Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Week4 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week4 - Case Study Example For instance, TechShepherd is using the platform for Ecosystem engineering with the aim of successfully growing its enterprise customer base. Through this HubSpot has assisted TechShepherd to develop from a one-man consulting corporation to a total of 10 employees and above 1million in proceeds. In addition, Lucid Meetings which is an exceptional performer in the web conferencing field has used numerous methods to support its promotion efforts. However, the methods were not integrated making it hard to assess the usefulness of the company’s marketing goals. Therefore, it embraced the marketing software HubSpot so as to achieve real-time insights into marketing performance and produce more appropriate content to increase trials, engagement, and funded subscriptions. Finally, the United Kingdom Coffee Company despite its efforts to use traditional techniques to develop their fledgling business, the company has embraced HubSpot as a way of trying inbound marketing. Through this, the company has managed to grow its business in the past four years despite a tough recessionary environment. It now hires more than 12 employees and counts Diesel, Abbey Road Studios, and Mulberry among its consumers (HubSpot,

Monday, October 28, 2019

Reflection in Nursing Essay Example for Free

Reflection in Nursing Essay This assignment is a reflective account of events that arose for a nursing student during their first clinical placement in a community hospital. A brief definition of reflection will be given, with emphasis placed on communication. This reflection has been chosen to highlight the need for nurses to have therapeutic communication skills, to provide holistic care for those diagnosed with dysphasia or speech loss and the scope of learning opportunities it has provided to improve practice in this area. All names in this text have been changed, to respect the confidentiality of the patient and other healthcare professionals (NMC 2002). Reflection, in this instance, is a way of analysing past incidents to promote learning and improve safety, in the delivery of health care in practice. The Gibbs reflective cycle has been chosen as a framework for reflection (see appendix 1). Mr. Comer was admitted to his local community hospital for respite care. He has suffered multiple, acute strokes in the past, which has left him with severe disabilities. These include paralysis rendering him immobile, aphasia (speech loss) and dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). He relies on carers for all normal activities required for daily living (Roper et al 1996) and is advised to have a pureed diet and thickened fluids. My mentor asked me to observe her feeding Mr Comer. She had prepared my learning the week previously by providing literature on the subject of feeding elderly patients and discussion on safe practice for feeding patients with dysphagia. I was alarmed and unprepared for the physical sight of this patient, who was coughing noisily and laboriously and a thick, green stream of mucus was exuding from his mouth. I observed Mr. Comer being fed and noticed he was coughing more than normal during his meal, but was informed that this was quite normal for him. I was asked to feed him the next day. When I uncovered Mr Comer’s meal he started to cough in the same manner that I had witnessed before, but this time he evaded all eye contact. I was feeling extremely anxious, but proceeded to load a spoon with his meal. His coughing increased in intensity accompanied by rapid eye blinking, turning his head away from me and throaty groans that I can only describe as distressed vocal growling. I was terrified at this point and called for assistance, thinking Mr. Comer was having some kind of seizure. I discovered very quickly from another health carer who knew Mr. Comer well, that he was protesting profusely about the pureed dinner I was going to give him which he dislikes immensely. On the previous day, he had received an ordinary meal, mashed to a smooth consistency, which is what his carers provided for him at home. This experience left me feeling very uncomfortable and inadequate in my role. I tried to understand why he reacted so alarmingly by putting myself in his position. I felt anger and frustration, but more importantly the feeling of helplessness. Not being able to voice my dislike to the meal offered exacerbated the urgency of hunger or thirst. Although this experience was very frightening for me and frustrating for the patient, it has highlighted the need for me to improve my communication skills. NMC (2002) outlines that we must not add extra stress or discomfort to a patient by our actions and we must use our professional skills to identify patient’s â€Å"preferences regarding care†¦and the goals of the therapeutic relationshipâ€Å". Severtseen (1990) cited by Duxbury (2000) applies the term ‘therapeutic communication’ as the dialogue between nurse and patient to achieve goals tailored exclusively to the patients needs. In this case dialogue is used by Mr. Comer in the form of body language and noise to communicate his needs because of speech loss. Nelson-Jones (1990) states that facial expressions are an intrinsic way to express emotions and eye contact is one way to show interest. The avoidance in eye contact displayed by Mr. Comer showed his distinct lack of interest. Compounding these factors was his facial paralysis, which made it especially difficult for me to ascertain the exact nature of his feelings. The nurse must be the sender and more importantly the receiver of clear information. Patients with speech impairment or loss have a more difficult task sending the messages they want and are sometimes unsuccessful in making themselves understood. (Arnold Boggs 1995). It appeared to me that Mr. Comer’s cough was not only a physiological disorder caused by his condition, but a way for him to communicate, in this case, his displeasure. Critical analysis of this experience has pointed to the fact that I have inadequacies in my skills, to identify covert and overt clues provided by Mr. Comer to his needs. I had focussed too much on the presenting task to feed him, with my mind occupied on his safety due to the nature of his swallowing problems. I had not considered his other needs like his wishes or desires and I had not gathered enough personal information about him beforehand to know this (Davis Fallowfield 1991). I had been unsure about what to say or do to alleviate Mr. Comer’s apparent anxieties and had adopted what Watson Wilkinson (2001) describe as the blocking technique. By continuing my actions to carry on with the meal, I was cutting short the patients need to communicate a problem. I was influenced in this decision because I felt obliged to be seen to reduce his anxieties, knowing my actions would be judged by an audience of other care workers and patients on the ward. I did not respond efficiently to reduce his distress and this pressure led me to deal with the situation inadequately and for that I felt guilty (Nichols 1993). I should have allowed more time to understand what Mr. Comer was thinking and feeling by putting words to his vocal sounds and actions. I could have shown more empathy in the form of my own body language to promote active listening (Egan 2002) and not worried about other peoples views on my decisions and beliefs to act in a way I felt comfortable with and thought was best for my patient. Gould (1990) cited by Chauhan Long (2000) have suggested that â€Å"many of the non verbal behaviours we use to reassure patients, such as close proximity, prolonged eye contact, clarification, validation, touch, a calm and soothing voice, the effective use of questions, paraphrasing and reflecting thoughts and feelings and summarising are all sub skills with the totality of empathy†. There is an abundance of information about communication, especially for nurses because it is considered by many as the core component to all nursing actions and interventions. Lack of effective communication is a problem that still exists because the learning process that leads to a skilled level of ability may take years of experience to develop (Watson and Wilkinson 2001). It has been quite difficult for me to admit my inadequacies in communication, but Rowe (1999) explains that a person must identify their weaknesses as an initiative for becoming self-aware. Only with acceptance of ones self, can a person begin to acknowledge another persons uniqueness and build upon this to provide holistic care.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

My Service Learning Experiences Essay -- Personal Reflection

What connections do you make between your service-learning experiences and some of the themes addressed in class (justice, love, rights, responsibility, relationships, etc.)? There were several connections made between my service learning experiences and themes addressed in class. Some of the connections were about human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity and equity. My service learning took place in a nursing home and the applicability of human dignity became abundantly clear. Teachings of solidarity and equity were directly exemplified. Social ties hold people together and are able to support the people who don’t have the power to help themselves. Subsidiarity is also a relevant issue; decisions for helping the elderly is best when done on the lowest level—the people who directly work with the elderly and know what troubles faces them. What impact do you think your service has had? My job was mainly assisting activity coordinators. As an extra set of hands, intermediate tasks were taken care of much quicker. The impact it had was chiefly that the residents were able to enjoy the activities and had to spend less time waiting for assistance. Many residents seemed generally appreciative simply by having a new face helping them out. What was the most unsettling experience you had while serving? Interacting with people who are unable to manage the activities of daily living in their own home hadn’t been an everyday experience for me. Understanding their needs could be adequately done in a classroom, but actually experiencing firsthand their situation gives a much more explicit and real understanding. The aspect of my experience that I found most unsettling was the meagerness of understanding when learning i... ...r enforce those teaching in class. Class lessons are very good in giving you a lot of information and putting it into context. Experiencing and trying to apply those teachings in real life is what really makes it stick. The combination of class and service learning provided a solid foundation on which to be a morally responsible leader. During class, all sorts of ideas are brought up and discussed as a group and critically analyzing from different perspectives and relating it to other ideas. This enables the students rectify their own beliefs and morals in constructive ways. From these developments, we begin to see how it fits in the world and try to apply ourselves and gain wisdom. Gaining knowledge, experience and wisdom, it becomes our understanding to find good in any aspect of our lives and work towards advancing that good in a way that benefits all.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

SHC

They need to investigating current regulations and laws to do with setting and running a business. In the setting the practitioners need to take all the necessary steps to ensure they are keeping the children well and safe. The early years providers need to safe guard the children, ensure the suitability of adults who have contact with the children, promote good health, manage behavior and maintain records and policies and procedures. The practitioners need to be continually progress through the career and are on the track they want to be and have the confidence to do this within their place of work.The children's development needs to be continued through out there journey with the setting. This will be done by focused observations, scrappy observations, picture, art work and tracking the children using the E. Y. F. S. There are many potential barriers to professional development that can stop the setting or the individual practitioner to do these: Time- the practitioners may find th at finding time to get away to do things can be tricky. This may then put the practitioner behind in their work which will then pile up and they are falling behind within the work place.Time is a crucial factor in personal growth and development, and many individuals lack enough of it. Between ark responsibilities, childcare issues and just trying to survive on a day-to- day basis, you may find yourself lacking the hours necessary to devote to your own goals. Commitments- all the practitioners have other commitment other than work and this could mean that unless the work is done within work time they won't do it as they won't be taking it home to do. Attitude -A negative attitude is a major factor in this area.If you start out with the belief that positive development is unlikely to occur, then no matter how hard you work on it, your belief will sabotage any efforts you may make. Peers- Peers also can complicate our efforts to improve ourselves. Peers often try to sabotage our goals , either consciously or unconsciously. They degrade our efforts toward growth because those efforts remind them of the growth they could be pursuing but have chosen to forgo. Failure to Plan- Lack of proper planning and preparation can lead to haphazard attempts to fulfill goals -? a recipe for wasted energy and efforts.If you are trying to break a habit, start a new career or glean insights into your thought processes, be sure to have at least a rudimentary plan to reach these goals. Http://www. Owe. Com/I development. HTML 05. 04. 2014 There are many different sources and systems of support for professional development within the work place. They are Inductions, appraisals and development plans, in-house training colleges and training organizations Inductions- on an induction this is to get to know everything you may need to know about the setting. This will be the opportunity to find out who works within the setting.On the induction you will be given all the policies and procedur es and will be given a tour of the setting you will sign various forms ND given various information. Inductions are very informative and give the practitioners positive information and make them feel welcome within the setting. Appraisals- The main purpose of appraisal is to give the appraise the opportunity to reflect on their work and learning needs in order to improve their performance. This can be achieved through discussing their development and feedback on their job performance in a way that is constructive and motivational.It should result in an effective personal development plan. So lesson one is not to spend 95% of the time available rely reviewing past performance and lesson two is to involve the appraise fully in the discussion so that they can get the maximum benefit from it. The staff member should also be aware that they can raise any issues that they may have throughout all the year. Appraisals are very good as they give the practitioner time to raise their voice to any issues they may have. They could also make the practitioners feel it's all one side and there manager is making it feel like that.Personal development plans- In the process, staff members also set personal placement goals that will increase their ability to contribute to the success Of your organization. The accomplishment of these goals also provides a foundation for their career success whether in your organization or elsewhere, so they ought to be motivated and excited about achieving this goal. Your system of Performance Management, with the PDP process for goal setting and communication, will ensure that you are developing a superior workforce.PDP meetings are held, at least, quarterly to review the staff person's progress on the overall goals and objectives. Your staff person's progress on the action plans that result from the PDP goals is reviewed at your weekly one-on-one meeting. This weekly meeting allows you to offer assistance and to identify any help or tools the st aff person needs to succeed. This can be good for the practitioner as it can set them target to set them across they year they. Will be set either at the appraisals or the practitioner will do them on their own. The setting will then provide as much support to the individual to achieve their goals. Http://humorousness. About. Com/CSS/ prearrangement/a/PDP. Tm 05. 4. 2014 In-house training colleges and training organizations- This gives practitioners the opportunity to do any training courses within their setting and gives them the help and support within their training opportunities. This can be good for the individual as they are achieving and moving further on with their career while still working and enjoying their job. There are lots of factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and practice up to date.They can be the individual strengths and weakness if there interested, financial factors, raining. The individual can discuss this withi n their supervision/ appraisals and they can look at what training they want to do. They can also look at their goals they have set and see if there manageable and achievable within their setting. They need to consider their strengths and weakness and if they are up to do their goals they have set. Financial factors- The setting needs to be able to work out cost for all the training opportunities so that it is split fairly and all staff within the setting get to achieve their goals.They also need to aka sure what they are paying for they are getting so it has to be Cost effective. Look at the individual – do they need the training, how best to give the training , Is the training the individual wants to do is it accredited does it apply to the job is it appropriate. Reflective practice is a way of studying your own experiences to improve the way you work. The act of reflection is a great way to increase confidence and become a more proactive and qualified professional. Engagin g in reflective practice should help to improve the quality of care you give and close the gap twine theory and practice.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mana Stratquiz Note

Question 1. Which of the following is an advantage of a divisional type of organizational structure? AnswerA. Efficient use of managerial and technical talent.B. An enhanced ability to respond quickly to changes in the external environment.C. High degree of emphasis on long term performance.D. Uniformity in image and quality across divisions.Question 2. A strategy of related diversification requires most firms to organize around geographical areas or product lines. This type of organizational growth leads to a(n) AnswerA. divisional structure.B. functional structure.C. matrix structure.D. international structure.Question 3. What is the name of the practice that many modular organizations use to grow? AnswerA. operational effectivenessB. outsourcingC. strategic leveragingD. strategic enablingQuestion 4. Nike is a company that makes use of the concept of â€Å"product expatriates. † Product expatriates are AnswerA. managers from the home country sent abroad to oversee the marketing of a company's products.B. managers from suppliers who come to work at a company's headquarters.C. managers of the company sent abroad to work at the plants of its suppliers.D. local nationals hired by the company in the countries from which it sources products.Question 5. All of the following are disadvantages of a divisional type of organizational structure except AnswerA. it can be very expensive compared to a functional organizational structure.B. there is a strong tendency for divisions to focus on short-term performance.C. there can be dysfunctional competition among divisions.D. there is separation of strategic and operating control.Question 6. Lockheed Martin uses a coalition of three entities–its own company, academia, and government–to achieve its goals. This is an example of a AnswerA. matrix organization.B. modular organization.C. virtual organization.D. divisional structure.Question 7. Strategic business unit (SBU) and holding company structures result from extensiveAnswerA. diversification.B. vertical integration.C. international expansion.D. organizational flattening.Question 8. Which of the following is an advantage of a functional type of organizational structure?Answer A. Decentralized decision-making enhances an organization-wide perspective across functions.B. It facilitates the development of general management talent.C. Pooling of specialists enhances coordination and control.D. It is easy to establish uniform performance standards.Question 9. The relationship between strategy and structure can be best described asAnswer A. strategy determines structure but structure does not determine strategy.B. structure determines strategy but strategy does not determine structure.C. strategy and structure influence each other.D. a third force determines bot h strategy and structure.Question 10. A matrix organizational structure is characterized byAnswer A. dual reporting relationships.B. a combination of functional and divisional organization structures.C. efficient use of resources and expertise.D. all of the above.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Learn Chemistry - A Guide to Basic Concepts

Learn Chemistry - A Guide to Basic Concepts Chemistry is a logical science. You can master the essential concepts yourself. You can study these concepts in any order, but its probably best to start from the top and work your way down  since many concepts build on understanding units, conversion, and how atoms and molecules interact. Key Takeaways: How to Learn Chemistry Its possible to learn the basic concepts of chemistry online.Chemistry concepts should be studied in a logical order because concepts build upon each other. Jumping into the middle of the science can lead to confusion.While its fine to learn chemistry principles online, be aware that the lab component is an important part of the science. Its a good idea to supplement textbook learning with experiments using a chemistry kit. Introduction to Chemistry: Learn about what chemistry is, what chemists do, and why you would want to study this science.Units Measurements: Get a handle on the metric system and the common units used in chemistry.The Scientific Method: Scientists, including chemists, are systematic about the way they study the world. Find out how to use the scientific method to collect data and design experiments.The Elements: Elements are basic building blocks of matter. Learn what an element is and get facts for them.The Periodic Table: The periodic table is a way elements can be organized, based on their similar properties. Find out what that table is, how it was designed, and how you can use it to make your study of chemistry much easier.Atoms and Ions: Atoms are single units of an element. Ions can be made up of one or more types of elements and carry an electrical charge. Learn about the parts of an atom and how to identify the different types of ions.Molecules, Compounds, Moles: Atoms can b e joined together to make molecules and compounds. A mole is a useful way of measuring an amount of atoms or larger components of matter. Define these terms and learn how to perform calculations to express quantities. Chemical Formulas: Atoms and ions dont bond together randomly. Find out how to predict how many of one type of atom or ion will combine with others. Learn to name compounds.Chemical Reactions Equations: Just as atoms and ions combine in very specific ways, molecules and compounds react with each other in definite quantities. Learn how to tell whether or not a reaction can occur and what the products of a reaction will be. Write balanced chemical equations to describe reactions.Thermochemistry: Chemistry is the study of both matter and energy. Once you learn to balance the atoms and charge in a chemical reaction, you can examine the energy of the reaction as well.Electronic Structure: Electrons are found in regions around the nucleus of an atom. Learning about the structure of the electron shell or electron cloud is important for understanding how atoms and ions will form bonds.Chemical Bonds: The atoms in a molecule or compound are attracted and repelled with respect to each other i n ways that determine the types of bonds they can form. Molecular Structure: Once you understand the types of bonds that can be formed between components in a substance, you can begin to predict and understand how molecules are formed and the shapes they take. Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory helps chemists understand molecular structure.Liquids Gases: Liquids and gases are phases of matter with properties distinctly different from the solid form. Collectively, liquids and gases are termed fluids. The study of fluids and how they interact is important for understanding the properties of matter and predicting the ways in which that matter can react.Rates of Reaction: Several factors affect how quickly and completely a reaction proceeds. Learn about these factors and how to calculate the speed at which a reaction can occur.Acids Bases: There are several ways to define acids and bases. One way is to look at hydrogen ion concentration. No matter which method you choose, these categories of chemicals participate in some v ery important reactions. Learn about acids, bases, and pH. Oxidation Reduction: Oxidation and reduction reactions go hand in hand, which is why they are also called redox reactions. Acids and bases may be thought of as reactions involving hydrogen or protons, while redox reactions tend to be concerned with electron gain and loss.Nuclear Reactions: Most chemical reactions involve exchanges of electrons or atoms. Nuclear reactions are concerned with what happens inside the nucleus of an atom. This includes radioactive decay, fission, and fusion.

Monday, October 21, 2019

25 Words Coined by Nineteenth-Century Authors

25 Words Coined by Nineteenth-Century Authors 25 Words Coined by Nineteenth-Century Authors 25 Words Coined by Nineteenth-Century Authors By Mark Nichol This post lists a number of words that were introduced to the lexicon by novelists and other writers during the nineteenth century. 1. actualize: Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge came up with this verb form of actual to refer to realizing a goal; self-actualization came much later. 2. airy-fairy: Poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, coined this term as a reduplication of fairy to mean â€Å"delicate,† â€Å"lacking in substance,† or â€Å"impractical.† 3. bicentennial: Humorist Mark Twain was the first writer to attach the prefix bi-, meaning â€Å"two,† to centennial, a recently coined word referring to a 100-year anniversary. 4. bisexual: Coleridge came up with the term bisexual, but in the context of androgyny, not attraction to both men and women. 5. boredom: Novelist Charles Dickens coined this word for the state of being bored. 6. butterfingers: Dickens was also responsible for this evocative reference to clumsiness, though he hyphenated it. 7. chintzy: Writer George Eliot crafted the adjective meaning â€Å"cheap,† â€Å"stingy,† or â€Å"unfashionable† from chintz, the word for a Calico print originating in India. 8. chortle: Lewis Carroll came up with this mashup of chuckle and snort. 9. coed: Novelist Louisa May Alcott’s truncation of coeducational originally referred, like the word on which it was based, to an educational system accommodating both boys and girls, but by extension it also came to refer to young female students. 10. doormat: Dickens was the first person to use the word doormat (hyphenated) to allude to someone figuratively being walked all over. 11. feminist: Novelist Alexandre Dumas (fils) used fà ©ministe, the French form of this term, to refer to someone who asserts that women are due all the rights accorded to men. 12. flummox: Dickens coined this nonsense word alluding to being bewildered or perplexed. 13. freelance: Author Sir Walter Scott employed this term (hyphenated) to describe a mercenary soldier, one whose lance (a long spear) was not wielded in the service of a single master, but (with its bearer) was hired out. 14. hard-boiled: Twain, in a speech, used this word to mean â€Å"hardened† to refer to hidebound grammatical usage; later, it pertained primarily to a tough attitude. 15. impact: Coleridge was the first to give this term for the act of collision a figurative sense of â€Å"the effect of one thing on another.† 16. intensify: Coleridge coined this term with the justification that â€Å"render intense† did not fit the meter of a poem he was writing. 17. linguistics: Multitalented William Whewell, a mathematician, philosopher, and poet, came up with this word for the study of language. 18. narcissist: Coleridge, inspired by the Greek myth of the self-absorbed youth Narcissus, came up with this term to describe a person similarly afflicted with self-admiration, though the psychological condition of narcissism refers also to a lack of empathy and, paradoxical to the primary quality of a narcissist, low self-esteem. 19. pedestrian: William Wordsworth came up with the word meaning â€Å"one who travels on foot.† 20. physicist: Whewell, finding physician already taken, coined this term to refer to someone who studies the laws of physics. 21. psychosomatic: Coleridge came up with this term to refer to imagined maladies. 22. relativity: Coleridge created this word to describe the concept of one thing having a relation to another. 23. scientist: Whewell, responding to Coleridge’s dissatisfaction with philosopher to refer to those who pursue the study of science, suggested scientist. 24. selfless: Coleridge coined this word meaning â€Å"unselfish.† 25. soulmate: Coleridge came up with this term (hyphenated) to refer to someone with whom one has a profound emotional connection. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryLatin Words and Expressions: All You Need to Know25 Favorite Portmanteau Words

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Kernel Sentence Definition and Examples

Kernel Sentence Definition and Examples In transformational grammar, a kernel sentence is a  simple declarative construction with only one verb. A kernel sentence is always active and affirmative. Also known as a basic sentence or a kernel. The concept of the kernel sentence was introduced in 1957 by linguist Z.S. Harris and featured in the early work of linguist Noam Chomsky. Examples and Observations According to writer Shefali Moitra, A kernel sentence does not contain any optional expression and is simple in the sense that it is unmarked in mood, therefore, it is indicative. It is also unmarked in voice, therefore, it is active rather than passive. And, finally, it is unmarked in polarity, therefore, it is a positive rather than a negative sentence. An example of a kernel sentence is The man opened the door, and an example of a non-kernel sentence is The man did not open the door.M.P. Sinha, PhD, scholar and writer, offers more examples: Even a sentence with an adjective, gerund, or infinitive is not a kernel sentence.(i) This is a black cow is made of two kernel sentences.This is a cow and The cow is black.(ii) I saw them crossing the river is made of I saw them and They were crossing the river.(iii) I want to go is made of I want and I go. Chomsky on Kernel Sentences According to American linguist, Noam Chomsky, [E]very sentence of the language will either belong to the kernel or will be derived from the strings underlying one or more kernel sentences by a sequence of one or more transformations. . . . [I]n order to understand a sentence it is necessary to know the kernel sentences from which it originates (more precisely, the terminal strings underlying these kernel sentences) and the phrase structure of each of these elementary components, as well as the transformational history of development of the given sentence from those kernel sentences. The general problem of analyzing the process understanding is thus reduced, in a sense, to the problem of explaining how kernel sentences are understood, these being considered the basic content elements from which the usual, more complex sentences of real life are formed by transformational development. Transformations British linguist P. H. Matthews says, A kernel clause which is both a sentence and a simple sentence, like His engine has stopped or The police have impounded his car, is a kernel sentence. Within this model, the construction of any other sentence, or any other sentence that consists of clauses, will be reduced to that of kernel sentences wherever possible. Thus the following: The police have impounded the car which he left outside the stadium. is a kernel clause, with transforms Have the police impounded the car which he left outside the stadium? and so on. It is not a kernel sentence, as it is not simple. But the relative clause, which he left outside the stadium, is a transform of the kernel sentences He left a car outside the stadium, He left the car outside the stadium, He left a bicycle outside the stadium, and so on. When this modifying clause is set aside, the remainder of the main clause, The police have impounded the car, is itself a kernel sentence. Sources Chomsky, Noam. Syntactic Structures, 1957; rev. ed, Walter de Gruyter, 2002. Matthews, P. H. Syntax. Cambridge University Press, 1981. Moitra, Shefali. Generative Grammar and Logical Form. Logic Identity and Consistency, edited by Pranab Kumar Sen. Allied Publishers, 1998. Sinha, M.P., PhD, Modern Linguistics. Atlantic Publishers, 2005.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Bodybuilding is unhealthy sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bodybuilding is unhealthy sport - Essay Example Nevertheless, bodybuilding is an unhealthy sport, which has sparked criticism from various scholars. Some of the major concerns include; Notably, bodybuilding is not a simple walk in the park or a visit to the gym. It is a process of using various additives meant to expand muscles and ensure various parts of the body grow at advance rates. According to research, body builders require anabolic steroids to realise an outstanding muscle and body mass. In as much as, people have argued against the use of drugs, apparently they promise a higher amount of returns as compared to pure exercise. In special circumstances, competitive bodybuilding encourages the use of different drugs. These additives, however, are not digestible but have long-term effects on the consumers. For instance, drugs like diuretics used during competition are more dangerous than steroids. Despite the availability of exceptional genetics, which support body building and positively respond to it, over half of body builders make use of drugs (Labrada 27). In this light, bodybuilding is a lifestyle trend rather than a health concern intended to improve we ll-being. Based on belief, bodybuilding should be a lifestyle where the people involved combine a good nutrition with training to gain more strength and muscles. However, contrary to belief, body builders have an incredible dieting system aimed at creating a competitive muscle system. It is a sculpting process that takes away more things from the body than the physical admirations depicted in the public domain. In the process of keeping a specific diet, they dehydrate the body; drain the limited energy hence affecting functionality of different organs. Additionally, bodybuilders eat given types of food in excessive quantities not good for the body. For example, many bodybuilders have a habit of eating double or triple what

Friday, October 18, 2019

FEMA Incident Command Systems and National Incident Management Systems Research Paper

FEMA Incident Command Systems and National Incident Management Systems Related to Law Enforcement Personnel - Research Paper Example As a law enforcement officer involved in special operations you have to be able to effectively respond to such operations using certain established guidelines and principles to protect property, live and the environment and restore normalcy. The Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) is one such body under the US Department of Homeland Security tasked with handling emergency situations. Given that emergencies are unpredictable events that require cross functional approaches, as more than one agency may be involved, hence the need for a standardized approach and guidelines that are not specific to one agency. The FEMA has a system called the Incident Command System (ICS) that employs methods and standards that have been verified for efficiency and success in the business world and applied to emergency situations using a standard command, control and coordination system to achieve the aims of emergency responses and management. The ICS system enables proper cooperation and coord ination among different agencies since there are emergency occasions when as a special operations officer you may come under the command of someone from a different agency such as fire fighting whose methods and command structures could be different from special operations. This paper will therefore examine the beginnings of ICS, the development of new rules and guidelines with emphasis to the presidential order to the Department for Homeland Security in response to the September 11th terrorist attacks and then look at the guidelines from various sources, discuss them and draw conclusions. ICS can be traced to the 1970s when wildfires became a big problem in California when the state, federal, county and local fire departments, recognizing that no one agency can handle a fire emergency all alone, joined together to form a platform called the Firefighting Resources of California Organized for Potential Emergencies (FIRESCOPE) that pinpointed certain problems common to emergencies and hindering inter agency cooperation, including non uniform terms and commands, non-aligned communication, a missing scope for increasing or reducing the size of the joint response team depending on the situation, deficient combined plans of action plans and a lack of a command system to oversee inter agency operations (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). The ICS is a model tactic built on best practice standards for managing emergencies and incidents that allow for a synchronized response from different agencies that creates a shared approach to scheduling and managing resources and enhances the incorporation of equipment, facilities, staff, systems within a unified organizational framework (â€Å"Introduction to the ICS†, 2009). The ICS has however evolved into an all inclusive emergency response and coordination approach for emergencies that utilizes a unified structure of organization and management system. The ICS is based on five main premises: Command, Logistics, Operatio ns, Planning, Finance/Administration (â€Å"What is the ICS?† 2010) During an emergency the law enforcement agencies leadership is organized into the above units with each having a jurisdiction over all the different agencies involved in the emergency. After the September 11t

Smoking History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Smoking History - Essay Example This essay provides a brief summary of the author’s position (James Grehan) on the topic of smoking history, that helps to reveal his primary argument in which he states that tobacco changed the cultural pulse of the Islamic nations and brought them into the modern age. James Grehan gives particular attention to the way in which it has affected the culture and society of the people who live here, how they responded to the new product and how it has managed to open up the society to new ideas and developments. Traditionally suspicious of anything new, tobacco could be said to have caused a tidal wave in the natural flow of Islamic life. Because it was a substance not directly addressed within the Qur’an, it could not easily be accepted by those with the power to interpret the laws, neither was it easily rejected when it proved to be a lucrative cash crop in many areas of the Middle East and almost instantly accessible to the rich and poor. The researcher then concluds hi s study that article ends up being very informative regarding the growth and development of the tobacco industry in the Middle East in terms of the use of the product among the people and the evolving stance of the leaders. It does not sufficiently prove that tobacco was the causal element that brought about change within the Islamic cultural group to enable them to step into the modern age with the rest of the world. As a result, the article fails to convincingly prove its point, but remains interesting through its examination of one potentiality.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

E-MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-MARKETING - Essay Example It now offers more effective and efficient ways for communicating the messages of the company to the consumers. The report will highlight on the difference between the traditional marketing communication and the E-marketing communication. The report will also highlight marketing tools which are presently being used in amazon.com. Apart from that the assignment will also try to explain on how amazon.com can utilize the diffusion adoption process in the context with its newly released Amazon kindle reader. And at the end the report will try to put some of the benefits of using viral email, interactive advertisement campaigns and E CRM. The key findings of the project are that amazon.com makes use of different kinds of marketing tools for its promotional purposes and increasing the customer experiences. Introduction Amazon.com Inc. is a global electronic commerce company which facilitates online buying of different kinds of products. The company was founded in the year 1994 and is headq uartered at Seattle, Washington, United States of America (Amazon, n.d.). Amazon.com is considered as the biggest online retailer of the planet. The company started its venture as an online book store but later diversified into other business lines. The company serves the customers via its retail websites and mainly focuses on the price and expediency. Apart from being a platform of online buying for the customers it also provides them with the opportunity to sell the product. One of the noticeable aspects is that the company has offered separate retail websites for countries like United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany and Italy among others. This course of action has been mainly undertaken to offer better customer experiences. Recently amazon.com has started developing Kindle e-reader which is gadget used for reading online e-books. The company also offers other services such as various promotional and marketing agreements like co-branded cash cards and different kind of on line advertisements (Yahoo finance, n.d.). E-Marketing vs. Traditional Communication Slowly and steadily many companies started to incorporate the use of modern marketing techniques in order to get the best out of it. One of the most significant ways of marketing communication came forward with E-marketing. Buzzwords such as digital marketing, online marketing and internet marketing are considered as synonymous with E-marketing (Pannu & Tomar, 2010, p.118). In simple words E-marketing or electronic marketing is the application of the principles of marketing and techniques of marketing within the electronic media and to be more specific by making use of internet. Internet marketing or E-marketing includes both direct as well as indirect marketing and a set of different technologies for making effective connection and communication to the customers. The growing importance of E marketing is the reason for its high return on investment from the traditional marketing. The benefits of E- marketing includes its reach to the mass customers, scope of offering a range of products and services, interactivity or interaction, provides immediate effect and targeting different group of customers across the national boundaries of the business. Amazon.com is a company which is based only on E- marketing, and makes use of different kinds of marketing tools to promote its product. The company also feels that their most

Manage recruitment, selection & induction Assignment - 2

Manage recruitment, selection & induction - Assignment Example For quick productivity, new staff induction will be dual directed with HR involvement and orientation to work area for job requirements and workplace relationship development (Compton, et al., 2007). Owing to competition, the new staff will be trained on how to create high quality products design to beat competition as well as position the STAR products within Australian market (Seward & Dein, 2005). For smooth induction, each new staff will have detailed checklist and an induction book along which they will follow up the induction process. The checklist will ensure that any questions or clarifications on new staff expectations are clearly answered on time (Compton, et al., 2007). Additionally, the induction booklet will ensure that there is no information overload as it will consist of relevant information about the expectation of each role and the inputs needed for successful attainment of STAR five-year plan goals. After a successful induction program where new STAR employees and line managers have given feedback, new employees will be evaluated against their intended outcomes. First, a questionnaire on life work balance is used to evaluate whether or not new employee needs have been met by the implemented programs and the results used to prepare a usage report (Seward & Dein, 2005). Additionally, new STAR employees will be subjected to induction follow-up interviews or sessions with employees to ensure that any answered questions are clarified and any assistance needed to settle into their new roles is provided. Further, new employees are expected to be complete an evaluation of STAR’s HR processes in place either in practice and custom or written form (Hughes & Jowitt, 2003). The new employees will also survey stakeholders to evaluate their current perceptions of life within the organization in terms of climate, satisfaction, morale, and culture amongst others. As a way of improving the HR tools and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

E-MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-MARKETING - Essay Example It now offers more effective and efficient ways for communicating the messages of the company to the consumers. The report will highlight on the difference between the traditional marketing communication and the E-marketing communication. The report will also highlight marketing tools which are presently being used in amazon.com. Apart from that the assignment will also try to explain on how amazon.com can utilize the diffusion adoption process in the context with its newly released Amazon kindle reader. And at the end the report will try to put some of the benefits of using viral email, interactive advertisement campaigns and E CRM. The key findings of the project are that amazon.com makes use of different kinds of marketing tools for its promotional purposes and increasing the customer experiences. Introduction Amazon.com Inc. is a global electronic commerce company which facilitates online buying of different kinds of products. The company was founded in the year 1994 and is headq uartered at Seattle, Washington, United States of America (Amazon, n.d.). Amazon.com is considered as the biggest online retailer of the planet. The company started its venture as an online book store but later diversified into other business lines. The company serves the customers via its retail websites and mainly focuses on the price and expediency. Apart from being a platform of online buying for the customers it also provides them with the opportunity to sell the product. One of the noticeable aspects is that the company has offered separate retail websites for countries like United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany and Italy among others. This course of action has been mainly undertaken to offer better customer experiences. Recently amazon.com has started developing Kindle e-reader which is gadget used for reading online e-books. The company also offers other services such as various promotional and marketing agreements like co-branded cash cards and different kind of on line advertisements (Yahoo finance, n.d.). E-Marketing vs. Traditional Communication Slowly and steadily many companies started to incorporate the use of modern marketing techniques in order to get the best out of it. One of the most significant ways of marketing communication came forward with E-marketing. Buzzwords such as digital marketing, online marketing and internet marketing are considered as synonymous with E-marketing (Pannu & Tomar, 2010, p.118). In simple words E-marketing or electronic marketing is the application of the principles of marketing and techniques of marketing within the electronic media and to be more specific by making use of internet. Internet marketing or E-marketing includes both direct as well as indirect marketing and a set of different technologies for making effective connection and communication to the customers. The growing importance of E marketing is the reason for its high return on investment from the traditional marketing. The benefits of E- marketing includes its reach to the mass customers, scope of offering a range of products and services, interactivity or interaction, provides immediate effect and targeting different group of customers across the national boundaries of the business. Amazon.com is a company which is based only on E- marketing, and makes use of different kinds of marketing tools to promote its product. The company also feels that their most

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Case Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case - Coursework Example If the consumer thinks Lysol will prevent H1N1 the more Lysol will be sold. This will help expand the Lysol brand from just a cleaning product into a necessary household item. It would be very easy to persuade the consumer buy Lysol if the idea it will keep H1N1 away. Lysol has been transforming its product for years. One example is creating the spray can. Another is the creating better smells. Instead of the medicinal smell of the fifties, now Lysol smells of flowers and fruits. Wipes and hand sanitizers are the newest thing that needs to be promoted through advertising. This transformation of the product needs to be pointed out. Lysol is not the only disinfectant spray, wipe, or cleaning solution. Other brands like Clorox, Pine-sol, and so forth have brand name recognition also. Lysol has been around for a long time, but so have the others. Lysol can kill germs, but so can the others. The difference is brand recognition. Lysol has been a trusted brand many have grown up with. Instilling the preference of one brand over another can only be achieved through skillful

Monday, October 14, 2019

Learning Activity Essay Example for Free

Learning Activity Essay Today by contemplating the corporate world we can realize that change is so very necessary for firms if they want to prosper. The market is changing so rapidly and technological advancement has created such hype that firms need to evolve from time to time. Researchers say that nowadays firms do not need to bring changes to get an edge over rival firms, but to survive. This itself defines the importance of change. However, just planning change is not important; smart execution is even more important. It includes the way management communicates the change, the way it handles employees’ reaction, the way it manages resistance to change, the way it deals with the after effects of it, and etcetera. These are very important issues that senior management focuses on. The following paragraphs will deal with two of these core issues, namely communicating change and managing change (Ian, Richard and Gib, 2009). Being the resort manager of Baderman Island, I will be very careful in rolling out this information to my employees as communicating the fact that they will be fired if customers continuously complain is a very sensitive issue. Firstly, I will try to explain them the problem, i.e., dissatisfaction of customers and then will discuss the reasons associated with it as put forward by customers. After this will ask for suggestions from them as I want them to feel that they are valued, which is sometimes known as underscore and explore strategy. Then company’s new policy will be disclosed smartly and the desired outcomes will also be floored. When communicating sensitive information like this, firms should give reasons behind the changes made and policies designed as employees have a right to know all about it. It should also be explained that how it will affect the organization and how important it is. If these things are taken care of then there is very less chance of resistance and negative reaction. Moreover, managing resistance to change is again a very important issue. If any resistance occurs concerning the changes in policies brought by Baderman Island’s management I will take care of it very carefully. Again I will use a democratic approach by getting involved in a dialogue with employees who resist. I will try to explain them what they mean to the firm and why has the firm decided to introduce this policy of firing employees due to bad performance. In addition to this, I will also explain the outcome of this policy and the positive effects it will have on the reputation of this firm. Sensible and potential employees will understand and for those who do not, I will use my authority to deal with them the harsh way. Furthermore, I will also help and facilitate employees who are worried about their job security by explaining them ways to satisfy customers and to improve their over all performance. In this way I will manage any resistance to the change. Reference: Palmer, Dunford and Akin (2009). Managing Organizational Change, McGraw Hill Publishers.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Largest Brands Of Cadbury Chocolate Brands Marketing Essay

The Largest Brands Of Cadbury Chocolate Brands Marketing Essay The Cadbury product range addresses the needs of each and every consumer, from childhood to maturity, from impulse purchase to family treats. For example an analysis of the gift sector highlights the importance of developing innovative products to address specific markets. Cadbury designs products to coincide with Christmas, Easter,Valentines, Mothers and Fathers Day and other calendar landmarks.Cadbury use marketing strategies such as the Choose Cadbury strategy to encourage a link between chocolate and these events ensuring there is a Cadbury chocolate product suitable and available for every occasion.Ex.celebrations 3.With the launch of Cadbury Land in July 2000, in a separate building to the rear of the site, and the complete replacement of the play area with a state-of-the-art themed play area, Cadbury World had achieved a shift in appeal to encompass the entire age range from 0-90 and beyond.Feedback from visitors in 2001 indicated that the attraction hadshifted from a very adult profile, to a strong child profile. The improvements made to the attraction since 2001 have been of more adult interest in order to re-address this balance, whilst more recent additions and improvements have attempted to be cross-generational. 4.Consumer Trends Good business and good values go hand-in-hand at Cadbury. They approach consumer  trends with a commitment to put actions before words and to respect and protect the long history of trust they have with their consumers. 5.Listening to consumers Listening to customers and consumers is fundamental to the business success its something they do every day and it helps to offer products that are safe, delicious and enjoyable. They talk to their customers the people who sell their products to the people who consume them to better understand consumer trends. Cadbury also deal directly with consumers and have substantial resources at the business unit level to listen and respond to consumer queries and complaints. 6.Responding to consumer needs The issues of food and balanced diets are now high on the consumer agenda, along with product quality and safety.  Cadbury use their intuition and consumer insights to understand consumer needs and issues and they demonstrate their responsibility by taking appropriate action to ensure they create tomorrows business today. They will continue to give consumers the great tasting products they love in a variety of different formats, recipes and sizes.  Research plays a large role in their innovation agenda, exploring opportunities for new products, product enhancement and packaging and are always checking that their recipes and ingredients are right for todays consumer. 7.Purple Goes Green The Cadbury Purple Goes Green initiative launched in July 2007 sets a vision for their company to tackle climate change.   They intend to shrink their global environmental footprint by cutting their energy use, reducing excess packaging and managing water use. They are setting new targets which build on the commitments they have already made in their CSR report. Cadburys environmental programme has been in place for around 15 years and corporate responsibility has always been at the heart of their business. Promotion mix A Radio Promotion with stations such as 98FM and BeatFM where the prizes consisted of hampers with all you need for a night-in: Snaps; DVDs, slippers and gift membership of screenclick.com. Advertisement during prime time shows on TV. Product Placement: Samples were sent to Faircity for display in the shop or possibly for evening scenes in homes. Samples were also given to major interior design trade shows for placement ontables in living room displays. Point Of Sale (POS): Naturally, given that the product is sold in retail outlets, in-store marketing support was also developed. This consisted mainly of attractive floor units, shelf headers and glorifiers to give standout in-store. Decorations: Christmas tree decorations given to support the creative image of Cadburys. Core purpose behind PROMOTION 1. 2.BUILDING PRODUCT AWARENESS: To showcase a newer product or an expanded product line. 3.CREATING INTEREST: Sales promotions are wonderful when it comes to generating interest.Cadbury creates the interest to buy chocolates during festival seasons like CHRISTMAS,EASTER,DIWALI etc. 4.INCREASE DEMAND: Besides building product awareness, the best way to use promotions is to get customers to buy your product .Special packs offered by Cadbury on special occasions increase their demand. Pull or push strategy and why: Cadbury promotes its products mainly using pull strategies creating demand during special occasiones or festival seasones.Consumers always ask their retailers for the product, the retailers will ask the wholesalers, and the wholesalers will ask the producers. Using a pull strategy alone would not reach all the desired consumers.So push strategies to push the product down the distribution channels;this involves persuading retailers to sell the product is also used by Cadbury. Critical appraisal The success of the Cadbury brand can be seen in how its image is continually maintained over time. Identifying brand values, and matching these to consumer lifestyles in specific market segments can help develop a clear advertising message. In previous advertising messages quality and taste were emphasized. Cadbury is now building on this through its Choose Cadbury strategy to underline the feeling a premium brand can bring to its customers.The Cadbury brand has proven itself to be a leader in a highly volatile and competitive market with players like Nestle and Hersheys because it has successfully established, nurtured and developed its umbrella brand and growing portfolio of products.So the promotion policy of Cadbury is working in a positive way for them.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Wicked Witch and Snow White Essay -- essays papers

The Wicked Witch and Snow White Edith Wharton presents two memorable characters in her novel, Ethan Frome. The reader is presented with Mattie Silver who is young, and good-natured, and Zeena Frome, who is a bitter hypochondriac seven years her husband’s senior. Upon a first inspection, Zeena Frome and Mattie Silver of Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome seem to be extreme opposites in every respect, but upon closer scrutiny, one finds though they are indeed different in character, though they eventually share great similarities. Zeena and Mattie’s differences in appearance and character, but similarity of fate, all contribute to the theme of the novel which is that one cannot escape the social class one is born in. Edith Wharton first describes Zeena in Chapter II as a woman who is but 37 years old, yet appears more elderly than her biological age. Zeena is associated with the dimness and grey of the winter landscape of Ethan Frome. There is no beauty or warmth coupled with the character of Zeena: â€Å"Against the dark background of the kitchen she stood up tall and angular, one hand drawing a quilted counterpane to her flat breast†¦ The light†¦ drew out of the darkness her puckered throat and the projecting wrist of the hand that clutched the quilt, deepening fantastically the hollows and prominences of her high-boned face under its ring of crimping pins.† Mattie Silver, on the other hand, is associated with what little light and warmth there is in the cold setting of the novel. Wharton describes Mattie as â€Å"taller, fuller, more womanly in shape and motion.† She goes to relate Mattie’s appearance on that same page: â€Å"She held the light†¦ and it drew out with the same distinctness her slim young throat and th... ...an was suffocated with the sense of well-being.† Edith Wharton presents a stark contrast of the feelings Zeena and Mattie inspire in the man they care most for. Zeena inspires irritation, awkwardness, and antipathy while Mattie promotes â€Å"eloquence,† and feelings of â€Å"well-being.† Wharton was an avid social critic. She believed that it was difficult, if not impossible, to escape from the social and economic class one was born in. None of her other novels that were social critiques such as The House of Mirth, or Custom of the Country, portray this belief as sharply as Ethan Frome. Although Mattie was a beautiful, friendly young woman, she was destined to the same fate that Zeena was destined to because she had been born into the same social-economic class. Bibliography: WORKS CITED Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. Evanston, Ill: McDougal Little, 1997.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Fiscal Federalism in India Essay

India is the largest democracy with federal form of government. The fiscal arrangements in India have evolved in a quasi-federal system to meet the requirements of centralized planning in a mixed economy structure and their sources of revenue for both Centre and State were clearly demarcated with regard to the financial relationship and the responsibilities between them. Our constitution provides residual powers to the Centre and makes clear division of fiscal powers between the Centre and the State Governments. Through various source of revenue to government, the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of a Finance Commission for the purpose of allocation of certain resources of revenue between the Union and the State Governments. The Finance Commission is established under Article 280 of the Constitution of India by the President. The Article 264 and 293 explain the financial relations between the Union and the State Government. Although the states have been assigned certain taxes which are levied and collected by them, they also share in the revenue of certain union taxes and there are certain other taxes which are levied and collected by the Central Government but whole proceeds are transferred to the states. In India, the Centre-State financial relationship relates to the distribution of power in resource mobilization between the Centre and States as also the sharing of expenditure responsibilities. During the last decade the disparities widened among the States which became economically and politically important. This situation resulted due to globalization and privatization by which certain States enjoy great advantages over the other. The most important and buoyant revenue sources are assigned to the Union Government, while major expenditure responsibilities rest with the State government, which take care of the social and economic sectors. Hence, in the federal structure, there is the possibility of conflicts in sharing the revenue and expenditure of both the governments. While the State governments in India collects about one-third of the total tax revenue accruing to the government sector, their expenditure obligations are disproportionately high, accounting for three fourths of the aggregate social expenditure and more than one-half of the aggregate expenditure on economic services. To enable the States to carry out their expenditure respective responsibilities, the Finance Commission is assigned with the task of recommending the transfer of resources from the  Centre to the States. Fiscal imbalance Viz., vertical or horizontal fiscal imbalance appears very often in the countries with decentralized fiscal systems. Removal of these fiscal imbalances of the States by optimizing social welfare of the economy is to remove the fiscal balance in the inter-government transfers from the Centre by finance commission entrusted in equalization of transfers of funds according to the economic requirement irrespective of the political parties ruling. The real challenge of any federation is to eliminate intra-regional vertical and horizontal fiscal inequalities. This paper analyzes these aspects of vertical and horizontal fiscal imbalance in federal India and the way out to the problem to development path. 1. FISCAL FEDERALISM: As a subfield of public economics, fiscal federalism is concerned with â€Å"understanding which functions and instruments are best centralized and which is best placed in the sphere of decentralized levels of government† (Oates, 1999). In other words, it is the study of how competencies (expenditure side) and fiscal instruments (revenue side) are allocated across different (vertical) layers of the administration. An important part of its subject matter is the system of transfer payments or grants by which a central government shares its revenues with lower levels of government. As originally defined by Musgrave (1959) and Oats (l972), â€Å"fiscal federalism† concerns the division of public sector functions and finances among different tiers of government. 1.2 INTRODUCTION TO FISCAL FEDERALISM IN INDIA: India has a federal form of government, and hence a federal finance system. The essence of federal form of government is that the Centre and the State Governments should be independent of each provided with sources of raising adequate revenues to discharge the functions entrusted to it. For the successful operation of the federal form of government financial independence and adequacy form the backbone. India possesses a federal structure with a clear distinction between the Centre and the State’s functions. India is the largest democracy with federal form of government. The fiscal arrangements in India have evolved in a quasi-federal system to  meet the requirements of centralized planning in a mixed economy framework. The founding fathers of our Indian Constitution were deeply concerned about ensuring the unity and integrity of the country. They were aware of the forces of disruption and disunity working within the country. The dangers at the time of independence were handl ed by a strong government at the Centre. 1.3 HISTORY OF FISCAL FEDERALISM Indian federal system is about sixty years old, compared to more than two centuries of the United States or Switzerland or Canada. The federal character of public finance in India has its origin as far as the seventies of the last century. Although at that time the country had a unitary form of government, some division of functions and financial powers between the Center and the state was found administratively desirable. Ever since then the arrangements have been revised and improved from time to time. Fiscal federalism entails the division of responsibilities in respect of taxation and public expenditure among the different layers of the government, namely the Center, the states and the local bodies. 1.4 OBJECTIVE OF FISCAL FEDERALISM Fiscal federalism helps governmental organization to realize cost efficiency by economies of scale in providing public services, which corresponds most closely to the preference of the people. From the point of view of economy, it creates a unified common market, which promotes greater economic activity. The federal system has served extremely well for India to promote their democracy, to strengthen the national unity and to achieve economic progress to the nation completely. 1.5 REASON OF FISCAL FEDERALISM IN INDIA: Fiscal structure provides balanced sources of revenue and expenditure .Fiscal challenges of vertical and horizontal imbalances play an important role to balance the fiscal condition between the steels. To overcome the fiscal redressed our Constitution has created an institution called the Finance Commission, which is an independent Constitutional body, appointed after every five years. 2 LEGISLATIVE LIST The Seventh Schedule (Article 246) delineates ‘the subject matter of laws made by the Parliament and by the Legislatures of the states’ and indicates the * Union List (List I) * states List (List II) * Concurrent List (List III). 2.1 UNION LIST: List I invests the union with all functions of national importance such as defense, external affairs, communications, constitution, organization of the Supreme Court and the high courts, elections etc. 2.2 STATES LIST: List II invests the states with a number of important functions touching on the life and welfare of the people such as public order, police, local government, public health, agriculture, land etc. 2.3 CONCURRENT LIST: List III is a concurrent List, which includes administration of justice, economic and social planning, trade and commerce, etc. 2.4 IMPORTANCE OF LEGISLATIVE LISTS: According to Article 246, Seventh Schedule, Parliament has exclusive powers to make laws regarding matters enumerated in List I, notwithstanding the provisions of the other clauses of this Article. On the other hand, the Legislature of any state has exclusive power to make laws for the state regarding any of the matters enumerated in List II, subject to other clauses. With regard to List III, both the Parliament and a State Legislature can make laws but the law listed in I or III, vests with the Union. Thus, the Union has supremacy over a wide range of the legislative field. These lists include the powers of taxation also. The union List includes among others, taxes on income other than agricultural income, excise duties, customs and corporation tax. The State list includes land revenue, excise on Alcoholic liquors, tax on agricultural incomes, estate duty, taxes on sale or purchase of goods, taxes on vehicles, on professions, on luxuries, on entertainment, on stamp duties, etc. the concurrent list does not include any important taxes. 3 FINANCE COMMISSION OF INDIA: The Finance Commission of India came into existence in 1951. It was established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution by the President of  India. It was formed to define the financial relations between the centre and the state. The Finance Commission Act of 1951 states the terms of qualification, appointment and disqualification, the term, eligibility and powers of the Finance Commission. As per the Constitution, the commission is appointed every five years and consists of a chairman and four other members. Since the institution of the first finance commission, stark changes have occurred in the Indian economy causing changes in the macroeconomic scenario. This has led to major changes in the Finance Commission’s recommendations over the years. Till date, Thirteen Finance Commissions have submitted their reports. 3.1 FUNCTIONS OF FINANCE COMMISSION: Functions of the Finance Commission can be explicitly stated as: * Distribution of net proceeds of taxes between Centre and the States, to be divided as per their respective contributions to the taxes. * Determine factors governing Grants-in Aid to the states and the magnitude of the same. * Work with the State Finance Commissions and suggest measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of the States so as to provide additional resources to Panchayats and Municipalities in the state. 3.2 Procedures and Powers of the Commission The Commission has the power determine their own procedure and: * Have all powers of the civil court as per the Court of Civil Procedure, 1908. * Can summon and enforce the attendance of any witness or ask any person to deliver information or produce a document, which it deems relevant. * Can ask for the production of any public record or document from any court or office. * Shall be deemed to be a civil court for purposes of Sections 480 and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. 3.3 CONSTITUITIONAL POSITION OF FINANCE COMMISSION: According to the article 280 of the constitution finance commission is established to distribute the revenues between the states and center and among the states. Article 280 finance commission: 1. The president shall within two years from the commencement of this constitution and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year or at such  earlier time as the president considers necessary, by order constitute a finance commission which shall consist of a chairman and four other members to be appointed by the president. 2. Parliament may b law determine the qualification which shall be requisite for appointment as members of the commission and the manner in which they shall be selected. 3. It shall be the duty of the commission to make recommendations to the president as to a. The distribution between the union and the states of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them under this chapter and the allocation between the states of the respective shares of such proceeds†¦. 3.4 THERTEEN FINANCE COMMISSIONS OF INDIA: 3.4.1 First Finance Commission: The First Finance Commission was appointed by the President on November 20, 1951, which was chaired by Mr. K.C. Neogy. Other members of the commission included Mr. V.P. Menon, Mr. R. Kaushalendra Rao, Dr. BK Madan and Mr. M.U. Rangachari. After Mr. V.P. Menon’s resignation on February 18, 1952, Mr. V.L. Mehta was appointed as a member. The commission was asked to make recommendations regarding: Recommendations * Allocations of income tax and Union Excise Duties and tax sharing. * Amounts payable as Grants- in-Aid to the States in need of Assistance under the ‘substantive portion of Clause 1 of Article275’. * Grants-in-Aid to certain States in lieu of their share of export duty on jute and jute products according to Article 273 # Continuation or adjustment of the terms of agreement with Part B States under Article 278 (1) or under Article 306. Vertical distribution: * The share of States in the proceeds of income tax was to be 55 per cent. * The share of centre was 45%. * The First Commission recommended that shares of States in the Union excise duties be 40 per cent of the proceeds of the tax on three commodities, 25 per cent of the proceeds of the tax on eight commodities and 20 per cent of the proceeds of the tax on 35 commodities, respectively. Horizontal distribution: As far as Horizontal Distribution is concerned, following formula was followed for revenue distribution among the states: Distribution formula: * Population 80%. * Residual weight age of 20% given to contribution. No recommendations regarding grants for meeting capital requirements of the state were made by the commission. The Commission provided Grants in- Aid (under Article 273) to only four states, namely, Assam Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. However, Grants were provided to many states under Substantive Portion of Article 275 (1) and under the head of Primary education grants. 3.4.2 Second Finance Commission: The Second Finance Commission was constituted by President Rajendra Prasad, on June 1, 1956. The Commission was chaired by Shri K. Santhanam and consisted of Shri Ujjal Singh, Shri L.S. Misra (Retired Chief Justice, Hyderabad), Shri M.V. Rangachari and Dr. B.N. Ganguli, as its other members.The Commission was asked to make the following recommendations: RECOMMENDATIONS * Grants-in-Aid to certain States, in need of assistance under Article 275, having regard to the requirements of Second Five Year Plan and the efforts made by those states to raise additional revenue. * Allocation of Estate Duty and Tax on Railway Passenger Fares proposed to be levied by the Railway Passenger Fares Bill, 1957, introduced in the Lok Sabha on 15 May 1957. * Grants-in-Aid to the States of Assam, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal, to compensate for their share of the export duty on jute and jute products as per Article 273. * The principles which should govern the distribution under article 269 of the net proceeds of estate duty in respect of property other than agricultural land, levied by the Government of India in the States within which such duty is leviable. * Revisions, if any, of the rates of interest on loans made by the Centre to the States between August 15, 1947 to March 31, 1956 and their terms of repayment. The phenomenal growth of the Union loans to the States justified such adjustments. * Apportionments of the net proceeds of the additional Excise Duties proposed to be levied in view of States’ Sales Taxes on the mill made textiles, sugar and tobacco, and the amounts which should be assured to the States as the income now derived by them from the levy on these commodities and the States Sales Tax (which is to be replaced by the additional duty of excise). vertical distribution: Despite the receding contribution by the Income Tax to the devolution of revenue to the States, the Commission recommended an increase in the per cent of the net proceeds to the States from 55 to 60, and the share of the Union Territories should be 1 per cent. Share of centre was 40% to 45%. Horizontal distribution: It was recommended that the distribution of the share of Income tax among the States should be 10 per cent on the basis of collection and 90 per cent of the basis of population, thereby giving greater importance to population than it was earlier. As far as the allocation to the States from the Union duties of excise on matches, tobacco, vegetable products, tea, coffee, sugar, paper and vegetable non-essential oils was concerned, the Commission considered that it should be 25 per cent. 3.4.3 The Third Finance Commission: The Third Finance Commission was appointed in the year 1960, for the period 1960-64, by the President and was chaired by Shri A.K. Chanda and the its members were :- Shri Govinda Menon, Shri Dwijendra Nath Roy, Prof. M.V. Mathur, Shri G.R. Kamat, Member Secretary. The Commission was asked to make recommendations to the President with regard to the following:- * On account of Tax sharing between the Centre and the State and allocation of Income Tax and Central Excise Duties. * Under Article 275, Grants-in-Aid to States in need of assistance, other than the sums specified in the provisos to Clause of article 275 a) With regard to the requirements of third five-year plan b) Secondly, with regard to the efforts to be made by those states to raise additional revenue amount . * Allocation of duties, namely, additional excise duty and estate duty. * The manner of distribution of adhoc Grants in-lieu of tax on Railway Passenger Fares With regard to the TOR the following were the recommendations made by the FC:- The Finance Commission recommended the formulation of an independent commission to assess the tax potential of each state. horizontal distribution: Income Tax With regard to the divisible pool of income tax among the states the FC adopted the criterion of the first FC that 80% be distributed on the basis of population and 20% on the basis of collection. The recommended percentage share of the states in divisible pool of the Income Tax: Maharashtra – 13.41, Bihar – 9.33, Punjab – 4.49, Uttar Pradesh – 14.12, Kerala – 3.55 Union Excise Duty With regard to the distribution of the proceeds of UED the FC decided to cover all commodities on the existing list. It recommended that 20% of the net proceeds of UED on all commodities on which such duties were collected and the yield of which exceeded Rs. 50 lakhs in1960-61 should be allocated to the state. Vertical distribution: Commission recommended an increase in the per cent of the net proceeds to the States from 60% top 75%.share of centre was reduced to 35% to 40%. revenue distribution formula: The share of each state in the distribution of UED was determined by the Commission on the basis of population and it rejected consumption as the basis of distribution due to two major reasons; A. Reliable data on consumption wasn’t available. B. As it would have given advantage to the more urbanized and financially stronger states. Percentage share of the 20% of proceeds of the UED for certain major states were:- Maharashtra – 5.73, Bihar – 11.56, Punjab – 6.71, Uttar Pradesh – 10.68, Kerala – 5.46 Additional Duties of Excise The GOI in consultation with the state governments, decided that an AED be levied on mill-made textiles, sugar, tobacco, rayon among others and the net proceeds of which should be distributed among them subject to then income derived by each state being assured to it. The Commission rejected this contention as the rates of sales taxes had been revised by them since then. The commission distributed the guaranteed amount of Rs. 32.54 crores among the States and the remaining amount was distributed, first, on the basis of the percentage increase in the collection of sales tax in each state since 1957- 58 when AED were imposed and then on the basis of the population. The Act imposing a tax on the railway passenger fares was repealed after the Third Finance Commission had been constituted. Hence, the commission was asked to make recommendations on the principle on which the ad hoc grant should be distributed among the states. The commission adopted the principle of compensation based on which the grants should be distributed. 3.4.4 The Fourth Finance Commission of India: The Fourth Finance Commission was constituted on May 18, 1964, under the chairmanship of Dr. P.V. Rajamannar. Other members of the Commission included Shri Mohan Lal Gautam Shri D.G. Karve Prof. Bhabatosh Datta Shri P.C. Mathew, Member Secretary. The Commission suggested in its report that there should be greater co-ordination between the Centre and the States in common financial interests for which it recommended the establishment of a permanent organization in the Ministry of Finance. Recommendations Horizontal and vertical distributions were similar to the third finance commission. The changes to be made in the principles governing the  distribution of the net proceeds in any financial year of the additional excise duties levied on commodities, namely, cotton fabrics, silk fabrics, woolen fabrics, sugar and tobacco- in replacement in the States’ tax formerly levied by the state governments. 3.4.5 The Fifth Finance Commission of India: The Fifth Finance Commission was constituted by the President of India on March 15, 1968. The Terms of Reference of the Fifth Finance Commission were wider than those of the earlier ones. Apart from the matters referred to in the earlier Commissions, this Commission was required to: * Examine the desirability or otherwise of maintaining the existing arrangements in regard to additional excise duties levied in lieu of Sales Tax and the scope for extension of such arrangements to other items. * To inquire into the unauthorized overdrafts of the States and recommend the procedure for avoiding such overdrafts. * Examine the scope for raising revenue from taxes and duties mentioned in Article 269, the scope for States in raising additional revenue from their sources as well their scope for better fiscal management and economy in expenditure, and make a comprehensive study of the States’ expenditure on various subjects. * Grants-in-aid recommended under Article 275 (1) are to be for purposes ‘other than the requirements of the Five Year Plan’, and while making its recommendations, the Commission was called upon to have regard to â€Å"the resources of the Central Government and the demands thereon† on account of expenditure on civil administration, defense, debt servicing, etc. * The Commission was asked for the first time to indicate the basis of its findings and make available relevant information. Since then these were made clear in the Terms of Reference of every successive Finance Commission. 3.4.6 The Sixth Finance Commission of India: The Sixth Finance Commission was incorporated in the year 1973 consisting of Shri K. Brahmananda Reddi as the chairman and the following four other Members, namely:-Shri Justice Syed Sadat Abal Masud, Dr. B.S. Minhas, dr. I.S. Gulati, Shri G. Ramachandran, Member Secretary. Recommendations The States demanded the inclusion of corporation tax into the divisible  income tax and 1005 allocation of the net proceeds to them. The commission expressed that such inclusion was constitutionally forbidden but it can be reviewed by National Development Council. vertical distribution: States share was increase from 75% to 80% due to the decrease in the divisible pool as the arrears of the advance tax collection had been cleared. Share of centre was reduced to 25% to 30%. 3.4.7 The Seventh Finance Commission of India: Introduction The Seventh Finance Commission was incorporated in the year 1978 consisting of Shri J.M. Shelat as the chairman and the following four other Members, namely:-Dr. Raj Krishna Dr. C.H. Hanumantha Rao Shri H.N. Ray Shri V.B. Eswaran, Member Secretary. Vertical distribution: The share of the states in the net proceeds should be raised to 85% excepting the share of the Union Territories which would be 2.19% of net proceeds. Share of centre was reduced to 15%. Horizontal distribution: The inter distribution between the states should include 10% contribution factor and rest 90% would be on basis of population. 3.4.8 Eighth Finance Commission of India: The Eighth Finance Commission was constituted by the President of India, on April 28, 1984 under the chairmanship of Shri Y.B. Chavan. The commission also consisted of the following members Shri Justice Sabya Sachi Mukherjee Dr. C.H. Hanumantha Rao Shri G.C. Baveja Shri A.R. Shirali Shri Justice T.P.S. Chawla Shri N.V. Krishnan, Secretary. It was asked to make recommendations on: * The distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the union and the states which are to be or may be divided between them under chapter 1 of Part XII of the constitution and allocation between the states of the respective shares of the same The principles which govern the grants in aid of the revenues of the states out of the Consolidated Fund of India and the amount to be paid to the needy States which seeks assistance by way of grants in aid of their revenues under Article 275 of the constitution for purposes other than those specified in the provisions to  clause (i) of that article. * The commission is to examine the possibility for increasing revenue from the taxes and duties mentioned in article 269 of the constitution but which are not levied at present. It will probe into the scope for enhancing revenue from the duties mentioned in the article 268. Making an assessment of the non plan capital gap of the states on a uniform and comparable basis for the 5 years ending with 1988-89 also comes under its agenda. It will review the policy and arrangement in regards to the financing of relief expenditure by the States affected by natural calamities and make appropriate suggestions. The commission shall make its report by October 31, 1986 on each of the matters aforesaid. The major objective of the Eighth Finance Commission was to reduce interstate disparities through their scheme of devolution. 3.4.9 The Ninth Finance Commission of India: The Ninth Finance Commission was set up in June 1987 under the chairmanship of Mr. N.K.P Salve along with the following members Shri Justice Abdus Sattar Qureshi Dr. Raja J. Chelliah Shri Lal Thanhawla Shri Mahesh Prasad Shri S. Venkitaramanan Shri Venkitaramanan Shri R. Keishing Shri K.V.R. Nair. The commission has been asked to adopt a normative approach in assessing the receipts and the expenditures on the revenue account not only of the states but also of the centre with due regard to the special problems of each state and the special requirement of the centre. Generating surpluses on revenue account of both the states and centre for capital investment should also be considered. Changes in the principles that govern the distribution between the union and the states and also the states inter se of the net proceeds of central taxes are to be made. The commission will also make recommendations regarding the principles which should govern the grants in aid of the revenue of the state out of the Consolidated Fund of India. It is to assess the debt position of the states as on March 31, 1989 and suggest corrective measures. In regard to the financing of the relief expenditure by the states affected by natural calamities the commission is to examine the feasibility of establishing a National Insurance Fund to which the state governments may contribute a percentage of their revenue receipts. The government’s decision to accept all the major recommendations of this commission which would bring substantial benefits to the state  during the eighth five-year plan period (especially in relation to debt relief) shows the upper hand enjoyed by this body. 3.4.10 The Tenth Finance Commission of India: The Tenth Finance Commission was incorporated in the year 1995 consisting of Shri Krishna Chandra Pant as the Chairman and the following four other Members, namely Dr. Debi Prosad Pal, Member of Parliament, Member Shri B.P.R. Vithal, Member Dr. C. Rangarajan, Member Shri M.C. Gupta, Member Secretary. Recommendations The share of the Union Territories would not be determined on the grounds used for state share but it would be decided on the basis of population solely. The percentage would be 0.927% for the years 1995-2000. The proceeds from the ‘penalties’ and ‘interest recovered’ under the miscellaneous receipts should be included in to the divisible income tax pool as recommended by Ninth commission with effect from 1 April 1995. Vertical distribution: The share of the net proceeds would be 77.5% for five years was given to states and 23.5% share was given to centre. HORIZONTAL DISTRIBUITION: Distribution of the net proceeds among states would be as follows:- * 20% on the basis of population of 1971 * 60% on basis of distance of per capita income * 5% on basis of area adjusted * 5% on basis of infrastructure index * 10% on basis of tax effort 3.4.11 The Eleventh Finance Commission of India: The Eleventh Finance Commission was appointed by the President on July 3, 1998 for the period 2000-05.It was chaired by : Prof. A.M. Khusro and its members were Shri N.C Jain, Shri J.C Jetly, Dr. Amaresh Bagchi, Shri T.N. Srivastava The Commission was asked to make recommendations to the President with regard to the following:- * With regard to Chapter I of Part XII of the Constitution, the distribution between the Centre and the States of the net proceeds of taxes and the allocation between the States of the shares of  these proceeds. * The principles governing the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India and with regard to article 275- the sums to be paid to the States which are in need of assistance by way of grants-in-aid of their revenues for purposes other than those specified in the provisos to clause (1) of that article. * With regard to the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State; the measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats and Municipalities in the State. * Suggestions for a restructuring of the public finances so as to restore budgetary balance and maintain macro-economic stability. Vertical distribution: The total share of the States in the net proceeds of central taxes and duties would be 29.5 per cent for the next five years. Share of the centre was 71.5%. 3.4.12 The Twelfth Finance Commission of India The Twelfth Finance Commission was appointed on 1 November 2002 to make recommendations on the distribution of net proceeds of sharable taxes between union and states. The commission was headed by veteran economist of India, C. Rangarajan. The commission submitted its report on 30 November 2004 and covered the period from 2005 to 2010. Major Recommendations of 12th Finance Commission * Macro-economic stability The total Fiscal Deficit for Centre & states to be reduced to 3% of GDP. The total tax-GDP ratio of both centre& states to be increased to 17.6% of GDP in 2009-10. The revenue deficit for the centre& states combined to be reduced to 0% by 2008. * Distribution of Union Tax The total share of states in the total sharable central taxes to be fixed at 30.5% and the share of states will come down to 29.5% if the states levy sales tax on sugar, textiles & tobacco. * Grants to local bodies The total grant that will have to given to the states for panchayati raj institutions and local urban bodies for the period of 2005-09 will be Rs  20000 crores& Rs 5000 crores respectively. * Calamity Relief Fund The calamity relief fund scheme will continue as it was in the previous plans with central & states contributing in the ratio of 75: 25. The size of fund will be Rs 21333 crore for the period of 2005-10.. 3.4.13 thirteenth Finance Commission: 1. The share of states in the net proceeds of the shareable Central taxes should be 32%.This is 1.5% higher than the recommendation of 12th Finance Commission. 2. Revenue deficit to be progressively reduced and eliminated, followed by revenue surplus by 2013-14. 3. Fiscal deficit to be reduced to 3% of the GDP by 2014-15. 4. A target of 68% of GDP for the combined debt of centre and states. 5. The Medium Term Fiscal Plan(MTFP)should be reformed and made the statement of commitment rather than a statement of intent. 6. FRBM Act need to be amended to mention the nature of shocks which shall require targets relaxation. 7. Both centre and states should conclude ‘Grand Bargain’ to implement the model Goods and Services Act(GST).To incentivise the states, the commission recommended a sanction of the grant of Rs 50000 crore. 8. Initiatives to reduce the number of Central Sponsored Schemes(CSS)and to restore the predominance of formula based plan grants. 9. States need to address the problem of losses in the power sector in time bound manner. 3.5 CURRENT REVENUE SHAIRING FORMULA: The scope of the FCs broadened over time as they were assigned several other issues on government finances, particularly those relating to augmentation of State Consolidation Funds to supplementing the resources of local bodies and debt-related issues. The approach of successive FCs varied as they addressed concerns raised by States from time to time regarding the composition of the divisible pool of central taxes and inter se distribution criteria. Recent constitutional changes have simplified the sharing arrangement of the divisible pool of Central taxes by clubbing all shareable Central taxes and excise duties. While determining the formula for horizontal distribution of inter se shares of States, various FCs attempted to correct the differentials in revenue capacity and cost disability factors  inherent in the economies of States, while trying to foster fiscal efficiency at the State level. However, differences have been noticed in selection, definition and weight of variables that have been used by FCs to prescribe the devolution formula for Central taxes. More recently, the Thirteenth FC has placed greater emphasis on fiscal capacity distance and fiscal discipline, which is expected to facilitate greater convergence among the States. The pattern of transfers through the FC channel shows that the share in Central taxes has persistently been the predominant component of revenue sharing since the First FC. As far as the extent of equalization is concerned, an analysis of transfers as recommended by four successive FCs (from the Tenth to the Thirteenth) shows that it was the highest in the case of the Eleventh FC as the gap between recommended and benchmark transfers was minimum. Fiscal distance index is aimed at equalizing amongst the states the resource envelope for supplies of public services, while the fiscal efforts index is to minimize the â€Å"moral hazard† in such equalization payouts by incentivizing the tax efforts of the states. Area and population are indicative of the fiscal needs of the states. Such an institutional arrangement has served the country well. The reports of all past twelve Finance Commissions were unanimously accepted by the Parliament and the country The horizontal distribution is considered with certain basic formula, where the formula is based on objective and transparent parameters. The preferred parameters are: * area * population * fiscal efforts index * Fiscal distance index

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Human morality Essay

Morality has often been associated with the roles performed by the concept of nature and nurture in relation to the source of moral dispositions. It has been expressed that evolution has provided human beings preconditions of morality, yet it is solely during engagement with an individual’s culture that these preconditions are converted to pure morality. Evolution considers human beings as one of the animal species and thus it is not easy and simple to detach ourselves from the rest of the other biological species in terms of our morals and conducts (Crawford and Salmon, 2004). The concept of morality is thus not an essential part of being human, but its presence makes us adjust to our environments, as well as act in a rational way. Morality also allows human beings to care for other individuals, as well as experience the feeling of wanting something. More importantly, morality provides us an additional characteristic—to want to be decent individuals. There has been significant debate with regards to the implications of morality and that of the concept of evolution coined by Charles Darwin. It has been described in the history of Social Darwinism and the concept of eugenics that it is possible to choose which genes should further proliferation in the next generations and those genes that confer undesirable traits be left out to go extinct in the human race. This concept of eugenics has been attempted in eradicating future generations of criminals as well as sickly individuals that carry heritable medical disorders. Unfortunately, morality is also influenced by the concept of Social Darwinism, wherein there is huge misinterpretation of the theory of evolution, especially that of the concept of fitness. One major issue of misinterpretation is that the followers of Social Darwinism strongly equate the word good to the condition of being highly evolved. Hence any individuals that are not behaving in a lawful manner such as criminals are immediately classified as individuals that belong to a lower level in the taxonomy of human evolution. This concept should thus be revisited so that the term fitness be only associated with physical fitness of an organism as it evolves through time. It should also be known that the fitness of an organism is strongly influenced by an environment, wherein an organism that lives in a harsh environment learns to survive in cruel ecological conditions, and in the case of human beings, in poor social and environmental conditions. Moral dispositions among human beings evolve through the process of natural selection, hence the results of evolution are simply considered to be that of the selfish trait. It is generally accepted that the human brain is comprised of structures that have evolved to follow that â€Å"either-or† way of thinking, wherein the mind is put in a blank non-thinking conditions and the rest of the functions of the brain are at an innate condition. There are also some genetic misinterpretations with regards to human nature, wherein there is so much attention on the transmission of intelligence and other superb human capabilities that is known be better understood that there is also a concept of determinism wherein an individual carries this need to be compassionate to other individuals because they feel a certain peace and tranquility in their bodies, including the brain and the heart. Thus there is an interaction between the environmental and the genes of an individual, resulting in the personality of an individual to sacrifice his own benefits for the good of others. The concept of eugenics thus can not be fully applied to human morality because this concept is affected by multiple factors, mainly by the genetic makeup of the individual, as well as the environmental effects on the physiological brainwork of an individual. Thus, it is very simple for an individual to refrain from stealing even if he is aware that stealing will provide him a source of funds for himself. Reference Crawford C and Salmon C (eds. ). (2004): Evolutionary Psychology, Public Policy and Personal Decisions. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.