Inflation in Bangladesh Essay

1. Introduction Inflation is a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money. â€Å"Too much money in circulation causes the money to lose value†-this is the true meaning of inflation. What is Inflation. The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and, subsequently, purchasing power is falling. Central banks attempt to stop severe inflation, along with severe deflation, in an attempt to keep the excessive growth of prices to a minimum. (Investopedia) a. Kinds of Inflation Inflation means a sustained increase in the general price level. However, this increase in the cost of living can be caused by different factors. There are many types of inflation but the main two types of inflation are; 1. Demand pull inflation: This occurs when the economy grows quickly and starts to ‘overheat’ Aggregate demand (AD) will be increasing faster than aggregate supply (LRAS). 2. Cost push inflation: This occurs when there is a rise in the price of raw materials, higher taxes, etc. 1..Demand Pull Inflation This occurs when AD increases at a faster rate than AS. Demand pull inflation will typically occur when the economy is growing faster than the long run trend rate of growth. If demand exceeds supply, firms will respond by pushing up prices. Simple diagram showing demand-pull inflation The UK experienced demand pull inflation during the Lawson boom of the late 1980s. Fuelled by rising house prices, high consumer confidence and tax cuts, the economy was growing by 5% a year, but this caused supply bottlenecks and firms responded by increasing prices. This graph shows inflation and economic growth in the UK during the 1980s. High growth in 1987, 1988 of 4-5% caused an increase in the inflation rate. It was only when the economy went into recession in 1990 and 1991 that we saw a fall in the inflation rate. 2..Cost Push Inflation This occurs when there is an increase in the cost of production for firms causing aggregate supply to shift to the left. Cost push inflation could be caused by rising energy and commodity prices. Simple Diagram showing cost push inflation. 3. Wage Push Inflation Rising wages tend to cause inflation. In effect this is a combination of demand pull and cost push inflation. Rising wages increase cost for firms and so these are passed onto consumers in the form of higher prices. Also rising wages give consumers greater disposable income and therefore cause increased consumption and AD. In the 1970s, trades unions were powerful in the UK. This helped cause rising nominal wages; this was a significant factor in causing inflation. 4. Imported Inflation. Depreciation in the exchange rate will make imports more expensive. Therefore, the prices will increase solely due to this exchange rate effect. A depreciation will also make exports more competitive so will increase demand. 5. Temporary Factors. The inflation rate can also increase due to temporary factors such as increasing indirect taxes. If you increase VAT rate from 17.5% to 20%, all goods which are VAT applicable will be 2.5% more expensive. However, this price rise will only last a year. It is not a permanent effect. 6. Core Inflation One measure of inflation is known as ‘core inflation’.This is the inflation rate that excludes temporary ‘volatile’ factors, such as energy and food prices. The graph below shows inflation in the EU. The headline inflation rate (HICP) is more volatile rising to 4% in 2008, and then falling to -0.5% in 2009. However, the core inflation (HCIP – energy, food, alcoholand tobacco) is more constant. b. People who are being affected by inflation Macro Economic Effect in Bangladesh: The inflationary situationin Bangladesh is on the rising trend, especially since August 2009, primarily owing to the soaring increase in food prices. The food price hike has accelerated the general inflation rate in the country. If the food price level rises at an existing rate of 1.31 percent per month and if adequate anti inflationary measures are not taken, the overall general inflation might touch a „double digit figure‟. Impact on women and children In Bangladesh, of total 143.91 million population, 69.81 million are women, reflecting 48.5 per cent of totalpopulation. About 86 per cent of women in Bangladesh live in rural areas. Between 2005 and 2006, total femalelabourforce accounts for 12.1 million, of them 2.8 million live in the urban area while 9.3 million in the rural area.In rural areas, they take part in economic activities and earn income through cattle rearing, gardening, poultry etc.About 80 per cent of workers in total labour force are women in the RMG sector. They work at a low rate of wagewhile 26 per cent of female workers earn less thanTk3000 only. Only 3.7 per cent of female workers earn morethanTk 5,000. With the low income and rising price of essentials, it has become very difficult for these women to provide their families with the basic requirements. 1. Increasing prices of foods reduces the real income of households thereby rationing spending on children’s schooling. This as a consequence is likely to reduce the literacy rate among girls in near future. The evidences suggest that in Bangladesh, it is the female children who are firstly taken out of schools if the family is in financial setback. 2. As education, skills and knowledge influence women’s status in the society and at home, they loose their bargaining power thereby their ability to take part in the decision making process shrink eventually. 3. There is a greater disparity in nutrition intake among men and women. Men consume more nutrients than women. The female members in households especially in rural areas take their meals after their male members and children. Studies suggest that it is one  of the main reasons of early childhood malnutrition. 4. Moreover there are many other factors that can be attributed to the maternal nutritional factors, for example, low birth weight of infants, infant mortality etc. 5. In recent years the rise in the price of baby foods has made it difficult for households to provide theirchildren with required nutrition. This is evident even among the middle income groups. According to a government report, the prices of baby food and powdered milk have risen by 30 to 38 per cent over theyear 2006 and 2007. The inability of families to provide proper nutrition for the children may result in undernourishment of children which contributes to increasing child mortality. 6. In Bangladesh, women are subject to violence in the society. Due to rise in the price of food and other essentials, as income of the family falls, tension rises within households and the women are often subject to violence by the male members of the family. 7. It is a common phenomenon that women take the role to provide food and nourishment to the members of family by arranging and preparing food. As a result, they have to bear the burden of rise in the price of food. Inflation erodes income of the poor One obvious consequence of inflation is the erosion of real income of the people resulting from the general increasein prices. The burden of income loss, however, differs across different income groups. No doubt, the householdgroups who are employed in the formal sector and whose salaries/wages are fixed in nominal terms and are re-fixedperiodically are the worst sufferers. The same is true for those employees in the informal sector who have incomefixed in nominal terms. In Bangladesh, a major concern, however, is the inflation-induced loss of real income ofthe poor. Food Inflation Raises Poverty and Inequality Food inflation has a profound nexus with poverty and inequality. Food inflation hits the poor hardest since their purchasing power decreases due to the erosion in real income. From the economics theory, when the real wage decreases demand for labor increases. Therefore, the employment should rise  since there is a tradeoffbetween inflation and unemployment. The result depends on whether the employment effect of inflation outweighs the real wage effect on poverty. But theBangladesh empirical data indicates that the real wage effect on poverty outweighs the employment effect of inflation There exists a positive relationship between food inflation and poverty. . Affect on saving & Investment: Excess inflation has its negative impact on savings and investment. Impact on savings has its direct reflection in the area of investment. Investment, both domestic and foreign, is essential for Bangladesh and it is important for growth and economic development. Affect on invertors: An unfavorable and unpredictable movement of inflation often creates lack of confidence among the investors. Many potential investments face bleak prospect and avoid the game of facing risk and uncertainty. Affect on bank& other financial intermediary: Inflation has its implications for the banking sector as well. Both for the banks and their customers inflation causes a reshuffle in the flow of activities. Rates of interest offered by the banks seem less attractive to the depositors. Bank lending has also a great role in the economy. In recent years there is an increasing trend of providing consumer credit by the banks. It will add to the demand side. But if itscontribution to the supplyside remains weak there will be alack of balance and the bankingindustry will face challenge. Other saving lending channels also face the same consequences from supply side to handle their investment demand. Affect on money supply: The challenge of central bank is to balance between growth and inflation. High inflation always put central bank under pressure to take contractionary monetary policy that might reduce growth. Mainly the people of middle class and poor are greatly affected by the higher inflation rate. A developing country like Bangladesh have higher inflation rate. It creates poor more poor and higher class of the society more higher. 2. Causes of Inflation In developing countries, in contrast, inflation is not a purely monetary phenomenon, but is often linked with fiscal imbalances and deficiencies in sound internal economic policies. Beside, factors typically related to fiscal imbalances such as higher money growth and exchange rate depreciation arising from a balance of payments crisis dominate the inflation process in developing countries. There were different schools of thought as to the causes of inflation. A. Quality theories of inflation The quality theory of inflation rests on the expectation of a seller accepting currency to be able to exchange that currency at a later time for goods that are desirable as a buyer. The quantity theory of inflation rests on the quantity equation of money that relates the money supply, its velocity, and the nominal value of exchanges. Adam Smith and David Hume proposed a quantity theory of inflation for money, and a quality theory of inflation for production After analyzing two theories of causes we have got here some physical cause to face which cover both theories depending on a number of factors. These are given below- B. Excess of money Inflation can happen when governments print an excess of money to deal with a crisis. As result, prices end up rising at an extremely high speed to keep up with the currency surplus. This is called the demand-pull, in which prices are forced upwards because of a high demand. C. Rise in production cost Another common cause of inflation is a rise in production costs, which leads to an increase in the price of the final product. For example, if raw  materials increase in price, this leads to the cost of production increasing, which in turn leads to the company increasing prices to maintain steady profits? Rising labor costs can also lead to inflation. As workers demand wage increases, companies usually chose to pass on those costs to their customers. D. International lending & national debt Inflation can also be caused by international lending and national debts. As nations borrow money, they have to deal with interests, which in the end cause prices to rise as a way of keeping up with their debts. A deep drop of the exchange rate can also result in inflation;as governments will have to deal with differences in the import/export level. E. Government taxes Finally, inflation can be caused by federal taxes put on consumer products such as cigarettes or fuel. As the taxes rise, suppliers often pass on the burden to the consumer; the catch, however, is that once prices have increased, they rarely go back, even if the taxes are later reduced. F. War Wars are often causing for inflation, as governments must both recoup the money spent and repay the funds borrowed from the central bank. War often affects everything from international trading to labor costs to product demand, so in the end it always produces a rising prices. 3. Measures of Inflation Control There are three measures to control the inflation. They are: General Policy of The Government Direct – Action Measures of The Government Other Measures 1. General Policy of the Government: Government follows three general policies to control the inflation such as – Fiscal Policy Monetary Policy Policy of Price Ceiling a. Fiscal Policy: If the government charges more tax on the goods then the particular product’s price will also be high. We will face price inflation. To Summarized issues relating to Deficit Budget: Financed by foreign assistance is dependence and uncertain, Financing by public, not inflationary, Borrowing from commercial banks not inflationary. Borrowing from Bangladesh Bank is inflationary Characteristics of Fiscal System in Bangladesh: Falling/Tax/GDP ratio, Tax base is narrow, Dominance of indirect tax, Customs + VAT (import) 50% of total tax Vulnerable to external fluctuations Growth in Non-development expenditure Heavy dependence on Foreign Aid Dependence on Deficit Financing No Far-sightedness b. Monetary Policy: Monetary policy is the main macro-economic policy formulated and implemented by the central bank. Bangladesh Bank has the authority to increase or decrease the volume of money in the economy and therefore, is responsible for formulating and implementing the monetary policy for the country. The wheel of development moves by taking forces from this policy. The aim of monetary policy is to keep inflation low and steady. Though, in a developing country like Bangladesh, the effectiveness of monetary policies is always uncertain, but effectiveness of these policies is treated as signal for policy makers. The Central Bank is the highest authority employed by the government for formulation of monetary policy to guide the economy in a certain country. Monetary policy is defined as the regulation of the money supply and interest rates by a central bank. Monetary policy also refers to how the central bank uses interest rates and the money supply to guide economic growth by controlling inflation and stabilizing currency. Like any other central bank, Bangladesh Bank is performing the role to formulate monetary policy in Bangladesh. The main objectives of monetary policy of  Bangladesh Bank are: †¢ Price stability both internal & external †¢ Sustainable growth & development †¢ High employment †¢ Economic and efficient use of resources †¢ Stability of financial & payment system Steps of the Monetary Policy: Restriction of broad money growth path Adjustment in cash reserve ratio (CRR) Statutory liquidity requirements (SLR) Restriction in the capital accounts Objectives of the Monetary Policy: The promotion of price stability GDP Growth Ensuring full or near full employment Supporting national and global economic and financial stability C. Policy of Price Ceiling: Price ceiling is a government policy whereby the government sets the maximum price of a product above which price is not allowed to rise further. Normally in a inflationary situation when prices will constantly be going high and high and tending to be going beyond the means of common people. Then government will implement price ceiling policy in order to protect the interest of the customers. Price Ceiling Control: Government must have to be ready to supply the required quantity of goods from its own production land and distribute product at its early declared price as per the requirement if any. Government will have to be ready to import the required quantity of goods under its own mechanism and distribute the product in the market accordingly. Government can ask the private entrepreneurs to import the required quantity of goods under their own management by offering them some attractive benefit packages such as decrease rate of interest, lower import cost, decrease tariff, non-stop support. Government can urge the countrymen to set up import substitute  industry with some attractive incentive schemes and can have the supply of required products for a long time basis. Government can supply the required quantity of goods from buffer stock created earlier by the government and sell the product in the market accordingly. 2. Direct Action Measure: It is an extreme measure. If the money supply increases, then to reduce inflation, Government can cease the money. 3. Other Measure: *Moral persuation: Convincing the consumer by the national leaders morally. They convince the public to consume less. *Government can urge the country man to restrict the consumerism. *Government can urge the business people to set the product at a reasonable price and restrict to sell at a high price. Limitation: In case of elastic demand such as baby food, that is not controlled by the consumer. 4. Effects of Inflation: All people will not be affected by inflation in the same way. Some will welcome it. Some people becomes upset and some acts indifferent. For the business people it will motive the entrepreneure and it is a good news for the producers. People who earn much, inflation is not a problem but who earn poor , they will be very much affected and their product consuming amount will be decreasing. General Effect An increase in the general level of prices implies a decrease in the purchasing power of the currency. That is, when the general level of prices rises, each monetary unit buys fewer goods and services. Increases in the price level (inflation) erode the real value of money (the functional currency) and other items with an underlying monetary nature (e.g. loans and bonds). For example if one takes a loan where the stated interest rate is 6% and the inflation rate is at 3%, the real interest rate that one are paying for the loan is 3%. It would also hold true that if one had a loan at a fixed interest rate of 6% and the inflation rate jumped to 20%one would have a real interest rate of -14%. Negative Effect High or unpredictable inflation rates are regarded as harmful to an overall economy. They add inefficiencies in the market, and make it difficult for companies to budget or plan long-term. Inflation can act as a drag on productivity as companies are forced to shift resources away from products and services in order to focus on profit and losses from currency inflation. Uncertainty about the future purchasing power of money discourages investment and saving and inflation can impose hidden tax increases. In case of international trade, higher inflation in one economy than another will cause the first economy’s exports to become more expensive and affect the balance of trade. Positive Effect Positive effects include ensuring central banks can adjust nominal interest rates (intended to mitigate recessions), and encouraging investment in non-monetary capital projects. It puts impact on Labor-market adjustments, Room to maneuver, Mundell-Tobin effect, Instability with Deflation etc. 5. Global Scenario of Inflation As an important worldwide phenomenon, global inflation varies largely, owing to the trend components of inflation as well as due the fluctuations arising in the frequencies of the commercial cycles. In 2013, the rate of global inflation is surprisingly low. Global economic prospects have improved, but the bumpy recovery and skewed macroeconomic policy mix in advanced economies are complicating policymaking in emerging market economies. Inflation was remarkably stable in the wake of the Great Recession and, in fact, has become less responsive to cyclical conditions. Today’s fast-growing, dynamic low-income countries are likely to maintain their momentum and avoid the reversals that afflicted many such countries in the past. Inflation expectations have remained strongly anchored to inflation targets during the Great Recession and the sluggish recovery. Long-term inflation expectations in advanced economies remain close to targets despite wide variation in actual inflation rates. Even in Japan, expectations remain close to the  1 percent target announced in February 2012 despite a prolonged period of deflation. Furthermore, coincident with greater central bank credibility, this anchoring is found to have increased over time. In the figure bellow the inflation rate of emerging, developed and BRIC countries are graphically shown: In 2013, we have seen that, South Sudan has the lowest inflation rate and Syria has the highest. In South Sudan, current inflation rate is -2.90 which was -8.80 in the previous year. The highest and the lowest inflation rates in the history of this country were 79.90 and -14.00 respectively. On the other hand, in Syria current inflation rate is 49.50 which was 49.90 in the previous year. The highest and the lowest inflation rates in the history of this country were 79.90 and -11.95 respectively. 6. Inflation in Bangladesh The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Bangladesh expanded 6.01 percent in the fiscal year 2012/2013 from the previous year. GDP Growth Rate in Bangladesh is reported by the Bangladesh Bank. From 1994 until 2013, Bangladesh GDP Growth Rate averaged 5.6 Percent reaching an all-time high of 6.7 Percent in June of 2011 and a record low of 4.1 Percent in June of 1994. Bangladesh is considered as a developing economy. Yet, almost one-third of Bangladesh’s 150m people live in extreme poverty. In the last decade, the country has recorded GDP growth rates above 5 percent due to development of microcredit and garment industry. Although three fifths of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, three quarters of exports revenues come from producing ready-made garments. The biggest obstacles to sustainable development in Bangladesh are overpopulation, poor infrastructure, corruption, political instability and a slow implementation of economic reforms. This page provides – Bangladesh GDP Growth Rate – actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. 2014-04-05 Historical Trend Analysis The government introduced policy and institutional reforms encompassing the fiscal, financial, exchange rate, trade and industry, public resource management and public enterprise sectors. But some of those measures were not strongly pursued and some of the intended structural reforms were postponed. Monetary control in the initial years had appositive impact on the control of inflation. The regarded decision are taken below- To increase investible funds with the banks, the minimum cash reserve requirement and statutory liquidity requirement were reduced gradually from 8 and 23 per cent respectively on 25 April 1991 to 5 and 20 per cent respectively. This decision has reduced the inflation rate. In 1991 the lending rate was 14.99 which was high during 1992 but then it started tobe reduced at 14.39 (1993) and 12.22 at 1995. With the flexible use of the monetary instruments, broad money growth (Money Supply) was brought down from high rates of growth (14.1 percent) in the mid-1992to 10.6 per cent in June 1993 to reduce the rate of inflation. In the year 1995 government was thinking to increase the money supply which was brought to 16 percent for that reason inflation rate increased In the year 1995 government was thinking to increase the total domestic credit which was brought to 17.6 percent from 4.9 percent (1994). For this reason the inflation rate increased. In the year 1995 government liberalized Credit to the private sectors in fiscal year1995 by reducing lending rates including those in the three selected sectors of agriculture, exports, and small and cottage Industries had to be restrained due to the rise in price levels. For this reason inflation rate has increased With a view to ensuring an adequate flow of finance to productive sectors and to boosting economic activity, Bank ratewas gradually lowered from 9.8 per cent on30 June 1990 to 5.5 per cent on 3 March 1994 to control the inflation rate. On 24 March 1994 Bangladesh accepted the Article VIII obligations of the International Monetary Fund, a commitment to declare its currency convertible for current account transactions and liberalize exchange transactions on current account. Foreign exchange controls, which had constrained transactions for a longtime, were lifted for the majority of current account transactions. An interbank foreign exchange market has been established. The exchange rate policy is being managed flexibly so as to avoid appreciation of the real exchange rate and to maintain macroeconomic stability. Moderate economic growth and modest change in the wage index contributed to the relatively low  rate of inflation (i.e., lower than 5 per cent) in 1990-1994. Higher money supply growth and lower deposit rate in FY95 contributed to the comparatively higher inflation rates in 1995. In 1996 the lending rate was 13.41 which were accelerated to 14.16 in 1999. Supply shortages in the rural areas originating from political instability in FY96 and disruption due to floods in 1998 caused serious shortfall of food and also hampered all other agricultural production, which ultimately caused higher inflation rates in1996, 1998 & 1999. A lower growth rate, because of lower production and relatively higher depreciation of the exchange rate due to food imports, also contributed to the higher inflation rate in the flood affected years. Larger depreciation of the exchange rate has accelerated the inflation rate 2.79(2002) to 4.38 (2004). Exchange rate might have played a significant role in causing inflation in 2005-2006 because of the introduction of flexible exchange rate regime since May 2003. A higher growth of money supply (13.84 at 2004 to 19.51 at 2006) added a lot to inflation in 2005-2006 In 2001 the lending rate was 13.75 which were lowered to 10.93 in 2005. In 2001-2006 high inflation in food (more than 5 percent) sector at international market was so much responsible for the fluctuation of inflation. Typically import occupies a significant place in the Bangladesh economy, accounting for as high as above 20 percent or more of GDP in FY06. At the margin, most of the essential food items (for example, sugar, rice, wheat, onion and edible oil) and, more generally, machineries, intermediate goods and raw materials used in production are imported. Cost of imports can, therefore, be expected to have substantial influence on domestic inflation (during 2001-2006) directly (through final goods) or indirectly (through intermediate goods). Unfair cartel among the suppliers might seriously hamper the course of the economy by engendering inflation via the creation of a false su pply shortage even during a period of robust growth in production. Such an undesirable event allegedly occurred in FY06 when the food inflation remained high (7.76 percent) in the same fiscal year despite the growth in food production (4.49 percent8 vis-à  -vis 2.21percent in FY05). Monopolistic control of several food items such as sugar, onion, pulses and edible oil by market syndication seems to have led this situation.9Obviously such manipulation is a type of supply side disturbance. Inflation has emerged as a global phenomenon in recent months largely reflecting the  impact of higher food (The IMF food price index was 44.4 percent at June 2008)and fuel prices and strong demand conditions especially in the emerging economies. In line with global trends, Bangladesh also experienced rising inflation with the 12-month average CPI inflation touching 9.94 percent in June 2008. In the fiscal year 2009, global oil price has shifted upward dramatically so fast. So that the price of fuel & power has driven very sharp impact on our economy by increasing the price of Industrial product and reduces the output of industry. Though our government has taken needed initiatives to minimize the inflation rate but they have failed up to the expectation. In the fiscal year 2010, global food price has shifted upward dramatically so fast. So that the price of food has driven very sharp impact on our economy. Though the inflation has decreased to a reasonable rate (5.4 percent), the price of food is beyond to the normal people. Because of the insufficiency of credit to productive sectors it is unable to invest money in productive sectors whereas the money are using in less productive sectors which causes a high rate of inflation. The inflation rate in Bangladesh was recorded at 7.44 percent in February of 2014. Inflation Rate in Bangladesh is reported by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. The general point-to-point inflation rate slightly rose to 7.48 percent in March from 7.44 percent in February 2014 compared to 7.71 percent in March 2013.Inflation Rate in Bangladesh averaged 6.63 Percent from 1994 until 2014, reaching an all-time high of 12.71 Percent in December of 1998 and a record low of -0.02 Percent in December of 1996. In Bangladesh, the inflation rate measures a broad rise or fall in prices that consumers pay for a standard basket of goods. This page provides – Bangladesh Inflation Rate – actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. According to Asian Development Bank growth moderated last year, inflation declined, and the current account returned a larger surplus. This year, growth will slip again, reflecting slower expansion in exports, falling worker remittances, and political unrest before parliamentary elections. Higher inflation and a modest current account deficit are expected. The garment industry faces challenges in adopting tough compliance and safety standards. Growth should improve in the following year, but a major boost will come only with ramped up investment in infrastructure. Economic performance As officially estimated, gross domestic product (GDP) in Fiscal Year 2013 (ended 30 June 2013) grew by 6.0%, less than the 6.2% recorded in FY2012. Agriculture growth slipped to 2.2% from 3.1% in FY2012 as crop output was held down by higher input costs, lower output prices, and unfavorable weather. Services growth slowed to 5.7% from the previous year’s 6.0% owing to stagnant imports and frequent hartals (political demonstrations) that disrupted supply chains and affected retail and wholesale trade. Industry growth rose slightly to 9.0% from 8.9% in FY2012, with contributions from construction and small-scale manufacturing. Economic prospects The forecasts for FY2014 and FY2015 rest on several assumptions: Political stability will be restored following the January 2014 national elections, improving consumer and investor confidence. The central bank will be watchful, in line with the January 2014 monetary policy statement, to keep inflation in check while helping direct steady credit flows to the private sector. Electricity and fuel prices will be raised to lower subsidy costs. It will be possible to mobilize more foreign financing, thus limiting government bank borrowing. Food grain and oil prices will remain stable on the international market. And the weather is normal. GDP growth is expected to slow to 5.6% in FY2014, owing to a decline in remittances (which have been equivalent to about 15% of private consumption spending) and as export growth tapers off in the coming months. Domestic demand was depressed in the first half of the year because the prolonged political unrest ahead of parliamentary elections in January 2014 dented consumer and investor confidence. This is reflected in lower private credit growth, a decline in imports of consumer goods and capital machinery, and modest growth in imports of raw materials. Growth is expected to rebound to 6.2% in FY2015, aided by higher remittance and export growth, as well as by prospects for continued economic recovery in the US and the euro area. A likely rise in consumer and investor confidence as the political situation stabilizes is also expected to stimulate demand and strengthen growth momentum. Source: ADB. 2014. Asian Development Outlook 2014. Manila. Effects of Inflation in Bangladeshi Economy Inflation, which some economists have dubbed as the â€Å"cruelest tax of all†, is eroding purchasing power of consumers, especially the fixed and low income groups of people in net commodity importing countries, around the world. Following the persistent high-inflation regimes in the late 1970s and early  1980s (largely due to two oil shocks), inflation rates have varied an average of two to three percent in the industrialized countries and fell to single-digit levels in many developing countries since the 1990s.1 It is widely viewed that globalization has had a positive impact on prices for over one and a half decade by heightening competition both on the demand and supply side. However, the specter of inflation has once again become a major concern for central bankers and policy makers around the world, as many countries have been experiencing high inflation largely owing to a notable increase in commodity prices. The prices of cereals, petroleum products, edible oil, and metals are skyrocketing in the international markets in recent years. Consequently, the commodity price indices have shown an upward trend lately A widely discussed plausible cause of high inflation in Bangladesh is the impact of global price hike. As a food and petroleum importing country, Bangladesh has to bear the brunt of global price hike of these items. Since the beginning of the current decade and up to 2008 global prices of fuel and food followed an increasing trend which got transmitted into the country’s domestic economy. There has been some respite from high inflationary pressure towards the end of 2008 and 2009 due to the global meltdown and the resultant price fall of major commodities in the global market. With the turn round of the global Economy from the recession towards the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, inflation started to shoot up. This trend was also observed in Bangladesh. The major source of high inflation in Bangladesh is high food inflation. The reason behind this assumption is that food carries a large weight in the CPI of Bangladesh. The weight of food items in the CPI commodity basket of Bangladesh is as high as 58.8 per cent of which the share of rice is 20.1 per cent. Hence the rise in food inflation affects the overall inflation significantly. Based on BBS data, it has been estimated that the contribution of rice inflation to the overall inflation was 23.41 per cent in FY 2011-12. Inflation appears to have emerged as a permanent phenomenon in the economic landscape of Bangladesh over the recent past. It has started to increase since the second quarter of FY2009-10 and continued to rise throughout FY2009-10 and FY2010-11. During the first three months of FY2011-12 there has not been any change in the direction of  inflationary movements. The 12-month point to point consumer price index (CPI) inflation has reached as high as 11.97 percent in September 2011 compared to 7.61 per cent in September 2010. This is the hi ghest inflation in last one decade. As in most years, food inflation was higher than general inflation. Food inflation reached to 13.75 per cent in September 2011 as opposed to 9.72 per cent in September 2010. High food inflation had a knock on effect on non-food inflation as well, pushing it upward to settle at 8.77 percent in September 2011 from as low as 3.69 per cent in September 2010. In Bangladesh the average inflation (general) in FY 2000 was 1.94% while it is found 9.76% in FY 2011. But during these years changes in inflation did not follow any monotonic pattern. Bangladesh faces a tougher challenge in bringing down burgeoning inflation. The latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data shows that inflation had increased to 11.97 % (on point-to-point or monthly count) in September, the highest in 10 years. Food inflation, which was 12.7 per cent in August, had increased to 13.90 % in September while food inflation in urban areas had increased to 14.69 % in the same month from 12.94 % in August. The data on inflation reveal that inflation in Bangladesh is influenced by food and fuel prices. Higher food and fuel prices obviously affect inflation rate. The recent declining trend in food and non-food inflation may be explained by the decline in global commodity prices like petroleum, rice, pulses, onion, edible oil and other food items and higher domestic production of food due to favorable weather condition and some effective measures taken by the Government which included conducting open market operation, exemption of duties on essential commodities, sufficient import of food grains, strengthening of internal procurement and its supply, expansion of subsidies on fuel and fertilizer and widening of social safety net program etc. Another feature of recent inflation in Bangladesh is that rural food inflation has been closer to urban food inflation which was not the case in Bangladesh till August 2010. The likely causes for high rural inflation could be increasing demand due to higher purchasing power of the rural population through rising agricultural production, higher labor wages, expanded social safety net program and inflow of remittances. If compared with other South Asian countries Bangladesh stands second, next to Pakistan, in terms of the record of inflation rate in the region. Despite higher food price in the international  market, India has been able to keep its food price index down through higher production of major crops and by ensuring adequate supply in the domestic market. Pakistan epitomizes the case of a conflict economy with a high inflation rate and a very low growth rate. Higher food prices exert an upward pressure on inflation particularly in South Asian countries where such prices account for a major proportion of the inflation basket. High inflation is a major challenge in South Asia, where inflation has been in double digits in recent years and was 10.9 per cent in 2010. Some deceleration in inflation to 8.4 per cent is estimated in 2011. As inflation affects the poor disproportionately, it is a major cause of concern. High budget deficits in general are causing inflation. A few factors are believed to have contributed to the ongoing inflationary pressures in Bangladesh. The price hike of fuel and non-fuel commodities in the international markets is widely blamed for the current inflation. The depreciation in the country’s currency unit, the BDT against its major trading partners, the expansion of M3 and credit have also played a part in raising prices. Bangladesh faced two major natural disasters (summer floods and cyclone Sidr) in 2007 which damaged standing crops, among others, and escalated food prices. The current caretaker governments’ drives against corruption have exacerbated the problem. Last but not least, Bangladesh is not self-sufficient in terms of food production and the country has had a long history of food problems, if not crises. Moreover, in recent years, growth in the agriculture sector has been sluggish. Current indications show that commodity prices in the international market are likely to rise during the coming months of FY12. With greater global economic integration, inflation in Bangladesh is more open now than before to external pressures coming from outside the country. The reasons lie in many factors including high import dependence, increased global pressure of excess demand, weak productivity growth in the domestic economy, and persistence of significant structural and institutional rigidities. The last inflation episode that Bangladesh faced was not policy induced, but was fueled more by domestic supply shocks and global price hikes. But the current buildup of inflationary pressure can partly be attributed to the liquidity expansion  that took place in the first half of FY12. With rapid buildup of net foreign assets (NFA) and in the absence of sterilization, liquidity expansion has created some pressure particularly in asset markets (stock and real estate markets) and in non-food prices. These issues need more explicit consideration in Bangladesh Bank’s monetary policy response along with clear signals for the future. Conclusion 2013 is over but the pains and consequences of inflation are not over yet for the millions of people of Bangladesh. 2013 is a year of political disasters, with record level political violence and frequent abuses of human rights in Bangladesh. At the same time inflation has added as another disaster in the lives of millions of people. High inflation is never good for the economy, let alone the millions of working people of the country. Most of the people country are straightaway experiencing the blunts of high inflation, but these people are the majority and the vital forces of the economy of the country. References: Economic Review of Bangladesh (www.mof.gob) Paul A. Samuelson & W.D. Nordhaus â€Å"Economics† E. Mansfield â€Å" Microeconomics: Theory and Application† John Sloman â€Å"Economics† Akhtaruzzaman, Md. â€Å"Inflation in the Open Economy: An Application of the Error Correction Approach to the Recent Experience in Bangladesh,† Working Paper Series, WP 0602 (2005), Policy Analysis Unit (PAU), Research Department, Bangladesh Bank. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. National Accounts Statistics of Bangladesh (Revised Estimates, 1989-90 to 1998-99), Strengthening National Accounts and Poverty Monitoring Project (SNAPMP), National Accounting Wing (NAW), BBS, Ministry of Planning: Statistics Division (2000). Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/) Bhattacharaya, D. â€Å"Bangladesh Economy: Macroeconomic Performance,† mimeo, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka (2004). Available at www.cpd-bangladesh.org (access date: 1, December 2005). Bruno, M. and W. Easterly. â€Å"Inflation Crises and Long-Run Growth,† World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 1517 (1995). Khan, M. S. and A. S. Senhadji. â€Å"Threshold Effects in the Relationship between Inflation and Growth,† IMF Staff Papers, Vol. 48, No. 1 (2001). Tobin, J. â€Å"Money and Economic Growth,† Econometrica, 33 (1965), pp. 671-684.

Great Expectations Essay

How does Charles Dickens introduce his characters, setting and themes at the beginning of his novel, Great Expectations? The world that Charles Dickens creates at the beginning of his novel Great Expectations is one of isolation, loneliness and sorrow. This is because he portrays the world in this novel through Pip, whose childhood is spent in loneliness because he was deprived of his parentage and the comfort of his siblings at an early age. His sister Mrs Joe Gargery brings him up and is extremely aggressive and abusive towards him. She pushes him to the extent that he isolates himself from the world, and spends part of his childhood grieving over the death of his parents in the graveyard. The atmosphere at the beginning is shown as being really distant and sorrowful, when describing the atmosphere where Pip is first introduced as, â€Å"the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry was Pip.† Dickens has chosen to use a variety of linguistic devices to help the reader visualise what the landscape looks like. For example he uses a series of adjectives to describe Pip’s immediate surroundings: ‘Dark, flat wilderness.’ In particular he uses metaphors to compare the different aspects of the environment; â€Å"the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing, was the sea.† This presents the sea in such a way that the readers are given the impression that the sea is aggressive and hostile. This relates back to the way Pip’s sister behaves towards him, always aggressive towards Pip and takes every opportunity to abuse him both mentally and physically. â€Å"Bleak place overgrown with nettles.† This describes Pip’s surroundings as being overcrowded with nettles. The link that is significant between the nettles and Pip, is that the place is hazardous seeing that the nettles often sting and hurt when one comes into contact with them, signifying pain and distress. This relates to how the convict (later known as Abel Magwitch) treats Pip, when he comes in to contact with him at the graveyard. He handles Pip in an intimidating and aggressive way; he is very insulting to him partially because he wants Pip to help him. The picture that Dickens creates of Magwitch, contrasts with the church, especially because the church is a religious symbol where you can seek sanctuary from the rest of the world and its problems. â€Å"The river wound, twenty miles of the sea.† This gives us the impression that the river is alive and is unwinding. Also the image of the long river comes in to mind. â€Å"The marshes were just a long black horizontal line then.† A marsh is a great expanse of wetland, mostly useless because you can’t build anything on it. â€Å"The river was just another horizontal line, not nearly so broad nor yet so black; and the sky was just a row of long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed.† This represents the environments as being a place of isolation, deserted because of a loss of inhabitants. People would not normally want to be in such an area. In the beginning of the novel, it reveals that Pip is found at this place. He is lonely and secluded from everyone, trying to find support and refuge amongst the dead; some of them being his parents and his brothers. The adjective in this quote shows how the graveyard has a livid atmosphere, generally to signify the connection between the dead and the unfortunate circumstances that they died in. The character of Pip in Great Expectations is portrayed as being very tolerant and silent when compared to the rest of the characters in his surroundings. He is always very diminutive when confronted by other people. Throughout the novel he is seen as being serene and distinctive, possibly because of his parentage and his social background. â€Å"I never saw my father or my mother, and never saw any likeness of either of them.† Pip had not seen his parents since he was born, as both of them had been deceased when Pip had been very small; however he was brought up by his only living relative; his sister. â€Å"My sister – Mrs. Joe Gargery, who married the blacksmith.† As Pip had never experienced the love and care of his parents he used to spend most of his time in the graveyard, trying to comfort himself with the presence of his family. â€Å"The shape of the letters on my father’s, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription, â€Å"Also Georgiana Wife of the Above,† I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly.† Although Pip didn’t know how his parents appeared, he tried to change that by observing their graves stones to visualize what they looked like. The isolation that is felt at the beginning is apparent in the fact that he tries to imagine what his parents looked like from the shape of the letters on their tombstones. Pip’s brothers also died at a young age, which deprives Pip of having any companions to play or spend his time with. â€Å"Of five little brothers of mine – who gave up trying to get a living, exceedingly early in that universal struggle.† This leaves Pip being more isolated and alone than he would have been if they had been alive. The only thing that he knew about his brothers was their names; â€Å"Alexander, Bartholomew, Abraham, Tobias, and Roger, infant children of the aforesaid, were also dead and buried; and that the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The dark flat wilderness reflects the emotional feelings of Pip and the harshness of the atmosphere. This is important because it explains his isolation and surroundings, and how he seeks shelter in this dark deserted environment. The phrase â€Å"memorable raw afternoon,† directly relates to how cold, uncomfortable, rough and painful life is for Pip. There is also some importance in this extract taken from the novel. â€Å"The low leaden line beyond, was the river; and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing, was the sea;† These phrases describe the surroundings that Pip grew up in. The metaphors in this are given a lot of importance as they relate to the severity and loneliness in Pip’s life. The role of Abel Magwitch in the opening of the novel is considerable, although we do not see much of him other than in the opening and final passages, he is arguably one of the most influential characters in Pip’s life. Charles Dickens depicts Magwitch as extremely aggressive and impertinent; this presents him as a fearful and a cautious man. â€Å"A fearful man, all in course grey, with a great iron on his leg.† This is a really menacing image of him, as when he threatens Pip for food and drink Pip immediately responds to him by agreeing to steal the food. There have been many incidents in the opening extracts of the novel where Pip has been threatened by the convict. â€Å"Keep still you little devil or I’ll cut your throat.† This gives the audience the impression that Magwitch is violent and aggressive. He treats Pip with the same violence and aggression when he asks Pip to get things for him, not at all considering how old or small Pip is. This shows us how Pip is abused and insulted by Magwitch, for his own personal gain. â€Å"You get me a file.† He tilted me again. â€Å"And you get me wittles.† He tilted me again. â€Å"You bring ’em both to me.† He tilted me again. â€Å"Or I’ll have your heart and liver out.† He tilted me again.† The way Magwitch speaks is so different to the Standard English that Pip uses, this is because he uses colloquial language. This citation also proves that Magwitch is selfish and passionate, as he is so desperate to get what he desires that he will do anything to make sure he gets it, no matter how much turmoil and trouble it could cause. Furthermore, it shows that he is very dangerous and the influence he has over Pip can lead Pip to carry out a criminal act. The instant image that is created of Magwitch is of danger and neglect, because of all the exploitation and torment that he furnishes on Pip. â€Å"A fearful man, (†¦). A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head†¦ who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.† You can tell that that Pip is petrified of Magwitch due to his appearance and the way he conducts himself. This has an immense amount of impact on Pip as he still has nightmares regarding the convict, which frightens him. However this image of Magwitch is shown in a different light as we advance in to the novel. Pip is courteous and kind to him, as a result he decides to make Pip a ‘gentleman of great expectations.’ It is possible that because of the pain that was inflicted on to him in his past, he treats Pip in that way. Nevertheless, when Pip is being questioned about the theft of the food, Magwitch takes the blame on to himself, it is a possibility that he felt guilty about all the pain he caused Pip and also because Pip had been prepared to do so much for him. Another reason for Magwitch to make Pip a ‘gentleman of great expectations’- is because, although he was intimidating and traumatizing to Pip, Pip showed lots of respect and politeness towards him, in addition to bringing him what he requested. â€Å"Yes sir.† This shows that even though he is being physically abused, he is being respectful; this may be because Pip is vulnerable and is in a sense of helplessness and danger. Abel Magwitch becomes Pip benefactor as he perceives Pip as being trustworthy and well mannered. It is shown later on in the text that Magwitch had a daughter. Therefore bearing in mind that Pip had lost his parents at an early age, Magwitch felt concerned about Pip and sought to replace the parental love that Pip was deprived. The theme of abuse is also present through out a variety of chapters. There’ve been many incidents in this novel in which Pip has suffered from abusive behaviour, physically and mentally, from numerous characters. Those of which includes; Pip’s sister – Mrs Joe Gargery, Estella and Ms Havisham. The type of abusive behaviour that he endures from his sister is revealed during the opening scenes of the novel. His sister is revealed as being very stern and intolerant towards Pip. She beats him severely and also attacks his mental state of mind. Her way of speaking to him is really harsh and her actions provide the audience with the assumption that Mrs Joe Gargery loathes Pip. â€Å"Knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me.† This implies that she used to hit Pip. The way that his sister used to punish him, would be unacceptable in today’s society as it would be seen as child abuse. â€Å"And what’s worse, she’s got ‘tickler’ with her.† What is meant by the term tickler is that it is â€Å"a wax-ended piece of cane, worn smooth by collision with my tickled frame.† Mrs Joe Gargery used canes to beat Pip. The audience can imagine how much pain must have been inflicted on to Pip at such a young age. Not only does she use canes to beat Pip she also hits him with her hand. â€Å"She concluded by throwing me.† In the opening passage Mrs Joe Gargery also insults Pip and attacks his mental state of mind by making him feel unwelcome and unwanted. â€Å"If it warn’t for me you’d have been to the churchyard long ago, and stayed there.† She keeps reminding Pip that she is the only person left for him, and if it wasn’t for her he would have been abandoned and left to die. â€Å"It’s bad enough to be a blacksmith’s wife (and him a Gargery) without being your mother.† This quote is also saying that Mrs Joe Gargery has unwillingly had to look after him and replace his mother, and she is to some extent ashamed and unhappy of being Joe the blacksmiths wife and their relationship together is not what it should be of a loving husband and wife. The novel illustrates that Pip also receives abuse and neglect from Ms Havisham and Estella together. Although they may not be as violent as Pip’s sister, they do mentally abuse him and make him feel extremely small and neglected. â€Å"Sometimes, she would coldly tolerate me; sometimes, she would condescend to me; sometimes, she would be quite familiar with me; sometimes, she would tell me energetically that she hated me.† This shows that Estella enjoys playing with Pips feelings and thrives on playing with his heart and emotions. Estella has acknowledged that Pip has taken a liking to her and she entertains herself when Pip tries to engage with her. Ms Havisham builds up the love in Pip’s heart for Estella. She fuels the fire in which Pip burns for Estella. â€Å"Does she grow prettier and prettier, Pip?† She is also seen to have a lot of influence over Estella and it seems that it is under her directives that Estella strives to break Pip’s heart. â€Å"Miss Havisham would embrace her with lavish fondness, murmuring something in her ear [that sounded like] â€Å"Break their hearts my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!† Ms Havisham has brought up Estella and it is under her instruction that Estella is directed to play with his emotions and gradually break Pip’s heart. The reason that Dickens had to write this story was that it reflected some of his own experiences; he presented Great expectations in such a way that some of it included some aspects of his own autobiography. â€Å"Great Expectations does draw on my own experiences. Like Pip, I grew up in the marshy country around Chatham and Rochester; like him I raised myself up in status in society. Pip discovers his secret benefactor, a kind of father to the orphan boy, is actually a criminal; my own father spent time in prison for debt.† In addition to this, there were many events in his life that had an immense impact on him as a writer. â€Å"The greatest was my experience as a young boy when I was taken from school and sent to do low and demeaning work in a Blacking Factory, pasting labels onto bottles of boot-blacking. I felt miserable and abandoned, and even at my most successful as an adult the horror of that time returned to me. It gave me a peculiar accuracy and empathy for childhood and the children’s point of view; and for the downtrodden and abandoned in general.† The relation that this states between Charles Dickens and Great Expectations is that in some stage in his life he felt abandoned and isolated. This being the reason that Dickens had empathy for children and had experienced as a child on what their feelings and thoughts were. My personal view of Great Expectations and why it is still such an important book is it reflects the organization of today’s society and why there is such a huge status gap between the rich and the poor. It also relates to how Pip has to struggle in life as a child, and how much torment and abuse he has to face all through his life. This reflects the life of many children today who face abuse and neglect from their families and relatives, or that when a child is kidnapped, they are physically and mentally harmed whilst being abandoned, away from the rest of the world alone and isolated My reaction to this novel was that it was extremely emotional and had a powerful story to it, which had the readers engaged in every moment of the novel. I found that the story which was based on Pip had a huge impact on me, and I got involved and anxious to know what happened next. The emotions and the way that Pip was treated, had been emphasised in the novel to a great extent, so that the audience felt truly apprehensive and sympathetic towards Pip. I think that this novel has been very successful in attaining the support of the audience. Charles Dickens’s novel Great Expectations represents the heart breaking accounts and feelings of many unfortunate children. All the more reason for the work of Charles Dickens to be appreciated and praised through out society.

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Healthcare in the United States a Social Problem - Essay Example The total nationalized health expenditures have arisen to 6.9 % in the fiscal year of 2007-2008 that is two times the inflation rate of U.S. economy. In 2007-08, the totality expenditure on the health care was estimated at a hefty sum of $2.3 trillion i.e. $7600/individual. The Total health care expenditure comprises of approx. 17 % of the gross domestic product (GDP) of United States of America. As per the various studies conducted by the experts, it has been anticipated that by the year 2016, the U.S. health care expenditure will boost up at the related levels for the subsequent decade attaining at least the $4.2 trillion which would be the over 21% of the United States future GDP. During the fiscal year 2007-08, the employer health insurance premiums augmented up to 6.1 % which is double of the inflation rate. The yearly premium cost for an employer health plan usually covering a family unit of four person’s averages near $12,100. The annual premium for the sole coverage is approximately more than $4,600. According to the experts the health care system of U.S. is puzzled with the in-efficient system, too much administrative operating expense, exaggerated costs, deprived management and unsuitable concern, misuse and deceptions. All these problems drastically amplify the cost of therapeutic care and health insurance for the company & staff and also influence the protection chances of their families. Health care in the United States is in catastrophe condition. The prosperous country on globe pays out 1/7 of its capital on health care and still leaves approximate 18 % of its population uninsured. The old aged people are often required to opt between foodstuff and pharmaceuticals. Several have deserted bio-medicine overall for the Complementary and substitute medications utilized by a lot of Americans in the previous centuries. According to the IOM {Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences}, the United States is the lone

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Rape and sexual assault - Essay Example In this paper I would like to examine what is actually meant by sexual assault. I will then study the statistics and finally the law that covers the sexual assault. The CCR website (1997) defines sexual assault as a physical or verbal act that threatens a person’s trust and safety and is sexual in nature. In a sexual assault the victims, either a girl or a boy, indulge into a sexual activity either forcefully or through deceit. Teenagers are more vulnerable to this act. This is the reason for which a number of cases related to adolescent molestation by a relative or a date make the headlines in the newspapers. Sexual assault often leads to other problems in teenagers as well which may include delinquent behavior, school problems, refusal to accept the authority and eating problems. Sexual assault by an acquaintance is the most common category of the assault. The acquaintance may be a close friend, a date, employer, colleague or a relative. In this category it is always the male who perpetrates the female. It is always the perpetrator, who is responsible for the act regardless of the fact what the victim was wearing or if she expressed her disapproval for the act or not. The CCR website (1997) puts 100% responsibility on the perpetrator. Rape is defined as an act of violence where sex is used as a weapon. In most of the cases the rapists fancy their own myths which they believe justify their act. Most of the rapists are of the view that if they spend money on a woman she becomes their rightful property. Others believe that women find it difficult to accept the offer for sex. Therefore they mean yes when they say no. Some others believe that women love to be aggressively pursued by the males (CCR website, 1997). The CA Code (n.d.) explains unlawful sexual intercourse as a sexual activity where the perpetrator indulges in sexual activity with a person other than the spouse and with a person less than eighteen years of

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Situation analysis of Grill`d - Essay Example The paper presents a brief situation analysis of Grill’d comprising major components to it; market analysis, product analysis, competition, distribution analysis and SWOT analysis etc. This paper highlighted that Grill’d, though started as a small upstart in 2004, has now emerged to be a big company operating through 51 own and franchised businesses and delivering quality and fresh burgers across major towns of Australia. Local marketing has been a significant marketing strategy, whereas franchising and Airstream by which it sends its van with burgers to various programs and events are other significant distribution strategies. As far as competition is concerned, the company faces quite fierce competition from local as well as multinationals such as McDonald and Burger King. It has more opportunities since it can always ensure its presence whenever there are events or festivals. To develop a comprehensive marketing plan about the product or service being marketed usually requires formative research that can flesh out details of strengths and opportunities the firm experiences. With a situation analysis, the firm can look inward to understand its strengths and weaknesses and look outward to see what its opportunities and threats are. Grill’d is a chain of burger bars designing, making and selling fresh, healthy and quality beef, chicken breast and lamb burgers. When the first Gril’d restaurant was opened in Melbourne in March 2004, it has truly caused people to think of ‘quality meal-sized burgers’ to be available in parts of Australia and the dream became reality that the company opened as many as more than 45 branches in several regions of Australia such as Brisbane, Coolangatta, Sydney, Newscattle etc. (Franchise Business, 2012) The company operates through its won as well as franchised stores with a view to meet an on going and ever increasing demand for quality hamburgers made with fresh and fine ingredients of chicken and beef. As far the basic marketing concept is concerned, it should start with potential customer needs, but not with production process (Perreault, Cannon and McCarthy, p. 6). A successful marketer is one who anticipates needs and determines what specific goods or services to be offered to target the customers. Grill’d is another example for how successfully a marketer can anticipate needs and thus seize marketing opportunities. It has been a major reason why Grill’d is Australia’s one of the fastest growing hamburger retail networks (dcstrategy.com, 2012). It not only anticipated the customer needs for burgers, but also the latent customers’ seeking of quality, fresh and fine ingredients for food or related items available in the market. The Market Situation As noted by the 2007 CEO of Grill’d, Simon Crowe, the company mainly appeals to a wide spectrum of customers, being the primary targeted market as people between the ages of 21 and 28. Quite specifically, this generation highly particular about fast food and are becoming greatly familiar with fast food concept, but are health conscious too. Grill’d is targeting this generation since they want food that is adult-oriented with a concept of ‘f un-food designs’ and they expect it from reliable brand (The Australian, 2007). A target market comprises of set of buyers who share common needs, characteristics or features that the marketer decides to serve them (Armstrong and Kotler, 2005, p. 199). Buyers have unique needs and wants that the company target them with certain product or service

Holder in Due Course Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 47

Holder in Due Course - Case Study Example In the case study, Talcott sent a check for $5700 on January 15th to Guarino, who presented it to Stuart Any Kind Store for cash. In this case, Guarino was the holder or bearer of the check. Upon confirmation of the validity of the check from the drawer, the check was approved for cashing of $5700 check. Any Kind cashed the Guarino’s check after deducting the service fee of 3 percent or a value equivalent to $171. In order for the holder to qualify as the holder in due course, they must have obtained the instrument in good faith (Mann & Roberts, 2013). In this case, Any Kind Store became the holder in due course of the $5700 check after paying the value of the check to the holder. Any Kind Store was the proprietor of a negotiable instrument which they had taken for value and in good faith. They had given a consideration equivalent to the face value of the check less a 3% discount charges to the holder of the check in accordance with the requirements for the holder in due cours e. When Guarino presented the second check for cashing to Any Kind Stores, the accountant called upon the person who had approved the first check in order to approve for the payment. They called Talcott the drawer to confirm the validity of the check. The drawer approved the $5,700 check for payment after which Any Kind cashed for the holder. In this regard, Any Kind became the holder in due course since they had exercised appropriate care to ensure the check was valid and without defect. However, they did not make an inquiry to about the validity of the $10,000 check of which they had already cashed for Guarino.

An American novelist Essay Example for Free

An American novelist Essay An American novelist, historian, and literary historian-that was Alfred Bertram Guthrie, Jr. Having shown an excellent writing style and due to his love of Montana he went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for his fiction The Way West in 1959. This book mainly talks about Dick Summer’s return to the Wild West to guide some settlers on the hard journey to Oregon through a dangerous trail (Joseph, Guthrie, Peter, 1959, 18). A. B. Guthrie wrote with a unique sense of style, skill, artful simplicity and eloquent sentiment and these are all apparent in the opening, the discovering, the settling, the emergent and the exploiting of the American West. At the point in his life when he was merely a university graduate in journalism, he pioneered the hard knowledge that has helped young novelists ascend to greater heights. Guthrie gave much of himself and his time to advise young writers just as Professor Theodore Morrison, his mentor, did for him. Guthrie’s ability to pay attention to historical accuracy, his love of nature, an unfailing ear for dialect and realistic dialogue and the skill to create unforgettable characters that readers easily adapt to care about are the traits that set him aside from other writers. The distinctiveness of his ability to frame vivid, tightly compressed scenes in which those characters intermingle is pure intellect (Joseph, Guthrie, Peter, 1959, p. 31). In defining the American experience, Guthrie’s The Big Sky is a big aid in attempting to understand the conflict during this time. It provides descriptive evidence of the attitude of pioneers, the readiness of the pioneers, the empathy for the land that fur-trappers and backwoodsmen had during that time and how all the diverse people merged to form a nation. Guthrie’s most outstanding accomplishment is demonstrated in his ability to affirm the range, complexity, and the intensity of the colonization of the Missouri and Columbia drainage basins by real people which was his large subject (Joseph, Guthrie, Peter, 1959, p. 45) . Work Cited Joseph Howard, A. B. Guthrie Peter Hurd. Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome. Yale University Press, 1959, 18, 31, 45

Current State of the Environment in Ireland

Current State of the Environment in Ireland Critical Evaluation of the Current State of the Environment in Ireland in Light of the Current Legislation INTRODUCTION There is a growing concern to reconcile the proper development of business with environmental issues in order to promote basic environmental conditions that do not harm the community and the place where such industry will be installed. Thus, efforts to improve pollution levels, whether in terms of air, water, soil, noise, etc. Become fundamental. Entrepreneurs, more and more, must be aware of local needs and respond to their priorities and concerns. Moreover, Environmental Licensing and permitting is a fundamental tool, since it allows the entrepreneur to identify the environmental effects of his business, and how these effects can be managed. This instrument seeks to ensure that the preventive and control measures adopted in the projects are compatible with sustainable development. Regarding this, Ireland follows the European Union (EU) legislation to protect the environment, the main bodies responsible to ensure that the environment legislation is being follow is the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA), the local authorities and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The aim of this work is to do a critical evaluation on the current legislation of air and water quality on the current state of the environment in Ireland. AIR QUALITY FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE The Air Quality Framework was established in 1996 by the European Commission, in the aim to improve the air quality, succeeding this the four daughter directives were implemented in order to established limits for different pollutants. Although, this air quality framework and his first 3 daughters directives were replaced in 2008 by the Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe (CAFÉ) Directive. Following this, in 2009, the fourth daughter directive was transposed into the Irish legislation, were it specifies limit values and requirements to monitor arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic hydrocarbons. In 2011, the CAFÉ Directive was transposed to the Air Quality Standards in the Irish legislation. Comparing with other countries in the European Union (EU), Ireland have a good air quality but the biggest challenge is to keep the levels below the limit, especially because is growing the particulate matter on the air and this grow is more concern on the winter months because of the domestic solid fuel burning. From the air pollutants the most concern, considered by the European Environment Agency (EEA) are nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM), ozone and PAHs. Those air pollutants are the most dangerous for the human health, vegetation and ecosystems and in the figure bellow it can be noticed the impacts. For this reason, the levels of air pollutants have to be monitor closely and its classified as very good, good, fair, poor and very poor. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-ordinate and manages this monitoring through 31 stations spread in Ireland and the data is available for the public. Figure 1- Impacts of Air Pollution (Source: EPA,2014) In order to improve the air quality, the EPA is implementing new measures by increasing the monitoring network with a program call new National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme where the public have a real-time information about the air quality and the pollutants. In the case of domestic fuel burning, will be implemented the nationwide ban on smoky coal and it is due in 2018 by encouraging the change from solid fuel to cleaner fuel alternatives and increasing the awareness about how the house heating can affect the quality of air. Moreover, as part of the EU Clean Air Policy Package Directive, the government of Ireland is going to implement the National Emissions Ceiling (NEC) to decrease the pollutant levels such as NOx and ammonia. Levels of ammonia is starting to rise concerns because of the agriculture sector growth that leads to a secondary formation of particulate matter. Another measure that can be adopt to help the air quality, water quality and climate change associated energy recovery with the anaerobic digestion of animal wastes. WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE In 2000, The EU Directive implemented The Water Framework Directive (WFD), 2000/60/EC was established. This legislation it is a framework for the management of sustainable water which includes the protection of surface water, estuaries transitional waters; groundwater and coastal waters. In addition, WFD also involves the protection of the entire ecosystem such as the animals and plants that lives there. According to the EPA website, this water framework directive it is important for maintain the good status of the waters use in different activities like bathing, recreating and drinking. With this legislation the water bodies are classified in five different levels: high status, good status, moderate status, poor status and bad status. In order to get at least a good status, the WFD created some programmes for the water bodies. The aim of these programmes is to specify the nature, extent and frequency that is analysed on the water bodies To monitoring the water bodies in Ireland, the country was divided in eight River Basin District (RBD) and it is not based on political borders. Was necessary to identify and classify each RBD for create a River Basin District Plan in order to achieve the necessary target status. PROBLEMS WITH THE WFD The Water Framework looks a good way to ensure the quality of water and to protect the environmental, but appears to be few weaknesses points in the River Basin Management Plans, especially because these Plans do not specify any action that have to be made to prevent the deterioration of the water bodies and a way to recovery the water that is not classify as a good status by the WFD. (SWAN, 2014). Moreover, the major problem in Ireland is that there is not a single agency that manages the quality of water but multiple organizations that regulates and supervises, leaving difficult to actually act effective. The idea of the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is that the current water management structure needs a restructuration. In order to fix the problem with the fragmentation of agencies that manages the quality of water, the government of Ireland with managers from EPA and City and County Managers Association (CCMA) are proposing a type of three-tier governance system, as shown in figure 2 below.   It is a new system that delegate each tier for different agencies to lead and also specify what are they aims within the new system. The tier one is led by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG), tier two is led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the tier three is led by the local authorities. Figure 2: The three-tier governance structure for the Second Cycle River Basin Management Plans. Another problem that was identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related with the Water Framework Directive is that in order to classified the water status, they do not consider microbiological elements. According to an analysis made by the EPA in 2012 40% of all samples taken from the 285 wells and springs in the EPA national groundwater monitoring network were polluted by microbial pathogens, which can pose a threat to private water supplies in particular. CONCLUSION It is important to increase the awareness of the pollution of air and water, since that they are related with public health and also economic aspects. The quality of water and air has to be good in order to preserve the environment to future generation. The existence of government regulations and legislations it is essential to keep a sustainable and preserve environment. In addition, more research has to done in order to create a link between the air and water quality with public health, this understanding is essential to identify the main issue and help all organizations to implement necessary improvements in the system. In conclusion, the agencies in charge for the environmental legislation acknowledges many of the problems that was cited in this paper and it is doing something about it to change the scenario. Legislation is always changing by implementing something new that it is discover, especially when it is about the environmental that is constantly changing and new technologies are coming. REFERENCES Sustainable Water Network, 2013.The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): Interactions with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and implications for the status of Irelands waters. [pdf] Dublin 2: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN). Available at: [Accessed 23th February]. Dublin Regional Air Quality Management Plan, 2009-2012. [pdf] Available at: [Accessed 23th February]. Citizen Information, 2016. European environmental law. [online] Available at:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   [Accessed 23th February]. Environmental Policy Agency, 2012.Irelands Environment an Assessment. [pdf] Wexford: Environmental Policy Agency (EPA). Available at: [Accessed 23th February]. Environmental Policy Agency, 2015. WFD Governance. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23th February]. European Commission, 2015.Introduction to the new EU Water Framework Directive. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23th February]. Environmental Policy Agency, 2017. Ireland ´s Environmental Air. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23th February].

Alien Hand Syndrome: Causes and Effects

Alien Hand Syndrome: Causes and Effects Nia Helyar What is Alien Hand Syndrome and why does it occur? Discuss in relation to one or more case studies. Alien hand syndrome is an intermittent involuntary disorder whereby the hand acts of its ‘own free will’. However, alien hand syndrome is not consistently or precisely defined. Alien hand syndrome describes complex, goal-directed activity in one hand that is not voluntarily initiated by the individual but is well executed (Mark, 2007). This syndrome is an extremely puzzling phenomenon experienced by brain-damaged patients whereby their limb performs purposeful actions without the intention of the patient (Biran, et al., 2006). The patient is unable to explain the exact source of movement from the hand and may actually consider the hand to have a mind of its own (Mark, 2007). It is caused by lesions to the frontal lobes and corpus callosum (Banks et al., 1989) and generally follows acute focal cerebral injury. The most common causes are cerebral hemispheric stroke, severe brain damage or damage to the corpus callosum such as in surgery, which is used to treat severe epilepsy. The corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres, therefore surgery to this area of the brain can lead there to be less or no communication between the hemispheres which can lead to limbs acting of their own accord. Alien hand syndrome can also be seen in patients who suffer from a variety of degenerative, dementing cerebral disorders such as Alzheimer’s (Mark, 2007). Due to the numerous different causes of alien hand syndrome there are many variations of the condition. Therefore, it has been that alien hand syndrome is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of symptoms (Chokar et al., 2014). There have been reports of patients who were unable to stop their alien hand from grabbing and seizing nearby objects without any willing from their body (Kumral, 2001). This can be seen by the study of patient JC, a 56 year old man who had suffered from a left hemispheric stroke, with damage extending to the corpus callosum. Four weeks after his stroke he complained of peculiar uncontrolled movements of his hand. His hand would do things â€Å"as though it has a mind of its own† such as playing with light switches, grasping and holding things. In many situations the patient found themselves in the situation where the right hand opposed the left hand without the patient choosing to do so. Furthermore, the alien hand caused the patient difficulty in eating because of the opposing behaviour of the right and left hand (Biran, Giovannetti, Buxbaum, Chatterjee 2006). Often, a patient has to use their other willing hand to prise open their fingers and release the object which the alien hand has grasped (Kumral, 2001). Patients observe and experience their own limbs carrying out purposeful behaviours over which they have no or very little control. In one case it was noted that a patient had picked up a pencil and begun scribbling with the right hand. She indicated she had not initiated the action with the right arm, she experienced a feeling of dissociation from the actions of the right arm, stating that `it will not do what I want it to do’ (Goldberg et al.1981). This alien limb may disrupt movements of the other limb that is actually responding to the intentions of the patient (Akelaitis, 1944-45). Patients can experience their limbs acting without being guided by their own will (Bogen, 1993, fisher, 2000). Bogen, J. E. (1993) found his alien hand undoing the buttons of his shirt even as his â€Å"healthy† limb tried to button the shirt. The errant limb is known to not even rest during sleep in some cases and patients with alien hand syndrome have woken up to find their alien limbs choking them (Banks et al, 1989). In one case the patient’s `left hand would tenaciously grope for and grasp any nearby object, pick and pull at her clothes, and even grasp her throat during sleep . . . . She slept with the arm tied to prevent nocturnal misbehaviour.’ However, she never denied that her hand belonged to her (Banks et al. 1989). This is an important part of this syndrome; that the patient does not deny responsibility for the han d or the behaviour that it carries out. Two types of behaviour are displayed with this syndrome, repetitive involuntary grasping and unilateral goal-directed limb behaviour. Patients clearly recognize that there is a discrepancy between what the hand is doing and their desired actions. The patients are upset by the actions of the hand and will often try to prevent it from moving by grasping it firmly with the other hand (Frith, 2000). MP was a patient who had an operation to repair a ruptured aneurysm of the anterior communication artery. Within two years she was unable to live independently with her family due to the way in which the alien hand syndrome was affecting her life (Sala, 1998). An alien hand sufferer can feel normal sensation in the hand, but believes that the hand, while still part of their body, behaves in a manner that is totally distinct from them. They feel that they have no control over the movements of their alien hand but that, instead, the hand has the capability of acting independent of their conscious control. Alien hands can perform complex acts such as removing clothing which can be seen from examples above. Sometimes the sufferer will not be aware of what the hand is doing until it is brought to his or her attention. Patients frequently report astonishment and frustration at these errant limbs. Overall, alien hand syndrome is difficult to explain as there are many different causes and symptoms that can be described as this condition. However, one symptom that is apparent throughout the many case studies is that the alien hand acts against the willing of the patient. The condition is extremely complex and even though many causes are symptoms are known there is still a lot to learn about it. Further research is therefore required. Word Count: 987 References Akelaitis, A. (1944–1945). Studies on the corpus callosum. IV. Diagonistic dyspraxia in epileptics following partial and complete section of the corpus callosum. American Journal of Psychiatry, 101, 594–599. Biran, I., Giovannetti, T., Buxbaum, L., Chatterjee, A. (2006). The alien hand syndrome: What makes the alien hand alien?.Cognitive Neuropsychology,23(4), 563-582. Chokar, G., Cerase, A., Gough, A., Hasan, S., Scullion, D., El-Sayeh, H., Buccoliero, R. (2014). A case of Parry–Romberg syndrome and alien hand.Journal of the neurological sciences,341(1), 153-157. Farrage, A. D. Alien hand syndrome. http://the-medical-dictionary.com/alien_hand_syndrome_article_5.htm Fisher, C. M. (2000). Alien hand phenomena: A review with the addition of six personal cases. The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 27, 192–203. Frith, C. D., Wolpert, D. M. (2000). Abnormalities in the awareness and control of action.Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,355(1404), 1771-1788. Goldberg, G., Mayer, N. H. Toglia, J. U. 1981 Medial frontal cortex and the alien hand sign. Arch. Neurol. 38, 683-686. Kumral, E. (2001). Compulsive grasping hand syndrome: A variant of anarchic hand. Neurology, 57, 2143–2144. Mark, V. W. (2007). Alien hand syndrome. InMedLink neurology(pp. 418-421). MedLink Corporation San Diego. Parkin, A. J. (1996). The alien hand.Methods in madness: case studies in cognitive neuropsychiatry, 173-183. Sala, C. M. S. D. (1998). Disentangling the alien and anarchic hand.Cognitive neuropsychiatry,3(3), 191-207. 1

Rip Van Winkle: A Classic Tale of Passive Resistance Essays -- Rip Va

In this classic tale Rip Van Winkle is portrayed as one who is a victim of circumstances beyond his control. A further reading may perhaps reveal a different Rip Van Winkle, one who pursues an avenue of passive resistance in response to a life which he feels is beyond his control. Passive Resistance is usually connected with such famous people as Henry David Thoreau who developed the principal of civil disobedience. For Thoreau, the idea was to choose not to support governmental taxes and policies that he felt were wrong. This theme was later used by Mahatma Gandhi in his fight for Indian independence. In the 1960’s this method was used by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to bring racial injustice to the public’s attention. In all of these cases, the men who followed the ideal of passive resistance were prepared to suffer the consequences of their actions in order to draw attention to their causes. One can find similarities between Rip Van Winkle’s actions and the actions of those who pursue passive resistance. In Rip’s case, the "governing" authority that he was struggling with is represented by the responsibilities in his life. This is very clear when one compares his own farm to those of others at that time. He did not care for his farm as was expected of him. Rather, he pursued a life that one at the time would have considered slothful, discussing current events with his friends, befriending local children and animals and doing various favors for neighbors while his own property suffered. When confronted by his wife, his response was neither to argue nor to change his behavior. A simple silent shrug of the shoulders was all the response he offered. In all of this, Dame Van Winkle has been portrayed as the villain. H... ...urns 20 years later after his wife is dead, he does not take responsibility for his departure. Instead he concocts a story showing how this situation was totally out of his control. Rather than admit that he was not able to fulfill his responsibilities or that his wife was a shrew and he could no longer tolerate it, he makes up a story about being asleep in the woods. He then returns to his previous life. Curiously, the community and even his own daughter do not appear to seriously question his explanation. Whether this is due to their collective superstition or whether they inwardly understood his need to remove himself from a difficult marriage, it is not clear. What is clear, is that Rip Van Winkle failed to support his family and then abandoned them. He chose a path of flawed passive resistance which did not accept the consequences of his actions.