandstone, marble and decorative building stone within 3 kilometres of any existing residential, commercial or industrial areas, or any area for which a licence, permit or approval has been granted for residential, commercial or industrial development. 15. RAILWAYS (a) Construction of new routes. (b) Construction of branch lines. 16. TRANSPORTATION Construction of Mass Rapid Transport projects. 17. RESORT AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (a) (b) (c) (d) Construction of coastal resort facilities or hotels with more than 80 rooms. Hill station resort or hotel development covering an area of 50 hectares or more. Development of tourist or recreational facilities in national parks. Development of tourist or recreational facilities on islands in surrounding waters which are gazetted as national marine parks. 18. WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL (a) Toxic and Hazardous Waste i) Construction of incineration plant. ii) Construction of recovery plant (off-site). iii) Construction of wastewater treatment plant (off-site). iv) Construction of secure landfill facility. v) Construction of storage facility (off-site). Municipal Solid Waste i) Construction of incineration plant. ii) Construction of composting plant. iii) Construction of recovery/recycling plant. iv) Construction of municipal solid waste landfill facility. Municipal Sewage i) Construction of wastewater treatment plant. ii) Construction of marine outfall. (b) (c) 19. WATER SUPPLY 20 (a) (b) Construction of dams or impounding reservoirs with a surface area of 200 hectares or more. Groundwater development for industrial, agricultural or urban water supply of greater than 4,500 cubic metres per day. Made on the 30th September, 1987. [KST AS(U) 902/JAS/4(2); PN. (PU2)280/111] DATUK AMAR STEPHEN K. T. YONG, Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment 21 APPENDIX 3 OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT For further information and enquiries, you may contact the following offices: HEADQUARTERS Director General Department of Environment 12th 13th Floor, Wisma Sime Darby Jalan Raja Laut 50662 KUALA LUMPUR Tel: 03-2947844 Tlx: MOSTEC MA 28154 Fax: 603-2931480/2937655 Cable â€Å"SEKITAR† Kuala Lumpur STATE OFFICES Director Department of Environment Selangor/Wilayah Persekutuan 17th Floor, Wisma MPSA Persiaran Perbandaran 40000 SHAH ALAM Tel: 03-5594787/5594788 Fax: 03-5594788 Director Department of Environment Johor 23rd Floor, Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak Jalan Wong Ah Fook 80000 JOHOR BAHRU Tel: 07-2226723/2224431 Fax: 07-2230567 Director Department of Environment Pahang 4th Floor, Bangunan Asia Life Jalan Tekul Sisek 25000 KUANTAN Tel: 09-529211/529075 Fax: 09-529075 Director Department of Environment Trengganu/Kelantan Lot 2, 5th Floor Bangunan Tabung Haji/Bank Pertanian Jalan Sultan Ismail 20200 KUALA TERENGGANU Tel: 09-6227877 Fax: 09-6226877 Director Department of Environment Kedah/Perlis 22 Aras 1, Menara Zakat Jalan Teluk Wanjah 05200 ALOR SETAR Tel: 04-7332832 Fax: 04-7337530 Director Department of Environment Pulau Pinang 5th 6th Floor, Wisma Peladang Jalan Kampong Gajah 12200 BUTTERWORTH Tel: 04-340441 Fax: 04-316078 Director Department of Environment Perak 9th Floor, Bangunan Seri Kinta Jalan Sultan Idris Shah 30000 IPOH Tel: 05-2542744 Fax: 05-2558595 Director Department of Environment Melaka 2nd Floor, Bangunan Graha Maju Jalan Tan Chay Yan 75300 MELAKA Tel: 06-247825 Fax: 06-247845 Director Department of Environment Negeri Sembilan 3rd Floor, Block C Wisma Negeri 70503 SEREMBAN Tel: 06-722311 Fax: 06-731397 Director Department of Environment Sabah 7th Floor, Block E, Bangunan KUWASA Jalan Karamunsing 88000 KOTA KINABALU Tel: 088-250122 Fax: 088-241170 Director Department of Environment Sarawak 9th Floor, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Jalan Simpang Tiga 93592 KUCHING Tel: 082-418535 Fax: 082-422863 23 How to cite Eia Malaysia, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Profitability and Regulation of Pharmaceutical Industry

Question: Discuss about the Profitability and Regulation of Pharmaceutical Industry. Answer: Introduction: The pharmaceutical industry refers to an industry which discovers, develops produces drugs used to heal illness. Pharmaceutical companies generally deal with either generic drugs or branded rugs medical devices. Pharmaceutical industry is ruled controlled by various laws posed by government in order to regulate testing, safety, efficacy, patents marketing of the drugs. Pharmaceutical industry deals in high levels of research development (RD) to discover develop the drug. Drug discovery refers to the process of designing or development of the drug. The cost of innovation association with drug development and discovering the drug is quite expensive. It is seen that, compounds investigated to be used for human purpose only handful are approved by the medical council to market a particular drug in certain countries (Gupta Bansal, 2015). In the year 2010, 18 new molecular entities were approved by the FDA whereas; only 18 approvals were made in the year 2007 22 in 2006. The research development (RD) of the pharmaceutical industry has reached more than $65 billion in the year 2009 (De Kluyver Pearce, 2009). Based upon a study done by Bain Company, the cost of developing, discovering launching a new product in the market has risen to five year period to $1.8 billion in the year 2003. Based upon Forbes, the development cost of the drug were in the range of $2 - $10 billion per drug (Syafriont, 2011). Five forces analysis of Pharmaceutical Industry Porters five forces analysis refers to a marketing too which is used in order to analyse the industry as well as determine what is to be done in order to attain competitive advantage as well as determine how attractive a particular industry for new entrants. The porters five forces model consist of the following forces. The five forces analysis if Pharmaceutical industry is as follows: Bargaining power of buyers: It shall be seen that, the bargaining power of buyers in case of pharmaceutical industry is medium. Hospitals health care organizations buy medicines in bulk and hence exert pressure on the pharmaceutical companies to keep a check on the prices of the drugs (Smith Becker, n.d.). Regular patients do not pose any bargaining power due to an increase in the prices of the generic drug. In case of pharmaceutical company, a particular drug is cherished by the customer. Therefore, they tend to pay more for that one product (Goncharov, Mahlich Yurtoglu, n.d.). Bargaining power of suppliers: The barraging power of suppliers in the pharmaceutical company is relatively low. It shall be kept in mind that, sales of pharmaceutical industry is concentrated in handful of large players which has decreased the bargaining power of the same (Santoro Gorrie, 2010). High levels of competition amongst the suppliers will tend to reduce the prices of the drug producers. This will have a positive impact on the pharmaceutical industry. Threat of new entrants: The threat of new entrant in pharmaceutical industry is very low. It shall be seen that, high sunk cost makes it very difficult for any company to enter the new market (same goes in case of pharmaceutical industry). High sunk costs have a positive effect on the pharmaceutical industry. A strong distribution network is required in case of pharmaceutical industry (Research and development in the pharmaceutical industry, 2006). Building a strong distribution network has positive affect on this industry. There are high entry barriers associated with research development (RD) of new drugs. Patents help the new entrants not to enter the pharmaceutical industry. Patents make it difficult for the new entrants to enter in same. Rivalry amongst the existing competitors: The degree of rivalry from the existing firms is very high in the pharmaceutical industry. The rivalries amongst the existing competitors pose high competitive force (Grice, 2008). For example, in case of erectile dysfunction GlaxoSmithKline claims that Levitra works faster as compared to Eli Lily ICOS which works faster and is ling lasting Viagra by Pfizer. It shall be seen that, policies regulations can dictate the level of competition within the pharmaceutical industry (Prstegaard, 2010). When they limit competition, it has a positive effect on this particular industry. Threat of substitute products: The threat of substitute products in the pharmaceutical industry is very high. The cost of switching from one product to another is high. Customers cannot easily switch from one brand to another. Demand for generic as compared to the branded drugs has increased due to the cost associated with it (Nahler Mollet, 2013). Generic drugs do not involve high research development (RD) as compared to new drugs and hence, it helps them to sell the drugs at a cheaper price. People tend to buy cheap drugs as compared to the branded drugs as they involve same salt concentration Profitability of pharmaceutical industry For the past many decades, pharmaceutical industry has been referred to as highly profitable. The recipe to earn such profits is to discover a molecule or a chemical which deals with some of the common problems i.e. hyper-tension, diabetes, erectile dysfunction and make billion dollars. But, it is not easy to earn such high levels of profits (Mancuso Grenada, 2011). It takes billions of dollars to develop discover a chemical which might be used by humans to heal their illness (Jo?rn, n.d.). It is seen that, the pharmaceutical industry is highly profitable. In the year 2000-2003, the average rate of return on capital for the firm in the pharmaceutical industry was estimated to be 25% (Leahy, 2011). This means that, for every dollar invested, the average pharmaceutical firm generated 25% of profit. The high profitability of the pharmaceutical industry can be understood by taking into consideration the following factors. They are as follows: The demand of the pharmaceutical industry is very strong and has been on rise for many decades. In the year 1999-2003, the annual rise of pharmaceutical industry was estimated to be more than13% (Gupta Bansal, 2015). The strong demand for medicines is due to the favourable demographics. As people grew old, they are in need of medicines to be stable and perform their daily chores (Mulinari, 2016) . The new and branded medicines are highly profitable. For example, Lipitor a drug to lower the cholesterol levels sold by Pfizer was introduced in the year 1997. By the end of 2003, this drug had earned revenue of more than 60 billion. The cost of manufacturing, distribution marketing for the same accounts to not more than 7% of the total revenue earned. This drug is protected from direct competition and hence Pfizer has temporary monopoly for the same and can charge any price as possible (Griffin, 2009). Factors driving profitability of the pharmaceutical industry: Pharmaceutical companies invest billions of dollars to discover develop a medicine which would provide an effective treatment for the humans. In this process, they tend to make investment make huge profits. It shall be taken into consideration that, the role of industry has grown and so are the risks. The level of expectation from this industry is very high competitions amongst the generic drugs are stiff (Maria Bogdana, 2014). Some of the factors that drive the profitability of the pharmaceutical industry have been listed as follows: Government Regulation: The degree of regulation levied by the government also plays an important role in driving the profitability of the pharmaceutical industry. It shall be seen that, the federal government administration regulates this industry at different stages. It shall be kept in mind that, countries such as Canada Germany tend to control the price on the medicines sold at their borders (Griffin, 2009). The government of U.S. and FDA puts a pressure on how to control pharmaceutical advertisements along with the claims as to what the drugs can and cannot do. Based upon the study conducted by Cato Institute, 85% of the pharmaceutical cost goes by complying with the FDA regulations, thereby using the amount in further medical research. Insurers managed care: In United States (U.S.), prices are set by a free market system, customers rarely pay full price for prescription drugs which are paid by the third party insurers. It shall be seen that, third party insurers are able to negotiate for the prices of drugs, thereby leading to decreasing the level of profits along prices of the same (Smith Becker, n.d.). Research Development (RD): Intensive research development (RD) plays an important role in driving profitability of pharmaceutical industry. With the help of RD, treatments for complex disorders have also come into place. The industrys expenditure on RD for new therapies is estimated to be $68 billion in the year 2010. It shall be taken into consideration that, the role of pharmaceutical industry has increased significantly thereby leading to so many risks (Research and development in the pharmaceutical industry, 2006). Consumer demand: In the past many decades, the demands for generic drugs as well as maintenance therapy along with lifestyle drugs have grown tremendously. The increase in the consumer demand for the same has been referred to as the main factor that drives profitability in the pharmaceutical industry. Some of the drugs which have high consumer demand are highly advertised are Viagra, Lipitor and Claritin. Based upon the study conducted by Medical Marketing Media, the direct consumer advertising spending has reached its highest point i.e. $6 billion dollars. The branded drugs are going off patients sales of generic drugs are increasing amongst the consumers (Smith Becker, n.d.). How the factors change in future and its effect on industry profitability Some of the factors that might change the future of pharmaceutical industry and its effect on industry profitability have been discussed in this section of the assignment. They are as follows: Change and current success: It is quite a difficult task to accomplish the business and make a drastic change in the middle of the success. It shall be seen that, there were times where the companies who were once on the top are now non-existent as they were unable to make changes in the long run (Maria Bogdana, 2014). Food Drug Administration (FDA): The Food Drug administration (FDA) once approved the first medicine to control high cholesterol known as PCSK9. Many experts say that, it has been referred to as one of the costliest drug ever. Companies are developing more such drugs as compared to generic ones in order to make billion dollars. Expectation of the health care industry has changed drastically. The expectation of the consumers is to deliver high quality drugs effectively and efficiently at affordable prices. It is seen that, on an average a family pays approximately $25,000 every year on availing the medical facilities (Maria Bogdana, 2014). Transformation and innovations in the health care industry: The transformations in the health care industry have helped the companies to think proactively and provide services in the best of manner. Innovative treatments in the health care sector have helped this sector to be one of the successful industries (Grice, 2008). Companies who think proactively on their pricing will have a better life as compared to those who are less innovative. Generic reference pricing (GRP): In this case, the regulators tend to fix a price i.e. a particular level above which the consumer will not be reimbursed the cost of the drug. The reference price of the drug is equal to the level of lowest priced generic equivalent. In case the generic drug has a price which is higher than the reference point, then the patients are required to pay for the same (Goncharov, Mahlich Yurtoglu, n.d.). Profit control: The regulators tend to impose certain limits on the levels of profits generated by the pharmaceutical company. For example, in UK the market is not required to exceed its profit levels by 17-20% till 1998 and by 23% afterwards (Carroll, 2009). Conclusion Hence, it can be concluded that pharmaceutical industry has been referred to as one of the highly profitable industries. Pharmaceutical companies generally deal with either generic drugs or branded rugs medical devices. Pharmaceutical industry is ruled controlled by various laws posed by government in order to regulate testing, safety, efficacy, patents marketing of the drugs (Goncharov, Mahlich Yurtoglu, n.d.). Pharmaceutical industry deals in high levels of research development (RD) to discover develop the drug. According to the fiver forces porters model, the bargaining power of buyers is medium, bargaining power of seller is very low, threat from new entrants is low, threat of substitutes is very high rivalry amongst existing competitors is very high. For the past many decades, pharmaceutical industry has been referred to as highly profitable. The recipe to earn such profits is to discover a molecule or a chemical which deals with some of the common problems i.e. hyper-tension, diabetes (Carroll, 2009). There are four main factors which drive the profitability of the pharmaceutical industry i.e. government regulations, consumer demands, research development (RD) and insurers managed care. Lastly, it shall be taken into consideration that it is quite a difficult task to accomplish the business and make a drastic change in the middle of the success (De Kluyver Pearce, 2009). The expectation of the consumers is to deliver high quality drugs effectively and efficiently at affordable prices. The transformations in the health care industry have helped the companies to think proactively and provide services in the best of manner. References Carroll, J. (2009).The pharmaceutical industry. 1st ed. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. De Kluyver, C. and Pearce, J. (2009).Strategy. 1st ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Goncharov, I., Mahlich, J. and Yurtoglu, B. (n.d.). RD Investments, Profitability and Regulation of the Pharmaceutical Industry.SSRN Electronic Journal. Grice, J. (2008).Global pharmaceutical marketing. 1st ed. London: Pharmaceutical Press. Griffin, J. (2009).The textbook of pharmaceutical medicine. 1st ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Gupta, M. and Bansal, P. (2015). Firm Size and Profitability: A Study of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry.LBS Journal of Management Research, 13(1), p.35. Jo?rn, A. (n.d.).Pfizer and the Challenges of the Global Pharmaceutical Industry. 1st ed. Leahy, A. (2011). The Determinants Of Profitability In The Pharmaceutical Industry.American Journal of Health Sciences (AJHS), 3(1), p.37. Mancuso, D. and Grenada, I. (2011).Pharmaceutical industry. 1st ed. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Nova Science. Maria, D. and Bogdana, I. (2014). The analysis of the influence factors affecting the performance of pharmaceutical companies.Theoretical and Applied Economics, 11(7), pp.23-42. Mulinari, S. (2016). Regulating Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing: Development, Enforcement, and Outcome of Marketing Rules.Sociology Compass, 10(1), pp.74-86. Nahler, G. and Mollet, A. (2013).Dictionary of pharmaceutical medicine. 1st ed. Wien: Springer-Verlag. Prstegaard, L. (2010).Pharma - to brand or not to brand?. 1st ed. Frederiksberg. Research and development in the pharmaceutical industry. (2006). 1st ed. [Washington, D.C.]: Congress of the U.S., Congressional Budget Office. Santoro, M. and Gorrie, T. (2010).Ethics and the pharmaceutical industry. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Smith, M. and Becker, R. (n.d.).Principles of pharmaceutical marketing. 1st ed. Syafriont, S. (2011). FACTORS AFFECTING THE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.Journal of Economics, Business, and Accountancy | Ventura, 14(2). Wierenga, B. (2008).Handbook of marketing decision models. 1st ed. New York: Springer.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Medieval Architecture free essay sample

The Middle Ages, also known as the Medieval era, though scarred with a history of violence and war, has given the world some of the most marvelous and beautiful pieces of art, particularly in architecture. The Middle Ages is the name given to the time period from the late 5th century to the 15th century, particular to European history. The construction of these types of buildings was a constant for various cultures for a thousand years. They can be categorized into three phases; Pre-Romanesque, Romanesque and Gothic. The most important buildings during medieval times were religious, defensive and governmental or power related. Figure 1 – Sarcophagus of Abbess Theodechilde in the Abbey of Jouarre. The Pre-Romanesque era started, arguably, with the Merovingian Dynasty of the Franks. Some say that not much was gained, from an architectural point of view, during the rule of the Franks but I believe there are a couple of points worth making. We will write a custom essay sample on Medieval Architecture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Merovingian rule lasted from the 5th century, after the fall of the Roman Empire, to the late 8th century. Most of their buildings followed after the Roman basilica style. The Franks, due to religious beliefs, pushed the building of monasteries and included crypts within their structures. (see figure 1) Although there were many monasteries built with crypts, only five remain intact today. One of the noteworthy aspects of Merovingian architecture was that they are credited with being the first to build raised reliquaries of the saint within their monasteries, located behind the altar. Figure 3 – The 9th century Torhalle, or gatehouse, at the Lorsch Abbey in Germany. Figure 2 – Exterior of Corvey Abbey, showing the Westwork. The Carolingian Dynasty, which some say is where Pre-Romanesque architecture began, reigned from the late 8th century into the 10th century. Also deriving from a Frankish noble family, the Carolingians are credited with a couple of key designs that carry forward into the Romanesque and Gothic phases of architecture. The westwork, which was basically the west facing side of the church consisting of two towers with several stories between them, was probably the most significant change in architectural design for churches during the Pre-Romanesque time period. The first church to incorporate this new style was the St. Riquier Abbey completed in 799. The plan included equal emphasis on both the east and west ends, including a complex west facade. This church was later destroyed but the westwork was to be repeated in many Carolingian churches and passed on to Ottonian and Romanesque architecture. The oldest standing example today of this style is the Corvey Abbey built in the late 9th century. (see figure 2) Another piece of the Carolingian architecture is the Torhalle, or gatehouse, built at Lorsch. This gatehouse, built around 800, stands today in perfect condition. (see figure 3) It was built as the formal entrance to the Lorsch Abbey. And though it is small in comparison to the many other buildings at the time, it remains the oldest monument of the Carolingian era. Figure 4 – The Gloucester Cathedral in England. The Romanesque era is where we see a dramatic change in architectural style as well as an increase in the amount of building that takes place. The Romanesque period doesn’t have an exact date range, but most tend to agree that it existed from roughly the 9th century to the 12th century. Although churches remain the number one built structure in the time, we do see a large increase in the number of castles being built. There are many characteristics of Romanesque architecture. New building ideas and techniques were introduced, such as stone vault ceilings, buttresses, semicircular arches as well as barrel, groin and ribbed vaults. As new designs were added, the need for stronger supports systems resulted in massive double shelled walls, large piers and drum columns. (see figure 4) The Romanesque period is known for massive structures and elaborate designs. From this we see a noticeable increase in the skill of the masons during this time as the stone work displays an obvious increase in precision and engineering. Much of the architecture in the Romanesque era evolved into Gothic architecture. The Gothic era ran from the 12th century into the 16th century. There wasn’t necessarily a clean break from Romanesque to Gothic styles of architecture, but rather a gradual shift in design. The main characteristics of Gothic architecture are the pointed ribbed vaults and arches, flying buttresses and, in place of solid walls, a cluster of columns. Due to the vertical emphasis of the design, the archways could be redesigned and stretched or pointed. Four main Figure 5 – The depressed arch supported by fan vaulting at King’s College Chapel, England. ypes of arch designs that are commonly found within Gothic architecture are the lancet arch, which is simply a steeply pointed arch, the equilateral arch, the flamboyant arch and the depressed arch as seen in the King’s College Chapel. (see figure 5) Due to the new design of supporting the weight of the ceiling through the columns and flying buttresses, there was no need for walls made of heavy materials. With all the columns and archways in place, the structure took on a skeletal look. This gave way to expanding the once small openings for windows to an expanse of window space providing plenty of light to the interior of the structure. This space was commonly filled with stained glass. From this, stained glass flourished as an art work to be an essential part of many of the churches in the medieval time. Castles are a huge part of Medieval times and started to grew in number and size during the Romanesque and Gothic eras. The castles were massive and built primarily for defensive purposes. However, some were designed to convey messages of wealth, power and respect as well as fear and domination. Besides a military need, castles were used for administrative purposes as well as a residence. Typical castle residents consisted of the castle’s owner, his family and his military and administrative support staff. Castles were generally made from local materials of stone and wood as well as recycled materials, like Roman bricks and marble. There are, of course, exceptions to this depending on how much money and/or power the person building the castle had. For example, William the Conqueror had the White Tower of The Tower of London built from Caen stone, imported from France. (see figure 6) Figure 6 – The White Tower of the Tower of London. Castles come in all different shapes, sizes and designs depending on the materials available as well as the terrain chosen to build on. Some of the common characteristics of castles are; the motte – an earthen mound created with a flat top for the castle to be built upon; the moat – a large ditch around the castle, typically filled with water; the bailey – fortification that surrounds the keep; the keep – the actual residence of the lord in charge and the most strongly defended part of the castle; the gatehouse – the entrance to the castle; and the curtain wall – a large defensive wall, typically between two bastions. Castle construction would depend on the materials chosen for the building. Earth and timber castles were less expensive to build but could be constructed in most locations due to plentiful resources and most skilled workers had wood working skills. Stone castles cost much more, take longer to complete and require higher skilled masons, and many of them. Not to mention that the location was often relative to the location of the rock quarry. Naturally, stone castles were many times stronger than ones made from timber and, in the eyes of many, were worth the extra cost and time. Depending on the lord in charge and the primary reason for building the castle, the architectural design didn’t stop with just the construction of the building. Many castles maintained beautiful landscapes to compliment their architectural master piece. As seen in figure 7, landscapes play an important role in the overall allure of the entire estate. This particular landscape for the Leeds Castle in England has been maintained since the 13th century. Figure 7 – Panoramic view of the Leeds Castle in England. Throughout the Middle Ages, the key to the many successful pieces of architecture has been the architect. Of course they were not called architects back then, instead they were simply called masons. Often time there were many masons working together on one project. The mason in charge of the design and construction was sometimes referred to as the master mason. Prior to the 13th century, most masons were trained on the job site. From the 13th century onward, the masons took on apprentices and training became more formalized. The masons maintained a constant presence on the job site in smaller structures attached to the building project called lodges. They would store their tools, eat their meals and perform all their inside type work within their lodge. Masonry was one of the few crafts that did not form into a trade guild prior to the 14th century. In later centuries, the masons and their lodge became what we know today as the Freemasons. Architectural design and innovation was not protected and masons often borrowed ideas from one another. In the 14th century, masons were sent to study the design incorporated with the Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France. This structure was destroyed in the 18th century. Figure 8 shows the ruins today and figure 9 shows what the chateau would have looked like. Figure 9 – Artist rendition of what the Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France may have looked like. Figure 8 – Current day Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France. During the estimated thousand years of the Middle Ages, and what we know of it, it is quite evident that architecture played an important part of each society. In religions, in governments and in noble families, the physical structure of the building was just as important to the people as were the traditions and work carried out within. Architecture was not merely a necessary profession but it was a desired form of art work and we are fortunate that so many of these master pieces have been left for us to study and admire.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Decision Tree Essay

Decision Tree Essay Decision Tree Essay Chapter 9 Structuring System Requirements: Logic Modeling True-False Questions 1. Data flow diagrams are designed to show the detailed logic of processes. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 282 2. Structured English is useful for representing the logic in information system processes. Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 282 3. Structured English represents the three fundamental structured programming statements: choice, repetition, and sequence. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 282 4. Reference, linking, and selection programming statements are represented in Structured English. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 282 5. Decision tables allow you to represent a set of conditions and the actions that follow from them in a tabular format. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 282 6. Data flow diagrams are adequate for modeling all of the complexity of an information system. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 283 7. Data flow diagrams are not adequate for modeling all of the complexity of an information system. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 283 8. Logic modeling represents the internal structure and functionality of the processes represented on data flow diagrams. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 283 9. In the analysis phase, logic modeling reflects the structure or syntax of a particular programming language. Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 283 10. Logic modeling is an activity associated with requirements structuring. Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 283 11. Although logic modeling represents a process’s structure, it cannot represent the temporal dimensions of systems. Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 283 12. In structured analysis, the primary deliverables of logic modeling are structured descriptions and diagrams that outline the logic contained within each DFD process as well as diagrams that show the temporal dimensions of systems. Answer: True Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 283 13. Logic modeling deliverables may take the form of new entries into the project dictionary. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 283 14. For each primitive process, the analyst should develop Structured English, decision table, and decision tree representations. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 283 15. State transition diagrams, sequence diagrams, and activity diagrams are types of logic models. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 285 16. Structured English is a process modeling technique. Answer: False Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 285 17. Structured English is a modified form of the English language used to specify the logic of information system processes. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 285 18. The Unified Modeling Language is a modified form of the English language used to specify the logic of information system processes. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 285 19. Structured English relies heavily on adjectives and adverbs. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 285 20. The standard version of Structured English is called the Unified Modeling Language. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 285 21. If and case are two types of conditional statements. Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 285 22. Referencing Structured English, terms that specify logical comparisons are spelled out rather than represented by their arithmetic symbols. Answer: True Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 287 23. When preparing Structured English statements, the analyst includes statements to initialize variables, open and close files, and find related records in separate files. Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 288 24. Structured English resembles a programming language. Answer: False Difficulty: Med Reference: p. 288 25. Structured English is a communication technique used for analysts and

Friday, November 22, 2019

Causes and effects of childhood obesity

Causes and effects of childhood obesity Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and the condition is now obvious much earlier in life. Thirty years ago, less than five percent of children were considered obese. Today’s figures put the number of obese American children somewhere between 12 percent and 15 percent! That translates into millions of children, preteens, and teens suffering from very adult conditions like diabetes and depression related to weight gain (Tessmer, Beecher, & Hagen, 2006). Overweight and obesity in childhood are recognized to have significant impact on physical and psychological health. There are several causes that lead children to become obese. Childhood obesity is now considered a disease and is diagnosed by doctors. Not all children that watch television several hours a day or are inactive or just eat mal-nutritious foods develop obesity, many children get obese because of genes inherited from their parents. Some children become obese because of their lifestyle. For example, la te-day or night eating, snacking and other behavioral behaviors have influence on the progress of obesity. Moreover, social and economic conditions are shown to have a significant relationship to nutrition and dietary intake. In addition, there are certain effects resulted from childhood obesity such as physical, mental, emotional, and social effects. Obesity in childhood is responsible of early development in girls and delayed development in boys. It’s also found to be associated with numerous medical problems related to physiological, metabolic, and structural changes. What is more is that obese children are more likely to develop psychological problems. Physical, social, and mental well-being is considered health related quality of life. Low self-esteem and social discrimination can be noted in obese children due to physical limitations, feelings of isolation or loneliness, and teasing from class mates. Causes and Effects of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and the condition is now obvious much earlier in life. Thirty years ago, less than five percent of children were considered obese. Today’s figures put the number of obese American children somewhere between 12 percent and 15 percent! That translates into millions of children, preteens, and teens suffering from very adult conditions like diabetes and depression related to weight gain (Tessmer, Beecher, & Hagen, 2006). Obesity is defined as a disproportionate buildup of stored fat tissue when compared to other tissues. Childhood obesity is now considered a disease and is diagnosed by doctors. Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Moreover, socio-economic factors have influence on children, which may cause a child to become obese. In addition, there are certain effects resulted from childhood obesity such as phys ical, mental, emotional, and social effects. Diagnosis of Childhood Obesity Only a doctor can diagnose children for obesity by evaluating adiposity, or â€Å"how much fat a person has.† Adiposity can be assessed using different ways, for example, by using an underwater scale, or by an MRI, but these methods are considered excessive and expensive. Another way of evaluating children for obesity is by measuring the distribution of body fat. Also, a chart called the body mass index (BMI) is used to optimally measure the amount of fat person carries most frequently to differentiate between just an overweight child and the one who is really obese. In addition to BMI and charting weight on the growth charts, the doctor also evaluates the family’s history of obesity and weight-related health problems, such as diabetes, the child’s eating habits and calorie intake, the child’s activity level, and any other health conditions the child may have.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Role of Social Media in Managing Customer Relationships Essay

The Role of Social Media in Managing Customer Relationships - Essay Example The varied functional purpose of the organizations include domains like sales, marketing, training professional development, performance management and Human Resource (HR) Development (Cheng Shen, et al., 2010). The major focus should be on effective and timely implementation of the CRM techniques along with its integration with other software programs. The implementation of CRM techniques would require too much installation of procedures which is a time consuming process and also expensive. The overall implementation of CRM application and tools would have high costs associated with it and may not be suitable with the technological environment of the company. The varied technologies have enabled the managers to understand the relevance of CRM, that directly affects and influences the marketing activities and which leads to an increase in the organizational outcome. This has also fostered the relationship between the marketing manager and the customers through collaborative forces of technologies and systems. 1.2.1 Business to Business & Business to Consumer Differences in CRM Conceptual Theory In business to business relationships the conceptual theory is regarded highly for maintaining relationships and then developing incentives accordingly. The conceptual theory can be applicable only to business to business relationships (Mink and Georgi, 2013). On the other hand it helps the corporate customers to develop incentives which would motivate the individual hobbyist to participate in users communities of social media. For consumers, there would be development of customer equity model, customer equity would include desperate measures of calculating the customer needs and requirements and then develop... This essay approves that people are generally prone to engagement in relationship and social marketing tools and the recent advancement in technology will help in maintenance of enhanced customer relationships. It is fair to presume, that the relationship between the different organizational members is quite different from the consumers sector. The methods of social media marketing are also very different and they take into account the planning and implementation of marketing into consideration. The consumer and industrial sector is greatly influenced by the CRM technology integration and the main reason being so would be the construction of organizational capabilities. This report makes a conclusion that relationship marketing is a strategy which is designed to foster customer loyalty, long term engagement and interaction. The development of varied CRM tools would focus more on customer retention and acquisition. These strategies were designed to develop stronger connection with customers by providing them with information related to organizational growth and development. The author of the study has revealed the benefits and non benefits associated with the CRM strategy and its implementation. The variable factors affecting the social media marketing have to be kept into consideration, while developing effective marketing strategies for the betterment of the organizational development systems. Social networking websites are very powerful tools that can be useful as well as harmful to an individual and business enterprise. It has benefitted the common people by providing jobs to millions of people. The usage of social networking websites should be d one cautiously and judiciously.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Addressing goals for the DNP program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Addressing goals for the DNP program - Essay Example Every person pursuing a career needs to increase his or her skills in order to give better output. In a nursing career it is no different. However, the advancement of studies plays an important role not just in additional skills or knowledge, but also for the nurse to be able to provide better care to patients within a population, as well as to be able to function as a leader or one of the leaders within health and nursing organizations. To be able to achieve these end results, the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program created goals that would be teaching nurses knowledge that give more emphasis to: acquiring an advanced degree of skills used in a multitude of situations; being able to use the results of nursing research in applications as needed; playing an active role in leadership of an organization; and being proactive in the implementation as well as creation of health policies that would be inclusive to all patients. At present, I plan to pursue higher education as an adv anced nurse practitioner (ANP) in the DNP program, and with these goals of DNP in mind, I plan to become fully equipped in advancing my skills and knowledge for my nursing career, and share my knowledge with students if given the chance. In the course of nursing duties, it is required that a nurse be fully prepared in all situations, and to act according to the best course of action, especially when the patient’s life is at stake.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Member of the wedding notes Essay Example for Free

Member of the wedding notes Essay Stuck between being to young for adolescence and to old to be a child, the protagonist Frankie Addams, has the desire to be the child and the adult. Within herself shes confused and lost, her body is to big, yet her mind is broken. Through the journey of Carson McCullers novel The Member of the Wedding, Frankie clenches on to the ridiculous idea of belonging to the wedding and even going off with the honeymooners after. This concept developed by her, is what she believes is a way in which she can develop a sense of belonging. Although this idea preposterous and highly immature it highlights that Frankie wants an adult dream at her young age. Her confused desires between child and adulthood are depicted again, when she almost experiences her first sexual encounter with a solider. Although being inquisitive and interested in what would go on between the two of them and although Frankie enjoyed being treated like an adult, it was all to much for her to handle and she fled from the solider. It is difficult to posses a sense of belonging when we are unsure of our own identity. Why? In having a sense of belonging, one must always have a clear understanding of their identity. This is because the groups we attach ourselves with throughout the journey of life resemble features of our own personality. So when one lacks the knowledge of their own self, in finding somewhere or something to belong to which suites and allows them to be comfortable, it is almost impossible. Evidence Through Carson McCullers novel The Member of the Wedding (1946 ) the confused protagonist Frankie Addams reflects how her own frail understanding of her identity impacts and makes it difficult for Frankie to develop a sense of belonging. This â€Å" unjoined â€Å" from society feeling that the protagonist feels is partly formed from different experiences she endures. From growing too old for sharing a bed with her father to being rejected from the club house for being â€Å" too young â€Å". Frankies self perception of her physical aspect also adds to this unsettled identity, as she is entering the stages of puberty and feels as if she is a â€Å" freak â€Å" due to her tall height. With both her experiences and her appearance shattering her identity in to an unsettled state, Frankie finds it difficult to belong to something more then the people she lives with. Leaving the protagonist to clench on to the ridiculous idea of being a member of her brothers wedding. Although this concept that Frankie desires so much, of belonging to a wedding, is preposterous it proves how much of an impact having a weak identity can play it finding a sense of belonging.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The USA Patriot Act Essay -- US Government Terrorism protection Essays

The USA Patriot Act   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States of America is a country that is based upon a principle of balancing the rights of an individual, while still preserving public order. The U.S. Constitution (specifically the Bill of Rights) guarantees every American certain Individual rights. Some of these rights include; freedom from unreasonable search and seizures, a right to due process of law, and protection against cruel and unusual punishment (The 4th, 5th and 8th Amendments). Historically the criminal justice system has preserved these rights of peopled accused of crimes. However on September 11, 2001, the United States became the victim of the largest terrorist attack the World has ever seen. According to Schmalleger in 2003, that attack cost almost three thousand people their lives, and an estimated two trillion dollars in damages. However since September 11 2001, several critics have claimed that the United States of America no longer protects these rights. They argue that the United a nd Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, violates the rights of suspected terrorists, and those of every single American. Supporters of the USA PATRIOT Act argue that the bill has been vital in arresting suspected terrorists, and it has helped deter future terrorist attacks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism ACT of 2001, was signed into law on October 26, 2001, shortly after the September 11th attacks. The act was passed in a direct response to the attacks, as a way for Law Enforcement to combat and deter terrorism. Schmalleger (2003) on page 8 summarizes the USA PATRIOT ACT. ?A federal law (Public Law 107-56) enacted in response to terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon occurring on September 11, 2001. The Law, officially titled the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, substantially broadens the investigative authority of Law enforcements agencies throughout America and is applicable to many crimes other than terrorism.?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shmalleger (2003) in pages 300-301 further listed specific sections of the act that law enforcement can use to investigate terrorist activities. ?Title II-Enhanced Sur... ...ost-9/11 calm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  HoustonChronicle.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003, from http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2056725 Associated Press (2003, August 20). Ashcroft mounts Patriot Act defense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MSNBC.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.msnbc.com/news/954389.asp?0sl=-12 Associated Press (2003, July 21). Patriot Act Complaints Reviewed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WiredNews.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,59709,00.html Schmalleger, F. (2003). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. Taylor, G. (2003, July 21). Communities Shun Patriot Act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.washingtontimes.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://dynamics.washtimes.com/print_story.cfm?StoryID=20030720-115938-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3269r Taylor, G. (2003, July 24). FBI chief praises the Patriot Act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.washingtontimes.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://dynamic.washtimes.com/print_story.cfm?StoryID=20030723-111557-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2975r Ward, J. (2003, June 18). Ashcroft defends Patriot Act in visit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.washingtontimes.com. Retrieved August 25, 2003, http://dynamics.washtimes.com/print_story.cfm?StoryID=20030617-10458- 2731r

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Railroads Role in the Settling of the West

One of the largest contributing factors in the settling of the American West was the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Development was a slow process in much of the west, due in large part to how long the journey took. The completion of the railroad made it both a faster and much safer way to travel across the country. In 1862, the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. It promised federal support to build the first transcontinental railroad. Two companies were chosen to take on this enormous project, they were awarded generous land grants and were given millions of dollars in government loans so that they could complete the project.The Union Pacific Railroad started laying tracks heading west from Iowa, while the Central Pacific Railroad was laying tracks heading east from California. The two sets of tracks finally merged together in Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869, creating the first transcontinental railroad. Before the completion of the railroad travel to the west was prima rily done by horseback or wagon train. This type of travel took several months to complete and was a very strenuous and dangerous journey, especially when travelling through Indian country.After completion of the railroad the same trip was reduced to a week’s time, while making it a far less dangerous trip especially for the women and children. Passengers were offered free trips, along with long term loans from the railroad companies. This was all done in an effort to attract Americans to the newly developing west. Railroad company executives no longer viewed the Great Plains which covered much of the American West as the inhabitable Great American Desert as it had once been described.The vast native grasslands that are so predominant in Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas that was once thought of as unlivable tracts of land due to the lack of trees to supply lumber that was needed for building homes. There was now an opportunity to ship lumber and building ma terials into those areas by train, and homes could be built on land that was once considered inhabitable. These native grasslands lands were also considered to be an ideal place for raising cattle. There were already an estimated five million head of longhorn cattle on ranches in Texas.When railroad tracks reached Missouri, these ranchers started organizing long cattle drives. Cowboys would drive the cattle from Texas to Missouri, where it was then loaded into rail cars to be shipped all over the country. As new tracks were being laid, new towns were being built in the areas that the tracks ran through. Within a few years, Abiline, Witchita, and Dodge City all sprang up in Kansas. These towns were all established due to the cattle trade that was created from the railroads, and thrived off of the business provided by the cowboys and the railroad employees.So in conclusion, a few of the railroads contributions to the settlement of the American West. Before the railroad, travel to the west was done on horseback, it took months of traveling over dangerous terrain. After the railroad, travel to the by rail was done in a week’s time on the safety of a train. Lumber and building supplies were now able to be shipped to the Great Plains, a place once thought inhabitable due to the lack of trees that were needed for building homes. Lastly, the railroad allowed the long cattle drives to take place that were responsible for building many towns where the railroad passed thru.There were other contributions that contributed to the settlement of the Great West but I believe these are some of the most significant. Why the AFL Prevailed Over the Knights of Labor One of the main reasons that the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was able to prevail over the Knights of labor was due to the fact that they understood the need for power. This power was achieved by a couple of different ways, they limited their membership to skilled workers, and they did not engage in politic s. Their goals were simple, above everything else, the union was there to protect the worker’s rights.The AFL was the national labor union for skilled workers, and they restricted their membership to skilled workers, most of whom were in the craft trade. With all of their members being skilled workers, it gave them solidarity, and meant that all of the members were interested in achieving the same goals. Unlike the Knights of Labor, who would allow membership to all wage earners except lawyers and saloon keepers. This made their membership to widespread, a result of this meant that not all the Knights members were interested in the same objectives.One of the reasons the AFL gained an advantage over the Knights was because of the AFL’s member restrictions. Samuel Gompers was appointed president of the AFL in December of 1886. Gompers realized the importance of keeping things simple. He understood that what was most important to the majority of workers was higher wages a nd better working conditions. Gompers made sure that the union’s first priority was to protect the rights of the workers. 1 His refusal to let the AFL delve into the political arena allowed them to maintain the support of both the government, and the public.One tactic that was used by unions were boycotts, these were able to take place because of the public’s support for the workers issues. Unions would hold town meetings explaining the workers grievances with their employers, the public would show their support by refusing to buy products that were produced by the company being boycotted. Of course the most popular tactic used by the union was the strike. Employees would refuse to work and form a picket line if the union was unable to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the employer.Thousands of strikes occurred at the end of the nineteenth century. The large and growing size of the AFL was used to support these strikes. Unions only won about half of these st rikes, but their demands were either partially or fully met in many cases. The AFL was the dominant national labor union in the United States, until the Great Depression. 2 In conclusion, the AFL was able to prevail over the Knights of labor because of the power and solidarity they gained by limiting their membership to skilled workers.By realizing that most workers goals were simple ones that included better pay, and working conditions. Also because of public support that allowed them to conduct boycotts and strikes that would better the lives of the workers that were members. The Significance of technological innovation in Building American Cities American cities were significantly affected by technological advances in the later part of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. These advances were major contributors to the development of the modern city that we see in America and throughout the world.They were a crucial part in allowing cities to be able to grow a nd support the millions of people that reside in them. Generating technology made it possible to use electricity for improvements in the city. In 1878 the electric arc lamp was first used in Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia. This form of electricity was then used to power city lights, and later, elevators, trolley cars, and subways. Trolley cars were the first forms public transit used in cities that was powered by electricity. Trolleys ran on steel tracks and were powered by an electrical cable that ran above them.This however was not a viable mode of transportation in some of the larger more populated cities. Railroads had been the principal mode of transportation for the past few decades, but were of little use for transporting people through a crowded city. That is, until 1879, when the creation of the first elevated railroad or â€Å"els† took place in New York. Cities were also constructing rail systems that ran underground. Boston was the first to us e this transportation method, but in 1904, New York completed construction of the first subway system that ran under the entire length of Manhattan.Subways used the same electric technology that was used for trolleys, but they turned public, or mass transit into a much more rapid form of transportation. New innovations in the steel and glass industries allowed architects to change their way of thinking in regard to building design. Instead of using just wood or brick for the outside walls that would bear much of the buildings weight, they were now using steel girders. These girders would be used to build a shell that supported the buildings weight, and the rest of the building was built around them with brick and plate glass windows and other building material.This new building design allowed the construction to reach much higher into the sky. The first building using this new design was built in Chicago in 1885, the ten story Home Insurance Building. Later New York, which was heavy in population but low on available real estate built the fifty-five story Woolworth Building that was completed in 1913. 3 In conclusion, technological innovations significantly affected the building of American cities. Generated technology allowed the use electricity to power our lights, elevators, and subways.Creative thinking in the way that we used the railroads spurned the first subway system. While advances in the steel and glass industries gave architects the opportunity to design the skyscrapers that dot the skyline of American cities. Free Silver and the 1896 Election Free silver was a very heated topic during the Presidential election in 1896, due to the economic crisis that the country was in. Because of the governments shrinking gold reserves it was proposed that silver be used at an exchange rate of sixteen ounces of silver, equaling one ounce of gold.Free silver was the term being used for this concept. It was widely thought, especially among Democrats, that this infl ux of silver would help to propel the country out of the depression and economic despair of the last three years. Farmers were going bankrupt, thousands of Americans were unemployed, and the economy did not appear to be getting better unless changes were made. These are the issues that brought free silver to the forefront of politics. This issue gained much of its support from the wheat and grain farmers in the Midwest and by the cotton farmers from the South.These farmers were being hurt financially due to falling prices for their crops. The economy in the United States was in need of dire repair and many people saw silver as the economic boost that was needed. Free silver had become the most debated topic leading up to the Presidential election. Democrats wanted to go back to a bimetallic policy for the United States Treasury Department. They believed that this was the only solution to end the economic crisis that the country had been in for the last three years.This was not the f irst time that silver was a heated topic, this had been an area of debate since it was dropped as a medium of exchange at the treasury in 1873. Democrats had become the party of free silver, but the parties were becoming divided based upon whether members were in support of gold or in support of silver. Free silver however was not just getting support from the Democrats, many Republicans were also in support of silver, and both Democrats and Republicans were switching parties over this debate. Populists, who were also in strong support of the silver were essentially turned into Democrats.This had become one of the most heavily debated subjects in the later part of the nineteenth century and it made the election of 1896 one of the most hard fought campaigns in nearly since 1860. 4 In conclusion, free silver had become such a hot topic during the election of 1886 due to the economic crisis the country was in. Many people believed that free silver was the solution that would give the e conomy the boost that it needed. Lastly, the silver debate was such a hot topic that it caused both Democrats and Republicans to jump parties over the issue.