Monday, September 30, 2019

LabCo Essay

Since LabCo will adopt IFRSs in the coming year, LabCo’s accounting policy and accounting for the Halibut contract may change under IFRSs. Basically, IAS 11 is to prescribe the accounting treatment of revenue and costs associated with construction contracts. Contract revenue should include the amount agreed in the initial contract, plus revenue from alternations in the original contract work, plus claims and incentive payments that (a) are expected to be collected and (b) that can be measured reliably. Contract costs should include costs that relate directly to the specific contract, plus costs that are attributable to the contractor’s general contracting activity to the extent that they can be reasonably allocated to the contract, plus such other costs that can be specifically charged to the customer under the terms of the contract. [IAS 11. 16] In this case, LabCo make contract entered into was for a fixed price and requires detailed and involved performance specifications. Upon entering into the contract, LabCo realized that this was a unique arrangement that required a great deal of customer specification in order to meet required performance standards. In practical, LobCo had experienced significant difficulties in the design and manufacture of the six-axis laser cutting machine. And their overall project would incur total costs that would be in excess of the total fixed-fee contract price negotiated with Halibut. Thus, they should make a change on setting contract revenue and total contract cost. Contract cost can be increased due to specifically charged to the customer.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

David Walker’s Appeal Summary

David Walker was an abolitionist, orator, and author of David Walker's Appeal. Although David Walker's father, who died before his birth, was enslaved, his mother was a free woman; thus, when he was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, in September 1785, David Walker was also free, following the â€Å"condition† of his mother as prescribed by southern laws regulating slavery. Little is known about Walker's early life. He traveled widely in the South and probably spent time in Philadelphia. He developed early on an intense and abiding hatred of slavery, the result apparently of his travels and his firsthand knowledge of slavery. Relocating to Boston in the mid-1820s, he became a clothing retailer and in 1828 married a woman named Eliza. They had one son, Edward (or Edwin) Garrison Walker, born after David Walker's death in 1830. An active figure in Boston's African American community during the late 1820s, David Walker had a reputation as a generous, benevolent person who sheltered fugitives and frequently shared his in-come with the poor. He joined the Methodist Church and in 1827 became a general agent for Freedom's Journal, a newly established African American newspaper. During the two years of the newspaper's existence, he regularly supported the New York City-based publication, finding subscribers, distributing copies, and contributing articles. He was also a notable member of the Massachusetts General Colored Association, an antislavery and civil rights organization founded in 1826. In lectures before the association, Walker spoke out against slavery and colonization, while urging African American solidarity. In September 1829, he published David Walker's Appeal. In this pamphlet, which quickly went through three editions, he fiercely denounced slavery, colonization, and the institutional exclusion, oppression, and degradation of African peoples. His Appeal was a militant call for united action against the sources of the â€Å"wretchedness† of African Americans, enslaved and free. Often reprinted, widely circulated, and highly regarded by a number of African American readers, Walker's Appeal generated a vehement response from white Americans, especially in the South. Several southern state legislatures passed laws banning such â€Å"seditious† literature and reinforced legislation forbidding the education of slaves in reading and writing. The governors of Georgia and Virginia and the mayor of Savannah wrote letters to the mayor of Boston expressing outrage about the Appeal and demanding that Walker be arrested and punished. In Georgia, a bounty was offered on him, ten thousand dollars alive, and one thousand dollars dead. In the North, newspapers attacked the pamphlet, as did white abolitionists Benjamin Lundy and William Lloyd Garrison, who admired Walker's courage and intelligence but condemned the circulation of the Appeal as imprudent. Walker died in the summer of 1830. Although the cause and circumstances of his death are mysterious, many have suspected that he was poisoned. After his death, the Appeal continued to circulate in various editions, including Henry Highland Garnet's 1848 reprinting of the Appeal along with his own â€Å"Address to the Slaves† in a single volume. As one of the earliest and most compelling printed expressions of African American nationalism, militancy, and solidarity, the Appeal has remained a vital and influential text for successive generations of African American activists. Walker's Appeal circulated widely throughout the South and North. In 1830, members of North Carolina's General Assembly had the Appeal in mind as they tightened the state's laws dealing with slaves and free black citizens. The resulting new laws, sparked by Walker's work and fueled a year later by Nat Turner's rebellion, led to more policies that repressed African Americans, freed and slave alike. David Walker's Appeal addresses the African Americans and the European Americans, challenging each group to take action. He acknowledges the â€Å"wretchedness† of blacks, which he believes is a result of slavery and the whites' fears of freeing enslaved blacks. He continuously challenges Thomas Jefferson's Notes on Virginia and uses direct quotes to analyze, criticize, and mock Jefferson's work to the utmost, proving that Jefferson contradicts himself numerous of times. Walker believes that oppression will one day be lifted from the shoulders of black men and that they will rise together as one. He stresses the wrongdoings of the whites and uses the Declaration of Independence to contradict them and also, stresses the importance of the blacks to take a stand against their oppressors. Walker's attitude shifts throughout the text, displaying courage, contempt, disregard, and resentment towards the whites, and bravery, conviction, weariness, and hopefulness towards the blacks. The cruel and unusual punishment that whites inflicted on blacks through slavery cannot be compared to any other enslavement nor can it be refuted. Through his Appeal and the help of the Almighty, Walker hopes to â€Å"open your hearts to understand and believe the truth† so that blacks can act to remedy their â€Å"wretchedness† and replace it with happiness, life, and liberty.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Corporation Governance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporation Governance - Coursework Example Duty only applies to directors not ‘officers’ as with other duties. Under {s 588V Corporations Act} Holding Companies also have a duty to prevent their subsidiaries from trading whilst insolvent’ Firstly under {s 588G(1)(a) Corporations Act}, â€Å"the duty is only imposed on directors and NOT officers. However, the definition of ‘directors’ will include shadow and de facto directors. Recall de facto director acts as a director even if they are not validly appointed and shadow director is able to have influence over the board† (Melbourne University Law Students Society Tribunal Service, â€Å"Corporations Law†). Firstly it should be illustrated that only willingly incurred debts for specific amount can bear a charge of insolvent trading {Standard Charter Bank per Hodgson J}, â€Å"a company incurs a debt when by its choice it does or omits something which, as a matter of substance and commercial reality, renders it liable for a debt for which it otherwise would not have been liable† (Cassidy, â€Å"Concise Corporations Law†) The defense which Jack can have is that he needs to show the reasonable grounds for his expectations of insolvency at the time the debts were taken. Again he needs to show that he relied on the information provided by others in the management which led to insolvency. Otherwise, he has to validate certain credible reasons for his absence. Smith and Jones can register under Limited Liability Corporations (LLC). This type of corporations is much in demand nowadays. They are the combination of partnership firm and a corporation. The tax effects are mostly based on that of the partnership firm but other entities is that it shares of the corporations. It is formed by members and not shareholders. Advantages of a Limited Liability Company can be that LLCs offer personal liability guard for members. The legal procedures to be followed are very simple and lucid. The members can come to agreement on their own terms,

Friday, September 27, 2019

Disaster Preparedness & Response Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disaster Preparedness & Response - Term Paper Example These stages are effectively planned by keeping two aspects in mind, the professional and the personal activities that are involved in these four stages. In my opinion, the effect of earthquakes can be effectively minimized by using these steps. The implementation of these stages to help in earthquake destruction is mentioned below. Mitigation is the stage at which the destruction effects are tried to be completely minimized when it comes to the personal aspect. This would involve not buying property in an earthquake-prone area to minimize the disasters caused to homes. Professionally, it is the most cost-effective way to reduce the impact of hazards. Development of earthquake-proof structure in earthquake-prone areas is a kind of structural mitigation. Non-structural professional mitigation would be ensuring the property of earthquake disasters (Jane, 2007). This phase is more about planning what to do when a disaster occurs. For example, the construction of shelters to save from fl oods and hurricanes. This aspect of the emergency management phase can be implemented in the earthquake management as well by building temporary wooden one-floor shelters so that the people who are affected by the earthquake have a temporary place to live. Development of basic necessity kits can also come in a handful as in some areas, the post-earthquake situation is such that there is a huge shortage of food, water etc. The response is the help that is forwarded to the down-trodden people who have experienced the aftermath of a disaster (Damon, 2007). This help may be forwarded by an international organization, or by the people living around or the national government. On a more personal level, this can be evacuation from the earthquake hit the place and move towards a safer area in an automobile. When the immediate steps have been taken, the recovery phase starts. Recovery phase pertains to the long-term development of the area that is hit by the catastrophe (George, 2007). This involves the reconstruction of the material and property that is extensively damaged.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

How Pulp Fiction can be read as postmodern Essay

How Pulp Fiction can be read as postmodern - Essay Example The term post-modernist, often used to refer to art and architecture, was applied to this film, and there was even a new word made specially to reflect this, namely â€Å"pulpmodernist.†1 The phrase pulp fiction refers to popular novels which are bought in large numbers by less well educated people and enjoyed for their entertainment value. The implication is that the film concerns topics of interest to this low culture, but as this essay will show, in fact the title is ironic and the film is a very intellectual presentation of issues at the heart of contemporary western culture and philosophy. Writing ten years before Tarantino made Pulp Fiction, the academic and critic Frederic Jameson identified some of the key features of postmodernism, and debated whether these were a true departure from modernism, or just a continuation of the same rebellious themes. His paper on postmodernism2 tends towards the latter view, but at the same time prophetically pinpointed the essential dep artures that postmodernism has made from what has gone before. Tarantino’s film does not continue the debate in an academic way, but instead presents a virtuoso visual performance of the ideas that Jameson could only dimly perceive. These ideas include pastiche, a crisis in historicity and a blurring of the distinction between high culture and low culture. One way that Tarantino uses pastiche is when he introduces very evocative settings, like for example the restaurant setting of Jackrabbit Slim’s Diner. The decor is flamboyantly 1950s style, which is not in keeping with the more modern setting of the main action in the film. The film set is exaggerated, with customers actually sitting in cars, and the waiters and waitresses dressed up as famous 1950s characters like Elvis Presley and Marylin Monroe. On another level the film plays with the cultural connections that the actor John Travolta has with the 1950s. The musical film Grease which is perhaps Travolta’s most famous film, takes place in this kind of setting. When Travolta’s character in Pulp Fiction encounters this scene, playing a much older character, and in a much more adult and violent film, it causes an ironic ripple. The audience makes an instinctive connection with what they know outside the film, and this explodes the usual time and action frame of film. In Pulp Fiction Vegas begins to dance and this again brings in a whole host of meanings related to the famous dance between Travolta and Olivia Newton John in Grease. In the later film, however, this is no innocent flirting between teenagers. The new context is a dangerous flirtation with the wife of a deadly killer, and both of the participants are adults who know the consequences of their actions. Critics have noted that this, also is ironic, quoting elements of older film styles: â€Å"The story of the flirtatious boss’s wife draws on established elements from the gangster genre, while her overdose provides an unexpected Gothic reference.†3 The trickle of dark blood from the pale body of Mia (Uma Thurma) is what recalls the Gothic horror genre. These evocative touches characterise Tarantino’s exuberant style. The scene where Vincent takes Mia to Jackrabbit Slim’s Diner and then home is therefore like a pastiche of Grease, and also of old gangster movies, and then also horror films, using exaggerated and deliberate quotation of key visual features to add new and unexpected layers of meaning to the story. This layering of images from earlier artistic works creates a pastiche with a particularly nostalgic affect. Jameson remarks that this is an

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

GROUP ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GROUP ANALYSIS - Essay Example I loved my group and I think they were very supportive and helpful with me. Of the lessons on developing listening skills, I honestly believe that the talking stick that was provided was very helpful. It enhanced my listening skills to focus primarily on the speaker. At this university, I worked with two groups prior to this group; but I would say that my listening skills were most exemplified with this group. I have acknowledged all the group members’ opinions and I was therefore able to appreciate what I learned from them. Later on, we threw the stick in the middle and we started communicating with each other without its need. We realized that we learned to respect and listen attentively to each other without using the talking stick. With regards to discovering the controversial topic of the second Council session, when I first saw this topic, my initial reaction was that this topic would not be very beneficial for me. I really did not like the topic. I was and I am still co mpletely against the legalization of gay marriages. Through the group’s discussion, new and innovative ideas emerged. The discussion did not persuade me to change my opinion; but some logical arguments were presented about the issue. For example, Coyle Rebecca said to me that the USA is a free land and everybody is given the opportunity and the freedom to do speak and act according to one’s will. Regarding the group presentation and the group meetings during which we prepared the presentation, honestly, it was difficult for me to inter-relate with the group. Only later did I collaborate and actively participate in group activities. I was the opinion specialist. Even in the presentation, I suggested ideas for the group presentation. If I had a chance of doing a project of the same requirements again, I will try my best to contribute more effectively in the group. I realized that only through a collaborative and participative environment, would the group achieve its defi ned goals. We acknowledge that a crucial part of group development is leadership. In our experience, we did not formally assign a group leader. We understood each other; but we agreed to designate Coyle Rebecca as a leader to collect our papers and register a study room for us. But in general, there was no specific leader that directed the group to do something or organize the discussion. In retrospect, I believe we could have done better in preparing for the presentation. If my group focused on how the presentation can be managed, we could have done much better that what we did. Through a consensus, we arranged our meetings very well and agreed that every member was responsible for addressing one question. We appropriately prepared for the presentation by timing ourselves to determine the amount of time needed to respond to the questions. During the presentation, the time was shorter than the 30 minutes minimum stipulated time. Afterwards, I said to them that we should have added m ore ideas for a more effective presentation. One of the students said that at least we are not failing and the remark annoyed me. I hope the professor would discern the individual’s efforts within the group, in addition to grading us as a group. I would say that we were so cohesive and it contributed to facilitation of achieving group goals. We exchange jokes and phone numbers. We encouraged open

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Reflective journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective journal - Essay Example â€Å"Sustainability implies that an action can be continued indefinitely with little or manageable impact on the environment. This is important because the health of the environment is closely linked with the health of society in general. Sustainable practices ensure that the earth's resources will be available even for future generations to enjoy... Sustainability aims to balance the needs of human societies with the needs of the environment, preserving both for all creatures on earth to make use of and enjoy. Sustainability promotes biodiversity, the preservation of unique ecosystems, the health of the environment, and a high quality of life† (Wise Geek, 2012). Based on such definition, I believe that as members of the human society, we should pursue this two-pronged sustainability, which is both social and environmental, both for the present and future generations, not only for humans, but for all creatures on earth. It is in this endeavour that the activists can play a cr ucial role. Activists are involved in activism. What is activism? â€Å" Activism is a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue† (Merriam-Webster Dictionary w.com 2012). Activists can promote social and environmental sustainability by several approaches. ... Gandhian ahimsa); 6) peace activist/peace movement; 7) political campaigning; 8) propaganda; 9) protest (demonstration, direct action, protest songs, theatre for social change); 9) strike action (work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work ); 10) youth activism (when the youth voice is engaged in community organizing for social change). I agree that activists can contribute significantly to facilitate some changes in different areas including social and environmental sustainability. Activists can focus their vast energy in changing the perspective of the businesses in favour of the environment. Some authors like Shrivastava (1995) and Welford (1997) as quoted in Sandhu (2010, p. 287) blame the current business systems for the environmental predicament. However, there is an increasing awareness among the business organizations regarding the natural environmental issues and they are taking the challenge and responding in an environmentally responsive ways ( Hart, 2007 , as quoted in Sandhu, 2010, p. 288). The response of the Timberland CEO is one example of an environmentally responsive way (Swartz, 2010). In Timberland's case, activism was in the form of 65,000 Greenpeace supporters who sent angry e-mails to the CEO, accusing Timberland of supporting slave labour, destroying Amazon rain forests and exacerbating global warming. The e-mail senders pointed out that the Brazillian cattle farmers were illegally cutting trees in the Amazon rain forests, for the pastures of grazing cattle, from which the leathers of bootmakers were obtained. Their message was one of concern, and they were strongly urging the company to work with Greenpeace to find permanent global solution to

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Caribbean Mosaic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Caribbean Mosaic - Essay Example Sir Roland Sanders reports: 2. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the three options open to Puerto Rico; statehood, independence, or continuation of commonwealth status. Which do you think is the most advantageous choice for the people of Puerto Rico? Why? Puerto Rican voters, who elect a governor for the island, have tended to favour parties that support the union with the US. Puerto Ricans do not pay US income tax, and the island receives federal funds. The Puerto Ricans can come to the mainland to work and go to school like any American citizen. Independence is the worst option. If Puerto Rico became an independent country, then the American government would not longer have any duties to protect or supplement the new government. The commonwealth status is the best. Puerto Rico still benefits from the United States help, while having their government. The BBC relates: The Popular Democratic Party was at that time in favour of maintaining Puerto Ricos commonwealth status, whereas the New Progressive Party of Mr Acevedos rival for the governorship, Pedro Rossello, favoured full integration into the US as the 51st state. Basically the Puerto Ricans can be American citizens, have the backing of the United States, but still govern themselves. This allows them to have every benefit of being an American, but with fewer drawbacks. 3. C.L.R. James writes: â€Å"The Sugar Plantation has been the most civilizing as well as the most demoralizing influence in West Indian development†. Do you think this is true, partially true, or false? Explain, using examples, either from the course or from your own experience or reading, to support your argument. I believe this statement is only partially true. A colonizing nation civilizing a native culture does not mean making them better or more civilized. This movement was more than influential. It means making natives change until they

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Management - Research Paper Example In a clinical setting, the scientific organization approach remains founded on the idea of planning of job to attain effectiveness, consistency, specialization, and generalization. The Bureaucratic approach sees the clinic as section of a wider community organized in structure as one unit. Aims at bringing different units under one roof. Administrative theory emphasizes on the management goals and their achievement in a clinic (Ziegenfuss, 2007). Neoclassical theory stresses on a person’s or team trend and human associations in assessing output. It explains how clinic staff coordinates to bring out the desired results in an organization. The modern theory consists of three approaches, the systems approach, the socio-technical, and the contingency or situational approach. The systems approach considers the clinic like a system made up of a set of connected dependent branches. Socio-technical approach recognizes the clinic as made up of social scheme, technical scheme and its su rrounding. This ensures effective mixing with the surrounding to produce the desired results in a clinic. The contingency approach considers a clinic like institutional scheme connected to the surrounding and that various surroundings need varying institutional associations for efficient functioning of the clinic (Ziegenfuss, 2007). ... Mintzberg’s grouping recognizes (Kelly, 2012): Interpersonal role Informational role Decisional role Interpersonal role In this category, there are three types of interpersonal roles, which include: a. Figurehead: all managers, however, mainly senior managers, remain figure leaders since they participate in figurative and official functions like greeting guests and making dialogues at institutional occasions. The challenge that could remain incurred in this situation is communication barrier and the timing of the communication to suit your audience and make them comfortable. b. Liaison: it entails official and informal within and without contacts; the challenge that could prevail here is the ability to maintain all the contacts and be able to reach them evenly. c. Influencer: comprises of tasks intrinsic in the directing activity, the function of which is to encourage and head. The challenge that may prevail here is lack of enough knowledge and expertise to be able to deal wit h all the team members in the organization as well as keep them motivated and ready to work. Informational role The informational roles of a manager comprise of the following: Monitor- The manager has to view and follow the flow of information and the progress of the staff to ensure that they all conform to the set instructions and act to directives accordingly. The challenges the managers can encounter here are the other staff viewing them as dictators and completely following up their affairs and thus develop hatred towards them. This will affect the performance of the subordinate workers as well as that of the managers hence leading to low output. Disseminator- the managers have the role of spreading information to their subordinates when necessary to

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Reflective essay about the guest speaker Essay Example for Free

Reflective essay about the guest speaker Essay I have been given the opportunity to attend one of the guest speaker events to write my reflective essay on. The guest speaker lecture I attended was a woman who had her own wedding company and as years went on she changed it to just focus on wedding cakes, instead of dresses and wedding events etc. The speech was very useful as the business student it gave me a wider knowledge and ideas for the future and I am so glad I attended because when you hear about another person’s journey through their business it helps you to understand more and focus on what’s important. She also spoke about the change in her technique to challenge competitors and blending techniques which she said in her speech â€Å" Niche was to give her clients exactly what they want when there’s conflict within the wedding party â€Å" which you would understand when you are getting married you want everything to go perfectly for your big day and everything to go how you planned it. So making the cakes she had to make sure especially for wedding cakes she always makes sure it is exactly how the clients asked for so there is no conflict and issues as a client it would be devastating seeing a result of the complete opposite of how you wanted the cake to be. It’s always important to keep the clients happy and impressed as it plays a big part in the company and you would want people to leave good and positive reviews and that’s how you build your company. The guest speaker also mentioned the economic climate which is a general characterization of the overall mood of the global economy or of a regional economy, which captures the status of the stock market, the perception of the economy by consumers, and the availability of jobs and credit. Business decisions such as hiring, borrowing, lending, and investment in new initiatives are often strongly influenced by the overall economic climate. The economic climate for her company was sweatshops because they have been a factor in the production of goods around the world for centuries but the globalization of business has led increasing numbers of major corporations to take advantage of low-cost sweatshops labor in developing countries. Recent examples of sweatshop conditions in the garment industry have caused an international outcry by Labour leaders and government officials. This whole situation made the clothing cost less than the retail price of fabric. Also, it all depends on the targe t market on who it is targeting at and in her company she had a lot of people that were size 14 plus. The recessions in the 1990s Were she wasn’t making enough money and it made it difficult for her to hold on to the business, the disposable income reduced as well as the wedding cakes were considered elastic products which meant the sellers and buyers adjust their demand for the good product when the price changes. Also, the guest speaker spoke about the disadvantages that affected her business was the changes in the law 1990 health and hygiene regulations. She spoke how this was a big impact on her business because of changing fashions and finding ways to keep up with the times and the little things count in maintaining a high-quality brand. All these things were really important towards her business because if you don’t follow the rules and regulations it can cause a danger to the company and she could lose it all. The implications of changing environment were keeping up to date with change as it plays a big part when having your own business and you are responsible for following and researching changes in the law. Attending wedding fairs was a chance for her to promote her business and give our business cards and people to get a taste of her company so they knew what the service and goods are if they wanted her for the future upcoming events. Along with that she also mentioned how she had wedding cake competitions which she enjoyed but you have to compete with others so clients come to her and not the other company’s. It was all about having the good product and knowing what the audience love, although it was a competition it was also about learning new techniques from others and others learning from her and how they do their design. She explained how learning from others isn’t always a bad thing, sometimes it’s good for you as if give you more ideas on how to improve and have better skills than what you already have and know.The pricing strategy is also important as she had to access the cost by monitoring the prices of competitions and having the interactions with customers have changed because of the internet where you have social media like Instagram, Facebook or your own business website where people have easy access and can easily contact you via message asking for quick information and you have other people who are already your client s writing feedback which catches other people’s attention as well.She spoke how if it was profitable, and explained that yes the wedding dresses were more profitable as there are the wedding every season of the month and the love of weddings, where every woman wants to look perfect with the perfect wedding dress on the big day. During the guest speaker event, I am so glad to have attended as I have learned many things from the guest speaker speaking about her company. She has motivated on helping me create ideas for what I plan for my future business/career. She also taught me that it is important to be up to date with the rules and regulations and always do research on anything especially when having your own business or if you wish to. You also need to think of contingency measure in different emergency and situations, doing this will make sure the events you hold or the finished product will be carried out smoothly with no conflicts. How I intend to implement ideas gained in the event to boost my future career, is by attending more of the guest speaker events and be involved when there are events going on to help me boost my confidence, doing this I know it will help me to understand more and also because I am studying business in most of my modules it helps me to understand each day. Doing research is r eally important before thinking of having your own business so it gives you a wider knowledge and keeps you aware of the advantages and disadvantages. References What is economic climate? definition and meaning (2017). Available at:  http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/economic-climate.html  (Accessed: 26 November 2017). Sweatshops facts, information, pictures |  Encyclopedia.com  articles about Sweatshops (2017). Available at:  http://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/labor/sweatshops(Accessed: 26 November 2017).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Overview Of Foreign Direct Investment In China Economics Essay

Overview Of Foreign Direct Investment In China Economics Essay Over the last decades, for the Chinese growth the FDI has been an important engine. Even though, across the Chinese region there is a big diversity in FDI patterns. For example, the 80 percent of total FDI distributed in the five special economic zones. While the collective five provinces accounts for only 10 percent in the North-West. Furthermore, there are different regions attract different type of FDI. For example the market seeking FDI are increasingly attracted by urban growth centre, on the other hand other regions are the industrial unit of the world. Undoubtedly, an internal discrepancy in economic growth is explained by the foreign direct investment throughout the regions. The economy of china is ten times larger than it was in 1978 and growing at the rate of 10 percent per year. The results of which there are two important dimension of this growth, one is rising of income gap and emergence of large middle class. The gaps between the coastal areas and the inland that have i ncreased in the reform period of the last few decades. The coastal areas have done extremely well because of the growing importance of  foreign trade; most foreign trade involves production and workers along a narrow strip along the coast, particularly Pearl River Delta  and the Yangtze Delta, the area from Shanghai up the Yangtze River and a little bit in the northeast. Normally these areas are the  major participant in international trade, through a big demand for labour, and incomes in these areas have gone up speedily. The most important, even in the urban sector is the rising gap among skilled and unskilled workers. In addition during the Maoist era, there was a strict wage structure. The diversity between highly paid and relatively low-paid workers was humble. But during the development period, this wages configuration has become marketized, and for the people with skills, whether managerial or engineering, the price has been tender up dramatically. For the unskilled lab our the entry-level wage, has been remain relatively flat. From the beginning of the reform period Chinas dissimilarity was significantly less than most countries for example compare to India or the East and Southeast Asian countries. But nowadays its degree of income dissimilarity is approximately the same as that in India and certain Latin American countries which are famous for a high degree of income inequality. 2.2 FDI policies in China One of the most important key elements of Chinas economic reform process has been the support of foreign direct investment. From the late 1970s, for foreign businesses china has progressively opened its economy and in this way attracted large amount of direct foreign investment. Mean while, the policies of china toward FDI as well experienced a variety of changes on their policy priorities. While in late 1970s and early 1980s, government policies are categorized by surroundings new rules to permit joint ventures using foreign capital and setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Open Cities. During the second conference of the Fifth National Peoples Congress in July 1979, The Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Joint-Ventures using Chinese and Foreign Investment was adopted, yielding foreign investment a official status in China. The State Council also awarded privileges of autonomy in foreign deal to Guangdong and Fujian Provinces and in 1980 set up four unique Economic Zones (SEZs) in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen. In December 1982, the assessment to open up China to the world economy was officially incorporated in the 1982 state foundation adopted by the Sixth National Peoples Congress. In the late 1983, policy for the carrying out the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Joint Ventures using Chinese and Foreign Investment was formulated in 1983 to promote relax domestic market and to simplify the business environment for foreign joint ventures. Since 1984, China has also motivated to additional open up the country to FDI. In 1984, the idea of SEZs was comprehensive to an additional fourteen coastal cities and Hainan Island (became a province and the fifth, the largest SEZ in 1988). Twelve of the fourteen cities were chosen Technology Promotion Zones in 1985 to speed up transmit of technology. In 1985, growth triangles the Yangtze River delta, the Pearl River delta in Guangdong, and the Min Nan region in Fujian, Liaodong and Shandong Peninsulas, and the Bohai Sea Coastal Region were as well opened to foreign investors. In 1990, the Pudong District of Shanghai was nominated as a new advance zone to lead improvement alongside Yangtze River. In 1986, more encouraging policy and provisions are used to promote FDI inflow, particularly export-oriented joint ventures and joint ventures using highly developed technologies. On October 11, 1986, the State Council promulgated the requirements of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China for the support of Foreign Investment. These so-called 22 Article requirements provided foreign joint ventures with favoured tax treatment, the liberty to import inputs such as materials and equipment, the right to retain and swap foreign exchange with each other, and simpler licensing actions. Extra tax profit was open to export-oriented joint ventures and those employing sophisticated technology. The government also attempted to guarantee additional the independence of joint ventures from external interfering interference, to remove many unreasonable local costs, and to provide another tradition for joint ventures to balance foreign exchange. Restricted admittance was provided to suppl ies of water, electricity and transportation (paying the same price as state-owned enterprises) and to interest-free RMB loans. The significance of the 1986 requirements is that it provided incentives for FDI intead of simply permitting it, and this more happy approach was furthered by the approval on April 12, 1986 of the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Enterprises Operated Exclusively with Foreign Capital at the fourth Session of the Sixth National Peoples Congress. This clearly linked the enterprise of completely foreign-owned enterprises to the development of Chinas national economy, and requisite such enterprises either to be exported-oriented or to use sophisticated technology and equipment. The more moderate approach was furthered by the April 1990 Amendments to the 1979 Joint Venture Law. These amendments officially recognized non-Chinese to act as Chairman of the Board of Directors, authorized extensions to the terms of function of joint ventures, and isolated the upper limit to the percentage of the registered funds (minimum not less than 25%) contributed by the foreign partner. Chinas practical policies toward FDI resulted in rising inflow of foreign capital in the late 1980s and especially in early 1990s. From the mid 1990s, although maintaining constructive environment for foreign businesses, government policies began to focus extra on linking FDI encouragement to domestic industrial objectives. In April 1994, the State Council outlines new proposals to draw FDI into the agriculture, hydropower, communications, energy and raw material sectors through encouraging tax policies and discriminatory financial support. In November 3, 1994, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the Ministry for Foreign deal and financial collaboration issued a Circular on Issues relating to reinforcement the Examination and authorization of Foreign-funded Enterprises. This tightened the measures concerning the approval of contracts and the registration of foreign enterprises, and improved the penalties if agreements were not fulfilled. The temporary Guidelines for Foreign Investment Projects took cause on June 27, 1995. Main concern was given to foreign direct investment in the agriculture, energy, transportation, telecommunications, basic raw materials, and high-technology industries, and FDI projects which could take benefit of the rich natural resources and moderately low labour costs in the central and northwest regions were to be strongly encouraged. The Guidelines fixed that the Guiding Catalogue of Foreign Investment Projects was to supply the source for the examination and approval of FDI projects, which were to be classified to one of four categories: encouraged, Restricted, Prohibited, and Permitted. Incorporated in the encouraged projects were those in infrastructure or underdeveloped agriculture; those with new/advanced technology which could upgrade product function, save energy and raw materials, develop economic efficiency, or manufacture under-supplied new equipment/materials to persuade market demand; those which were export-oriented; those which involved new technology/equipment which made use of natural/regenerative resources and prevented/controlled pollution and so on. Some projects were classified as confidential such as those whose technologies had been developed or transferred, and those where construction exceeded domestic requirement; and those under testing by the State, and those occupied in the investigation of rare and valuable mineral resources. The third type is the so-called forbidden projects. These are projects that jeopardized national security or damage the public interest; spoilt the environment, natural resources or human health; those which used subs tantial amounts of arable land or were unfavourable to the protection and improvement of land resources, or endangered the security and implementation of military services; and so on. Projects that are not in any of the above groups are known as permitted. Inward FDI: From the time when it launched the economic reforms and called for foreign investment membership in its economy in 1979, China has received a large part of worldwide direct venture flows. China has become the second biggest FDI beneficiary in the world, after the United States, and the leading host country along with developing countries. Chinas situation as a host to FDI is in fact moreover far separated from any other developing country and generally developed countries to be equalled. In support of twenty years (1979-1999), authentic FDI inflows addicted to China from 1979 to 1999 amounted to US$306 billion, which is comparable to 10 percent of universal direct investment and regarding 30 percent of the venture quantity for every developing country locate collectively. The Chinese FDI trends can be illustrated depends on changes in policy guidelines first phase is from 1979-83, second phase is from 1984-91, and third phase is from 1992-99. First phase: In this phase Chinese government recognized four singular Economic Zones (SEZs) in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, and presented particular encouragement policies for FDI in these SEZs. Whereas FDI inflows addicted to China were very much intense in these SEZs, the quantity was fairly restricted. The overall inflows of realised FDI throughout these 5 years amounted to only US$1.8 bn, which is averaging a US$360 million per annum. Second phase: While 1984, when Hainan Island and fourteen coastal cities crosswise ten provinces were opened, in the past recorded reserved FDI levels started to take off. Whole FDI inflows amounted to US$10.3 in the 1984-88 periods; by means of yearly standard of US two billion. The expansion tariff of FDI inflows into China goes down at insufficient 6.2 percent intensity in 1989. Although FDI started to continue its development path in 1991, the yearly expansion rate for this whole stage was lowered to 11.0 per cent, which paled in association to 38.1 percent throughout 1984 to 1988. Third phase: this phase started in the mechanism of 1992, while Deng Xiaoping circuited Chinas southern coastal areas and SEZs. After his trip, this intended principally to drive Chinas generally economic development method forward and to underline Chinas assurance to the open door policy and market-oriented financial transformation, proved to be a accomplishment in garnering the buoyancy of foreign investors in China. China adopted innovative approach, which turned missing from extraordinary regimes toward additional nation-wide operation of open policies for foreign direct investment. The grades were significant: while 1992 the inflows of FDI addicted to China have accelerated and reached the height stage of US$45463 million in 1998. In 1999, chiefly because of the collision of the Asian financial crisis and the grow of achievement transactions in mutually OECD and non-OECD countries, FDI inflows addicted to China dropped to US$40 398 million. The information on FDI outflows vary. In accordance with Chinas BOP data, the collective total during 1990 to 1997 was US$18.9 billion, consisting entirely of equity capital. From the 1980s, China has been quick acquiring resources from abroad. Researchers approximate that the total Chinese FDI in Hong Kong was US$20-30 billion by the end of 1993 or 1994. Actually the net capital of Chinese affiliates overseas can be calculated in hundreds of billion dollars. Legitimately, the Chinese SOEs had as many as 5,666 affiliates overseas at the end of 1998 by means of a collective FDI of US$6 billion. Source countries As the size of FDI source countries in China is moderately huge, a handful countries account intended for the sums invested. As a single investor Hong Kong comes first and the recently industrialised economies have been the chief investors as a group. Four ASEAN countries (Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia) have significantly increased their existence in China from the early 1990s. Along with the developed countries, Japan and the United States have been the main investors in China. The other urbanized countries have made moderately small amounts of venture in China, although they have exposed an growing interest in China in current years. The target of outward FDI is Hong Kong which is the chief objective of Chinese external FDI. Comprehensive and consistent data are not available for an prolonged investigation of this matter. 2.3.4 The geographical and Sectoral distribution of FDI in china The geographical distribution: The patterns of FDI in China illustrate a vast inequality between regions. During the period from 1983 to 1998, FDI in the eastern section took up 87.8 percent whereas the middle section attracted 8.9 per cent and the western section attracted only approximately 3 percent. This disproportion stems from the FDI policies taken by the Chinese rights. The open door has started with the establishment of exceptional economic zones (SEZs) and there is a special regimes for fourteen coastal cities. This has resulted in disturbing absorption of FDI in the east. By means of the approval of new broadly-based economic reforms and especially in the 1990s open door policies for FDI, FDI inflows into China have taking place to spread to other provinces. Amongst the eastern section provinces, the performance of Guangdongs in attracting FDI has been exceptionally remarkable. The share of accumulated FDI of the national total stock was 29.4 percent from 1983 to 1998, hig her than all other provinces with Jiangsu and Fujian, each of which possessed roughly 10 percent of the nationalized total, and ranked 2nd and 3rd among Chinas 30 provinces. On the other hand, if we examine this province group one stage more, we discover that the shares of every region have progressively changed. In the 1990s the share of Guangdong has dropped from 46.13 percent in the 1980s to 27.98 percent. But contrast to this, the other coastal provinces shares, such as Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Shandong, and Hubei, have increased gradually. The share of the middle provinces in the national sum accumulated FDI stocks has augmented steadily from 5.3 percent throughout the 1980s to 9.2 percent throughout the 1990s. The most important contributors are Henan, Hubei, and Hunan regions, and their shares of accumulated FDI in the nationalized sum twice from the 1980s to the 1990s. These data recommend that the provincial allocation of FDI inflows has spread fairly since the o pened coastal provinces into the central provinces. The very small amount of FDI inflows are received by western less developed provinces. Their share in the national accumulated FDI stocks has been declining from 4.7 percent in the 1980s to 3.2 per cent in the 1990s. On the other hand, Sichuan and Shaanxi fascinated reasonably more FDI inflows than the other provinces in this group. In final analysis, FDI inflows in the 1990s have diffused from the originally concentrated southern coastal region towards the south-eastern and eastern coastal region in addition to central region. The three regional groups of the eastern, central and western regions experienced altered patterns in FDI inflows. FDI inflows have been increased steadily for the eastern region provinces with a surprisingly high growth rate, mainly from 1992 to 1998. But the other two regional groups, the inflows of FDI have been much less, particularly for the western area provinces. The result of which, the gap among the eastern section and the central and western sections in terms of the complete extent of yearly FDI inflows has essentially broadened since 1992. Examiner has shown that the provinces with larger GDP, high per capita income, higher intensity of accumulated FDI stock, more rigorous transport infrastructure and top level of telecommunications have paying attention fairly more FDI inflows , whereas upper labour costs have truly deterred FDI inflows. The prospect of central and western sections in provisions of FDI will be more promising as the improvement of infrastructure and additional honesty of the market attracts more FDI into these areas. Their relative returns lie in plentiful natural assets, additional opening up and development of the market. If the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), several of which are in the central and western regions, are open to overseas investors, a huge deal of FDI could flow into these section. The market-oriented FDI aims to set up ventures to supply goods and services to the local market. This kind of FDI may be undertaken to exploit new markets. Apart from the traditional reason for circumventing tariff barriers, the market size, prospects for market growth, and the degree of development of host countries are very important location factors for market-oriented FDI. The general implication is that host countries with larger market size, faster economic growth and higher degree of economic development will provide more and better opportunities for these industries to exploit their ownership advantages and, therefore, will attract more market-oriented FDI. Even for export-oriented FDI, the market size of host countries is important because larger economies can provide larger economies of scale and spill-over effects. Over the past decades or more, the scale of Chinas economic reconstruction has been expanding increasingly, with the purchasing power of the people strengtheni ng rapidly and markets becoming increasingly brisk. Although Chinas per capita GDP is still very low, its rapid economic growth and continuously increased purchasing power has made China attractive to market oriented FDI, such as in the fields of basic chemicals, drinks, household electrical appliances, automobiles, electronics, and pharmaceutical industries. The economic growth rate in China has slowed down from 1996 because of the modification of overall growth at the beginning of the 90s. In current years, the economic growth rate still remains at about 7 per cent. Taking such important factors into account, the level of economic development, the potential for technology development and the effect of reorganization, it is quite possible for China to keep economic growth at a rate of 6 to 7 per cent in the coming 10 years. If this is the case, China will stay on a fast growing huge market for overseas and domestic investors. However there is existence of a downside factor like the quick increase in the production capability and the slow growth of per capita income and consumption has resulted in periodical dispersion in China. The occurrence of supply beyond demand exists in the majority industries but in China it has been harsh in certain sectors or activities. Natural, Sectoral and geographical distribution of FDI in China Sectoral Distribution: so far the key percentage of FDI is drawn for the manufacturing field, which takes up approximately 60 percent of the total contracted FDI by 1998. Next follows real estate with the share of 24.4 %. The segment of the allocation industry together with transport, wholesale and retailing is 6.0 %. Construction comes after that with 3.1 %. The major industry such as agriculture, forestry and fishing takes 1.8 %. Soon, service trade, such as finances, wholesale, telecommunications and resale business, will take up a larger share on account of Chinese agreement to WTO and additional liberalisation. Additional deal liberalisation should also take place in conventional industries. Particularly, the extension of FDI in agriculture will rely on the level of opening up to the market flow of agricultural products and the industrialised process of production operations. human resource endowments cost and productivity of labour One of the most important factors to attract FDI in China is the advantage in competitive production factors labour force, land and natural resources. The degree of development of host countries is often considered one of the most important determinants of FDI flows because it is positively related to domestic entrepreneurship, education level, and local infrastructure. With the worlds largest population, China has rich resources of labour, with average salaries of workers remaining at a relatively low level. China has paid great attention to the education of its people such as nine-year universal compulsory education. Therefore, Chinese labourers are of relatively high quality and there are comparatively numerous technical personnel. Some fields, however, are in short supply skilled managers, engineers and technicians. It is often argued that the labour cost in determining FDI flows should be the efficiency wage rate, which is adjusted in line with productivity rather than the absolute wage, especially if FDI is export-orie nted. In terms of the efficiency wage rate, China still has good advantages as confirmed by empirical research. China is as well extremely rich in energy reserve. Chinese production of oil, its predominant fuel, is among the highest in the world (Saudi Arabia being the main producer) in spite of the fact that China imports it owing to high consumption. China is the largest producer of coal, roughly one third of the worlds total production and its coal industry has been troubled by a serious oversupply problem. As with coal, Chinas electric power supply is also experiencing an oversupply problem. Other major natural resources such as land, iron and other minerals are economically available. With the globalisation of the world economy and the liberalisation of international trade and the giant strides in technological innovation, the advantage of a cheap labour force has become less important for foreign investors. Chinas disadvantages in terms of technology gaps and lack of labour qu alification in some areas will also take some time to improve. Physical, financial and technological infrastructure It can be supposed that the ease of use of physical infrastructure affects the decision of selecting the investment place. The additional highways, railways and interior transport waterways are adjusted in accordance with the size of host province, the more FDI inflows. An additional important variable is the level of telecommunication services. Advanced levels of telecommunications services will save time and reduce the costs of communication and information gathering, as a result facilitating business activities. Research confirms the supposition supported by other experimental studies that the provinces with more developed infrastructure are likely to be successful in attracting FDI. The same conclusion can be made for the technological infrastructure. In latest years, pressed by the market competition, the improvement speed of Chinas industrial structure has been accelerated. Mainly, the progress of high-tech has been greatly speeded up. At present, China and its provinces have e laborated a variety of five-year plans and the development of high-tech industry has been a top main concern. The current level of the technology of China and its provinces functions in order to attract FDI and induce the technology transfer. Openness to international trade and access to international markets China has adopted the so-called export promotion development strategy which was confirmed to be a outstanding success in the Asian NIEs. Mutually with export promotion policy, China has implemented economic reforms and open door policies and made efforts to encourage trade by concluding several joint trade arrangements and adopted independent actions. There has been considerable progress in reducing tariff barriers in the 1990s, the average tariff rate on imports declined from 42.9 per cent in 1992 to 23.6 per cent in 1996 and to 17.0 percent in 1997. China has also formulated and implemented a series of preferential policies to encourage international trade. Duty exemptions for intermediate products used in the production of exports have been particularly important in boosting Chinas foreign trade. However, there remain several barriers to free trade including administrative enforcement and non-tariff measures. The local content requirement and the export proportion requirement may inversely act to promote FDI. The import substitution policy may function to promote FDI in the short term but further competition, which can be created from the increase in import, may positively act to promote new additive investment in current investors for introducing high-technology production. Also, Chinese further acceptance of multilateral investment arrangement is necessary to promote FDI into China. For example, China still does not allow wholly foreign-owned companies to trade in many areas even though it has started to liberalise it. Chinas admission into the WTO will be favourable to the settlement of the problems. In provisions of ease of access to international markets, China has also some merit. Export-oriented FDI aims to use particular and specific resources at a lower real cost in foreign countries and then to export the output produced to the home country or to third countries. Even though the most important location factors for export-oriented FDI are resource e ndowments, research found that China has a relatively attractive and strategic geographic position in that its territory is huge and offers access to other Asian countries and the Americas. Development of the regulatory framework and economic policy coherence Regulatory structure China has endeavoured to launch a more transparent legal framework and business environment. It has been reorganization its legal system concerning FDI. China has amended a series of laws, regulations and provisions such as Equity Joint-venture Law and Contract Law just to name but a few. Also China has been relaxing some restraints and liberalising further on the area of restricted investment while it still keeps great emphasis on FDI in the encouraged fields and regions. Furthermore, since the mid-nineties, China has launched a programme to restructure and reduce the State-owned sector. It has made known that foreign participation would be welcome in the restructuring process, which will bring advanced managerial skill and enhance internal efficiency and international competitiveness. Given the need to reform Chinese SOEs, but bearing in mind the weaknesses of the domestic capital markets and the lack of managerial capacity, the Chinese policy to allow FDI in the areas of SOEs seems to be on the right track. It remains to be seen, though, how authentic participation of foreign investors will be allowed. Besides, as soaring unemployment seems inevitable in the process of the restructuring of SOEs, constructing a social security net is likely to be very onerous. Even after taking into account all recent Chinese measures, significant work still lies ahead to further improve the legal system for the market economy. The existing legal basis, legislation procedure and operating mechanism have not yet fully shifted to the needs of market economy. Various types of FDI recipients should come out in front. Privately owned enterprises have arriving inadequate share of FDI. Further efforts are expected to bring FDI inflows into these enterprises in line with the efforts of SOEs to further co-operate with potential foreign investors. Employment figures show that foreign direct investments in enterprises in villages and small towns have been considera ble. Chinese efforts to comply with the international standards in its preparation for accession to the WTO will certainly expedite the reform policy. Economic policy coherence China is most likely to maintain its economic growth policy. In the year 2000, China is expected to record 7.3 to 8.5 per cent subsequent to 7.1 per cent growth rate in 1999. According to the Chinese governments tenth Five-Year plan (2001-2005), Chinese economic growth will be kept above 7 per cent and Chinas GDP will be around US$1 300 billion in 2003 and US$1 500 billion in 2005.