Chinas Economy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chinas Economy - Assignment Example The military power, technological advancement and the currency of China have drastically improved over the past years, which is a sign of economic dominance. These aspects of the economy combined with the fast growth are likely to surpass those of the United States. According to IMF, THE CHINESE ECONOMY GREW BY AN AVERAGE OF 9.6 PERCENT PER YEAR BETWEEN 1990 AND 2010 (Babones, 2011). This projection indicates that China has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The country survived the global financial crisis of 2008 and managed to expand its economy, which indicates real economic supremacy. CHINAS ECONOMY HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY SUCCESSIVE WAVES OF ECONOMIC REFORM (Naughton, 2007). Market transition has led to a market economy dominated by exports and multi-national firms. The country has managed to dismantle the command economy and decentralize the effects of communism in order to create a market economy and empower the rural people. This has created a fair playing gro und for market participants, which has extended to the international market. This has led to the sudden rise of China as a global trading center and several investors have invested in Chinese firms. ECONOMIC REFORMS HAVE FAVORED FOREIGN INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS ALLOWED FOREIGN FIRMS CLAIM A SHARE OF INDUSTRIAL EXPORTS (Gilboy, 2004). The government has also been instrumental in supporting the private sector by giving private companies access to capital, technology, and markets. This has improved the output from these firms and their contribution to the country’s GDP, which has strengthened Chinas’ economy. OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, CHINA HAS EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST AND MOST RAPID REDUCTION OF EXTREME POVERTY (Katz, 2008).The country has improved the living condition of the poorest people in the country and reduced poverty levels. The continuing growth rate has improved the living conditions of the Chinese people, which have supported economic supremacy of the country. THE RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS IMPROVED THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE AND ALTERED THE STRUCTURE OF THE SOCIETY (Pei, 2006). The economy is less state-centered as was the tradition, which has enabled the country consume much of its products by improving the living condition of the population. Chinese citizens have improved their access to information through telephones and televisions. These have improved the communication and transport industries in the country, which are some of the rapidly growing industries in the country. The contribution of these industries in the country’s GDP has helped improve the economy and expansion into the global economy. China has experienced high levels of savings and investment, which has contributed to the rapid economic growth. INVESTMENT RATES IN CHINA ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITH COMPARABLE LEVELS OF PER CAPITA INCOME (CSIS, 2006). This has enabled the growth of per capita stock that has facilitated the transitio n from agricultural labor to the modern sector. The investment into the modern sector has introduced a center for a new labor force that has improved the output from the sector. FACTORS OF PRODUCTION SUCH AS LABOR AND CAPITAL HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO CHINA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH (Angang, 2011). The savings from the labor force have improved the purchasing power of the population. Direct investments in the country have improved capital formation that has helped the citizens improve their savings and their purchasing power. This has helped improve the country’s GDP and its competing abilities with superpowers such as USA. ASIA’S PRODUCTION ASSEMBLY HAS ATTRACTED SEVERAL INVESTORS FROM

Urban Growth and Environmental Decay Essay Example for Free

Urban Growth and Environmental Decay Essay Although history may be seen as a tapestry portraying the wars and conquests of humankind, it may also be seen as the continuous expansion of human presence in the planet, the domestication of animals, and the reshaping of natural environment into one that fits the needs of humans. Humans are always chasing after the next frontier, oftentimes compromising the environmental cleanliness and healthiness of their very own surroundings (Haughton Hunter, 2003). The history of San Francisco is also characterized by a continuous expansion and chasing after the proverbial next frontier. Brechin (2001) in his book, Imperial San Francisco: Urban Power, Earthly Ruin explores the history of San Francisco and challenges the stereotypical view that the city is tolerant. By tracing through 150 years of the city’s history, the author was able to uncover grievous features of the city’s history. San Francisco was one of the major sites of the Gold Rush in the mid nineteenth century. The founding members of the society, usually from the South, engaged in mining coal and other minerals in the area. This resulted to the environmental devastation of wet lands, streams and forests of San Francisco (Brechin, 2001). The aristocracy who managed most of the mining industry derived tremendous profit from such industry. These profits were then diverted into other endeavors such as the exploitation of forests, currency speculation and extraction of oil. As a result of the process, several towns were destroyed. The forest region around Lake Tahoe diminished drastically, a wide area of farmland were buried by the onslaught of mining debris, leading to the contamination of the soil and bodies of water around the area. In addition to this, Brechin (2001) underscores that the research on nuclear power started at the University of California and was completed in the Manhattan Project. The price of progress is staggering! Although San Francisco, today, is a famous city and frequented by tourists, such progress was attained at such a big cost to the environment and consequently, the cost will be transferred to the future generations. San Francisco, according to Brechin (2001) epitomizes the city in the Atomic Age, together with the environmental havoc that it brings. The example of San Francisco is also being repeated in developing countries. A lot of people are now migrating from the countryside into the cities. This trend makes the cities crowded, unsustainable in terms of the people’s use of the environment and causes pollution. In spite of these environmental issues, these cities are experiencing economic growth. The question, however, is that until when will this growth be experienced? (Evans, 2002). The presence of economic growth alongside environmental decay is also present in Africa, where most of nations in the region are developing ones. Although the efforts of these countries for development are bearing fruit, the environmental issues and problems being experienced by these countries in the continent are the result of activities geared toward making them more developed. The population of elephants in Africa has been greatly affected because of the desire of people to amass wealth from their tusks (Tesi, 2000). Urban growth attracts people from less developed areas of any given country. As such, they would need to have jobs, use the resources available in their environment and sustain their lives. Along the process, the ecological balance is affected. As shown by the experience of San Francisco, as well as by the African continent, economic growth is accompanied by the degradation of the environment. Reference Brechin, G. (2001). The Environment and Development in Africa. California: University of California Press. Evans, P. B. (2002). Livable Cities? : Urban Struggles for Livelihood and Sustainability. California: University of California Press. Haughton, G. , Hunter, G. (2003). Sustainable Cities. London: Routledge. Tesi, M. K. (2000). The Environment and Development in Africa. New York: Lexington Books.

What Strategies Have Trade Unions Been Adopting Essay

What Strategies Have Trade Unions Been Adopting Essay Employee relations do not exist in a vacuum. They are located within, influenced by, and in turn impact upon many other aspects of the work organisation and wider society, therefore, employee relations have been defined and described by different authors and establishments in so many ways but the most important aspect to all their definitions is the fact that employee relations are basically the study of the regulation of employment relationship between employers and employees (Rose, 2004). The direct relationship formed between the negotiation of two important institutions are known as the trade union (or more often called a non-union collectively representing employees) and the state. A trade union in its simplest role represents a group of workers in connection with one employer. The trade union density can be seen in Appendix 1, which shows the membership rate and the decline in membership. The strategies below have been used by trade unions to curb the decline of trade union membership. One important question to be asked in the United Kingdoms employment relation is the extent to which union decline since the 1970s is essential. This has made unions experience increase and a decrease in membership rates and regular restrictions on union actions through legislation and government action. More so, recent union decline has happened to fall into a longitudinal cycle which reflects a season of readjustment to fluctuating economic conditions and structures. Others have concluded arguing that the factors responsible for union decline are such that unions are likely to struggle to recover any significant presence, particularly in the private sector. Trade Unions have responded to the loss of their members and the appearance of a more fragmented labour market in various ways. The decline in the number of the union from 326 in 1988 to 167 in 2008 has proved that many unions have merged to consolidate resources and improve their economies of scale (EIROnline 2009). Some strategies that have been put in place to renew trade union membership are partnership, organising, workplace learning and the procurement process that have been other key responses. Furthermore, The Unite announced that it will only offer community memberships to students, single parents and the jobless for 50 pence a week, and is considering using the scheme to offer legal support and educational facilities in exchange for collective community action (The Guardian 2012). There exists various methods for trade unions to secure new members, in which they may choose to sit tight waiting upon external environment (unemployment to fall, manufacturing to recover, firms to grow in size, etc.), also, they may engage in several initiatives to recruit new members, whereas those in authority may strategize plans such as recruitment drivers targeted towards specific group of people and to improve the success of the organisation. Many unions have pursued to offer new services (both to employees and employers), while others have decided to use the traditional approach explaining the roles of the trade union such as protecting employee rights, etc. The individual unions and the labour movements particularly face several choices and challenges due to the structure of so many unions out there in various job territories and the authority of TUC. For example, some unions such as the old craft-based unions like the NGA, had a close membership base while others especiall y the two well-known ones (the TGWU and GMB) and a number of ex-craft based unions (such Amicus) which their recruitment process has improved are always in constant competition for members in similar job territories. In recent years trade union has tried to regulate competition more closely by signing off all single union agreements but this has resulted in a challenge as the Congress does not have enough power over its affiliates (expulsion, for example: The TUC strongest agreement can actually increase competition between unions as the excluded union is no longer bound to respect other unions membership territories, and vice versa). Appendix 2 summarizes those possibilities Unions face many options when it comes to the issue of recruitment because they can choose to seek more members in places where recognition already exists, they can also decide to recruit in areas where no form of recognition exists (this will happen with the intention that as membership grows it will lead to recognition), they can also merge with another union which will not only increase their membership but also their recruitment base and finally trade unions can try to secure recognition (single-union) agreements at a non-union which would serve as a process of delivering membership from among those employed at the site (Willman 1989). The Union merger which is one of the strategies of membership renewal by trade unions. Willman 1989, particularly argues that the option of merger or employment agreement is a more cost effective method than choosing individual members especially in places where employers are hostile to unionism, this therefore means that the more cost-effective means are likely to hold sway, even though it will lead to more inter-union competition for members in a particular area (this is what Williams terms as market share unionism). The increase in market share unionism has been prominent in the UK labour movement in the last generation which made famous unions have either participated in merging or have successfully completed one. This pattern of decrease in the number of unions have been happening since 1920 as shown in appendix 3, what seems to be new is the speed at which the number of unions decline which has led to an increase in merging activities and also helped to curb the nations smaller trade unions, for example, the 1980s have recorded the most steepest decline ever in the number of trade unions falling by over one-third in the ten-year period and in the 1990s a number of unions fell about one-quarter. The increasing ratio of decline within the trade union movement is due to the fact that in 2000 the eight largest trade unions (each having 250,000 members or more) accounted for over 72 percent of all union members meanwhile less than 10 percent of all unions now account now account for almost 87 perc ent of all union members. Merging up unions can exist in various forms such as the amalgamation (which is where two or more unions join together to form a new union) and transfer engagements (where one union is incorporated by another and loses its legal rights) (Bird et al 1992). One popular merge that recently occurred in 2002, was the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) with Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union (MSF) to form AMICUS. Another merger that took place was the merger in 2001 of the Institution of professional of Professional Managers and Specialists (IPMS) and the Engineering and Managers Association (EMA) to form Prospect. With over 1.5 million members as at date, UNITE is known to be Britains largest trade union (The guardian 2012). In general, more unions seek mergers than them actually achieving it (Willman 1996). The most important attribute of recent merging compared to the ones in last decades is that defensive mergers (the 1970s) where small unions required the security of bigger unions so as to avoid financial problems/ membership decline (Undy et al 1981). For example, the merging between the 1980s and early 1900s are known to be aggressive (Buchanan 1992), but in recent years it has involved two strong unions who decide to pool their resources for mutual advantage. E.g. NGA/SOGAT (to form GPMU) and ACTT/BETA (to form BECTU). Amicus and Unison are two major aggressive mergers that are designed to protect their membership and also expand trade union territories so as to improve growth. Merging has been successful, however, they are faced with challenges which are driven by the problems of membership decline which has not only been a defensive case, as sometimes the opposite might just happen. As Waddington 2003 stated that there has been no evidence that merged unions have been very successful into new areas of membership growth. The outcome resulting from the desire to merge has been to simplify the historical complex structure of the British Union or change the decline in membership (Waddington 1995). Trade unions in earlier years were (closed) craft based organisation that allowed less skilled workers (e.g. boilermakers, municipal workers, etc.) to survive and they can be ranked under the GMB. Many unions always lay claim to job territory but in the recent years the union movement have been dominated by just four or five super unions with their membership base been more diverse and the competition for members between unions will not stop (Waddington 1995). For mergers, financial control can lead to improvement in administrative efficiency of super unions but problems of representative effectiveness may be aggravated. The main solution to this problem is the single-table and single union agreements. This solution involves the changes in employee relationship at first, but Willman and Cave 1994 noted that inter-union cooperation (joint ventures) can be more effective if further mergers make it easy to communicate with super-unions, which brings a conclusion about union mergers that regulating TUC or joint ventures between major union can essentially increase union membership. Another strategy to be looked into is recruiting new members. In recent decades, many unions have focused their resources on recruiting new members, which was recorded as a success. Some unions such as the multi-occupational industry unions (e.g. NUM) and single-occupation (single industry unions) which already have a high union density (e.g. ASLEF), their goal of recruiting new members is particularly non-existent. There is a better possibility for general unions (e.g. TGWU and GMB) or those that happen to be in areas of employment growth where union density is low (e.g. UNIFI in finance, etc.). Kelly and Heery (1989) illustration makes it clear that recruitment targets will vary significantly for different trade unions, depending on the proximity of the job territories of potential members to those organised by the unions and the coverage of recognition agreements among target groups. In some cases(close consolidation) the union might be involved in a mopping-out activity of non-union members within the unions existing job territories where the agreements still exist (this is usually referred to as an in-fill recruitment). For example, the TGWU recent recruitment strategy was targeted towards a 100 percent or a 100 per cent plus campaigns but in other situations the union might have a recognition agreement for the industry or specific companies but organisation is poor and union density is low and this is because the institutions are small and difficult to organise/ the labour turnover is high. Statistics from the Labour Force Survey suggests that around 3 million employees who are not union members but work in establishments where there is union recognition and gives an indication for a large membership consolidation (Monks 2001). Whereas, most union organising is directed towards consolidation (Heery et al 2003). Some other membership groups are particularly not covered by a recognition agreement (usually higher level or management grades) but find themselves working in organisations where the union density is already high (close expansion). The most difficult groups to recruit (distant expansion) are those in job territories where the union does not seem to have recognition agreements nor experience of any organisation to build on. It is in this group that one would find out that the membership growth is particularly high but there is poor union organisation. The first step of any recruitment and organisation strategy is identifying membership targets/ what unions term as mapping'(which is about building up a detailed profile of the workplace, workforce, etc.). During union recruitment, most of them wonder why union sign up? and this is so because unions attract a number of new members by offering mouth-watering services to an individual (Bassett and Cave 1993). Bassett and Cave 1993 have it that the new trade unions have a role model to be the Automobile Association or BUPA, having the trade union in form of a private sector organisation which engage in providing many services to people who wish to buy them. This form is widely known as passive consumerism which has evidence for the provision of union credit cards, insurance schemes and other private benefits (Fairbrother 2002). However this strategy has not been particularly successful as it has its shortcomings; For example, it makes too many emphases on the extent of individualism adopted by employers in their human resource management policies (Gallie and Rose 1996) and also the extent to which employees have adopted the model, by placing individual benefits over and above collective protection in their reasons for joining trade unions. This happens because of social injustice, employment insecurities, etc. in the UK today, which makes most people join the union because if they have a problem at work it will definitely be sorted which is the principal reason for joining along with improved working condition and pay but just a few would choose non-work related service such as trade discounts, etc. (Waddington and Whitston 1997). Therefore, individualism is not only the major reason for union decline but the high demand of workers from unions seem to be the core. The way unions translate workers demands has brought unions to a moderation which Kelly 1996 demonstrates as a case where unions are brought to inadequate returns thus subjecting them to greater dependence on the goodwill of the employer. This, therefore, leads to the danger of the servicing model which has a contrast to the organising model. See Appendix 4 for the organisation cycle. Militancy is focused on solidarity as opposed to striking action (Organising works 1996). Whereas the servicing union expects the union only to ask questions regarding what they can achieve with the union but the organising union focuses on the membership being a value because the act of membership workers should be able to generate its own issues, organise to solve their own problems, etc. The organisation model is particularly focused on participative forms of union organisation. The importance of self-organisation is that workers recruit fellow workers (like-recruits-like), generate their own agenda and also solve their problems. Organising strategy has an advantage to smaller unions or occupational groups within larger unions such as TGWU and the GMB in London, it has done no more than to help stabilise aggregate union membership in the UK (Heery and Adler, 2004). Many unions are particularly careful with the organisation and the financial implication of an organising strategy, that is, the impact on union hierarchy and decision making, etc. especially if they experience a reduction in the benefits they get from the union. Better co-ordination of the TUC is majorly needed to spread the organisation agenda widely throughout the labour movement and to anticipate competition especially in their quest for new members. Many unions and TUC feel that organising is one of the several methods to be used to rebuild labour movement membership base, their bargaining power and their political influence with the government of today. In some cases, all these methods the labour movement adopt (moderation and militancy, the partnership with employees and independent workplace organisation, servicing and organising) are most times often too contradictory. Lastly, the final strategy to be discussed is recruitment through employer agreements, looking back into union mergers the most common aspect of was that they deliver a whole group of people into unions, so the signing of a single union agreement with an employer can ensure a substantial number of members of the union concerned. The costs incurred during presentations and the making of approaches to employers, the potential payoffs are always considerable. Also, the employer recognition comes from other benefits of the union. Trade union experience single union agreements over the past years with some similarities and a number of differences from union recognition and member representation. For example, representation by a single union (Cully et al 1999) compared to 36 per cent in 1990 (Millward et al 1992). In a majority of establishment (72 per cent) where management recognised only one union which was a result of a formal single union agreement rather than having it working out another way (Cully et al 1999). With this it may become more popular in future as a result of statutory union recognition procedure but anywhere else where trade unions who have signed single agreements at greenfield or non-union sites must still convince potential membership that they would gain if they join the union rather than free ride under the umbrella of the recognition agreement. Research has it that employees still demonstrate an urge to join the union even when they benefit from company specific training, etc. all of which are major reasons for trade union membership (Newell 1993). The difference between single union from single table agreements, the latter represents coming together (co-operation) of unions who negotiate together with employers around the same table leading to time-saving and increasing flexibility, among workplaces with two or more unions present. Single union bargaining is often associated with single status and more integrated pay schemes, multi-skilling and teamwork. The main difference is that single table agreements are negotiated at brownfield sites (where unions are well established) but the distinctive attribute of single union agreement is that unions only begin their recruitment of members after recognition has been granted rather than secure recognition as a result of building up a strong and committed membership base. However, this has not been particularly successful because it presents the union movements with a problem of inter-union competition (also known as beauty contents) and individual members with inadequate representation and protection. There has been a revival of interests as a result of employment relation Act 1999, which Gall 2003 noted that some employees have established that what they face is not one of granting or granting recognition but to which union should recognition be granted and with what type of deal. TUC figures show that around one-third of all recent recognition agreements were the result of an approach by the employer. The major response of the unions involved in such agreements is that the alternative will be non-unionism which is what many unions have ended up with but from union movement and employee involvement it will be better for a union to get support from the workforce and gain recognition from the employer rather than the other way round. This is so because it has been done in the past especially in the manufacturing sector in larger establishments where most of the single union deals are to be found. Kelly and Waddington 1995 argue that unions should satisfy employers with a more rewarding approach although more difficult to achieve and find ways of making employers tolerate a trade union presence. The organising model adopted by the TUC are now widely adopted by many unions, including TGWU and GMB but more notable by GMPU, ISTC, MSF, UNISON, TSSA and USDAW seeks to achieve both objectives; to meet the needs of employees and command a hearing from employers so as to reduce trade union decline In conclusion, the difficulties in which trade unions movement face in recent years are certainly considerable, but yet at the same time not insurmountable. Membership continue to decline but unions continue to attract new members and most workers, union and non-union hold positive views about trade unions (Diamond and Freeman 2001). There have been evidence that more workers would join unions if they are given the opportunity or incentive to. For more workers to have the opportunity to then the trade union will have to recruit and organise in the workplace and also for workers to want to join they must be convinced that through collective action they can change their working lives and simply change their insurance or secure discounts on a range of private benefits. More strategic union policies are designed to reverse their fortunes, most notably the emphasis on recruitment, organisation and participation are reflections of this. The development of strategic union initiatives based on the organising model are at least less dependent on the changes in the labour market and trade union legislation, however not all state policies are conducive for a revival of the labour movement, in many cases the opposite is the case. It is the general role of the state in employee relations that we now turn.

The Dutchman - Oppression of the Black Man :: Amiri Baraka Dutchman Essays

The Dutchman - Oppression of the Black Man The Dutchman is not a play that you would take a child to. There is no optimism, no hope of a better future, and certainly no hero. It did, however, point out several flaws in society, namely the white man's oppression black men. The entire conversation between Lula and Clay demonstrates that, even as society had become more aware of the social inequalities imposed on minorities, much of society still regarded minorities with utter contempt. It did not come as a surprise that the stereotypes that both white and black individuals were present in the play despite heightened public awareness at the time. Such stereotypes are evidenced by Lula saying, ". . .you're a well-known type . . . I know the type very well," and Clay responding, "Without knowing us specifically?" (12). Stereotypes are the first walls to break through when associating with a member of another race or culture. Lula's continual concentration on Clay's "Uncle Tom" stereotype seems to be n ot simply her own ignorance, but it symbolizes the entire white people's ignorance of black people before and during the early '60's. At the end of the play, some of the root causes of most oppression--from forcing Native Americans on reservations to the lack of social equality at the time the book was written--is pointed out: tyranny of the majority and lack of sympathy for the oppressed. When Lula tells the people who are riding on the subway to "Get this man off me!," "Open the door and throw his body out," and "all of you get off at the next stop" (37), the crowd of people obeys without hesitance. The people in the subway--the majority--allow one man to be murdered and do not even give it a second thought. This is yet another metaphor for white people turning a blind eye to human suffering. Everyone gets off the subway, acting as if nothing has happened. The fact that the other

Terrorism

1. Philosohies and rules of war dictate that it is both sound and practical that groups with the same opponent and the same schema forge alliances or common supportive coexistence, and there is a very high probability that that dogma would be followed, considering the fact that terror group leaders are learned men. But the question of having the same agenda is putting terrorism in a very general and pop culture perspective since the truth is that these types of militant extremists have, at some level, varying aims and goals. But another important point is the fact that these different groups can be brought together to act as one unit in a full scale operation. The best example of this tendency is the 9/11 bombing, described by the FBI a few days after the incident as a handiwork of an alliance of terrorists. 2. The pall of gloom that terrorism brought not just in the US but around the world is not just the threat to life, but as well as the threat to liberty. Because of the growing manhunt for suspected terrorists and the increased drive to take the upper hand and identify terrorists even before they can accomplish their missions, some elements of the law enforcement agencies are willing to overstep their boundaries marked by the exercise of individuals of their most basic human right, ready to trespass the domain of private communication with the use of many and all technologies available, including the Internet. Terror groups also found the use of Internet for their cause – ransom demands are telecast via video streaming while home made and improvised bombs know-how is just a few mouse clicks away. For this new problem, the solution may lie in old practices – kill the head of the serpent and the body ceases to be dangerous. The Internet should not be the target, as US knows it cannot afford to start a new war – even in cyberspace. 3. Michael Hamm reported that motor vehicle violations, counterfeiting, smuggling weapons of mass destruction and armed bank robbery, are several criminal acts terrorist participate in. The most common criminal action that terrorists do is the falsification of documents and forgery. Almost every terrorist who entered the country carries a false identification. This criminal act is very crucial in the operation of terrorist cells in the country since the first and most important part of a terrorist mission is the entry of a terrorist in a country or place wherein the terrorist action would take place. This is the reason why border officials are consistently monitoring the many entry and exit points of the country. 4. The most significant findings and information contained in the Hamm report is the moving away of the image of the mythical militant extremists to purely purist forms of terrorism from the true terrorists which is much less now conformed in the mold of idealist / hero into nothing more than a common criminal. The implications for the criminal justice system of this newfound knowledge consist of the possible responsibility law enforcement and criminal justice elements when it comes to profiling active and prospective terrorists by investigating the offenses for they are in trial for. Hamm concluded how a certain set of criminal acts bend towards particular groups as its identifiable crime suspects and this newfound information can be utilized as another efficient tool to battle terrorism. 5. Both international and domestic terrorism presents a clear and urgent threat to the US, simply because a threat to even one single life is an important issue to the US government, or to any government for that matter. Domestic and international terrorism may have many similarities and differences which include M.O. (method of operation), financing, training, orientation, goals, aims and motivation, strength in numbers, leadership hierarchy. Intelligence network and arms and ammunitions supplies, terrorism still wears the same face and the government's efforts to counter it do not diminish based on the type of terror group it faces. Terrorism and the government's fight against it is a microcosm of the proverbial battle of good versus evil; the truth is that there will always be a group of people who will try to use force and intimidation to achieve there cause. Terrorists might have a different name in the future, and the government which the people created is always tasked to battle a constant threat to life presented by another man as a result of differences in ideology. References: Hamm, M. S. (2005). Crimes Committed by Terrorist Groups: Theory, Research and Prevention. US Department of Justice. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/211203.pdf Schmid, A. (2005). Links between Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: A Case of â€Å"Narco terrorism†. Retrieved October 10, 2007. Sisk, R. and Smith, G. B. (2001). Feds Have Names Of 19 In Dark Alliance. The New York Daily News. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.fromthewilderness.com/timeline/2001/nydailynews091501.html             Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013 Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013

Social Profile Reports Highlight Metrics That Matter [Live Demo] - CoSchedule Blog

Social Profile Reports Highlight Metrics That Matter [Live Demo] Blog Knowledge is power and without data, there’s no way to make critical updates to your overall marketing strategy.. especially when it comes to social media strategy. Which is why we’re excited to announce ’s newest addition to analytics –  Social Profile Reports! Watch this: Social Profile Reports Highlight Metrics That MatterIn this demo, learn how to: Access top social profile reports from one dashboard.  Stop downloading reports from individual platforms (or multiple third-party tools). Quickly view important social KPIs for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest right inside . Refine your social strategy with actionable insight.  Track your social performance so you know what’s working (and what isn’t). Use real-time data to make updates to your social strategy, so you can continue to drive results. Connect with your audience + create posts that stand out.  Track engagement stats and stop guessing at what will (or will not) resonate with your followers. Utilize your social profile reports to identify top content AND start creating posts you know your audience will love. Get social profile reports delivered right to your inbox  with scheduled reports. Create and schedule easy-to-understand reports to your team + stakeholders on a weekly or monthly basis. Giving everyone a pulse on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest performance. Want more information? Check out Social Profile Reports.