Saturday, December 28, 2019

How to Make Magnetic Slime

Put a twist on the classic slime science project by making magnetic slime. This is slime that reacts to a strong magnetic field, like a ferrofluid, but its easier to control. Its easy to make, too. Here is what you do: Magnetic Slime Materials   white school glue (e.g., Elmers glue)liquid starchiron oxide powder  rare earth magnets Ordinary magnets are not strong enough to have much of an effect on magnetic slime. Try a stack of neodymium magnets for the best effect. Liquid starch is sold with laundry aids. Iron oxide is sold with scientific supplies and is available online. Magnetic iron oxide powder is also called powdered magnetite. Make Magnetic Slime You could simply mix the ingredients together at once, but once the slime polymerizes, it difficult to get the iron oxide to mix in evenly. The project works better if you mix the iron oxide powder with either the liquid starch or glue first. Stir 2 tablespoons of iron oxide powder into 1/4 cup of liquid starch. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth.Add 1/4 cup of glue. You can mix the slime together with your hands or you can wear disposable gloves if you dont want to get any black iron oxide dust on your hands.You can play with magnetic slime just like you would with regular slime, plus it is attracted to magnets and is viscous enough to blow bubbles Safety and Clean Up If you wrap the magnets with plastic wrap, you can keep the slime from sticking to them.Clean up slime using warm, soapy water.Do not eat the slime, since too much iron is not good for you.Do not eat magnets. There is a recommended age listed on magnets for this reason.This project is not suitable for young children  since they might eat slime or magnets. Ferrofluid is more liquid than magnetic slime, so it forms better-defined shapes when exposed to a magnetic field, while the silly putty is stiffer than the slime and can crawl slowly toward a magnet. All of these projects work best with rare earth magnets rather than iron magnets. For a strong magnetic field, use an electromagnet, which can be made by running an electric current through a coil of wire.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Battle of the Books Ethan Frome vs. Of Mice and Men...

Battle of the Books: Ethan Frome vs. Of Mice and MenMany novels are meant to be enjoyed by the reader as they are read. Some novels may relate to everyday relationships, while others may relate to society in general. Two authors that deal with these topics are Edith Wharton and John Steinbeck. Edith Wharton born Edith Newbold Jones to a wealthy family in New York combined her insiders view of Americas privileged classes with a brilliant, natural wit to write humorous and incisive novels and short stories. On the other hand, John Steinbeck, born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California spent his summers working on nearby ranches. His inspiration came from everyday life as a worker. Ethan Frome, the title character of Edith Whartons†¦show more content†¦The climax of this novel is when Ethan and Mattie confess their love for each other and decide to commit suicide by sledding into a large tree. The falling action was that Ethan and Mattie regain consciousness after crashin g into the tree; Ethan takes both of them in and cares for them into old age. His struggles are exacerbated by his surroundings such as Zeena his wife, the bleak Starkfield landscape, and his home which often takes on an oppressive quality. Mattie was Zeenas cousin and Ethans lover. This novel shows how even though Ethan and Zeena are married; Ethan loves Mattie more than he could possibly love Zeena. Its bad enough to see the two women sitting there - but his face, when he looks around that bare place, just kills me (Chapter 10). On the other hand, Of Mice and Men, a tragic fictional novel about two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression who were George Milton, intelligent and evil, but caring; and Lennie Small, an ironically named man of large stature and immense strength, but limited mental abilities come to a ranch near Soledad south-east of Salinas, California to. George may seem like a mean guy for example in this quote: Whatever we aint got, thats what you want. God amighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an work, an no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Contrast and Comparison to Medication †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Contrast and Comparison to Medication. Answer: Introduction According to Blank (2011), the medication error is one of the most common mistakes made during reporting errors in the emergency department. He further states that most of this errors occur during the administration phase of the patient to the hospital. The purpose of this study (Back to Basic) is meant to reduce the administration medical errors that often take place in the emergency department. This errors get handled by reinforcing the underlying administration medical procedures which will reduce the emergency errors in the department. The study took three months where 75% of out of the 127 nurses participated in the research, and the method that got used in the study was educational intervention. Moreover, the Do not interrupt" study aims at evaluating practical techniques that will decrease non-medical related interruptions of the nurses during administrating medication (Westbrook, 2017). The study took eight weeks where 227 nurses participated in the study, and they administer ed 4781 medications. The general purpose of this paper is to have an understanding of the two studies and how they relate to each other during medication administration. The purpose of the study was to reduce the number of administration medical errors that often happen in the emergency department. According to Blank (2011), the following review was a 3-month educational intervention which used a single group that was not randomized and comparisons made on the pre-post outcome of the results. The educational interventions made where to address the current medication errors experienced in the emergency department. The methods used in the response are IV administration and preventing errors and the relevant recommended practices that reduce medication administration errors. According to Huckles-Baumgart (2014), research on medication errors are usually focused on isolated phases within the medication administration process. On the study, 75 percent of the nurses out of a total number of 127 participated in the study and three measures were used during the pre and post-intervention of the survey (Blank, 2011). These methods were tests done to acquire kn owledge on the medical administration procedures and the use of the study to understand the behavior of the participants when the recommended medication got administered. Another method used was the use of chart reviews and voluntary error reports that gave understanding about the medical administration errors that often occur. According to Blank (2011), the findings of the study show that 91 percent of the nurses achieved a perfect score during the post-test while 69 percent received a perfect score during the pre-test. From the post-survey, the nurses in their significant proportions responded that they followed the recommended practice most of the time which increased during 8 out of 10 questions in the survey. However, the results found from the study did not reach the required statistical significance. On the other hand, during the chart review, the nurses scored 299 during the pre-test while 295 scored during the post-test which still revealed little change in the total medica tion errors. The survey method accounted for 25 percent of the findings of the research while 24 percent was on the charts review. In the voluntary report, the medication errors dropped by a significant number that is from 1.28 to 0.99 failures out of 1000 patients (Blank, 2011). Through the study, there were concerns about the effectiveness of the methods used, and this provided the clinicians with better policy-making ideas that would improve safety during medication administration (Acheampong, 2014). Critique of the Back to Basic Approach to Medication The use of educational intervention is certified as sufficient during the study because it provides improved knowledge on the recommended medication administering practices though it does not translate to be an essential change in medication administration practice. Furthermore, the method was fit for the study because it provided some variation within the three months. The sample size was 75% of the 127 nurses who participated in the survey was also sufficient for the study. Therefore, the survey and chart review as the internal validity of the study because they provide emphasis made by the research while the external validity can be referred to as the educational intervention used in the research study as the general method (Blank, 2011). However, the method used was not sufficient because it did not give the required change as expected when the research began. The purpose of the study was to reduce the number of interruptions that nurses of often face while administering medication. According to Westbrook (2017), a random survey of an eight parallel cluster is done in a major teaching hospital to understand the best method that can be used to reduce interruption of nurses when they are administering medication. During the study, randomization got done on four wards, and the interventions made were comprised of putting on a vest during medication administration and patient and nurse education. Furthermore, there were strategic measures put to divert any interruptions and creation of reminders. As the study commenced, the intervention got blinded to the control wards then direct structured observations were made on the administering medication processes. The primary findings of the study were not related to the medication interruptions when administering proper dose medication. The secondary results of the survey indicated the rate of multit asking and total interruptions conducted by the study of the nurses' experience (Westbrook, 2017). From the study, there was 4781 medications administered by 227 nurses over a span of 8 weeks (364.7 hours). Moreover, there were 57 interruptions out of 100 administrations that the nurses experienced during the period where 87.9 percent of the disruptions were not related to any of the medication tasks under observation (Westbrook, 2017). Moreover, there was a reduction in the number of non- related medication interruptions which were 50 out of the 100 administrations made. There was also reduction in the medication route and ward type in the control cluster that reduced by 15 of the unrelated medication interruptions out of 100 administrations. According to Westbrook (2017), this reduction was significant in that it had far reduced number compared to the control wards. The post-survey study was completed by 88 nurses while nurses in the intervention ward reported that the vests consu med a lot of time and cumbersome. The intervention was supported by 48 percent of the nurses for it to become hospital policy. The method that was used for the study was not sufficient because it did not provide the required change within the span of 8 weeks it was conducted. Furthermore, the sample size used was adequate for the study because 4781 medications were able to be administered by the 227 nurses who participated in the study. Moreover, the method which is the use intervention got associated with a significant reduction in the unrelated medication interruptions, and this reduction has a significant effect on the medication error rates. The internal validity of the study are the use of strategic measures put to prevent and interruptions, putting on of a vest during medication administration and nurse and patient education. The external validity of the research study was the randomization of four wards as the general method used in the research study. Comparison of the Two Approaches to Medication The Back to Basic' and Do not interrupt' approaches to medication have a significance in contributing to factors that affect the effective administration of medication to patients. For instance, during operations, some interruptions can occur, and the medical personnel got focused on administering medication which reduces the medication errors that may arise. According to Anderson (2010), drug information is also very crucial during the administration of medication on the patient. It can be related to the drug packaging and labeling which is essential in preventing any medication errors. For instance, some patients received an overdose of heparin drugs due to misleading labeling and packaging and this medication error resulted in the death of three infants. Another factor that may lead to clinical issues is the environment in which the medication gets administered. For example, a research conducted in Malta shows that 37 percent of the nurses agreed that physical tiredness was a key factor that led to medication errors when nurses got tired and ignored some of the procedures required before giving medication (Karavasiliadou, 2014). Moreover, observations made indicate that the rate at which medication errors reported as voluntary is low (Aronson, 2009). It means that the Do not Interrupt' approach had to occur first so as for the Back to Basic' approach happens because the error may occur during administering dosage to the patient. From this article, we can understand that Back to Basic' and Do not interrupt' approaches to medication have a connection in that the dosage administered must be inaccurate for the medication error to occur. The Do not Interrupt approach can be stated as the most significant method because its the one that often occurs in hospitals compared to the Back to Basic method. Furthermore, the Do not Interrupt approach is the one that often happens before the Back to Basic approach takes place. Therefore, it essential when nurses get updates about the medication errors that may have occurred in their facility so that they can understand the best ways of administering medication dosages thus preventing any mistakes from happening in the future. It is essential when nurses understand the errors that occur and the necessity of reporting them in case they occur (Svitlica, 2017). References Acheampong, F., Anto, B. P., Koffuor, G. A. (2014). Medication safety strategies in hospitalsa systematic review.International Journal of Risk Safety in Medicine,26(3), 117-131. Anderson, P., Townsend, T., CCRN-CMC, C. B. (2010). Medication errors.American Nurse Today, 23-27. Aronson,J.K. (2009) Medication errors: what they are, how they happen, and how to avoid them. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, Volume 102, Issue 8, 1 August 2009, Pages 513-521,https;//doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcpo52 Blank, F. S., Tobin, J., Macomber, S., Jaouen, M., Dinoia, M., Visintainer, P. (2011). A back to basics approach to reduce ED medication errors.Journal of emergency nursing,37(2), 141-147. Huckels?Baumgart, S., Manser, T. (2014). Identifying medication error chains from critical incident reports: a new analytic approach.The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology,54(10), 1188-1197. Karavasiliadou, S., Athanasakis, E. (2014). An inside look into the factors contributing to medication errors in the clinical nursing practice.Health science journal,8(1). Svitlica, B. B., Simin, D., Milutinovi?, D. (2017). Potential causes of medication errors: perceptions of Serbian nurses.International nursing review,64(3), 421-427. Westbrook, J. I., Li, L., Hooper, T. D., Raban, M. Z., Middleton, S., Lehnbom, E. C. (2017). Effectiveness of a Do not interruptbundled intervention to reduce interruptions during medication administration: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study.BMJ Qual Saf,26(9), 734-742.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Critical Overview of the Climate Change for Global Warming

Question: Discuss about theCritical Overview of the Climate Change for Global Warming. Answer: Introduction The aim of this paper is to discuss the issue of global warming as examined by Davidson. It documents and expounds the aspects of the factors that contribute to the factors that propel and exacerbate climate change, an assessment of climate change on our everyday lives and the planet and finally a range of recommendations that would be helpful in mitigating climate change. Causes of climate change Climate change is a burning issue and demands immediate attention. The temperature of Earth is contingent on the equipoise between entering and exiting the system of Earth. The energy from the sun known as the incoming energy keeps the surface of the Earth warm. Earth avoids warming when the energy from the sun is reflected back into the space. The Earth cools when the absorbed energy is liberated back into the space. Scientists have found that there has been a variation in the climate for a long time range (Redshaw et al., 2013). Climate change is also triggered. During the epoch of industrliazation, climate change was attributed to mostly natural factors like volcanic eruptions, solar energy and green house emissions. The Green House gases comprise of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and water vapour (H2O). The problem with greenhouse is that it makes the Earth warmer that the usual temperature of the Earth which is commonly known as the greenhouse effect. The composition of gre enhouse has severe implications on the environment. The absorption of carbon dioxide and its liberation is part of the natural carbon cycle through the respiration of animals and plants (Aldy Pizer, 2015). Apart from this, the plethora of human activities like combusting the fossil fuels and the transformations in the usage of land also liberate a wide amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It has been found that there has been an increase for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Another cause that triggers the presence of carbon dioxide is the volcanic eruption. It is estimated that the multifarious activities of human beings is responsible for the presence of over 30 billion tons of CO2 (Anderson, Hawkins Jones, 2016). Impact of climate change on our lives and the planet Davidson is of the view that scientists have not reached a consensus regarding the temperature sensitivity of the soil. The drastic change in the climate can pose pernicious health risks to the future generation as has been envisaged by the environmentalists and moral philosophers. One less discussed aspect of the change in climate is damage to properties. Pollution of the global atmosphere would portend to be damaging anything for the future generations (Davidson Janssens, 2006). Davidson believes that the present generation has the responsibility of not encroaching on the resources of the future generation. The environmental factors due to global warming is the melting of ice like the glaciers, mountains, ice sheets stretching over Greenland and West Antarctica and also the ice sheets on the Arctic sea. There has been a rise in the sea level due to the melting of icebergs and ice sheets. There has been a complete metamorphosis in the climatic conditions an increase in precipitatio n on the global level. The rise in global temperature has been detrimental for important species of fauna whereas beneficial for invasive species. For example, there has been a decline of Adelie penguins in the Antarctic region-their numbers have fallen from 32,000 to 11,000 over the last decade (Constable et al., 2014). On the other hand, there has been a proliferation in the growth of spruce bark beetles in Alaska that are known for consuming up spruce trees. It is predicted that there will an increase in natural disasters due to the effects of climate change. For example, floods, droughts, storms and hurricanes will become stronger if climate change is not mitigated. There is the prognosis that there will be a spread of malaria and the revival of the Zika virus (Global Climate Change, 2018. )Since there will be an alteration in the ecosystems, species that would not be able to migrate to compatible regions as a response to the climate change will extinct. Our power to combat climate change Human beings have the agency and the power to act sensibly to climate change. There needs to be a change in orientation in our everyday interaction with the environment. The first step is to subscribe to environment-friendly vehicles that would save and conserve energy. Cycling and walking can be a small step but it can go a long way in this initiative. In 2013, it was estimated that 44 per cent of the electric generation is an outcome of the renewable (Change, 2014). One can opt for battery chargers that can save $100 million of electricity bill and at the same time prevent the rise in greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Human beings should ensure that their activities have minimal effect on the environment. The use of low-carbon sinks is one such step. People can use renewable power alternatives generated from the natural energy. Improper method of garbage disposal in the landfills will trigger the production of methane gas (Greaver et al., 2016). Therefore, human beings need to judiciously dispose their waste may be through the composting of kitchen scraps or through garden trimmings. Travelling via air has pernicious effects on the environment and therefore, it is sensible to cut down on air travel. There is also a need to change the consumption pattern whether in terms of automobiles or food. Purchasing products in bulk amount can be useful in lowering the amount on plastic wrapping or other associated packaging materials. Conclusion The factors contributing to climate change is the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is one of the most important reason for the rise in global temperature and so as methane gas. The drastic change in climate poses threat to the destruction of various species on the planet. In the Antarctic and Greenland regions, there has been a massive melting of ice sheets and icebergs that will rise the sea level. The need of the hour is to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and reduce the adversities of climate change and will be beneficial for the future generations. References Aldy, J. E., Pizer, W. A. (2015). The competitiveness impacts of climate change mitigation policies.Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists,2(4), 565-595. Anderson, T. R., Hawkins, E., Jones, P. D. (2016). CO2, the greenhouse effect and global warming: from the pioneering work of Arrhenius and Callendar to today's Earth System Models.Endeavour,40(3), 178-187. Change, I. P. O. C. (2014). IPCC.Climate change. Constable, A. J., Melbourne?Thomas, J., Corney, S. P., Arrigo, K. R., Barbraud, C., Barnes, D. K., ... Davidson, A. T. (2014). Climate change and Southern Ocean ecosystems I: how changes in physical habitats directly affect marine biota.Global Change Biology,20(10), 3004-3025. Davidson, E. A., Janssens, I. A. (2006). Temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition and feedbacks to climate change.Nature,440(7081), 165. Global Climate Change. (2018).Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. Retrieved 28 March 2018, from https://climate.nasa.gov/ Greaver, T. L., Clark, C. M., Compton, J. E., Vallano, D., Talhelm, A. F., Weaver, C. P., ... Felker-Quinn, E. (2016). Key ecological responses to nitrogen are altered by climate change.Nature Climate Change,6(9), 836. Redshaw, C. H., Stahl-Timmins, W. M., Fleming, L. E., Davidson, I., Depledge, M. H. (2013). Potential changes in disease patterns and pharmaceutical use in response to climate change.Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B,16(5), 285-320.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Foreign Direct Investment The WritePass Journal

Foreign Direct Investment Foreign Direct Investment IntroductionPolitical Perspectives  Theories of Foreign Direct Investment Impacts of FDI on Host Country EconomiesImportance of FDI Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Economies Examples of Foreign Direct Investment ConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction Foreign direct investment (FDI) occurs when a foreign investor exerts direct control over domestic assets. It normally consists of an international capital flow from the home country to a host country for the purpose of acquiring partial or full ownership of tangible business activity. Technically, it is the book value of the equity held by the foreign investor that is attached to the asset. In most cases, the asset is a firm in a developed country, such as the United States, and the equity consists of two components: ordinary (common stock) and retained earnings. If both foreign and domestic investors own the common stock, then only a portion held by foreign investors is considered to be FDI, and if only a threshold percentage is attained, that is deemed to give the foreign investor control of the business. In the United States, this threshold is 10%, but some countries establish a higher minimum level of stock ownership, usually 25% (Aliber 2003, pp. 91). Foreign investment can take place in two ways: Foreign investors can establish new firms overseas, which they control, or foreign investors can acquire controlling interests in the previously established domestic firms, or spin-offs of such firms. FDI as a vehicle of transnationalization is a major contributor of economic development. Transnational corporations (TNCs) act as significant transmitters of economic, social, cultural, and political change into different countries, sectors, and motivations. TNCs take advantage of geographical differences in the distribution of factors of production (natural resources, capital, labor, etc.) and local policies (taxes, trade incentives, subsidies, etc.). Other than FDI, TNCs engage in various kinds of collaborative ventures by which they coordinate and control transactions within geographically dispersed production networks (Borensztein et al. 2008, pp. 115). Resulting from these ventures, the global economy is envisaged as linking together t wo sets of networks: (1) Organizational (in the form of production circuits and networks) and (2) Geographical (which include localized clusters of economic activity). Political Perspectives Since FDI requires the flow of capital across national borders, it has always been intertwined with politics. Viewed in this way, three different political perspectives to FDI can be identified: radical view, free market view, and pragmatic nationalism. The radical view, which can be traced back to Marxism, treats FDI as a vehicle for exploitation of domestic resources, industries and people. Those governments who hold a radical view are hostile to FDI and therefore are in favor of nationalizing foreign firm assets or putting into place mechanisms to discourage inbound foreign firms operations (Braconier et al. 2005, pp 313). The free market view, on the other hand, is more in favor of FDI and promotes its rationale not least because it enables countries to tap into their absolute or comparative advantages by specializing in the production of certain goods and services. According to the free market view, FDI can be regarded as a win-win situation for both home and host countries. Whi le prior to and during the 1980s the radical-based view FDI was more common in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, the free market-based FDI is now more influential across the world and in particular in emerging economies such as Brazil, India, and China (Braunerhjelm 2005, pp. 119). Finally, the third view, which reflects the current dominant perspective toward FDI and is practiced by most countries around the world, is called pragmatic nationalism. Based on a pragmatic nationalism political view, FDI is only approved when its benefits outweigh its costs. For example, this view holds that FDI in the Chinese auto industry should only take the form of a joint venture (JV). By adopting such restrictive policies, the Chinese government helps the domestic auto industry learn from their foreign counterparts (Buckley and Hashai 2004, pp. 61).    Theories of Foreign Direct Investment There are several theories that attempt to account for foreign aid. The prevailing ones include Dunnings eclectic approach and the product cycle. John Dunnings eclectic paradigm emphasizes the critical role of geographical location in understanding the complex nature of TNC behavior. The location aspect, as encapsulated in this theory, suggests three primary motivations: (1) foreign-market-seeking FDI, (2) Efficiency (cost reduction)-seeking FDI, and (3) resource-seeking or strategic-asset-seeking FDI. In general, a firms motivations to be transnational can be classified into two categories: (1) Market orientation, which pertains to marketing, sales, or production designed to serve a specific geographical market, and (2) Asset orientation, when most of the assets required by a firm to produce and sell specific goods and services have an uneven geographic distribution, especially in the natural resources industry. For a TNC to invest successfully abroad, it must possess advantages that no other firm has, the country it wishes to invest in should offer location advantages, and it must be capable of internalizing operations. Internalization tends to become synonymous with the ability of firms to exercise control over operations essential for the exploitation of ownership and location advantages (Yeung 2007, pp. 1). Raymond Vernon introduced the â€Å"locational† aspect to the product life cycle concept, which in the original form had no spatial connotation. First advanced in the mid 1960s, it emanated from the premise that the United States possessed comparative advantage in product innovation. To maximize production flexibility and minimize uncertainties in the early stages of a products life cycle, firms develop innovations for and introduce them to large high-income domestic markets but eventually set up foreign production facilities in other advanced economies to defend their monopolistic advantages resulting from an innovational lead. This also happens because, as products become more standardized, they get more price sensitive and firms turn to low-cost less developed countries (LDCs) to maximize profits. Vernon describes the phases as revolving around product development, product growth, product maturation, and product standardization. Impacts of FDI on Host Country Economies However, not all FDI is always in the best interest of the host country. Some nations have been increasingly viewing TNCs as a threat to economic autonomy. At times, they tend to be responsible for exerting negative influences on the host economy, for example, crowding out domestic firms and suppressing domestic enterprises. Profit maximization is inherently linked with maximization of efficiency and not necessarily with national, economic, and social goals. From the perspective of TNCs, various decisions have to be taken that can affect their effective working in the country- mainly since they operate in different economic, political, social, and cultural environments (Trevino and Upadhyaya 2003, pp. 45). A lot is said as to why firms choose to transnationalize rather than simply export their products. Two of the reasons commonly cited are that (1) Competition is extremely global and volatile and (2) It creates an environment wherein advantages are rapidly created and eroded. Firms increasingly compete not with rivals on a national level but across the globe. Higher sales and profits result from foreign subsidiaries because domestic markets, where the company started, tend to get saturated over time and it is fruitful to conquer foreign markets with more potential consumers than in the home country. The information technology revolution, which began in the United States in the 1980s, was an important source of structural change in the international economic and business environment affecting FDI. There was a sudden upsurge in asset-seeking direct investment in the United States. Foreign companies, chiefly European, were responsible for a gamut of mergers and acquisitions with U.S. companies- primarily with those possessing advanced technology or marketing prowess. The size and growth of the U.S. and Chinese markets have made these countries primary destinations for foreign companies using FDI as a stimulus for profits (Graham Marchick 2006, pp. 277). Importance of FDI FDI has been known to provide a longer-term contribution to GDP and income growth, as against bank loans and portfolio investments. The long-term perspective of FDI makes it relatively less volatile. FDI is considered to be an important carrier facilitating the spread of technology and is said to contribute to growth in a much wider way than domestic investment. The contribution of FDI is enhanced due to the interactions with human capital in the host country (Dunning Gugler 2008, pp. 113). Furthermore, FDI is said to expand the level of know-how in the host country through training and skill acquisition. Summarily, the four basic reasons why companies establish subsidiaries in foreign countries are (1) Gaining access to natural resources, (2) Protecting or expanding sales in lucrative markets, (3) Seeking low-cost production, and (4) Acquiring strategic assets. The United Nations, the European Union, and Japan have been the main sources and recipients of FDI for the past several decades. From 1998 to 2000, these three units together accounted for 75% of global FDI inflows. In totality, a countrys climate for FDI is built by factors such as relatively accommodative government policies- covering trade barriers and regulation of capital inflows; quality of governance; political stability; presence of laws and regulations; macroeconomic, fiscal, monetary, and industrial policies; and quality of infrastructure. Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Economies The United States continues to be the largest FDI host country, with about US$2791.3 billion in 2007. The outward investment position increased to US$336.6 billion. Among the outward investments, about US$16.1 billion (3.1%) went to Ireland and US$4.2 billion (3%) to Singapore. Chart 1.1 China’s total foreign investments inflows According to U.S.-China Business Council, among emerging economies, Chinas role as an investor country has been highlighted in the past few years. By 2004, China was the eighth most favored FDI source among developing countries. The liberalization of Chinese FDI policy in 1992 led to increased Chinese outward direct investment (ODI). The growth in Chinese ODI policy developments was driven by cautious internalization, government encouragement, expansion and regulation, implementation of a â€Å"go global† policy, and heightened domestic competitive pressures, which led to the opening up of protected industries and markets to foreign and domestic competitors (2008, pp. 81). A comparative advantage as a manufacturing hub and a firm-specific advantage such as state-ownership of a large part of an industry further stimulate this growth. Chinese ODI has been positively associated with Chinese exports to the host country (the former promoting the latter), a moderate demand of inflation, and rising levels of political risk in the host country. A distinctive feature that remains with China as against other emerging economies is that many of its multinational enterprises remain in state hands, although corporatized to focus on commercial objectives. Table 1.2 Top 10 FDI inflows. Chinas overall FDI inflows stood at US$82.7 billion, an increase from US$69.47 billion. The top 10 FDI inflows were mainly from Hong Kong, the British islands, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and the United States, amounting to about US$3 billion in 2006 and about US$2.62 billion in 2007. According to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) of the Peoples Republic of China, the outbound nonfinancial FDI for the first half of 2007 reached US$7.8 billion, while for the full year in 2006; it was US$21.2 billion. Of this, 86% was provided by central government sources. Most of Chinas ODI flowed to 172 destinations, which included Latin America and Asia. In India, the overall record of macroeconomic stability, a sizable domestic market, and a relatively high degree of political stability has attracted large volumes of FDI. The foreign investment in India during 2007–2008 was driven by FDI and portfolio investment inflows. FDI inflows in India increased from US$9.17 billion in 2005–2006 to US$22.95 billion in 2006–2007 and US$34.92 billion in 2007–2008. India emerged as the second most favored FDI destination after China in 2005 and 2006. During these years, investments through Mauritius remained the largest component, followed by Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Inflows from the United States stood at the sixth position at US$3.46 billion in 2005–2006, US$7.06 billion in 2006–2007, and US$4.86 billion in 2007–2008. Sectorwise, these inflows were mainly directed to financial services, construction, and manufacturing. On the other hand, ODIs from India increased from US$13.5 billion during 2006–2007 to US$17.9 billion during 2007–2008 and flowed mainly into the manufacturing sector (Dicken 2007, pp. 191). Within the European Union, Ireland is fast emerging as the most FDI-intensive economy in Europe and a global competitor to RD investment. Since the 1990s, Irelands economic development policies, which have encouraged Greenfield investments by foreign companies in manufacturing and service sectors so as to produce output for export markets, and the establishment of upstream linkages between foreign and indigenous companies and the creation of industrial clusters with them have stimulated an export-led growth of the manufacturing sector. In Singapore, another emerging FDI destination, the total ODI was recorded at US$406.7 billion in 2005 and US$484.1 billion in 2006. Financial services and manufacturing have been major draws for Singapore companies venturing abroad. In 2005 and 2006, Singapore invested about US$9.8 billion and US$8.5 billion in the U.S. market. The FDI inflow in Singapore was at US$323.8 billion and US$363.9 billion, the FDI inflow from the United States alone constit uting about 10% of this inflow. The current scale, proliferation, and importance of collaborative ventures between firms across boundaries have brought out the significance of transnational strategic alliances between firms (especially competing firms). Strategic alliances are formal agreements between firms to pursue specific strategic objectives in order to enable them to achieve specific goals. It involves sharing of risks and rewards. For RD ventures, for example, cooperation is limited to research into new products and technologies, while manufacturing and marketing remain the responsibility of individual firms (Cohen 2007, pp. 171). Globalization, technological advances, and the emergence of new players have propelled a change in FDI movement. Globalization, by removing most of the natural and artificial barriers to cross-border information flows and transactions, has widened locational choice options for firms. By lowering transport, communication, and distribution costs, technological advances have helped overcome many obstacles to overcome space. Examples of Foreign Direct Investment Venture capital, seed capital, and other types of direct investment play an important role in the development of nanotechnology by providing the funding for entrepreneurs to develop commercial products based on the nanotechnology, and establish themselves as for-profit businesses. As of June 2009 the Website www.nanotech-now.com listed over 100 funding sources for nanotechnology businesses. An example of a seed capital firm is MMEI (Molecular Manufacturing Enterprises Incorporated), a privately held corporation that provides funding at the early stages of product development in molecular nanotechnology: for example, in developing a laboratory-bench model into a working prototype that could be used to attract venture capital. A different type of service is provided by Silicon Valley Nano Ventures: they help make connections between investors and businesses and charge fees for successful transactions that may include a percentage of the transaction and/or stock or options in the compan y. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is increasingly important in the global economy, but the term denotes more than simply a direct investment made by a foreign investor. Specifically, FDI refers to a case of a company in one country establishing an enterprise in another country- such as Coca-Cola opening a plant in Mexico, Volkswagen opening a factory in Detroit, Intel opening a chip fabrication plant in Taiwan, and so on. Foreign direct investment is a vital part of the economic relationships between countries, and in particular can be a key to attract for developing or industrializing countries. Though the largest amounts of capital are involved in direct foreign investment among the industrialized countries (or â€Å"Global North†), direct foreign investment from industrialized countries to developing countries (or â€Å"Global South†) is a matter of constant discussion among international bodies like the World Trade Organization, and is seen as (at least potentially) a beneficial arrangement for both sides (Aliber 2003, pp. 94). Typically, the subsidiary established by a foreign direct investor is a factory or other manifestation of the foreign companys global presence, but it can include real estate holdings (and often does, in the case of businesses in the hotel and hospitality industry) and businesses unrelated to the foreign companys ordinary business. Foreign ownership may not always be apparent to the public. In the United States, the public is generally not aware that national supermarket chains and major breweries are owned by foreign-based multinational corporations. Because foreign direct investment involves money coming into a nations economy from outside, there are often incentives offered by the local government to encourage it, particularly when the FDI does not pose a competitive threat to domestic industry. There may be tax incentives, special regulatory exceptions, or subsidies provided for job training in order to create domestic jobs and disincentives the importation of foreign employees or infrastructure subsidies (Cohen 2007, pp. 176). Singapore provides a good example of a government successfully attracting FDI to develop commercial nanotechnology. Singapore is a small and densely populated Asian nation with a strong central government and a high standard of living, but has not historically been known as a center of scientific innovation. In order to overcome this handicap and create a biotechnology industry able to compete with the United States and Europe, the Singapore government has been involved in establishing biomedical science centers since the 1980s, including the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, whose current research projects include developing nanocomposite materials for solar cell applications and nanofoams to be used in human bone replacement and repair. Singapore has been successful in attracting foreign investment in these centers, in part through the provision of financial incentives, a strong infrastructure, regulatory policies that favor business and the availability of a well-edu cated workforce. Among the companies who have invested in the biomedical industry in Singapore are GlaxoSmith-Kline, Schering-Plough, Merck, Genencor, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb. Conclusion Foreign direct investments is a long-term capital flow or investment in which a non-resident entity has significant management control of voting stock (10% or more) over an enterprise in a foreign or host country. Unlike short-term capital flows, foreign direct investment (FDI) is not immediately susceptible to reversibility. The bulk of FDI activities in developing countries are undertaken by multinational or transnational corporations. A transnational corporation is a firm that is head quartered in a home country but controls assets of enterprises that are central to its profitability in foreign or host countries. References Aliber, R. (2003), the multinational paradigm. Cambridge: MIT Press, pp. 91-98 Borensztein, E., De Gregorio, J. , and Lee, J.-W. (2008), How does foreign direct investment affect economic growth? Journal of International Economics vol. 45 pp. 115–135 Braconier, H., Norback, P., and Urban D. (2005), â€Å"Multinational Enterprises and Wage Costs: Vertical FDI Revisited,† Journal of International Economics v.67/2 , pp 313 Braunerhjelm, P., Oxelheim L., and Thulin P., (2005), â€Å"The Relationship between Domestic and Outward Foreign Direct Investment,† International Business Review v.14, pp. 119-131 Cohen, S. (2007). Multinational corporations and foreign direct investment: Avoiding simplicity, embracing complexity. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 171-77 Dicken, P. (2007). Global shift: Mapping the changing contours of the world economy. New York: Guilford Press, pp. 191-204 Dunning, J., Gugler, P. (2008), Foreign direct investment, location and competitiveness, Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 113-119 Graham, E. , Marchick, D. (2006). US national security and foreign direct investment, Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics, 277 P. Buckley and N. Hashai (2004), â€Å"A Global System View of Firm Boundaries,† Journal of International Business Studies v.35, pp. 61-69 Trevino, L. and Upadhyaya, K. (2003), Foreign aid, FDI and economic growth: Evidence from Asian countries. Transnational Corporations vol. 12 pp. 45–72 U.S.-China Business Council, (2008), foreign investment in China, Washington, DC: Author, pp. 81 Yeung, H. (2007), from followers to market leaders: Asian electronic firms in the global economy, Asia Pacific Viewpoint vol. 48 pp. 1–25.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Reading Response - Essay Example He says that poverty is an indication of ignorance and crime. After he saw three handcuffed men being taken away, he that they were not rich men and without knowing their criminal offence, he knew that poverty had contributed to their misery. He then says that poverty contributes to nine tenths of the human miseries. He holds that poverty is a crime since it seems to him that majority of those suffering from poverty are not poor due to their own faults, but as a result of conditions that have been created by the whole society. It is a mans decision if he chooses to be poor but when others are involved, he is responsible for the criminality. He says it is true on the analogy of the priest and the man selling soap. The man would rather be that poor doing dubious business to provide for his family than to have his soul saved. He says that poverty is not brought about the natural means but by the human actions evident when people seek shelter and children with the women suffering the mos t. Poverty problem is not noticed in nature but in a civilized world. He says that the root cause of poverty is primary injustice and the monopolization of land. He is logical in his speech. He differentiates crime from being poor when he states that poverty is a crime but being poor is not a crime and murder is a crime but being murdered is not a crime. He also explains that poverty is curse for both the rich and the poor; they all live in the same areas and breathe the poverty since it is like air. He argues that forcing poverty to other people is a crime and blames the society for the poor conditions of poverty. He defends the poor but also argues that they are partly responsible for poverty. He also uses logic when he states that poverty is a result of injustice and monopolization of land that has enslaved others in the name of freedom. George uses pathos when he argues that poverty would not have been a crime if it was divine but