Sex Offenders

Continue with Current Sexual Offender Restrictions Remove All Restrictions After Sentence is Served Remove or Lessen Only Housing Restrictions Use Alternative Treatment Methods Sexual Offenders Rights are restored however w/o treatment repeat becomes more likely Sexual offenders are still robbed of there rights/ Increased offences Restores the ability to live in society/still restricted in other ways Best option for reducing repeat crime/does not deal with ethical restrictions and possibly increase the rate of sexual predation. Link 3) http://www. Doc. WA. Gob/community/expounders/relinquishment. P This Article points out the basic rules and requirements of a sex offender living with in a community. Many of the restrictions are direct infringements of constitutional rights such as the first and second amendments. When reading this article it became apparent to me Just how restricted of a life many of these individuals live and I was shocked by the number of constitutional rights that where infringed upon. Section 3 Section 4 I believe the best consequential theory to use in regards to the ethical dilemma facing Attorney General Abaca is the theory of rule utilitarianism.One of the major represents of Rule Utilitarianism John Stuart Mills states â€Å"The corollaries from the principle of utility, like the precepts of every practical art, admit of indefinite improvement, and, in a progressive Potential Victims Victims continue to suffer as conditions force offenders underground Allows for proper reintegration and tracking lessens risk of repeat Without proper treatment the removal of all restrictions could be detrimental Greatly reduces risk for repeat or continued abuse Attorney General Abaca Abaca will continue to receive scrutiny from human rights activists Abaca may look soft n crime, but rates of offence will drop Abaca could solve a major ethical problem and make the system a little fairer Abaca may KICK sort on crime, rates AT offence my Increase crumble s society as a wangle Offenders gain rights back but safety as a whole suffers Society Benefits Since offenders are less likely to repeat offences Society benefits and is able to better track and accommodate the problem Society will continue to suffer and rates of offence will increase state of the human mind, their improvement is perpetually going on. † Meaning continued human progress should coincide with the utilitarian rule implemented. Rule Utilitarianism differs from Act Utilitarianism because act utilitarianism is limited to one single action that has the greatest good for all While rule utilitarianism promotes the greatest good for all through time or a set rule. In this way Rule Utilitarianism can be used to create Utilitarian laws to resolve many of the ethical problems regarding the restrictions against sexual offenders.For instance a law passed that restricted a 2500 square feet buffer zone down to 1000 around most public building where potential victims would exem plify rule utilitarianism. This would still keep potential victims safe while also allowing convicted sexual offenders to get housing. This would also progressively keep offenders from going under ground due to lack of housing and would keep them in the system reporting to parole officers and other watchdog groups. A Non-consequential theory that I believe best applies to this ethical situating is the rule of Natural Law. Natural law is described as the innate rights we have upon coming into the world like the right to protect ourselves and our property.These rights are not given to us by government religion or ruling body but rather are embed upon us when we are born into the natural world. In regards to natural law The ancient philosopher Lakeside stated to his fellow states man Xenophobe that it created was not governments that created laws because if it was them that truly created law it it would be â€Å"not law, but merely force†. Natural Law applies to this modern ethi cal dilemma of restrictions on sexual offenders because in this case the law of man is in this case infringing upon natural rights. For example the ban on sexual offenders that prevents them from owning a firearm can be seen as a bar against the natural right to protect ones self.This goes both ways however because when natural law is applied to society the natural right for society to protect itself from sexual predators can be see as the right to prevent sexual predators from having weapons such as guns that can society. However I believe natural law in this case holds greater precedence with the individual and thus restricting certain rights of offenders can be seen as crimes against natural law. Section 5 I Delves Tanat ten most tentacle way to resolve tens solution would a De to Increase alternative forms of treatment and remove restrictions that prevent rehabilitated individuals from operating normally in society. Hen comparing the outcomes of excessive housing bans it becomes clear that they are ineffective and are causing more widespread problems than the initial problem the bans where meant to curb. I believe holding prisoners in Jail after there sentence is also unethical because repeat rates are low and if alternative psychological treatment was given the offender could be successfully be rehabilitated thus creating the greatest good for all. I believe that removing all restrictions would be foolish because limited restrictions have proven effective when not taken to the extreme. There do exist entirely mentally unstable individuals and because of cases like this some preventative measures are still necessary to keep society safe.Section 6 Possible arguments against the alternative forms of treatment and decreased restrictions include 1) Higher tax payer cost for alternative forms of treatment for sexual offenders. I would argue that while alternative cost may cost more initially there is a less likely hood of a repeat offence or a chance for the of fender to end up in a life time stint in jail. If repeat or in the worst case life in Jail results the tax payer inevitably ends up eying more than alternative treatment would have cost. So even though initial costs would be higher for the tax pay the overall benefit if successful would greatly out way the possible negative if Jail time failed. )Decreased restrictions means less disincentive for sexual offenders to commit crime. I would argue that the incentive is still the same for the criminal and it may in fact be even higher for repeat offences because if the offender ends up having to go underground or homeless due to restrictions the chance of them repeating raises. Also offenders that are genuinely obliterated receive a fairer chance in society and are less likely to be draw back to bad habits if they feel connected to normal society. 3)Alternative forms are unproven while solid Jail time is sure to keep offenders off the streets. I would argue that most jail sentences are re duced and accomplish nothing other than embittering offenders.Than eventual Just sending offenders back on to the streets on parole and back into the world destined to fail. Alternative treatment however deals with the root psychological issues that plague offenders and greatly reduces the chance of repeat offence. Section 7 In this assignment I learned many critical thinking skills that allowed me to incorporate concepts learned in class and apply them to my work. I also learned how to make decisions based upon a chart of shareholders and options to come up with the best utilitarian plan for all the share holders in the ethical issue. The assignment showed me that to improve my critical thinking ability I need to incorporate more perspectives into my analysis to better understand the problems.This in turn will allow me to adapt a better solution for problems by covering more aspects and potential congealers. I Nils assignment also snowed me some AT ten linctuses In the American cri minal system in regards to sexual offenders. While I feel no pity for the crimes they committed I do feel they are being wronged in some cases when their rights are being taken away or they are kept in prison after the completion of their sentences. This assignment showed me that more psychological treatment is necessary in many cases and simply trying to keep offenders away from possible victims often causes a greater repeat rate due offenders being forced underground or into homelessness by draconian laws.

My Personal Ethics and What They Mean to Me Essay

Everyone has their own personal ethics, for me this means being honest to my self in everything I do. I use my personal ethics to help in making choices that affect every aspect of my life. Personal ethics for me mean that I choose to be who I am and don’t let others effect the way I think or behave. Ethics are what makes us who we are and how we react to situations. In school it is important to have personal ethics, this helps us to be honest, uphold the academic integrity, and be able to follow the rules that are set for us. When at work, home or while dealing with others your personal ethics come into play. People don’t even realize that they use these every day to make choices that will affect them. I always think before I say something and how it will affect the other person. There are some who do not do this however, and for them their personal ethics are different. I find it hard to understand those who do not have the same kind of personal ethics as myself. I know the reason why others do not think as I do, but it is hard to understand when someone is mean or dishonest and thinks nothing of it. I have always tried to be an honest and caring person. I take care of others and I am responsible for a lot of their personal items. I have to deal with small amounts of their money, cell phones, clothing, and jewelry every day. Without my ethics I would think nothing of taking things that didn’t belong to me. I know that I have had coworkers who have done this and I hate that it happened. They of course are no longer working here. It amazes me that people have bad personal ethics that they can even think about doing something to someone who has been placed in their care. I will as long as I live use my personal ethics to make me a better person to all I come in contact with.

International Business Opportunities Essay

Commercial poultry farming is a relatively stable business venture. It involves breeding hens and selling eggs. An entrepreneur can commence this business with little initial capital. It is a tedious business but the returns are worthwhile. The intake of chicken in the globe is rising each year. Foreign markets like China are abounding with potential. The human resource is low-priced there, thus, the expenses of reproducing chicken are fairly little. In addition, the superior technology and apparatus enable the farm to generate high quality of goods. The business risks involved are disease control (Jomo, 2003). The owner must ensure that the fowl do get infected by any illness. The effects of this are disastrous since the chances of spreading are very high. Another risk is vacillations in market prices (Jomo, 2003). Nevertheless, if the all the factors work in your favor, you can make a lot of profit within a relatively short time. Corn farming can be a gainful commercial undertaking. Corn is a staple food in many parts of the globe. Ethanol production is an added benefit in this business (McKibben, 2007). The foreign market potential for this business is quite limited. A lot of US corn is genetically modified. There are quite a number of concerns regarding genetically altered foods. Therefore, they are not accepted in the countries they are exported to. This leads to loss of revenue (Fussell, 2004). The decision to plant altered corn or not should be made with objective information needed to make an educated choice. The safest option for a farmer who intends to export his of her corn is to plant a variety of seed types. The business venture I advice a new company to start is poultry farming in China. The advantages are endless. The Chinese market is huge just in terms of population. The chicken market especially is on the increase. Eggs and chicken are daily commodities, thus, the demand is excessive. This is the more lucrative project between the two.

Discuss the Role of Multinationals in the Globalisation of Innovation Essay

Discuss the Role of Multinationals in the Globalisation of Innovation - Essay Example Another example is Nintendo Co., Limited that was ranked number five in product improvement in 2009 by Bloomberg (2010). The improved products spread from Japan to Canada, Australia, United States and Gro?ostheim. Top forty most innovative multinationals in the world that has helped spread innovation globally is listed in table 1 (refer to appendices). In recent years, multinationals companies have been spreading to developing nations of Asia to tap into its large and expanding markets. For example, America’s Agilent Technologies began experiencing growth of its scientific and test equipment in Asia than other continents. Therefore, they had to shift base to Asia where they developed a full division of fully fledged research and development infrastructure to make it highly competitive and produce products that best suit the Asian market. Innovation centers are set in foreign countries to enable multinationals understand the foreign markets well to facilitate their entry. How m ultinational globalise innovations There are a number of ways in which multinationals spread innovations to other parts of the world from their country of origin. Practically, innovation spreads across countries or continents inform of foreign direct investments where international companies invest in setting up production facilities in foreign countries, merge or acquire foreign companies, move their expertise to work in international branches, corporate social responsibility or sell technology to other countries or companies. In addition, the mere distribution of improved products or services constitutes transfer of innovations from one place to another. Spread of innovations from one place to another is dictated by economic... This essay approves that there are a number of ways in which multinationals spread innovations to other parts of the world from their country of origin. Practically, innovation spreads across countries or continents inform of foreign direct investments where international companies invest in setting up production facilities in foreign countries, merge or acquire foreign companies, move their expertise to work in international branches, corporate social responsibility or sell technology to other countries or companies. In addition, the mere distribution of improved products or services constitutes transfer of innovations from one place to another. Spread of innovations from one place to another is dictated by economic policies of one or both countries, availability of adequate finances, economic conditions, quality and capability of skilled employees as well as company’s policy on spread of innovation among others. This report makes a conclusion that Microsoft has developed research and development in Beijing. Knowledge-intensive companies are increasing the number of their employees in developing countries. India is hosting about a quarter of Accenture employees. According to Wooldridge, large multinational companies develop innovation markets in the developing economies because developing economies have huge market potential and high economic growth rate. In addition, they are few costly legacy systems in developing countries and resources are relatively abundant and cheaper. For example, about five million and three million people graduate in China and India annually respectively, consequently most multinational have shifted their companies to Asian countries.

Whos Cheap by Adair Lara Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Whos Cheap by Adair Lara - Article Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Adair Lara in  Who’s Cheap starts off the article by recounting her second date with a guy who came across as cheap to the author when he didn’t offer to help pay for gas. She stated that he was â€Å"as cheap as a two-dollar watch† (Adair, 68). Her response, in my opinion, is justified – anyone including myself in her position would be appalled. I remember that once, while I had some financial constraints, I did not pay my share of the bill with old friends, and despite knowing me, I got labeled as the cheap guy. Lara says that this reaction is commonly found amongst women. Yet they do not elicit the same reaction as males do. She wonders why this double standard still continues. She then states her main point of some traits being gender specific when it comes to distaste towards them. She particularly says that â€Å"men are beneath contempt when they are cheap† (Adair 68). I wholeheartedly agree wi th her on this point. Being a male, I have to constantly be careful in social situations, as men are quickly termed cheap, whereas my sister does not have to put in the same effort. She does say that despite women making as much and sometimes more than their male counterparts, it is usually considered ‘proper’ for a man to pick the check in a restaurant as well as offering to pay whenever the occasion arises. She does not actually state it as such up to this point in the article that what she really means is that men should always pay regardless of financial standing in comparison with the female. This idea is strengthened throughout the article. Even though this seems like a sexist stance for her to take, but once again, I can testify to the truth thereof. If I go out on a date, everyone would expect me to pay, interestingly enough, I was accosted by my mother once when I had the check divided between me and my date, with my dad saying that men were supposed to pick up the tab. Adair also states that some men are stingy by nature which is correct but in my opinion should be expanded to contain both genders. I have known some very stingy females in my life just as the author admits to. Once again it is not a trait that is gender specific yet more unpleasant when displayed by males. So this part of her argument I agree with. She also writes about a friend of hers dumping her boyfriend when he acted cheap on a movie date by handing her M&M’s one by one. I found this incident hilarious but find it hard to say how I would react in a similar situation. What might appear normal to some may be abominable to others. For example, she mentions how her own date she writes about at the beginning of the article, loved talking about purchasing his car, a feat that was likened to â€Å"buying shoes† (68) in her native California, by the author. Perhaps the author was a bit harsh on him without knowing the motive behind the act. Maybe the guy had to struggle to purchase the car and considered it an achievement which he wanted to share with those close to him. Once again, perhaps it depends on the person’s perspective or how the words are actually delivered.  

Efficent Business Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Efficent Business Communications - Essay Example It is therefore imperative that companies embrace the aspect of inter-cultural communication in order for them to be ranked globally. For business communication to be termed effective, it has to put into consideration the aspects of diversity and cultural awareness. At the work place, if these are upheld, the company will register greater productivity and smooth workflow. Therefore, cultural diversity and appreciation of diversity must be applied in business communication to ensure effectiveness. One of the reasons why companies need to embrace cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity in the course of their communication is because of the most recent advanced communication forms. The presence of the internet helps companies, including the locals and multinationals to interact with their local and international clients. Since these clients are of different cultural backgrounds, if the said company lacks the elements of cultural awareness and diversity appreciation in its commu nication plan, then such is likely to miss many profits due to the ineffective communication between it and its local and international clients (Gibson 2002). ... It is crucial that companies uphold cultural awareness and diversity because of the various benefits it presents. First, business communication keeps evolving because of the globalization concept that has brings world business cultures together. New economies ape and integrate aspects of organizational cultures of the stronger and established companies in some of the world’s influential nations. Both small and big businesses must uphold cultural diversity in their business communication plan, starting from the corporate boardrooms to employee break-rooms, they should understand the eccentricities of all cultures to which they are exposed (Okpara 2008). The perceptions in different native cultures have a great influence on language use. Therefore, people belonging to different cultural groups will tend to have a varied understanding of words in a language. In the workplace, employees therefore need to be extra-cautious to ensure that their messages are understood clearly, as th ey communicate with workers of different cultural backgrounds. Employees should avoid taboo topics while conversing. Additionally, different biases in religious aspects, political aspects, or social issues and nuances of life experiences differ between cultures, making it a challenge for employees to find a common ground while communicating. Additionally, different cultures have different ways of addressing and managing conflicts. A case in perspective is that in Netherlands, arguments are regarded as an ingredient for a healthy conversation and communication. On the contrary, people from Japan consider public arguments and disagreements as offensive.

Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Marketing Plan - Assignment Example The marketing objectives form the underlying base for the formulation of the 7Ps of marketing mix prepared for the product of Samsung Electronics. The report also includes an analysis of how the marketing strategies would be implemented in launching and marketing the Samsung Galaxy S2 in the market of the United States. The report is suitably concluded by an evaluation of the marketing strategies done in order to analyse and assess the expected impacts of the marketing strategies in the new market. The evaluation also includes an assessment of how the formulated marketing strategies can be profitable for Samsung Electronics and a short recommendation of how the marketing strategies can be improved for continued success. Samsung Group is a transnational conglomerate company of South Korea. It has its headquarters in Samsung Town in Seoul. The company has many supplementary and affiliated business among which most of them are under the brand name of Samsung and it is the largest business conglomerated in South Korea. In 1938, Lee Byung-chul founded the company Samsung. The company has diversified itself into many new directions like textiles, insurances, retail, food processing and securities. In 1960’s the company started its business in electronics industry. Samsung group was been separated into four business groups after Lee Byung-chul died in 1987. In 1983, the company started producing personal computers and in 1988 it started producing semiconductors and telecommunication devices and networks. Samsung was considered to be a producer of low end products that used to be cheap in comparison to the other costly Japanese products. The company was also known to produce reliable and products of high quality which made the company gain lot of popularity among the customers and also in the market. By the end of 1992,

Mid-term history exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Mid-term history exam - Essay Example In fact, fabrics made in the home with techniques that remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages. The machines used within the home to make textile fabrics were small and either hand-powered or powered by hand. The Industrial Revolution, however, replaced these hand-powered machines with coal and put the manufacturing responsibilities in the hands of a centralized factory system (Backer). These coal-powered technologies, along with the steam engine, are the most commonly cited cause of the Industrial Revolution (Hudson). James Watt’s development of the steam engine allowed the transformation of fuel into mechanical work, which quickly became a staple instrument in a variety of different industries including powering locomotives, ships, textile machines, and automobiles. However, other explanations may aid in explaining why the Revolution occurred. One theory states that capitalism is responsible for the Revolution, insofar as capitalism incited merchants to take more co ntrol over their workers. When workers were paid a piecework rate in a factory, as opposed to the home, workers would produce more in order to have a better lifestyle. Centralization of material production into factories was the inevitable result of the capitalist system (Backer). Another theory looks at the differences in scientific knowledge between countries and tries to look at the Revolution in terms of what countries and cultures were able to think â€Å"mechanically† (Backer). In need, one of the first countries capable of such â€Å"mechanical† thinking was Great Britain, which is commonly believed to have been the first country to industrialize. In the case of England, science and dissemination of practical scientific knowledge played a large role. At that time, the new science of Newton was clearly associated with applied science. Those scientists disseminated their knowledge to an interested public for commercial and practical reasons through talks like the famous Boyle lectures and by various scientific societies like the Royal Society of London (Hudson). In many ways, the development of science in England and the development of industrialization in England were inextricably tied together. â€Å"By the end of the century it was simply assumed that the mechanization of manufacturing, and hence of labor, required a working knowledge of Newtonian science† (Jacob 167). Also, the concentration of knowledge into the limited land mass of the British isle may also have played a role in contributing to industrialization. Even though England was a source of new scientific knowledge, it would have been difficult to disseminate that knowledge if the country was less densely populated like continental Europe (Jacob 160-163). The Industrial Revolution left a number of social effects on England throughout the rest of the 19th and 20th centuries. For one, it led to the birth of the modern factory and, consequently, the modern city that develop ed around the factories. These factory towns brought in employees from all of the country looking for opportunities in the new industrialized world. A negative consequence of this was, of course, child labor. Child mortality rates increased throughout the industrialization period because parents would send their children off to dangerous employment in specialized tasks within the factories (Hudson). Although child labor existed prior to industrialization, it became a present phenomenon in society, in which children as young as four

You can decide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

You can decide - Essay Example Smith Woodward is the Keeper of Geology. He has joined Dawson in carrying out excavations at the Piltdown site at the end of May and during June 1912. Dawson and Woodward found remains of a fossil man dating from early Ice Age with ape-like jawbone with two teeth, more bits of skull, and several fossil animal teeth, bones, and flint tools. Disbelief was the first reaction of the scientific community, especially among Professor David Waterston of King’s College London, Dr. Gerrit Miller in America, and Professor Boule in France. According to them, anatomically speaking, the jaw could not have worked as a part of human skull when it is constructed in a different way. They also questioned the extraordinary wear of the teeth and the coincidence of finding all the fragments or specimen together. Weiner learned that the Piltdown man’s fragments were faked – the teeth had been chiseled down to resemble a human-like chewing pattern and stained with ordinary house paint to look like patina of age and ancient elephant and hippopotamus teeth were planted to the site. The same goes through for the Paleolithic tools, skull, and jaw fragments. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the man behind Sherlock Holmes. His possible involvement pointed out to the reasons that he lived near the Piltdown discovery site and had plenty of access to the fossils. In addition, majority of his works of fiction include familiarity with archeology and paleontology. His motive includes obsession to spiritualism and resentment towards scientists who mocked spiritualism. Aside from being the first person to discover the Piltdown man, Dawson’s involvement to the hoax was closely rooted to his personality. Dawson was ambitious and desperate to have a place in the scientific elite in the Royal Society. He has records of frauds in the field of archeology and his writings showed plagiarized content. Woodward has been considered a

Using an essay style format, discuss why might banks be considered as

Using an style format, discuss why might banks be considered as the 'key' players in the financial system - Essay Example All of these parts are closes dependent on each other. A good financial system makes sure that all these parts function together to make sure that the money is optimally channeled in an economy. If one part of the financial system is in conflict with the other, or if there is a distortion between the motives of the two parts of a financial system, then there are chances that the financial system will collapse. This is very dangerous for the entire economy, because when one part of financial system collapses, other parts also face the domino effect causing the economy to face serious recession and plummeting demand. Hence, it is imperative for an economy to have a stable financial system if it is to work well. (Mishkin) Financial markets make it possible for people to trade securities. It is a good way of raising capital, transferring risk, liquidity maintenance and trading foreign exchange. The financial markets play an important role in instilling level of confidence in the investors. They know that they can invest now and liquidate in future when they need funds and allow them earn interest on their money. Examples of Financial Markets can be Stock Markets, Money Markets, Forex Markets and IPOs (Lipsey and Chrystal). A good financial system usually contains financial markets as a platform that allows the trading of financial securities and instruments. Similarly, Financial Institutions consist of those organizations that allow channeling of funds and create credit in the economy. In case these are missing in a financial system, then the economy is deprived of multiplier effect and can face serious levels of unemployment and lack of investment motives. Examples of Financial Markets include Banks, Building Societies, Leasing Companies etc. Financial Instruments are securities that are traded in the Financial Markets. These include bonds, stock, money market securities and derivatives. These are again very important

Karl Marx and Capitalism Essay Example for Free

Karl Marx and Capitalism Essay In this paper I will examine how Karl Marx views capitalism and, more specifically, the criticisms he has regarding capitalism. In the first part of the paper I will reconstruct and explain the philosopher’s argument. In the second part of the paper I will offer my critical evaluation where I will demonstrate how these critiques are still appropriate in today’s society by providing examples of how capitalism is affecting the lives of American workers even today. However, I will first explain the definition and structure of capitalism. Capitalism is an economic system that is most common in the United States and much of Western Europe today. It is represented by privatization of companies for production of goods or services for a profit, competitive markets, and wage labor (â€Å"Capitalism†). These individual skills were initially developed from skills that grew out of the economic time period known as feudalism and has evolved into individuals who possess certain skills that can demand payment. Although this may seem like it would be an ideal situation for workers and provide a platform to provide a service in return for payment of some sort, it soon became evident that there were people who would use this new system of economics to their advantage. Instead of doing the work themselves, they would find skilled workers to provide the service or product under the umbrella of their organization to which they would market and sell the goods for profit. The business owner would make a profit and, in turn, pay the worker a portion for his services provided. Unfortunately, there were others who were unable to make the system work for them in such an advantageous manner. Karl Marx had two basic criticisms of capitalism – especially in his lifetime of the beginning of the industrial revolution and the formation of factories. His first was the thought that the worker suffered from alienation on several different levels. As a capitalistic society succeeds by gaining profit for the companies and business owners, the overall cost of goods needed to live also increases. If the wages earned by workers went up consistently with the profits of society and, thus, the increase in the cost of living, all would be good and balanced. However, that is not the case in most circumstances, in fact, as Marx points out, â€Å"the worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more goods he creates† (Johnson 261). In other words, as the production increases the cost to produce is lowered. The business owner sees those profits in the gross profit obtained by the sale of goods; however, the worker is generally not compensated in a fair and equitable manner. This turns a skill which may or may not have been a passion at one time into something that the worker is forced to do whether they desire to do so or not. Even if a worker enjoyed his occupation, chances are, he or she is being forced to comply with guidelines or standards set by someone else. As a worker you are still not truly free to produce your work according to your standards so you are, in essence, alienating yourself from the product of your work. According to Marx, capitalism has also produced an alienation from nature. He states that the capitalistic society conceals this alienation because it does not examine the direct relationship between the worker and production (Johnson 263). Essentially, the labor of the worker may produce wonderful and beautiful things for the wealthy individuals but oftentimes the working class population may never get to experience the beauty for themselves. Furthermore, the workers identity is often lost within their job and they do not have the means to express their individuality. This is identified by Marx as being alienated from yourself and from your labor. Most people do not proclaim their uniqueness in ways that focus around their occupation. Even in a highly sought after job you may, for a time, feel as if that encompasses who you truly are, but it is only a small part of your being – your essence. This also ties in to another alienation theme of Marx which is the alienation from your species as a human being. According to Marx, â€Å"the worker feels himself to be freely active only in his animal function – eating, drinking, and procreating, or at most also in his dwelling and in personal adornment – while in his human functions he is reduced to animal† (Johnson 264). In other words, as workers we are often free only when we are allowed to do what we want to do instead of what is demanded and required of us at our jobs. When this happens, we are often reduced to a more animalistic approach to fulfilling our needs. Finally, Marx contends that in a apitalistic society, the worker is alienated from others. Because there is so much competition in capitalism – which is the driving force for production and profits – it causes a hostile environment among workers. Many are competing for the same position or the same customer or account. This competition causes a friction within the frame of society that pits individual against individual which is what leads us into the next matter of contention with Marx in his views of capitalism which is exploitation. He claims that â€Å"private property has made us so stupid and partial that an object is only ours when we have it, when it exists for us as capital or when it is directly eaten, drunk, worn, inhabited, etc. , in short, utilized in some way; although private property itself only conceives these various forms of possession as means of life, and the life for which they serve as means is the life of private property – labor and creation of capital† (Johnson 266). People have become so materialistic in our capitalistic society that they are driven to all means by which to obtain their measures of status. Because of this, the workers are driven to give into demands made by their employers in order to make the wages necessary to maintain their standard of living. Since the workers are plentiful, the products are also plentiful, which discussed earlier creates a larger bottom line for the profit of the company or business owner. However, even though the profits are increased for the business owners of the capitalistic society, the wages are often not as high as the profit. Thus, the value of the product is high while keeping the value of the worker low. This is a classic example of exploitation. I think that the criticisms offered by Marx are still applicable in today’s society in the United States. I think that the worker is indeed alienated from his true identity as an individual. Before the onset of industrialized production there was a certain pride associated with one’s occupation; whether that was as a craftsman in wood, as a blacksmith, tailor, or bricklayer. No matter your profession, you were able to express your individuality and impart your character into the product of your work. Sadly, this is not the case with the workers of today. They are often subject to limitations and expectations that hinder their creative ability and they are forced to produce that are a poor representation of their ability or personality. Most people are forced into positions they don’t even want to be in professionally because they need to make a certain amount of money to pay for their wants and needs. This creates a frustration and dissatisfaction that reaches far beyond the walls of the factory or office. It is no wonder that most workers today dread Monday mornings and count the days until five o’clock Friday afternoon. Again and again, the energy level increases as the weekend approaches. There is a common sentiment that states everybody is simply working for the weekend. This is because workers are dissatisfied with their jobs and feel undervalued and taken advantage of in many circumstances. Once the workday ends, the freedom begins for the worker. This is often why the bars have a â€Å"happy hour† as this is where the worker can forget the troubles of the day and throw back a drink or two and finally relax. The economic conditions of living in an industrialized society has turned the ordinary worker into a materialistic consumer that generally far outreaches his or her ability to afford to keep up with the Jones’. Because many feel the pressure of this forced societal expectations to possess certain items, live in a certain neighborhood, d rive the right car all while wearing the right clothes and accessories we as workers in the United States have been put in the unfortunate and unbalanced position of much more want than means by which to provide it. As long as that continues, we are stuck in a cycle of never ending wants that never truly satisfy because they are not meeting what is truly needed in our lives. Marx claims that â€Å"the human being had to be reduced to this absolute poverty in order to be able to give birth to all his inner wealth† (Johnson 268). In a capitalistic society it is encouraged, and even necessary, to consume what is being produced in order for capitalism to continue to grow. Today’s worker can do this in moderation, without putting themselves or their families in such a position to further add to the frustration of meeting expectations and demands at a workplace that is unfulfilling to their existence. Furthermore, I think that labor unions were formed in the early 1900’s in order to protect workers from exploitation of greedy business owners. At the turn of the century, many workers were expected to work long hours almost every day of the week. There were unsafe working environments s well as high quotas being placed on workers from employers with minimal compensation to the workers. All of this was so the profits could rise as production was increased. There seemed no reason to pay more in wages by adding workers or in higher salaries for the existing employees when the business owners could simply demand more from their current workforce. Also, working conditions were often unsafe while trying to maximize workspace with the maximum number of workers without actually increasing the area being used. Because of labor unions working conditions have improved greatly for the worker in America; there are 40 hour work weeks with compensation for additional hours worked; guidelines have been implemented to make for safer working conditions; and there is more room for negotiation for fair wages without fear of retaliation by employers. Although labor unions are still in existence today, they have much less impact than they had in the past. Politicians are close bedfellows with the corporate executives across our nation and policies are ever changing to benefit the corporation and business owners while causing the worker to suffer the consequences. Even though there have been great improvements in regard to the criticisms of alienation and exploitation that Marx had against capitalism, I believe they still exist. Marx may have not been of this century but I feel his observations are still valid in today’s world.

The Penitent Thief Essay Example for Free

The Penitent Thief Essay One of the crucified criminals began to hurl abuse at Him, saying, Arent you the Christ? Save yourself and us.-But the other one, rebuking him, replied, Dont you even fear God, since youre under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are getting what we deserve.   But this man has done nothing out of place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jesus said to him, I solemnly declare to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brown (1976) noted that the story is peculiar of Luke.   At first both robbers scoffed.   They blasphemed the Holy One  Ã‚   (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32).Then Lukes account shows to us that One of the crucified criminals began to hurl abuse at Him, saying, Arent you the Christ? see more:night market essay pt3 Save yourself and us v. 39. It was one of the crucified criminals, that was hardened to the last. Near to the cross of Christ, he railed on him, as others did. -But the other one, rebuking him, replied, Dont you even fear God, since youre under the same condemnation? This shows the conversion of the thief upon the cross, here Christ was crucified between two thieves, and in them were represented the different effects which the cross of Christ would have upon the children of men, to whom it would be brought near in the preaching of the gospel. They were all criminals, all guilty before God. Now the cross of Christ is to some a savoir of life unto life, to others of death unto death. To them that perish it is foolishness, but to them that are saved it is the wisdom of God and the power of God (Henry,1991). Here we can see the extraordinary grace of God operating in the heart of the other criminal. For a short time his conversion was evident with the following turn of events:   when He rebuked his partner, and admitted his own guilt.   Furthermore, he even admitted that he and his partner fully deserved the terrible death on the cross And we indeed justly, for we are getting what we deserve. Let us take notice that he does not say, You indeed justly, but We. Note, that true penitents acknowledge the justice of God in all the punishments of their sin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Then we can see him confessing Jesus, But this man has done nothing out of place Hendricksen, Williams (1979) explained that the other criminal who confessed Jesus had added his own testimony with respect to Christs innocence to all the other similar testimonies that had already been declared (by Pilate and Herod). God has done right, but we have done wickedly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The short account showed us that the penitent thief or criminal not only rebuked his partner, admitted his guilt, and confessed Jesus as Innocent One.   He did one more thing Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom (v. 42).Barnes (1997) mentioned that this is a phrase praying for favor, or asking him to grant him an interest in his kingdom. It implied that he believed that Jesus was what he claimed to be-the Messiah; that, though he was dying with them, yet he would set up his kingdom; and that he had full power to bless him, though about to expire. It is possible that this man might have heard him preach before his crucifixion, and have learned there the nature of his kingdom; or it may have been that while on the cross Jesus had taken occasion to acquaint them with the nature of his kingdom. When the penitent thief talk of Christs coming, it is impossible now to fix the precise idea which this penitent criminal had in mind. Whether it was that he expected that he would rise from the dead, as some of the Jews supposed the Messiah would; or whether he referred to the Day of Judgment; or whether to an immediate translation to his kingdom in the heavens, we cannot tell. All that we know is, that he fully believed him to be the Messiah, and that he desired to obtain an interest in that kingdom which he knew he would establish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The promise which follows shows that this prayer was answered and that Jesus is here assuring those who come to Him in repentance.   Though it also tells us of His triumph over death in the cross: Jesus said to him, I solemnly declare to you, today you will be with me in Paradise(v.43).This was a case of repentance in the last hour, the trying hour of death; and it has been remarked that one was brought to repentance there, to show that no one should despair on a dying bed; and but one, that none should be presumptuous and delay repentance to that awful moment. By this word we are given to understand that Jesus Christ died to open the kingdom of heaven to all penitent obedient believers. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barnes and Nobles.1997.â€Å"Luke 23†. Barnes Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by   Biblesoft Brown, David. 1976. The Four Gospels. USA: The Banner of Truth Trust Hendriksen, William. 1984. New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke. Great Britain: Mackays of Chatham Ltd. Henry, Matthew.1991.â€Å"Luke 23†.Matthew Henrys Commentary on the Whole Bible: New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

Investigating Corruption In The Construction Industry Construction Essay

Investigating Corruption In The Construction Industry Construction Essay Corruption is a longstanding issue within the Construction Industry worldwide. What Effects have the Recent Bidding Scandals had on the UK Construction Industry and what are their Implications for the Future Worldwide, the construction sector is regularly rated as one of the most corrupt industries and the UK has not escaped these unlawful practices. In fact, in 2006 the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) published a survey entitled Corruption in the UK Construction Industry, which showed that corruption was present to some degree in many areas of this sector and that more should be done to tackle this issue. The industry was further rocked by the Office of Fair Tradings (OFT) Investigation into Bid Rigging in the Construction Industry. This topic is current and on-going and the main focus of my project. The aim of my project is to investigate the widespread effects and outcomes of bid rigging on the UK Construction Industry and how companies can tackle such problems. Scandals have included many large, high profile companies within the UK, damaging both reputations and trust. The project concludes that corruption in the form of bid rigging appears to be long standing and endemic in the construction industry and, often, an acceptable practice. Even though legislation against such practices exists and new legislation has/is coming on stream, this has not managed to stamp out these illegal practices. If the UK finds it difficult to control corrupt practices with legislation in place it most certainly follows that worldwide where practices are not subject to the same legislation, the problem is huge. There is a need for monitoring, greater transparency and staying within the law. Introduction (292) There are many reasons why corruption takes place including greed, a lack of transparency and accountability, bureaucracy and a lack of law enforcement. Corruption is fuelled by the enormous sums of money involved in carrying out projects and wherever money changes hands practices are open to corruption. Corruption is illegal and causes serious problems. Corruption in construction takes many different forms, from bribery or misuse of power/position to obtaining large sums of money through fraud or other dishonest behaviour. In order to win contracts companies would normally not have won, corrupt practices take place. This has an effect on the decision making and independent processes and causes costs to rise. Corruption in the construction industry is a world-wide problem; it is not just confined to developing countries, as there is extensive evidence of corruption taking place in developed industrialised countries. The United Kingdom has extensive experience of corruption in the construction industry and, as a consequence, advanced systems of corruption have evolved. High profile, leading companies have been involved in corruption scandals provided by large public sector contracts being issued to the private sector, which often means that taxpayers are likely to have been massively overcharged. Politicians have been found guilty of improperly accepting cash from businesses. Scandals such as cash for amendments and cash for favours have been uncovered in recent years. Public sector contracts and concessions are the single greatest source of corruption in the UK and the majority of corruption cases in the UK are connected to the award of contracts. The use of illegal payments for contracts is widespread. A report by Transparency International listed the construction industry as the business sector most prone to bribery ahead of even the arms, defence, oil and gas industries. Research Review (2134) This review focuses on reliable primary and secondary sources. Very little speculative information has been used in this study. Corruption is an illegal practice and by its nature is difficult to establish and to accuse companies of such practices without circumstantial evidence would likely lead to cases of slander or libel as the companys reputation would be at stake. No company is going to admit freely to adopting an illegal practice. Speculative information is therefore in short supply. What is corruption? Corruption, with reference to the construction industry, is the abuse of power or resources for personal gain by extortion or offering bribes. This includes collusion, i.e. an agreement between two or more people. It is used to limit open competition by deceiving or defrauding others of their legal rights, leading to gaining an unfair advantage. In a Global Corruption Report produced by Transparency International in 2005 it was estimated that the cost of corruption in the UK could be circa  £3.75 billion per annum, a vast sum of money. At the time they drew up an anti-corruption code for individuals in the construction and engineering industry. Tendering The main purpose for the principal contractor, the sub contractors and suppliers is to win contract work on a competitive basis and to ensure that the profit margin placed within the tender is maintained or exceeded. If the reverse occurs, where a loss is made, it can be made up during the trading period of the company with other projects; however large losses cannot be maintained indefinitely and could lead eventually to the closure of the company. Some companies will submit to tender with no intention of winning the work, solely to maintain the reputation and references of their company. This can have adverse effects on smaller companies who need the work however are beaten by larger companies. There is a cost to the contractor for tendering. Construction firms have to survive in a high risk market and losing contractors lose their costs of tendering. Illegal Practices within the Construction Industry affecting the tendering process Cartel A formal agreement among competing firms to fix prices, marketing and production. [The European Unions competition law explicitly forbids cartels and related practices. Competition Act 1998 and Article 81 of the EU Treaty] Bid Rigging Bid rigging is a form of fraud in which a commercial contract is promised to one party even though several other parties also present a bid to make the process look acceptable. This is a form of price fixing and illegal in most countries, including the UK. Cover Pricing Cover pricing takes place when companies join together to overbid for a contract they have no intention of winning. One or more bidders tenders an inflated bid with an intention not to win the contract This is misleading to clients as it gives a false representation of the real extent of the competition as the client is unaware of the contact between the bidders and cheaper firms are less likely to be invited to tender. Often builders do this to avoid being taken off the tendering list of contractors. Compensation payments known as bungs may take place in exchange for a cover price Both these practices can have the effect of inflating the final contract price. Blacklisting A blacklist is a list or register of persons who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service mobility, access or recognition. SCANDALS Case Studies One very large scandal to hit the UK construction industry recently was the Office of Fair Tradings investigation into bid rigging and cover pricing. A primary source of information. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) started one of the largest investigations in its history against the construction industry in April 2004. The investigation into the cartel behaviour which it claims artificially inflated the cost of  £3 billion of public and private sector contracts. 112 companies were accused of years of price fixing. It formally accused the industry of bid rigging and cover pricing, contrary to the Competition Act 1998. The contracts investigated included several public sector projects to build schools, hospitals, universities and social housing. This bid rigging often involved the use of false invoices. The OFT reported that in the course of its investigation it found evidence of cover pricing in thousands of tender processes in the construction industry involving many more than those named. The inquiry involved dozens of investigators and lawyers and firms had their offices raided during the process. The industry admitted privately that the practice of bid rigging and cover price fixing was widespread for some time before the OFT intervened. Among those named were large companies such as Carillion, Balfour Beatty and the Kier Group but many small family run businesses were also involved. The OFT had the power to fine the companies up to 10% of their global turnover for breaches of competition rules and several firms admitted their guilt in order to reduce their fines to 1% or 2% of turnover. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO), also a primary source of information, uncovered serious breaches of the Data Protection Act and served Enforcement Notices on 14 construction firms who had paid for illegal information on potential employees. Firms including Balfour Beatty and Laing ORourke paid annual fees of  £3,000 to obtain sensitive information on workers and over 40 construction companies were accused of flouting the law by paying for personal information on blacklisted construction workers. Construction firms would use the illegal list to vet potential new employees. The data included information on personal relationships, trade union activity and employment history. The ICO said that companies paid a  £3,000 annual fee to a firm known as the Consulting Association to use the service. Consulting Association was owned by Ian Kerr, who faced prosecution by the ICO for breaching the Data Protection Act. According to the ICO the firm operated for 15 years. Deputy Information Commissioner, David Smith, said: This is a serious breach of the Data Protection Act. Not only was personal information held on individuals without their knowledge or consent but the very existence of the database was repeatedly denied. The covert system enabled Mr Kerr to unlawfully trade personal information on workers for many years helping the construction industry to vet prospective employees. Smith said the ICO was considering what regulatory action to take against the construction firms who had paid for personal information from the blacklist. I remind business leaders that they must take their obligations under the Data Protection Act seriously. From 16 March the ICO said it will operate a dedicated enquiry system for people who believe personal information about them may be held on the database. Prosecutions for such corrupt activities are not new. A famous corruption case from the 1970s was the Poulson case, involving public works contracts, which led to the resignation of a Government Minister, the then Home Secretary, The Right Honourable Reginald Maudling. This case was very well documented legally and is a primary source of information. Architect John Poulson was jailed for five years in 1974 for corruption after being found guilty of bribing public figures to win contracts. After his business failed in 1972 an investigation showed it had been making payments to several MPs, police officers, health authorities and civil servants. This case was one of the longest for corruption in legal history. Scandal of  £19m rigged building tenders An investigation by the Office of Fair Trading found that two firms colluded with each other on tendering for the  £8.3m project to renovate Bradfords Eastbrook Hall. Bidding processes designed to ensure clients and, in many cases taxpayers, receive the best possible choice and prices were distorted, creating a real risk of increased prices. This decision sends a strong message that anti-competitive and illegal practices, including cover pricing, must cease. Five charged with corruption over  £66m engineering construction Five men have been charged with offences of conspiracy to corrupt following a two year investigation into allegations of corruption in the energy sector between January 2001 and August 2009 and it is alleged that inside information was being offered to companies bidding for contracts in high value engineering projects in return for a percentage of the contract value. The case will be heard during November 2010. Local examples Last year, Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands withheld  £511,046 of funding from Stoke-on-Trent council due to concerns over the procurement procedures of the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership (NSRP), for which Stoke-on-Trent Council is the accountable body. AWM finally released the money last month after NSRP agreed to address procurement issues over the engagement of consultants identified by an audit and independent review by KPMG. The council insisted that no deliberate wrong-doing had taken place. In March this year, Staffordshire Police began an investigation into the award of the contract to  demolish the former Westcliffe Hospital site, which was re-tendered following an internal investigation which found that the correct procedures had not been followed. The meeting also heard that the council had paid a company  £3.2 million for building maintenance over the past three years without tendering for the work. The above are a few example cases of which there are many. These practices have still taken place despite the existence of laws governing conduct. It is recognised that it is up to each individual company to comply with the law and there are severe penalties in force for those that do not. The UK construction industry is committed to compliance with UK and EU competition law. Competition helps to lower prices and give more choice. There are established laws in the UK on anti-competitive behaviour. The Competition Act 1998 This law prohibits anti competitive agreements such as cartels between businesses and also anti competitive behaviour. The OFT is there to enforce competition laws but does rely on complaints to help enforcement. A wide range of information published by the OFT is available to companies on the Competition Act. Enterprise Act 2002 This is an Act passed to give legal powers to the Office of Fair Trading, the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Competition Service. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to create an offence for those entering into certain anti-competitive agreements; to provide for the disqualification of directors of companies engaging in certain anti-competitive practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Available advice from the SFO includes a list of corruption indicators. Some of these indicators can be applied to the construction industry both in the UK and worldwide. Abnormal cash payments Pressure exerted for payments to be made urgently or ahead of schedule Payments being made through 3rd party country, e.g. goods or services supplied to country A but payment is being made, usually to shell company in country B Abnormally high commission percentage being paid to a particular agency. This may be split into 2 accounts for the same agent, often in different jurisdictions Private meetings with public contractors or companies hoping to tender for contracts Lavish gifts being received Individual never takes time off even if ill, or holidays, or insists on dealing with specific contractors him/herself Making unexpected or illogical decisions accepting projects or contracts Unusually smooth process of cases where individual does not have the expected level of knowledge or expertise Abusing decision process or delegated powers in specific cases Agreeing contracts not favourable to the organisation either with terms or time period Unexplained preference for certain contractors during tendering period Avoidance of independent checks on tendering or contracting processes Raising barriers around specific roles or departments which are key in the tendering/contracting process Bypassing normal tendering/contractors procedure Invoices being agreed in excess of contract without reasonable cause Missing documents or records regarding meetings or decisions Company procedures or guidelines not being followed The payment of or making funds available for high value expenses or school fees etc on behalf of others. Another Act coming into force in April 2011 to help clean up corruption is the UK Bribery Act which will have a significant effect on the construction industry. The UK will reinforce its reputation as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, when the Bribery Act comes into force in April 2011. Such conduct is not without significant consequences. If such practices go undetected companies can benefit from huge financial rewards at the expense of the client or tax payer; if caught, the guilty can face huge fines or even imprisonment, not to mention tarnished reputations and blacklisting for breaching trust. Discussion/Development/Analysis (2518) What Effects have the Recent Bidding Scandals had on the UK Construction Industry and what are their Implications for the Future? An internal audit of building projects commissioned by Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust in 2004 developed into a major OFT investigation with serious implications for the Construction Industry. This became the biggest investigation the OFT had ever conducted into cartels and price fixing. The OFT focused its investigation on approximately 240 alleged infringements even though evidence was uncovered on cover pricing being undertaken by many more companies. Evidence was uncovered on cover pricing in over 4000 tenders involving over 1000 companies. The effects of the scandal resulted in one hundred and three companies being implicated in the OFTs investigation into bid rigging, including some very high profile companies. This was scandalous as many of these projects were for the public sector, involving schools and hospitals. It was all the more scandalous as the companies involved were some of the biggest names in the construction industry Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Kier Group, Interserve and many more. In some cases the winning bidder made payments of several thousand pounds, known as compensation payments (kickbacks), to the others submitting high bids. Companies were visited under the Competition Act during the investigation and several of these companies admitted breaking the law and assisted in the investigation in the hope of their fines being reduced. Fines totalling c. £129.5 million were imposed on those companies involved in the scandal. The Kier Group received the largest fine at  £17.9 million. A table listing those involved and the amount of fines imposed is attached as Appendix 2. The construction industry showed it could not be trusted. The effect of the recent scandal has exposed high profile firms in the UK cheating. Until corruption is regulated in the UK/EU how can UK companies be expected to bid legally/successfully for overseas contracts? The companies that were found guilty of these offences also risked being barred from taking part in future contracts but Government intervention ensured that these firms were not blacklisted by the public sector and the OFT issued an information note for the guidance of those involved in procurement in the public and private sectors, which included a recommendation that these companies should not be automatically excluded from tendering in the future (see below). Extract: The OFT considers that the following factors are relevant to the above: The Parties have received significant financial penalties appropriate to the infringement findings in the Decision; It would be wrong automatically to assume that construction companies that are not named in the Decision have not also been involved in bid rigging; As a result of the OFTs investigation, the Parties can be expected to be particularly aware of the competition rules and the need for compliance and, if anything, are more likely to be compliant; and Many of the Parties have cooperated fully with the OFTs investigation and a significant proportion have taken measures to introduce or reinforce formal compliance programmes and to ensure that their staff are aware of their competition law obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, this recommendation is only intended to apply to this case. It should not be assumed that the OFT would take a similar view in future cases. Did the Government intervene due to the involvement of such high profile national companies? It certainly gave them a second chance. The fact that cover pricing has been common in the construction industry is certainly a contributory factor. The OFT operates a policy where financial incentives of up to  £100,000 are available in return for information on cartels and illegal practices. This, however, raises the issue of whistle blowing and protection for those who come forward with information. The recent bidding scandals have raised the profile of ethical conduct in the construction industry where many people did not realise that their unethical behaviour was a criminal offence which could also lead to losing their job or even their professional status. Not everyone was sympathetic to the bid rigging scandal. In 2008 Sir John Egan, who chaired the construction industry task force that produced the 1998 Egan Report (Rethinking Construction) was openly critical of the OFT investigation saying that public sector clients only had themselves to blame for the alleged bid riggings, blaming the culture of public sector lowest price procurement. I have little sympathy for government over this OFT investigation. What do they expect if they persist in procuring based on lowest price? I am very sad the public sector is still using this short cut approach. It is still procuring on lowest price and as long as this is the case, proper tendering cant happen. It is not illegal to submit an inflated bit but it is the communication between the bidder and its competitors that infringes the law. On a smaller scale following a discussion with the proprietor of a local building company, who preferred to remain anonymous, it was apparent that cover pricing was common even on a small scale. He admitted that he had obtained quotes from colleagues that enabled him to ensure he was submitting the lowest quote, usually in the case of insurance quotes or small works for local authorities and had provided quotes for colleagues in the same way.. However, in his defence, in the case of insurance claims he stated this was sometimes done on behalf of the client who wanted to ensure they secured the services of the contractor they knew and trusted by trying to ensure the preferred contractor submitted the lowest quote. It was also said that in hard times this act of cover pricing was seen as a survival technique and a way of keeping the business going. Collusion is not only confined to large companies. Small companies and the self employed are at a greater disadvantage when tendering due t o limited resources. On speaking to a Quantity Surveyor who works for a national company she told me that late bids were never considered and negotiations with tenderers was illegal. In order to achieve fair competitive tendering it is essential that any unauthorised amendments to or qualifications of the tender documents by a tenderer render the tender non-compliant and subject to rejection, although the tenderer should be given the opportunity to withdraw the amendments/qualifications and stand by his tender. It is also essential that unsolicited alternative bids, either in terms of price or time, are considered non-compliant and rejected. How might bid rigging be prevented? A tender is the construction industry method whereby clients choose the main contractor. The practice of building firms quoting for free is a problem. It takes a lot of time and effort to produce an accurate quotation. Costs for tendering for contracts that are not won have to be absorbed by the company at its own expense. Cover pricing has been seen as a means to ease the loss. For every amount lost in unsuccessful bids more work must be generated to cover those costs or the profit is lost through the lost tenders. Bid rigging has been seen as a method of compensation. Each construction project is individual and there is no guarantee to companies that they will win any work at all through the tendering process. Perhaps procurement policies and/or tendering processes are in need of overhaul as it is not the tender price that matters but the final building cost, which is subject to all manner of variations due to delays, weather, etc. The scandal of bid rigging and the subsequent high profile media coverage has undoubtedly affected client thinking. Firms should now be more aware that suspicion and whistleblowing has been made easier to act on, which may act as a deterrent. There are measures which can be promoted to try to combat the perceived need for bid rigging, although there is probably none so attractive as financial gain! One of the most obvious measures is regular and appropriate training which can be used on a local and national scale so awareness is raised as to what types of behaviour are illegal. This can also be used to reinforce moral obligation to do what is correct. Again, the self employed small contractor is highly unlikely to be able to afford the time or the additional cost for training. It maybe that small firms cannot bypass bid rigging. Where firms are able to employ professionals to prepare bids and tenders the likelihood of bid rigging reduces as they would run the risk of losing their professional status if found to be undertaking illegal practices. Practical steps can be taken to help reduce the risks, such as the use of non-collusion clauses and careful design of procurement processes. In 2009 the National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the UK contractors Group launched a competition law code of conduct (see extract below). This highlighted the need for construction companies to establish internal procedures to prevent anti-competitive practices. It remains to be seen whether this Code will have a lasting effect on contract practices. Codes have to be adopted together with training and evaluation on a continuing basis and made an integral part of the companys culture. The Competition Law Code of Conduct Extract The UK construction industry is committed to compliance with UK and EU competition law. The industry understands that the purpose of competition law is to preserve free, fair and efficient competition for the benefit of all companies operating in the industry and their clients. The industry agrees at all times to commit to ensuring the highest standards of competition law compliance within the sector by adhering in all of its business practices to the principle of fair competition and to ensure that construction companies do not engage in conduct which is anti-competitive. Construction companies must: not restrain competition amongst themselves through agreements, arrangements or understandings that restrict competition; bid for contracts and tenders independently from and without any agreement or arrangement with their competitors; or not exchange competitively sensitive information or engage in discussions that may lead to the co-ordination of competitive behaviour and, in particular, must not share information about current or future pricing intentions for tenders, or any element that might affect prices or pricing practices, including the exchange of cover prices. Construction companies understand that co-operation with a competitor is justified only under the exceptions permitted by the competition rules or where they have been expressly required to enter into such arrangements by the client, for example, certain joint ventures and framework agreements, in which case such arrangements will be fully disclosed to the client. The industry understands that each individual construction company is responsible for its own compliance with competition law and that the consequences of breaching competition law are severe including possible penalties, director disqualification, criminal sanctions and damages actions. Construction companies will therefore endeavour to: ensure that competition law compliance will be achieved through implementing effective competition compliance policies and guidelines throughout their businesses; and promote an understanding of and compliance with competition law throughout their supply chains, including with their sub-contractors. This may or may not prove to be effective in cleaning up the industry as it is non-binding. In the light of recent problems clients may not be happy with verbal reassurances on competition law compliance. An overhaul of tendering processes in light of new regulations could help to avoid bid rigging. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), together with the assistance of the OFT has issued the following best practice guidelines: Guidelines for Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement Designing Tenders to reduce bid rigging Detecting bid rigging in public procurement A checklist includes: Bids received at the same time or containing similar or unusual wording. Identical prices. Bids containing less detail than expected. The likely bidder failing to submit a bid. The lowest bidder not taking the contract. Bids that drop on the entry of a new or infrequent bidder. The successful bidder later subcontracting work to a supplier that submitted a higher bid. Expected discounts suddenly vanishing or other last minute changes. Suspiciously high bids without logical cost differences (e.g. delivery distances). A bidder betraying discussions with others or with knowledge of previous bids. The construction industry has been badly affected by the recession and competition is fierce. It has put itself in the spotlight and faces further scrutiny. It may be sensible for companies to carry out their own evaluation of project procurement to check for any anti-competitive behaviour. Corruption has a cost both in terms of reputation and uneconomic projects, raising the cost to the client. The Future The OFT also published a report in June of this year on the evaluation of the impact of its investigation into bid rigging in the construction industry. The research was based on surveys of construction contractors and procurers; first phase 2008 and second phase 2010. Nine in 10 construction firms now recognise that bid rigging, including cover pricing, is a serious breach of competition law with associated penalties. Approximately two in three procurers have introduced a new mechanism in the last two years to detect or prevent anti-competitive practices. A recognised way forward is the adoption of a company competition compliance policy to minimise risk, together wit

Journey Motif Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In literature, the Journey is often a metaphor for discovery. The journey motif is used in Coleridge’s â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.† It is also shown in Hawthorne’s â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux† and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† In these stories, each main character changes sometime between the beginning and the end of the story. In addition, religion plays a part in each of these stories. Typically, in journey literature the hero encounters several obstacles that he or she must overcome. In Coleridge’s â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,† the Mariner shows negativity. The Mariners moral vision is so impaired that his comparisons are persistently pessimistic. This pessimism is seen repeatedly in the similes that he uses. He describes life-in-death whose skin is â€Å"...

Emerging Female Literature in the 15th and 16th Century :: Free Essay Writer

With the â€Å"successive reigns by two educated queens† in the sixteenth century there began a close examination of the woman’s role in society (Hull 1). Although nothing drastic, small numbers of women began to gain an education which taught them to read. The exact number is unknown and there is some controversy as to how many women could actually read. However, according to Suzanne Hull the â€Å"small but steady stream of books for a female audience† (Hull 1) indicates that there were a growing number of women who could read. These books were directed towards women for various reasons. One main reason was to â€Å"instruct women in their roles as marriage partners, making certain that women (and men) understood the subservient role of the female sex† (Hull 6). Many books focused on the daily activities of women–â€Å"mid-wifery, cooking, housewifery. . .education of young girls. . .Benedictine rules† (Hull 10) are some of the s ubjects addressed. These educational texts far outnumbered the fictional texts. However, this was rapidly changing. As the number of women reading increased, so did the publishing of recreational books (Hull 74). More women began to read â€Å"the romances (see history of the novel), the poetry, the jingles. . .allegories. . .[and] female biographies† (Hull 71). This brought up controversy about what girls were putting into their heads (see controversy). â€Å"Both the feminist and anti-feminist positions appear in drama and fiction as well as philosophical arguments† (Hull 83). However, try as they might, the anti-feminists were fighting a losing battle. Although this controversy of what women read was not as strong as it was in the eighteenth century–there were other topics which led great debate. One such topic was the nature of women. These arguments included that women were inferior because they were created from Adam’s rib, men are stronger and therefore superior, Eve as a woman, caused the original sin. With each argument is a counter argument which allowed this topic to be discussed for many, many years.

Life and Death in Frosts Stopping by Woods and Thomas Do Not Go Gentl

Life and Death in Frost's Stopping by Woods and Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle  Ã‚   Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" reflect deeply on both life and death. Frost interprets death as rest and peace from a hard and deserving life, whereas Thomas depicts death as an early end to an unfulfilled life. Contrary to Thomas's four characters who rage against death because of its premature arrival, Frost's speaker accepts death but is inclined to live for promises; therefore both Frost and Thomas choose life over death, but for conflicting reasons. Robert Frost's deeply-rooted beliefs in nature influence him to view death positively. Through enticing images of solitude and relaxation and peaceful diction, Frost explains why nature and death coincide. Frost makes "mysteries, such as death, resolve into the natural" and suddenly the "mysterious becomes simple" (Nicholl 194). His choice to use "darkest evening of the year" helps to set the mystery surrounding death, but the simplicity of the character and the scenery bring death closer to nature; "suddenly the absolute is brought near, and made almost visible" (Nicholl 194). The individual man encountering woods that are "lovely, dark, and deep" create a contradiction of feelings that intertwine the mystery and simplicity of death. The "dark" and "deep" foreshadow the fears and enigmas of dying. The "lovely" negates the anxiety and demonstrates the excitement and desire to die. Though death seems scary and unknown, it is also wonderful and peaceful to the central character. The tr aveler appears desiring a rest and death is an enchanting choice. With pleasant images as "easy wind and downy flake," the man becomes a... ...ngness" (Roberts 378). Frost?s traveler is faced with a choice of life or death and chooses life not to attain grandeur but to keep promises. Thomas?s four kinds of men maintain the right to fight against death for life, but only because life is too short and greatness is yet to be achieved. Frost induces that death should be embraced because it is synonymous with sleep, whereas Thomas concludes that death should be contested due to its hindrance of achievements, but similarly both Frost and Thomas choose the alternative of life to that of death. Works Cited: Frost, Robert. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Julia Reidhead. 5th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 1998. Thomas, Dylan. ?Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.? Sound and Sense. Eighth edition. Ed. Laurence Perrine. Orlando: Harcourt Brace, 1992.

Macroeconomics: Should the Minimum Wage Increase? Essay

Minimum wage is the lowest wage permitted by law or by a special agreement that can be applied for an employee or put simply, the lowest amount of pay that an employee can make. Governments set a minimum wage on businesses in hope for reduced poverty and increases in the standard of living. Minimum wages are beneficial up to a line, when minimum wage is too high, it makes businesses make crucial decisions and must save money by firing workers, reducing output, and increasing prices on products. Over the years, the federal minimum wage has increased and has been beneficial up to the minimum wage increase in July 24, 2009 from $6.55 to $7.25. After the increase, the unemployment rate has soared and businesses fired worker and increased their prices. For this reason, it would be beneficial to the economy if the minimum wage is reduced back to $6.55 because it will decrease the unemployment rate, increase GDP, and help youth and unskilled workers in the job industry. The Great Depression was a devastating time for the United States with families having no income, there was no economic growth, and the poverty rate was at an all time high. To aid with the matter, President Roosevelt attempted to impose a federal minimum wage but was struck down by the Supreme Court. The Court continued to refuse to have a federal minimum wage over and over again. It was until chose a presidential nominee, and made a platform that supported minimum wages by the party’s presidential nominee, Alf Landon. After this, the Court decided to allow a minimum wage. Over the years, the government has increased the minimum wage from 25 cents in 1938 to $7.25 in 2009. The current debate in Congress now is that President Obama wants to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 which is going to be a bad idea for the economy, decreasing the minimum wage will benefit the economy for reasons that will be stated now. Human labor is very important to businesses even though technology is rapidly improving but if the minimum wage increases, the cost of human labor increases, so to deal with this, businesses must decrease output, increases prices, and ultimately fire employees. So if the minimum wage increases, the unemployment will also ultimately increase. Evidence of this occurring is seen through a recent minimum wage increase from $6.55 to $7.25. When the minimum wage increased from 2008 to 2009, the unemployment rate almost doubled. In 2008, the unemployment rate was 5.5% and in 2009, it increased to 11.2%. Decreasing the minimum wage will reverse this because human labor is cheaper, therefore businesses can increase output, lower prices, and hire more employees. This rapid increase unemployment rate is undesirable because of the huge economic cost for GDP. The economic cost is determined using Okun’s Law which is to double the unemployment rate to find the GDP gap, so the GDP gap for the year 2009 is 22.4%. Multiplying the GDP gap with the potential GDP gives the economic cost. The potential GDP in 2009 was about $13750 billion and multiplying this with the GDP gap 22.4% gives the economic cost of $3080 billion (McConnell, 2012, p. 175). The cost of this was way too high and the cost will increase much more if the minimum wage is increased, but if the m inimum wage was decreased, maybe the economic cost can be reversed. If the minimum wage can be decreased, the unemployment rate will also decrease, and GDP can increase. GDP is a monetary measure of the health of the economy. This is calculated by adding up all the expenditures made on final goods and services in the U.S or adding all the income mad in the U.S. If minimum wage is decreased, businesses and firms can increase output with more employees and lower prices. Since there are lower prices, there will be a higher demand so more goods and services can be sold thus increasing GDP making a bigger and healthier economy. For example, a man sells burgers and hires 10 people at $7.25 and minimum wage goes up to $9.50, the cost of ingredients goes up. The labor that is used in bringing the beef to market is paid with minimum wage. If those wages go up the cost of producing the beef will go up, ultimately driving up the price of beef. The man now can’t afford the price rise on raw ingredients because it will cause him to run at a deficit. Instea d he will have to raise prices and sell less burgers or make less output. Since there is less output to be made, fewer employees are needed so employees are fired. Since there is less burgers to be sold and it is at higher prices, not a lot of consumers will purchase the burgers and thus GDP will decrease. Decreasing the minimum wage will not just decrease unemployment and increase GDP; it will also benefit the working youth and unskilled workers as well. If the minimum wage decreases, businesses and firms can afford to hire more employees, including youth workers and unskilled workers and can train them. This gives youth and unskilled workers valuable experience which can help them with future job opportunities. If the youth and unskilled workers can at least get a job, they can work their way up the ladder and use the experience they get from the minimum wage job and use it as they rank up or pursue higher income jobs. There are many reasons for why decreasing the minimum wage would benefit the economy but there are those who oppose this view. Those who oppose this view say that decreasing the minimum wage will hurt the economy because lowering the minimum wage decreases the income of families so that they can purchase fewer goods and therefore decrease the GDP growth rate. There is another argument saying that is only fair to give an employee a â€Å"living wage† and can support at least a family of two for 40 hours a week. This is untrue because most employees that work minimum wage don’t work 40 hours a week anyway so it is already not a living wage but they don’t take the job for the short run, they do it to gain experience and can in the future work with other businesses that require past experience and will pay the employee a higher wage. As stated before, employees can work their way up the income ladder. Decreasing minimum wage is beneficial to the economy because of many reasons. It is beneficial because it reduces the unemployment rate, increases the GDP, and helps youth and unskilled workers with future job opportunities. This can be done by first refusing Obama’s plan of increasing minimum wage, and then starting a bill to reduce minimum wage. Minimum wage is needed to prevent employees getting an unfair pay but there is a limit on it, don’t raise the minimum wage too much Mr. President. References 2050., & 2000, u. f. (n.d.). Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.cbo.gov/ Brownstein, R. (n.d.). A Short History of the Minimum Wage Fight – NationalJournal.com. NationalJournal.com. Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/a-short-history-of-the-minimum-wage-fight-20130214 Macroeconomics, global edition (19 ed., p. 175). (2012). 9. S.l.: Mcgraw Hill Higher Educat. Shemkus, S. (n.d.). Increasing the Minimum Wage: Pros & Cons – Salary.com. Welcome to Salary.com – Salary.com. Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.salary.com/increasing-the-minimum-wage-pros-cons/ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). (n.d.). U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.bea.gov/index.htm U.S. Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division (WHD) – Minimum Wage. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/coverage.htm

Architectural Development of Tokyo Midtown, Roponggi

The Tokyo Midtown was built between 2004-2007, which is a 101,000 square meter mixed-use development located in Roponggi, Tokyo, Japan. This undertaking design was begun on August 2002 and the building of the undertaking was begun on May 2004 and completed on March 2007. There is a 400-year-old Hinokicho Park within the site was refurbished. The U.S. Army was stayed in this site as a barrack during World War II, the Nipponese Defense Agency occupied this site after the ground forces left. Consequently, Nipponese Government sold the site in 2001 and Mitsui Fudosan won it. There was an archeological geographic expedition conducted during 2002 and 2003. During the exploring period, over 50 thousand pieces of clayware and two pieces of gold coins from Edo-period ( 1596-1698 ) were found out. The mixed-use development includes office, residential, retail, hotel, museum and leisure infinite. The entire floor country of the development is 563, 800 square metres. There are over 50 % of the u ndertaking is designed to be unfastened infinite. Tokyo Midtown is located at two chief street roads in roponggi territory, there is a big lawn included in the site. Besides the category A office, residential units, High-end retail and hotel, and the museum, there is 50 per centum of site country are Parkss, place, promenades and streetscapes. In Tokyo, green infinite is merely a private garden or frightened infinite. The definition of green infinite is different from other metropoliss. The green infinite used to be appreciated instead than using. Citizens are non encouraged to utilize the green infinite and public events are non promoted to go on in such country. The primary developer, Mitsui Fudosan would wish to alter this old head of green country and convey the new tendency of Green Park. Thus, Tokyo Midtown was designed to be the new urban oasis in Roponggi territory. Imperial Palace is non merely the largest public unfastened infinite in Tokyo, but besides a good instance to demo the typology of traditional Nipponese landscape. The parkland of Imperial Palace is surrounded by the wall, which isolates the castle from the city’s context. The cultural and historical valuable of the castle was abandoned, that the landscape of castle is cut off by the wall as an island, and there is no associated development next to the castle. This sort of traditional landscape promotes privateness and peaceful instead than connexion between urban context. The developer would wish to present a new landscape typology to the metropolis. His attack is to make a alone sequence of unfastened infinite which is new tendency of connective landscape. The project’s developer promotes a new Nipponese landscape design by making a alone urban motion in the composite. The Tokyo Midtown a welcoming and attractive infinite which can excite the societal and cultural interaction, therefore the life of the topographic point will be activated. This undertaking is an architectural look in landscape which can supply an unfastened and green infinite for events. The historical green infinite Hinokicho Park is portion of landscape and was refurbished. There are chiefly three primary motions for the landscape in Tokyo Midtown. First, the bing park is extended to the newer green countries. Second, there are a series of H2O characteristics begin at the place. Third, the H2O features flow down toward the verdure. There were 40 mature cherry trees preserved from the old site and transplanted on new site. Those trees are used to make a new cherry promenade by linking the entry to Hinokicho Park. There are over 1000s of visitants attracted to here for assemblage and observing the cule of seasons, during the flower season of cherry. In recent old ages, dais type development becomes the chief new typology of large-scale development, particularly in Hong Kong. The advantage of this typology is to supply a convenient and efficient connexion from the upper degree to the mass theodolite by the overcrossing web. However, this typology has been produced less vivacious street life. The functional relationship between edifice and urban street grid has been lost. The public infinite has been separated from the bing vicinity, therefore the development has been isolated from urban street. Tokyo Midtown is a successful large-scale development with dais and tower that diminish the drawback of dais design. It undertakes a more sustainable attack to the new large-scale development. The development of Tokyo Midtown has achieved the sustainable design attack by several standards as below: First of wholly, the development of Tokyo Midtown took the chance to incorporate this new development into the bing countries by making great topographic points which can better the original territory and convey a long-run value. This place-making attack is achieved by advancing the public infinites with landscape. The sense of infinite is created by adding the attractive street furniture and public art in the landscape, such as the exuberant mature tree canopy in the entryway. This canopy can stress the bing site characteristic and heighten the site’s cultural and historical value. The landscape design improves the flexibleness of infinite, so that public and private events will be promoted in order to ease the societal interaction and verve in this topographic point. For illustration, the cherry promenade provides the linkage to the Hinokicho Park and besides a topographic point for assemblage and observing the beauty of the trees during the bloom season. Thousands of visita nts attract by it and travel at that place with a cover, field day, and drinks. The high quality design of Tokyo Midtown activates the bing infinite and brings economic incomes, and reflects the character of the environing country. This mix-used development incorporated hotel, office, residential, retail, eating houses, museum and Parkss. It provides a little community for people to populate, work and bask their leisure clip. Besides, the Tokyo Midtown introduces the prosaic connectivity in both physical and psychological manner. Visitors can see a rich and vivacious walker through sing the tree-lined street and pleasant paseo. The liner of trees refurbishes the bing metro halt and redirects the land rider to the new issue at Tokyo Midtown. The place-making attack is besides strengthened by supplying high-quality public kingdom. It lets broad scope of activities happen in this country. The alone individuality landmarks, the 54 floors Mori Tower has been incoporated in the whole deve lopment which is the tallest edifice in Tokyo. It increases the attraction of the finish. Second, Tokyo Midtown has good integrated with the substructure and the environing conveyance web. It provides a high criterion connexion to the theodolite and improves the connexion between site and environing country at the land degree. Tokyo Midtown is non a undertaking merely concern the spacial quality within the site boundary, but besides to supply the mix-used development with a wider site context and great impact on environing country. Citizens criticize that walled developments issue would be raised as the undertaking with substructure is easy being isolated from the urban due to the hapless integrating of environing. This undertaking includes 5 edifices, a high-end retail, luxury section, category A office infinite, luxury section, medical centre. These 5 edifices surround a skyscraper with 248m tallness. The whole development is good integrated to the next park and the Roppongi railroad station. Roppongi railroad station is a celebrated station along the Toei Oedo Line. To kyo Midtown provides a successful entree to the issue of railroad station through the spacial agreement of the unfastened infinite. There is good public conveyance connexion provided. The Roppongi railroad station is good connected to the public conveyance interchanges within the Tokyo Midtown. The site is rather near the Roppongi Hills development which is less than 0.8 kilometre. The Roppongi Hill is surrounded by the vehicle-dominated route substructure and connects to dais of Tokyo Midtown. The bulk of the borders are connected to the street degree, it breaks down the traditional dais linguistic communication. This undertaking has good integrating between land usage and the conveyance in both physical and societal facets. Sustainable scheme Large-scale development normally bring negative impact on environing country or the wider context, as developer normally merely concentrate on planing the country within the site, the next country may non be their concern. Tokyo Midtown is a large-scale development which has been good integrated with the environing country. The design of this undertaking is base on the sustainable development rules and the urban design guidelines, so that it will maintain integration and sustainable in a long-run period. The resource efficiency and environmental friendly attack is besides adopted in development. The floor country of the whole development is concentrated in one quarter-circle of the site, so that the urban park country can be maximized. There is more than 40 per centum of the site country is designed as an urban park which act as a chief connexion between the site and the community greenway. Tokyo Midtown promotes sustainability at the vicinity and territory degrees, the spacial quali ty of the prosaic environment at the street degree is enhanced. As a consequence, the walkability and the livability within the site country and besides the territory are bit by bit improved. The location and proportion of plan of the whole development is concerned to better the sustainability in environmental, societal and economic facet. There are over 150 stores and eating houses offered in the high-end retail country, 500 luxury residential units, several office towers, a Ritz-Carlton hotel, 800-seat preservation centre and an art museum provided in development, which can profit the territory in societal and economic manner. The big green unfastened infinite which occupies 40 per centum of site country can profit the territory in environmental manner. The unfastened infinite is designed to steer visitant walk from environing streets and pavement to the site. A sense of â€Å"on the ground† is promoted by touching the Earth and nature. There are some position corridors, cr ystalline stuff, Bridgess and plazas visually unfastened and connect to the unfastened infinite in order to take the visitant from the park to the nature. The design of H2O characteristic is to take the visitants to the park and steer them down though weaving tract to the 21_21 Design Museum and the traditional Nipponese Garden. New territory ‘s image Before the completion of Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi was a well-known territory as a dark town. Roponggi was a topographic point which is full of amusement hub and with abandoned traditional vicinity. The developer Mitsui Fudosan would wish to alter the public perceptual experience of Roppongi territory from a dark town to an update image which is a vitalized daylight territory. Tokyo Midtown is a development to supply a balance mix of concern and populating topographic point to the territory, in which the cultural comfortss will be extremely respected. Furthermore, Tokyo Midtown is a hope as concern and economic system resurgence of Japan, it designed to stand for the best feature of Nipponese society by the mixed-use development. The Nipponese authorities treats it as a precedence urban renovation area† . This mixed-use development has integrated with a public park, which promotes an environmental friendly and commercial active attractive force in this territory, therefore it pro fit to the full vicinity and heighten the economic value of Roppongi. To fit with this big green park, the celebrated Suntory Museum of Art was resettlement. Consequently, the green park, museum, Tokyo National Art Center and Roppongi Hill will be good connected. The community park is merged with the bing greenway and connects to those abandoned nearby green infinite such as the gorunds of Tokyo authorities graveyard and a Shinto spiritual shrine.