Economic Growth in Russia after the Collapse of the Soviet Union Essay

Economic Growth in Russia after the Collapse of the Soviet Union - Essay Example Russia’s economic performance â€Å"after the fall† has been negatively described by many including members of the United States Congress. But in 2003, President Bush praised Russian President Putin over his democratic ideals in ruling present-day Russia. Let us examine first how Russia encountered those challenges in the early years after the fall of the Soviet Union. Russia first experienced currency devaluation due to large deficit. The newly-independent states (NIS) experienced a dramatic drop in the Gross Domestic Product by more than 40% for the period 1990 to 1995 (qtd. in Mondal 140). This situation led to numerous reforms in the economy, particularly the reconfiguration of the public finances. The international community helped to provide economic reform and infuse foreign aid. This led to an improved GDP. At the start, Russia had to depend on foreign capital to sustain economic growth because of internal factors like slow revenue collection and excessive state expenditures. The government was also encountering low savings rates and Russian banks refused to provide finance for domestic investment. Research on the Russian economy found that the legal system was â€Å"an obstacle to foreign investment† and there was no proper legal regulatory framework to provide efficient foreign trade arrangements. Other factors considered obstacle were spot-market and hierarchical transactions which are common in low-performance economies. The strategy of liberalization and internationalization changed the configuration of demand, price signals and transaction costs because of Russia’s â€Å"large territorial distances and fragmented economic space† even if Russia has rich natural resources and human capital. ... nalization changed the configuration of demand, price signals and transaction costs because of Russia’s â€Å"large territorial distances and fragmented economic space† (qtd. in Kirkow 80) even if Russia has rich natural resources and human capital. Liberalization and new foreign trade arrangements were faced with bureaucratic encroachment by means of export and import tariffs and quotas as these were opposed by resource-based industries (in metallurgy, oil, etc.) and â€Å"crony legal entities.† There were also external factors like export restrictions imposed by EU regulations and international cartels (Kirkow 81). These factors impeded the flow of foreign capital, technology and technological knowledge, and prevented the creation of new jobs and industries. Two industrial sectors supposed to attract FDI in Russia in 1993-1994 were not considered labor-intensive, and manpower was not a major FDI magnet. Moreover, there was a linking of the traditional and new a pproaches since the Russian government had â€Å"active state participation† over matters relating to Russian exports. This policy applied to what the government called â€Å"strategic resources,† such as military hardware, natural gas and precious metals. There were also export restrictions conducted by the government, like issuance of export licenses and quotas, taxes, the limitation of export producers, the monopoly of FTOs in acquiring export products on the domestic market and the policy to remit a portion of the hard currency revenues to the government (Kirkow 82). State-owned banks set up during the Soviet era and still operating abroad continued to provide state control and coordination of foreign trade. These banks were set up to provide credits for Russian firms at lower than domestic interest rates and

Critically discuss the use of covert human information sources within Essay - 1

Critically discuss the use of covert human information sources within an investigation - Essay Example lance† and the technology involves the deployment of cameras by public authorities for detecting and preventing criminal activities in designated areas (Carli, 2008). These cameras are connected to TV monitors where the people manning the surveillance can monitor the activities. Besides, the images can also be â€Å"recorded in a control room† for later viewing (Carli, 2008). Such recordings can also be admitted as evidence in a court of law for the purpose of prosecuting the offenders. The system is also being used by private parties such as organizational entities as well as individuals for monitoring their premises. The use of CCTV enables the authorities as well as private parties to monitor and exercise surveillance on the activities within and around their premises and other sensitive areas that are vulnerable to the threat of attack by criminals. The equipment is easy to operate and is comparatively cost effective. Thus, evidence suggests that the use of CCTV for the purpose of crime detection and prevention has â€Å"greatly increased over the last decade† and estimates show that â€Å"4.2 million† units are currently in use (Woodhouse, 2010). The installation of CCTVs in specific settings can dissuade prospective criminals from committing a crime for fear of detection and prosecution. Thus, it transpires that the use of CCTV not only prevents crime but also is a valuable tool in the prosecution of criminals. The concept of video surveillance came into being with an intention to detect and prevent criminal activities such as â€Å"burglary, assault and car theft† and subsequently its use was extended to monitor antisocial behaviour like â€Å"littering, urinating in public, traffic violations† etc (Isnard, 2001). This system, unlike human resources, has the ability to facilitate break free surveillance at all times and the recordings of such surveillance can become irrefutable evidence in the court of law. Therefore, law enforcement authorities have been

The importance of the marketing portfolio Essay

The importance of the marketing portfolio - Essay Example The importance of the marketing department's liaising with every other department could be gauged by its hold over the market and its need to keep its ears to the ground for every single bit of information that may make or mar the fortunes of the company's future business. The marketing portfolio therefore must represent every other activity in the company, apart from its own. It must have good hold over the total management information system so that the two-way communication system of information moving from top to bottom and from the bottom level to top level in the management hierarchy is clear, unambiguous and undiluted. The marketing operational activity is primarily customer-oriented. It is not possible to stereotype customers or the market. Although the predominance of marketing over other departments does exist, it cannot abdicate its own distinct identity and responsibility and it must stay focused on its role as the frontrunner to secure maximum business from the total market pie. No other department has such colossal and strategic responsibility. If the marketing management is unable to focus on maintaining and improving upon its market share, those responsible are quickly replaced. We, that is, two colleagues and I, have been selected by Crown Manufacturing Company Limited, (CMCL), manufacturers and marketers of white goods, viz. refrigerators, washing machines, and wardrobes. The total number of temporary recruits is hundred broken up in teams of twos and threes to concentrate of several routes. Our job is to assist the existing sales force for the company's sales scheme of their products during the summer holidays. Our weekly remuneration is US$250 plus two percent commission on the basic price of every five pieces sold. The company has come up with a discount and replacement scheme and is confident of generating a very good sale. The customer is being offered brand new models with benefits of up to fifty percent discount on the basic price of any product in exchange for an old one in working condition. The scheme is being advertised on a grand scale through the electronic and print media. Retailers have been enthused with decorative window displays to herald the scheme. The company has fixed a target which is five times the number of goods sold in an average month. The Existing Sales Force The company has a staff of fifty sales executives under five sales managers each responsible for one product except for water filter and television for which there is one sales manager. The sales scheme is aimed at refrigerators, washing machines and wardrobes only. The temporary recruits of hundred sales assistants have been assigned to different sales executives. Their job is to receive customers, effect sale, and complete the data entry which basically covers information such as the customer's name, age, address, designation, choice of product model, and date or year of purchase of the old model, if available. The company's showroom is large enough to accommodate staff of hundred personnel in the mezzanine floor. It can accommodate another hundred in the building's first floor. Both the mezzanine and the first floors have enough space to receive hundred customers each at a time. Besides, five sales executives have been given the responsibility of attending to online enquiries and also receive orders with payments online. Each

Health Care Professional Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Care Professional - Research Paper Example Their certainly exists a demographic aspect to the physician shortage in America (Dranove, 2001). Though with the onset of recession and the dwindling of stock markets has made some old physicians to set aside their retirement plans. Still, with the economy gradually picking up with time, more and more old physicians could be expected to go for retirement. Rising practice prices is one other big reason that is contributing to the shortage of physicians in the nation (Dranove, 2001). These rising prices include augmenting wage costs, skyrocketing costs of supplies and associated telecommunication and digital infrastructure, booming rents, increasing costs of salary benefits including the health coverage (Dranove, 2001). Hence, rising practice costs is one big reason that is discouraging the physicians from continuing with their profession. The financial debacle that the physician practice management firms had to face with the dwindling economy has also contributed its share to the sca rcity of physicians in the country (Dranove, 2001). The collapse of many salient physician practice management firms has left many of the esteemed physician practice groups in the United States in doldrums. In contrast, the physicians working for the not-for-profit hospitals are also not doing better considering the massive losses accrued by these health care facilities. The shortage of nurses in the health care system is not a new phenomenon, but has been an aspect of health care that has been existent since the past couple of decades (Quinn, 2002). However, it has only been in the last few years that the problem of nursing shortage started to evince a significant impact on the American health care system (Quinn, 2002). Varied factors are responsible for the shortage of nurses. Going by the rising proportion of the women in the work force and the ample stress

Islamic finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Islamic finance - Research Paper Example However, there were banking activities that existed before this period although the operations were conducted in Mecca. From the historical perspective, Islamic banking can be categorized into three eras. The first era was in the early year of Islam until the time of Caliph ArRashidin. The second era of Islamic banking extends from the period of Caliphates to the fall of Uthmaniyah Empire. The third period which is the modern era is current Islamic banking. Prophet Muhammad got divine revelations that Mecca was a city of trade. There were a number of economic techniques and concepts that were used in early Islamic banking such as partnership, bills of exchange, cheques, promissory notes among others (Ahmad, 2010). Islamic banks products exclude the use of Interest which is prohibited in Islam. Rather, the Islamic banks provide an anticipated profit rate for rental rates and savings. According to Islamic Law, money should not be used to create more money. Islamic banks are required to offer services in return for a profit. Instead of the traditional accounts that have interest rates, Islamic banks offer accounts that provide profits or losses. The bank buys property with the customer money, which creates a return to the bank. In case of savings, a customer makes deposits in Al Rayan banks for an expected profit rate. Unlike interest, expected profit rate is not fixed as the profit is made through Sharia compliant investments. There is an element of risk carried in the expected profit rate, but it is usually managed by Al Rayan Bank. Islamic banks Home Purchase Plans are on the basis of leasing and co-ownership, whereby the bank and the customer purchase the property jointly. The monthly paymen ts made by the Customer little by little boost their share in the property. At the maturity of the finance term, the title of the asset is

Marketing Proposel For a Product Research Proposal

Marketing Proposel For a Product - Research Proposal Example The company can target especially the women and geographic markets for the product. In order to market the product, the company would have to devise certain effective implementation plans that include conducting surveys, meetings and analyzing the products of the competitors. The aforementioned strategies and the plans would ultimately support the company to effectively market the product of Special K. 2. Company Description The Kellogg Company which is prominently acknowledged as Kellogg’s or Kellogg is regarded as a multinational company that manufactures various food products such as vegetarian foods, crackers, cereal along with convenience foods and snacks among others. The official headquarter of the company is positioned in Michigan, United States. The different products of Kellogg’s are produced in 18 countries and promoted in excess of 180 nations. Kellogg’s started its production as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes in the year 1906 and significantly develope d a product line of well-known readymade cereals over the years that comprise Kellogg’s All –Bran, Complete Bran Flakes and Rice Krispies among others. It has been apparently observed that Kellogg’s arrived into the business of health food that manufactures significant number of products which are sold in different markets. Consequently, the company is earning considerable profits through its effective production as well as packaging strategy (Brown, Keegan, Vigus, and Wood, â€Å"The Kellogg Company Optimizes Production Inventory, and Distribution†). The vision of the company is to deliver quality products for making the world healthier. The main objective of the company is to provide healthy nourishment to every members of a family throughout the globe so that they can lead healthy life ahead (Kellogg Co., â€Å"Staying Focused. Going Further†). The various environmental initiatives as well as focusing upon different sustainability aspects ultima tely supported the organization to attain success in this competitive marketplace (Michman & Mazze 127). 3. Environmental Analysis Political The production of agricultural products provides certain risks and uncertainties for the organizations intending to sustain in this competitive financial market. . Kellogg’s efficiently performs its business operations in different regions throughout the globe. It has been observed that varied government policies as well as regulations imposed unfavorable impact upon the company that ultimately affected its decision-making procedure by a significant level. The production, marketing and distribution of the food products that are exposed to governmental regulations are increasingly becoming complex day by day. Apart from the dissimilar governmental policies and regulations, certain other factors within the political context such as licensing requirements, trade as well as pricing practices and environmental factors also laid significant im pact upon the operations of the company. Moreover, the increment in tariff rates comprising value added taxes also had an immediate effect upon the business operations of the company (Kellogg Company, â€Å"Risk Factors†). Economic It has been viewed that McDonald’s performs its operational functions in different regions throughout the globe. The company fixes the prices of its products by taking into concern the economic situation of the countries where it operates.

American Born Chinese Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Born Chinese - Essay Example They are intended to change the whole viewpoint that the readers have about that particular scenario. These writings are always radical in nature and tend to convince the reader to see things from the same viewpoint. One such text is American Born Chinese, a 2008 graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and Lark Pien that contains a great deal of protest. It can be easily noticed in the plot development of the story, and this will be the basis of discussion in this paper. The story begins with the monkeys hanging on the trees; generally, one would say that this is the nature of monkeys. They are supposed to live on trees. However, according to Yang, there is one monkey, the king of monkeys that has ruled the other monkeys for many years. At this time, he has mastered the ways of the gods; these ways are the eight Kung-fu disciplines. As a result of his reaching, he yearns to leave the monkeys behind and join the ranks of the gods. This is the first act of protest that we encounter. One could comfortably say that it is part of monkeys’ nature to stay on trees and behave like any other animal (Yang 4). However, here we encounter a monkey that wants to protest against all that and elevate itself to another level. It wants to behave like a god. In addition to this, the monkey wants to protest against the true nature of the monkeys by passing a rule that all monkeys must wear shoes just like human beings. This is another protest because generally, monkeys and all other animals do not wear shoes. For the monkeys, this would even make their life harder since they cannot climb trees while wearing shoes. The monkey becomes arrogant to other gods when he starts to demand that he should be treated like an equal. The leader of the gods, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, tells him, ‘you are what I created you to be.’ Tze-Yo-Tzuh further tells him that he made him from the rock (Yang 7). The monkey challenges the gods’ king to prove this and tries to run away, but the king catc hes him. After learning that he cannot change who he is, he still refuses to repent, and the king of the gods buries him under a mountain rock till a time when he realizes and accepts who he is. Here, Yang tries to prove that when we try to be different persons from what we are we will only end up hurting ourselves. Another protest that we encounter in this comical novel arises from a character, Jin Wang. At this point, Yang introduces us to a boy born of immigrant parents in the United States. His life in the states is virtually peaceful; however, when his family moves from San Francisco to a white dominated suburban region, his life changes. He finds that he is the only Chinese in the whole school, and this fact makes him a subject to the prejudice (Yang 31). This is the point where he begins protesting against his culture. He constantly has to tell the other children in the school that he was born in America, and that his family does not eat dogs. Yang, at this point exhibits ano ther protest, which is against his culture. Jin Wang does not want to be associated with the Chinese way of life yet this is his culture (Yang 31). Jin Wang struggles to fit in his white peers’ way of life in every aspect. He even eats sandwiches (Yang 37), food that is not common for his culture. Jin struggles to be like the whites even when he is not in the school environment. This is evident in the conversation that he has with an old lady about being what he wants to be. The lady replies by telling him, ‘