North South Economy Civil War essays

North South Economy Civil War essays How Economy Differences between the North and the South and the Pattern of Railroad Construction Fed Sectional Tensions before the Civil War. As the U.S. economy advanced and grew in size, each region of the country developed its own characteristics. The move toward industry made the regional differences between the North and South more pronounced and kept these sections of the United States further apart. While both sections favored canals and railroads to keep the new country moving, it was the Souths commitment to slavery that kept that section from aggressively trying to keep pace with the North. The economy of the Southern U.S. was agricultural with cotton as its main product. One third of the southern population was a slave. Since cotton was in high demand in Europe as well as in the Northern U.S., the South continued to concentrate on this main product. The invention of the cotton gin expanded the institution of slavery forcing the Southern economy to become even more dependent on slavery and less interested in developing their own manufacturing which maintained their rural atmosphere. With the majority of the wealth of the South invested in land and slaves, there was little left to devote to the expansion of industry, let alone a marketing strategy or transportation system to enable them to further promote their cotton. Consequently, the middlemen (mostly Northerners) made more money off the cotton than the Southerners did. The Southern people were not dependent upon one another due to the self-sufficient nature of plantations. The very nature of slavery affecte d the white population since southerners who were poor thought that working for another was a kind of servitude. Slavery also brought with it the societal effects of continued dominance of males and forced plantation owners to be vigil to the possibility of an uprising by the slaves. The South economy was stagnant, inefficient, and undeveloped a...

Women and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Women and Development - Essay Example These women's groups are formed for many different reasons, be these purely social (through women's practical gendered interests, to arrange day care for children in communities directly affected by war, for example), economic (i.e., organizing labor teams when men are away from the home, fighting, for example, or arranging microfinance initiatives to develop their communities, for example) or more political (i.e., strategic gendered interests, as in Uganda, where women's groups pressurized parliament to effect the largest female political representation in the whole of Africa). These different women's groups, aside from being formed for many different reasons, are, as we shall see, run differently and aim for different solutions, dependent on the particular set of problems present in the particular country under study. The following sections will look, through an analysis of ten different academic research papers (as listed in the References section), at specific cases of different political situations in different countries, and will analyze how women and women's groups have been formed in these situations, and how they have responded to these situations. As a As a general background to this paper, it should be noted that, as discussed in the Introduction to Part III of the 1997 book, Women's Voices, Women's Power: Dialogues of Resistance from East Africa, published by Broadview Press, much of African culture is rooted in the traditions of the past, with men's dominance over women explained, and justified, by reference to historical tradition and to cultural traditions: for example, in Marangoli, men are classed as the decision-makers, with men having rights of authority and power over women, as defined in their ideology. That women's groups arise within this historical (traditional) context, is a testament to the power of women, and their ingenuity in the face of severe trauma and tragedy. Unfortunately, in many African countries, such as Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda or South Africa, the politicization of differences has often led to civil war or violent conflict, based on ethnic, racial, religious and other differences (Tripp, 2000). In countries such as these, for example, in Uganda, women's movements have arisen, which have conceptualized the relationship between gender and race/ethnicity/religion, in order to minimize such differences, to try to minimize the resulting violence (Tripp, 2000). Women's movements are thought to be a significant force, in African countries, in terms of depoliticizing difference and searching for the common ground in situations where the politicization of difference has led to violence: for example, since the Rwandan genocidal tragedy, women's movements in that country have been instrumental in initializing contact between Tutsi's and Hutu's (Tripp, 2000). Even though women were not active participants in the genocide, the politicization of ethnicity and the orchestration of genocide and rape inflicted against the Tutsi, as well as the retributions for these events have left powerful resentments and strongly painful memories (Tripp,

Recession in Dubai 2008 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recession in Dubai 2008 - Research Paper Example The average economic growth rate of the UAE economy between 2000 and 2007 was 7%. The economy is heavily reliant on petroleum and property investments (World Economic Forum, par 1). In particular, Dubai of the other emirates of the UAE was hit hardest. This is because the state (emirate) of Dubai is not as much endowed with oil resources as her sister emirates (Prasadjain, par 6). For this reason the state is left to attract foreign investment, partly in banking, construction and the real estate. It is the combination of these economic-supportive structures that the turmoil was founded in Dubai. Overall, Dubai came out heavily bruised by the crisis. Saif and Chucair (pp 3) argue that the UAE was not cautious enough so as to set up a ceiling for speculative investments that would in the end throw its banking system in disarray. In their view, Saif and Choucair (pp 3) this failure to caution the economy from the aforementioned investments led to serious problems in trying to deflate the growing property bubble. The onset of this situation meant a collapse of several foreign investment companies. To further complicate the situation, the UAE government failed in guaranteeing equitable working conditions for both local and foreign workers. The working conditions for foreigners, most of who worked for foreign companies that brought in substantial capital inflow turned for the worse, deplorable in the words of Saif and Churcair (pg 4). This was a major catalyst for an across-market shrug among these companies. A major walk out was imminent at this point, but the government was clever enough to secure the interests of its citizenry by placing them ahead of the foreign investors. This left these companies, which were initially troubled by failing prospects in their home countries, very little space to further influence events in the country. While foreign investment

Examining the need for more fully accredited Schools of Architecture Essay - 1

Examining the need for more fully accredited Schools of Architecture in historically Black Colleges & Universities - Essay Example wer, and with the empowerment that these high learning institutions would give to the blacks, there were high chances that the blacks would no longer hear a thing that the white man said and thus cease to be their slaves (Gasman, and Tudico, 2008). The history of the start of historically black colleges and universities dates back in the mid and early 19th century. The first ever black colleges and universities were started secretly and they used to be located in hidden places such as basements of churches and box cars. This was a strategic move by the pioneers of these black colleges and universities so as to avoid the discovery of the white population of the existence of these colleges. Naturally, these colleges and universities started to grow and with the urge of more blacks seeking a higher education berth, more and more historically black universities started cropping up. Some of the pioneers of these universities, referring to the starters, include Mary M. Bethune, a desire of education that was inspired to open up a college with limited funds of less than $2 and less than 10 students back in the early 1900s. Currently, historically black colleges can boast of having brought up some of the black scholars that exist. The se include; W.E.D Du Bois, who went through Fisk University, Toni Morrison, who went through Howard University and the great revolutionist, Martin Luther King, Jr. who went through Morehouse College. To date, there are more than 106 colleges that can be accredited as historically black colleges and universities spread through the entire United States of America. As a result of the history behind the start of these historically black colleges and universities, most of them don’t boast of fully accredited high end courses that are being offered in them. In this case, high end courses refer to the courses that are considered in high esteem among the professional or career circles. These include courses such as medicine, architecture, courses

The Role of Geology in Influencing Water Chemistry Essay Example for Free

The Role of Geology in Influencing Water Chemistry Essay Water is and remains one of the important wants of the people, animals and the nature at large. Without water, they would be no life. Water is an unusual compound which has unique physical properties, and this makes it the compound of life, yet it’s the most abundant compound in the earth’s biosphere. The chemistry of  water  deals with the fundamental chemical property and information about water. Water chemistry can elaborate in terms of the following subtitles: composition of water, Structure, and bonding, Molecular Vibration, as well as geological composition and properties of water among many other aspects of water chemistry (Krauskopf and Bird, 1994). Geology  is often responsible for how much water  filters below the zone of saturation, making the water table easy to measure. Light,  porous  rocks can hold more water than heavy,  dense  rocks. An area underlain with  pumice, a very light and porous rock, is more likely to hold a fuller aquifer and provide a clearer measurement for a water table. The water table of an area underlain with hard  granite  or  marble may be much more difficult to  assess (Krauskopf and Bird, 1994). Hypothesis: surficial geology controls the chemistry of surface waters Introduction Water quality has become one of the essential aspects in life, and it’s defined in terms of the chemical, biological and physical composition of the geological factor. The water quality of rivers, lakes and many other water source changes from one geographical location to another. This is due to difference in the geological composition of the places, i.e., the rocks beneath the earths surface are different and in turn different quality in water quality. However, various factors influence water chemistry in the world (Drever, 1982). One of such vital elements is ‘geology’. This is the science deals with the dynamics and physical history of the earths’, the rock that makes the earths crust, and the physical, chemical, and biological changes that the earth undergoes or has undergone. In other words, geology is the science entails the study of rock-solid Earth, the  rocks  of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change. This branch of scien ce is one of vital and major contributing factor in the water chemistry. In order to understand the impact of geology on the water chemistry, this paper will look into the ground water (Drever, 1982). Clear understanding of the nature of the bedrock layers of the region is essential as geology is in determining the quality and quantity of ground water that can be obtained from the underground at any given location. For example, in some parts of the earth, the bedrock consists of sedimentary layers of rocks that have profuse pore spaces between mineral grains. The rock layers can form creatively wide aquifers, or conduits for groundwater movement, that are of predictable depths, and from which apparently indefinite quantities of high-quality groundwater can be obtained. In such areas, groundwater is the clear way out for public water needs (Frape et al, 1984). Bedrock geology helps in determining the distribution and density of underground water-bearing fissures, as well as the nature  of the soils that are obtained from the rock weathering. Different types of rocks contain more or less fractures that may or may not be interconnected with each other. The degree of interconnection among fractures, and their overall ability to move water, has a great deal to do with how productive a water well will be that intersects the fractures. Different rocks also make different soils when they weather, and the type of soil influences its ability to absorb rainwater that falls on the surface, and transmit the water to bedrock fractures beneath (Cooke et al, 2012). The composition of the underground water as well as the surface water is dependent on natural factors, (geological, topographical, meteorological, hydrological, and biological) in the drainage basin and varies with seasonal differences in runoff volumes, weather conditions, and water levels. The quality is, however, affected by both natural and human influences. The most vital or importance of the natural influences is geological, hydrological and climatic, since this affects both quality and quantity of the water available. Underground water is held in the pore space of sediments such as sands or gravels or in the fissures of fractured rock such as crystalline rock and limestone. The rocky body containing the water is termed an aquifer and the upper water level in the saturated body is termed the water table. Typically, groundwater’s have a steady flow pattern. Velocity is governed mainly by the porosity and permeability of the material through which the water flows, and is often up to several orders of magnitude less than that of surface water, as a result mixing is poor (Cooke et al, 2012). The rock or sediment in an aquifer is denoted by the permeability and porosity, whereby permeability is the measure of the ease with which fluids passes through the rocks. On the other hand, porosity is the ratio of pores and fissure volume to the total volume of the rock. The chemical composition of the rocks greatly influences the chemical composition of water. The different types of aquifers explain this difference in water chemistry all over the places (John, 1990). Underground formations are three types, hard crystalline rocks, and consolidated sedimentary and unconsolidated sediments. The example of hard crystalline rocks includes granites, gneisses, quartzite’s, schist’s, and a few rocks from volcanic rocks. These rocks have little or no porosity but it is further enhanced by weathering. For example, ground water in volcanic formations in regions of recent volcanic activity is mostly inhibited with fluoride, and boron elements, which makes it unsuitable uses. Chemical properties of the bedrock greatly influence the chemical properties and water chemistry. For example, water acidity is highly determined by the drift of the bedrock geology. The following example examines the influence of bedrock and soils on water acidity. When the bedrock constitutes of carbonates, the solution of the minerals assimilates H+ ions and hence acidifying water as water percolates through the rocks. CaCO3 + H+ = Ca2+ +HCO3 this results to acidified wa ter (John, 1990). Effect of Total Dissolved Solids in Groundwater A body of saturated rocks through where water can easily move is known as an aquifer. Aquifers contain rocks such as sandstone, conglomerate, fractured limestone and unconsolidated sand and gravel which are both permeable and porous. In addition, fractured volcanic rocks, i.e. columnar basalts also make good aquifers (John, 1990). Underground water tastes dissimilar from one place to the other or else at different times of the year for several reasons. In exploring those reasons, the paper looks first consider why water from one well might be different from another well, even one that is close by. What dictates groundwater taste is the quantity and type of dissolved minerals in it. In other words, this isn’t pure water as pure water has no dissolved minerals and hence does not occur naturally. The amount and type of minerals that are dissolved in water is what gives waters their initial taste. There are different factors that control the dissolved minerals in the ground water. (I) The type of minerals, making up the aquifer, (II) the chemical state of the ground water, (III), the duration or length of time which water makes contact with the minerals and the rocks (Frape et al, 1984). As the rain water passes through different types aquifers, it results in a different chemical composition of water. Almost all groundwater comes from precipitation that soaks into the soil and passes down to the aquifers. Within the aquifer, the groundwater moves not as an underground stream, but rather seeping between and around individual soil and rock particles. Rainwater has a slightly acidic pH; therefore it tends to dissolve solid minerals in the soil and in the aquifers. Sandstone, limestone and basalt all have different minerals. Therefore it is rational to expect groundwater in contact with these different geologic materials to have different chemical compositions {factor (1) above} and therefore different tastes. In addition, the length the groundwater is in contact with the minerals, the greater the extent of its reaction with those minerals and the higher will be the content of dissolved minerals (John, 1990). The table below can be used to illustrate the effect of mineral in water hence determining water chemistry. The table illustrates typical natural water compositions, from rainwater to seawater, groundwater in different aquifers, to groundwater that has been in contact with the aquifer for different periods of time. Table 1.0 A B C D E F G H Ca 0.7 0.65 240 399 145 6.6 3.10 4530 Mg 1.1 0.14 7200 1340 54 1.1 0.7 162 Na 9.5 0.56 83500 10400 ~27 ~37 3.02 2730 K 0.11 4060 370 ~2 ~3 1.08 32.0 Bicarbonate 4 250 27 620 75 20 56 Sulfate 7.5 2.2 16400 186 60 15 1.0 1.0 Chloride 17 0.57 140000 19020 52 17 0.5 12600 Silica 0.3 48 3 21 103 16.4 8.5 TDS 38 4.7 254000 35000 665 221 35 20330 PH 5.4 7.5 6.6 6.2 6.5 Table 1; key Examples of the composition of natural water from a variety of locations and environments (all concentrations given in milligrams/liter). TDS = total dissolved solids. A dash (-) indicates that the component was not detected or the water was not analyzed for this constituent. A tilde (~) indicates that the analysis is approximate only (John, 1990). Key to the Analyses: (A) Rainwater from Menlo Park, California; (B) Average rainwater from sites in North Carolina and Virginia; (C) Great Salt Lake, Utah; (D) Average seawater; (E) Groundwater from limestone of the Supai Formation, Grand Canyon; (F) Groundwater from volcanic rocks, New Mexico; (G) Groundwater from a spring, Sierra Nevada Mountains: short residence time; (H) Groundwater from metamorphic rocks in Canada: long-residence time. Chemical State of Ground Water A large amount of the seasonal and natural water quality disparities we observe are the result of small but considerable alterations in the chemical state of groundwater. The chemical state of groundwater is generally defined in terms of parameters such as, the temperature, oxidation-reduction potential, and PH. These three factors are greatly influenced by chemical reactions between the aquifer materials and the ground water, hence changing the water chemistry in the common water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. the chemical composition of the aquifer greatly controls the physical properties of water such as color, hardness, taste, odor and appearance (John, 1990). Table 1.1 Water Characteristics and Its Causes (John, 1990) Characteristics or Symptoms Cause(s) Hardness: Low suds production with soap, mineral scale developed in water heater and plumbing High concentrations of calcium and magnesium Color: Water has a color other than clear Red/Brown: iron Black: manganese or organic matter Yellow: dissolved organic matter such as tannins Taste: Metallic or mineral taste Metallic: dissolved metals such as iron and manganese Mineral taste: high concentration of common minerals such as sodium, Chloride, sulfate, calcium, etc. Odor: Musty or rotten egg smell Musty: algae or bacterial growth pipes or well Rotten egg: hydrogen sulfide Appearance: cloudy with or without color Suspended mineral matter or microorganisms Control the chemical composition of groundwater. For example, the total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater, largely derived from aquifer minerals that dissolve in groundwater, will change significantly as a function of temperature and PH. Temperature. At any given temperature, there is a specific concentration of a dissolved mineral constituent in the groundwater that is in contact with that mineral. The actual concentration is temperature dependent, e.g., at higher temperatures, groundwater can dissolve more of the mineral. Even changes in groundwater temperature of only 5 to 10 C can cause detectable changes in TDS (John, 1990). The Natural pH of Groundwater, The pH is a determination of the acidity of groundwater: the lower the pH value, the more acidic the water is and vice versa (a measure of the hydrogen ion (H+) availability). At a pH of 7, water is said to be neutral. Natural rainwater is slightly acidic because it combines with carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, forming carbonic acid (H2CO3) according to the reaction (1) H2O + CO2 = H2CO3. Some of the carbonic acid in the rainwater disassociates or breaks down according to the reaction (2), H2CO3 = HCO- + H+ producing bicarbonate (HCO-) and H+. This in turn reduces the PH of the rain water. In addition, the acidic water that is formed is able to dissolve more of the minerals in the aquifers hence greatly contributing to the change of water chemistry. The more amount of CO2 in the atmosphere the more acidic the water becomes (Verdonschot, 2013). Composition of the Earth’s Crust, The relative abundance of elements in the crustal material of the Earth has been a subject of much interest to chemists for many years. Although the subject of natural-water chemistry is only indirectly concerned with these averages, a knowledge of rock composition is essential to understanding the chemical composition of natural water, and it is therefore desirable to discuss the subject briefly. The Earth is generally considered to be made up of an iron-rich core surrounded by a thick mantle made up of magnesium- and iron-rich silicates and a thin outer crust made up of rather extensively reworked silicates and other minerals. Reversible and Irreversible Reactions in Water Chemistry, Many kinds of chemical reactions can be important in establishing and maintaining the composition of natural water. Concepts that are appropriate for evaluating these processes differ somewhat depending on the nature of the reactions involved. Therefore, some at tention needs to be given to reaction types here, although this cannot be a rigorous classification scheme (Verdonschot, 2013). Different types of rocks and the impact to the water chemistry There are three major types or classes of rocks, namely, sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. The three are different from each other as they also have varying differences in terms of impact to the water chemistry. To start with, sedimentary rocks are rocks formed from particles of pebbles, shells, sand and other fragments. The different particles are brought together and hence called sediment, whereby they accumulate for a long time and in layers over a long time forming a rock (Verdonschot, 2013). Generally, sedimentary rocks are fairly soft and may in turn break or crumble easily. You can often see sand, pebbles, or stones in the rock and it are usually the only type that contains fossils. Examples of this rock type include conglomerate and limestone among many other rocks. These rocks contain a lot of minerals much of which are soluble in water. As the rain water passes through the rocks, the minerals are absorbed and in turn contributing to the changing or different water chemi stry from one region to the other. For example, carbonate-cemented sandstone that is composed largely of silica in the form of quartz might yield water containing mostly calcium and bicarbonate ions (Geology.com, 2014). One type of rocks under the class sedimentary is the chemical sedimentary rocks. This is formed when minerals dissolved in the water starts to precipitate forming a rock of minerals. However, not all minerals do precipitate and in turn become part of the water in the lakes and rivers. Many resistant sedimentary rocks are permeable and may, therefore, easily receive and transmit solutes acquired by water from some other type of rock. In the course of moving through the sedimentary formations, several kinds of alteration processes may occur that may influence the composition of the transmitted water (Verdonschot, 2013). Fig 1.0 sedimentary rock image (Geology.com, 2014) The 2nd type of rocks is the Metamorphic, these are rocks formed under the surface of the earth from the changes which are caused by intense heat and pressure. Rocks formed through this process are mostly denoted by ribbon like layers and may also have shiny crystals that grow slowly over time. A good example of this rock type includes gneiss and marble. Fig 1.1 an image of a metamorphic rock (Geology.com, 2014) Lastly, there is the ‘Igneous’. These are rocks formed when molten rock deep within the earth (magma) cools and hardens. This cooling and hardening may occur either inside the earth’s crust or else it blows up onto the earth’s surface from volcanoes (in this case, it is called lava). When the lava cools very quickly, there are no crystals form and the rock looks shiny and glasslike. Occasionally gas bubbles are ensnared in the rock all through the cooling process, leaving tiny holes and spaces in the rock (Buynevich, 2011). Examples of these rocks include basalt and obsidian. Igneous rocks consist predominantly of silicate minerals. As the solutions move through the soil and the underlying rock, the composition of the water should be expected to change. Rocks of igneous origin may be classified as extrusive or intrusive. Both the extrusive and intrusive rocks are further classified by geologists on the basis of chemical and mineral composition, texture, and other characteristics. Rocks of the same chemical and mineral composition have different names, but tend to yield similar weathering products to the water. Fig 1.2 images of an igneous rock (granite) (Geology.com, 2014) Many of the rocks in the three classes contain numerous chemicals which contribute to the defining of water chemistry in one way or another. In ground water composition, seven solutes are the most commonly found salts in metals. These seven solutes make up nearly 95 percent of all water solutes (Buynevich, 2011). These salts include calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), and bicarbonate (HCO3). Sodium is derived from the dissolution of silicate minerals, such as plagioclase feldspars, which make up some of the sand and gravel that fill the water basin. Potassium is derived from the dissolution of some silicate minerals in granitic rocks and from reactions with some clay minerals. Few reactions remove these seven solutes from ground water. However, some minerals, such as calcite CaCO3, can precipitate from solution to form a solid phase (Buynevich, 2011). Conclusion The interpretation of the water chemistry data has become vital and most reliably made within the conceptual framework on the ground water system that has been derived from several additional types of hydrologic and geologic data, such as water levels, that indicate general directions of ground-water flow. One of the major aspects of the geology of the human is the fact that it helps in maintaining the quality of water supplies. This helps understand the sources of water and in turn protect them from pollution. In addition, it helps in determining the suitability for various uses such as drinking, farming among many other uses (Dissanayake Chandrajith, 2009). The chemistry of lakes, rivers, oceans, and stream water in many regions is strongly associated with the character and circulation of geologic materials in the watershed. For example, the dominance of glacial till and granitic gneiss rock in the North and East of Big Moose Lake region results in a geologically sensitive terrain distinguished by low alkalinity and chemical compositions of the surface water with only slightly modified from ambient precipitation. On the contrary, widespread deposits of substantial glacial till in the lower part of the system (e.g. Moss-Cascade Valley) allow for much infiltration of precipitation into the groundwater system where weathering reactions increase alkalinity and extensively alters water chemistry. In references to the hypothesis, ‘surficial geology controls the chemistry of surface waters’ holds true as seen in the water composition of different regions as the water chemistry and watershed being determined by the geological facto rs (Dissanayake Chandrajith, 2009). References Drever, J.I., 2000. The Geochemistry of Natural Waters. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 388p. Frape, S.K., Fritz, P., and McNutt, R.H., 1984. Water-rock interaction and chemistry of Groundwater from the Canadian Shield. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 48, pp. 1617-1627. Heath, R.C., 1990. Basic Ground-Water Hydrology. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2220, 84p. Hem, J.D., 1992. Study and Interpretation of the Chemical Characteristics of Natural Water. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254. Krauskopf, K.B., with Bird, D.K., 1994. Introduction to Geochemistry, 3 ed. McGraw-Hill, rd New York, 640p. Dissanayake, C. B., Chandrajith, R. (2009).  Introduction to medical geology: Focus on tropical environment. Berlin: Springer. Buynevich, I. V. (2011).  Geology and geoarchaeology of the Black Sea Region: Beyond the flood hypothesis. Boulder, Colo: Geological Society of America. Allanson, B. R. (1990).  Inland waters of southern Africa: An ecological perspective. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Gunn, A. M., Babbitt, B. (2001).  The impact of geology on the United States: A reference guide to benefits and hazards. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Greenwood Press. Rost, A. L., Fritsen, C. H., Davis, C. J. (2011). Distribution of freshwater diatom Didymosphenia geminata in streams in the Sierra Nevada, USA, in relation to water chemistry and bedrock geology.  Hydrobiologia,  665(1), 157-167. Verdonschot, P. P., Spears, B. B., Feld, C. C., Brucet, S. S., Keizer-Vlek, H. H., Borja, A. A., Johnson, R. R. (2013). A comparative review of recovery processes in rivers, lakes, estuarine and coastal waters.  Hydrobiology,  704(1), 453-474. Cooke, G. M., Chao, N. L., Beheregaray, L. B. (2012). Natural selection in the water: freshwater invasion and adaptation by water colour in the Amazonian pufferfish.  Journal Of Evolutionary Biology,  25(7), 1305-1320. Dittman, J., Driscoll, C. (2009). Factors influencing changes in mercury concentrations in lake water and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens) in Adirondack lakes.  Biogeochemistry,  93(3), 179-196. Geology.com. News and Information about Geology and Earth Science. Retrieved from: http://geology.com/ John D. Hem. (1990) Study and Interpretation of the Chemical Characteristics of Natural Water. Third Edition. Department Of The Interior William P. Clark, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Dallas L. Peck, Director Source document

Use of Multiple Production Locations by MNEs in Asia

Use of Multiple Production Locations by MNEs in Asia Briefly explain the reasons why many multinational enterprises in Asia utilise multiple production locations located in a number of countries for production of parts and components and assembly of final goods. Globalisation facilitates dramatically in the past and progressed by modern transportation, communication and improved legal rules and regulations to open markets to international trade and finance. The companies also contributed by internationalise their products all over the world. Without the facilitating character of globalisation, it is impossible for multinational which own or control production or service facilities outside the country in which they are based; exhibit a degree of trans-nationality. Most companies become multinationals because of some form of foreign direct investment (FDI) that spreads their geographic activities. The multinational firm is one of the most pervasive types of firms in the global economy. Multinational firms exist because certain economic conditions make it possible for a firm to profitably undertake production of a good or service in a foreign location. The 500 largest multinationals account for about 25 per cent of world product, and nearly half of total world trade. (https://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=1ved=0CB8QFjAAurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.business.illinois.edu%2Faguilera%2FTeaching%2FMNEConcept%2520calculation%2520guillen.docei=Iro2VMKyMMuGuASt3oCYBQusg=AFQjCNGECOek5OVjlpTQFYr6QF-u9qBLug). Multinationals are becoming more important relevant to the size of the global economy which is about three times as prominent today as twenty years ago. Trade in intermediate inputs associated with the fragmentation of production across national borders is an increasingly important feature of global economic integration. Production has become a multinational process in wh ich different stages are carried out in specialized plants around the globe for some goods. Materials and components produced in one country may pass through a numbers of other countries that each adds value through fabrication, assembly or other processing before final goods is delivered to customers. This paper is to outline the reasons why many multinational enterprises in Asia utilise multiple production locations located in a number of countries for production of parts and components and assembly of final goods. International production networks play an important role in East Asian economies. Most industrial production in East Asia where production is divided into several stages and then conducted in various countries is according to their comparative advantages. One of the reasons is result from market-driven forces such as vertical specialization and higher production costs in the home countries and institutional-led reasons such as free trade agreements. International fragmentation of production, the splitting of production process into discrete activities which are then allocated across countries, has been an increasingly important facet of economic globalization over the past three decades. Whenever a firm undertakes a transaction with a customer or supplier, it incurs transaction costs in addition to the price paid for goods or services. http://www.ekf.tuke.sk/files/TUKE%20Lectures%202011-12.pdf The transaction costs included the legal costs of drafting a contract, the costs of going out to tender, searching for information on potential suppliers and the cost of currency exchange or hedging. The transaction costs included exporting cost would be able to avoid if multinational enterprise has their full ownership of production industry in that countries. The company could produce the products into the final goods and sell it to the country where it produced instead of exporting from the home country. It is often for multinational firms find it cheaper to produce goods in foreign countries. Employees in foreign countries are willing to accept lower salary than domestic employees. This help to minimise the labour cost of production of the multinational companies. In addition, foreign countries have different rules and regulations for labour, business and the environment, which can potentially reduce expenses. http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/multinational-company-benefits-drawbacks-21554.html Companies can become more competitive and increase their profits with lower production costs. In conclusion, there are several benefits for multinational enterprise in Asia utilise multiple production locations located in a number of countries for production of parts and components and assembly of final goods. The multinational companies can enjoy the benefits of inflow of income from overseas profits by lower the wages, jobs and career opportunities at home and abroad in connection with overseas opportunities and greater availability of products for local consumers and consumers in overseas which at the same time can increase their visibility of the brand to all over the world. Using two case studies of firms headquartered in two different countries,  show how the growth of trade and investment links among several Asian  economies is related to the strategic production and location decisions of firms. Describe and explain the main considerations of these two firms in determining  where to locate specific activities. To be able to show that intra-Asian trade and investment links arise from operations by firms you need to choose firms so that there are inter-Asian investment links due to firm operations and also intra-Asian investment links due to firm operations. This can happen if thetwo firms are headquartered outside Asia but have production bases in severalAsian countries, with linkages through intra-firm trade in parts and components etc. OR they areheadquartered in two Asian countries with production bases in one or more other Asian countries with there being trade in parts and components etc among the various Asian production bases. So choose firms to ensure you can illustrate how intra-Asiantrade and investment links arise from such multinational firms. Market seeking is one of the reasons that multinational companies invests overseas. The companies may enter foreign markets to find new buyers for their goods and services. The owners of a company may find out that their product is unique or superior to the competition in foreign markets and want to take advantage of this opportunity. The company may also believe investment overseas will bring higher returns of profits when producers have saturated sales in their home markets. Apple Incorporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers. Apple skyrocketed to the top of our annual Asia 200 survey this year, and was ranked by readers as the regions most admired multinational company. Apple opened its first company-owned Apple retail store in Asia last year. (http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB125259938989400063) China’s economy is having some of its best years ever due to the rising world demand for consumer electronics, much of which is manufactured in China’s monstrous city-factories. The average Chinese citizen is more flush with cash than ever before and ready to spend it on what would previously be deemed as unaffordable luxury. (http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/09/05/how-apple-has-found-success-in-china-and-why-its-just-the-beginning/) One of the reasons that Apple would success trading i n Asia is because of the cultural such as modern Chinese culture of wealth and status. According to the news, Apple holds a unique position among foreign brands in China as its products are highly polished, appealing to the young and wealthy elite and valuable as gifts given to those with whom a Chinese consumer might seek a better relationship. (http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/09/05/how-apple-has-found-success-in-china-and-why-its-just-the-beginning/) Lam Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City-based country director at International Data Corp predicts that iPhone sales in Vietnam will increase 56 percent to about 12 million units in 2014 as consumers seems iPhone as a relatively affordable status symbol. (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-15/apple-looks-to-status-hungry-vietnam-for-growth-southeast-asia.html) Most of the components of iPhones are now manufactured in China is because China’s factories are bigger than those in United States and there are tens thousands of workers practically overnight and able to press them into service at a moment’s notice. Workers can change production practices and speeds extremely rapidly. China currently has bigger supply of appropriately-qualified engineers than the U.S. does. Lastly, Chinas workforce is much hungrier and more frugal than many of their counterparts in the United States. (http://www.businessinsider.com/you-simply-must-read-this-article-that-explains-why-apple-makes-iphones-in-china-and-why-the-us-is-screwed-2012-1?IR=T) Another case study is about Nike Incorporations which headquarter located in Beaverton, Oregon, NW USA. Nike is an American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing and worldwide marketing and selling of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. China boasts the largest number of Nike contract factories which are124 in total. About 620,000 people currently work in contract factories around the world producing Nike branded footwear, apparel and clothing, the majority of which are women under the age of 25. More than 75% of these work in Asia, predominantly in China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea and Malaysia. The managers of Nike justify their expansion on why they globalise their products. Nike aims to buy their raw material at a lower price as more profits would be made. Nike would be able to access new markets by selling their shoes in other countries. This allows them to increase their global sales and hence the profits increase. One of the crucial inputs used in the production of Nike shoes is rubber which is not produced in the United States. Nike would need to access the resources by finding in other countries. Lastly, Nike would like to minimise their transport costs and expand customer base at the same time. In order to achieve both motive, the production has been centralise in certain countries and able to achieve economies of large scale production. However, produce at a lower cost is not the only reason should be considered to boost the profits. Multinational companies also invest in source technologies, high-quality people, and ideas. For example, Nissan invested in lower cost England and Spain but also in expensive Germany. Although labour costs in Germany were very high, the high productivity of the labours made setting up shop there efficient. Thus, Japanese firms are able to learn new ideas and technologies from some of the most sophisticated companies in the world. In conclusion, the multinational company will choose to allocate their production based and also invest in the Asia countries due to the cultural of the Asia that are different with Western countries. Invest in Asia countries would be able to bring a large amount of revenues to multinational countries based on the chosen firms of the case studies above. http://www.adbi.org/files/2013.02.21.wp409.impact.asean.production.networks.pdf http://www1.doshisha.ac.jp/~ccas/japanese/seminars/2007-11b.pdf http://www.bea.gov/papers/pdf/intrafirmtradejanuary04.pdf http://www.globalization101.org/why-do-companies-invest-overseas/

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park INTRODUCTION Do you want to hear about the first national park that is the first and only dedicated to a president? Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947. The Mountains are over 55 million years old. The badlands of Theodore Roosevelt national park is dry with occasional monsoon showers. The park is located in Medora, North Dakota, and is home to some amazing animals including wild horses, reptiles and mammals. GEOLOGY The Little Missouri River eroding the mountain range is the reason that the park is as it looks today. The park is believed to be