Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Palm Oil in South East Asia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Palm Oil in South East Asia - Research Paper Example In addition, many of these smallholder palm oil producers are not well educated, due to which they lack skills and techniques of conducting business activities, efficiently. These two reasons has been the core element that causes lack of efficiency in the production of palm oil in the country. Moreover, limited production of palm oil by these smallholders also put deep impact on the overall production of palm oil by Indonesia. In this way, resources are heavily wasted by the producers, which can easily be utilized for earning precious foreign reserve for the country (World Growth, 2011). The government of Indonesia has realized the importance of wasted resources in palm oil industry and has stepped forward to overcome the loss of precious natural resource. Government, in collaboration with large scale palm oil producers, is hiring experts and technicians to provide assistance to the smallholders. Also, the government is spending heavily on conducting research and development of palm seed, fertilizers and pesticides to ensure maximum output. These seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are provided to smallholders on subsidized prices, which make it possible for every smallholder to afford better options for cultivating and harvesting palm oil. To further facilitate the smallholders, Government has introduced several schemes such as RISDA, FELCRA and FELDA. All these schemes focus on land reforms, land resettlement and rehabilitation of smallholders. Moreover, these schemes also aim at educating the smallholder palm oil producers about the potential of greater production that their lands can deliver. These measures, along with other measures that are not discussed in this report, by the Indonesian government are designed keeping in view the necessity for developing businesses and industries sustainably. Since the intervention of Indonesian government in

Monday, October 28, 2019

International Monetary Fund Essay Example for Free

International Monetary Fund Essay The question â€Å"To what extent has the International Monetary Fund contributed in revamping the Nigerian economy since the 1980’s?† is a question that helps us to evaluate the true impact of international monetary policy.   In order to further understand the meaning of this question, this paper will examine the following subjects – 1) the meaning of the question, 2) the significance of the question for International Relations scholars, 3) how the question relates to other published work in the area, and 4) what methods would be employed to answer the question. First of all, the question is directly focused on economic impacts.   However, the question is not simply a matter of metrics, because the question is directed at procedural changes as well.   The question is focused on the restructuring of the Nigerian economy.   To only use economic metrics would fail to address the consequences restructuring entails.   When the IMF releases money to a country, they stipulate conditions that the country must meet. Therefore, the question is also directed at the matching the directives of the IMF with the implementation within Nigeria.   The question is not asking if the IMF has had a positive or negative impact on Nigeria, so value judgments can be left aside.   However, there are several hidden economic impacts.   Structural changes to the workforce, changes in occupations, and new roles within the economy are all more difficult to measure, but can be considered a result of economic policy.    Therefore, the question means 1) what are the economic stipulations of the IMF from the 1980’s until now, 2) has the Nigerian government met the requirements of the IMF, 3) what restructuring has occurred within the Nigerian economy as a result of the IMF, 4) what economic measures can be attributed to these changes, and 5) what are the indirect economic impacts of the IMF policies. International relations scholars are interested in this question because the answers yield important data on the impacts of policy.   International relations scholars are often consulted on questions of policy.   It is therefore in their best interest to know the impacts of policies made in the past.   In this regard, they are historians.   First of all, it is critically important for International Relations scholars to understand what the IMF has attempted to revamp within the Nigerian economy by tracing the stipulations as they were made. Additionally, the scholar can look at the Nigerian government’s ability to meet the demands of the IMF.   How well were they able to integrate the changes required by the IMF.   Were there consequences that required new policies in the future?   In tracing these policy changes, the scholar can also piece their own picture together of what the IMF did well (what was effective), and what changes needed to be made in direction in order to achieve effectiveness.   They can also have a unique insight into the culture and politics of Nigeria, as well as the internal culture and politics of the IMF. At this point, the International Relations scholar can also know what economic measures are affected by differing types of policies and requirements.   Additionally, they can make recommendations on what types of correlations can be found between initiative and their impact.   Perhaps some of the most valuable information for International Relations scholars, however, is related to the indirect impact of the IMF’s policies. When looking at the restructuring of the Nigerian economy, the International Relations scholar is able to examine the changes within the population, how people moved around, the changes in families, etc.   This type of information allows for a more comprehensive picture of economic change and the effects policy can have on cultural change.   Also, this may highlight the challenges represented by a more powerful entity interacting with a less powerful entity on a global scale. There has been much written about Nigeria since the 1980’s.   There are environmental reports, malnutrition reports, and economic reports.   However, these all approach Nigeria from a different perspective than the direction of this question.   This question seeks to directly explore the impact of IMF policies and economic aid on the revamping of the Nigerian economy.   As such, this question seeks to provide supporting information of the changes in Nigeria.   It seeks to trace change related to IMF policies alone.    It is impossible to completely know what current conditions in Nigeria are caused solely or even primarily by the IMF policies, however by focusing on the IMF, widespread impacts can be evaluated from IMF policies.   It is taking the infusion of money and change of monetary policy as the starting point and looking for the economic aspects affected.   One of the main sources for research on these types of development programs is found with the World Bank.   A particularly useful document is â€Å"The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1982 – 1992.†[1]Using this document and also information from the IMF, the scholar can tie together the policies of the IMF and the effects. In order to study such a complex issues, a rigorous approach will need to be taken.   It is the most difficult to know the indirect impacts of the IMF’s economic policies.   It is undesirable to claim that changes were a result of IMF policy, if in fact, they owed their existence to a governmental or environmental change.   However, the economy is so closely entwined with all aspects of life, the implications of the IMF policies will be seen to have far-reaching consequences. Therefore, we can begin by examining the Nigerian economy and economic statistics in 1980, and comparing them with the present day to get snapshots of the economic health of Nigeria at these two points in time.   These snapshots, however, encompass other economic influences other than the IMF programs.   Then the specific policies of the IMF and their objectives are compared to the resulting economic changes to see if the stated goals have been achieved via metrics. Also involved in this analysis is the ability of the Nigerian government to implement the changes required by the IMF.  Ã‚   This area of analysis is perhaps the easiest, as the initiatives of the IMF are easily available.   However, information on the implementation and the implementation’s challenges may be more difficult to find.   Looking at a timeline of IMF policies, one can also deduce what was effective or not effective.   If a policy was ineffective, then in a later cycle we should find a correction or an abandonment of the program. The internal structure of the government and economy can also be viewed.   The way that money flows and what directions can be measured.   It is important to see structural change since the 1980’s.   The Nigerian government worked with the IMF to develop the National Economic and Empowerment Development Strategy in 2004.[2]   This document reviews previous policy and also lays the groundwork for future work between the IMF and the Nigerian government. This report focuses on structural changes – highlighting the importance of revamping the Nigerian economy. Additionally, looking at the basic economic unit – the household – can show structural changes ass well.   By looking at these structural changes, the real question about revamping the economy can be answered.   Of course, this type of analysis also looks at the indirect effects of economic change.   These are difficult to measure, but by tracing newspaper stories and major events in Nigeria, it may be possible to trace events back to economic policy decisions. Overall, the question of the effectiveness of the IMF’s policies to restructure the Nigerian economy is a very important question with implications for future policy consideration and also a deeper understanding of the past. Now that the world is becoming smaller and national boundaries are being crossed with money and policy, it is more important than ever to understand the impact of economic policy.   Additionally, with the prevalence of capitalism and modernization, the effects of economic policy on third world nations must have a thorough understanding. Reference List International Monetary Fund, The Nigerian Economic Reform Program, IMF, 2005, retrieved 10 January 2007 http://www.imf.org/external/country/NGA/index.htm    World Bank, The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1985-92, World Bank, 1997, retrieved 10 November, 2007, http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/poverty/databank/DocNav/default.cfm [1] World Bank, The Evolution of Poverty and Welfare in Nigeria, 1985-92, World Bank, 1997, retrieved 10 November, 2007, http://www4.worldbank.org/afr/poverty/databank/DocNav/default.cfm [2] International Monetary Fund, The Nigerian Economic Reform Program, IMF, 2005, retrieved 10 January 2007 http://www.imf.org/external/country/NGA/index.htm

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Interpersonal Relationships In Swamp Angel and Fifth Business Essay

Interpersonal Relationships In Swamp Angel and Fifth Business In the novel Swamp Angel the main character, Maggie, asserts that "swimming is like living , it is done alone". This is, in fact, a very telling statement with respect to the life of both Maggie and the life of Dunstan, the main character in the novel The Fifth Business. Maggie's comparison of life to swimming raises interesting points about the way in which each of the two characters proceed along the road of life. Maggie's statement is actually a simile which compares swimming alone to living life. In most cases a simile is used to take certain characteristics of one entity and to bestow them upon another entity in which they are not usually found. Maggie's comparison of swimming alone to life is no different. It is generally held, in modern society, that life is a journey that is made with the help of others. Intimate interpersonal relationships are viewed as support systems in life. Many people view these relationships as that which makes life worth living. Maggie's statement directly refutes these claims. When one is swimming alone there is no one to rely on for safety and guidance. The owness of survival, in essence not drowning, falls squarely upon the shoulders of the swimmer alone. Maggie's comparison leads one to believe that the same is true for life. In life , as in swimming alone, one should rely only on oneself for survival. Maggie's comparison of life and swimming alone, and all that it implies, can easily be viewed as the personal motto that both Maggie and Dunstan live by. Each character is very strong willed and independent as one would expect. Anyone who lives life alone would have to be both of these. the characters also sha... ...stan to be less of a man and in turn himself to be the greater man. Through analyzing the personal relationships of both Maggie and Dunstan many similarities can be found. Both characters display a pattern of maintaining relationships which lack depth. that is to say that the relationships never reach an emotional level where intimacy is evident. I also becomes evident that both characters pride themselves on independence. Neither character is willing to lean on another person , as this is viewed as weakness. If these characters can be viewed as spokespeople for Ethel Wilson and Robertson Davies it would seem as though both authors would agree with Maggies statement that "swimming is like living, it is done alone". This statement is defiantly applicable to both characters but it seems dangerous to assume that the characters are representative of the authors.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

How Does Counselling Differ from Other Helping Skills

INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING ASSIGNMENT ONE HOW DOES COUNSELLING DIFFER FROM OTHER HELPING SKILLS? Lorna Wilson 15/12/09 How does Counselling Differ from other Helping Skills? In everyday life people experience difficulties and problems that they feel they are not able to deal with on their own and need help with. The help that people receive to overcome their problems can be in many different forms. People may receive help in an informal way, such as having a chat to a close friend or relative, who can offer support and advice or they may seek help in a more formal capacity from various helping professionals, such as counsellors, social workers, psychiatrists, doctors, etc. For all of these professionals it is their formal role to help people manage distressing problems of life, but the help that is given can be very different depending on the profession of the helper & their specific skills. This assignment aims to consider how counselling differs from other forms of helping. Not every person who uses counselling skills is designated a counsellor. We can distinguish two groups of people who use counselling skills. People who are called counsellors, who engage in counselling as a distinct profession and others who use counselling skills as part of their role. We may go to a doctor to discuss a problem we are facing and a helping relationship is formed, but what the doctor offers is not counselling. They may well use their counselling skills, by listening to the patient to gain an understanding of their distress, but they also use other skills such as giving advice and providing factual information. The British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy define counselling as ‘taking place when a counsellor sees a client in a private and confidential setting to explore a difficulty the client is having, distress they may be experiencing or perhaps their dissatisfaction with life, or loss of a sense of direction or purpose. It is always at the request of the client, as no-one can properly be sent for counselling’. It is a supportive relationship that enables clients to explore, understand, come to terms with and resolve their problems. Hough (2006) describes counselling as a relationship which is often between two people, but can sometimes be in a group setting. The counselling relationship is unique to other forms of helping for various reasons. One reason is due to the special form of communication that takes place between the client and counsellor. A primary difference between counselling & other forms of helping is the way in which counsellor’s listen. By listening attentively and patiently the counsellor begins to perceive the difficulties from the client’s point of view and can help them to see things more clearly or from a different perspective. Active listening involves thinking behind the client’s words and about their feelings and emotions. It also involves being aware of non-verbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions and body language. All of which can provide the counsellor with information about what the client may be experiencing. Some helping relationships involve giving advice, which means telling people what they should do. This should not take place in counselling. The counsellor may well talk through with the client what is possible and explore different ways that problems could be resolved but it is about helping the client to take responsibility for finding a solution that feels right for them. This enables the client to take control of their own life and is based on the principle of empowerment. Freud (1920) even cautioned against giving advice. He felt that people should be helped to come to their own independent decisions without pressure. Confidentiality is also an essential part of the agreement between counsellor and client, but it can also be important to other helping professionals in their work. During counselling, clients may reveal intimate details about their lives. They would not want these private details to be passed on to other people and need to be reassured of confidentiality, probably more so than in other helping professions due to the depth and intimacy of the information that is being discussed. However, it is not always that simple and there may be some instances when it is not possible to maintain total confidentiality and the counsellor my have to pass on certain information that was revealed. For example, if a crime has been committed or if there is a risk of harm to another person. In this case the counsellor must be clear with the client what information they may have to pass on and to whom. Professional counsellors are also bound by other ethics such as being non-judgemental and should not exploit their clients in any way. They must be respectful of how their clients choose to live and their right to self-determination. Counsellors must not impose their own thoughts or feeling on other people & should not have any expectations or impose any conditions on their clients. The relationship between counsellor and client should be one of equality. Although, the client may not feel that there is equality, they may feel powerless, as they are seeking help. The counsellor must try and convey a sense of equality and use their skills and knowledge to enable the client to take control of their life and feel empowered. The setting where counselling takes places is also very important. The counsellor must have an environment that feels comfortable, safe, private and consistent to enable the client to feel more at ease and therefore able to talk more freely about difficulties they are experiencing. Professional counsellors also have to undergo specific training. As previously mentioned many helping professionals use counselling skills such as listening and attending to clients, asking questions, helping clients to clarify their thoughts etc. Professional counsellors become experts at using these particular skills. Professional counsellors also have training in the theory behind counselling and for example have knowledge of the process of human development and personality, knowledge of problems which can occur at different stages of the lifespan and how the environment and other influencing factors can affect people’s ability to deal with everyday life. They are aware of common psychological processes such as bereavement, loss and attachment and how people form and interact in relationships. Personal development is also another aspect of the role of a counsellor, as it is essential that they have increased self-awareness. The more self-aware the counsellor is the more they will be able to understand their clients. They often have their own supervision or counselling to enable them to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings. To summarise, people experience difficulties and problems that they feel they are not able to deal with on their own and need help with. The help that they receive to enable them to overcome their problems can be in different forms, it can be informal advice from a friend or family member or it can be help from a professional that has particular skills in helping others. It was identified that many professionals use helping skills in their work but this differs from the work of a professional counsellor. Counselling is a supportive relationship that enables the client to explore, understand and resolve their problems in a private and comfortable setting. There is a special relationship between counsellor and client that is based on equality, respect, confidentiality and a non-judgemental attitude. The counsellor uses expert skills such as listening, enabling them to perceive the difficulties from the clients point of view. They also have specific training to develop these skills and have knowledge of the theory behind counselling and increased self-awareness through personal development. Word Count: 1300 References British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (2005) What is Counselling? , London: BACP. Egan,G. (1998) The Skilled Helper, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company Freud, S. (1920) A General introduction to Psychoanalysis. New York: Horace Liveright. Hough, M (2006) Counselling Skills & Theory, London: Hodder Arnold Swain, J (1995) The Use of Counselling Skills: A Guide for Therapists, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Old Family Bank

The team feels In many ways disrespected, unappreciated and that based on their pay the bank doesn't value their contributions to the company. . Causes 1 . The management team over the data processing department has not done a good lob of communicating the compensation model for that department and how it fits within the organization. 2. Also the management team wasn't aware of how the employees felt, maybe if they had been more in touch with what was going on they could have had open discussions or done something else to try to alleviate the problem. . Systems Affected 1 . Productivity throughout the entire bank because data processing deals with the whole bank in general. 2. Inter-department relationships, because the data recessing team have taken an us versus them attitude towards all other departments and the bank. 3. Alternatives The bank should focus on all of its employees and try to make them feel important to the company. The bank should do research on compatible pay raises throughout the company so that they can be competitive.Management should stress the Importance of being loyal to the company. 4. Recommendations Do surveys throughout the company so that they can get a feel for the overall attitude of their employees. Have HRS do research and make sure that all pay scales are up to date with the appropriate education and or training. The bank can Install programs that ensure that employees are rewarded for loyalty. Old Family Bank By biannual 1.A large percentage of the data processing employees felt little loyalty to the bank. Higher pay raises and that there was a major gap in wages between these areas and that gap didn't match the skill differences. The company. 2. The team feels in many ways disrespected, unappreciated and that job of communicating the compensation model for that department and how it fits importance of being loyal to the company. Date with the appropriate education and or training. The bank can install programs