Apollo 13 Video Clip Essay Example for Free

Apollo 13 Video Clip Essay In chapters seven through ten several OB topics were examined. As you review the video, look for incidences that relate to OB concepts that you observe. Identify two concepts, explain where you observed them in the video and to which chapter they apply. Provide either work or personal examples to support each of the observations Post: Tiffany Demko Week 4 Discussion – MGMT 362 Apollo 13 Video clip First off this is a great movie, and I’m not much of a movie buff. I found way more than just 2 ob concepts in this clip. I think that managing a team is a difficult task because it requires a hardy personality to be a calming rational thinker while taking others in consideration, and blocking the negativity or tension that maybe building. Bill Paxton Tom Hank’s characters points out that the smartest people on the planet have been brought together to make sure every setting is correct, and all the resources needed are available. Tom Hanks points out that they have a large amount of variables to consider when overcoming the challenges before them, and they are just starting that â€Å"task† list so to speak. Making decisions fairly to limit the inequity amongst the group is vital to the members working together to achieve their common goal, getting home. Remembering that a team is brought together because of their diverse roles, and knowledge that they bring to the table, each person working in a group or on a team has been given that opportunity because of their expertise. In any crisis situation it is always a good idea to apply forward thinking, and I think that is what Kevin Bacon’s character was trying to point out. Handling a potential challenge before it becomes a real issue is value added indeed, all to often we can fix something at that moment that could help avoid other pitfalls, but if we wait until we get to that item on the â€Å"task list† one may not have the same options available to them. Respect must always be given among a team in my opinion, it’s how you grow, and it’s what you personally should be able to expect, and rely on from those your working with.

Dixons Takeover of Elkjøp

Dixons Takeover of Elkjà ¸p The agreed takeover of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons Contents (Jump to) Abstract Chapter 2 – Literature Review Chapter 3 Sources of Data Chapter 4 Research Design, and Statistical Analysis Chapter 5 Conclusion Bibliography Abstract The roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, Chief Operating Officer, or Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and the remainder of upper management of a listed company, as stated by Jayne Mammatt, Senior Manager at Ernst and Young, â€Å"†¦ have become increasingly onerous in recent years† (Ernst Young, 2006). The key purpose of the Board of Directors is â€Å"†¦ to ensure the †¦Ã¢â‚¬  prosperity of a company by â€Å"†¦ directing the company’s affairs whilst meeting the appropriate interests of its shareholders †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (BREFI group, 2006). The role of the Board of Directors is to (BREFI group, 2006): Establish vision, mission and values, Set strategy and structure, Delegate to management, and Exercise accountability to shareholders and be responsible to relevant stakeholders. The preceding statement bears particular relevance concerning the subject of the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons and whether said acquisition will result in a gain in shareholder wealth. The question posed as to the fact that there is evidence that domestic acquisitions do not lead to shareholder wealth gains is borne out in studies conducted by Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) and Markides and Ittner (1994, pp. 343-366). Thus, in the case of the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons the question to be examined is, if there is any reason to suppose that a cross-border acquisition would be different in terms of leading to shareholder wealth gains? Dixons is one of the largest retailers of electronic products in the Europe, operating in over 12 countries (DSG International plc, 2006a). The company, Dixons Group plc, is presently known as DSG International (UK Business Park, 1999), however it shall be referred to as Dixons in this examination. The company operates in the following sectors under a number of brand names which the company has acquired or set up operations under its own brand (DSG International plc, 2006b): Electricals Currys Electro World Elkjà ¸p Kotsovolos Partmaster Direct UniEuro DSG Insurance Services Computing DSG Business Services Genesis PC City PC World PC World Business The TechGuys e-commerce Dixons.co.uk Pixmania.com The company earned  £7,072,000,000 during 1005 – 2006 and generated  £317,600,000 in profits before tax (DSG International plc, 2006). Elkjà ¸p ASA is the largest wholesale and retail seller of electronic equipment in the Nordic Region with outlets located in Norway, Sweden and Denmark (Business.com, 2006) generating approximately  £475 million in sales in 1999 (Dixons Group plc, 2000/02, p. 3). Dixons has been an acquisition minded company, utilizing this technique to expand into new markets as well as broaden its base of operations in the same mode as Wal-Mart which utilizes the buy in approach to enter markets as opposed to setting up new operations from scratch. The foregoing is evidenced by its acquisition of ASDA in the United Kingdom and planned acquisition of Taiwanese retail Trust-Mart in China (Barboza and Barbaro, 2006). In 1999 Dixons acquired the Norwegian electrical retailer Elkjà ¸p for  £444 million to establish a significant foothold in the markets o f Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as a platform for the launch of other branded stores in its portfolio (UK Business Park, 1999). The expansion represents a long standing policy of the company which has acquired (UK Business Park, 1999): 1996, DN Computer Services, a mail order computer company for  £9.7 million 1998, Byte, a computer retailing business acquired from Specialist Computer Holdings for  £7 million to add its 16 outlets to the chain of 50 PC World stores 1999, a chain of 39 electronic retail stores from Seeboard for  £20 million 1998, a stake in with Planet Online to aid in Internet computer sales 1999, an investment in U.S. based Telepost Holdings for  £6 million to expand its Internet based business services 1999, acquisition of Elkjà ¸p for  £444 million 2000, acquisition of Ei System Computer in Spain for  £16 million to add 12 stores to its business line 2000, a 15% stake in Greek electronics retailer P. Kotsovolos for  £44 million 2001, the acquisition of the Danish company SuperRadio, a chain of electronics superstores 2001, the acquisition of a 24% stake in the Italian electrical retailer UniEuro for  £64 million, 2002, the acquisition of Direct Telephone Services, a mobile phone provider for  £31 million 2002, the acquisition of the remaining shares of UniEuro’s 88 stores for an additional  £231 million 2004, the acquisition of WHSU, known as Micro Warehouse, to expand its PC World operations 2005, Dixons changed its name to DSG International The indicated deals point to the management strategy of expansion through acquisition as a long term business plan, of which Elkjà ¸p was another link in that process. This examination shall seek to examine the statement as to whether the instance of the cross border acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons has lead to a gain in shareholder wealth in light of the statement that there is a sufficient body of evidence in domestic acquisitions that such transactions do not, in most instances, lead to gains in this area. The foregoing question shall be examined through research conducted into the pre and post merger standings of Dixons, as well as other indicators of shareholder values as represented by stock prices, assets, and revenue growth. As stated by Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3) the objective and concern of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and upper management staff is to â€Å"†¦ increase shareholder value†. They state that this is measurable through the following means (Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3): Return on Capital Invested, or EVA (Economic Value Added) This term has become a popular metric that measures the trend of an improvement or a decline in shareholder value, and in the instance of public companies this is reflected in the stock price. Accordingly, an increase in shareholder value moves stock prices upward, whereas a decline in this metric sends them downward. Groves (2006) states that in simple terms, a company increases shareholder value through either a reduction in â€Å"†¦ its cost base whilst maintaining revenue †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and or through increasing â€Å"†¦ its revenue whilst maintaining or reducing its cost base†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Bierman (2006, pp. 1-2) makes the same argument, stating that â€Å"Business corporations attempt to make profits and increase the value of the stockholder’s position†. These theories apply to acquisition activity as well, as these transactions represent a facet of corporate strategy to expand their operations and to increase their profit Rappaport, 1997, pp. 14-29). Such can also result, increased profits, from economies of scale, which is the reduction of duplicate operations that thus lowers costs in administration, warehousing, manufacturing, delivery, supply chains and allied functions. Utilizing the foregoing as a guide, research into these aspects will provide definitive in formation to equate whether an acquisition has met these conditions as indicated above. Dixons’ management strategies have functioned in much the same manner as the fabled John F. Welch, Jr., the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric during their storied years in that â€Å"Who knows what they’ll buy or sell next?† (Higgins, 2000, p. 10). This illustration has been utilized because between 1987 and 1988 General Electric’s â€Å"†¦ return on shareholders equity increased from 17.6 percent in 1986 to 18.5 percent in 1987 and to 19.4 percent in 1888 †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). Furthermore â€Å"†¦ the company’s balance sheet and cash flow remained strong during this period †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). Despite the foregoing the company’s share price did not reflect this performance as a result of the â€Å"†¦ perception of outsiders †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Higgins, 2000, p. 9). The foresight of Welsh and General Electric was acknowledged nearly a decade later when Noel Tichy, a corporate analyst said â€Å"The two greatest corporate leaders of this century are Alfred Sloan of General Motors and Jack Welsh of GE† (Higgins, 2000, p. 10). The preceding represents the spirit of the examination of Dixons, in that their acquisition minded strategy is seemingly challenged in the same manner. Chapter 2 – Literature Review In researching the subject as to whether there is any reason to believe that the cross border acquisition, as represented by Dixons of Elkjà ¸p, should or does represent a difference between domestic acquisitions which by and large have proven not to lead to an increase in shareholder wealth, there is evidence to prove such is not necessarily the case. Jarrel and Poulsen (1889, pp. 12-19) support the analysis that domestic acquisitions do not generally lead to shareholder increases in their analysis as reported in â€Å"The Returns to Acquiring Firms in Tender Offers: Evidence from Three Decades.†, as does Loder and Martin (1990, pp. 17-33) in â€Å"Corporate Acquisitions by Listed Firms: The Experience of a Comprehensive Sample†. Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) in â€Å"The Effects of Corporate Multinationalism on Shareholders’ Wealth†, Markides and Ittner’s (1994, pp. 343-366) Shareholder Benefits from Corporate International Diversifica tion:† as well as Yeung and Morck (1992, pp. 41-56) in â€Å"Internationalization: An Event Study Test† point to evidence that companies in comparison achieved better result from international acquisitions. The preceding authors explain the improved results concerning gains as being a factor of market synergies. A review of the Annual Reports of Dixons and Elkjà ¸p for the periods between 1999 through 2005-2006 represented a key source of direct information concerning the earnings of the firms which in term could be correlated against the stock prices for said periods. As stated by Higgins (2000, p. 9) in his book â€Å"Best Practices in Global Investor Relations: The Creation of Shareholder Value†, the activity registered by stock prices might not accurately reflect the performance of the company, however, the preceding analogy referred to the inception of diversified merger and acquisition strategy in the 1980’s by Jack Welsh of General Electric, whose principle are understood now. Chapter 3 – Sources of Data In equating whether Dixons management strategy in the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p has added to shareholder value, the analysis of a number of sources shall be utilized to bring forth data to enable a determination to be reached. Past history as represented in the Annual Reports for both companies represents the most relevant data concerning revenues, profit and related data. Internet sources present the opportunity to examine stock prices from a present day and historical basis to correlate against the revenue result achieved in various years to reach a determination of the preceding in generating shareholder wealth. The utilization of books and journal articles represent sources that will aid in reviewing theory as well as foundational and theoretical information on shareholder wealth as well as the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors and upper management in this regard. Internet sources represent the means to seek information not only on theoretical aspects as mentioned previously, but information on company activities as reported in various newspapers and press releases. The combinations of these sources will permit a balanced view as to equating the examination of the question, thus all shall be utilized. Chapter 4 – Research Design, and Statistical Analysis The design of the research is to present the factual accounting and stock share price data as the conclusive means via which to reach a determination as to if the acquisition of Elkjà ¸p by Dixons has or has not resulted in gains to shareholder wealth. This approach has been taken as a result of studies and information as provided by Doukas and Travlos (1988, pp. 1161-1175) and Markides and Ittner (1994, pp. 343-366) on international acquisitions, as well as the internet source of BREFI (2006) that outlined the roll of the Board of Directors, along with Broxterman and Murad’s (1999, p. 3) insights into ‘return on capital invested, or EVA (Economic Value Added). The summary of financial activity with respect to Dixon’s acquisition of Elkjà ¸p is contained in the following Table: Table 1 – Dixons Acquisition of Elkjà ¸p Financial Summary 1998 through 2006 (in  £millions) (Dixons Annual Reports, 1999 through 2005/06) The foregoing statistical figures have been compiled in keeping with the stated aims and objectives of this examination as well as to present the actual results of operations. This Table effectively indicates that Dixons share prices have increased since its acquisition of Elkjà ¸p, as have revenues. Chapter 5 Conclusion Dixons acquisition of Elkjob represents one of a string of acquisitions performed by the company since 1999. Elkjà ¸p’s revenues during the period 2004/05 were  £1,003m (Dixons, 2004/05) with 2005/06 sales registering in excess of 1,500m (contentmanager.net, 2006). Considering that Dixsons paid  £444 for Elkjà ¸p in 1999, the earnings clearly indicate that Dixons has received more than its money’s worth in return. The stock price and revenues figures clearly prove that in this instance Elkjà ¸p’s as well as Dixons shareholders have benefited from this acquisition, as well as the other acquisitions and company actions since 1999. Given that Economic Value Added, as stated by Broxterman and Murad (1999, p. 3) is the key determinant of shareholder vale, Dixons has demonstrated that their concern for shareholder value has been met. The dramatic gains made by the company are a result of its overall approach to management of the firm’s resources, as well as continued expansion and growth. These principles have boded well for Elkjà ¸p’s shareholders, as well as Dixons. Bibliography Barboza, D., Barbaro, M. (2006) Wal-Mart said to be acquiring chain in China. 16 October 2006. The New York Times Bierman, H. (2006) Increasing Shareholder Value. Springer Publications BREFI group (2006) The Board of Directors – roles and responsibilities. Retrieved ion 22 November 2006 from http://www.brefigroup.co.uk/resources/board_roles.html Broxterman, W., Murad, D. (1999) Enhancing Shareholder Value. 23 September 1999. FEICA 1999 Conference, Lucerne, Switzerland Business.com (2006) Elkjà ¸p Asa. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.business.com/directory/retail_and_consumer_services/consumer_electronics/Elkjà ¸p_asa/profile/ CNN Money (1999) Freeserve IPO: Get on line. Retrieved 25 November 2006 from http://money.cnn.com/1999/07/23/europe/freeserve/ CNN Money (2000) Wanadoo buys Freeserve. Retrieved on 25 November 2006 from http://money.cnn.com/2000/12/06/europe/wanadoo_freeserve/index.htm Contentmanager.net (2006) Intershop Successful in Scandinavia. Retrieved on 25 November 2006 from http://www.contentmanager.net/magazine/news_h13704_intershop_successful_in_scandinavia.html Dixons Group plc (2000/01) Annual Report Accounts. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.dsgiplc.com/Uploads/{2d89b6c1-29a2-4221-a5de-d6aff784de21}/annual report 2000_2001.pdf Dixon (2003) Annual Report. Retrieved on 23 November 2006 from http://images.dixons.com/corporate_new/images/annual_reports/Annual03_04/Elkjà ¸p.htm Dixons (2004/05) Annual Report. Retrieved on 25 November 2006 from http://www.dsgiplc.com/Uploads/{2fbeed95-0410-4b7c-b306-d433c8d5424b}/Annual report 2004 05.pdf Doukas, J., Travlos, N. (1988) The Effects of Corporate Multinationlism on Shareholders’ Wealth: Evidence from International Acquisitions. Vol. 43. Journal of Finance DSG International plc (2006) Annual Report and Accounts 2005/06. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.dsgiplc.com/Uploads/{b1ce5112-673c-45f2-a4cd-989bab7feda2}/fv ar0506.pdf DGS international plc (2006) Our Brands. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.dsgiplc.com/Layout.aspx?CatID=9c8bcdca-948a-44e5-b7a7-60bd761d7017ID=7df99862-91cb-490d-ad89-38ac1764e880 DSG international plc (2006a) Our History. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.dsgiplc.com/layout.aspx?ID=6568d063-24f8-4c3d-a7b7-6aa675e64775CatID=86e81cbe-a91d-4490-8726-5d37e765e6c2 Ernest Young (2006) Ernst Young Launches Company Director’s Handbook. 24 March 2004. Retrieved on 22 November 2006 from http://www.ey.com/global/content.nsf/South_Africa/Governance__Sustainability_-_Company_Directors Google (2006) DSG International plc. Retrieved on 25 November 2006 from http://google.com/finance?cid=3785532 Groves, J. (2006) Maximizing Shareholder Value. Retrieved on 24 November 2006 from http://www.captive.com/service/marsh/shareholder_value.html Higgins, R. (2000) Best Practices in Global Investor Relations: The Creation of Shareholder Value. Quorum Books Jarrell, G., Poulsen, A. (1989) The Returns to Acquiring Firms in Tender Offers: Evidence from Three Decades. Vol. 18. Financial Management Loderer, C., Martin, K. (1990) Corporate Acquisitions by Listed Firms: The Experience of a Comprehensive Sample. Vol. 19. Financial Management Markides, C., Ittner, C. (1994) Shareholder Benefits from Corporate International Diversification:: Evidence from U.S. International Acquisitions. Vol. 25, Issue 2. Journal of International Business Studies Rappaport, A. (1997) Creating Shareholder Value: A Guide for Managers and Investors. Free Press UK Business Park (1999) Dixons. Retrieved on 23 November 2006 from http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/dixonsaa.htm VNU Network (2006) EB Beats Dixons to make bid for Game. Retrieved on 25 November 2006 from http://www.vnunet.com/articles/print/2005144 Yeung, B., Morck, R. (1992) Internationalization: An Event Study Test. August 1992. Journal of International Economics

The Press In Mauritius

The Press In Mauritius Introduction For the health of democracy, access to information is really essential. In any democracy, citizens have the rights and responsibilities to participate in public matters. Knowledge about a society is obtained through free debates, newspapers, magazines, television and radio. All these are possible when there exist a free and independent press. In all democratic countries, freedom of the press has been a treasured right. Press freedom is a pillar of democracy  [1]  . Often, the press is referred as the fourth pillar of a country  [2]  . Such freedom should be free from interference of the state. The preservation of the freedom of the press may be done through constitutional or legal protections. In the present chapter, the definition and the importance of the press freedom will be analyzed first. Then, the evolution and development of the written and audio-visual press in Mauritius will be examined before considering the constitutional foundation of the freedom of the press of the country. Section 1: Freedom of the press Definition of Freedom of the Press Everywhere in the world, the meaning of press freedom differs. Different countries possess different degrees of freedom of the press  [3]  . This suggests that freedom of the press is not absolute in the world  [4]  . In universal terms, defining freedom of the press is difficult. Various definitions to freedom of the press have been attributed by different scholars and in many text books. Lieberman (1953) defined freedom of the press as the right to serve, without government interference and with police protection, and the most fundamental right of freedom of information  [5]  . As for Dennis and Merrill (1996), freedom of the press is the right to communicate ideas, opinions, and information through the printed world without government restraint  [6]  . For both authors, the right to share information and no government intrusion is among the main elements of this freedom. For other scholars, free press is an independent adversary  [7]  performing the function of watchdog preventing the State from aggrandizing and abusing the rights of its citizen. Freedom of the press is not only the right of media; it is the right of the citizens also. Going back to history, in 1791, freedom of the press was legally guaranteed by the U.S Constitution, congress shall make no lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦abridging the freedom of speech or of the pressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [8]  . Freedom of the press was recognized by the National Assembly of France in the Article 11 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This freedom was considered to be a fundamental right in Europe and in the United States. In 1948, the United Nations declared it a universal right and adopted Article 19 of the UDHR  [9]  . Freedom of the press is derived from the fundamental right of freedom of information. The latter is a human right and the touchstone of all the freedoms. It implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without fetters  [10]  . The rights to seek and to disseminate information are of particular importance to the press. Along with freedom of information, freedom of expression also plays an essential role in press freedom. In Hossenbaccus v. Le Mauricien  [11]  , it was held that Freedom of expression is fundamental. It is an essential instrument for the advancement of knowledge and must indeed be well guarded to enable the press to fulfill its social obligation to inform the public. Freedom of expression comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation of ideas  [12]  Ã‚  [13]  . Freedom of circulation and distribution of the matter are also included in press freedom. So freedom of expression and freedom of press are in tertwined. The Importance of Freedom of the Press Press freedom is considered as the most important freedom by informal writers, jurists and political philosophers  [14]  . Freedom of the press has always been the most effective instrument for the functioning of a democratic society. It helps in human development and good governance. The role that press freedom plays in our society will determine its importance. An independent media sector acts as watchdog on the government, holding it accountable to the public as well as helping citizen to have a better knowledge on political choices. It focuses on social problems and also provides a public forum, for several voices in public debate. On behalf of the public, the press serves as a watchdog to avoid government wrongdoings. Government officials are not always accountable and transparent to the people. So the fourth estate investigates in the States records to examine and evaluate, and hold the officials accountable for their actions. The press keeps the public officials responsible to the public as they are expected to serve them  [15]  . In countries like Taiwan, Brunetti and Weder, free press has helped in reducing corruptions  [16]  . There are eight purposes that the press should look forward in a democratic society: supervision on the political environment, determined agenda-setting, floors for a responsive and illuminating advocacy, channel for dialog on various range of views, safeguarding the rights of citizen and ensuring they are heard, inducements for people to be involved, respecting the citizens and promoting equality  [17]  . However, these goals often have to face obstacles. In a democratic society, the citizens need to be well-informed in order to make and exchange opinions on the actions of government officials and the elected representatives. A central purpose of press freedom is to build up an educated and well-informed electorate  [18]  that will form opinions on public maters and on their political leaders. Politicians also will have the opportunity to comment on the publics opinion. Thus, everyone will participate in a free political debate which is a core concept of a democratic society  [19]  . Freedom of the press is important in the way that the liberty of the press is essential in arousing public spirit and this can be used against the ambition of autocratic authority; this is apparent with independent newspapers because they have a tendency to be aware of public discontents and changes. In short, press freedom acts as an agency which controls arbitrary power. A free press can be said to be a market of ideas  [20]  which helps people to evolve, mobilize and form new ideas in the public area. For the working of democracy, public criticism is fundamental  [21]  . Section 2: Evolution and Development of the Written and Audio Visual Press in Mauritius 2.1 Written Press The history of the printed press in Mauritius can be traced back to 1767 with the first printing materials which Pierre Poivre introduced in the island. One year after, the Imprimerie Royale was created. However, the oldest printing was claimed to be an almanac printed in 1457. Isle de France, now known as Mauritius, was among one of the first colonial countries, which owned a newspaper industry. On 13th January 1773, Nicolas Lambert issued the first newspaper Annonces, Affiches et Avis Divers Pour Les Colonies des Isles de France et Bourbon. As the chief editor was a Government officer and the newspaper was printed by the Government press, this shows that the issue was barely a free one. The second newspaper started in 1786 under the name Journal des Isles de France et de Bourbon by two young lawyers named Durrans and Brun. This one was absolutely literary compared to the third paper, Journal Hebdomadaire de la Colonie, issued in 1791, which was partly political. On the 5th January 1792, the Colonial Assembly published two weekly papers, one which contained the minutes of its proceedings and its administrative committee. This one was known as Journal des Assemblà ©es and the other one as Gazette de Isle de France which contained public notices, advertisements and the other matters of public interest. The first political paper was lObservateur which appeared only in 1816. Nearly one thousand newspapers and magazines have appeared namely Annales des Modes des Spectacles et de Littà ©rature Rà ©crà ©atives, Dà ©dià ©es aux Dames  [22]  but most of them had a short life-span. There was censor on the press in the colonies at that time. Article XI  [23]  of the decree of human rights provided that La libre communication des pensà ©es et des opinions est lun des droit les plus prà ©cieux de lhomme. Tout citoyen peut donc, parler, à ©crire, imprimer librement (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). This was attempted by the French revolution to put an end to censor. During the English colonization, Adrien DEpinay was the first one to bring Freedom of the Press to Mauritius. In 1832, He was the first one to use the freedom by publishing Le Cà ©rnà ©en. It was the oldest French white-owned newspaper and it survived until 1982. Another landmark in the history of the press is the publishing of La Sentinelle. It was founded by Rà ©my Ollier, a coloured man, in the 1950s. The coloured ownership of the media helped this community in legitimizing their rights in the colonial times. The term coloured changed to the label Creole and in 1920s, a creole family took over Le Mauricien, a white-owned paper which was established in 1908. As from the 1960s, newspapers like Action and LExpress  [24]  were introduced and at that time, the Mauritian press modernized and international standards were adopted. Techniques like reports and personal enquiries were brought in. They are nowadays the bedrock of every press whether written, spoken or visual. Between 1832 and 1973 the general format of newspapers was four pages with mostly advertisements. In the local news, there were parliamentary meetings of the Government and of the sole Municipality of the island, Municipality of Port Louis. From this it can be understood that parliamentarians, mayors or politicians were head of the publishing houses. Today, Lexpress changes to 24 pages as compared to before it were only 4 pages and for Le Mauricien it is 48 pages as compared to earlier it was 16 pages. They are the daily papers one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. Nowadays we have Le Dà ©fi Quotidien which is a daily paper also. There are also a number of w eekly papers in Mauritius such as, 5 Plus Dimanche, Bollywood Massala, LExpress Dimanche, Le Dimanche/LHebdo, Le Dà ©FI Plus, Le Matinal, Samedi Plus, Week End , Star and Sunday Times. A number of papers in oriental languages were also published. Anjuman Islam Maurice was the first one which appeared on 1st March 1883 firstly. Mirza Ahmode was the founder and the paper was published in Hindustani and Gujurati. From 1906 to 1914 a weekly paper, LIslamisme appeared in French, Gujurati, and Urdu. The eminent Indian lawyer, Manilall Maganlal Doctor, launched The Hindustani on 15th March 1909 in English and Gujurati. Mauritius Arya Pratika was edited by Pandit Acshinath Kistoe from 1924 to 1940 and it appeared in English and Hindi. From 1929 to 1973 two papers appeared namely Arya Vir and Zamana with the last one which was launched in 1948. They appeared in English, Hindi, French and Tamil. On 11th August 1932, Chinese Daily was launched and it was the first daily Chinese paper. Then the China Times came in 1953 by Long Siong Ah Keng. Other Chinese language papers were launched; Chinese Newspaper (1953-1975), Central Daily News (1960-1967), The Mirror and LAurore. The evolution of the written press has been noted in terms of availability, varieties, content and style of reporting. With changes like technology, nowadays papers are printed with the use of computers as compared to before where printing was done in led. As seen above, there was only reporting about news, local and abroad, only. Nowadays, a number of articles have been introduced in the press like editorials on sports, women and children. Concerning accessibility, a wide range of newspapers and magazines are available on the market, locally. Each one differs from each other in order to capture a maximum of readers. Newspapers is said to be our key companion in our everyday life and it will continue to be so. 2.2 Audio Visual Press The press is not limited to written only; there is the audio visual press. Audio visual plays a great role in communication. It was on the 9th of August 1927 that Mauritius experienced its first radio broadcasting, which was done by Charles Jollivet. It was then called Radio Maurice. The station was situated in Beau Bassin and later moved to the Plaza Theatre in Rose hill. Music and news were broadcasted for only 2 hours every day. In 1937, a second station came into existence under the name Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles by Mr P.Adam. It was located at Mr. Adam residence in Forest Side and later transferred to the Town Hall in Curepipe. The station was used to transmit message to the members of the Socià ©tà © mainly. At the beginning of the 2nd World War in 1939, these two stations were controlled by the British Ministry of Defense. Information that was broadcasted was done locally only. By the end of the 2nd World War, another station was set up in Curepipe Town Hall under the aegis of Radio France Libre DOutremers. This station was merged with Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles and this gave birth to the national broadcasting station as from 1st July 1944 under the name Mauritius Broadcasting Service (MBS). The studio was situated in Plaza, Rose Hill until 1946 when the station moved to Pasteur Street, Forest Side. As from 2011, MBC was transferred to Moka. After the radio, the TV broadcasting was introduced on a pilot basis on the 8th June 1946 as the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). The inaugural broadcast was launched on 8th February 1965 with a transmission of about 3 hours every evening. The MBC was set up in order to build a sense of nationhood and for islanders to welcome independence (that change in 1968). The first outdoor TV live broadcast was on the royal visit of Princess Alexandra in 1968. Later, in 1973, the process of black and white television occurred. During that year, news editor were engaged to record press conference and other local events. On 7th November 1987, television was welcomed in Rodrigues and the duration of 3 hours changed to 13 hours daily. In the 1990s, the two main channels  [25]  were implemented. Liberalisation of broadcast media was done in 2002 and this gave the Mauritian audience the choice between the MBC and three other private radios. Radio One was launched on 13th March 2002, Radio Plus on 13th April 2002 and Top FM on 31st December 2002. The MBC radio now consists of 7 stations; RM1, RM2, Kool FM, Taal FM, World Hit FM, Best FM and Music FM. The MBC has evolved in digital switchover, thematic channel (Knowledge channel, Movie channel, Tourism and Culture channel) and language channel (Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Telegu and Mandarin). Mauritian audiences nowadays have a variety of information and different coverage and views of the same stories. Throughout history, the Mauritian press has gained a lot and more is expected to come with, the liberalisation of television channels in the forthcoming years. Section 3: Constitutional Foundation of Freedom of the Press Mauritius has a written constitution in which certain fundamental rights are guaranteed as specified in Chapter Two of the Constitution. Of these, Section 12 relates to freedom of expression. It would be useful to refer to the text of these causes of section 12 at once: (1) Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, and freedom from interference with his correspondence. (2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Compared to countries like the U.S.A, there is no separate provision guaranteeing the freedom of the press in our constitution. Our supreme court has held in Duval v The Commissioner of Police  [26]  and in London Satellite Systems Ltd. V State and ors  [27]  that freedom of the press needs not to be mentioned separately as it is already in the guarantee of freedom of expression. The latter comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation  [28]  . The scope of press freedom is circumscribed by the interpretation given by S12 because there is a link between freedom of press and freedom of expression. The arguments for and the limitations upon both freedoms should be compatible. For instance in Cie de Beau Vallon Ltà ©e v Nilkomol  [29]  it was held that freedom of expression referred to, (in the Constitution), cannot override legally established norms to which it is subordinated and which must be respected: the use of words like public order, public morality and rights and freedoms of others. The same applies to press freedom in the press industry. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms that are found in our Constitution are modeled on the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and our Section 12 was borrowed  [30]  from its Article 10  [31]  . The rights of privacy and free expression are treated as fundamental rights having equal status. According to this view, the two rights must be proportionate. One will not inevitably trump the other  [32]  . Freedom of the Press rests on the same cornerstones as Freedom of Expression. It can be argued that there is simple iteration since protection of freedom of expression is already been catered for in our Constitution. This can give rise to the introduction of a separate press clause in our Constitution. Under Mauritian Law, press freedom gives journalists a right to obtain information from private sources on a voluntary basis only. The press cannot compel citizens to release information about themselves which they are unwilling to disclose. A separate press clause may provide this privilege.

Abortion :: essays research papers

To Whom It May Concern:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My name is bubba smith, and I am a freshman male at the University of Florida. It has come to my attention that our wonderful state has done something terrible. That something is the allowance of abortions. What is an abortion you might ask? Well it is the termination of a pregnancy, or the killing of a baby, to be simply put. This issue has split our country for years, and I think that we as a state should step and make an example to the rest of the world and stop abortions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is nearly impossible anymore to find someone who doesn’t have an opinion about abortion. Yet the endless debates on the topic usually go nowhere, leaving the opponents even more stuck to their positions, and the open-minded observers even more confused, but both sides have a good case. For example an unwanted child is a pitiful thing, and the apparent social problems like child neglect, and financial burden that comes with it don’t have easy solutions. On the other hand, the thought of killing a little baby is disgusting and unthinkable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is where I stand, and the only solution I can come up with is the total ban of abortions altogether. This task should not be a hard one, but it might take some time. My plan calls for the closing and the illegalizing of abortion clinics, and the prosecution of people who perform these deeds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As with any big descion we must consider the opposing views. One reason that the debate on what we should do about abortions doesn’t go anywhere, is because each side focuses on a different topic. We make no progress because we are not talking about the same thing. The anti-abortionists are focused on the fetus’ rights, and the pro-abortionists are focused on the women’s rights. Though these issues are basically interrelated, they are different topics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The issues of the social problems like child neglect and financial burden, and even the issue that it is the woman’s exclusive right to make decisions concerning her body; they are not the problem. It all comes down to one thing: Is the fetus a person? That is the issue that cannot be agreed upon. Medical science has overwhelmingly demonstrated that biological life begins at conception. Furthermore, the developing embryo isn’t simply part of the mother, it’s a separate being that just inhabits the mother.

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education :: Teaching Education

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education As the years go on, more and more students are enrolling in higher forms of education, including collages, institutes, technical schools, and universities. This rise can be from the increase of students due to the growth of population, or the realization of the importance of after high school education. The rise of students from 1992 to 1993 was from 281,000 students to 293,000 students, a 12,000 people increase. From 1993 to 1994, the rise was from 293,000 students to 295,000 students, a 2,000 people increase. Some of the businesses affected by the growth are construction companies, staffs, cafeterias, school supplies, public transportation, and areas of entertainment. The construction companies get business by the incoming students. They get jobs building extra dormitories, class rooms, cafeterias, and anything else the collages may need. Also, home owners can raise the prices of apartments and houses because of the rise in the demand for a close by campus home. The school staffs are greatly affected by the increase of incoming students. More teachers will be hired, as well as custodians to keep the campus a clean environment. Guidance counselors and secretaries will also be needed to keep the school organized. The cafeterias in or around the campus will have more customers every day, mostly from the students who live in or around the campus. Students commuting to the school are more likely to not use the cafeterias around the school. With the rise of students, the sales of text books, pencils, book bags, and other everyday school supplies are likely to increase. This is great for the schools bookstores, the publishing companies, the book authors, and large or small school and office stores in or around the campus. School supplies are a must in collage. Most students who live on campus do not have a car. Mostly because of the most of parking, students use public transportation such as trains, busses, and taxi cabs to get around. Also, maybe areas of study are in the city where having a car is not as beneficial as in suburban areas. Movie theaters, restaurants, and comedy clubs will have more customers from students who like to have fun. Also bars, strip clubs, and liquor stores will have more business from the collage student who likes to party and have fun. Many people gain from the increase of

Tok Natural and Human Sciences

In my opinion I believe that expectations influence or observations greatly. If we think something will happen we are more likely to look hard for it. If we want something to appear then it is more likely that we will think that we see it. An example of this is when people hallucinate. Someone is more likely to see a ghost if they believe or are expecting to see one. In natural sciences when looking for something in an experiment we may think we see it if we are really hoping or expecting to see it.For example when looking for bubbles rising in different liquids and we are expecting one to rise then we may think we saw one and if not expecting one to rise we may think that it wasn’t one. Another supporting example is when we are looking for someone and we see someone either in the distance or we see a flash or someone, if we are expecting to see that person or hoping to see them we may interpret them as the one we are looking for.This shows how expectations can influence our o bservations in seeing what we want and/or what we expect to see. Although to an extent expectations don’t completely influence our observations. They don’t change them only impact on them. We may see after that it isn’t when we focus more on the subject. So our observations can be momentarily manipulated but not completely. It depends whether it is a positive expectation or negative expectationHuman Sciences – How do the human sciences differ from the natural sciences? Human sciences study human life and human activities. It includes fields of study such as social sciences like history, anthropology, sociology and many others. Basically, everything that has humans all over it. Natural sciences on the other hand studies the universe. It includes fields of study such as biology, astrology, chemistry, physics and others. Basically, everything about nature and what is around us.

Environmental Control and Pollution in Nigeria Essay

Civilization has been overwhelmed with fearful reports that mankind is steadily working towards self – destruction through the process of uncontrolled pollution of the environment. A casual look at our surroundings shows reckless attitude of people towards environmental preservation. Due to this development, regulations and standards have been set to ensure cleaner and safer environment. These regulations are enforced by agencies like National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) and State Environmental Protection Agencies (SEPAs). There are environment regulations currently in place which include regulation on noise, erosion, flood, for manufacturers of beverages and tobacco, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electrical, electronics, sanitation, emissions that that have to do with air pollution. There are also regulations on pollution, hazards, waste, air, soil, surface and subsurface water that constitute contamination of the environment. We have major forms of pollution such as water, noise, air, land/soil and thermal pollutions which sources include natural disaster, industries, motor vehicles, generation sets amongst others. Without pollution control, the waste products from extraction, production, distribution, heating, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and other human activities, whether they accumulate or disperse, will degrade the environment. In the hierarchy of environmental control, pollution prevention and minimization of wastes are more desirable to pollution control. Most industries and individuals in this country have erroneously claimed that why they are not able to treat or control their wastes or reduce pollution is that government has not provided the necessary facilities for the management of such wastes. Apart from the basic facilities the government has to provide, each waste generator is responsible for the safe disposal of his or her waste, except when government insists on a particular system. No government builds toxic waste incinerators or chemical treatment plants but all the government can do is to encourage entrepreneurs interested in such ventures by granting special concession, tax relief, removal of duty on imported pollution control equipment. The purpose of setting environmental regulations is to reduce or eliminate health and environmental hazards that induce harm. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION What is an Environment? The African Centre for Environmental Protection (ACEP) defines environment as the totality of surrounding condition and its features. Scientifically, it is described as the combination of physical, chemical, biological and social factors in which a living organism exists that affect the organism, community and influences its development or existence. Environment can simply be considered as the surrounding in which we live, work and enjoy leisure, which consists of air, soil, surface and surface water, providing habitat for mankind and other animals, plant species and serving as a source for food, water, fuel, raw materials and breathing air. Environmental Problems Environmental imbalance gives rise to various environmental problems. Some of the environmental problems are pollution, soil erosion leading to floods, salt deserts and sea recedes, desertification, landslides, change of river directions, extinction of species, and vulnerable ecosystem in place of more complex and stable ecosystems, depletion of natural resources, waste accumulation, deforestation, thinning of ozone layer and global warming. Environmental Pollution Environmental pollution is defined as the undesirable change in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of our air, land and water. It can also be described as ‘the deliberate or accidental contamination of the environment with waste that is created by human action’. As a result of over – population, rapid industrializations, and other human activities like agriculture and deforestation etc., earth became loaded with diverse pollutants that are released as by-products. A pollutant is a substance or effect which adversely alters the environment by changing the growth rate of species, interferes with the food chains, is toxic or interferes with health, comfort, amenities or property values of people. Pollutants are introduced into the environment in significant amounts in the form of sewage, waste, accidental discharge, or as a by-product of a manufacturing process or other human activity. The damage caused to the biosphere may be briefly summarized as follows: 1. Damage to human health caused by specific chemical substances present in the air, food, water and radioactivity materials 2. Damage to the natural environment which affects vegetation, animals, crops, soil and water 3. Damage to the aesthetic quality of the environment caused by smoke, chemical fumes, dust, and noise, the dumping of solid waste and waste water 4. Damage caused by long term pollution effects which are not immediately apparent. The dangerous effects are caused by low level pollution absorbed into the body over long periods of time, for example carcinogenic substances, radioactivity and excessive noise Types of Pollution (a) Water Pollution Water pollution occurs due to the presence of dissolved inorganic materials, organic materials such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates and other substances found in domestic and industrial waste waters. It also gets polluted due to physical factors such as turbidity, colour, temperature of effluent, associated radioactivity etc. Organic pollutants Organic pollution is due to the presence of high molecular weight compounds such as sugars, oils and fats, and proteins obtained from distillery, canning, sugar and other food processing industries. They impart a high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) load to the liquid waste. These organic compounds are readily degraded in aqueous medium by soil and microorganisms present in the sewage. During this process, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in the stream is used up. When the DO is reduced below a certain limit, aquatic life is affected adversely. Oil spillage from tankers and ships leads to the pollution of beaches. Some wastes from pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries and coke-ovens contain phenols which are toxic to fish, microorganisms and other aquatic life. Liquid effluents from industries manufacturing drugs, dyestuffs, pesticides and detergents can also be toxic. Usage of anionic detergents which are not biodegradable leads to a lot of foaming and frothing. Inorganic pollutants and heavy metal pollution Alkalis, acids, inorganic salts and other chemicals formed during processing lead to inorganic pollution. Besides being the cause of corrosion of metals, these chemicals are toxic to aquatic life. Industries like paper and pulp, tanneries, textiles and coke-ovens among many others, discharge these chemicals. Inorganic chemicals such as free chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and other sulfides, salts of metals like Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ag etc. are usually found in metal plating liquid wastes, alkali producing units, polyvinyl chloride, coke-oven and fertilizer industries. Pharmaceutical industries also produce large quantities of free acids and neutralized chemicals during different unit processes. Chromates, phosphates, ammonia and urea are typical chemicals found in effluents from fertilizer industries. Pollution due to mercury in chloro-alkali industries has forced to switch from mercury to diaphragm cells although there are many operating difficulties in the latter. Eutrophication is a phenomenon that occurs due to the presence of inorganic matter in the water. Though it is a natural process in lakes and rivers, human activities can accelerate the rate at which nutrients enter these water bodies. Inorganic pollutants containing nitrates and phosphates are essential for plants. When these compounds are present in excess in water body there is an over growth of plant matter creating an imbalance in the aquatic environment. Apart from these factors, effluent waters can have pathogenic micro organisms and harmful substances like organochlorides, phenolic and benzenic compounds that cause various types of acute and chronic diseases among living beings. Therefore, it is most desirable that industrial liquid effluents are pretreated or reduced with undesirable chemicals before being thrown on the land and in rivers, seas or public sewers. If discharged into public sewers they can corrode the pipe lines and treatment equipment as well as reduce biological activity due to the presence of toxic materials. (b) Air Pollution Apart from natural causes, pollution of air occurs due to increased industrialization and urbanization. In nature, thousands of tonnes of dust, sand and obnoxious gases are carried from one place to another by wind, cyclones, volcanic eruptions and forest fires. A healthy man inhales about 16.5 kg air/day. If this air is polluted, intake of oxygen is reduced. Corrosion of materials by acid mist and acid gases like SO2, CO2 and oxides of nitrogen can be very significant. Pollution of air occurs from process industries such as sulfuric acid plants, power station boilers, nitric acid plants, cement plants, foundries, chloro-alkali industries and plastics industries among many others. It is broadly due to particulate matter dispersed in it or gaseous pollutants completely miscible with it in all proportions. Dusts refer to coarser sizes of solids (1-100 microns) that are carried away due to the turbulent forces of flow. Aerosols refer to particles smaller than 1 micron. Smoke is obtained during incomplete combustion of organic matter. The sizes of particles vary between 0.01-1 microns. Fumes, mists and fog are other forms of pollution which could occur due to various operations in chemical industry. Gaseous pollutants are gaseous solutes such as SO2, Cl2, NOx, CO2, CO, mercury or organic vapour dispersed in air. Another source of ambient air pollution is the emission from automobiles. The pollutants in this case are CO, NOx, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and trace quantities of SO2, formaldehyde and lead. Effects of air pollution Global warming (Green house effect) – This is the observed increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans in recent decades. The increased amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (CH4, O3) are the primary causes. They are released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture, etc. and lead to an increase in the greenhouse effect. ï‚ ·Ã¯â‚¬  Acid rain (SOx, NOx) – Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are emitted into the atmosphere. These substances undergo chemical transformations and are absorbed by water droplets in clouds. The droplets then fall to earth as rain or snow. This can increase the acidity of the soil, and affect the chemical balance of lakes and streams. ï‚ ·Ã¯â‚¬  Depletion of the ozone layer (CFCs, HCFCs etc.) – Ozone layer prevents most harmful UV wavelengths (270- 315 nm) of ultraviolet light from passing through the earth’s atmosphere. The decrease in ozone is due to the production of CFCs and ozone depleting chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane. It is suspected that a variety of biological consequences, including, for example, increases in skin cancer, damage to plants, and reduction of plankton in the ocean result from the increased UV exposure due to ozone depletion. ï‚ ·Ã¯â‚¬  Photochemical smog & air borne toxic substances – Photochemical smog is due to the chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) in the atmosphere, which leaves a yellow brown haze that reduces visibility. Nitrogen oxides are released in the exhaust of fossil fuel-burning engines in cars, trucks, coal power plants, and industrial manufacturing factories. VOC’s are vapors released from gasoline, paints, solvents, pesticides, and other chemicals. (c) Land Pollution The greatest land pollution by far occurs due to urbanization and concentration of population, garbage, waste paper, packing materials and rejects from households and industries form solid wastes. Land pollution also occurs when deforestation is carried out on a large scale; agricultural operations are extended to forest and mountainous areas, large areas covered with green vegetation are submerged in water by the construction of dams. It can also get polluted when coal, oil, ores, stones, sand and other construction materials are mined and transported. All these operations adversely affect ecological aspects of the environment. Ever increasing demands for paper, fuel, furniture and packing materials due to exploding populations combined with increasing urbanization have aggravate the unhappy situation. The result is that we now live in a rapidly changing environment, the effects of which are not easily predictable. (d) Noise Pollution Of all the pollutions, it is the most insidious and a menace in thickly populated areas. There is ample medical evidence that it affects speech, hearing and the general health and behavior of people exposed to it over extended periods of time. The measurements designed to determine noise levels include the intensity and frequency of noise periods of exposure and duration of noise. The community noise levels are expressed as a weighted sound-pressure level in decibels dB. The sources of noise in environs of industries include metal fabrication processes, high pressure burners in furnaces, rotary equipment like turbines, compressors, pumps etc. pipelines carrying high velocity fluids and solids and vibrating and grinding equipment among many others.