Analysis Of Handedness And Brain Asymmetry - 1024 Words

Handedness and brain asymmetry are both very important aspects of humans and many other species. They are innate, complicated features that are distinct to everyone. Unfortunately, many people have made assumptions that exaggerate the importance and dominance of one side of the brain from the other. It is understood that the left-brain controls the right hand and specializes in language and logic. Alternatively, the right-brain controls the left hand and specializes in creativity, intuition, and emotion. In the essay written on January 21st, 2014 in the School of Psychology in the University of Auckland, â€Å"Left Brain, Right Brain: Facts and Fantasies,† Michael C. Corballis clears misconceptions and myths and explains the details of how†¦show more content†¦He explains that the brain is asymmetrical, not only to humans, but to many other species as well, which indicate an evolutionary development. He then explains that handedness and brain asymmetries are determine d through gene and are developed during the fetus stage. Corballis states the idea that handedness is of little importance when determining a person’s worth, as many left-handers (which are less dominant) succeed in life. He concludes that the appeal of having dominance in one brain side or handedness is due to the power of myths and not true evidence. (1-4) Corballis focuses on two main topics in his essay: handedness and cerebral asymmetry. These are two key terms to recognize in order to understand this paper. The author is aware of this and repetitively explains these phrases and how they relate to his claim. Corballis states that the two are â€Å"inborn and under partial genetic control, although the gene or genes responsible are not well established† (1). It is significant that Corballis portrays these terms in this way because the readers may have their own interpretation of them beforehand. But to clear any misunderstandings, Corballis explains that handedness and cerebral asymmetry start as an innate feature rather than a specialization. This shows Corballis’s exceptional ability as a writer because he defines the terms in a way that suits his claims and dismisses any misconceptions. Corballis also states that the two â€Å"are

Divorce Is The Legal Dissolution Of One s Marriage Essay

April Johnson Divorce: Unhappy Ending English 1101 TR 9:30-10:45 Dr. Doug Davis What is divorce? Divorce is the legal dissolution of one’s marriage. Why is divorce a controversial issue? Many people believe that divorce goes against moral beliefs. I believe that even though many people believe divorce shouldn t be the solution to marital issues it is a way to keep both people happy. In my opinion, divorce is actually helpful to society. People should be able to get a divorce if they see no way to make their marriage work. I feel if they have tried to fix their marriage and work on it but the only mutual solution that they agree on is divorce then that is the option they should choose. I do, however, think it should be for couples who have decided together not just a one sided decision. In this paper I will discuss some reasons for divorce, things that contribute to divorce, the phases of divorce, the effect divorce has on children, religious views on divorce, the healing proc ess, and why divorce is actually helpful to society. On average, a couple’s marriage lasts 7.2 years prior to divorcing .Divorce occurs for multiple reason. â€Å"During the 1970s, the divorce rate doubled as young people’s attitude on fidelity, chastity, and commitment became very different from those of their parents.† In the 1970’s adults viewed commitment as a key part to a relationship. People who were younger in age felt as thoughShow MoreRelatedAnatomy of a Family Law Case1320 Words   |  5 PagesAnatomy of a Family Law Case Introduction The legal aspect of the law is a creation of the society that is meant to regulate and control the activities and relations of people. Law creates a guideline of how to do every activity without causing infringements to the other persons. Therefore, just as all other societal institutions, the family setting are incorporated in the law. What is a family? The family setting is one of the oldest institutions in the world. From the time of creation, to dateRead MoreHow Divorce Affects The Children917 Words   |  4 Pagessurprise that the rate of divorce in the world has been climbing steadily. Ever since the 1970’s the rate of divorce has risen exponentially. While the traumas of divorce are ever present for the couple splitting up, has anyone thought about how this effects their children? It often seems that children are placed on the back burner, when it comes to marital issues, and treated as collateral damage in their parents’ whirlwind issues. In this paper, I will be focusing on how divorce negatively affects theRead MoreMarriage And The State : Marriage1265 Words   |  6 Pages Marriage and the state Marriage is a legal union of a couple as spouses according to Cornell University of law school. Traditionally, marriage was viewed as the basis of the family unit and very vital to the preservation of civilization and morals. However, defining marriage in the society of today can be a challenge. This is because the marriage of today differs with what marriage was considered to be in the past. In the today’s society, there are three basic elements of marriage which include:Read MoreDivorces Have Negative Effects on Children Essay1050 Words   |  5 Pages In our nation divorce is a big part of life. Divorce is the legal dissolution of marriage or the termination of an existing relationship or union. Divorce starts with two adults but always ends up impacting the children in the biggest way. Sons and daughters of divorce often feel confused and abandoned, lose their family structure, and experience identity crisis. Many parents never bother to think of how divorce will affect their children. Children are impacted by divorce in multiple ways.Read MoreDivorce Rate And Divorce Rates1224 Words   |  5 PagesDivorce rate also known as divorce demography, which is the study of demographic factors that impact divorced as a social phenomenon, the divorce demography can clearly evaluate and reflect the marriage stability and happiness index of certain countries or area and that is the reason why data statistics of divorce rate is important. According to ONS (Office of National Statistics), the divorce rate has not been that low since 1974, when it was 0.9%. The number of divorces in 2014 was declined toRead MoreDivorce : A Legal Procedure926 Words   |  4 PagesDivorce is a legal procedure that not only separates the married couple but it is also a separation between the families and friends entitled. In today’s world, divorce is becoming an increasing dissolution of marriage for family wit h or without kids. The marriage involving kids leave a long lasting effect of divorce on their children’s. The reasons for divorce vary from couple to couple, but the outcome of the result impacts every child mentally, emotionally and academically. I believe that we shouldRead MoreDifferent Types Of Arranged Marriages1005 Words   |  5 Pages All of these different types of arranged marriages are still used in today s world. The question asked by most is, why even go through with arranged marriage? Why not say no? Why not run away? Why would you allow your parents to choose who you should be with for the rest of your life? And why not just get a divorce. http://impl.jou.ufl.edu/projects/spring 07/zuffoletti/traditional.html. There are a lot of major things that you have to take into account. Reputation- Not getting marriedRead MoreWhile The Rate Of Divorce Has Rapidly Increased In Recent1659 Words   |  7 Pagesrate of divorce has rapidly increased in recent decades, currently between 40 to 50 percent of married couples file for divorce during some point in their marriage. Although in some cases these families already have children and divorce is an impactful event that can cause life lasting effects on children. The effects that divorce has on children can cause serious psychological issues that may form and develop over time from toddlers into the adolescent stage of their lives. The divorce itself doesRead MoreLegal Issues For Gay And Lesbian Adoption And Parental Rights1626 Words   |  7 PagesDATE: October 13, 2015 RE: Legal Issues for Gay and Lesbian Adoption and Parental Rights Issue Although adoption can be difficult for any single person or married couple, adoption for the gay and lesbian population presents a unique set of challenges both societal and legal. Whether constitutional or not, special rules apply to same gay and lesbian adoption. Under current legislation, is same sex adoption fully legal and how do the laws on the subject measure with regardRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Family Members1706 Words   |  7 PagesDivorce affects family members in many different ways, both positive and negative. While many children can foster healthy relationships post-divorce, some may experience challenges maintaining future relationships after dealing with their parents divorce. How can parent do this to their child? One of the most important thing is to teach your child about building a relationship so they can be positive and can have positive thinking about getting married to have a family on their and work things

Deontological and Utilitarian arguments for Abortion free essay sample

The issue of abortion is one that has been at the recent forefront of many political discussions in the United States and around the world. There are people spread across both sides of the argument whose opinions vary in intensity and depend on different sources of information to back up their points of view. For the purpose of this paper, abortion will be defined as the deliberate termination of human pregnancy. It is my opinion that abortion, completed early enough in a pregnancy, is not an unethical act and should not be considered to be a decision that is immoral. My argument is based on ideas that are rooted in both utilitarian and deontological ethics as I will show throughout the essay. One of the few religions to condone acts of abortion is Hinduism. This is not to say, however, that Hinduism is blindly accepting of all kinds of abortion. In Hinduism, the belief is that one should make a decision based on what kind of effect it will have on all those involved. This is a very utilitarian way of looking at abortion because it looks at the decision and determines which choice will cause the least amount of harm to the mother, father, fetus, and society (BBC, 2013). Traditionally in Hindu culture, when considering circumstances where abortion is a possible solution to a problem, it is usually found that the procedure is not the appropriate response to the situation and aborting the baby would have negative social and spiritual consequences. I believe this is important because although Hinduism isn’t â€Å"pro-choice†, like many democratic liberals in our country, it still allows for abortion to be an acceptable option in circumstances where not performing the procedure would cause more harm than the abortion itself. Another argument that surrounds the discussion of whether abortion is right or wrong is in regards to cases where the unborn fetus is known to have some kind of disability. Proponents of the pro-life argument usually cite how people who live with disabilities are happier to be alive with a disability rather than not being alive at all and therefore should be allowed to develop and try to live as normal a life as possible. I don’t believe that this is a strong argument against abortion because it is not only the life of the disabled person that needs to be considered. Although a disabled person may be happy in the life they live, it is likely that many people have experienced things like emotional hardship and financial hardship caused by living with someone with a disability. Therefore, it is likely that the abortion of a disabled fetus would reduce the amount of harm done to those involved overall. A popular question surrounding this discussion is whether or not the fetus has the right to life. A right to life can be seen as a right to be provided with everything necessary to sustain life (BBC, 2013). This brings abortion into a more deontological discussion because the question is if the fetus has a claim on the fundamental rule that people have a right to life. Eventually this debate arrives at the conflict that decides when a fetus is really considered a person. On one side, people believe that life starts at conception. The other side of the discussion believes that life hasn’t really started until the fetus reaches a certain point in development. I am in congruence with the second opinion because until a fetus has developed certain organs like the brain, which essentially creates a person as we would know them, it is not considered a person and therefore does not hold the same claim to the right to life that further developed fetuses and living people do. This means that if an abortion is performed early enough in the process of development, it does not go against a fundamental human right. Other deontological arguments in regards to abortion have to do with different religions. In Christianity, the belief is that a life starts at the moment of conception and because of that, abortion isn’t condoned under any circumstances (English, 1975). Judaism however, condones abortion when the health of the mother is threatened by the fetus. It also gives permission for its followers to discuss the issue on a case by case basis with their rabbi to determine the best course of action (BBC, 2013). If I were to include the arguments of other religious traditions I would have a list of many different rules for how to appropriately address the issue of abortion without compromising one’s morality. Because there are differing opinions on the morality of abortion that come from religion, it makes them difficult to use as sources to argue one side or the other when different traditions support different sides like Judaism and Christianity. This, I believe, makes deciding on a universal standard for the abortion issue based on knowledge of religion irrelevant. A common pro-choice argument is that the mother of a baby has a right to defend herself against personal threats (Thomson, 1971). This is generally thought of when there are circumstances where the fetus is causing a threat to the mother’s physical health. It is my belief that the concept of self-defense can be extended to issues relating to a mother’s ability to sustain her in society, which a baby can have a large impact on. If a baby poses a threat not only to the health of a mother but to her livelihood, then the mother is has a right to decide if she will keep the baby. I think that this decision is warranted because if the mother cannot sustain herself, then she will be unable to provide for the child in a way that would be beneficial to its own future and we unfortunately live in a world where there are already too many children that aren’t being well taken care of. As I’ve outlined above, it is my belief that abortion is not immoral for many reasons. The religious traditions that all outline different opinions of abortion differ too much and too frequently to successfully establish abortion as wrong. There are also many circumstances where the abortion of a fetus can benefit more people than it will harm, therefore making it difficult to claim that the action is one totally without moral worth.

Essay Money Matters free essay sample

Dave Ramsey says that people spend 18% more because spending cash â€Å"hurts† I disagree I think that I would spend the same amount with a credit card as long as I had the money to pay it off at the end of the month. One reason that I feel like it is a better Idea to carry a credit card is because if you get robbed and you are carrying a lot of money you can’t get that back most likely but if you have a credit card you can cancel the card before they spend in any money in your name. Another reason, this may only be me (I doubt it) is that when you spend cash at a store you get change back in the form of coins which never get used and are a pain to walk around with sometimes also if you do decide to take back your coins to a â€Å"coin star† machine you can lose up to 25% of your money just putting the coins back to cash, the reason some people do this is because not all banks will take the coins from you in turn it to cash. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Money Matters or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another reason is the pure simplicity of it and the time it can save you during a day where you are paid hourly, an example of this is what if it takes you an extra two minutes because you are digging through your wallet or purse getting the exact amount of money to pay on your meal or whatever if you make $30 an hour and it takes you an extra 2 minutes a day over the day to pay with cash in the morning and for lunch that is $2 a day you are losing from not clocking in 2 minutes before. Dave tried to play off the rewards of using a credit card as nothing however it isn’t anything some credit card companies offer Amazon points or airline miles which can be redeemed. As long as you keep up with your payments there are no financial detriments to you. So these are my opinions they may not be true for everyone but for me at least there is no reason not to use a credit card in my eyes.

Sample Essay on the Declaration of Independence

Sample Essay on the Declaration of IndependenceSample essays on a Declaration of Independence can be found online in lots of different places. However, before you begin to create your own, you need to know what kind of essay you are writing and the purpose for which you are writing it. You may not want to write about much, but may instead want to make a statement with your essay.The best way to begin your work on a sample essay on the Declaration of Independence is to research as much as you can on the topic that you want to write about. Remember, it is best to spend time studying about the subject before you begin creating your own essay. Also, even if you do not think you know very much about this topic, spending time researching will be very helpful in the end.One of the most popular ways to get yourself prepared for your writing is to read up on the topic as much as possible. Not only can this help you learn more about the topic, but you will also learn about the history of the U nited States as well. Researching helps you get an idea of how the Declaration of Independence is presented and who was involved in the American revolution. This can help you decide how to present your own essay on the Declaration of Independence.Another thing you should do before you begin to write a sample essay on the Declaration of Independence is to find out more about the other revolutionary governments in the world. Find out how each of them were formed, who was behind them and why. This can help you give your essay a better direction as well as increase the chances of the essay being well received by the judges and readers.Even though researching on your topic is the best way to prepare for a sample essay on the Declaration of Independence, it does not mean that you should neglect the other methods as well. You should always have a plan for your essay in the first place. This means taking some time to write a couple of drafts. You should also decide how much material you wil l include, and where you want to place your essay.A great tip to use for preparing for a sample essay on the Declaration of Independence is to create several drafts. You can use your best ideas as well as those you came up with and then make minor adjustments to them. For example, one idea may seem too obvious while another seems too specific. As long as you are still able to use the material in your final draft, you should feel free to make slight changes or even completely rewrite portions of your essay.If you are still unsure how to begin your essay, it is always a good idea to get ideas from friends or even family members. Even if they do not agree with the ideas that you have, you can still learn from their experience. There is nothing wrong with trying to learn from others and may even inspire you to create better essays in the future.Writing a sample essay on the Declaration of Independence is a task that can be made easier if you give it some thought and prepare a few drafts . Writing a good essay is all about getting it right the first time. It is essential that you understand the rules of grammar and spelling before you begin the process.

Aristotles ideas on civic relationships happiness, the virtues, deliberation, justice and friendship

Introduction Aristotle is one of the most influential legendary philosophers that ever lived in the world’s history. Despite him being a Greek, his philosophies have influenced the way of life for people across the whole world. His ideas touched on almost all aspects of life whether in law, science, ethics, and philosophy among others.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s ideas on civic relationships: happiness, the virtues, deliberation, justice and friendship specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, there is a conflict between philosophical ideas of the legends and modernization in the 21st century. The world seems to have bumped off from the ideas of Aristotle and instead taken another unknown premise in search of happiness. For instance, Aristotle would disagree with the modern form of seeking happiness in the material things, as according to him, happiness is eternal and unique to every human being. Virtue of Happiness Aristotle described happiness as an eternal goodness that everybody strives to achieve in his or her day-to-day life. However, the striving for the achievement of happiness not only depends on every individual’s reasons, but also on the virtues that play a major role in hastening the achievements. According to Aristotle, some of the necessary forms of virtues for the achievement of happiness include confidence, generosity, justice, wisdom, humility, and courage. In addition, he described proper upbringing and the correctness of the law as the main factors on which the virtues depend on for their fecundity. According to Aristotle, the true happiness is achieved naturally through actions that do not contradict the will and interests of a person. This assertion implies that happiness is brought about by passion rather than social obligation like it has been the case in the modern society. Passion is a gift and its strength depends on the factors that define personal virtues (Aristotle, 89). Going back to those two factors, proper upbringing is an important factor for shaping the life of a human being. An individual brought up from a caring family is likely to have stronger virtues than one brought up in a less caring family. This aspect implies that the nature of a family background is important in shaping the character and passion of a person. However, according to Aristotle, the goodness of the family background is subject to human relations as opposed to economic welfare. In addition, there could be exemptions where some individuals acquire behaviors that contradict the nature of their families, and in such cases, they develop their own unique behaviors, which are shaped by other unknown factors.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The correctness of the law is very important in determining the strength of human virtues. Ari stotle lived when the world was chaotic and greatly affected by moral issues such as abortion, political chaos, capital punishment, and many world problems that are still in existence today. He chose to be a social activist despite him being a philosopher, and he said that correctness of the law shapes the moral behaviors and hence the virtues. For instance, a child brought up in a chaotic environment is likely to adapt chaotic behaviors and consequently have problems in changing the behaviors at adulthood. This observation adds value to his argument that virtue is an element of practice not nature as is the case for passion; hence, the reason why the nature of current social justice system could affect the behaviors of future generations. Civic Friendship According to Aristotle, civic friendship is an essential element for human good and hence necessary in achieving a flourishing life. He defined civic friendship as a form of friendship that dominates in the public arena rather tha n in interpersonal relations in the case of mutual and personal forms of friendship. The adjective â€Å"civic†, points at the political arena, by implying that friendship is defined at the level of citizenry relations for the goodness of the state. Aristotle’s idea holds that there is a direct relationship between personal and civic relationship, which is necessary for the maintenance of law and justice, but is also based on human virtues. By looking at the modern world, it is clear that the fastest flourishing economies and companies define human relations as one of the factors that determine success. However, it does not mean that those relations are civic friendship as not every successful economy or company upholds human freedom for there are policies that define human relations in such environments. Effective civic friendship makes people act kindly and politely to each other, thus creating a productive society where law and justice are upheld. In such a situatio n, people come together in the formation process of public policies that have benefits to the entire community. This aspect explains the lack of civic friendship as the root to the animosity behaviors that are evident in the modern society. These ill behaviors include corruption that mainly comes from selfishness of the few in authority, which can render to the collapse of a seemingly successful company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s ideas on civic relationships: happiness, the virtues, deliberation, justice and friendship specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Traits of the â€Å"Best Places to Work† From the Best Places to Work Institute Apparently, ‘history repeats itself’ and ‘what comes around goes around’. Many research studies show that the American workplaces are destructive to the human virtues. Businesspersons and employers seem to have been ignored Arist otle’s ideas for a long time they have viewed employees as their most noble assets for their businesses. However, according to the â€Å"Best Places to Work†, the twenty first century has come with challenges that have rendered employers into reshaping their business strategies to conform with the ideas of the great philosophers like Aristotle. According to the research study by Crowley, the American smart companies have realized that the greatest competitive advantage is achieved by ensuring that employees find a happy work place to the extent that potential employees would feel encouraged to apply for job opportunities in such firms. However, it is hard to make a good workplace where employees’ needs would be the employer’s first priority always (Crowley Para. 12). According to the Best Work Places, employers should consider various factors in order to develop a good work place that would make employees happy at work. Those factors are designed accordin g to the Aristotle’s idea of happiness, whereby it is eternal and closely related to virtues. Hence, to bring forth the employees’ eternal happiness, employers should consider the aspect of integrating the workers’ virtues in the package. In the majority of research studies carried out in the American corporations in the past decade to identify the source of employees’ job satisfaction, the findings were shocking. It was found out that employees’ acquired job satisfaction from their coworkers’ relationships, but not from their relationships with their supervisors or bosses. In the twenty first century, some corporations like Google found out the strategy of developing the â€Å"Best Work Place† as a key competitive advantage and the company has performed better compared to others that are yet to adopt this strategy. Some of the factors that make a ‘Best Work Place’ include building trust at work place, acknowledging cultu ral diversity, building teamwork, and enhancing employee morale. On building trust at work, employers are required to give minimum supervision to the employees in an effort to make the latter feel a sense of belonging and responsibility. This aspect enhances talent development and encourages horizontal communication strategy, whereby an employee does not feel inferior to talk to the senior personnel in the workplace.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, the twenty-first corporations should appreciate and acknowledge cultural diversity. The world has become a global village and advanced technological advancement has resulted to globalization, whereby a corporation is required to hire employees from different cultural orientations. In a bid to create a sense of belonging, employees are required to respect one another and appreciate cultural diversity for the goodness of the corporations’ operations across various cultures in the world. Thirdly, employees are encouraged to embrace teamwork in their places of work. Gone are the days when workers were forced to give individual contribution at the workplace like was the case in the slavery period. Nowadays, employees are encouraged to work as a team against another opposing team as opposed to individual contribution. Team building is achieved through social events that are organized to bring the employees together. Lastly, it is very important for employers to consider e mployees’ morale as a crucial element for the success of a corporate organization. There are various ways of enhancing employee’s morale that include awarding and recognition, training, pay rising, and promotions. These ways are directed to the personal values and virtues, which are crucial factors for determining happiness. An employee would feel good whenever a boss calls and says thank you for the commendable job that you did. Moreover, other employees who do not receive awards and recognition would feel encouraged to work harder in an effort to make their contributions recognizable. On the other hand, training and development is very important for both the corporate and employees. An employee who undergoes training receives up to date knowledge that would boost the corporation’s competitive advantage. There are instances whereby some employees are founder to be weaker than others are, and in such cases, the employer has a moral obligation of improving employ ees’ skills. This goal could be achieved by placing the ‘poor’ employees next to employees who are good in those fields and encourage them to assist one another whenever one is stuck. Comparing and contrasting Aristotle’s ideas about civic relationships with these contemporary notions of best places to work Aristotle’s ideas have been ignored for a long time, but research shows that American corporations have changed from the traditional methods of disregarding his ideas to a point of embracing the same. Employers have realized that employees’ job satisfaction is directly related to business performance in the contemporary world. Aristotle stated that happiness comes from within and it depends on the virtues. Hence, employers are working on virtues by creating working environments that would encourage employees’ to build confidence and satisfaction in their work. In so doing, employers look into things and activities that would enable them to have a direct contact with employees. Civic friendship is seen to dominate in the workplaces, which is also the basic determinant for a ‘Best Work Place’. Through civic friendship, employees can work as a team and develop good coworker relationships. According to the Aristotle, civic friendship allows an individual to care for one another in the public phenomenon, and thus corporate environments are the individual’s public phenomenon. Civic friendship enhances social justice in a state as well as in a working environment. This assertion implies that through the adoption of Aristotle’s ideas by the corporations of the twenty first century, employers have realized the need to ensure effective social justice mechanisms in the work place. The majority of the leading American corporations have legal mechanisms in place that deal with employees’ issues and grievances. Nowadays, American employees hardly to go to industrial courts after having disa greements with their employers due to effective policies and mechanisms put in place at the workplaces. Conclusion The most notable difference that contradicts the Aristotle’s idea of civic relationship with the traits of â€Å"Best Places to Work† is the element of hypocrisy in the latter. Aristotle was talking from the point of achieving common good for the entire humanity regardless of economic status, which is yet to be achieved in the contemporary corporations. However, the American corporations of the twenty first century have moved to applying Aristotle’s ideas for the benefit improving employees’ performance, which essentially contributes towards the firms’ well being, but not that of the employee. This aspect implies that corporations are embracing Aristotle’s ideas for their own good, as opposed to the goodness of humanity. Works Cited Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, New York: Filiquarian Publishing, LLC, 2007. Prin t. Crowley, Mark. Why Companies Are (Finally) Falling All over Each Other to  Become Best Places to Work, 2013. Web. https://www.greatplacetowork.com/ This essay on Aristotle’s ideas on civic relationships: happiness, the virtues, deliberation, justice and friendship was written and submitted by user Liberty Hall to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Indian Economic Environment Essay Example

Indian Economic Environment Essay Example Indian Economic Environment Essay Indian Economic Environment Essay Companies and their suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customers, competitors, and publics all operate in a macro environment of forces and trends, increasingly global, which shape opportunities and pose threats. These forces represent â€Å"non-controllables†, which the company must monitor and to which it must respond. The beginning of the new century brought a series of new challenges: the steep decline of the stock market, which affected savings, investment, and retirement funds; increasing unemployment; corporate scandals; and of course, the rise of terrorism. These dramatic events were accompanied by the continuation of existing trends that have already influenced the global landscape. Within the rapidly changing global picture, the firm must monitor six major forces: demographic, economic, socio-cultural, natural, technological, and political-legal. Economic Environment- The available purchasing power in an economy depends on current income, prices, saving, debt, and credit availability. Marketers must pay careful attention to trends affecting purchasing power, because they can have a strong impact on business, especially for companies whose products are geared to high income and price-sensitive consumers. India’s economy has been showing vibrancy of growth from 1991 ever since the government initiated programs to ease control on industry and commerce. In 1998-1999, the GDP of the country was estimated to be Rs. 17,410 billion, at current prices. By the year 2006-2007, the GDP was estimated to be Rs. 41,000 billion. By applying the purchasing power parity (PPP) method, India’s GDP is estimated to be about $3. 319 trillion, making India the fourth largest economy in the world. GDP has also been growing at more than 7% per annum. The per capita income is also estimated to be increasing at the same rate. In addition, India has healthy foreign exchange reserves to cover the county’s imports for nearly one and a half year. Inflation has also been showing a healthy trend of less than 5%. These figures indicate that India has strong economic fundamentals that suggest a positive climate for business growth. India was under social democratic-based policies from 1947 to 1991. The economy was characterized by extensive regulations, protectionism, public ownership, corruption and slow growth. Since 1991, continuing economic liberalization has moved the country toward a market-based economy. A revival of economic reforms and better economic policy in 2000s accelerated Indias economic growth rate. In recent years, Indian cities have continued to liberalize business regulations. By 2008, India had established itself as the worlds second-fastest growing major economy. Indias large service industry accounts for 55% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while the industrial and agricultural sector contribute 28% and 17% respectively. Agriculture is the predominant occupation in India, accounting for about 52% of employment. The service sector makes up a further 34% and industrial sector around 14%. Previously a closed economy, Indias trade has grown fast. The Economic Survey for 2009-10 presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament on Thursday has revealed Indias share in world merchandise exports after remaining unchanged at 1. 1 per cent between 2007 and 2008, reached 1. per cent in 2009 (Jan-June) mainly due to the relatively greater fall in world export growth than India. Income Distribution- Macro economic indicators of the country provide the overall health of the economy as well as direction of economic growth. A marketer needs to understand the distribution of income to reach more meaningful conclusions about taking spe cific decisions. In India, we see that 77. 7% of urban households in India have a monthly income of up to Rs. 3000. Urban households with a monthly income between Rs. 3001 and 6000 are estimated to be about 16. 2% and another 4% with a monthly household income of Rs. 001-10,000. Only about 2. 1% of urban households have a monthly income over Rs. 10,000. Income distribution of households in India has been changing significantly over time. Households belonging to the lower income segment have been steadily declining over the years, and the middle income households have been showing an increase. These are the results of economic growth. The NCAER (_) has classified Indian consumers into five categories destitute (annual household income of Rs. 16,000; not active participants in market exchange for a wide range of goods), aspirants (annual household income of Rs. 6,000-22,000; new entrants into the consumption systems due to increase in their real income), climbers (annual household in come of Rs. 22,000-45,000; have desire and willingness to buy, but have limited cash at hand), consuming class (annual household income of Rs. 45,000-215,000; households that form the majority of consumers; have money and are willing to spend), and the rich (those who have money and own a wide range of products). The patterns of income distribution in urban and rural areas also vary. SECTORS- Industry and services Industry accounts for 28% of the GDP and employ 14% of the total workforce. However, about one-third of the industrial labour force is engaged in simple household manufacturing only. Economic reforms brought foreign competition, led to privatization of certain public sector industries, opened up sectors hitherto reserved for the public sector and led to an expansion in the production of fast-moving consumer goods. Post-liberalization, the Indian private sector, which was usually run by oligopolies of old family firms and required political connections to prosper was faced with foreign competition, including the threat of cheaper Chinese imports. Business services (information technology, information technology enabled services, business process outsourcing) are among the fastest growing sectors contributing to one third of the total output of services in 2000. The growth in the IT sector is attributed to increased specialization, and an availability of a large pool of low cost, but highly skilled, educated and fluent English-speaking workers, matched on the demand side by an increased demand from foreign consumers interested in Indias service exports, or those looking to outsource their operations. In 2009, seven Indian firms were listed among the top 15 technology outsourcing companies in the world. Agriculture India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry, logging and fishing accounted for 17% of the GDP in 2009, employed 52% of the total workforce and despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic development of India. Yields per unit area of all crops have grown since 1950, due to the special emphasis placed on agriculture in the five-year plans and steady improvements in irrigation, technology, application of modern agricultural practices and provision of agricultural credit and subsidies since Green revolution in India. Banking and finance Prime Minister Indira Gandhi nationalized 14 banks in 1969, followed by six others in 1980, and made it mandatory for banks to provide 40% of their net credit to priority sectors like agriculture, small-scale industry, retail trade, small businesses, etc. o ensure that the banks fulfill their social and developmental goals. Since then, the number of banks has been increasing in the country and the population covered by each branch has decreased. Since liberalization, the government has approved significant banking reforms. While some of these relate to nationalized banks (like encouraging mergers, reducing government interference and increasing profitability and competitiveness), other reforms have opened up the banking and insurance sectors to private and foreign players. Natural resource Indias major mineral resources include coal, iron, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium, chromite, limestone and thorium. India meets most of its domestic energy demand through its 92 billion tonnes of coal reserves (about 10% of worlds coal reserves). Indias oil reserves, found in Mumbai High, parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and eastern Assam, meet 25% of the countrys domestic oil demand. Indias total proven oil reserves stand at 11 billion barrels. In 2009, India imported 2. 56 million barrels of oil per day, making it one of largest buyers of crude oil in the world. The petroleum industry in India mostly consists of public sector companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). There are some major private Indian companies in oil sector such as Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) which operates the worlds largest oil refining complex. Pharmaceuticals India has a self reliant Pharmaceuticals industry. The majority of its medical consumables are produced domestically. Pharmaceutical Industry in India is dotted with companies like Ranbaxy Pharmaceutical, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, and Cipla which have created a niche for themselves at world level. India including China, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Russia and South Korea are called â€Å"pharmerging† countries. Today, India is an exporter to countries like the United States and Russia. In terms of the global market, India currently holds a modest 1-2% share, but it has been growing at approximately 10% per year. External trade and investment ? Global Trade Relations Indias economy is mostly dependent on its large internal market with external trade accounting for just 20% of the countrys GDP. Until the liberalization of 1991, India was largely and intentionally isolated from the world markets, to protect its economy and to achieve self-reliance. Foreign trade was subject to import tariffs, export taxes and quantitative restrictions, while foreign direct investment (FDI) was restricted by upper-limit equity participation, restrictions on technology transfer, export obligations and government approvals. Indias exports were stagnant for the first 15 years after independence, due to the predominance of tea, jute and cotton manufactures, demand for which was generally inelastic. Imports in the same period consisted predominantly of machinery, equipment and raw materials, due to nascent industrialization. The Indian export has grown by 22. 5 per cent at $16. 64 billion in August 2010. India is a founding-member of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) since 1947 and its successor, the WTO. While participating actively in its general council meetings, India has been crucial in voicing the concerns of the developing world. For instance, India has continued its opposition to the inclusion of such matters as labour and environment issues and other non-tariff barriers into the WTO policies. ? Balance of payments Since independence, Indias balance of payments on its current account has been negative. Since liberalization in the 1990s (precipitated by a balance of payment crisis), Indias exports have been consistently rising, covering 80. % of its imports in 2002–03, up from 66. 2% in 1990–91. Indias growing oil import bill is seen as the main driver behind the large current account deficit. Although India is still a net importer, since 1996–97 its overall balance of payments (i. e. , including the capital account balance) has been positive, largely on account of increased foreign direct investment and deposits from non-resident Indians; until this time, the overall balance was only occasionally positive on account of external assistance and commercial borrowings. As a result, Indias foreign currency reserves stood at USD 283. 5 billion at the end of December 2009. [pic] Due to the global late-2000s recession, both Indian exports and imports declined by 29. 2% and 39. 2% respectively in June 2009. The steep decline was because countries hit hardest by the global recession, such as United States and members of the European Union, account for more than 60% of Indian exports. However, since the decline in imports was much sharper compared to the decline in exports, Indias trade deficit reduced to 252. 5 billion rupee. Indias reliance on external assistance and commercial borrowings has decreased since 1991–92, and since 2002–03, it has gradually been repaying these debts. Declining interest rates and reduced borrowings decreased Indias debt service ratio to 4. 5% in 2007. In India, External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) are being permitted by the Government for providing an additional source of funds to Indian corporates. The Ministry of Finance monitors and regulates these borrowings (ECBs) through ECB policy guidelines. ? Foreign Direct Investment In India As the fourth-largest economy in the world in PPP terms, India is a preferred destination for foreign direct investments (FDI); India has strengths in telecommunication, information technology and other significant areas such as auto components, chemicals, apparels, pharmaceuticals, and jewelry. Despite a surge in foreign investments, rigid FDI policies resulted in a significant hindrance. However, due to some positive economic reforms aimed at deregulating the economy and stimulating foreign investment, India has positioned itself as one of the front-runners of the rapidly growing Asia Pacific Region. India has a large pool of skilled managerial and technical expertise. The size of the middle-class population stands at 300 million and represents a growing consumer market. Indias recently liberalized FDI policy (2005) allows up to a 100% FDI stake in ventures. Industrial policy reforms have substantially reduced industrial licensing requirements, removed restrictions on expansion and facilitated easy access to foreign technology and foreign direct investment FDI. The upward moving growth curve of the real-estate sector owes some credit to a booming economy and liberalized FDI regime. In March 2005, the government amended the rules to allow 100 per cent FDI in the construction business. This automatic route has been permitted in townships, housing, built-up infrastructure and construction development projects including housing, commercial premises, hotels, resorts, hospitals, educational institutions, recreational facilities, and city- and regional-level infrastructure. A number of changes were approved on the FDI policy to remove the caps in most sectors. Fields which require relaxation in FDI restrictions include civil aviation, construction development, industrial parks, petroleum and natural gas, commodity exchanges, credit-information services and mining. India has been ranked at the third place in global foreign direct investments in 2009 and will continue to remain among the top five attractive destinations for international investors during 2010-11, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in a report on world investment prospects titled, World Investment Prospects Survey 2009-2011 released in July 2009. India attracted FDI equity inflows of US$ 2,214 million in April 2010. The cumulative amount of FDI equity inflows from August 1991 to April 2010 stood at US$ 134,642 million, according to the data released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The Indian rupee is the only legal tender accepted in India. The exchange rate as on 23 March 2010 is 45. 40 INR the USD, 61. 45 to a EUR, and 68. 19 to a GBP (British pound). The Indian rupee is accepted as legal tender in the neighboring Nepal and Bhutan, both of which peg their currency to that of the Indian rupee. The Rupee hit a record low during early 2009 on account of global recession. However, due to a strong domestic market, India managed to bounce back sooner than the western countries. Since September 2009 there has been a constant appreciation in Rupee versus most Tier 1 currencies. On 11 January 2010 Rupee went as high as 45. 50 to a USD and on 10 January 2010 as high as Rs. 73. 93 to a British Pound. The RBI, the countrys central bank was established on 1 April 1935. It serves as the nations monetary authority, regulator and supervisor of the financial system, manager of exchange control and as an issuer of currency. The RBI is governed by a central board, headed by a governor who is appointed by the Central government of India. According to The Times of India, a majority of Indians have per capita space equivalent to or less than a 10  feet x 10  feet room for their living, sleeping, cooking, washing and toilet needs. and one in every three urban Indians lives in homes too cramped to exceed even the minimum requirements of a prison cell in the US. The average is 103  sq  ft (9. 6 m2) per person in rural areas and 117  sq  ft (10. m2) per person in urban areas. Around half of Indian children are malnourished. However, India has not had famines since the Green Revolution in the early 1970s. While poverty in India has reduced significantly, a 2007 report by the state-run National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector (NCEUS) found that 65% of Indians, or 750 million people, lived on less than 20 rupees per day with most working in informal labour sector with no job or s ocial security, living in abject poverty. Since the early 1950s, successive governments have implemented various schemes, under planning, to alleviate poverty that have met with partial success. All these programs have relied upon the strategies of the Food for work program and National Rural Employment Program of the 1980s, which attempted to use the unemployed to generate productive assets and build rural infrastructure. In August 2005, the Indian parliament passed the Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, the largest program of this type in terms of cost and coverage, which promises 100 days of minimum wage employment to every rural household in all he Indias 600 districts. Recent statistics in 2010 point out that the numbers of high income households have crossed lower income households. Agricultural and allied sectors accounted for about 60% of the total workforce in 2003 same as in 1993–94. While agriculture has faced stagnation in growth, services have seen a steady growth . Of the total workforce, 8% is in the organized sector, two-thirds of which are in the public sector. From 1983 until 2000, Indias Unemployment Rate averaged 7. 0 percent reaching an historical high of 8. 30 percent in December of 1983 and a record low of 5. 99 percent in December of 1994. The labour force is defined as the number of people employed plus the number unemployed but seeking work. The non-labour force includes those who are not looking for work, those who are institutionalized and those serving in the military. [pic] Indias labor force is growing by 2. 5% annually, but employment only at 2. 3% a year. Unemployment in India is characterized by chronic or disguised unemployment. Government schemes that target eradication of both poverty and unemployment (which in recent decades has sent millions of poor and unskilled people into urban areas in search of livelihoods) attempt to solve the problem, by providing financial assistance for setting up businesses, skill honing, setting up public sector enterprises, reservations in governments, etc. Child labor is a complex problem that is basically rooted in poverty. The Indian government is implementing the worlds largest child labor elimination program, with primary education targeted for ~250 million. Numerous non-governmental and voluntary organizations are also involved. Special investigation cells have been set up in states to enforce existing laws banning employment of children (under 14) in hazardous industries. In spite of the high growth rate in India, the country still continues to be a low-income country since decades. Though it is believed the country could be a â€Å"motor to the world economy† if it fulfills its growth potential. In order to achieve its growth potential, things needed to be done are: o Improve Governance Raise Educational Achievement o Increase Quality and Quantity of Universities o Control Inflation o Introduce a Credible Fiscal Policy o Liberalize Financial Markets o Increase Trade with Neighbors o Increase Agricultural Productivity o Improve Infrastructure o Improve Environmental Quality. ? Agriculture The low productivity in India is a result of the following factors: o According to India: Priorities for Agriculture and Rural Development by World Bank, Indias large agricultural subsidies are hampering productivity-enhancing investment. Overregulation of agriculture has increased costs, price risks and uncertainty. Government interventions in labor, land, and credit markets are hurting the market. Infrastructure and services are inadequate. o Illiteracy, slow progress in implementing land reforms and inadequate or inefficient finance and marketing services for farm produce. o The average size of land holdings is very small (less than 20,000  m? ) and is subject to fragmentation, due to land ceiling acts and in some cases, family disputes. Such small holdings are often over-manned, resulting in disguised unemployment and low productivity of labour. o Adoption of modern agricultural practices and use of technology is inadequate, hampered by ignorance of such practices, high costs and impracticality in the case of small land holdings. o World Bank says that the allocation of water is inefficient, unsustainable and inequitable. The irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating. Irrigation facilities are inadequate, which result in farmers still being dependent on rainfall, specifically the Monsoon season. A good monsoon results in a robust growth for the economy as a whole, while a poor monsoon leads to a sluggish growth. Farm credit is regulated by NABARD, which is the statutory apex agent for rural development in the subcontinent. Indias population is growing faster than its ability to produce rice and wheat. The most important structural reform for self-sufficiency is the ITC Limited plan to connect 20,000 villages to the Internet by 2013. This will provide farmers with up to date crop prices for the first time, which should minimize losses incurred from neighboring producers selling early and in turn facilitate investment in rural areas. ? Corruption Corruption has been one of the pervasive problems affecting India. The economic reforms of 1991 reduced the red tape, bureaucracy and the License Raj that had strangled private enterprise. Yet, a 2005 study by Transparency International (TI) India found that more than half of those surveyed had firsthand experience of paying bribe or peddling influence to get a job done in a public office. The Right to Information Act (2005) and equivalent acts in the Indian states that require government officials to furnish information requested by citizens or face punitive action, computerization of services and various central and state government acts that established vigilance commissions have considerably reduced corruption or at least have opened up avenues to redress grievances. The 2009 report by Transparency International ranks India at 84th place in terms of corruption and states that significant improvements were made by India in reducing corruption. Education India has made huge progress in terms of increasing primary education attendance rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population. The right to education at elementary level has been made one of the fundamental rights under the Eighty-Sixth Amendment of 2002. However, the literacy rate of 65% is still lower than the worldwide average and the country suffers from a high dropout rate. ? Infrast ructure In the past, development of infrastructure was completely in the hands of he public sector and was plagued by corruption, bureaucratic inefficiencies, urban-bias and an inability to scale investment. Indias low spending on power, construction, transportation, telecommunications and real estate, at $31 billion or 6% of GDP in 2002 had prevented India from sustaining higher growth rates. This has prompted the government to partially open up infrastructure to the private sector allowing foreign investment which has helped in a sustained growth rate of close to 9% for the past six quarters. Some 600 million Indians have no mains electricity at all. While 80% of Indian villages have at least an electricity line, just 44% of rural households have access to electricity. India has the worlds third largest road network in the world. Container traffic is growing at 15% a year. Some 60% of India’s container traffic is handled by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai. Internet use is rare; there were only 7. 57 million broadband lines in India in November 2009, however it is still growing but at a slower rate. Most urban cities have good water supply water 24 hours a day, while some smaller cities face water shortages in summer season. A World Bank report says it is an institutional problem in water agencies, or how the agency is embedded in the relationships between politics and the citizens who are the consumers. ? Labour laws India’s labor regulations  - among the most restrictive and complex in the world  - have constrained the growth of the formal manufacturing sector where these laws have their widest application. Better designed labor regulations can attract more labor- intensive investment and create jobs for India’s unemployed millions and those trapped in poor quality jobs. Given the country’s momentum of growth, the window of opportunity must not be lost for improving the job prospects for the 80 million new entrants who are expected to join the work force over the next decade. ? Economic disparities One of the critical problems facing Indias economy is the sharp and growing regional variations among Indias different states and territories in terms of per capita income, poverty, availability of infrastructure and socio-economic development. Six low-income states Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh are home to more than one third of Indias population.