Aristotle And Politics Essays - Ancient Greek Philosophers

Aristotle And Politics annon Aristotle (b. 384 - d. 322 BC), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and his father was a court physician to the king of Macedon. As a young man he studied in Plato's Academy in Athens. After Plato's death he left Athens to conduct philosophical and biological research in Asia Minor and Lesbos, and he was then invited by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his young son, Alexander the Great. Soon after Alexander succeeded his father, consolidated the conquest of the Greek city-states, and launched the invasion of the Persian Empire. It was in this environment that Aristotle's' views and ideas of politics developed. As Alexander's teacher, Aristotle had a close tie to the political powers of Athens. Because of this tie Aristotle wrote Politics as a guide to rulers as to how to govern a country. In Politics Aristotle lays out his ideal form of Government. It contains thought provoking discussions on the role of human nature in politics, the relation of the individual to the state, the place of morality in politics, the theory of political justice, the rule of law, the analysis and evaluation of constitutions, the relevance of ideals to practical politics, the causes and cures of political change and revolution, and the importance of a morally educated citizenry. He stressed that the ideal citizen and ruler must possess certain virtues, such as wisdom, temperance and courage. And the work as a whole echoes Aristotle's dominant theme of moderation. Politics is an excellent historical source because of the close tie Aristotle had to the everyday business of government in Athens. It reflects the idealized values of the people and the influence of Aristotle's teacher Plato. The importance of wisdom and justice also directly parallel the classical Greek ideology. Aristotle believed that nature formed politics and the need for city-states (government) formed out of nature. Aristotle lays the foundations for his political theory in Politics by arguing that the city-state and political rule are natural. The argument begins with a historical account of the development of the city-state out of simpler communities. First, individual human beings combined in pairs because they could not exist apart. The male and female joined in order to reproduce, and the master and slave came together for self-preservation. The master uses his intellect to rule, and the natural slave uses his body to labor. Second, the household arose naturally from these primitive communities in order to serve everyday needs. Third, when several households combined for other needs a village emerged also according to nature. Finally, the complete community, formed from several villages, is a city-state, which can attain the limit of self-sufficiency. It comes to be for the sake of life, and exists for the sake of the good life. (I.2.1252b27-30). Aristotle backs up four claims about the city-state: First, the city-state exists by nature, because it comes to be out of the more primitive natural associations and it serves as their end, because only it attains self-sufficiency (1252b30-1253a1). Second, human beings are by nature political animals, because nature, which does nothing in vain, has equipped them with speech, which enables them to communicate moral concepts such as justice, which are formative of the household and city-state (1253a1-18). Third, the city-state is naturally prior to the individuals, because individuals cannot perform their natural functions apart from the city-state, since they are not self-sufficient (1253a18-29). However, these three claims are immediately followed by a fourth: the city-state is a creation of human intelligence. Therefore, everyone naturally has the impulse for such a [political] community, but the person who first established [it] is the cause of very great benefits. This great benefit may be the laws of the city-state. Aristotle points out that the legal system alone saves them from their own savagery. It's interesting to see that Aristotle's view of nature transcends in his view of the human character and what the humans should be. In Aristotle's Ethics he points out the popular view of what happiness was (and maybe still is). Honor, pleasure and

The Emotional and Cultural Conflict at the Personal Level essays

The Emotional and Cultural Conflict at the Personal Level essays Conflict can be defined as a disagreement through which the parties involved perceived a threat to their needs, interests and concerns. It occurs when people perceive that consequence of a disagreement. Emotional are the feeling experienced in conflict, ranging from anger and fear to despair and confusion. (Academic Leadership Support) When emotional and cultural conflicts occur at the personal level, it can give a great impact of inconsistency at the political, cultural and social levels in the country. In referring to this statement, this paper is going to discuss about the disintegration of individualism, are there any conflict in the characters and are they portrayed as inconsistence, restless and unsettle? And how is this kind of portrayal can suggest to the inconsistencies at the political, cultural and social levels in the country? This writing will not be able to achieve its objective in discussing the issues mentioned without any evidence taken from any short stories or poems. Therefore, in a way to provide clear examples to the analysis, two short stories are selected. The first one is The Tamarind Tree, written by Saffura Chinniah and the other is Ibrahim Something by Lee Kok Liang. Both these short stories have been identified to have emotional and cultural conflicts and it will be discussed further. The concern or the issue that is relevance for discussion is the issue of is there a conflict in the characters and are they portrayed as inconsistence, restless and unsettled? In the first short story, The Tamarind Tree, the major concern of discussion is about the main character, Uncle Das. He lives in a housing area, Is he portrayed as inconsistence, restless and unsettle? From his neighbours perspective, he is like other man. He has a wife, a child, a paid-up three bedroom house and on a decent pension. (pg. 38) He does not seem to have a c...

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Strategy - Essay Example earch engine today is its ability to be â€Å"integrated into a third party’s website or intranet† (The Economist, 182) that also allows corporate intranets to search company documents. Its search engine also offers services to advertisers to run large campaigns through its search engine, which contributes tremendously to its bottom line. Google’s Adsense and the ability of its search engine appliance to be integrated into a company’s intranet for a charge, synergizes with its basic search engine facility, thus, enhancing the revenue potential of the engine. Its acquisition of YouTube in 2006 also allowed it to receive advertising revenues for ads displayed during internet videos, while its 2008 acquisition of DoubleClick allowed the company to generate advertising revenues through banner ads. Its other business segments such as Gmail, GoogleMaps, Google scholar and several other products and services add to its search engine with each segment complementing the other services. Google’s introduction of the Android operating system also allowed the company to penetrate the growing market of the mobile internet industry. All these capabilities of Google products and services, which work in synergy and complement each other in terms of increased traffic and market reach, illuminate its success. While Google’s basic services, such as its search engine and mail, are free, it is able to derive revenue from other revenue generating services attached to the free ones such as Adsense. The synergy of Google’s product and services increases the traffic and usage of its services, which allows it to reach and penetrate the market deeper. Google’s deeper market reach and penetration translates to its wider market base, which ultimately redounds to enhanced revenue for the company. All these innovative products and services were a product of Google’s talented workforce and its unorthodox corporate set-up. To maintain its innovativeness, Google always

Why All New Buildings Should Be Eco-Friendly Essay

Why All New Buildings Should Be Eco-Friendly - Essay Example Besides, there is a general perception that developing eco-friendly building means disregard for aesthetic values. As a result, eco-friendly buildings are still not so widespread. The costs of developing an eco-friendly building vary from building to building; most of them are more costly than conventional buildings. For instance, in order to minimise the effects on environment, the risk mitigation fee of eco-friendly buildings is near three times higher than it is of conventional ones, as well as the overheads during construction are up to four times more (Newell 2008). Beside these costly inputs, the chief obstacle which causes investors are costly home and commercial property integration of energy efficient technologies which do not offer returns to the investors. Obviously, the owners will save their energy fee from these technologies but the builders can only balance these inputs by selling in higher prices which may cause losing the potential customers consequently. Another problem related to cost efficiency is that the market perceives the cost of capital and construction of eco-friendly building increase significantly as standards are established. Bef ore a new eco-friendly building could be put on the market, it has to be scrutinized by rigid criterion to be qualified as eco-friendly; this entails more money spending on building maintenance. For example, in Australia, it takes more than one year to be certified as â€Å"Green Star† which is a standard launched by Green Building Council Australia (GBCA), and about 8 percent of total financial investment have to be paid for advertising, management and equipments maintaining during this period (Newell 2008). However, in the long run, the return of eco-friendly buildings will out performs the cost invested (Kozlowski 2003 in Miller and Buys 2008).

Around the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Around the World - Essay Example Channel Access: Access of the alliance company to the various channels required for the business. Local Laws: Local laws with respect to formation of alliances need to be considered. Competency and Value of the Alliance Company: Competency of the alliance company and the value that it adds to the alliance is key to a successful alliance. The alliance must take the form of an international joint venture. International joint venture is an economically and legally separate organizational entity that has been created by 2 or more parent organizations with the objective to achieve strategic objectives. Parent companies invest both financial and other resources at disposal into the alliance (Schuler et al., 2004). A joint venture alliance has various advantages and is best suited in the current case. The major challenges for Around the World in establishing an international joint venture is shareholdings, human resource management, skills sharing and knowledge transfers. These challenges c an be overcome by effective and early planning. Share holdings and control structures of the partners need to be established and agreed upon before the alliance materializes. There are various ways to effectively manage the HR issues and, the knowledge and skill management issues. A four stage model of formation, development, implementation and advancement can be used to effectively to handle the challenges (Schuler & Tarique, 2004). Case Study 2 Following are the discussion points for the three questions at the end of the case study: 1. Aditya Birla Group adopted a growth strategy that made great business sense. The group exited from any business that did not offer them greater presence in the global market or the business which had registered losses. The group diversified and adopted businesses whose operations gave the group global presence and lead to acquiring of competencies in the market. The company built a business portfolio which is not limited to a single industry. The po rtfolio demonstrates the group’s ability to run different businesses efficiently and also has contributed to various revenue generating sources which has made the group immune to economic downturn in certain market or industries. 2. Various initiatives were taken by the group under the leadership of Kumar Mangalam Birla which has contributed to the group’s success. Gyanodaya was a great initiative which helped in the transfer of best practices. Appointment of new managers gave rise to a new dimension in the group’s leadership. Continuous learning and developing of human resources was one of main motive behind many of the initiatives. 3. Aditya Birla Group has addressed its second part of the mission – â€Å"Indian Values† by actively involving and contributing to the development of the country. It is presently working in 3700 villages. It is concentrating on health care, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure, education, social causes, etc through its Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development. It is running around 18 hospitals and 14 schools. Case Study 3 In order for Aston Restaurant to extend their business to China, they have to consider various factors and the two important factors are the market and the localization. Market No two markets are same and there are numerous differences that have to be looked into. The following various issues/factors have to be addressed or considered for Aston to successfully expand to China: Language: Language is a primary barrier here and Aston has to ensure that language i.e., communication must not hinder the business. Chinese is the primary language used in China. Customs and Practices: The customs and practices in China are different from those in other countries. In

Revenue Leakages, Prevention and Internal Controls in MMDAs

Revenue Leakages, Prevention and Internal Controls in MMDAs APPLICATION OF THEORIES TO REAL LIFE SITUATION 3.0 Introduction This chapter is organized into four parts, with the first part dealing with explanation of the nature of problem in LEKMA, the second part is on the solutions provided by the researchers to the problem, the third part talks about the contributions of the students to LEKMA revenue mobilization and prevention with the last part drawing conclusion on the chapter. 3.1 Explanation of the Nature of Problem in Organization There had been an increasing demand for fiscal decentralization in both developed and developing countries due to the inherent benefits in terms of infrastructural development and quality service delivery. The pertinent question here is, has this been properly implemented at LEKMA? What are the challenges and the way forward with regards to fiscal decentralization in LEKMA? In view of the strategic location of the Assembly in the country, thus, its exact position between Tema an industrial hub of the country, and Accra, the capital city of Ghana, LEKMA is well placed to generate enough internal Revenue to meet its recurrent expenditure and local infrastructural development needs. However, the situation in the Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) regarding Internally Generated Funds (IGF) performance showed huge gaps between projected revenues and reported actuals. Initial projected figures had to be revised downwards through mid- year budget review process in order to meet Functional Organizational Assessment Tool (FOAT) benchmarks as a result of massive revenue leakages from the system. This reflection does not depict the full potentials of the Assembly and the analysis below give evidence to back the statements made above using 2014 and 2015 composite budgets of LEKMA. The 2014 composite budget of LEKMA projected GHÈÂ » 5,710, 975.00as initial revenue target to be collected internally (IGF). However, only 54.13% of the projected figure was realized representing GHÈÂ » 3,091, 081.06by the end of the fiscal year. The trend in 2015 fiscal year was not anything different from the previous years achievement. Out of the budgeted revenue of GHÈÂ » 6,889, 512.00t o be collected internally, only 62.51% was realized, representing GHÈÂ » 4,306, 966.40in nominal figures. The worse performance which threw the whole Municipal Assembly into disarray was recorded in 2013 fiscal year. The Municipal Assembly had in its Composite budget GHÈÂ » 4,907, 779.40 as the amount to be mobilized internally. Only 44.87% of the projected amount was achieved, representing GHÈÂ » 2,202, 178.08in absolute terms. The Internal auditors report (2013) of the Municipal Assembly revealed that, revenue collectors were indulging in under carboning. This is just one of the numerous revenue mobilization malpractices confronting LEKMA. Sixteen revenue officers of the Municipal Assembly were interdicted in connection with the above mention financial fraud. The report of the auditors also showed a lot of revenue leakages in the system due to weak internal controls and prevention mechanisms. The gravity of the situation also stems from the fact that, the units who are responsible for these internal controls are also handicap in terms of financial and non-financial resources. This prevented them from executing their constitutionally mandated duties and hence the massive leakages of IGF revenue. This worrying situation calls for an empirical researched that prescribes concrete solutions to the problems. To resolve this problem, a study design which gives the broad objective framework of the researchers enquiry (Brown, 2006) provided a basis for collecting and analyzing the data to inform policy direction. In order to put the nature of the problem in the right perspective and better analyze for solutions, a descriptive study was employed. The main purpose of the study was to describe the already existing strategies, challenges and the causes. In view of this, descriptive approach is best suited for the study. According to Miller and Brewer (2003), qualitative technique aids the investigator to explore further potentials and challenges to achieve the desire objectives of the study. The researchers wanted to explore other strategies that could be used to improve revenue mobilization and reduce leakages in the system. According to Neuman (2007), the subjects or concerns in the research design includes the purpose of the study, the type of investigation, the type of the sample which will be used, the methods by which the required data will be collected, as well as the process that will be followed for the analysis. The study used the exploratory and descriptive approach to evaluate revenue mobilization challenges in LEKMA. The research technique provided an opportunity for the researcher to interact with respondents in the field of study, which enabled the researcher to generate valid data and information using multiple sources of evidence. According to Stake (1995), interviews techniques enables the researcher to achieve reality by drawing closer and getting involve in the phenomenon under study in order to understand the environment and its participants. Robinson (2002, p.178) defines case study as a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence. The topic under study is a case study because it is impossible to study all MMDAs in Ghana c oncerning their revenue mobilization. The research also aim at putting the theory into empirical test and unearth the challenges confronting LEKMA in terms of their revenue and expenditure. 3.1.1 Data Sources Data used for analyses by the researchers came from both primary and secondary sources. The interview schedule was used to collect primary data. In using this instrument, the researcher considered all laid down ethical procedure in research (Stake, 1995). Primary data included interviews conducted by the researchers. Core management staff of the assembly as well revenue collectors and rate payers were interviewed to allow for more in-depth evaluation. The researchers conducted 34 interviews comprising key personnel in revenue mobilization across all the responsible departments of the Assembly, revenue collectors and rate payers. These are stakeholders play vital role in the efficient mobilization of revenue for the Assembly. In addition to this, key officers interviewed have the capacity to formulate and implement policies concerning IGF mobilization of the Assembly. The documentary analysis was done because documentary information is relevant in a case study research (Yin 2003). See king answers to the research questions required an examination of the organizations annual budgets and financial statements. 3.1.2 Target population and sampling technique The target population for the study was core management staff of the assembly, revenue collectors and rate payers. Purposive and convenient sampling technique was employed to select the respondents who could provide relevant required information and who were available to participate in the study. A small sample size was chosen because of the constraints; time and money. Furthermore, the small sample was used as the study did not set out to test hypotheses but to gather expert opinions necessary in answering the research questions. Interviews were conducted with these persons. Excerpts of interview have been replicated as evidence in this report. A level of measured but subjective interpretation, in line with the subjective view and interpretive position taken by the researcher, was applied in analyzing respondents responses. 3.2 Solution Provided for the Problem Upon our review and analysis of both primary and secondary data gathered, the following are the proposed solutions to the challenges. LEKMA should adopt and implement software that will generate and assign a Unique Tax Identification Number to every tax payer in the database. This becomes a permanent code that identifies the business and the rate payer in case of none payment. Rates should be collected electronically through mobile money and other banking system. LEKMA should partner with the Banks which will provide an opportunity for tax payers to use their Unique Tax Code to pay at the bank and obtain receipt. This will prevent fraud through physical cash handling as reported in the challenges. LEKMA should employ the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify old and new business and properties within the municipality. Through this computerized system, a comprehensive database will be built which will then improve the revenue collection. LEKMA should adopt one community one stakeholder meeting project in addition to the town hall meetings for every fiscal year. This will promote awareness creation, transparency and accountability. Through this, rate payers and other stakeholders will get to know what their taxes are used for. Challenges such as lack of education, sensitization, transparency and accountability will be minimised. Refresher training for revenue collectors and contractors should be done on a regular basis in areas such as communications skills, customer relation ethics, revenue mobilization strategies, local governance Act, Assembly by-laws and other control mechanisms to ensure efficiency. LEKMA should advocate for the printing of General Counterfoil Receipt (GCR) with adequate security features so as to avoid duplication of the receipt by revenue collectors and contractors. Revenue targets should be set for collectors and contractors which should be closely monitored and supervised to ensure that the overall target of the Assembly is achieved. LEKMA should intensify the prosecution of rate defaulters in accordance with the bye laws of the Assembly to ensure that rate payers meet their civic obligations as well as serve as a deterrent for future defaulters. Regular field monitoring and supervision should be carried out by the superintendents to ensure that revenue collectors and contractors are deterred from engaging in fraudulent activities. All revenue collectors should be bond and stiffer punishment meted out to those found in financial fraud. 3.3 Contribution of Students to Organization The contributions of the students to Ledzorkuku Krowor Municipal Assembly in terms revenue mobilization, leakages and prevention techniques cannot be over emphasized. Students professional and personal skills, experiences and capability are being leverage on to augment the expertise of the Assembly staff handling revenue mobilization and expenditure portfolios. The students also contributed immensely to the organizations revenue and expenditure policy decisions by collecting detailed information on revenue mobilization leakages and prevention to enable top management design and implement strategies with high level of efficiency. This has become very crucial given that LEKMA hardly meet their IGF revenue projections. Students also contributed to the deepening of fiscal decentralization in Ghana, Africa and the world at large through the findings and the recommendation from this study. The prime objective of decentralization is to take governance closer to the people, improve on qualit y service and infrastructural provision and to promote transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds. Students prescribed solutions in this regard which will increase revenue of the Assembly and subsequently leads to quality service delivery. 3.4 Conclusion This chapter has discussed the application of theories to real life. The researchers discussed in detail the research design, approach, strategy, time horizon, methods and procedures employed in data analysis. The descriptive research design guided the researchers evaluation of revenue mobilization leakages, prevention and internal controls in Ledzorkuku Krowor Municipal Assembly. In order to collect more detailed and evidence based data, a multi-method data collection technique involving both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques were employed. Students employed convenient and purposive sampling approaches to select respondents who could provide relevant required information and who were more available to participate in the study. CHAPTER FOUR LESSONS LEARNT AND CHALLENGES 4.0 Introduction This chapter discusses the lessons learnt from undertaking this project and challenges the researchers confronted and how they were resolved. Analyses and interpretations of data collected had also been covered in this chapter. Excerpts from the interviews are integrated as confirmation of respondents perspectives which is accepted in social research theory (Yin, 2009). To ensure ethical requirement in this kind of research namely; assuring anonymity of identity and confidentiality of respondents, generic terms like officer, rate payer, among others are used in place of personal names (Yin, 2009). 4.1 Lessons Learnt In both empirical and theoretical literature, designing and implementing policies, programmes and strategies aimed at ensuring effective and efficient revenue mobilization are not without limitations. In our interview with the officials of the Assembly, it came out evidently that the Municipal Assembly has some revenue mobilization strategies in place. This was what the Municipal Finance Officer (MFO) said with regards to revenue mobilization strategies of the assembly. We have revenue mobilization strategies in place and they include; Building the capacity of revenue collectors, frequent sensitization and education of rate payers, involvement of rate payers in the budgeting process, holding stakeholders meetings with rate payers to determine their ability to pay, involving revenue collectors in annual revenue projections, enforcement of revenue, establish a data base of all economic activities in the municipality, mobilization laws, using Assembly members in the hard to collect areas, etc. Upon further investigation and evaluation of the revenue mobilization challenges, we realized there were implementation issues. Revenue collectors were not involved in coming out with annual IGF targets, they were not frequently trained, no up to date data base on economic activities within the municipality and enforcement of revenue by-laws were poorly handled. Another key management staff has this to say on why they are not able to enforce the by-laws to the later as an assembly. The limitation we have in this area has to do with political interference. Especially when we are getting closer to an electioneering period, for fear of losing the election they do not allow to punish those who flout the laws to deter others. We are constrained but all cannot be attributed to politicians, we are also to be blamed for our inefficiencies. The researchers learned further that, logistics constraint, especially on the part of revenue collectors, contributed to the poor implementation of the strategies as well as the enforcement of the by-laws. The next objective of the study was to evaluate the existing internal controls in the Municipal Assembly. Selected officers were interviewed which included the internal auditor of the organization. In this section, the researchers wanted to know the exact internal controls the Assembly has and how they are implemented and the challenges faced. This is what the Municipal Internal Auditor had to say on internal control issues during our interview. This is a legal and a well-established institution and therefore have internal controls in place ranging from revenue mobilization to expenditure. The LI 1961 outlined the functions of each unit and department at the local level. However, ensuring effective internal controls is a shared responsibility. Let me give you internal controls we have as an Assembly; Daily checks of their general counterfoil receipt and verifying the daily banking of cash into the Assemblys account, Field audit and periodic inspection of value books, Regular monitoring of revenue activities, revenue collectors are to submit their returns daily for verification, Weekly auditing of revenue collectors cash books, we do periodic field audits, monitoring of reports by rate payers, Weekly performance of field audit, tracking of the value books to ensure that the value books used are from the Assemblys stock and duly registered in the stock register of the Assembly, that the revenue collected paid to the Assemblys account within the 24hrs. With regards to the challenges they faced by the Assembly in their implementation of revenue strategies, the following were the major concerns raised; revenue collectors attitudes towards revenue collection, rate payers connivance with collectors to under pay the required rate bill and logistic constraints. These three concerns surfaced in our interviews with the key management staffs as being the major causes of revenue leakages from the system. However, a lot of progress had been made in these areas to remove barriers and bad nuts from the system to improve IGF performance. This was evident via the interviews and our personal verification from the 2016 fiscal year revenue performance. Key revenue items such as business operating permit (BOP) and property rates showed an upward trend. Another key objective of the study was to identify the channels of revenue leakages from the system and what causes it. In view of this we had interviews with some rate payers and revenue collectors. It was very interesting during our interview with one of the rate payers and commenting on the channels, of leakages this is what she has to say; People who come for the taxes sometimes come at the wrong time when we does not have any money with huge bills, so they take bribe from us and go. Sometimes they come back to take again and others do not come again. We also realized they have their own receipts different from assemblys receipt which they issue sometimes when they take the bribe. Our taxes collected goes into individual pocket, so at the end the Assembly do not receive the supposed revenue and that is why we sometimes do not pay. I will not give my money to someone to spend. We did not limit our interviews to only individual rate payers, institutions were also added since they pay both BOP and property rates and more especially we needed varied opinions from different perspectives. During our interview with one of the executives of a bank, this was what he had to say concerning the causes of revenue leakages. They do not give us enough education on what the taxes are used for and moreover, they failed to use an electronic system to mobilize the revenue. Taxes paid in cash to revenue collectors or task force causes corruption and mistrust. For the purpose of obtaining a comprehensive view of the situation on the ground, the researchers had interviews with some key revenue collectors of the Assembly. Two major concerns runs throughout our interviews with them namely; inadequate motivation and lack of frequent trainings on the job. In summary the lessons leant through this project work include; Educating rate payers that it is their civic responsibility to pay taxes and also on the uses of their taxes are vital in local government revenue mobilization processes. Training revenue collectors on the new revenue mobilization tools, techniques and the revenue mobilization strategies of the Assembly is essential. Stakeholder consultative meetings which involve rate payers in fee-fixing and rate imposition of the Assembly is very important in facilitating effective and efficient revenue mobilization within the local government system. Another important lesson is the issue of transparency and accountability. Local authorities or duty bearers within the sub-national governments, ability to account to the citizens or local constituents builds trust between rate payers and the Assemblies. Proper accountability promotes effective revenue mobilization and increase the willingness to pay. Electronic technique of revenue mobilization cannot be disregarded. Automation of the tax collection system discourages corruption, temptation to steal and increase efficiency in the revenue mobilization drive. The responsibility to secure electronic equipment to migrate local authorities to this stage is a collective effort. 4.2 Challenges encountered Executing this project work was not all that smooth. We were confronted with a lot of challenges ranging from research design to its execution. The first challenge we faced had to do with the research instrument and the interviews thereafter. As mentioned earlier in this work, we wanted to explore a lot of areas within the local government revenue mobilization scheme so as to prescribe solutions which will greater impact on the revenue mobilization of the Assembly. There are laid down ethical considerations that must be adhered to in social science research namely; anonymity and confidentiality. Our major challenge was how to get interpretations for our respondents who were not literate in order to preserve anonymity and confidentiality. In view of this we have to make several trips to them which was a herculean task. Added to this, designing an instrument to cover a lot of areas on the topic was not that easy considering the complicated nature of fiscal decentralization and the various stakeholders involved. Furthermore, our analysis of the situation employed both secondary and primary data. Retrieving or getting access to annual composite budgets and financial statements of the previous years for the necessary reviews was a big challenge. Several calls and personal visits were made before those documents were made available. Reviewing and analyzing the data therein was also challenging and exciting. One key issue was the incorrect postings (2015 fiscal year) and some revenue items which had no unique codes. This inconsistency post a big challenge to us in the analysis and the Key Officers had to come in to rectify the situation. We were told that, this problem occurred on the field as revenue collectors were not able to describe the business well. CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.0 Introduction This last chapter of the study gives the conclusion and recommendations. In this chapter, the researchers give the conclusions and recommendations of the study. 5.1Â  Conclusion Findings from the project work supports both theoretical and empirical literature which says that, sensitization and education of rate payers on their tax obligation and the uses of their monies have a positive impact on revenue mobilization. Transparency and accountability as well as the provision of efficient service and developmental projects to the local residents increases their willingness to pay and decreases if the reverse is applied. This suggests that citizens are now more concern about accountability and cannot be taken for granted. Fiscal decentralization is very crucial in the decentralization process and demands central government commitment to ensure its success. Linking fiscal federalism theory to the findings from this study, revealed that some core components or elements in the theory has not been applied. Components such as effective revenue mobilization scheme, efficient service delivery, and efficient internal controls to prevent revenue leakages have not been fully executed. This was clearly shown when local constituents were demanding physical projects to showcase for the taxes they pay. Notwithstanding that, the findings also support theory from the public commodities with a different geographical pattern of consumption. The results showed that residents were asking for projects and services that suit their consumption pattern. 5.2 Recommendations The main objective of this study was to assess revenue leakages, internal controls and prevention in local authorities. The study did found that there exist revenue mobilization leakages and thus has few dynamic policy recommendations for LEKMA, policymakers, and stakeholders in local governance system. Transparency and accountability from local authorities or duty bearers must be enforced. LEKMA must therefore design and implement policies which gives enough punishment to corrupt local government official and those who fail to properly account to their local constituents. Furthermore, involving ratepayers in fee-fixing and rate imposition through stakeholders meeting is very crucial in revenue mobilization within the local government system. This calls for a policy direction to make their involvement mandatory. Assembly members at LEKMA should pass a resolution to this effect. Capacity building should not be limited to top management of Assembly but must be extended to lower ranks as well. Building the capacity of revenue collectors is vital in local government revenue mobilization and the promotion fiscal decentralization. Management of LEKMA should direct policy to make their training a priority. They are implementers of revenue mobilization strategies formulated by LEKMA and therefore need to be equipped with the latest techniques in revenue mobilization. Automation of revenue collection process is another important way of achieving efficient revenue mobilization and prevention of fraud. LEKMA should adopt and implement policies that mandates it to migrate onto automated system of rate paying REFERENCES Aryee, J.R.A. (2003). Towards Effective and Accountable Local Government in Ghana. Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Accra. Arowolo, D. (2011). Fiscal Federalism in Nigeria: Theory and Dimensions. Afro Asian Journal of Social Science, 2 (2.2), 1-21. Badu, R., A. (2007) Mobilization of Internally Generated Funds in District Assemblies in Ghana: A Case Study of the Shama Ahanta East District Assembly. Unpublished Document Submitted to the Department of Planning, KNUST, Kumasi. Bird, R.M. (2009). Fiscal Federalism. University of Toronto, Canada. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi (2014) Effective Revenue Mobilization by District Assemblies: A Case Study of Upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly of Ghana: Public Policy and Administration Review, American Research Institute for Policy Development. Joseph, K. N., John, P. T. and Job Asante (2013). The Relationship Between Financial Control Systems and Public Sector Efficiency in Ghana: International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, Vol.2|No. 7 Korten, D. and Klaus R. (1984). People-Central Development, Connecticut: Kumarian Press. Kesner-Skreb, M. (2009). Fiscal Federalism: Financial Theory and Practice. 33 (2), 235-237 Oates, W.E. (1999). An Eassy on Fiscal Federalism. Journal of Economic Literature, 1120-1149 Oates, W.E (1972). Fiscal Federalism. New York, Harcourt Brace, Jovanovich, Olson, M. (1996). The Theory of Regulatory Federalism: The Case of Environmental Management. In The Economics of Environmental Regulation, pp319-31. Ozo-Eson (2005). Fiscal Federalism: Theory, Issues and Perspectives. Daily Intdependent. Musgrave, R. (1959). The Theory of Public Finance. New York, Mcgraw Hill Sharma, C.K. (2005). The Federal Approach to Fiscal Decentralization: Conceptual Contours for Sulley Gariba, (2009), Political Decentralization Ghana: Policy Issues, Legislation and the Way Forward. Presented at the first Annual Parliamentary Workshop on Local Government Reform and Decentralization organized by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Koforidua, November 6-8, 2009. James Edwin Kee (2003). Fiscal Decentralization: Theory as Reform, The George Washington University, Cheema, G.S, Dennis, A.R. (1983). Implementing Decentralization Policies: An Introduction. In G. Shabbir Cheema and Dennis A. Rondinelli (Eds.). Decentralization and Development: Policy Implementation In Developing Countries Beverly Hills; New Delhi: Sage Publications. Pp 9.37. Cleeve, E. (2008), How effective are fiscal incentives to attract FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa?, The Journal of Developing Areas, 42 (1), 135-153. Adenike A. Adedokun (undated). Local Government Tax Mobilization and Utilization in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects; The Polytechnique, Ibadan, Nigeria. Stake, R. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications Inc. Brewer, J. D., and Miller, R.L. (2003). The A-Z of Social Research: A dictionary of Key Social Science Research Concepts. Thousand Oaks, London: Sage. Neuman, L. (2007). Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Research Approaches, Second Edition. University of Wisconsin Whitewater Pearson Education Incorporated, USA

Politics and Puerto Rican Identity :: Latin America American

Introduction The issue I have chosen to elaborate on is the influence of politics on identity. Politics plays a role in everyone’s life to some degree. In my own personal experience, I have never been an adamant follower of American politics. It has never been a strong topic of conversation within my family or neighborhood. I voted for the first time my freshmen year in college. My upbringing in a working class neighborhood has bestowed upon me a very simple view on politics : vote for the democrats because it is in the best interest of the poor people; all republicans care about is money and they can never understand nor do they care about the plight of being poor. This is the reality of my experience with politics. I am judging it as neither right nor wrong. As I continue to become more educated my knowledge on politics increases and takes on more depth, but I have never considered politics a major part of my identity. When I think about myself and my experiences, the word democ rat does not come to mind. I have encountered people from many different walks of life, yet I have never witnessed firsthand or participated in a political conversation where the individuals involved have passionately taken a strong stance on behalf of an American political party. I’m sure people like this exist, I just have never encountered them. I believe this is why the following quote from Rosario Ferrà ¨Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s House on the Lagoon caught my attention and interest: "Politics is like religion; you are either for Statehood or for Independence, you can’t go for both. Someone has to be saved, someone must burn in hell , and if you’re for Commonwealth you’re floating in Limbo."(Ferrà ¨ pg 183) Politics can be defined as : "The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals". (http://work.ucsd.edu:5141/cgi-bin/http_webster?isindex=politics&method=exact) To, me this definition is very touching, yet is little more than words on a paper.

Prison Break Essay

Prison break is an American television series just entering the second season. It is a drama series set around a prison. This five star thriller is based in a prison named Fox River. The masterminded character, Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) is the main actor in this series. He plays as a structural engineer, this comes in handy when he plans to break out his step brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), also acted as Drake in â€Å"Blade Trinity† out of prison. Lincoln Burrows (Purcell) is the only family he has, and is on death row, convicted of the murder of the vice president’s brother. In actual fact, the vice presidents brother is hiding. This scheme was set up by the vice president herself and her right hand man, working with the secret service agent Paul Kellerman. (Paul Adelstein) Lawyer Veronica Donovan (Robin Tunney) investigates a conspiracy that takes place indicating that Lincoln Burrows was framed for the murder. The evidence was destroyed and Veronica could not get Lincoln exonerated. When a date was set for the execution of Lincoln, Michael has to think fast about how he is going to execute this plan. He has plans of the prison tattooed all over his body. These blueprints are camouflaged by artwork of devils and angels and so not anyone can see it and understand it apart from him. Any phrases or important words would be tattooed backwards or inverted and only could be recognized seeing it through a mirror. He deliberately robs a bank firing a gunshot on the ceiling to acquire maximum security and gets caught intentionally and gets sent to the same prison as his brother. The action inside the prison is full of suspense as the series continues. Michael has to persuade several other prisoners who are important for this escape to happen. Predictably other prisoners acknowledge that there is a scheme going on and they have to be part of the escape for obvious reasons. Psychopath Theodore Bagwell (Robert Knepper) known as T-Bag as his nickname, is a perfect example of why this show is so great. His character is a murder and rapist. His emetic performance is what gets the viewers gripped. Throughout the series there is another plot of what’s happening outside the walls. Veronica is working hard to end this conspiracy or to delay the execution. This is not an easy task as she is fighting against the government. The second season is when the cons are on the run. Fernando Sucre, Benjamin Franklin, John Abruzzi, Theodore T-bag Bagwell, Charles Patoshik, David Apolskis, Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows are the â€Å"Fox River 8 MOST WANTED MEN IN AMERICA†. The phrase â€Å"MOST WANTED† sums up the feelings of how the cops would really like to catch them. After the breakout the cons make their way to the airstrip to board a plane that should wait there to pick them up. The plane was unknown and identified by an inspector. The pilot had to leave the cons behind after being suspicious. This is a difficult situation for Scofield and the viewers are worried that the fugitives will be apprehended. He proves his intelligence by having a plan B if they never made it to the airstrip. They all go their different ways to uncover five millions dollars buried in Utah by an inmate that was killed in Fox River. The break out becomes a Federal matter and FBI’s have to get involved. Special conniving agent FBI Alexander Mahone (William Fitchtner) is at almost the same intelligence as Scofield and is a real obstacle for him. This undeniable amazing series caught over ten million viewers. Brett Ratner, the director of Prison Break has turned famous after directing the best series with the highest ratings. On www. reviewit. com, 10,000 blogs show the people love the excitement and the suspense they get watching this series. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

How and Educational Theory Gains Acceptance essays

How and Educational Theory Gains Acceptance essays I think that we have already discussed the most basic of ways in which an educational theory gains acceptance in the academic community. They are through publication, through practice and through saturation, whether that is through the media or within the academic community itself. According to David Perkins, one of the founding members of Project Zero, people learn much of what they have a reasonable opportunity and motivation to learn. In other words, in order for an educational theory to be conceived, there needs to be a need for change or understanding. A consensus is then achieved through extensive exposure to the theory in which the theorists peers will probe from many angles in order to disprove any or all of the theory. At this point a theory will either gain acceptance or not. Although I find the process in which a theory gains acceptance to be a pretty straightforward concept, I am reminded that there is another way a theorist can have his thoughts or ideas gain acceptance as well. Gardner provides us with the prime example of Sigmund Freud. Freud did not like nor did he respect the working theories of others in his field. So instead of seeking the acceptance of his peers, he simply (or not quite so, as his theories took years to be considered mainstream) created a new domain of psychoanalysis. Its questionable as to whether something like this could ever happen in a public school system regarding an educational theory, but certainly there have been private schools that utilize unique methods of educating, that would be considered controversial by the general public. ...

Free Essays on Home Schooling

In the past few years it has become more and more prevalent that our nation’s schools are in trouble. With reports of school violence on the rise, and student’s performances dropping, what can be done to help children learn? There is an alternative out there; one that offers students a place to learn safely and at their own pace. Today, I am going to show you some of the major problems in the public schools, and some of the many reasons why home schooling is the best alternative, why it is in the fact the best method of education available today. First, I want us to look at the significant problems in our country’s school systems. To begin with, why would we even consider sending children into places that even the adults that work there do not feel safe? According to a survey by the U.S. Department of Education 47% of teachers see physical conflicts and weapons possession as a serious problem in their school. In 1997 alone there were 424,150 crimes reported in public schools. This includes several thousand incidents of rape, robbery and physical attacks. Author Robert Maranto asks the question, â€Å"How can students possibly concentrate on learning when they have to worry about someone attacking them after class?† (72) Another problem with public schools is money. It costs taxpayers millions of dollars every year to keep schools running. And the money is not being used successfully. In USA Today author Isabel Lyman states, â€Å"American 13 year olds have been documented as having math skills that rank below 14 other developed countries. One survey noted that just one out of every three high school juniors could place the Civil War in the right half century.† I have shown you just a few of the problems that are happening in our public schools. So, what is the solution? A rapidly growing number of parents are turning to home schooling. In the year 2000 there are between 1.3 and 1.7 million students being taught at home. (NHERI) T... Free Essays on Home Schooling Free Essays on Home Schooling In the past few years it has become more and more prevalent that our nation’s schools are in trouble. With reports of school violence on the rise, and student’s performances dropping, what can be done to help children learn? There is an alternative out there; one that offers students a place to learn safely and at their own pace. Today, I am going to show you some of the major problems in the public schools, and some of the many reasons why home schooling is the best alternative, why it is in the fact the best method of education available today. First, I want us to look at the significant problems in our country’s school systems. To begin with, why would we even consider sending children into places that even the adults that work there do not feel safe? According to a survey by the U.S. Department of Education 47% of teachers see physical conflicts and weapons possession as a serious problem in their school. In 1997 alone there were 424,150 crimes reported in public schools. This includes several thousand incidents of rape, robbery and physical attacks. Author Robert Maranto asks the question, â€Å"How can students possibly concentrate on learning when they have to worry about someone attacking them after class?† (72) Another problem with public schools is money. It costs taxpayers millions of dollars every year to keep schools running. And the money is not being used successfully. In USA Today author Isabel Lyman states, â€Å"American 13 year olds have been documented as having math skills that rank below 14 other developed countries. One survey noted that just one out of every three high school juniors could place the Civil War in the right half century.† I have shown you just a few of the problems that are happening in our public schools. So, what is the solution? A rapidly growing number of parents are turning to home schooling. In the year 2000 there are between 1.3 and 1.7 million students being taught at home. (NHERI) T...

Health Care Services and Their Work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care Services and Their Work - Assignment Example Failure to adopt a population health reduces the chances of determining the nature or number of healthy and unhealthy cases in a given population. Thus, adopting a population approach is a significant move in reducing the problematic populations within the health setting. These populations are with the inclusion of poor and untrained personnel, corrupt managers or directors and irresponsible nurses or medical specialists. Infrastructure in different healthcare settings in different countries are poor, and this leads to poor delivery of medical services in those regions. It is considered as the obligation of the government to consider integrating appropriate measures to address the issue of infrastructure, which includes both transport and communication. With advancement in technology and digitalization, it is expected that every government in the contemporary world utilizes and enjoys the benefits linked to technology and digital innovation in the healthcare setting. Inability to build a new generation of intersectoral partnerships- This is a common challenge which can be addressed by educating and training the concerned people on the importance of establishing reliable and dependable partnerships. This is because they draw on the perceptions and resources of diverse societies, and actively includes them in health activities. Lack of systems of accountability- Most organizations in the health industry are observed to lack systems of accountability such as updated data systems of information systems which can be used to countercheck on the performance of some employees. This challenge can be addressed by integration of modern technology (IT) and digital innovation in all sectors of the institutions to enhance performance and increase accountability level.

The compensation and benefit strategy of an organization Coursework

The compensation and benefit strategy of an organization - Coursework Example The research studies show that company managers are not focusing on these kinds of additional benefits for the employees. Compensation can include monetary and non-monetary terms. The additional component to basic salary includes health insurance, performance bonuses, retirement investment opportunities, awards, gold medals and many other benefits, which actually motivate employees and attract the potential capable people to become a part of the organization. These compensation packages actually help any organization to increase the job satisfaction level of the employees, to decrease the absenteeism rate of the employees and enhance organizational commitment towards the mutually shared goals. All of these ultimately help to achieve the main milestone of low employee turnover rate in the organization. Here we are taking the example of the famous pesticide Company Bayer. Bayer Crop Science is a multinational Company having its widespread operations in many countries including Asian countries. The strategy and policy making for the multinational companies is a little bit different from other companies. All the multinational companies have to make their policies and strategies in the way that they can be fit according to the norms and values of different cultures. For this purpose, they can go for a standard set of the policies and the strategies, which can help them to cop up with the problems. Another solution can be the flexibility in the decision making process and the strategy making so that they can be changed according to any specific geographical area or territory. Bayer Crop Science is working hard on the improvement of the compensation packages and other benefits plans. The Human resource managers at Bayer Crop Science truly know the importance of these compensation plans and their beneficial impacts on the employee’s