Crime in the Bahamas Essay

On the 6th April, 2011, shock waves were sent throughout the Bahamaland after the report of a brutal massacre of Nellie Brown-Cox. It is alleged that this crime was committed by her common law husband (Bahamas Press, 2011). This murder was a result of domestic violence, which is a crime that is committed among many residents in the Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands. Crime is ubiquitous, but can be alleviated if the necessary steps are applied. To further explain, certain aspects of crime can be evaluated by explaining the types of crimes, theories and reasons people commit crime, the effects of crime, and the solutions needed to minimize crime in the Bahamas. According to a definition used in a Civics class, crime is an act punishable by law, and within the Bahamas crimes are committed just about everyday. Though there are several different types of crime, the predominant ones in the Bahamas is robbery, domestic violence, sexual assault/rape, and murder. Firstly, robbery in the Baha mas is becoming increasingly popular lately especially with opening of the numerous Cash for Gold stores. Many persons are being robbed by criminals of gold such as chains, bracelets, anklets etc. to trade them in for money. There are many different types of robbery such as; armed or aggravated robbery, carjacking, and highway robbery or mugging. Secondly, Domestic violence is another type of crime that is enormously common within the Bahamas. Domestic violence is any type of abuse against another person. This type of violence can occur among husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriends etc with no regards to race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. One of the most devastatingly gruesome exhibits of domestic violence was the murder of Nellie Brown. Her murder was listed as number #227 in the most gruesome slaughter since the murder of designer Harl Taylor (Bahamas Press, 2011). Many individuals have controversial remarks about her life and why her lover may have killed her, the act was uncalled for and no one has the right to hit another even if he/she did them wrong. There are many cases of abuse reported within the Bahamas today such as: physical, sexual, and economic abuse. Police officers are constantly patrolling different areas to deal with reported cases of abuse. This type of crime can occur between a man and woman, gays and lesbian couples of any race and age. Many victims of this crime are married to their abusers and refuse to leave because of fear of what they will do. â€Å"If it takes the form of sexual violence, it can involve forcing people to watch or act out pornography, the denial of contraception, non-consensual sexual contact or rape; if it takes the form of emotional abuse, it can involve name-calling, humiliation, threats, intimidation, isolation from friends or families, denial of basic needs or financial access, or passive control involving, for example, threats to self-harm or commit suicide† (Gibbons, 2011). Our major crime in the Bahamas is murder. These senseless killings are tearing our country apart. The country our fore-fathers work so hard to build, and to make a better life for the future generations. â€Å"Most murders stemmed from arguments between acquaintances† (Hanna, 2011) this is true to full extent. There are many theories and reasons why Bahamians are committing crimes within the Bahamas. The theories why people commit crimes are biological or genetic, sociological and psychological. Many criminals are products of their environment. Many people commit crimes because of poverty, anger, addiction, gangs, bored or oblivious to the law. In today’s society many Bahamians are feeling the effects of the recession. Numerous individuals are losing their jobs, and those that are still working their wages are being cut tremendously. Large number of homes are being foreclosed and people are being left homeless. Many of them resort to crime to feed themselves or their families. Numerous people go through all sorts of struggles and trials and are unable to deal with their frustration. Anger can cause many people to do unintelligent things that they may regret later in life. Many people also are being killed through retaliation. This â€Å"eye for an eye† saga is growing rapidly within the Bahamas. In society many young people are recruited by older men and women to join a gang. There are numerous gang wars occurring in the Bahamas. Many days’ people break the law speeding through the streets, smoking ganja, having drag races on Sundays, turning without signaling etc. Some people do not mean to commit these offences but they are so preoccupied on the phone talking, texting or eating that they do not realize what they are doing or some people just do not care nor respect the law. Crime affects the Bahamas in several ways as a nation and a community. From a social aspect, the Bahamas’ crime rates are deplorable and increasing highly. With such a high crime rate, our community  spirit has deflated and the people are not as social or neighborly as they used to be. Many people who commit crimes are arrested and placed in prison. These criminals are dependent on taxpayers’ (national insurance) money which is provided by the labor force including teachers, bankers, and other government officials. This money can be used to refurbish schools, government offices etc. Our main industry Tourism is affected by high crime rates. It can discourage visitors from coming here because of the fear of being attacked or robbed. On the 20th November, 2009, eighteen tourists were robbed at gun-point while on a nature tour in Nassau, Bahamas (Tucker, 2010). This incident brought dreadful remarks about our country and our police department. This subsequently caused many tourists to change their minds about coming or ever returning to the Bahamas because of this unpleasant incident. Crime also influences the mindsets of our younger generation. They can grow to believe that committing crime is â€Å"cool† and an easy way to gain cash to supply their needs. Domestic violence, sexual assault and rape has a serious effect on many people’s live. Abusers do not understand the magnitude of this crime; they do not seem to realize that they are not only hurting the other person but also children if they are related in anyway. Many children who grow up in this type of environment suffer from behavioral, social and emotional problems, neglect, and may be directly abused themselves. Children may eventually grow up and become abusers or the ones abused. Many of these children become violent, may commit a sexual assault or do drugs. Some children who are sexually assaulted may become confused about their sexuality, or traumatized by the incident and become gays or lesbians. These innocent children may even evolve into criminals if the necessary treatment is not taken advantage of. These abused (mothers) persons may decide to end their lives or the abuser’s life to be free from the abuse or any memory of it. Crime is a tremendously increasing problem within the Bahamas today. If it is not solved it will rupture the foundations our fore-fathers laid. To prevent these numerous crimes from occurring many steps our government and â€Å"we† the Bahamian people should take to minimize crime. Many Bahami ans need to learn how to train their children to be respectable young men and women. Crime prevention starts from within the home. Now-a-days, children are disrespectful and rude, but their parents think it is â€Å"cute† and do not correct the problem  with discipline. Many also grow up with the perception that stealing is â€Å"okay†. They go into stores and steal treats such as candies, chips, gum etc. and parents do not reprimand them and tell them it is wrong and sometimes help them steal these products. When these children grow up, they become thieves because they think it is the way of life and that stealing is embedded in them because they have been doing it for so long! This may result in these children growing up to be menaces to society, or worse, becoming a guest of the government. Many Bahamians should keep a vigilant watch over their neighborhood and report any crime that took place to the police and agree to testify if needed. The government should also produce a witness protection law and agency for many witnesses of crimes. By forming this program, persons should not be afraid to come forward and testify because they are safe â€Å"in the arms of the law†. Criminals who are awaiting trial should be forced to wear an electronic monitoring device on them to track their whereabouts, mandate appr opriate curfews to monitor that they are adhering to the rules and regulations authorized by the court. Churches and the community should be call upon to assist in fight against crime. They should organize group sessions and activities to train young people how to become active in the community, teach them different skills and help in the rehabilitation of convicts. When children are busy in different extracurricular activities such as bands, Junior Achievement, Governor General Youth Awards etc., they will not have any spare time to get themselves into problems. There should also be jobs available for ex-convicts to make a living so they will not be tempted or feel forced to return to life of crime. The Bahamas should have a sexual predator’s registration list like our neighbors the USA. On the 3rd October, 2011, the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas made his address on Crime and vows that he will do his best to reduce the crime rate. The Firearm (Moratorium) Notice, 2011 states persons must return to the police, licensed or unlicensed firearm, and ammunition from October 5th, 2011 to November 3rd, 2011. Any person convicted of possession of a firearm after the date will be imprisoned for a minimum of four years. These new laws will help tremendously because criminals will fear going to jail for that long period of time as opposed to the old minimum of two years (Restoring Your Trust, 2011). The Privy Council should be replaced and make our own Court of  Appeals our final judicial authority. This law should be amended and a new law should be in place to bring back the death penalty which is needed in our country. They also should enforce harder penalties for offenders of domestic abuse and offer treatment so this crime can be precluded from occurring again. There should be mandatory treatment for children who grow up in homes where domestic violence is prominent so abusers and those abused will not grow up into abusers. Any person convicted of heinous crime such as murder of children should be sentenced to death. There should also be the formation of hotlines and crisis centers to deal with abused victims. From the dawn of time crimes were being committed, as in the bible Cain killed his brother Abel over a sacrifice. Envy is the main factor in crime, and is in many crimes taking place in the Bahamas. Though this vermin (Crime) eats away through our society it can be r educed and eventually stomped out. By understanding the types of crimes, theories and reasons why people commit crime, and effect of crime, then we can understand why the solutions listed are needed within our society today. This problem cannot be eradicated, but can be contained and reduced if the required steps are taken. References Contractor accused of slaughtering his girlfriend, Nellie Brown. (2011, April, 8). Bahamas Press. Retrieved from http://www.bahamaspress.com/2011/04/08/28065/ Gibbons, L. (2011). Dealing with the effect of domestic violence. Emergency Nurse, 19(4), 12-17. Hanna, C.A. (2011). Reducing murder in the Bahamas: A Strategic Plan Based on Empirical Research. Bahamas: Nassau. Restoring your trust. (2011, October, 3). National Address on Crime – Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIyVCMC3Q10 Tucker, J. (2010, May 31). The risk of tourist robbery in the Bahamas, Time Travel. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1992105,00.html

Sampling

SamplingSamplingis that portion ofstatisticalpractice concerned with the choice of an indifferent orrandomsubset of single observations within a population of persons intended to give some cognition about thepopulationof concern, particularly for the intents of doing anticipations based onstatistical illation. Sampling is an of import facet ofdata collection.AL The three chief advantages of trying are that the cost is lower, informations aggregation is faster, and since the information set is smaller it is possible to guarantee homogeneousness and to better the truth and quality of the informations. Eachobservationmeasures one or more belongingss ( such as weight, location, colour ) of discernible organic structures distinguished as independent objects or persons. Insurvey sampling, study weights can be applied to the informations to set for thesample design. Results fromprobability theoryandstatistical theoryare employed to steer pattern.ProcedureThe sampling procedure comprises several phases: * Specifying the population of concern * Stipulating asampling frame, asetof points or events possible to mensurate * Stipulating asampling methodfor choosing points or events from the frame * Determining the sample size * Implementing the sampling program * Sampling and informations roll uping * Reviewing the sampling procedurePopulation definitionSuccessful statistical pattern is based on focussed job definition. In trying, this includes specifying thepopulationfrom which our sample is drawn. A population can be defined as including all people or points with the characteristic one want to understand. Because there is really seldom adequate clip or money to garner information from everyone or everything in a population, the end becomes happening a representative sample ( or subset ) of that population. Although the population of involvement frequently consists of physical objects, sometimes we need to try over clip, infinite, or some combination of these dimensions. For case, an probe of supermarket staffing could analyze check-out procedure line length at assorted times, or a survey on endangered penguins might take to understand their use of assorted runing evidences over clip. For the clip dimension, the focal point may be on periods or distinct occasions.Sampling frameIn the most straightforward instance, such as the sentencing of a batch of stuff from production ( credence sampling by tonss ) , it is possible to place and mensurate every individual point in the population and to include any one of them in our sample. However, in the more general instance this is non possible. There is no manner to place all rats in the set of all rats. Not all frames explicitly list population elements. For illustration, a street map can be used as a frame for a door-to-door study ; although i t does n't demo single houses, we can choose streets from the map and so see all houses on those streets. The sampling frame must be representative of the population and this is a inquiry outside the range of statistical theory demanding the judgement of experts in the peculiar capable affair being studied. All the above frames omit some people who will vote at the following election and incorporate some people who will non ; some frames will incorporate multiple records for the same individual. Peoples non in the frame have no chance of being sampled. Statistical theory Tells us about the uncertainnesss in generalizing from a sample to the frame. In generalizing from frame to population, its function is motivational and implicative. A frame may besides supply extra ‘auxiliary information ‘ about its elements ; when this information is related to variables or groups of involvement, it may be used to better study design.Probability and non chance tryingAprobability samplingscheme is one in which every unit in the population has a opportunity ( greater than zero ) of being selected in the sample, and this chance can be accurately determined. The combination of these traits makes it possible to bring forth indifferent estimations of population sums, by burdening sampled units harmonizing to their chance of choice. Probability trying includes: Simple Random Sampling, Systematic Sampling, and Stratified Sampling, Probability Proportional to Size Sampling, and Cluster or Multistage Sampling. These assorted ways of chance trying have two things in common: 1. Every component has a known nonzero chance of being sampled and 2. Involves random choice at some point. Nonprobability samplingis any sampling method where some elements of the population havenochance of choice, or where the chance of choice ca n't be accurately determined. It involves the choice of elements based on premises sing the population of involvement, which forms the standard for choice. Hence, because the choice of elements is nonrandom, nonprobability sampling does non let the appraisal of trying mistakes. These conditions place bounds on how much information a sample can supply about the population. Information about the relationship between sample and population is limited, doing it hard to generalize from the sample to the population. Nonprobability Sampling includes: Accidental Sampling, Quota SamplingandPurposive Sampling. In add-on, nonresponse effects may turnanyprobability design into a nonprobability design if the features of nonresponse are non good understood, since nonresponse efficaciously modifies each component ‘s chance of being sampled.Sampling methodsWithin any of the types of frame identified above, a assortment of trying methods can be employed, separately or in combination. Factors normally act uponing the pick between these designs include: * Nature and quality of the frame * Availability of subsidiary information about units on the frame * Accuracy demands, and the demand to mensurate truth * Whether detailed analysis of the sample is expected * Cost/operational concernsSimple random tryingIn asimple random sample ( ‘SRS ‘ ) of a given size, all such subsets of the frame are given an equal chance. Each component of the frame therefore has an equal chance of choice: the frame is non subdivided or partitioned. Furthermore, any givenpairof elements has the same opportunity of choice as any other such brace ( and likewise for three-base hits, and so on ) . This minimises prejudice and simplifies analysis of consequences. In peculiar, the discrepancy between single consequences within the sample is a good index of discrepancy in the overall population, which makes it comparatively easy to gauge the truth of consequences. However, SRS can be vulnerable to trying mistake because the entropy of the choice may ensue in a sample that does n't reflect the make-up of the population. For case, a simple random sample of 10 people from a given state willon averageproduce five work forces and five adult females, but any given test is likely to overrepresent one sex and underrepresent the other. SRS may besides be cumbrous and boring when trying from an remarkably big mark population. In some instances, research workers are interested in research inquiries specific to subgroups of the population. For illustration, research workers might be interested in analyzing whether cognitive ability as a forecaster of occupation public presentation is every bit applicable across racial groups. SRS can non suit the demands of research workers in this state of affairs because it does non supply subsamples of the population.Systematic samplingSystematic samplingrelies on set uping the mark population harmonizing to some telling strategy and so choosing elements at regular intervals through that ordered list. Systematic trying involves a random start and so returns with the choice of everykth component from so onwards. In this instance, k= ( population size/sample size ) . It is of import that the starting point is non automatically the first in the list, but is alternatively indiscriminat ely chosen from within the first to thekth component in the list. Equally long as the get downing point israndomized, systematic sampling is a type ofprobability sampling. It is easy to implement and thestratificationinduced can do it efficient, ifthe variable by which the list is ordered is correlated with the variable of involvement. However, systematic sampling is particularly vulnerable to cyclicities in the list. If cyclicity is present and the period is a multiple or factor of the interval used, the sample is particularly likely to beunrepresentative of the overall population, doing the strategy less accurate than simple random sampling. Another drawback of systematic sampling is that even in scenarios where it is more accurate than SRS, its theoretical belongingss make it hard toquantifythat truth. Systematic sampling is an EPS method, because all elements have the same chance of choice.Stratified samplingWhere the population embraces a figure of distinguishable classs, the frame can be organized by these classs into separate â€Å" strata. † Each stratum is so sampled as an independent sub-population, out of which single elements can be indiscriminately selected. There are several possible benefits to stratified sampling. First, spliting the population into distinguishable, independent strata can enable research workers to pull illations about specific subgroups that may be lost in a more generalised random sample. Second, using a graded sampling method can take to more efficient statistical estimations ( provided that strata are selected based upon relevancy to the standard in inquiry, alternatively of handiness of the samples ) . Even if a graded sampling attack does non take to increased statistical efficiency, such a maneuver will non ensue in less efficiency than would simple random sampling, provided that each stratum is relative to the group ‘s size in the population. Third, it is sometimes the instance that informations are more readily available for single, preexistent strata within a population than for the overall population ; in such instances, utilizing a graded sampling attack may be more convenient than aggregating informations across groups ( though this may potentially be at odds with the antecedently noted importance of using criterion-relevant strata ) . Finally, since each stratum is treated as an independent population, different trying attacks can be applied to different strata, potentially enabling research workers to utilize the attack best suited ( or most cost-efficient ) for each identified subgroup within the population. A graded sampling attack is most effectual when three conditions are met 1. Variability within strata are minimized 2. Variability between strata are maximized 3. The variables upon which the population is stratified are strongly correlated with the coveted dependant variable.Advantages over other trying methods1. Focuss on of import subpopulations and ignores irrelevant 1s. 2. Allows usage of different trying techniques for different subpopulations. 3. Improves the accuracy/efficiency of appraisal. 4. Licenses greater reconciliation of statistical power of trials of differences between strata by trying equal Numberss from strata changing widely in size.Disadvantages1. Requires choice of relevant stratification variables which can be hard. 2. Is non utile when there are no homogenous subgroups. 3. Can be expensive to implement.Probability proportional to size samplingIn some instances the sample interior decorator has entree to an â€Å" subsidiary variable † or â€Å" size step † , believed to be correlated to the variable of involvement, for each component in the population. This information can be used to better truth in sample design. One option is to utilize the subsidiary variable as a footing for stratification, as discussed above. Another option is probability-proportional-to-size ( ‘PPS ‘ ) sampling, in which the choice chance for each component is set to be relative to its size step, up to a upper limit of 1. In a simple PPS design, these choice chances can so be used as the footing forPoisson trying. However, this has the drawbacks of variable sample size, and different parts of the population may still be over- or under-represented due to opportunity fluctuation in choices. To turn to this job, PPS may be combined with a systematic attack. The PPS attack can better truth for a given sample size by concentrating sample on big elements that have the greatest impact on population estimations. PPS sampling is normally used for studies of concerns, where component size varies greatly and subsidiary information is frequently available – for case, a study trying to mensurate the figure of guest-nights spent in hotels might utilize each hotel ‘s figure of suites as an subsidiary variable. In some instances, an older measuring of the variable of involvement can be used as an subsidiary variable when trying to bring forth more current estimations.Bunch tryingSometimes it is cheaper to ‘cluster ‘ the sample in some manner e.g. by choosing respondents from certain countries merely, or certain time-periods merely. ( About all samples are in some sense ‘clustered ‘ in clip – although this is seldom taken into history in the analysis. ) Cluster samplingis an illustration of ‘two-stage trying ‘ or ‘multistage trying ‘ : in the first phase a sample of countries is chosen ; in the 2nd phase a sample of respondentswithinthose countries is selected. This can cut down travel and other administrative costs. It besides means that one does non necessitate asampling framelisting all elements in the mark population. Alternatively, bunchs can be chosen from a cluster-level frame, with an element-level frame created merely for the selected bunchs. Cluster trying by and large increases the variableness of sample estimations above that of simple random sampling, depending on how the bunchs differ between themselves, as compared with the within-cluster fluctuation. However, some of the disadvantages of bunch trying are the trust of sample estimation preciseness on the existent bunchs chosen. If bunchs chosen are biased in a certain manner, illations drawn about population parametric quantities from these sample estimations will be far off from being accurate.Matched random tryingA method of delegating participants to groups in which brace of participants are foremost matched on some characteristic and so separately assigned indiscriminately to groups. The process for matched random sampling can be briefed with the following contexts, * Two samples in which the members are clearly paired, or are matched explicitly by the research worker. For illustration, IQ measurings or braces of indistinguishable twins. * Those samples in which the same property, or variable, is measured twice on each topic, under different fortunes. Normally called perennial steps. Examples include the times of a group of jocks for 1500m before and after a hebdomad of particular preparation ; the milk outputs of cattles before and after being fed a peculiar diet.Quota tryingInquota sampling, the population is foremost segmented intomutually exclusivesub-groups, merely as instratified sampling. Then judgement is used to choose the topics or units from each section based on a specified proportion. For illustration, an interviewer may be told to try 200 females and 300 males between the age of 45 and 60. It is this 2nd measure which makes the technique one of non-probability sampling. In quota trying the choice of the sample is non-random. For illustration interviewers might be tempted to interview those who look most helpful. The job is that these samples may be biased because non everyone gets a opportunity of choice. This random component is its greatest failing and quota versus chance has been a affair of contention for many old agesConvenience samplingConvenience samplingis a type of nonprobability trying which involves the sample being drawn from that portion of the population which is close to manus. That is, a sample population selected because it is readily available and convenient. The research worker utilizing such a sample can non scientifically do generalisations about the entire population from this sample because it would non be representative plenty. For illustration, if the interviewer was to carry on such a study at a shopping centre early in the forenoon on a given twenty-four hours, the people that he/she could interview would be limited to those given there at that given clip, which would non stand for the positions of other members of society in such an country, if the study was to be conducted at different times of twenty-four hours and several times per hebdomad. This type of trying is most utile for pilot proving. Several of import considerations for research workers utilizing convenience samples include: * Are at that place controls within the research design or experiment which can function to decrease the impact of a non-random, convenience sample whereby guaranting the consequences will be more representative of the population? * Is at that place good ground to believe that a peculiar convenience sample would or should react or act otherwise than a random sample from the same population? * Is the inquiry being asked by the research 1 that can adequately be answered utilizing a convenience sample?Panel samplingPanel samplingis the method of first choosing a group of participants through a random trying method and so inquiring that group for the same information once more several times over a period of clip. Therefore, each participant is given the same study or interview at two or more clip points ; each period of informations aggregation is called a â€Å" moving ridge † . This trying methodological analysis is frequently chosen for big graduated table or nation-wide surveies in order to estimate alterations in the population with respect to any figure of variables from chronic unwellness to occupation emphasis to weekly nutrient outgos. Panel sampling can besides be used to inform research workers about within-person wellness alterations due to age or aid explicate alterations in uninterrupted dependent variables such as bridal interaction. There have been se veral proposed methods of analysing panel sample informations, including MANOVA, growing curves, and structural equation patterning with lagged effects.Replacement of selected unitsSampling strategies may bewithout replacementorwith replacing. For illustration, if we catch fish, mensurate them, and instantly return them to the H2O before go oning with the sample, this is a WR design, because we might stop up catching and mensurating the same fish more than one time. However, if we do non return the fish to the H2O ( e.g. if we eat the fish ) , this becomes a WOR design.FormulasWhere the frame and population are indistinguishable, statistical theory outputs exact recommendations onsample size. However, where it is non straightforward to specify a frame representative of the population, it is more of import to understand thecause systemof which the population are results and to guarantee that all beginnings of fluctuation are embraced in the frame. Large Numberss of observations are o f no value if major beginnings of fluctuation are neglected in the survey. In other words, it is taking a sample group that matches the study class and is easy to study. Research Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journalthat provides an account of Cochran ‘s expression. A treatment and illustration of sample size expressions, including the expression for seting the sample size for smaller populations, is included. A tabular array is provided that can be used to choose the sample size for a research job based on three alpha degrees and a set mistake rate.Stairss for utilizing sample size tabular arraies1. Contend the consequence size of involvement, ? , and ? . 2. Check sample size tabular array 1. Choose the tabular array matching to the selected ? 2. Locate the row matching to the coveted power 3. Locate the column matching to the estimated consequence size 4. The intersection of the column and row is the minimal sample size required.Sampling and informations aggregationGood informations aggregation involves:* Following the defined sampling procedure * Keeping the information in clip order * Noting remarks and other contextual events * Recording non-responses Most sampling books and documents written by non-statisticians focused merely in the informations aggregation facet, which is merely a little though of import portion of the sampling procedure.Mistakes in researchThere are ever mistakes in a research. By trying, the entire mistakes can be classified into trying mistakes and non-sampling mistakes.Sampling mistakeSampling mistakes are caused by trying design. It includes: ( 1 ) Choice mistake: Incorrect choice chances are used.( 2 ) Appraisal mistake: Biased parametric quantity estimation because of the elements in these samples.Non-sampling mistakeNon-sampling mistakes are caused by the errors in informations processing. It includes: ( 1 ) Overcoverage: Inclusion of informations from exterior of the population.( 2 ) Undercoverage: Sampling frame does non include elements in the population.( 3 ) Measurement mistake: The respondents misunderstand the inquiry.( 4 ) Processing mistake: Mistakes in informations cryptography. In many state of affairss the sample fraction may be varied by stratum and informations will hold to be weighted to right stand for the population. Thus for illustration, a simple random sample of persons in the United Kingdom might include some in distant Scots islands who would be extraordinarily expensive to try. A cheaper method would be to utilize a graded sample with urban and rural strata. The rural sample could be under-represented in the sample, but weighted up suitably in the analysis to counterbalance. More by and large, informations should normally be weighted if the sample design does non give each person an equal opportunity of being selected. For case, when families have equal choice chances but one individual is interviewed from within each family, this gives people from big families a smaller opportunity of being interviewed. This can be accounted for utilizing study weights. Similarly, families with more than one telephone line have a greater opportunity of being selected in a random figure dialing sample, and weights can set for this.

How policies/laws may affect family life Essay

In this essay I will be writing about what changes state policies and laws have made to the society and how they may affect family life by doing so. There are many policies/laws out there that have had an effect on family life and one of these was the ‘Child Support Act’ which led to the formation of the ‘Child Support Agency’. Other policies/laws include the Family Law Act of 1996, Rewarding marriages with tax breaks, Working Families Tax Credit, and the attempt of the removal of child poverty. Among this I will be talking about the new right theory and their points and views on the family and what laws should be put in place. One of the Conservatives policies that were passed in 1991 was the Child Support Act which then led to the formation of the Child Support Agency. What this policy aimed to do was reduce the amount of fatherless families by forcing absent fathers to pay a certain amount of money for their children that they’ve left behind. The government thought of this as a good idea as it would reduce the amount of welfare payments being giving to lone mothers therefore helping the economy. However this didn’t really benefit love mothers as the money paid in from the father would be deducted from the mother’s benefits so she would be receiving exactly the same amount. As a result, this policy didn’t have a major effect on family life although it may reduce the amount of fathers that walk out on their families. Another one of the Conservatives policies this time introduced in 1996 brought about a period of wait that a couple had to undergo before they could officially get divorced. The main purpose of this proposal was to try and reduce the amount of divorces by encouraging the couple with as much time as possible to save their marriage. This policy would affect the family life by keeping more families together and happy however the act was never finalised as judges deemed it as unworkable. Labour introduced one of their policies to do with the Working Families Tax Credit that was designed to help people find paid employment. This one was specifically aimed mostly at lone parents as since April 2001, they were required to attend an annual interview about  job opportunities. The Working Families Tax Credit would help lone parents move benefits to low paid jobs by topping up their wages. This policy may affect family life as it pushes lone parents into work and although they may be earning similar money as they would’ve if they were on benefits, it provides them with a starting point to hopefully earn more money as they climb up the ranks. One of Labours aims was to remove children out of poverty and one of the ways that they’ve attempted to do so is by increasing the amount of Child Benefits being provided. From 1997 to 2001, Child benefits have increased by 26 per cent and by doing so it has lifted 600,000 children out of poverty as stated by the children’s secretary Ed Balls. This may have a positive effect on family life as it provides the children with a positive childhood and helps the family to be financially stable. However, according to the Guardian in 2007 the number of children that are living in poverty rose for the first time in six years by 200,000 to 3.8 million in 2005 to 2006. More recently, the conservatives proposed a policy that provides married couples with a tax break. This clearly shows that David Cameron clearly favours the ‘married family’ as his policy does not apply to cohabiting couples with children. This tax break is worth around one thousand pounds and it may affect family life as it would encourage people to not only get married but stay married which would create or maintain stability in the family. The New Right leans towards the same views of the Conservatives as they clearly support the idea of the Nuclear Family as they think that Nuclear Families should be encouraged and family diversity should be discouraged. In 1999 and 2000, Morgan and Saunders wrote that The New Right believe the government should favour married parenthood by rewarding them and providing them with special legal rights and safeguards. They also believe that the increase in Lone-parent families is due to over generous welfare benefits and that they should be reduced to tempt people out of this decision. Another way in which they want to discourage family diversity is by denying unmarried couples the rights and privileges given to married couples and by making divorce much more difficult. There has recently been a cap on benefits introduced. This means that the  amount of money claimed by a family cannot exceed the average wage for a working family. It was introduced to keep things ‘fair’ although some people saw it as unlawful. This new policy could encourage more parents to get into work in the attempt to earn more money. All of this is the government’s way of saving money and therefore keeping the economy running. In conclusion most of these state policies/laws introduced have a positive effect on family life, others could be deemed as unfair however all in all they try to create a stable society as the family is a key factor in the make-up of a good society.

Language Learning Reflection toward Future Teaching Essay

Language Learning Reflection toward Future Teaching - Essay Example As the report declares one of the major difficulties of learning Spanish with an English background relates to the structure of sentences. When learning Spanish, it is prudent to aware of the fact that grammatical relations and sentence structure in English is largely based on the word order. The construction of sentences in English fixed as opposed to the flexible Spanish language that relies on morphological changes in a sentence. When learning phrases, we were required to use a simple dialogue to complete a speech. In order to structure the phrase correctly and write in Spanish, the author of the report had to make comparisons between the phrases in Japanese and Korean. This paper stresses that When learning grammar, the author noted major differences between the usage of articles in Spanish and English. Articles in Spanish are positioned at some points in the sentence that would otherwise not have an article in English. When Nora was teaching articles, I noted that there are at least eight articles in the Spanish language as opposed to three choices in the English language. The author of the report had already learned the gender of words in French, the reporter still found it hard. The author noted major differences between the usage of articles in Spanish compared to how they are used in Korean and Japanese. The major problems stems from the fact that Spanish has a lot of exceptions during the application of grammar rules, hence it is not possible to universally apply the rules learned.

What does it mean to securitise the environment Essay - 1

What does it mean to securitise the environment - Essay Example It is necessary to trace safety issues on the different levels and sectors. It implies not just talking, but actions that is very important as talking can’t help anyhow: â€Å"securitization involves referring to an issue that has hitherto been conceptualized ‘only’ in political, economic, environmental or other terms as a security threat so as to heighten awareness of the issue and the urgency of taking effective action† (Scott, 2012: 230).The safety concept is not the one we can use the same approach to in different situations. The task is to isolate every sector in order to implement the analysis of the dynamics of every sector safety, but at the same time all the sectors should form the interconnected network. Every of them is important, though traditionally military threats have always been the top priority. All the sectors should be considered both separately and in their entity while analyzing the safety. The main sectors are: a) military; b) politic al; c) economical; d) social; e) environmental (Kellow, 2006). Safety is the step, which puts the politics beyond the established norms and rules of such problems resolution (Meadows, 1972). Thus, securitization of the environment can be considered as extreme politicization. Leboeuf and Broughton emphasize the necessity of securitization of the environment and new approach to it: â€Å"As health and environmental issues are increasingly considered as having an impact on our security, as they are â€Å"securitized†, such issues gain in prominence and importance on the agendas of international actors. †¦ as a result, many actors will alter their approach to these issues and devise new ways to address them, most notably through the freeing up and dedication of increased resources. Behavioral change could thus be understood to be stimulated, in part, by the process of securitization itself† (Leboeuf & Broughton, 2008: 18). Speaking about the possible ecological threats, we always think about â€Å"the

Films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Films - Essay Example Furthermore, it may be believed that almost fifty years later, these directors and auteurs may have lost their magic. These thoughts could not be further from the truth. Film is an ever-changing entity, though this does not mean that what was in the past is no longer accepted in the present. The works of Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, and Allen are still being highly praised for their unique styles. Not only have some of these directors and auteurs made new films that still hold true to their extraordinary talents, such as Scorsese’s newest animated film and Lucas’s consistent reign over the Star Wars franchise, but their older works - the ones that brought these men under a still-burning spotlight - are continuing to be held in high regard. Their style of films may not be as common today as they were decades ago, but they are still appreciated and revered. As such, the time of these men have not passed. Indeed, these men are going as strong as ever. As long as people continue to value and praise the works of these talented men, they will still be considered some of the film industry’s greatest and most unique contributors. These men may be getting along in age and experimenting with new methods of film, but they will never be past their

The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Act of Family and Medical Leave was updated on 16 June 2009 to include new military family leaves entitlements, which was enacted in 2008 under the National Defense Authorization Act. This act was put in place to enable workers to balance work and family responsibilities. The act accommodates employers’ legitimate interests while promoting equal employment opportunities for both women and men. The situation applies to case A, as the employee was taking leave to care for their newborn twins. He was eligible given that he had worked for more than 12 months. Further, the leave was less than twelve weeks. There was no violation in this case because the employee was granted leave and reported back at the stipulated time. Since the leave is unpaid, he was not entitled to any payment. The 1967 law of Age Discrimination was meant to protect individuals and employees aged 40 years and above from discrimination on the basis of age durin g hiring, compensation, discharge, promotion, terms, and conditions, or privileges of employment. â€Å"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces this act†. The situation applies in the case B as the employee, aged above 40 years, was denied promotion because of his age. This happened despite the fact that his work performance was above average. Clearly, this was a violation because the promotion was denied solely on account of his age. The Disability Act of America was enacted to prevent any form of discrimination against employees with disability in transportation, government activities, communication, and public accommodation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that the ADA Act of 1990 requires employers to make provisions for reasonable accommodations to qualified employees or job applicants with disabilities albeit without constituting an undue hardship to the company

Advanced Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Advanced Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The other reason why this product was chose for triangle solutions was so as to introduce the retail market in the united states and also provide for other reasons and factors that can be able to improve the importance of retail market as practiced in the united states (Burton, Parker, & Lawley, 2012). One of the major aim of the Triangle casual shoe wear product is to be able to provide a better quality rang product to the triangle solutions customers. This means that the business will be able to meet the target of getting the product in different countries like Brazil, United Kingdom, China and France. It is a well-known fact that the Chinese market is of the most reputable in the world especially due to its economic cost in the market. France is also famous for its designer wear while brazil has a great market for snicker shoe products that include other forms of footwear. There are also other manufacturers who produce a huge selection of fashion footwear for both men and women in the countries (Burton, Parker, & Lawley, 2012). The product will mainly focus on the united states industry because it is the native home for the triangle solutions meaning that it will be easy to deal with the suppliers in the best way and also be able to get better quality and price. The relationship that the product will create with its competitors will be mostly focussed on the price and market position. In some of the markets, competitor will be found to have reach what is commonly referred to as a modus vivendi, this means that in this situation there are generally understood rules on how competition with other products occur. Market size will also mean that the product will have to look at the value to which the product offers the consumers. The less stable the market size, the greater the rate at which the price of the new product will be determined (Burton, Parker, & Lawley, 2012). There

Business legal issues. Brandon Burton, Leslie Gaines, Eric Essay

Business legal issues. Brandon Burton, Leslie Gaines, Eric Defrancisco, David Butler, Sanjeev Dube - Essay Example In this case, the mention of his disability as a concern may be construed as prejudice against the physically disabled as a class. The discrimination is made more apparent by the fact that the position being applied for is a managerial one, a job that requires more of mental skills rather than physical capabilities. There may be instances, however, when it is proper to express concern that physical disability may get in the way of the discharge of the duties of the position. When the job requires physical dexterity and the application of manual skills, then clearly the situation of a paraplegic will be a hindrance to the discharge of the function. There are many such instances when the specification of physical attributes for a particular job is accepted as normal and regular, such as requiring airplane attendants to be of a certain minimum height to be able to reach overhead baggage compartments, or ballet dancers to be male to fulfill a particular dance role. Ethnicity or racial or igins may sometimes be necessary for assignment in certain parts of the world, to reduce the threat of personal risk to the individual, or to increase the company’s acceptance in that culture. ... (2012). â€Å"Dallas company sued for disability discrimination.† Retrieved from: http://www.houstonemploymentlawattorney.com/2012/06/dallas-company-sued-for-disability-discrimination.shtml Response to the post of Student 2: Leslie Gaines Reading through the original report of the case, it is mentioned that the company believes the claims to be baseless, â€Å"but will investigate them thoroughly.† What is happening in this case, or at least what the company wants to portray, is that the assignment of non-whites to lower-paid â€Å"back of the house duties† (if it is true) is the decision of the local branch management and is not a policy of top management. In either case, the company has a duty of restitution to the non-whites, not only in monetary terms, but in terms of restoring their dignity and self-esteem. Then if indeed the branch management is culpable, then they should be dealt with by the top executive, together with articulation of a clear statement ag ainst discriminating practices (Daft & Marcic, 2012). It is clear that the company does not claim that the restaurant is trying to maintain a high-end image so it does not assign non-Caucasians as servers; it is the plaintiffs who allege this (Wildeboer, 2012). Had this been the defense of the firm – that it seeks to maintain an image – then it would be tantamount to an admission, and the force of the law should be brought to bear upon it for racial discrimination. Nor does the report say the 26 plaintiffs were qualified. If they are, the firm should be held accountable by the principle of command responsibility. However, it must first be proven that there are and have been absolutely no non-white servers, and that all non-whites, despite being qualified for the front-end, are summarily

Unemployment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Unemployment - Essay Example But these individuals are not able to find employment at the legal minimum rate of pay due to insufficient economic opportunities within their locality or their skill set. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics lists individuals as unemployed if they are without a job, have been actively seeking work with in the past four weeks – and are available for employment. In terms of defining when a person qualifies as actively looking for work there are a number of behaviors that identify those presently seeking labor: attempting to contact employment agencies, or an employee or directly for the purpose of seeking job interviews. Other methods include attending career centers at local universities, or simply querying friends and acquaintances with respect to obtaining employment. Other activities that define an active job seeker would include dispersal of physical resumes or online applications when available, or networking with local labor unions and other professional organiza tions, or actively seeking and answering advertisements relating to employment (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009) the involuntarily unemployed are those who are actively seeking opportunities. There are passive measures of searching for employment that do not qualify the individual as being a person actively seeking work. Simply reading advertisements or taking training courses are career related, but are not active. Before any given a job interview, the active job seeker must have been engaged in one active job search within the four preceding weeks while available for employment. These categories are significant with respect to the government assistance with the intent of correcting involuntary unemployment. Categories and behaviors must be identified, and quantified in order to generate effective measures for supporting or addressing those who are seeking work but unable to find it. Many government surveys are also aware of the complexities of measuring unemployment where su bsistence farming exists, and questions to determine employment status attempt to specifically identify those engaging in private, family businesses or farming related activities. The temporal designation of four weeks is necessary, because for planning and funding purposes it is more efficient for government agencies to deal with quantifiable numerical values by which they can assign categories (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). Failure to get work can be voluntary, but the only objective indicator of economic viability in this field would be involuntary unemployment. This has implications for government and economists alike, because the rate at which involuntary unemployment occurs is indicative of larger trends or weaknesses within society. VARIATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT Yet there are still deviations from employment in the standard labor markets owned by corporatized private sector entities. In some countries, it can be difficult to measure the true rates of unemployment where l arge-scale subsistence farming occurs, for instance. Individuals outside the model of regular wage employment as common in the industrialized world also create complications for survey analysts. In addition to subsistence farming, there are others who work for occasional wages on an as needed basis temporarily, and some countries may have significant cottage industries that may or may

Economic Effects of Water Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Economic Effects of Water Pollution - Essay Example In modern times, organic pollution has been on an upward trend to the environment and this is heavy because of the growing population the world is witnessing. One will find in a developed city, that there are so many people that the environment sewerage plants and sewerage plants are not able to take in all the waste and at the same time, function in its usual way. The excess waste becomes food for the algae and this increases their growth rate and thus depletes oxygen in the water. In order to combat diseases and combat the extinction of plant and animal life, which play a big part in the economy, water pollution should be put under control. It has been estimated that it is the lead cause of deaths and diseases in the world. To control water pollution steps need to be taken like the treatment of domestic sewage, which apparently contains 99.9% of pure water, industrial wastewater treatment, done through pollution prevention process, agricultural wastewater treatment through point and non-point source control system and many other ways. This proposal aims at looking at the various ways that can be used to prevent water pollution and to establish the ways that are most efficient and economically viable. This will be done by clearly looking at all the methods that can be used to prevent water pollution and their workability. ... point source pollution and the non-point source pollution, the causes i.e. pathogens, chemical and other contaminants, thermal pollution and also to look into details the different methods that are used to reduce or eliminate water pollution i.e. domestic sewage, industrial wastewater, agricultural wastewater, construction site stormwater, urban runoff (Parks, 2007). During the summer of 1971, at a filtration plant in Chicago south, the filters were blocked with a lot of algae that they had to be removed by hand. The water tasted and smelled like dead fish and this led to the addition of a lot more chlorine in order for the water to be drinkable.

Client Pitch Presentation Essay Example for Free

Client Pitch Presentation Essay Introduction The Coca- Cola Company was incorporated September 5, 1919. The company is the leading nonalcoholic beverage company. Coca-Cola offers over 500 different brands. Coca-Cola â€Å"originated as a soda fountain beverage in 1886 selling for five cents a glass† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola puts its â€Å"â€Å"Focus on needs of our consumers, customers and franchise partners† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) {The Coca-Cola Company is the leading and the most popular nonalcoholic beverage (soft drink) company. Coca- Cola connects with its consumers on a level where the consumers feel comfortable with the company. Because the company has been around for so long, many customers knows what the company stands for and continue to remain loyal to the company.} Coca-Cola Brands â€Å"The Company owns or licenses and markets more than 500 nonalcoholic beverage brands, primarily sparkling beverages but also a variety of still beverages, such as waters, enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks† (Forbes, 2015). {The Coca-Cola company offers its consumers a variety of different beverages to choose from. By meeting the different tastes of consumers, the company is able to successfully satisfy customers worldwide. The different brands developed by Coca-Cola include Diet Coke, Dasani, Sprite, Fanta, and many more.} Target Market Coca-Cola’s target market includes consumers from all demographics. Men Women Non-Alcoholic beverage drinkers Consumers of ages 10 -60. {Coca-Cola strives to target men and women of different ages, ethnicities, educational backgrounds, and locations. The company has many different brands that can satisfy the needs of customers of different demographics. The Coca-Cola brand is known world-wide so there are different brands to meet the needs of those consumers from around the world. The company targets consumers of all ages, but will focus mainly consumers between the ages of 10-60. There are different brands that meet the needs of consumers within  each age group.} Coca-Cola SWOT Analysis Strengths : Quality product, Loyal Customers, Effective Marketing Techniques Weaknesses: Most of the products are carbonated beverages, Many brands innovated are not very popular amongst consumers, Subjected to negative criticism. Opportunities: Create more healthy beverages, Create juices or beverages suitable for toddlers and babies. Threats: Competitors such as Pepsi whom are developing new brands. {Coca-Cola is the most valued company when it comes to the development of nonalcoholic beverages. Because the company has been around for so long and has sought customer feedback when engaging in making changes that relate to the products, Coca-Cola has a loyal customer base. There are some weaknesses that are associated with the company primarily only sales beverages, and there are sometimes negative criticism. There are opportunities for the company to branch out into other areas such as making food products. The threats faced by the company come from competitors.} Goals Objectives To be the leader in the beverage industry.  To make sure that the consumers of Coca-Cola brands are aware of the company and the products that the company offers. Increase the company’s sales and revenue.  To make potential consumers around the world aware of the companies’ products and what they have to offer. {The goals and objectives of Coca-Cola are set into place in order to increase sales and revenue and to make sure that consumers are happy with the products offered by the company. The goals and objectives can be utilized to take the company to another level which will completely set it apart from other companies within the beverage industry.} Customer Loyalty The company will provide its’ consumers with a quality experience when utilizing the products. The Company will build customer loyalty by continuing to be innovative in creating the different brands that fit the needs of their consumers. The company offers its consumers Coke Rewards that allow them to gain savings for the products. {When it comes to customer loyalty, it is important that companies make sure that they maintain the brand image. According to the course text, â€Å"A strong brand community results in a more loyal, committed customer base† (Kotler Keller, 2011). Another way for the company to promote customer loyalty is to make sure that the products are available to the consumers at a reasonable price. It is also important to make sure that the products are easily accessible to consumers in all locations where the products are being sold. By offering opportunities for consumers to save, the company is able to build gain loyal companies because they can see that the company does care about their finances.} Competitors Coca- Cola’s competitors include other companies that produce nonalcoholic beverages, the main one being Pepsico, Inc. Pepsico is the 2nd most popular soft drink company. Like Coca- Cola, this company also have beverages that are offered within a number of restaurants and stores. Nestle is another competitor that offers beverages. Although this company has drinks, it also has some food products that are available to consumers. With Nestle having water as one of its’ brands, it poses competition to Coca-Cola. Branding Strategy Coca-Cola manages its brand by â€Å"constantly striving to improve their products, services, and marketing† (Kotler Keller, 2011). â€Å"Focus on needs of our consumers, customers and franchise partners† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) â€Å"Get out into the market and listen, observe and learn† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) â€Å"Possess a world view† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) â€Å"Focus on execution in the marketplace every day† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) â€Å"Be insatiably curious† (The Coca- Cola Company, 2015) Coca-Cola has formed partnerships with restaurants and stores where the company’s products can be offered to consumers. Communications Methods  Advertising- Coca-Cola uses the TV, internet, newspapers, magazines, and other sources to advertise their product. Company Website- Coca-Cola’s company website provides consumers with information about the products that the company offers. The website also allows for the consumers to be involved in the activities that the company  works on in order to have an effect on the environment. Print Ad ~Open up to new possibilities with Coca- Cola! Conclusion Coca-Cola is the leading nonalcoholic beverage producer. The company builds on customer loyalty by keeping their customers involved and informed. The company’s programs and The company’s IMC will allow for the company to reach an even larger customer base which will lead to the continuing of the company’s success. Coca- Cola’s brand image and loyal customers will help in their ability to face the encounters of the company’s competiton. By analyzing the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, Coca-Cola will be able to make necessary changes and continue using successful strategies that have allowed them to be the number one soft drink company! References Coca- Cola Company (2015). Mission, Vision, Values. Retrieved February 18, 2015 from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/mission-vision-values. Forbes (2015). Coca Cola. Retrieved March 7, 2015 from http://www.forbes.com/companies/coca-cola/. Kotler, P., Keller, K. (2011). Marketing Management, 14th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Strategic Management (2015). SWOT Analysis of Coca Cola. Retrieved March 8, 2015 from http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/swot-analyses/coca-cola-swot-analysis.html.

Advantages Of A Sole Proprietorship Business Essay

Advantages Of A Sole Proprietorship Business Essay According to Investor words .com, macro environment is the external elements that exist outside of a companys control that can significantly impact its performance and ability to compete in its marketplace. Examples of macro environment elements are the economy, government policy-making, technology, social conditions, and nature. For companies with a global foot-print, their exposure to macro environment elements is magnified. In other hand, according to Business Dictionary, macro environment is The major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organizations decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors include the economic factors; demographics; legal, political, and social conditions; technological changes; and forces. Specific examples of macro environment influences include competitors, changes in interest rates, changes in cultural tastes, disastrous weather, or government regulations. Body A business and its forces in its micro environment operate in larger macro environment of forces that shape opportunities and pose threats to the business. It refers the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organizations decision making, and affect its performance and strategies. These factors are Economic Factors The most important external economic influence on a business is the level of competitiveness in its market. This factor determines how much profit a company can make. Other factors, like consumer demand, tax rates and interest rates, affect businesses by determining how much people are willing to pay for their products and how much of the resultant revenue must be given to the government. Social Factors Social factors determine what a business can and cannot do. Businesses that engage in racist marketing campaigns or abuse their employees may be subjected to boycotts, divestment campaigns, and other devastating forms of social backlash. Thus, social mores determine the informal rules that businesses must play by. Legal Factors Laws determine the formal rules that businesses have to play by. Business laws deal with competition: for example, no monopolies; employment: minimum wage; and taxation; among other things. Businesses that form illegal monopolies, for example, may be subjected to lawsuits and broken up into smaller businesses. Because the penalties for corporate malfeasance are so severe, most businesses take the law very serious. Political Factors Political issues occasionally come to influence the activities of the business community. Corporations often spend many billions of dollars lobbying to influence political decision makers for this reason. Businesses may get involved in politics, for example, when their international operations come under fire from human rights groups, or when a high-profile politician recommends an increase in corporate taxes. Environmental Factors Environmental factors have profound effects on the way businesses operate. The availability of natural resources in a given area determines whether resource companies could profit from operating there. The presence of pollution determines whether it is safe for businesses to put employees in a certain area. Environmental laws regulate the extent to which businesses themselves are able to pollute. Conclusion Macro is large and environment is world. Marco environment is large number of force which operates. Macro environment is very important to the economy factors because the level strongly wanting to be more successful than other people.Sosial factors is what to make something develop in a particular way or be of a particular type in business. When we involve in macro environment, we should follow the law of .Dont try in legal factor as well. Politics issue is happening or done from time to time to make business more interesting. Last but no list, environmental factors is showing great knowledge or understanding the way make business operate. Introduction Sole Proprietorship A sole proprietorship is the simplest and most common structure chosen to start a business. It is an unincorporated business owned and run by one individual with no distinction between the business and you, the owner. You are entitled to all profits and are responsible for all your businesss debts, losses and liabilities. Partnership A partnership is a single business where two or more people share ownership. Each partner contributes to all aspects of the business, including money, property, labour or skill. In return, each partner shares in the profits and losses of the business. Because partnerships entail more than one person in the decision-making process, its important to discuss a wide variety of issues up front and develop a legal partnership agreement. This agreement should document how future business decisions will be made, including how the partners will divide profits, resolve disputes, change ownership (bring in new partners or buy out current partners) and how to dissolve the partnership. Although partnership agreements are not legally required, they are strongly recommended and it is considered extremely risky to operate without one. Body Sole Proprietorship Forming a Sole Proprietorship You do not have to take any formal action to form a sole proprietorship. As long as you are the only owner, this status automatically comes from your business activities. In fact, you may already own one without knowing it. If you are a freelance writer, for example, you are a sole proprietor. But like all businesses, you need to obtain the necessary licenses and permits. Regulations vary by industry, state and locality. Use the Licensing Permits tool to find a listing of federal, state and local permits, licenses and registrations youll need to run a business. If you choose to operate under a name different than your own, you will most likely have to file a  fictitious name  (also known as an assumed name, trade name, or DBA name, short for doing business as). You must choose an original name; it cannot already be claimed by another business. Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship Easy and inexpensive to form: A sole proprietorship is the simplest and least expensive business structure to establish. Costs are minimal, with legal costs limited to obtaining the necessary license or permits. Complete control. Because you are the sole owner of the business, you have complete control over all decisions. You arent required to consult with anyone else when you need to make decisions or want to make changes.   Easy tax preparation. Your business is not taxed separately, so its easy to fulfil the tax reporting requirements for a sole proprietorship. The tax rates are also the lowest of the business structures. Partnership Types of Partnerships  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three general types of partnership arrangements: General Partnerships  assume that profits, liability and management duties are divided equally among partners. If you opt for an unequal distribution, the percentages assigned to each partner must be documented in the partnership agreement. Limited Partnerships  (also known as a partnership with limited liability) are more complex than general partnerships. Limited partnerships allow partners to have limited liability as well as limited input with management decisions. These limits depend on the extent of each partners investment percentage. Limited partnerships are attractive to investors of short-term projects. Joint Ventures  act as general partnership, but for only a limited period of time or for a single project. Partners in a joint venture can be recognized as an ongoing partnership if they continue the venture, but they must file as such. Advantages of a Partnership Easy and Inexpensive.  Partnerships are generally an inexpensive and easily formed business structure. The majority of time spent starting a partnership often focuses on developing the partnership agreement. Shared Financial Commitment.  In a partnership, each partner is equally invested in the success of the business. Partnerships have the advantage of pooling resources to obtain capital. This could be beneficial in terms of securing credit, or by simply doubling your seed money. Complementary Skills.  A good partnership should reap the benefits of being able to utilize the strengths, resources and expertise of each partner. Partnership Incentives for Employees.  Partnerships have an employment advantage over other entities if they offer employees the opportunity to become a partner. Partnership incentives often attract highly motivated and qualified employees. Conclusion Choosing a sole proprietorship to start your business is a relatively simple process. In fact, you elect this business set up by default if you prefer not to go through a more formal set up with an LLC or corporation. A sole proprietorship has no formal paperwork requirements unless you have to file for state or local business registration or professional licensing. The fact that a sole proprietorship is the simplest way to go into business has great appeal for many entrepreneurs. If you want to start a small one-man repair shop, writing business or lawn care service, the thought of going through tedious paperwork filing and keeping up with documentation requirements may not seem appealing. By opting for a sole proprietor setup, you simply start your company, promote it, do the work, and collect the money.

Legal Barriers For Foreign Investors In Vietnam Economics Essay

Legal Barriers For Foreign Investors In Vietnam Economics Essay Vietnam in recent years has emerged as Southeast Asias fastest-growing economy and one of the regions hottest new destinations for foreign investors. Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January 2007. Its membership requires the country to merge into the global rules-based trading system and increase transparency in government decision making, speed up economic reform, and strengthen the rule of law. The Vietnamese economy offers many attractions for U.S. companies. About 70% of the population is under the age of 30, and the country has a literacy rate above 95%. Per capita income has more than doubled in the past 10 years, and domestic consumption is growing at more than 20% per year. Vietnams increasingly affluent urban consumers think highly of U.S. consumer goods. Vietnam has many natural resources and agricultural products, including oil and gas, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, and tea. Some of the countrys top export industries produce garments and textiles, footwear, furniture, and seafood. Its major imports include machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel, raw cotton, grain, cement, and motorcycles. Two decades have past since the country mounted an economic reform program known as doi moi. Vietnam is in the midst of transformation from an inward-looking command economy with little space for personal initiative to a more open society with a vibrant, free market economy that seeks to engage with the wider world. Hanoi in 2006 hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which along with a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, marked Vietnams emergence as a key player in the regional and global economy. The United States and Vietnam have forged strong relations in recent years despite a tragic history, stepping up cooperation in such areas as HIV/AIDS control, avian flu prevention, law enforcement, and a growing military-to-military partnership. The U.S. government is helping Vietnam restructure its education system and reform its legal system. The two governments are cooperating in accounting for servicemen missing since the war, launching a human rights dialogue, and establishing new forms of regional security cooperation. Although the GATT progressively acquired many of the attributes of an international organisation, it was increasingly felt in the 1980s that it was not keeping up with the rapid changes in the global economy, and required strengthened dispute-settlement and transparency mechanisms. While this was reflected in the agenda of the Uruguay round, the Ministerial Declaration establishing the rounds agenda did not call for the creation of a WTO. Instead, it was agreed that the round would be a single undertaking, with all its agreements applying to all GATT contracting parties. In principle, it was not necessary to create an international organisation to implement the results of the round, especially in so far as a common dispute-settlement mechanism was agreed to apply to all of the various agreements reached. The suggestion to establish a Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO) by Canada in 1990 -supported by the EU was therefore something of a surprise. An important motivation to establis h an MTO was to have a single institutional framework encompassing the modified GATT, its sister bodies on services (GATS) and intellectual property (TRIPs), and all other agreements and arrangements concluded under the auspices of the Uruguay round. The United States initially opposed the idea, but, after further negotiations on the substance of the new organisation, agreed to the framework that currently exists, including the name change. Although the US Congress remained suspicious of any limitations to its sovereign powers in trade policy, during the ratification debate it became clear that the establishment of the WTO would not do much to change the status quo as far as the infringement of sovereignty was concerned. The GATT-1947 was a binding international treaty, and most of the institutional aspects of the WTO already existed under the GATT. None the less, the establishment of the WTO was a significant event. Attempts to put the GATT on a more secure organisational footing had been made periodically since the failure of the US Congress to ratify the ITO. During a 1955 meeting to review the GATT, a number of contracting parties proposed to establish an Organisation for Trade Co-operation (OTC). This proposal was much less elaborate than the ITO but it also failed to win the approval of the US Congress (Jackson, 1990). The issue of providing an institutional framework for international trade reappeared again in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN in 1963. A group of experts called for the creation of a new UN agency with universal membership and substantial powers in the sphere of international trade. The idea was that this body would implement, interalia, recommendations of UNCTAD as well as other relevant policy decisions taken by organs of the UN. The proposal envisaged that the GATT would become the agen cys Committee on Tariffs. The proposal did not meet with much interest among the major trading nations. However, the 1964 UN General Assembly resolution establishing UNCTAD provided that it should be concerned with matters relating to the elaboration of a comprehensive trade organisation. Nothing concrete came of this despite lengthy discussions about the need for a New International Economic Order during the 1970s in large part because of the widely differing philosophies held by industrialised market economies and much of the developing world regarding the appropriate basis for international trade. With the creation of the WTO, an international trade organisation exists that is firmly based on GATT principles reciprocity and non-discrimination. The Scope, Functions, And Structure Of The WTO As the principal institution with responsibility for the multilateral trading system, the WTO has the same status as institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF. The WTO has legal personality and has been accorded privileges and immunities similar to those accorded to the specialised UN agencies. It is headed by a Ministerial Conference of all Members, meeting at least once every two years. More frequent participation by trade ministers than occurred in the GATT context is intended to strengthen the political guidance of the WTO and enhance the prominence and credibility of its rules in domestic political arenas. It can be noted, however, that past experience of the GATT with Ministerial meetings suggests that these can easily be an inefficient use of the time of many Ministers from smaller trading nations. This is because in negotiations the controversial issues tend to be solved at the last moment and require agreement between the major players. The latter may take a significan t amount of time to strike a deal between themselves, thereby marginalizing the potential for participation by Ministers of smaller countries. The WTO is charged with providing the common institutional framework for the conduct of trade relations among its Members in matters related to the agreements and associated legal instruments included in the Annexes . . . to the Agreement. There are four such Annexes, which contain the substantive rights and obligations of Members. Annex 1 has three parts: Annex 1A entitled Multilateral Agreements on Trade in Goods, contains the GATT-1994 (the GATT-1947 as amended by a large number of Understandings and supplementary Agreements negotiated in the Uruguay round); Annex 1B, which contains the GATS; and Annex 1C, the Agreement on TRIPs. Annex 2 consists of an Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes the WTOs common dispute-settlement mechanism. Annex 3 contains the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM), an instrument through which surveillance of Members trade policies occurs. Finally, Annex 4 entitled Plurilateral Trade Agreements consists of Tokyo round codes that were not multilateralised in the Uruguay round, and that therefore bind only signatories. Annexes 1-3 together are called the Multilateral Trade Agreements. The WTO has five functions. It is charged with facilitating the implementation and operation of the Multilateral Trade Agreements; providing a forum for negotiations on already covered or new issues; administering the Understanding on dispute settlement and the TPRM; and, finally, co-operating with the World Bank and the IMF to achieve greater coherence in global economic policy-making (Article III WTO). Between meetings of the Ministerial Conference responsible for carrying out the functions of the WTO the organisation is run by a General Council at the level of officials. The General Council turns itself, as needed, into a body to adjudicate trade disputes (the Dispute Settlement Body) or to review trade policies of the member countries (the Trade Policy Review Body). Three subsidiary councils operate under the general guidance of the WTOs General Council: the Council for Trade in Goods; the Council for Trade in Services; and the Council for Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. Separate Committees exist to deal primarily with the interests of the least developed countries (Trade and Development); surveillance of trade restriction actions taken for balance-of payment purposes; trade-environment linkages; and the WTOs finances and administration (Secretariat). Additional committees or working parties deal with matters covered by the GATT, GATS, or TRIPs Agreement. There are committees functioning under the auspices of the Council on Trade in Goods dealing with subsidies, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, technical barriers to trade (product standards), import licensing, customs valuation, market access, agriculture, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade-related investment measures, rules of origin, and safeguards. Similarly, specific committees address matters relating to the GATS or TRIPs. Committees also exist to administer the Plurilateral Agreements. However, these are not under the guidance of the General Council but operat e within the general framework of the WTO and inform the Council of their activities. There were more than thirty councils and standing committees in the WTO in 1995 twice as many as under the old GATT. WTO In a struggle that began in the early 1980s, many countries worked in the Uruguay Round negotiations of 1986-94 to strengthen the multilateral trading system, as well as advance the liberalisation of international trade in goods, services and ideas. Governments are in the process of implementing the resulting agreements that now comprise the World Trade Organisation. They are interested in extending the WTO system to outside economies, but not in exposing it to fresh disputes and divisions, which is why negotiations on the accession of new members are detailed, rigorous and time consuming. This is critical in accommodating the economies in transition. One of the major political tasks before the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as it gears itself to address the needs of the international trading community for the remainder of this century and beyond, is to extend the benefits of the open multilateral trading system to economies that are still outside.  [1]  It means ensuring that the integration of outsiders into the world economy leads to concrete benefits for them as well as for their trading partners who are WTO member countries. It also means that the terms and conditions of entry should be such as to preserve and, hopefully, strengthen the credibility of the multilateral trading system, rather than weaken or expose it to disputes and divisions. Success in meeting these goals will depend, in practical terms, on the way the accession process is managed and controlled. If the right terms are arranged, an additional 1.5 billion new consumers and workers would benefit from the multilateral trading system, well before the year 2000. This is an opportunity that cannot be missed. One of the WTOs central objectives is to make the organisation truly global in scope and application. The WTO has 124 members as of October 1996. The member countries are now engaged in accession negotiations with 28 governments that have formally applied to join. Many others are considering applying. Bulgaria, Mongolia and Panama completed their accession negotiations earlier in the year and will become WTO members when they ratify their protocols. The most recent applications for accession have been from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Georgia. Existing requests include major economies like the Peoples Republic of China, Chinese Taipei (known in the WTO as the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu), the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Belarus and Vietnam. All these are important players on the international economic, trade and trade-related investment scene. There are also requests for accession from smaller but similarly significant countries. Many of them are economies in transition such as Albania, Armenia, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia and Moldova. There are others that are developing economies, among them Algeria, Jordan, Seychelles, Tonga and Vanuatu. Applications have also been received from such least developed economies as Cambodia, Nepal and Sudan. These countries and territories represent a wide range of economic and political interests. But they represent a critical common factor that motivates them. Big or small, developed or developing, they all look to WTO membership to underpin their domestic economic reforms, to help them compete fairly in the international marketplace and to counter discrimination and arbitrary behaviour with the help of enforceable multilateral rules. Benefits Of WTO Membership Why do governments want to join the WTO system? What are the benefits of WTO membership? First, membership means access for their economys exports of goods and services to the markets of the WTO community on unconditional most-favoured-nation (MFN) terms. The substantially reduced tariffs and non-tariff barriers achieved through eight rounds of multilateral trade negotiations over the last half century become available to entrepreneurs in the applicant country immediately on its accession. In the Uruguay Round negotiations, finally concluded at the end of 1994, developed countries further agreed to reduce tariffs on industrial goods by 40 percent. Their average tariff rate will stand, once the tariff agreements have been fully implemented, at around 3.8 percent; and 99 percent of their industrial-product tariffs will be bound at their new levelsmeaning that, having been reduced as a result of multilateral agreements, they cannot be raised again without further multilateral negotiations. Reforms agreed in agriculture include a 36 percent reduction in export subsidies and an 18 percent reduction in domestic support afforded to agricultural producers. In addition, the level of security for trade in agricultural products has been substantially strengthened, for 100 percent of agricultural product lines are now bound and no non-tariff barriers are permitted for agricultural products, with the exception of measures taken for balance-of-payments purposes.  [2]   Rough estimates by the WTOs economists suggest that the reduction of international trade barriers as a result of the Uruguay Round agreements could produce an increase in world income between US$109 and US$510 billion per year by the time the market access commitments are fully implemented in 2005 (GATT Secretariat,1994, p. 36.). These figures do not take into account the beneficial impact of other results concerning, for example, strengthened trade rules, procedures and institutions, or the market-access commitments and rules for trade in services. Secondly, WTO membership means the effective dismantling of discriminatory barriers that have been specifically directed at certain countries, for instance those erected against China, Russia and the East European countries. The most important benefit in this respect would be the availability to those countries of the same principle of nondiscrimination that WTO member countries normally apply to each other in the conduct of their trade relations, albeit with exceptions permitted under WTO rules. Thirdly, in the context of the general reduction of tariffs as barriers to trade, traders in the acceding country benefit from rules dealing with the trade-distorting effects of many types of hidden non-tariff measures like public subsidies, technical standards, customs-valuation and import-licensing procedures and restrictive policies on foreign direct investment or intellectual property rightsnow comprehensively regulated by transparent rules. The new General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) brings international disciplines to bear on activities in this vital area of trade as well. The importance of effective multilateral rules and disciplines in governing international trade relations increases in direct proportion to the intensification of international competition in the marketplace. For acceding governments, membership also puts at their disposal a strengthened and contractually binding international dispute-settlement mechanism. The importance of this mechanism is self-evident and its link with the need for security and fairness in trade relations is well recognised. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the dispute-settlement mechanism is the fact that the dispute-settlement bodys findings and their implementation cannot be blocked by any member; the mechanism is automatic. Finally, it is increasingly seen that the accession process helps reformist governments resist the pressures of sectional interests opposed to reforms that are being pursued in the long-term interests of economies as a whole. Governments can embark on the reform of expensively protected sectors, like industry and agriculture, and justify their actions as a price required by the WTO in return for the benefits of membership. Why Does Accession Take So Long? Each accession is a negotiation and is thus unique. For the same reasons, no deadlines or time limits are laid down in the accession process. Progress essentially depends on the openness of the applicant governments trade regime and the rapidity with which it can be brought into conformity with WTO obligations. Vietnam and WTO During the initial years of doi moi, Vietnam enjoyed remarkable levels of economic growth: the end of collectivised agriculture gave a substantial boost to the rural economy, while an influx of foreign investment coupled with liberalisation of private sector economic activity brought considerable benefits. By the second half of the 1990s, however, the economy was slowing, partly influenced by wider regional problems after the 1997 Asian crisis, but primarily because of domestic factors. Ari Kokko picks up the argument where Martin Gainsborough left off, asking how far that slowdown reflected a decline in Vietnams commitment to the reform process, and also the extent to which the downturn reflected structural problems rather than temporary setbacks. His answers focus on three key areas: trade policy, state-owned enterprise (SOE) reform, and the position of the private sector. (ADB 2000) On trade policy, Kokko paints a fairly positive picture. Vietnams 2001 Bilateral Trade Agreement with the United States was a major landmark in the direction of eventual World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession, and there is plenty of evidence that Vietnamese exports have been enjoying a sustainable recovery in recent years. This reflects the outward orientation of private sector Vietnamese firms and of multinational corporations with operations in Vietnam. Substantial overseas development aid disbursements and private cash remittances (often transferred by overseas Vietnamese to relatives and business partners in the country) have helped boost Vietnams balance of payments. State enterprise reform is another matter entirely. Like Gainsborough, Kokko insists that the lack of progress here is undeniable; most SOEs are loss-making and have continued to enjoy preferential access to credit, while the bulk of equitisations to date have not affected the largest and most troublesome state en terprises. Kokko notes that the private sector remains underdeveloped, faced with various forms of discrimination and limited access to credit. At the same time, he is more positive than Gainsborough in highlighting certain areas where private sector reform has proceeded quite rapidly. He praises the 1999 Enterprise Law, which has led to the registration of numerous new small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Kokko also singles out support from international donors for private sector capacity-building notably Japans Miyazawa plan, which has provided substantial funding to nurture SME development. Ultimately he suggests that SOEs reform might be tacitly bypassed: future strategies should focus on the development of the private sector while accepting more gradual reform of the SOE sector. He also expresses concern that Vietnam needs a better welfare and safety net infrastructure to protect its citizens from the uncertainties of the market, and to reduce both urban and rural povert y. After the problematic 1979 invasion and occupation of Cambodia, which blighted Vietnams relations with much of the world during the 1980s, the emphasis was now on settling all disputes by negotiation. Ideology was now marginalised, whereas previously it had formed the core of Vietnamese foreign policy: pragmatism prevailed. Vietnam was particularly anxious to find ways of countering Chinese economic and strategic dominance in the region, and this helps explain Vietnamese enthusiasm for building stronger ties with other Southeast Asian countries best seen in the decision to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Another crucial juncture was the normalisation of relations with the United States. Within ASEAN, Vietnam has acted as an informal leader for the new entrants of the 1990s (the others were Burma, Cambodia and Laos). Yet the ASEAN summits held in Hanoi in 2001 lacked clear focus; Vietnam seemed to prefer ASEAN to adopt a lower profile, and was uneasy with rec ent moves towards ideas of flexible engagement, constructive intervention or enhanced interaction, which would permit member states to comment critically on developments inside other states. Vietnam was attached to an older model of ASEAN, the so-called ASEAN way, based upon principles of consensus and non-interference a much more comfortable model for a one-party state. Yet Vietnam also sought to use ASEAN membership as a means of pressing its claim for admission to other multilateral bodies such as the WTO, laying itself open to charges of crude pragmatism. In its relations with the rest of the world, Vietnam (like many other states) often wanted things both ways: the benefits of foreign investment without the constraints of playing by international economic rules, or the benefits of ASEAN membership without the pressure to conform to regional norms of behaviour. In a way, this duality resembles other aspects of Vietnams post-doi moi order: Vietnam has persistently sought to take advantage of opportunities presented by globalisation and economic liberalisation, whilst avoiding the associated social and political costs. One consequence of the perceived success of reforms during the early 1990s was that the Vietnamese authorities revised their economic targets for the period from 1991 to 2000. Instead of aiming for a doubling of the countrys GDP over this period, as was originally intended before the Seventh Party Congress in 1991, the target was changed to a doubling of GDP per capita (Socialist Republic of Vietnam [SRV] 1994). Assessing the achievements of the reforms, many foreign observers concurred, concluding, for example, that Vietnam appears well-positioned to become a new East Asian dragon (Irvin 1995:725). However, these impressive achievements could not completely hide some of the structural and systemic weaknesses of the economy. By 1996, donors and foreign observers had highlighted several problems related to the import-substituting trade regime and the role of the state, in particular the continuing reliance on SOEs as the main vehicle of development (Kokko and Zejan 1996; Ljunggren 1996; Mallon 1996; United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] 1996). On trade policy, concerns focused on the distorted incentives provided by the complex, non-transparent and highly restrictive trade regime. The combination of tariffs, quotas, import licensing requirements, foreign exchange controls and various other trade barriers created strong incentives in favour of import substitution in consumer goods and selected heavy industries and a bias against export-oriented production. One paradoxical result was a rapid increase in imports: import-substituting industry in Vietnam, as elsewhere, was heavily dependent upon imported machinery, raw materials and intermediates. Consequently, although exports grew rapidly, import growth was even faster, resulting in growing trade and current account deficits. By 1995, the current account deficit exceeded US $2.6 billion, or 13 percent of GDP. Several problems were imminent. Would it be possible to finance large deficits without endangering future growth and macroeconomic stability? How would Vietnams commitm ents to liberalize trade from around the year 2000 mandated, for example, by Vietnams membership of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and ambition to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) be realised? Would the promises to reduce tariffs be neutralised by the emergence of strong interest groups benefiting from, and therefore lobbying for, continued protectionism? The most important result in terms of formal policy may be the agreement about a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between Vietnam and the US, which was signed in July 2000 and ratified in late 2001. The BTA is an important step towards Vietnamese membership in the WTO, and perhaps also a key step in Vietnams continuing economic reforms. Unlike the AFTA agreement, which is based on consensus and does not prescribe severe sanctions against member countries that do not fulfil their commitments, both the BTA and eventual WTO membership are likely to come with stricter conditions, enforcement and sanctions. Moreover, the BTA allows Vietnam to reap some of the benefits (in terms of access to US markets) early on, while the perceived costs (resulting from opening the Vietnamese market to US firms) will come later. It is possible that these two features will strengthen the reform process: it will be difficult to default on reform promises once they have generated thousands of jobs that may be lost if promises are not fulfilled. The continuing increase in exports is another sign of progress in this area. In 1999 and 2000, exports grew at an annual rate of over 20 percent, which was more than four times the rate of domestic demand growth. This shows that an increasing share of the Vietnamese economy is integrated with the international economy, and that there is probably a gradual shift in the balance of power from groups favouring inward-oriented policies to groups relying on contacts with the international economy. In fact, the current Ten-Year Socio-Economic Development Strategy sets up the goal that the export growth rate should be twice as high as the planned 7.5 percent GDP growth rate during the period 2001-10: if the target is achieved, the ratio of exports to GDP will exceed 90 percent by 2010. Other important reforms have been made on the import side. Import tariffs have been reduced gradually, in line with Vietnams AFTA commitments, and the road map for future tariff reductions under the agreement was published in early 2002. The tariff reduction scheme constitutes an important step to facilitate the long-term planning of Vietnamese producers: with a clear time-bound plan in place, there is less scope for interest groups to lobby for extended protection. Most quantitative restrictions have also been removed, and all domestic enterprises are now allowed to import any goods that are not subject to quotas. Yet some problems remain. The tariff structure remains complex. There is great dispersion of tariff rates in the range from zero to 100 percent, with higher rates on import-substituting goods and lower ones on imported inputs. This provides high effective rates of protection for local market-oriented industry. Various administrative measures, such as temporary import bans, have also been used to restrict imports of consumer goods. Summarizing a review on trade policy, CIEM (2002:126) notes that this shows how many policy decisions tend to aim at dealing with the problem on a case by case basis rather than resolving it based on a consistent and overall approach. Foreign trade transactions can also be controlled and restricted by the allocation of foreign exchange. The State Bank of Vietnam controls and approves remittances of foreign currency abroad, and State Bank authorisation is required to borrow foreign currency, to convert dong to dollars, and to open offshore escrow accounts. Exporters are obliged to surrender a large share (at present 40 percent) of their foreign exchange earnings to the State Bank. For a long time, state enterprises and agencies had privileged access to foreign exchange (World Bank 1999b), and it is possible that these preferences still apply. Vietnam has to deal with almost 100 anti-dumping lawsuits and trade disputes each year, in which domestic businesses often come off worst. At the recent G20 Summit in Toronto, as ASEAN Chair, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung called for G20 nations to ensure a sustainable economic recovery and fight against trade protectionism in all forms. He emphasised that Vietnam has to face many disguised protection measures in some developed countries, saying that G20 nations should continue to introduce specific measures to remove barriers to trade and foreign direct investment. These barriers have become obstacles for Vietnamese investors and exporters. To some extent, these barriers, with stricter regulations on food hygiene and safety and anti-dumping, have had a positive impact on Vietnamese businesses who have to increase the quality of their products to compete against foreign rivals. Tran Manh Canh, Deputy General Director of the Hanoi Trade Corporation (Hapro), says that his company exports many products to the Republic of Korea, which requires a high standard of food hygiene and safety. However, Hapro leaders consider these a good opportunity for local businesses to sharpen their competitive edge to penetrate the global market, adds Mr. Canh. In addition to this, trade barriers have also posed numerous difficulties and challenges for Vietnamese businesses who do not have a proper understanding of this issue. Many local businesses find it hard to access information about the trade laws of countries that have commitments with Vietnam. Therefore, clarifying trade barriers and technical standards provided by partners and ensuring transparency in the origin of products are still big challenges for Vietnamese businesses when they export their products to foreign markets. For instance, the European Union (EU) has an anti-dumping tax of 10 percent on Vietnamese leather shoes. The European Bicycle Manufacturers Association (EBMA) has requested a review and extension of the anti-dumping duty on imported Vietnamese bicycles. This affects the Vietnamese bike ind