...Choice of Abstention Downs’ model stresses uncertainty, ascertaining that it is a basic force affecting all human activity, particularly economic activity. It controls the level of confidence with which political parties and voters make decisions. Whenever uncertainty increases greatly due to the cost of information, rationality becomes difficult. To this end, Downs contends that citizens who are eligible to vote in democratic elections often fail to do so. Some citizens never vote, and in some elections abstainers outnumber voters (260). A citizen’s returns for voting correctly depends one’s party differential. If the party differential is positive, he votes for the incumbents; if it is negative, he votes for the opposition; if it is zero, he abstains. If one is indifferent among parties then one’s party differential and vote value are both zero. There are no returns from voting unless this citizen prefers one party over the others; thus indifferent citizens always abstain (261). Downs insinuates that abstention is an integral part of society, yet it lacks the considerations needed in order to bypass it as something merely nonthreatening. Abstention does not harm those who are indifferent because: democracy works even if they do not vote; and parties still cater to their interests so as to get their votes next time (273). This theory of abstention is not fully conceptualized and gives way to some problematic issues that threaten the legitimacy of democracy and the importance of political...
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...United Nations A/68/124 (Part II) Distr.: General 3 October 2013 Original: English General Assembly Sixty-eighth session Agenda items 95 and 102 Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East Report of the Secretary-General 1. In its resolution 67/73, entitled “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East”, the General Assembly: (a) Welcomed the conclusions on the Middle East of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; (b) Reaffirmed the importance of Israel’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, in realizing the goal of universal adherence to the Treaty in the Middle East; (c) Called upon that State to accede to the Treaty without further delay, not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, and to place all its unsafeguarded nuclear facilities under full-scope Agency safeguards as an important confidence-building measure among all States of the region and as a step towards enhancing peace and security; (d) Requested the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session on the implementation of the resolution. 2. The present report...
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...The EU and its member states should guarantee Syrian refugees safe entry to the EU and access to fair asylum procedures, says the Civil Liberties Committee in a resolution voted on Thursday. It calls on the EU to go on providing humanitarian aid and support and on Syria’s neighboring countries to keep their borders open. Over 2 million refugees, 76% of whom are women and children, have now fled Syria. MEPs stress “the importance at this stage of the situation to explore concretely whether, how and when member states could do more to reinforce their protection response to Syria”. Access to a safe entry and fair asylum procedures Member states should explore all existing EU laws and procedures for means to give Syrians fleeing their country safe entry and temporary admission to the EU, say MEPs. Syrians seeking international protection should have “access to fair and efficient asylum procedures”, say MEPs, reiterating the need for more solidarity with member states facing particular pressure to receive refugees. EU countries are encouraged to make full use of money to be made available from the Asylum and Migration Fund and the Preparatory Action to "Enable the resettlement of refugees during emergency situations". Resettlement to address “acute needs” The resolution encourages EU countries “to address acute needs through resettlement”, in addition to existing national quotas and through humanitarian admission. Temporary protection The possible...
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...Chapter-9 1. Budget: A budget is a detailed quantitative plan for acquiring and using financial and other resources over a specified forthcoming time period. Budget is a plan of action for achieving quantified objectives, standard for measuring performance and device for coping with foreseeable adverse situations. 2. Budgeting: The act of preparing a budget is called budgeting. Budgeting is the process of creating plan to spend money. It is simply balancing expenses with income. 3. Zero Budget: A method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period. It requires managers to justify all budgeted expenditures, not just changes in the budget from the prior year. 4. Muster Budget: A set of interconnected budgets of sales, production costs, purchases, incomes etc. is called Master Budget. It also includes pro-forma financial statements. It serves as a planning and control tool of the organization. 5. Cash Budget: Estimation of cash inflows and out flows for a business or individual for a specific period of time is called Cash Budget. 6. Advantage of sell impose Budget: i. Individuals at all levels of the organization are viewed as members of the team whose judgments are valued by top management. ii. Budget estimates prepared by front-line managers are often more accurate than estimates prepared by top managers. iii. Motivation is generally higher when individuals participate in setting their own goals than when...
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...Understanding Islam REL/134 June 16, 2015 Understanding Islam About the year 570 there was a child named Muhammad. He was born into a clan of Quraish, which was the ruling tribe of Mecca. Mecca is now known as Saudi Arabia. This child would become the prophet of Islam. Muhammad’s father died before he was born and he was raised by his mother , Aminah till the age of 6 where he was sent to live with his Grandfather who was the head of the Clan Hashim. After the death of his grandfather Muhammad was then raised by his uncle his name was Abu Talib. Muhammad endured and made the best of the harsh desert life. In his twenties he fell in love with a woman named Khadijah a widow of a merchant. Muhammad worked for her business that traded caravans to the north. They got married some time later and had 2 boys that didn’t survive but they had 4 girls. Muhammad made his way to mount Hira outside of Mecca when he was in his forties. Where he began to meditate in a cave. This is believed to be the site of the first of the great events of Islam. The story reads that he was sitting in the cave and he hears a voice that was later identified to be the Angel Gabriel which ordered him to: “Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created man from a clot of blood.”(Quran 96:1-2) Muhammad pleaded on three different occasions about his inability to do it. Each time the command was repeated, finally he recited the passage. At first Muhammad kept his experience between his wife and his immediate circle...
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...Overview Belize is slightly larger than Massachusetts (22,963 sq. km/8,866 sq. miles). The capital, Belmopan has a population of 4,500. Belize borders the Caribbean Sea along the eastern shore of Central America just below the Yucatan Peninsula. It is bounded on its north and west side by Mexico and on its south and west side by Guatemala. The Caribbean Sea lies to the east and from the air its turquoise waters are clear, allowing the multicolored coral formation of the Great Barrier Reef to be easily observed. Coral islands called cays, covered with stands of mangrove trees, dot the coast. Lying in aquamarine and jade-colored bays, these cays protect the jungled coastline from the ravages of the sea. History The first inhabitants of Central America, of which we have any record, were the Mayas. These people had built an impressive civilization which reached its peak before the Europeans began their voyages of exploration to the New World. Little is known of the origins of the Mayan people, whose achievements are said to have rivaled those of the Egyptians. Many facets of their culture were unsurpassed until A.D. 1000 when the whole civilization collapsed. Temples and buildings were abandoned with the departure of the priests, probably due to a revolt among the peasantry. Many of the farmers remained until well into the fourteenth century, but then they too left, following the priestly classes to the Yucatan. The way of the Mayan people are, however, still evidential throughout...
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...JAINISM 2 Abstract This paper will explore the Jain religion both past and present. Jainism, also known as Jain Dharma, which is one of the most ancient religions in the world still existing today, was traditionally developed in ancient India in the 6th century B.C. . The paper goes on to describe the history of Jainism, the life of its founder, Mahavira, and the beliefs and philosophical tenets of Jainism. This paper will also go on to describe the deities of Jainism and also the importance of their places of worship. This paper will explore several articles on the Jain religion and how it has changed over time. Keywords: Jina, Tirthankaras, Ahisma, Mahavira, Shvetambara, Digambara JAINISM 3 Jainism The word Jainism is derived from Jina, meaning victor or conqueror. The universal message of Jainism is that of non-violence. There is no creator or God in this religion. It all started with Mahavira who was born around 599 BCE. He decided to abandon his well known life and take a not so traveled path of an ascetic life. He gave away his possessions, and embarked on a new journey. He endured vigorous discipline, including bodily and spiritual...
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...Buddhism- A Study on Buddhist Monks Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the culture of the Buddhist Monks and their culture. The goal is to research the origination, worldview, religion, roles of men and women within their community, education, language and finally beliefs. Upon the study of the Buddhist Monks culture, information gathered highlighted the importance of the teachings of Buddha who is renowned as the enlighten one in and around the Buddhist community. The universal definition of what culture is the total inherited ideas, beliefs, values and culture which constitutes as the shared basis of social action. This could not have been more accurate for the study of Buddhism culture. In our study, we gathered that Buddhism is a philosophy which encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices which is based on the teachings of the renowned Buddha. The religion of Buddhism stretches to an extensive degree. Like many other cultures, there are different extents of religion, from the extreme to the customary and finally, to the moderate. There is no doubt that the Buddhist culture is vast. This research was embarking study of the Buddhist Monks. Research teaches us their discipline is refined and is intended to be conducive to the arising of mindfulness and wisdom. Furthermore, we gathered that the information of this culture is an excellent tool, which can be instrumental in leading to the end of all suffering. Enlighten information...
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...Mexican History Term Paper The Drug War: Failed Democratization and Market-Oriented Economics Cause Mexican Insecurity Once a model for Latin American development, Mexico is now home to an epidemic of drug related violence. The state is apparently powerless to stop organized crime, despite increasing military presence in criminal hotspots along the U.S-Mexican border. Since January 2007, more than 28,000 Mexicans died in drug violence. This is a cruel twist for a nation which, during the oil-driven Mexican Miracle of the 1970s, was poised to join the first world of stable industrialized states. Under the heavy-handed guidance of the Partido Revolutionario Institutional, Mexico seemed destined to remain a prosperous authoritarian regime with a thin veneer of democratic legitimacy. However, untested economic policies swept through the country as they did through the much of the world in the 1980s with the help of the "Washington consensus." With the removal of social security nets during an extended period of economic upheaval, Mexico's ruling party was replaced in a wave of popular discontent. The new leadership, with the institutions of an authoritarian regime, did little to relieve the nation of widespread poverty. As a result, the impoverished were unable to either escape crushing deprivation legally or mobilize to replace the government without fear of reprisal. Insurgency, in the familiar form of guerrilla movements and the novel form of increasingly powerful drug gangs...
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...Taoism Taoism (or Daoism) refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions that have influenced Eastern Asia for more than two millennia, and have had a notable influence on the western world particularly since the 19th century.The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), roughly translates as, "path" or "way" (of life), although in Chinese folk religion and philosophy it carries more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility, while Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, the relationship between humanity and the cosmos (天人相应), health and longevity, and wu wei (action through inaction), which is thought to produce harmony with the Universe. Reverence for ancestor spirits and immortals is also common in popular Taoism. Organized Taoism distinguishes its ritual activity from that of the folk religion, which some professional Taoists (Daoshi) view as debased. Chinese alchemy (including Neidan), astrology, cuisine, Zen Buddhism,several Chinese martial arts, Chinese traditional medicine, feng shui, immortality, and many styles of qigong breath training disciplines have been intertwined with Taoism throughout history. Spelling and pronunciation In English, the words Daoism and Taoism are the subject of an ongoing controversy over the preferred romanization. The root Chinese word 道 "way, path" is romanized tao in the older Wade–Giles system and dào in the modern...
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...Fachhoschule Frankfurt International Business Administration Cultural Diversity Professor: Hans Hahn Summer Semester 2014 Cultural Dimensions of Geert Hofstede: Analysis of Colombia 10.06.2014 Soraya A. Suarez I. Register Number: 969800 Darmstädter Landstr. 64 60598 Frankfurt Tel: 0176- 708 59654 E-mail: sorayasuarez@gmail.com Cultural Dimensions of Geert Hofstede: Analysis of Colombia 2 Content 1. Introduction............................................2 2. Culture.................................................3 3. Colombia................................................5 4. Cultural Models and Cultural Dimensions.................9 4.1 Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions.................9 4.1.1. Power Distance Index...........................10 4.1.2. Uncertainty Avoidance..........................12 4.1.3. Individualism vs. Collectivism.................13 4.1.4. Masculinity vs. Femininity.....................15 4.1.5. Long vs. Short-term Orientation................16 4.1.6. Indulgence vs. Restraint.......................17 5. Conclusion.............................................20 6. References.............................................21 Table of Figures Colombia Facts & Figures...................................6 Colombia Location, Flag and Coat of Arms...................8 Colombian Population According to Ethnocultural Identity..11 Colombian Culture through the 6-D Model...................13 Cultural Dimensions of Geert Hofstede: Analysis of...
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...Abstract This essay will try to argue and probably give an answer to the question why my country is not an information society, despite the difficulty that is hiding underneath the vagueness of the general Information’s society definition. If it is considered to be a new form of society we live in, then there is possible a global need of every country to adapt to the new challenge, walk along with its progress, invest, innovate and finally proceed this new type of living, which will likely be based on the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and e-services. Studying the case of Greece, a small sized country in the European map with a controversial economy and a real GDP growth rate of -7,1% in 2011 (Eurostat, 2011), it could be argued that by default is not listed among the top countries regarding the evolution of Information Society. The reasons that Greece is not an Information society could be found by investigating the case from two perspectives. First in a macro level, by focusing on Greece as a member state of the EU, and second, in a micro level focused on the country itself with all its special characteristics that define its economic, political, social and cultural sphere. By having a closer look on various statistics and facts there will be an attempt to describe today’s reality and then justify why Greece rests still behind towards the emergence of the Information society. Introduction 1. Defining Information society In reality trying to define...
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...The Ethics of Koreans Don Baker In Korean Spirituality, I outlined the tremendous variety of spiritual beliefs and religious practices found among the Korean people today, and showed that over the centuries spirituality on the Korean peninsula has grown ever more complex and diverse. By the beginning of the 21st century, Koreans could choose among a wide variety of options for expressing their spiritual yearnings and pursuing their spiritual goals. They had available to them a broad range of both institutional and informal approaches to addressing their core spiritual concern of transcending the limitations of existence as an independent, autonomous individual, as well as for tackling various unpleasant side effects of such an existence: mortality, sickness, poverty, and loneliness, to mention just some of the obstacles human beings inevitably face as they navigate the turbulent passage from birth to death. Koreans can turn to their folk traditions, to various forms of Buddhism or Christianity, to Confucianism, to new religions, or to other organizations promising them help in their spiritual quest to overcome the frustration, uncertainty, confusion, and even boredom that can result from not having a clear picture of what their role is in this world they live in, why they are here and what will happen to them after they die, or of how they can cope with the multitude of unforeseen intrusions into their personal mental and physical space that are unavoidable as long as they are...
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...Colombia and the largest gas and oil company is South America: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. COLOMBIA ………………………………………………………….………………………3 HISTORY……………………………………………………..…………………………..3 POLITICS…………………………………………………..……………………………..3 FOREIGN RELATIONS…………………………………………………….……………5 FOREIGN RELATIONS WITH THE U.S………………………………………..………6 FOREIGN POLICY DECISION MAKING………………………………………………7 DEMOGRAPHICS……………………………………………………………..…………8 RELIGION…………………………………………………….…………………………..9 HEALTH………………………………………..………………………………………..10 INFRASTRUCTURE……………………………………………………………………10 ECONOMY……………………………………….………………………….……… …11 2. ECOPETROL S.A. COMPANY OVERVIEW…………………………….…………… …12 BACKGROUND………………………………………………………………… ……..12 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE……………………………………..…… ………12 MERGERS AND AQUITITIONS………………………………………………………14 COMPETITORS……………………………………………………….……… ………..14 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS…………………………………………………….. ………..15 RIVALRY COMPARISON…………………………………………………… ……….16 FUTURE GOALS…………………………………………………………..… ………..17 3. CAPITAL MARKET OVERVIEW…………………………………………………………18 INFLATION …………………………………………..………………….……………..18 CURRENT RISK……………………………………………………….………………..18 FINANCIAL CRISIS……………………………………………………..……………..19 INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATION………………………………..………………19 4. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………….…….…………………..20 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………..………………………………..21 COLOMBIA HISTORY During the pre-Colombian period, the area now known as Colombia was inhabited by indigenous...
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...Chapter1 Quiz | 1 INCORRECT | | __________ is the performance of business activities designed to plan, price, promote, and direct the flow of a company's goods and services to consumers or users in more than one nation for a profit. | | | A) | Global strategy | | | B) | Marketing | | | C) | Marketing concept | | | D) | Regional marketing concept | | | E) | International marketing | | | | | | | | 2 INCORRECT | | Which of the following is the most critical difference between domestic marketing and international marketing? | | | A) | The environment in which marketing plans must be implemented | | | B) | The different concepts of marketing | | | C) | The change in marketing goals | | | D) | The difference in technological standards | | | E) | The change in corporate objectives | | | | | | | | 3 CORRECT | | Dylan is planning to take his successful fast food venture global. Which of the following is the reason why his task could be more complicated than that of the domestic marketer? | | | A) | The international marketer must change his marketing goals in the various countries of operation. | | | B) | The international marketer must deal with at least two levels of uncontrollable uncertainty instead of one. | | | C) | Technological standardization could challenge effective customization in different markets. | | | D) | International trade regulations still do not allow free trade...
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