Diego De Landa Bishop and Inquisitor, Colonial Yucatan

U.S In the Middle East - 1243 Words

â€Å"The United States recognizes the provisional Government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.† These are the words of President Harry Truman from a speech he gave shortly after Israel became a recognized nation in 1948. Consequently, the political leaders of the United States have brought America on a rough journey to the current state of foreign policy and relationship with Israel. Since 1948, the United States’ active position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has seen very little change or progress towards achieving settlement between these two nationalistic states. In the last 65 years, the majority of U.S. presidents repeated mistakes made by their predecessors in office, and this in turn has had little†¦show more content†¦Since his presidency did not begin with Israel becoming a state, his focus was greatly adjusted and at first there was a noticeable decline in aid and care for Israel’s wellbeing. Israel was also rather v ulnerable during this time, due to the fact that there more Jewish refugees entering Israel from surrounding Arab states. President Eisenhower convincingly proved that America had the ability to influence Israel in a good way, although his presidency ended with the Middle East still in a state of war. During Eisenhower’s administration, there were two successful incidents of U.S. management of Israel and in both circumstances, Eisenhower avoided the political compulsions of America’s attachment to Israel and instead forced the Israelis to act upon principle. Unfortunately, his presidency was the last to give Israel undivided focus, for the ones to follow were absorbed in other affairs and did not provide the same constructive support. In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected as President and his presidency took a vastly different turn than that of his predecessors. President Kennedy approached the Israel-Palestine crisis with a goal of achieving peace between the two, rath er than simply a settlement. He wished to establish a better relationship with the Arabs and fully supported Arab self-determination. Kennedy’s formulaShow MoreRelatedU.s. Middle East Policy1631 Words   |  7 PagesAny discussion of U.S. Middle East policy is integral to the national political discourse. A presidential or congressional candidate has to prove her/his foreign policy knowledge on the campaign trail, but unfortunately the electorate is generally not informed enough to critically assess a candidate’s understanding, which risks giving our leaders virtually unchecked power to make policy in our name. An important part of educating young citizens in a democracy is to teach them the tools they willRead MoreU.S. and The Middle East Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesThe role of the Middle East has been very crucial to the United States, especially after WWII. The U.S. had three strategic goals in the Middle East and consistently followed them throughout various ev ents that unfolded in the region. First, with the emergence of the cold war between the Soviet Union and the U.S., policymakers began to recognize the importance of the Middle East as a strategic area in containing Soviet influence. This also coincides with the U.S. becoming increasingly wary of ArabRead MoreU.s. Involvement During The Middle East2064 Words   |  9 Pages13 May 2016 U.S. Involvement in the Middle East The Middle East region has been seeing and absorbing the effects of war and poverty for decades. The United States (U.S.) has provided support in the past to assist the Middle East, and that has been quite successful. For this reason, the U.S., a world superpower, should be directly involved in ending conflict in the Middle East because they possess a capable military, the global economy is directly affected by the Middle East, and the U.S. is capableRead MoreEssay about U.S.-Middle East Relations724 Words   |  3 PagesThe United States has had some international issues with Middle Eastern countries in the past. It goes without saying; the most recent is the current gulf war led by George W. Bush and of course the previous gulf war led by his father George H.W. Bush. With neighboring Iran, there have been quarrels such as the Iran-Contra affair. This involved a political scandal in which Ronald Reagans administration sold military arms to Iran. At this time they were in the mi dst of the Iran-Iraq War, whileRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy During The Middle East1991 Words   |  8 PagesFor over the last two decades the Middle East has gradually gathered attention and has come to the forefront of U.S. foreign policy. The focus on this region began primarily after the attacks on the two World Trade Center’s in New York City on September 11th, 2001. Iraq was the initial target in the response to the devastating tragedy. This â€Å"response† involved an indefinite occupation with the intention of eliminating â€Å"weapons of mass destruction†, with intelligence under the Bush AdministrationRead MoreU.s. Foreign Aid During The Middle East2165 Words   |  9 PagesThe U.S. Foreign Assistance to Egypt Summary Over the last sixty years, the U.S. government has invested nearly $300 billion in both military and economic aid in the Middle East and Central Asian countries currently in turmoil. Egypt is one of the top recipient countries, which has received $114 billion since the end of World War II. Due to such a large amount of financial aid, the U.S. is sometimes described as â€Å"buying peace in the middle east†. According to the U.S. government, the purpose ofRead MoreU.s. Bush Address The World s View On The Middle East And Launch World War II2409 Words   |  10 Pagesevents that would change the world’s view on the Middle East and simultaneously launch World War III. This essay will be discussing the rise and fall of Iraq from the 1980’s to the present. We will also be analyzing whether or not U.S. involvement in Iraq was legitimate. Included in this piece will be the accusations made by the U.S. government of weapons of mass destruction claims, the rise of ISIL, U.S. foreign policy in Iraq, and the role of U.S armed forces in Iraq. Looking at the facts and sourcesRead MoreThe United States And The Middle East831 Words   |  4 PagesOver the past decade, the Middle East has proven to be a complex quandary that the United States is ultimately unequipped to handle. Before the U.S. can possibly pacify the region, it must first work to conquer obstacles domestically. The U.S. should also recognize the source of conflict in the Middle East and use this knowledge in the future as a foundation for a solution to amity. Thus, the approach that the United States should employ in regards to the Middle East is to gradually pull out andRead MoreConnection of Terrorism and the Middle East Essay702 Words   |  3 Pages You are the new Security guard at the International Airport. You made sure everything was in order and that people safely went to their designated flight. As you were walking around the airport, you notice a Middle-aged man carrying a large suitcase. The man seems nervous and is looking around as if he is lost. However, as you approach him, your intention of helping the man vanishes when you notice that the man is wearing a type of scarf around his head and a long white garment that distinguishesRead MoreThe Involvement Of The Middle East1598 Words   |  7 Pageshave been lost, including innocent civilians, opposing forces, and U.S. troops and its allies. Trillions of dollars have been spent on the involvement in the Middle East for decades by the United States government, which orchestrated these results. The burden financially, has been measured in trillions of dollars, on multiple expenses, all relating to the involvement in the Middle East. Not only have these events impacted the U.S. financially, but many people have had to pay the ultimate price, with

Impact of Facebook on Society Free Essays

Facebook has become one of the leading social networking sites on the Internet today. It is used by millions of people around the world; there are high school students, college students, family members and friends using this tool to simply keep in touch with one another, while other people have come to use Facebook for business purposes. It is simply a multi billion-dollar organization that has affected the way people communicate today. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Facebook on Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is apparent that Facebook has such an eminent control over its users; nevertheless it is the user who must determine whether this is a good or bad control. The history of Facebook may or may not play a role in one’s opinion of social networking, however we feel that being educated on the subject will allow for an informed final decision. Several Harvard students and their roommates established Facebook, these students included Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Originally it began as a social network within Harvard that eventually continued to connect other students throughout other Boston colleges and universities. i] By the end of 2005, Facebook had allowed colleges from around the world to join the network and within a few months high schools were being incorporated into the social network as well. Finally, by September of that year, anyone with an email could join. Facebook was the new worldwide fad. At the beginning of 2007 Facebook announced that it would be allowing free advertising and on October 24th Microsoft purchased 1. 6% of the company for $240 million. [ii] Microsoft is an American based international computer technology company that has an annual revenue of $51. 2 U. S. billion. [iii] Spending only $240 million for 1. 6% of Facebook is essentially their first step before they, or another international technology company buys them out. Google is another example of an American public corporation that was co-founded by Stanford University students and was ultimately bought out. Major corporations do not buy out programs such as these unless there is undoubtedly a future for them, or the advertisements that are posted will have a huge return rate. In many ways this program could be considered technologically advanced compared to fellow competitors such as Myspace. The applications that are permitted within Facebook continue to improve as well as add up. Facebook is simply a way for those to connect to others. This search can be as limited as the user permits, however it enables you to remain close to friends you saw last week or those you have not been given the opportunity to speak with for several years. One must remember that Facebook is a very personal piece of technology. You can display a picture of yourself for your profile, you can describe your likes, dislikes and many interests, you can report to your friends whether or not you are listed as single, you can share your birthday and your age, you can let others tag photos of you and you can even post a video of you and or your friends online. It can be used to track down old childhood chums, it can also be used to list your top friends or share your mood. Right now I’m feeling content! There are many fantastic opportunities with the wonderful world of Facebook. But with these many opportunities you must be prepared for the negative aspects, especially for parents with young children using this program. Depending on how the user has arranged their personal settings it is possible for people to whom you have no knowledge of, to view the photos, videos and comments that you or your friends have posted. Another example of how Facebook can effect your life would be that current or potential employers could use this as a background or character check. Any as many of us are aware, who we are with our friends is not always who we are when put into a professional environment and this information could have employers misguided. Also, Facebook could ultimately lead to Internet stalking. There is a block or high privacy option available, but hackers and stalkers have ways of getting around these controls. If this piece of technology is used incorrectly or carelessly, the damages could be fatal. For example during May of 2007, there was an alleged rumor of a suicide pact, claiming that every two weeks one student from St. Joan of Arc Catholic School were to commit suicide. Two students unfortunately took their own lives and while the dates were exactly two weeks apart this was merely a coincidence. Nevertheless there were approximately 17 names of students who declared that they would take their own lives as well. [iv] Another example is one from a friend of mine; we will call her Amanda. Amanda discovered a picture of her that was posted without her permission, she had asked her friend to remove the picture, however the friend did no such thing. With Facebook you are given the opportunity to â€Å"report a photo† which Amanda did, the only problem is that Facebook has thousands of users that the people who manage the program have not yet followed through with her complaint and the picture has remained posted to date. While Facebook may not be around in five years, or just may no longer be the fad, it has affected the majority of us. From hearing about it, to actually experiencing all of the applications, it has given the public yet another way to spend hours upon hours a day on the computer. Social networking will forever expand and improve, we just need to persevere and remain informed. How to cite Impact of Facebook on Society, Papers

Culture - Creativity - Capitalism

Question: Describe about the Terms for Culture, Creativity, Capitalism. Answer: In our everyday life, we look at things and give sense to what we see around us in the world. I would say that seeing is a procedure of observing things and recognizing them. By looking at things we actively give meaning to the world around us. Just like writing and speaking is a practice that we follow in the same way looking is also a practice which we do and it is an act of our choice. Looking help in communicating with people, to influence others or be influenced by others. Capitalism is a relationship between commodities, labor, money, production and means (Cubitt,2002).). In todays modern world everything which means almost every product is for sale. In order a purchase the product that we require we need the sale something. In this essay, I have looked at culture, art and creative industry in a new way that is from the viewpoint of evolutionary economics. This approach is new because it abandons the old classical model of subsidy and welfare. In earlier times photography was considered more objective than drawing and painting. The formation of a picture by using camera lens involves the choice of the subject through framing, selection and personalization. This combination of objective and subjective is the main reason behind photographic images. All the images have 2 levels of meaning in it. The literal or descriptive meaning of a particular image is called Denotative. All the images which are produced have a social ideology and power. Ideologies are produced by the social institution of the given society like government, family, medicines, law, entertainment industry etc. Images move from documentary images to videos to the advertisement to art work to news images. Each change in the image context creates a different meaning of the particular image. We decode the image or read the images instantly without giving thought to the process of decoding (Roussillon, 2011). We decode a particular image by interpreting the sugges ted meaning or unintended/ intended clues. The clues can either be socio- historical context or its formal elements like shade, colour and contrast in which the image is been presented. We are living in the world of signs in which we interpret the sign to give meaning to it. The meaning of an image consists of two elements which include how the viewers of the image will experience or interpret the image and secondly the content in which the image is been seen (Tulloch, 2015) The filmmakers, artist, other image producers or graphic designers create images or advertisement with the intent that the audience will read them in a particular way however the audience sees the images differently from what it was intended to be seen. However I did not mean that the audience has wrongly understood the image or the artist has failed to present an image, rather a meaning of an image is developed from where and how the image is been used. In todays time, I consider that buying products work as a form of therapy or pleasure. It helps to fulfil the emotional needs of the consumers but market forces lure the consumers to want more of different commodities. The capitalist works for acquiring more products than what is needed for the survival. Advertising encourages the customers to believe that with the help of commodity they are able to convey the personality of there. The commodities are not valued on the bases of what they are but on the bases of their monetary term. Commodity Fetishism is a relationship which is involved in production which is not among the people who produce the product but its economic relationship which means the money or commodities exchanged in the market trade.According to me in todays time to increase the sale of a particular product or service advertising is done. Publicity uses sexuality to increase the sale of the product. Publicity is considered to be the life that exists in this culture because I believe that without publicity capitalism will not be able to survive (Nguyen, 2015). Source: ( encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com) Capitalism is able to survive by persisting the customers to define their interest as closely as possible. The company employ creative people so that they can strengthen themselves and have commercial gains. The companies have identified their new brand market. When a company get more involved then they expect the return also. As per my knowledge, in todays time, the develop countries are able to achieve their targets by imposing false standards on what is not desirable and what is desirable. Poverty porn on the other hand which is also known as famine porn, development porn or stereotype porn is a kind of media (photographed, written or filmed) is exploiting the poor condition to generate sympathy for selling their products or increasing donations. It is used not only to create sympathy but also anger among the people. Poverty porn is used nowadays to recreate emotions among the audience and it is popularly used nowadays in TV shows and films. The popularity of reality TV Shows has steadily increased. Self-improvement reality type of culture has been formed in the makeover television. They try to transform a normal looking girl to an ideal image consist of femininity. Women are fighting in the workplace for equality nowadays but these myths that a woman should be pretty, fashionable, sexually attractive inhibits women. This creates pressure amongst the women to attain the ideal image which in turn increases the consumption of beauty products. As per my analyses, these makeover televisions and this makeover culture dismiss the women for their differences and it promotes a conformist vision. With the help of advertising, the companies built their brand and establish identity. The companies use celebrities to advertise their brand. It is considered as a status symbol when someone wears branded stuff (Berger, 2011). The market is seeking ways to change the social trends and to associate the products with something which is more desirable. The advertisement can mak e the consumer believe that a certain product can change their lives. This is done by presenting models of glamour which consumers wish to become. They make reference to the work of art to make their product authentic, tradition and prestige. Earlier the moral rules that existed in the society were not permitting to use the most powerful tool of marketing which is sex. I believe that in order to increase the sale of the products the sexist images of the womens are used. Media is used for this purpose and it is a reflection of the culture and it contributed towards it. Because of the massive exposure of the youth towards the media, it teaches the youth that girls or women are sexual objects. Source: (google.co.in/imgres) Source: (google.co.in/imgres) Source: (google.co.in/imgres) As per my knowledge the availability of pornography has created the most moral panics and is been easily available to young children which in turn is likely to have a negative effect on the society. It objectifies the women. Sexualization can be problematic if it happens to the adolescent or youth of the country. In the current scenario, I could say that small girls are encouraged to dress up and look sexy, have sexual desires. Women are considered to be sexy if they look young, blurring the difference between who is not and who is sexually mature. According to me, it is harmful to the individual as well as the society. Post feminism is encouraging women to explain femininity. It basically deals with the problem which oppresses or limits women. It helps to break all the stereotypes. It celebrates sexuality and believes that women of today can be more empowered by working in the sex industry as adult film actor or strippers. In this era, according to me, gender difference is seen as m ore fluid and less rigid. This ideology is fuelled by employment, advances in abortion and fertility law. Postfeminists believe that women were shown as victims in the traditional feminism whereas post- feminism brings women empowerment, liberation and to celebrate femininity ( Tulloch, 2015). Source: (google.co.in/imgres) According to me the change in the political and economic culture around the globe, a correlation does exist between the culture created by capitalism and economic and political culture. The desire to create wealth and create more money has lead capitalism to a point where cultures have being defined by the economic system (Gill, 2012). I would say that advertising agencies and advertisers have developed various ways to make feminism in favour of them then to work against them. For this, they have to chain their goods to feminist tenets. The political concepts of equality and liberation have been transformed into private and personal desires which could be achieved by commodity purchasing. The merger of feminist thought process with the corporate profit does not eliminate gender inequality. The companies are exploiting the girls by advertising the sexualisation of the girls. As corporates are always motivated to meet bottom line only the consumers can eliminate this beauty ideology. I would like to add that it is the most important responsibility of the consumers that to examine the criticality of advertising and motivations of the corporate behind it.They should develop their consciousness will purchasing a product. References Anon, (2016). [image] Available at: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJIjUQiHJtP0G4r_40kX_NxnMswm7WmAh6gccfKbKABkrBcs3XFQ [Accessed 15 Aug. 2016]. Anon, (2016). [image] Available at: https://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimage.slidesharecdn.com%2Ffebruarywebinar-extrememakeover-transformingyourcompanyculture-final-160225212129%2F95%2Fextreme-makeover-transforming-your-company-culture-1-638.jpg%3Fcb%3D1456435415imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideshare.net%2FOnPointConsulting%2Fextreme-makeover-transforming-your-company-culturedocid=4GWxkj4G7p2AbMtbnid=ZjT0h76HP_MSxM%3Aw=638h=359bih=741biw=1517ved=0ahUKEwi0rrm68sLOAhUCXhoKHTLlAIsQMwhOKCswKwiact=mrcuact=8 [Accessed 15 Aug. 2016]. Berger, A. (2011). The Branded Self:.The American Sociologist, 42(2-3), pp.232-237. Cubitt, S. (2002). Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture by Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright . Oxford University Press , New York , 2001 . 385 pp., illus. Trade. ISBN: 0-19-874271-1 .Leonardo, 35(2), pp.211-212. Future Prospects for Capitalism Nature Socialism. (2014).Capitalism Nature Socialism, 25(4), pp.1-2. Gill, R. (2012). The Sexualisation of Culture?.Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(7), pp.483-498. Macleod, C., Marecek, J. and Capdevila, R. (2014). Feminism Psychology going forward.Feminism Psychology, 24(1), pp.3-17. Nguyen, C. (2015). Time for a unit culture makeover?.Nursing Management (Springhouse), 46(10), pp.14-16. Roussillon, R. (2011). Sexualit, sexuel, sexualisation.Revue franaise de psychanalyse, 75(3), p.825. Rumens, N. (2016). Postfeminism, Men, Masculinities and Work: A Research Agenda for Gender and Organization Studies Scholars.Gender, Work Organization. Tulloch, G. (2015). IV. Sandra Bem, Feminism, assisted suicide and euthanasia.Feminism Psychology, 25(1), pp.113-117. Ways of Seeing. (2008).New Perspectives Quarterly, 17(5), pp.20-21.

The International Economy and International Economics

International economics are increasingly turning out to be an important sphere of research as global markets become highly assimilated. As matters of fact, governments, businesses and consumers have come realize that their existences depend on what is taking place within the international market.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The International Economy and International Economics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International economics is defined as a sphere of study that explores the outcomes of lending, borrowing, investment and trade on an international scale. Conversely, international trade looks at how macroeconomic models can be used to comprehend international economics. Some of the salient features of international trade include consumer behaviour, firm behaviour, perfectly competitive monopolistic and oligopolistic market structures, and consequences of market distortions. The gross domestic product (GD P) is an important economic variable that measures the economic conditions of an individual/country. The gross national product reflects the output of economic activities within a specified period of time. For instance, the GDP/capita depicts the economic condition of a person in a country. It is important to mention that the GDP per capita differs significantly across countries. Table 1 provides up-to-date data on GDP and GDP per capita for a selected cluster of countries. Inflation and unemployment rates are used to measure the economic well-being of a country. Inflation is an economic variable that compares consumer price indices between two different periods. For instance, a lower inflation rate means that the economy is doing well and vice versa. The latter (unemployment rate) is used to measure the percentage of the unemployed people within a country. Table 2 depicts inflation rates and unemployment rates for some selected countries. It is worth mentioning that some data in ta ble 2 are abnormal as a result of the economic meltdown that occurred in 2008. Some economists employ a government budget to gauge the performance of economic activities. Tax revenues are commonly used to fund public projects such as the construction of highways. Generally, a surplus in the government budget occurs when the amount spent by the government on public projects is less than the total amount of tax revenue.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conversely, a deficit in the government budget occurs when the tax collected is inadequate to finance public expenditure. It deserves merit to note that a Forex market is needed to facilitate transaction among different currencies in international trade. Many countries face the dilemma of whether to fix the exchange rate of their respective currencies or allow the rates to fluctuate according to the market dynamics. It is against this backdrop that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established to monitor and help countries solve their international currency dilemma. The IMF has created a list of currency regimes in all countries participating in international trade. The exchange rate systems adopted by some countries are depicted in table 3. The trade balance of a country is another key international statistics that indicate the economic well-being of a country. A country is deemed to have a trade surplus if the value of total goods exported surpasses the value of the total goods imported. On the other hand, a nation is considered to be experiencing trade deficits if the aggregate quantity of goods imported surpass the aggregate quantity of goods exported. This information is critical because it enables economists to describe the international investment position (IIP) of a country. It is worth mentioning that the IIP is an economic indicator that measures the aggregate value of foreign properties o wned by local inhabitants minus the aggregate value of domestic properties owned by foreign persons. The world has experienced several economic crises since the last century. The most recent one occurred in 2008 when world output declined and unemployment rate increased. What is more, there was a substantial decline in international trade as both domestic and international investments shrank. An economic recession usually occurs when the real gross domestic product of a country declines in addition to a rise in the aggregate rate of unemployment over a specified period of time. Thus, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank were established in order to curb economic crises. For instance, the main goal of the World Bank is to offer grants and loans to foster economic development among poor countries. On the other hand, the IMF is mainly tasked with monitoring the international exchange rate systems as well as offering short-term loans to countries experiencing balance of payments (BOP) problems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The International Economy and International Economics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More National Income and Product Accounts The national income depicts the aggregate amount of money generated by factors of production within a year. Some components of the national income include profits, rents and wages. The national product (national output) depicts the market value of all final goods and services generated within an economy during a given year. Figure 1 depicts the circular flow of money within an economy. It deserves merit to mention that the national income (value of total income) should be equivalent to the national product (value of total output). As noted earlier, the gross domestic product reflects the output of economic activities within a country in a specific period of time. On the other hand, the gross national product (GNP) measures the tot al amount of goods and services produced using domestic factors of production. The GNP includes all production activities that occur within and outside the country. The national income defines the manner in which the GDP is computed. The equation below shows that the gross domestic product is an aggregation of the consumption (C), investment (I), government spending (G), and expenses on exports (XE) less expenses for imported goods (ME): GDP = C + I + G + XE − ME The consumption variable of the equation (C) represents domestic and/or foreign products and services procured by residents. Investments (I) denote the costs incurred while undertaking fixed investments. XE denotes the total amount of goods exported to other countries. ME denotes the total goods procured from another country. G denotes the total amount spend by the government on public projects (i.e. Construction of highways). Imports are usually deducted from the GDP equation since imported goods are a subset of the government, investment and consumption expenditures. In other words, the gross domestic product level is not directly affected by imports.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The balance of payment (BOP) accounts is a documentation of the financial transactions between the inhabitants of one country with the rest of the world within a specified fiscal year. The BOP account is composed of several smaller accounts. These include current account (CA), merchandise trade account, services account, goods and services account, and financial account. The following equation represents the CA balance: CA = XEG,S, IPR, UT-MEG, S, IPR, UT Where G= includes imports and exports of goods; S= services; IPR= income payments and receipts; and UT= unilateral transfers. A country is deemed to have a surplus current account if current account0. This means that the value of exports surpasses the value of imports. If the current account0, then the country has a deficit current account because imports are greater than exports. The trade balance shows various ways to record the difference between imports and exports. The merchandise trade balance is somewhat constricted in measu ring trade between countries dealing with traded products. Finally, the financial account balance measures the aggregate imports and exports. The international investment position (IIP) of a country can be compared to a balance sheet since it reveals the aggregate foreign assets owned by domestic inhabitants and the aggregate domestic assets held by foreigners within a specified period of time. Consequently, a nation’s net position with respect to international trade is either surplus or deficit. If the net position is a surplus, then it implies that the aggregate value of foreign assets owned by domestic inhabitants surpasses the aggregate value of domestic assets owned by foreign inhabitants. Statistics suggest that the United States is arguably the biggest debtor country in the world. In other words, the country’s IIP is in deficit and the monetary value of that shortage is the biggest in the world. For example, in 2008, the amount of money the US owed the rest of t he world was estimated at $3.47 trillion. Although some Americans are worried about the numerical size of the debt, it is worth mentioning that this debt is less than 25% of the country’s annual GDP. Overview of Trade Imbalances Some people consider a trade surplus to be a good thing and a trade deficit a bad one. However, a trade surplus/deficit can be good or bad subject to the prevailing economic conditions. A trade surplus occurs when exports surpass imports whereas a trade deficit emerges when imports surpass exports. Some people suggest that trade deficits usually results in loss of jobs in the economy. Nonetheless, when all outcomes of trade imbalances are considered, a trade deficit can only result in short-term job losses. It has been demonstrated that there exists an inverse relationship between trade deficits and the unemployment rate. For instance, figure 2 shows the trade deficit and unemployment in the United States between 1980 and 2009. According to figure 2, when the trade deficit increases, the unemployment level decreases. This phenomenon contradicts the earlier perception that trade deficits cause job loss in an economy. In a nutshell, trade deficits, when assessed with respect to their short-term and long-term economic effects, can bring about positive or negative effects depending on the prevailing economic conditions. For example, a trade deficit may indicate extreme borrowing that could result in a significant decline in the living standards since more resources are redirected to service accumulated debt. In this condition, a trade deficit is clearly disastrous for the economy. On the other hand, a trade deficit can augment domestic investments and eventual stimulate economic growth. In this case, debt repayment can be achieved without compromising the living standards of the households. What is more, a trade surplus may simply reflect discreet foreign savings as well as procurement of foreign assets in order to finance the pensi on scheme. In this condition, a trade surplus may prove to be useful for the economy. In addition, a trade surplus can also depict a period of reimbursement of previous debt. This situation may be tolerable if it is accomplished in harmony with the rising standards of living. Nevertheless, if the trade surplus emerges during a period characterized by a declining gross domestic product, then the trade surplus would occur when the living standards are declining. In this situation, a trade surplus would be a bad thing for the economy. Nonetheless, problems associated with trade deficit can be alleviated via an increase in the gross national product (GNP). In order to assess the trade imbalance of a country, one should start by establishing the country’s investment status (net international asset). A country’s investment status is comparable to a balance sheet which reveals the aggregate foreign assets held by domestic inhabitants. It also reveals the aggregate domestic as sets held by foreigners within a specified period of time. As a result, a nation will be in a credit position if the value of foreign properties owned by its citizens transcends the value of local propertied owned by foreign inhabitants. Conversely, a country is said to be in a debtor position if the aggregate amount of domestic assets held by foreigners surpasses the aggregate amount of foreign assets held by domestic inhabitants. There are four potential trade imbalance situations that a country might encounter. These are: (1) a creditor country experiencing a trade surplus, (2) a debtor country experiencing a trade surplus, (3) a creditor country experiencing a trade deficit, and (4) a debtor country facing a trade surplus. Figure 3 shows an assortment of potential investment positions a country might face in an international arena. The left side of the figure implies that the nation is a net debtor while the right side implies that the nation is a net creditor. There are importa nt observations that can be derived from the situations above. First, trade deficits are harmful to the economy when the prospect for economic growth is low and the country is facing enormous international debt. Second, trade deficits may be less harmful if the nation is in a credit position. What is more, trade deficits are less harmful if they take place in an environment characterized by increasing investments that spur economic growth. Third, a trade surplus can be harmful to the economy if it increases while the country is in a debt position. Finally, a trade surplus is harmful when the repayments of debts in the future will be lower than projected. The Forex: Participants and Objectives The foreign exchange market entails currency trading by key international banks. These international actors (banks) function as mediators between real sellers and buyers of currencies such as individuals, businesses and governments. In many cases, the international banks keep foreign currency r eserves and are prepared to swap them for local currency when the demand increases. Although each bank can set the exchange rate (ER), the market forces of supply and demand will eventually determine the real exchange rate. To put it another way, each bank establishes the ER at each period in order to balance the demand and supply of foreign currency in the Forex market. It is important to make out two different sets of partakers in the foreign exchange market. The firsts set consists of partakers whose transactions are documented on the current account. The second set comprises of partakers whose transactions are captured on the financial accounts. An individual who engages in exports or imports of merchandise must swap currencies in order to complete the transaction. For that matter, tourists and investors who travel overseas usually participate in the Forex market to swap their currencies. Investors usually engage in the Forex market on a daily basis. These investors include comm ercial banks, insurance firms and investment firms which engage in the Forex market in order to reap maximum profits on their investments or assets. What is more, some of these investors usually manage the assets owned by other parties. For example, insurance and investment firms handle hefty investment portfolios which represent capital utilized to compensate claims on deaths and accidents. A substantial number of these firms have forayed in international Forex markets in order to maximize the returns on their investments. For instance, the Bank of International Settlement spends approximately $3 trillion worth of currency in the Forex market each day. There are three main objectives that drive the investment decisions of investors. First, investors are concerned with the rate of return on their investments. Investors are usually attracted by investment portfolios that promise a high rate of return on their investments. Second, investors are concerned with the level of the risk pos ed by the asset. It is important to mention that there is a direct relationship between the level of risk and the anticipated rate of return. Therefore, the main issue of concern for investors is how to handle the exchange between investment returns and risk. Liquidity is the third issue of concern for investors. It basically implies the rate at which investment portfolios can be converted to cash. Insurance firm must hold investment assets that are somewhat easy to convert to cash in order to meet compensation claims that arise suddenly. Commercial banks must also invest in fairly liquid assets that can be easily converted to cash in order to fulfil cash requirements of their depositors. The exchange rate is defined as the amount of units that a given currency is swapped for one unit of another currency. For instance, the exchange rate between a British pound and a US dollar can be expressed as  £/$. In addition, the value/worth of currency can only be ascertained by by comparing it to another currency. A currency is considered to have appreciated if its value/worth increases in comparison to another. On the other hand, currency depreciation implies that the value of a given currency declines with respect to another currency. There are several exchange rate terms that are commonly used in the Forex market. For instance, currency arbitrage implies purchasing a currency at a lower rate in one market (i.e. London) and reselling it later at a higher rate in another market (i.e. New York). The spot exchange rate is defined as the exchange rate that facilitates trading to occur right away. Forward exchange rate reflects the value of the exchange rate on trades that will occur in the future to fulfil a prearranged agreement. Finally, hedging is defined as activities performed to minimize the risks that emanate from currency trading. Appendix Figure 1: A Circular Flow Diagram Figure 2: U.S. Trade Deficits and Unemployment 1980–2009 Figure 3: International Asset Positions Table 1: GDP and GDP per Capita (PPP in Billions of Dollars), 2009 Country/Region (Rank) GDP (Percentage in the World) GDP per Capita (Rank) World 68,997 (100) 10,433 European Union (1) 15,247 (22.1) — United States (2) 14,265 (20.7) 47,440 (6) China (3) 7,916 (11.5) 5,970 (100) Japan (4) 4,354 (6.3) 34,116 (24) India (5) 3,288 (4.8) 2,780 (130) Russia (7) 2,260 (3.3) 15,948 (52) Brazil (10) 1,981 (2.9) 10,466 (77) South Korea (14) 1,342 (1.9) 27,692 (33) Indonesia (17) 908 (1.3) 3,980 (121) Kenya (82) 60 (nil) 1,712 (148) Ghana (96) 34 (nil) 1,518 (152) Burundi 158) 3 (nil) 390 (178) Table 2: Unemployment and Inflation Rates Country/Region Unemployment Rate (%) Inflation Rate (%) European Union 9.8 (Oct. 2009) +0.5 (Nov. 2009) United States 10.0 (Nov. 2009) +1.8 (Nov. 2009) China 9.2 (2008) +0.6 (Nov. 2009) Japan 5.1 (Oct. 2009) −2.5 (Oct. 2009) India 9.1 (2008) +11.5 (Oct. 2009) Russia 7.7 (Oct. 2009) +9. 1 (Nov. 2009) Brazil 7.5 (Oct. 2009) +4.2 (Nov. 2009) South Korea 3.5 (Nov. 2009) +2.4 (Nov. 2009) Indonesia 8.1 (Feb. 2009) +2.4 (Oct. 2009) Spain 19.3 (Oct. 2009) +0.3 (Nov. 2009) South Africa 24.5 (Sep. 2009) +5.8 (Nov. 2009) Estonia 15.2 (Jul. 2009) −2.1 (Nov. 2009) Table 3: Exchange Rate Regimes Country/Region Regime Euro Area Single currency within: floating externally United States Float China Crawling peg Japan Float India Managed float Russia Fixed to composite Brazil Float South Korea Float Indonesia Managed float Spain Euro zone; fixed in the European Union; float externally South Africa Float Estonia Currency board This essay on The International Economy and International Economics was written and submitted by user Linda Collier to help you with your own studies. 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Strategic Personal Development Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategic Personal Development Plan - Term Paper Example The process of creating a PDP also involves the identification of the current situation in terms of qualification, skills, abilities as well as knowledge. Once all this is identified, the process of writing the PDP can start. The process of documenting the PDP involves several different stages, such as the current state and the situation that one desires to be, the ways to reach that position and so on. It is critical to identify the desired state because based on that, objectives and goals required to reach that state are arrived at. To get clarity on goals, it is ideal to use SMART criteria. For convenience, it is also good to split up the objectives based on whether they are short term, medium term and long term as this makes it easier to monitor them and achieve them. In the conclusion of the PDP, the reasons for achieving the goals are highlighted and the methods adopted to find out the best possible way to achieve these goals are identified. Introduction. A Personal Development Plan (PDP) can be defined as a formal, structured and organized process which is undertaken by an individual in order to get a perspective on their own learning, performance as well as achievements and to help them plan for development of their career, education as well as personal life. ... It is critical to identify the desired state because based on that, objectives and goals required to reach that state are arrived at. To get clarity on goals, it is ideal to use SMART criteria. For convenience, it is also good to split up the objectives based on whether they are short term, medium term and long term as this makes it easier to monitor them and achieve them. In the conclusion of the PDP, the reasons for achieving the goals are highlighted and the methods adopted to find out the best possible way to achieve these goals are identified. Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs. Henry Ford 1. Introduction to PDP A Personal Development Plan (PDP) can be defined as a formal, structured and organized process which is undertaken by an individual in order to get a perspective on their own learning, performance as well as achievements and to help them plan for development of their career, education as well as personal life. A PDP should adopt many different approaches of learning that would help in connecting planning (the desire as well as the goal of an individual for learning), doing (developing a correlation between action and intent), recording (documenting thoughts, ideas, notions, experiences and events so that it is possible to understand the methods and outcomes of the learning process) and reflection (evaluating and judging the results of the process of learning). Personal development is just not a process that involves improving oneself and others, but it is also a process that involves practice and research. It involves a deep understanding of methods of personal developments, learning