Impact of Tariffs on U.S Trade and Economy

Impact of Tariffs on U.S Trade and Economy Abstract This paper analyzes current trade tariffs in the United States and their impact on trade and the overall economy.   It notes that the United States has, over the past three decades, engaged in more open approach to trading with trading agreements like NAFTA.   Although such agreements have had negative effects in jobs losses in certain economic sectors, it has been beneficial in growing trade among the signatories of the agreement.   The paper also notes that the United States has some of the lowest tariffs overall with trade-weighted import tariff at 2% for industrial goods which constitutes 90% of all imports.   The consequences of the liberal trade approach have been the continued increase in American trade deficit that topped $811 billion in 2017.   In spite of the growing trade deficit, the United States has remained has the largest economy and has grown robustly over the decades with the exception of considerable slowdown after the financial crisis. There are ongoing concerns as noted in regard to the trade spat with China that could lead to the imposition of tariffs and counter-tariffs potentially leading to full-scale trade war which would negatively affect the economies of both nations. Existing uncertainty also impacts investment in sectors that are geared towards exports and could lead to lower than projected economic performance.  Ã‚   Impact of Import and Export Tariffs on U.S. Trade and Economy A trade tariff is one form of trade protectionism that is employed by nations creating a barrier to trade.   There are a range of reasons including encouraging local product that prompts governments to impose trade barriers including trade tariffs.   This paper evaluates existing trade tariffs in the United States (U.S.) and their impact on the country’s trade and economy.   It utilizes practical examples of the application of the concept of trade tariffs and economic impact. Current Trade Tariffs on U. S. Imports and Exports Trade barriers are imposed for several reasons. Some of the reasons are: protecting local jobs, protecting newer industries, encouraging local production, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, reducing payment problems, and promoting exporting (Collinson, Narula, & Rugman, 2016).   There are a range of trade barriers including: price-based barriers, quotas, and tariffs. Each of these trade barriers is applied relative to efficacy in meeting intended consequences.   There are other measures such as: international pricing (cartels like OPEC), non-tariff barriers via rules and regulations, foreign investment controls, and exchange controls (Collinson, Narula, & Rugman, 2016, 2012).   A tariff is a tax on goods that are shipped internationally (Collinson, Narula, & Rugman, 2016, 2012, p.177). It is a commonly utilized trade barrier.   It serves the purpose of anti-dumping and protecting specific industries. Tariffs that can be imposed include: import tariff, export tariff (least used), transit tariff, specific tariff, ad valorem tariff, and compound (combines specific and ad valorem tariffs) tariffs (Collinson, Narula, & Rugman, 2016, 2012).   Ad valorem and specific tariffs are the most commonly used trade tariffs.   The intention is largely to regulate import volumes.   Trade flows are impacted by: inflation, national income, government policies, and exchange rates (Madura, 2011).   Ã‚  According to United States Trade Representative [USTR] (2018), approximately 96% of all imports are industrial goods which are non-agricultural.   The country has a trade-weighted import tariff of 2% on all industrial goods (USTR, 2018).   It mostly employs either specific or ad valorem tariffs; more than 50% of all industrial goods imports enter the country duty free (USTR, 2018).   The United States has largely maintained open markets to international trade. Ad valorem tariffs are based on the percentage of imported goods value with specific tax based on number of shipped items (Collinson, Narula, & Rugman, 2016, 2012).   Industrial goods imported into the United States include: machinery, chemicals, autos, clothing and textile, leather and footwear, and petroleum among others (USTR, 2018).   A significant proportion of the goods are imported due to trade agreements.   There are multiple bilateral and multilateral agreements. The country has multiple bilateral trade agreements with countries like Korea, Peru, and Singapore.   It has multilateral trade agreements including Central America/Dominican Republic FTA (CAFTA/DR) and NAFTA.   They are designed to expand opportunities for United States workers/businesses globally and reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers.   The country is able to impose limited specific tariffs with the advantage being greater access to export markets.    According to World Bank (2018), the value of United States exports was $1.45 trillion and total value of imports was $2.25 billion in 2016.   The country exported 4,563 products to 223 countries and imported 4,558 products from 220 countries (World Bank, 2018).   Consumer goods were the largest imports followed by capital goods, intermediate goods, and raw materials. The bulk of the country’s (96%) were industrial goods (USTR, 2018).   The country’s top five export markets are: Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and United Kingdom (World Bank, 2018).   The top five import markets are: China, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Germany (World Bank, 2018).   Canada and Mexico are members of NAFTA along with the United States.   The economic syndicate was established with the intention of reducing trade barriers between the three nations and is currently being reviewed by of the United States. NAFTA eliminated most non-tariff barriers and gradually reduced import and export tariffs between the three countries (Komar, Uniiat, & Lutsiv, 2016).   By 2008, all trade tariffs existing between the three NAFTA members were eliminated.   In addition, agricultural exports that attracted 12% customs rate became duty free (Komar, Uniiat, & Lutsiv, 2016).   It led to massive increase in trade between the nations and boosted inter-country relationships.   There is obligation on each member to maintain the principles of the agreement with few exceptions that would allow for imposition of tariffs (Komar, Uniiat, & Lutsiv, 2016).   Canada and Mexico have since become among the three largest trading partners for United States.   China is the largest trading partner of the United States (Romei, 2018).   The size of trade relates to the $506 billion in exports to the United States (Ip, 2018). The bulk of Chinese imports including: cellular/wireless phones, portable computing equipment, and communication products that are imported duty free.   The recent move to impose tariffs on Chinese imports does not affect the top five imports (Romei, 2018).   United States imposed varying tariffs on 1,333 goods from China with China retaliating by imposing 25% specific tariffs on 106 American-made products (Romei, 2018).   In 2017, the value of Chinese exports to United States totaled $506 billion or 4% of GDP while United States exported goods worth $130 billion to China representing 0.7% of GDP (Ip, 2018).   The American tariffs on the 1,333 imports goods was about 25% for total goods valued at $50 billion are pending trade negotiation (Davis, Zumbrun, & Wei, 2018).   They come on top of previous 25% tariffs on Chinese steel imports and 10% tariffs on aluminum (Davis, Zumbrun, & Wei, 2018). United States has signaled the intention to levy further tariffs.   The administration has threatened to impose an additional $60 billion worth of tariffs (Davis, 2018). In addition, it also intends to tighten restrictions on technology transfers and acquisitions (Davis, 2018).   These measures are geared towards reducing the $375 billion trade deficit by at least $100 billion (Davis, Zumbrun, & Wei, 2018).   The United States has preferential trade arrangements with the European Union with Germany and United Kingdom being its largest trading partners in the economic alliance.   However, the current American administration has also threatened to impose tariffs on a range of European imports (Bershidsky, 2018).   The goods that United States has threatened to impose a 25% import tariff on are: steel, cars, and aluminum (Bershidsky, 2018).   European Union threatening counter-tariffs with ad valorem tariffs at 25% on cosmetics, Harley Davidson motorcycles, bourbon, and jeans (Bershidsky, 2018).   The United States has refrained from imposing import tariffs until recently. The current moves have been politically motivated, presumably to address trade imbalance. It has an effective trade-weighted import tariff of 20% with 50% of imported goods entering the country duty free (USTR, 2018).   United States has leveraged on bilateral and multilateral trade agreements largely to enable its firms and people access more markets.   The recent administration has upended previous trade policies and in addition to imposing tariffs on selected products from China in particular, and is currently renegotiating NAFTA.   The progress of the renegotiation will be evident in the next few months and potential application of tariffs. Impact of the Trade Tariffs on U. S. Trade and Economy Free trade has led to significant trade deficits with most of the largest trading partners. The more noticeable trend is the widening deficit that the United States has experienced in trading with China.   Since 1998 with the exception of 2010, the trade deficit has continued to widen to reach $375 billion in 2017 (Davis, Zumbrun, & Wei, 2018).   The United States only have a trade surplus with Africa and South and Central America with low trading volumes between them (Romei, 2018).   According to Romei (2018), the United States had a trade deficit of $811 billion in 2017 and was up $59 billion year-on-year.   China accounted for $376 billion or 46.4% of the trade deficit (Romei, 2018).   Pierce & Schott (2016) noted that reducing of trade tariffs between United States and China after the latter’s ascension to WTO led to significant reduction in manufacturing employment.  Ã‚   The implication is that China has greater access to the American market. Industries exposed to changes following the elimination of tariffs shifted towards more Chinese imports with gradual shift towards less labor-intensive production (Pierce & Schott, 2016).   There was accelerated mechanization and automation of production.   A similar pattern was not experienced with policy stability with the European Union.   Thus, proliferation of free trade agreements has had varying effects on depending on particular trading relationships.   Cherkashin et al., (2015) noted that trade preferences including reduction of tariffs offered by one country had positive spillover effects to others in reference to trade between the United States and Bangladesh.   They noted that counterfactual agreements promoted exports of intermediate goods especially when applied at later stages of production.   In the case of trade with Bangladesh, there was the strengthening of production capabilities of the country.   China has had significant advantage in the size and cost of labor impacting manufacturing in the United States. Trade barriers like tariffs and quotas are additive and increase the median price by up to 14% according to Irarrazabal, Moxnes, & Opromolla (2015).   They noted that â€Å"an additive import tariffs reduces welfare and trade by more than an equal-yield multiplicative tariff† (Irarrazabal, Moxnes, & Opromolla, 2015).   Tariff changes impacts how industries operates. American firms took advantage of cheaper production costs in China to increase imports at lower costs.   In China, the reduction in import tariffs following its entry to the WTO changed the structure and organization of ordinary exports and processing trade (Brandt & Morrow, 2017).   It has been a contributing factor in the ballooning trade deficit between United States and China.   Cut in input tariffs increased Chinese content in exports (Brandt & Morrow, 2017).   There was the realization that the country could not only produce intermediate goods but finished goods as well. Some firms produce intermediate products in certain markets and then re-export them for finishing (Manova & Yu, 2016; Bai, Krishna, & Ma, 2017; Jà ¤kel & Smolka, 2017).   Increasing importance of factors of production influenced international trade.   Factor abundance from free trade policies and factor prices change via policies such as trade tariffs influence trade structure in different countries (Jà ¤kel & Smolka, 2017). Thus, the impact varies from country to country.   Economic policies have significant economic impact, such as fast growth of South Korea through reduction in trade tariffs and bilateral FTA with the United States (Connolly & Yi, 2015).   Trade policy uncertainty impacts investment even in low tariffs trade regimes (Handley, Kyle, & Limà £o, 2015).   Posturing among countries during negotiation creates such uncertainties. The current trade squabble between the United States and China is one such example. The posturing between United States and China as well as other trading partners threatens to reduce investment in the economy.   Ã‚  Handley, Kyle, & Limà £o (2015) noted that the level of export investment during periods of uncertainty was lower. Free trade agreements have had positive impact from an overall perspective in promoting trade (Cooper, 2014).   The influence of having bilateral and multilateral FTAs is that it creates certainty that promotes investment.   In the United States, there has been concern about the impact of FTAs on employment. According to CoÅŸar, Guner & Tybout (2016)   the trade-off in regard to open economies is higher national income and higher unemployment.   Higher unemployment is countered by labor market reforms reducing aggregate job turnover (Guner & Tybout, 2016).   Despite losing jobs in certain industries, the United States has gained in overall employment boost. In analyzing the Brazilian economy, Dix-Carneiro & Kovak (2017) noted that regions that had significant cuts in trade tariffs experienced declines in formal employment and lower earnings.   Liberalization is generally positive from a national perspective but adversely affects certain areas relying specific commodities.   It informs the need for countries to have the ability to impose specific tariffs.   The United States has applied such tariffs to protect the steel industry.   Therefore, there are counter-effects that are specific to different regions depending on the structure of trade relationship.   Trade liberalization has also been positive for enhancing corporate social responsibility (Flammer, 2014).    The United States having liberalized its economy with few import tariffs has experienced significant increase in trading deficits with major trading partners. Even with the ballooning trade deficit with China, it has greater leverage (Ip, 2018).   The driving factor with the increased trade deficit that United States has experienced with China is driven by American consumers.   However, the comparative size of the imports relative to each country’s GDP favors United States at 0.7% compared to China’s 4% (Ip, 2018).   In the event of imposition of widespread trade tariffs, China is likely to be impacted more.   The current situation creates uncertainty for both countries in the industries that have been targeted. There are worries notably in the automotive industry about NAFTA renegotiation and trade issues with China. The negative impact of trade tariffs is that they increase the cost of goods which directly impacts the consumers.   The level of trade imbalance that has been created by liberalization of trade has been significant in the context of the trade between United States and China.   The country has trade deficits with close trading partners in NAFTA due to factors of production.   It has created political concerns about trade fairness and potential negative economic impact.   Mexico is a cheaper production alternative to American automakers which has been the bone of contention in the renegotiation of NAFTA.   The current standoff between United States and China is likely to persist.   China has indicated that it will only make the tariffs effective in circumstances where the United States does the same (Romei, 2018).   Therefore, the measured approach to the trade now could simmer for some time prior to any settlement negotiations.   China is waiting for the signal from United States prior to actualizing the tariffs creating uncertainty.   There are existing discrepancies in the trade deficit with the European Union due to skewed bilateral agreements (Bershidsky, 2018).   The reality is that the trade deficit could slow down due to imposition of tariffs. There could beneficial negotiations that eliminate the tariffs.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion The United States has accumulated significant trade deficits with its largest trading partners.   The deficit has been increasing but has not negatively impacted economic growth.   The threat of trade tariffs could upend relationships, creating uncertainty and impacting global value chains.   In the end, the United States remains as the most important consumer markets.   The purposed tariffs by the U.S. and from the U.S will have a huge effect on the economy of the United States and China but also the rest of the globe. References Bai, X., Krishna, K., & Ma, H. (2017). How You Export Matters: Export Mode, Learning, and Productivity in China. Journal of International Economics, 104, pp. 122 – 137. Bershidsky, L. (2018). The Effects of Tariffs and Counter-Tariffs would be smaller than the Bilateral Discrepancies in EU – U.S. Trade Statistics. Retrieved 24 April 2018 from https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-03-06/trump-s-trade-war-ignores-basic-eu-us-trade-statistics Brandt, L., & Morrow, P. M. (2017). Tariffs and the Organization of Trade in China. Journal of International Economics, 104, pp. 85 – 103. Cherkashin, I., Demidova, S., Kee, H. L., & Krishna, K. (2015). Firm Heterogeneity and Costly Trade: A New Estimation Strategy and Policy Experiments. Journal of International Economics, 96 (1), pp. 18 – 36. Collinson, S., Narula, R., & Rugman, A. M. (2016). International Business (7th Ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited. Connolly, M., & Yi, K-M. (2015). How Much of South Koreas Growth Miracle Can Be Explained by Trade Policy? American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 7 (4), pp. 188 – 221. Cooper, W. H. (2014). Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy. Current Politics and Economics of the United States, 16 (3), pp. 425 – 445. CoÅŸar, A. K., Guner, N., & Tybout, J. (2016). Firm Dynamics, Job Turnover, and Wage Distributions in an Open Economy. American Economic Review, 106 (3), pp. 625 – 663. Davis, B., Zumbrun, J., & Wei, L. (2018). U.S. Announces Tariffs on $50 Billion of China Imports. Retrieved 24 April 2018 from https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-announces-tariffs-on-50-billion-of-china-imports-1522792030 Dix-Carneiro, R., & Kovak, B. K. (2017). Trade Liberalization and Regional Dynamics. American Economic Review, 107 (10), pp. 2908 – 2946. Flammer, C. (2014). Does Product Market Competition Foster Corporate Social Responsibility? Evidence from Trade Liberalization. Strategic Management Journal, 36 (10), pp. 1469 – 1485. Handley, K., & Limà £o, N. (2015). Trade and Investment under Policy Uncertainty: Theory and Firm Evidence. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 7 (4), pp. 189 – 222.   Ip, G. (2018). Leverage Will Determine if China or the U.S. Come Out on Top in Trade Conflict. Retrieved 24 April 2018 from https://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2018/04/05/leverage-will-determine-if-china-or-the-u-s-come-out-on-top-in-trade-conflict/ Irarrazabal, A., Moxnes, A., & Opromolla, L. D. (2015). The Tip of the Iceberg: A Quantitative Framework for Estimating Trade Costs. Review of Economics and Statistics, 97 (4), pp. 777 – 792. Jà ¤kel, I. C., & Smolka, M. (2017). Trade Policy Preferences and Factor Abundance. Journal of International Economics, 106, pp. 1 – 19. Komar, N., Uniiat, A., & Lutsiv, R. (2016). Efficiency of the North American Free Trade Zone. Journal of European Economy, 15 (3), pp. 280 – 292. Madura, J. (2018). International Financial Management (13th Ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Manova, K., & Yu, Z. (2016). How Firms Export: Processing vs. Ordinary Trade with Financial Frictions. Journal of International Economics, 100, pp. 120 – 137. Pierce, J. R., & Schott, P. K. (2016). The Surprisingly Swift Decline of US Manufacturing Employment. American Economic Review, 106 (7), pp. 1632 – 1662. Romei, V. (2018, April 5). US – China Trade Tariffs in Charts. Retrieved 23 April 2018 from https://www.ft.com/content/e2848308-3804-11e8-8eee-e06bde01c544 United States Trade Representative (2018). Industrial Goods. Retrieved 23 April 2018 from https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/industry-manufacturing/industrial-tariffs World Bank. (2018). United States Trade at a Glance: Most Recent Values. Retrieved 23 April 2018 from https://wits.worldbank.org/CountrySnapshot/en/USA/textview

Prison Dog Training Program by Breakthrough Buddies

Prison Dog Training Program by Breakthrough Buddies Breakthrough Buddies (BB) is an organization which proposes an innovated health intervention using animal assisted therapy (ATT). Breakthrough Buddies mission is to enhance the mental, social, and physical well-being of incarcerated people; impart marketable skills in inmates for post-release job prospects; and increase shelter dog adoption rates. AAT connects people living with cognitive, emotional and/or physical issues with an appropriate animal, which becomes the fundamental element of their treatment. Selection of participating inmates is essential to the success of the program; as such we have developed strict selection guidelines. Prisoners interested in entering the program must complete an official application form and must have maintained good behavior during the six months prior to applying. This requirement creates an incentive for good behaviors, as wrong actions can cost the inmate the opportunity (1). Inmates chosen must be willing and able to participate; this criterion demonstrations the inmates motivation to want to change his behaviors. Prisoners with any severe physical or mental illness that may jeopardize the safety of staff members, dogs or other participants will not be permitted to join. Inmates must have no more than 5 years left before their earliest release date, and no less than 12 months before their earliest release date. Furthermore, selected inmates must have possession of, or be in the process of completing a GED or high school diploma; this requiremen t increases work commitment, motivation for education, and betterment of self. Finally, inmates convicted of animal abuse or violence against women will not be granted admission into the program. There is a strong correlation of animal abuse and violence against women, particularly domestic violence, and this criterion will decrease or eliminate abuse of the dogs as well as ensure that trainees who use their sills in the future are well-meaning and nonviolent (!!!!!). Criteria for the dogs entering the program are extensive as well. Dogs will be screened in an in-depth temperament test, conducted by a professional dog trainer, and must show no signs of aggression towards humans or animals. The dogs chosen must be in good health, which will be determined in health exams performed by veterinarian staff at Dixon Animal Shelter. The dogs will come exclusively from Dixon Animal Shelter and will be up to date on vaccinations, spaying and neutering. The no-kill shelter, which is located on prison grounds, opened in December 2010 after functioning in 2006 and 2008 as a temporary emergency shelter for animals abandoned by Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. Fifty-two dogs at a time are housed in the shelters adoption center and in the event of an emergency, the shelter can hold up to 500 dogs and cats (!!!!!! ). The partnership of Dixon Animal Shelter and Breakthrough Buddies will be mutually beneficial in that the shelter will provide dogs for training and we will return well-behaved dogs that are more likely to be adopted. The intervention program consists of many different levels. The program is ongoing for the inmate but is an eight- week training program for the dogs. During the first year of operation five dogs will be chosen at a time and three inmates will be assigned to each dog. There will be a lead handler/trainer, a secondary handler and a caretaker. Once the dogs are placed with their inmate group they will undergo eight weeks of basic obedience and agility activities, as well as house and crate training. Inmates will be required to engage their dogs in at least 30 minutes of agility exercise before the onset of daily training, helping to relax and expel some of the dogs energy before training. At the end of the eight-week training, adopted dogs will be placed in new homes , arranged by Dixon Animal Shelter, or will go back to the shelter and await adoption, and the inmates will receive a new set of dogs to begin a new session. The personnel needed to implement the program are: a professional dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement methods and who has experience working with prisoners and the penal system. Both a social worker and public health nurse experienced in correctional facilities work and penal system procedures, who will work alongside prison medical staff. A program coordinator, who will be in charge of organizing and will oversee the integrity of the program will be employed. Volunteers and other health professionals familiar with record keeping and research are also included in the intervention team. The Breakthrough Buddies organization has many goals that it hopes to achieve. BB hopes to improve the psychological, social, and physical state of inmates by improving self-esteem, and by providing non-threatening and non-judgmental affection. BB also hopes to stimulate a responsible attitude within the inmate as well as catalyze communication and social interaction among inmates in and out of the program, guards, and staff. BB wants to improve the atmosphere of the prison, help provide a new focus of attraction, provide a necessary diversion and provide needed companionship. The program also, hopes to improve or build upon the physical activities of the inmates. The use of animal therapy is not a new concept in todays medical and psychological fields. It began more than a century ago when hospitalized patients relished the companionship provided from a pet (t4). It was not until the 1960s that AAT emerged as an effective tool, helping people cope and rehabilitate (grp11). AAT is useful in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes and prisons. Breakthrough Buddies focuses on providing meaningful experiences and skills for incarcerated individuals at Dixon Correctional Institution by using dog training as a form of AAT. Although we will bring our unique approaches and practices into the program, we modeled our program on the current animal training programs that have already demonstrated successes. These programs allow the community to see the inmates doing good deeds and provide inmates the opportunity for introspection. We want to make sure that the inmates are giving something back to the communities that they once violated, said the CommissionerÂÂ  of the Massachusetts Department ofÂÂ  Corrections Michael Maloney. This innovative program [inmates raise future service dogs for NEADS] is the latest of our reparation efforts, and allows inmates to contribute to society without compromising public safety or security in our institutionsÂÂ  (6). One of the more powerful examples of the impact animals have on the incarcerated can be found at the Oakwood Forensic Center, a hospital for the criminally insane. A patient in a ward housing the centers most depressed and non-communicative patients found an injured sparrow and conspired with other patients to keep the bird, regardless of the rules; not even plants were allowed on the grounds. The results were remarkable. The despondent and non-communicative patients took part in gathering insects and other supplies to care for the bird. The staff noticed for the first time some of the most severely disturbed patients began working in groups and relating openly with other patients and staff. A formal animal therapy program was put into place shortly after. The success of Oakwoods program has paved the way for numerous animal training programs (1). The Prison Pup Program; a puppy training program, at Bland Correctional Center in Virginia, a minimum-security facility, had results of increased work performance and social interaction among inmates. This sense of responsibility helped inmates trust and care for others beside themselves. One inmate expressed that working with the puppies helped him develop patience and reduced stress; another said the program helped him deal with the emotions that arise in prison and helped eliminate negative thinking through laughter. Inmates remarked that other programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, anger management and drug rehabilitation programs, did not help them with their problems like Prison Pup Program had helped them it was considered a 100percent success (t4). In 1999, Downeast Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison in Maine, found success after one year of implementation. Under supervision by a full-time guard with experience in training dogs, inmates were allowed to take the dogs into town daily, exposing both dogs and inmates to the noises and crowds of the real world. After one year, two clear results were observed (6). Not only were the dogs remarkably well-trained by inmates, the atmosphere throughout the prison seemed less tense (t4). The commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, Martin Magnusson stated: The bonding that the prisoners have with these dogs by caring for them is visible throughout the prison environment. For some inmates this is their first encounter as a positive role model for the community (13). Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities Obvious Change With Hounds) of the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn Oregon, demonstrated that animals also have a positive influence on juvenile delinquents. Sandra Merriam-Arduini, a researcher from Pepperdine University, spent three years studying the impact of animal training on juveniles. The study found that the juveniles who participated in the program showed greater respect for authority, were more honest, had empathy, self-confidence, social growth, patience, higher self-esteem, gained a higher level of responsibility and most importantly, zero recidivism rate (13, 4). B.N., a Project POOCH participant, said: Being taught to care for and appreciate these animals, along with the interaction we have with people from the outside, taught us compassion for things other than ourselves. Project POOCH is a great idea, and I hope that ideas such as this one will be used in other correctional facilities as a way of motivating people who need to learn to show kindness, friendship, trust and compassion (7). A national survey was conducted on prison-based animal training programs; the survey respondents overwhelmingly regarded these programs as positive and they support the implementation of animal training program in correctional facilities (t6). The programs discussed above collectively demonstrated the positive effects of AAT on inmates. Animals have the ability to bring a sense of serenity to a prison and they affect even the most hardened felons. Several studies and correctional facilities staff show support in the health benefits of animal-human bonding and suggest that AAT can greatly reduce stress and anxiety (t1). Interaction with animals often helps inmates reduce their aggression, depression and reclusion. To examine the relationship animal interaction and mental health of inmates, prison officials at Joseph Harp Correctional Center in Lexington Oklahoma recorded the aggressive incidents four months before the dogs arrived and four months after the dog-training program was ini tiated. They found a 43% decrease in the aggressive incidents of inmates, which indicated that dogs have a profound impact in reducing the levels of aggression among inmates (t4). The companionship and non-judgmental affection gained from a pet helps to break the barriers that exist among inmates, leading to better communication and are less defensive, allowing them to become more relaxed (t5). Moreover, animal-training requires physical activity and its advantage is the improvement in physical health. Research shows that interacting with animals can lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels and can reduce heart rate (15). In addition to benefitting mental well-being, physical health and social skills, animal-training program have also been shown to help inmates seeking employment after their release (t6). Most animal-training programs provided basic marketable and vocational skills, equipping inmates with basic training and grooming skills. The universal impact of AAT techniques is that inmates are motivated to set and achieve goals. The discipline, dedication, respect, patience and the amount of knowledge that inmates gain by participating in the program enable them to obtain and keep a job (t5). A prison based animal-training program is a win-win approach; it benefits the animals, inmates, community, institution and the nation as a whole. Previous studies, prison officials and staff are all in favor for the implementation of animal-training programs in prisons. Even after the inmates are released, BB will continue to conduct follow ups to monitor any success or failure of inmates being in an AAT program prior to release.

Free YGB Essay: Genre and Plot of Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

Young Goodman Brown:Â   Genre and Plot Young Goodman Brown is a short story; that is, it is a relatively brief narrative of prose fiction (ranging in length from 500 to 20,000 words) characterized by considerably more unity and compression in all its partstheme, plot, structure, character, setting, moodthan the novel. In the story we are considering, the situation is this: One evening near sunset sometime in the late seventeenth century, Goodman Brown, a young man who has been married only three months, prepares to leave his home in Salem, Massachusetts, and his pretty young bride, Faith, to go into the forest and spend the night on some mission that he will not disclose other than to say that it must be performed between sunset and sunrise. Although Faith has strong forebodings about his journey and pleads with him to postpone it, Brown is adamant and sets off. His business is evil by his own admission; he does not state what it is specifically, but it becomes apparent to the reader that it involves attending a witches' Sabbath in the forest, a remarkable action in view of the picture of Brown, drawn early in the story, as a professing Christian who admonishes his wife to pray and who intends to lead an exemplary life after this one night. The rising action begins when Brown, having left the village, enters the dark, gloomy, and probably haunted forest. He has not gone far before he meets the Devil in the form of a middle-aged, respectable-looking man whom Brown has made a bargain to meet and accompany on his journey. Perhaps the full realization of who his companion is and what the night may hold in store for him now dawns on Brown, for he makes an effort to return to Salem. It is at best a feeble attempt, however, for, though the Devil does not try to detain him, Brown continues walking with him deeper into the forest. As they go, the Devil shocks Goodman Brown by telling him that his [Brown's) ancestors were religious bigots, cruel exploiters, and practitioners of the black art --- in short, fullfledged servants of the Devil. Further, the young man is told that the very pillars of New England society, church, and state are witches (creatures actually in league with the Devil), lechers, blasphemers, and collaborators with the Devil. Indeed, he sees his childhood Sunday School teacher, now a witch, and overhears the voices of his minister and a deacon of his church as they ride past conversing about the diabolical communion service to which both they and he are going.

Changes brought by the Age of Imperialsim :: essays research papers

The Age of Imperialism brought many changes that caused suffering and improvements in countries. The domination of Europeans in Asia and Africa brought benefits and sufferings. When reading in between the lines, it is clear and obvious that the European?s domination gave Asia much to benefit from and Africa more to suffer from. Asia gained tons of economical power and was educated with Western ideas, but in the long run they turned Western literature it into Chinese matters. On the other hand, Africa lost economical independence. Asia?s population greatly benefited economically because European colonial rule led the Chinese to the modern economic system. In the mid- 1800s Westerners coming in Asia introduced new ways of transportation, communication, and it created export markets. Better transportation brought in new crops and influenced the growth of Asia?s population which led the Chinese economy to become more industrious than it has ever been. The Europeans turned the Chinese market into the 19th century world economy. Europeans introduced the Chinese to better systems of money and banking which created the base for a money market in China. The coming of Westerners inspired new ideas in the education of the Chinese. Even though Confucian social ideals were quickly changed by radical reformers in the cities, a new China was restored and accepted by the modern world. Western literature in the 20th century was well known in rural areas in Asia, but there were still traditionalists who worked on Western art showing Chinese culture. After World War I, Western literature was also transformed into Chinese matters. Economically, Africa paid a large price for British colonial rule because it lost its economic independence. France took control of the largest part of West Africa and in no time Africans became dependent on European textiles. Another reason why Africans suffered from European Imperialism is they were enslaved. They were also tortured in the Congo if they disobeyed in anyway. Those who disobeyed were tied to stakes outside in the scorching heat without food or water for days. African?s who suffered from gangrene had their hands cut off because the soldiers tied it too tightly to the stakes. By 1855, Britain and Germany had become the main chief rivals in East Africa. At the Berlin Conference, the Europeans agreed to how they would claim Africa?

Comparing Jack and Macbeth

Comparing Jack and Macbeth Jack is an authoritative boy whose leadership attributes was used to manipulate the others rather than provide order. He wants complete control, by using his superiority and savage-Like ways. When the tribe was created, It works out of fear, but It Is this tribe that prevails. When Jack can no longer control his urge for leadership, the tribe Is created, which has a negative influence on all the boys. Through this character, Gilding shows how the evil side of society prospers.While the savages were thriving while the few who remained civilized were suffering from extreme famine, and taught. Jack seems to be a power-hungry individual. Jack rapidly gets in charge of the hunters that had to gather the meat for the whole group. Their enthusiasm decides to hunt a pig, and this is when Jack shows his savage personality. Before starting to hunt a pig Jack orders the hunters to paint their own faces with clay in a native manner. This all foreshadows the savage that is about to corrupt the island. Jack shows an attitude towards life that is shown by the people that succeed in the world.With his salvage attitude he Is encouraging aggressiveness, and maintaining his ewer and respect from the rest of the group. He becomes paranoid that Ralph and Piggy are against him and feeds misinformation to his tribe, so as to keep them on his side. Jack Is the complete opposite, representing the evil that lies In the hearts of all mankind. He progressively grows more sadistic and evil as the story goes on, eventually orchestrating the death of Simon and Piggy. Macbeth is also similar because he turned evil by listening to the raging ambition within his own personality.Macbeth let himself be manipulated by the three witches, and allowing him to be influenced by his wife's equally raging ambition, this caused many problems like a guilty conscience. It was due to the evil within him and his wife, as well as evil personified in the three witches that Macbeth kil led his own king, two guards who just tried to do their Job of protecting the king, his best friend Banquet, and Macadam's defenseless family. Additionally, that evil led him to bring pain and suffering on a mass scale to the entire Scottish nation.In conclusion Macbeth evilness was caused by their ambitions to be leaders, and disappearance of rational thinking, which caused problems with themselves internally, and affected other people. Macbeth is a very egocentric, power-hungry leader. He starts off by being a loyal follower to his king, hesitant to act against Duncan. Macbeth has the ambition but lacks the drive to do what is necessary. However, after he becomes king, this attitude changes greatly. He becomes like a dictator. Had Macbeth been a good, able leader, the revolt against him by Macadam, would not have been so fierce.Macbeth becomes very proud, because of his false prophecies. He degrades those who express fear or concern, and e waves off important Information given to him. His whole concern is keeping his power at all cost. He's so self-involved and ready to compromise his morals to get ahead. Macbeth knows that Macadam Is trying to oppose him so he hires people to kill Macadam's family. No democratic leader would do that, so Macbeth Is demonstrate that he will not have mercy on those who try to oppose him, Leadership Increases for Macbeth because not only he was successful in killing the king but he got the throne. N authoritative leadership approach. Macbeth kill others that can become a threat o him which shows that he is capable of doing much more than he seemed, but can't trust people. He killed Macadam's family to show his initiative. Macbeth is more determined to accomplish his goals and make decisions on his own. Macbeth is being a leader by making his own decision, but he does not listening to anyone else's input which can make his decision one-sided. This type of leadership can ultimately be destructive because of bad decisions, and his initiative has led to an evil path. He is much more assertive than before.Macbeth did exemplify more determination and energy; however a true leader is not Just powerful and strong. Macbeth did seem to be more courageous when he said that he does not fear anyone and shall kill anyone that stands in his way. When he says this he seems to be more arrogant than confident. Macbeth shows a lack in confidence because he feels that to be safe he has to murder everyone. If he were confident then he would not feel the need to harm anyone. Despite everything, he continues to stay positive and is determined to do whatever he needs to do; in order to maintain his leadership.Macbeth on the there hand shows leadership, however in a much more negative way. Jack on the other hand is similar to Macbeth because Jack is an autocratic tyrant. He beats a boy for no reason other than to exert his power over the boys. He realizes what it takes to get power and to keep power. He rules through fear and int imidation, Jack is also a good manipulator. He knows what the boys both fear and want to hear. Unlike Ralph who desires a constructive society, Jack prays on the boys' destructive primal instincts.The boys want to be told what to do rather than simply pitch in together; hey feel the need to live in fear under a leader that they perceive as a powerful protector. In this sense Jack is certainly a more effective leader than Ralph. Jack can be controlling. One example is when Ralph asked his hunters to take care of the fire but Jack didn't want that and he took the hunters to hunt because that's what he wanted them to do. Another example is when he takes a vote for the next chief. No one votes for him but he sets up his own tribe nonetheless. Jack's litany of evil is pretty impressive. He leads the brutal slaughter of a pigs, and Simon.

Recommending a Marketing Mix for a Service ‘Lumia’ 800

GAC012: Business Studies Assessment Event 3 Recommending a Marketing Mix for a Service ‘Lumia’ 800 of NOKIA Mobile Company’ Student: Zhou Siyan ‘Effie’ ID number: ZMSC22222 Tutor: Maqui Due Date: November 19, 2012 Date submitted: November 19, 2012 Word Count: 1249 words Table of Contents Executive Summary 1. 0 Introduction 2. 0 Research Methodology 3. 0 Research Findings 4. 0 Discussion 5. 0 Conclusion and recommendations Reference List Executive SummaryWhen technology change the way people interact with each other in daily life, those writing days were gone with letters and postcards and personalized greeting cards and they are turned into emails, online social networking chat, sending text messages mostly with a mobile phone. The research paper is about choosing a product on which we will do and recommend a marketing mix. In order to come up with a good marketing mix, we gathered information online and from some interviews, discussion and findings w hich finally given our own conclusions and recommendations.The outcome of the paper concentrated on the recommended marketing mix for a chosen product which is lumia from ‘NOKAI’ and for its competitor which is G21 ‘HTC’. Therefore, there are different own style between the two companies in doing their marketing mixes, also we believe that our recommendation for a marketing mix for Nokia is considerable. 1. 0 Introduction This research is focus on recommending a marketing mix for a chosen product which is Lumia 800 form the NOKIA mobile company. A new type of mobile phone, with new designed out looking and the powerful windows phone 7. operating system, not only can be used for daily phone calls, sending messages but also is a perfect integration of work and leisure for people with it can get contact with social network and surfing the internet and enjoy the music or movies, books anytime anywhere they want. There is no doubt that this product is popular am ong teenagers, but actually our target market is people from 15 to 40 years old. The key success factors in this market are as follows: Appearance design, Operating system, Product quality, Brand awareness.Moreover, the reason why we chose Lumia 800 from NOKIA mobile company as our product is that representative products of NOKIA now whenever considering its quality or satisfaction As for the SWOT of NOKIA Company, firstly, the strengths is a position as industry leader in the telecommunications and electronics industry. Secondly, the weakness is that it is cannot sustain its current marketing rate. Thirdly, opportunity is that its marketing are all around the world. Lastly, threats are the competitive pressure from other companies, such as Apple, Google.As for marketing mix of the product Lumia 800, the price we recommend is about 1800 RMB and we decide to promote it through TV, Magazine, Film or any other possible way. As for place, we plan to set up monopolized store and expandin g to the overseas markets. The outcome of the research is that the NOKIA with an excellent marketing mix can finally overcome its weakness–the declining market position. It is the target object on (Lumia 800) and popularity of windows phone OS that determine our choice of the marketing mix. 2. 0 Methods . 1 In order to collect the data, an interview is done in relation to the NOKIA Company and the product by asking questions from the managers in phone selling company. Moreover, we visit some appropriate Internet sites such as the official website of NOKIA and Google, Wikipedia and so on. From the way we used different websites to widen the scope of our research and gather important facts during interview to give clarity to vague topics concerning our report, the data collection methods can perfectly address the research bjectives. 3. 0 Findings A key competitor is the HTC Mobile Company and its marketing mix is as follows The product is HTC G21(Sensation XL), with 4. 7 inches of high-definition display and GSM & WCDMA network system and 8000000 pixels camera and it is a very popular product of HTC. The price on sale now is 2079 to 3699 RMB. As for place, product are on sale in monopolized store around the world. Promotions can be done in several ways, like on sale with plan cap or with tax-free.The analysis of the current SWOT of NOKIA is as follows: strengths is its position as industry leader in the telecommunications and electronics industry. Also, it shows to the world the incredible ability to adapt to the market. Weakness may be that it has grown so huge, as the fifth most valuable brand in the world, that it cannot sustain its growth at its current rate. It still have some opportunities like Nokia's leadership in the area of mobile phones and its versatility open the company up to a wide variety of communications and mobile device possibilities — markets that are growing throughout the world.Threats are that Nokia is facing a number of thr eats from companies such as Apple, Google, and Research in Motion, all of which are investing heavily in the mobile phone industry in an attempt to gain dominance. The marketing mix we recommend is as follows: NOKIA Lumia 800 with large display screen, the shape of phones, the face plates and the soft key touch pads charges about 1800RMB which can be accepted by most of the customer and maybe the innovation of Promotion Method Oriented by Target Consumer is necessary. We decide to promote it through TV, Magazine, Film or any other possible way.As for place, we plan to set up monopolized store and expanding to the overseas markets. We came up with a promotion strategy: NOKIA can enhance its Promotion Management and built a large database, making a dose control of terminal promotion activities. Furthermore, it is a good choice to have a surprise price on holidays and it can be on sale on a duty-free shop to attract more customers. Here are the interview summary: The ratio of concern o f the Symbian OS (NOKIA’s own system) Month1357911 The ratio of concern (%)67. 265. 460. 857. 754. 847. 2 Table 1 From table 1, we can know that the ratio of concern for the Symbian OS in 2010.The Symbian OS is the primary OS of NOKIA; the data can reflect the rise and decline of NOKIA. Graph 1 The data from Graph 1 is ajusted from the table 1. According to this bar graph we can clearly see the trends reflecting the rise and decline of NOKIA. 4. 0 Discussion We came up with the marketing mix based on its recession during these years and also referred to the statistical data and the current situation analysis. the reason why we chose Lumia 800 from NOKIA mobile company as our product is that representative products of NOKIA now whenever considering its quality or satisfaction.And the price is 1800 because it can easily be accepted by ordinary people to attract more customers. We build up NOKIA’s own franchise stores, according to the successful case-apple store. There a re a lot of factors will affect the findings, like the information online and the interview of or the advice from teachers. 5. 0 Conclusions and recommendations After long time discussion and findings and information we gathered online and from interviews we determine our final marketing mix for NOKIA Lumia 800. To summarize, the price we recommend is about 1800 RMB and we decide to promote it through TV, Magazine, Film or any other possible way.As for place, we plan to set up monopolized store and expanding to the overseas markets. The final marketing mix has its competitive edge when we consider its price. The price is reasonable but still quality-guarantee. What’s more? The brand awareness, just like most people will choose to buy the well-known brand instead of a normal brand even they have a similar product at same price. Reference List Wikipedia (2012), Nokia [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nokia (Accessed November 5, 2012) Wikipedia (2012), HTC [o nline] Available at: ttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/HTC (Accessed November 5, 2012) HTC. COM (2012), the HTC phones [online] Available at: http://www. htc. com/us/smartphones/ NOKIA. COM (2012), the Lumia 800[online] Available at: http://www. nokia. com/us-en/products/phone/lumia800/ (Accessed November 5, 2012) Wikipedia (2012), marketing mix [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Marketing_Mix (Accessed November 5, 2012) Mysmartprice (2012), the Lumia 800[online] Available at: http://www. mysmartprice. com/mobile/nokia-lumia-800-msp1531 (Accessed November 5, 2012)

Greed for Money Essay

Today, greed for money, together with greed for power, is one of the chief causes of human misery. No wonder our Lord put as his first beatitudes;† Blessed are the poor in spirit. † Poverty in spirit is the opposite of greed for money, for it means detachment from material things coupled with trust in God as the only Savior. People cheat other people for money. They betray friends for money. Members of the same family – sometimes parents and children quarrel and sue each other in court over money. Jesus was very well aware that money would rival God in the eyes of many people. That is why he warned â€Å"No man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and money†. He himself was the victim of greed. In the end, He was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by Judas. It takes real grace to see the seduction of money and the emptiness of its promises. Aspiring politicians have heard of the sad end of Ferdinand Marcos, and other dictators whose billions benefit only the Swiss banks but not those who robbed their own people. And yet given the opportunity, how many will resist the temptation to take advantage of one’s public trust? In the song Hello Dolly, it says â€Å"Money my dear is like manure. It is good for nothing unless it is spread around to make your things grow. † Many of us are rather more fascinated by the manure and love to store it, more than to share it.