E-Banking: Trend, Status, Challenges and Policy Issues

E-banking: Status, Trends, Challenges and Policy Implications 1. Introduction In addition to introduction (section I) and conclusion (section VI), the paper includes four sections. Section II addresses the definition and current situation of e-banking. Then, section III addresses the impact of e-banking on banking business. After that, section IV addresses the major application of e-banking. That is also the bottom line whether e-banking can be viable in a country. Section V addresses the new challenges e-banking has brought and policy implications from the perspectives of society, banks, and regulatory authority as well as government. . Status 2. 1. Definition †¢ The Internet includes all related web-enabling technologies and open telecommunication networks ranging from direct dial- up, the public World Wide Web, cable, and virtual private networks. (BIS-EBG, 2003) †¢ Internet banking (e-banking) is defined to include the provision of retail and small value banking product s and services through electronic channels as well as large value electronic payments and other wholesale banking services delivered electronically. (BIS-EBG, 2003) 1 2. 2. Fundamental characteristicsComparison between the current round financial innovation (e-banking) and past financial innovations The current innovation (ebanking) Content Delivery channel innovation-deliver banking business via internet. Impact Wider Past financial innovations Products and services, i. e. , delivery, swap Narrow 2. 3. Levels/Scope of e-banking business †¢ †¢ Basic information e-banking/web sites that just disseminate information on banking products and services offered to bank customers and the general public; Simple transactional e-banking /web sites that allow bank customers o submit applications for different services, make queries on their account balances, and submit instructions to the bank, but do no permit any account transfers; †¢ Advanced transactional e-banking/web sites that allow bank customers to electronically transfer funds to/from their accounts pay bills, and conduct other banking transaction online. †¢ Usually, e-banking refers to types II and III. 2. 4. Current development situations (in industrial countries) †¢ E-banking products and services are getting more and more advanced and increasing in variety.From providing information at the early stage to providing transactional activities. 2 †¢ †¢ Both volume and share in the total banking business are getting bigger and bigger very fast (Graph, Europe) E-banking customer base is getting bigger quickly. 2. 5. Status in developing countries Developing countries are in catching up in e-banking: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The average e-banking penetration for developing countries by the end of 1999 was close to 5% (World Bank Survey, 2001). In Brazil, the number of e-banking users reached 8 million in 2000. In Mexico, the number of e-banking users reached 1. 5 million in 2000. In India, over 50 banks are offering online banking services. ICICI Bank’s e-banking is very impressing. E-banking in Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan (China) is thriving. In Ghana and some other African countries, smart cards based on Visa Horizon proximately technologies are getting started. 3. Prospects–Impact of E-banking on traditional banking 3. 1. The early conventional wisdom: †¢ †¢ Internet banking would destroy the traditional banking business model and promote the entry of newcomers from the outside of the banking industry.Developing countries could have the â€Å"opportunities to leapfrog† in the adoption of efinance on a large scale. 3. 2. In reality, e-banking develops fast, but not damaging as conventional wisdom projected. †¢ The notion of leapfrog has not worked in many developing countries due to various impediments. This can be verified by UNCTAD report. â€Å"Some positive si gns are 3 already visible, including a high level of acceptance of technology by customers and financial institutions†¦. H(h)owever, most projects have not yet been deployed on a large scale. † (UNCTAD 2002. It provides a comprehensive look at the status of efinance in developing countries.It covers arrange of areas related to e- finance including e-banking, e-payments, e-trades, and e-credit information). †¢ †¢ Even in industrial countries, e-banking is still a complementary tools to traditional banking. Lots of pure e-banking businesses have been forced out of market. Internet-only banks have been substantially less profitable. They generate lower business volumes and any savings generated by lower physical overheads appear to be offset by other types of non-interest expenditures, notably marketing to attract new customers. (De Young 2001). 3. 3.Prevailing vision †¢ The prevailing view today is that Internet banking can only succeed if it is thoroughly in tegrated within the existing banking infrastructure, which should combine â€Å"click† (e-banking) with â€Å"mortar† (physical branches) due to the importance of public trust in banks, the value of an established brand name, and the desire of customers to do something physically. †¢ According to this view, Internet is regarded simply as another distribution channel as a complement to physical braches, phone banking and ATM networks. The dominance of the so-called â€Å"click and mortar† model can be explained by its success on the ground.Two good examples are Wells Fargo in the US and Nordea in Scandinavia. 3. 4. Case-study–experience from the two most successful cases Two most successful examples: †¢ †¢ Wells Fargo (US), has actually the highest absolute number of online customers, more than 3 million out of its total 24 million customers in 2001. Nordea (Scandinavia), has 2. 3 million online customers, representing over 20% of its total customer base. It has the highest share of online customers. 4 They share the following common elements: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Both are leaders in their traditional markets and thus can capitalize on a sizable customer base.Furthermore, their customer base is technologically sophisticated. California and Scandinavia have extremely high rates of Internet use. Both are technologically advanced and started early in Internet deployment. Wells Fargo started e-banking business as early as in 1989. Both have tightly integrated Internet in their operations and their existing infrastructure. Both have large number of SME customer base. 3. 5. Prospects Bottom line: the ability to mainstream SME and individuals into E-banking. 4. Trend: The major application of e-banking—SME finance E-banking is used more and more for improving access to finance.Financial constraints for SMEs have never been effectively solved and have been thought inevitable. This section will cover t he advantages of e-banking on this aspect. 4. 1. Obstacles to SME’s access to finance 4. 1. 1. from banks’ perspective †¢ †¢ †¢ High costs and low profitability of SME loans because of the small loan size. High risks of SME loans due to lack of business track record, credit history, and transparent information. Evaluating SME risk is â€Å"too labor- intensive† to be profitable. 5 †¢ Many banks lack strategies and skills to tackle impediments associated with SME finance.In many developing countries, the staff of banks lack necessary skills to appropriately assess credit risks of SMEs 4. 1. 2. from SME’s perspective †¢ Inappropriate products and services, which are rigidly supply-driven instead of demand-driven. Commercial bank products are usually designed to meet the needs of large corporations; few products and service are specifically tailored to the needs of SMEs. SME sector is usually underserved. †¢ †¢ †¢ High interest rates. SMEs usually require much smaller loans than large enterprises. banks, therefore, usually charge high margins to cover the costs. Cumbersome procedures.Over insistence on collaterals and guarantees. SMEs usually have low- level of fixed assets and relatively high- level of working capital. Therefore, when lending to an SME, a bank needs to assess the SME’s economic viability and future cash flows instead of collaterals. However, in many developing countries, banks are still in the very early stage of mastering sound lending policies and good credit practices. Their lending appears to simply rely on collateral rather than cash- flow projections. banks’ lack of capacity of non-collateral credit assessment has caused them unable to provide lending services to SMEs. Inflexible credit criteria—one size fits all. 4. 2. New Technology, New Hope for SME Finance 4. 2. 1. From bank’s side, new technology (e-banking) makes SME finance economically p ossible (i) lower operational costs of banks †¢ †¢ †¢ Automated process Accelerated credit decisions Lowered minimum loan size to be profitable (ii) potentially lower margins 6 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Lower cost of entry Expanded financing reach Increased transparency (iii) expand reach through self-service Lower transaction cost Make some corporate services economically feasible for SMEs Make anytime access to accounts and loan information possible . 2. 2. From SMEs’ perspective E-banking business makes access to finance from banks attractive. SMEs have benefited from the development of E- finance and gradually stepped out of the informal sector. In particular, E- finance offers the following attractive benefits for SMEs: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Ease of use Lower costs of financing Convenience Time savings Operational efficiency 4. 2. 3. From the government’s perspective New technologies have provided the incentiv es/benefits for the government to improve SME finance by †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Increasing employment. Contributing to poverty reduction. Contributing to economic development.Reducing the informal sector and cash economy1 . 1 Lack of SME’s access to FIs is one of the major reasons why there are usually big informal economic sector (cash economy) in many developing countries. Improved SME access to formal financial institutions is expected to reduce the informal economic sector. 7 5. Challenges and policy implications 5. 1. Cross-border e-banking activities and its policy implications 5. 1. 1. definition †¢ Definition: Cross-border e-banking is defined as the provision of transactional on- line banking products or service by a bank in one country to residents of another country. BIS, 2003) †¢ †¢ A note on the definition: A bank delivering its e-banking activities via its physical branches/ subsidiaries in a host country does count into cross-border e-ba nking. A further note: banks can use the new delivery channel (e-banking) reach customers in another country without as much reliance on physical presence and the significant investment that it entails (example). 5. 1. 2. Two scenarios †¢ †¢ The in-out scenario—In-country institutions providing banking services to customers outside the home country.The out- in scenario—institutions based outside the home country providing banking services to parties within the home country. 5. 1. 3. Raised many challenges and questions for banking regulatory authorities (both home and host) †¢ Who should take the supervision responsibility? Borderless nature of e-banking increase the potential for jurisdictional ambiguities with respect to the supervisory responsibilities of different national authorities. Such situations could lead to insufficient supervision of cross-border e-banking activities. †¢ †¢ Does it need to be licensed?Banks that engage in cross-bor der e-banking may face increased legal risk. Specifically, unless banks conduct adequate due diligence they run the risk of potential non-compliance with different national laws and regulations, including 8 applicable consumer protection laws, record-keeping and reporting requirements, privacy rules, AML rules. †¢ Non-banks may offer with greater facility bank- like services without any type of supervisory approval or oversight due to definitional ambiguities that may exist wit regard to what constitutes a bank (or banking services). †¢ †¢ †¢ Which country’s law applies to cross-border e-banking activities.Role and responsibilities of the home country banking supervisor and local supervisor. Supervisors need to recognize that the Internet allows for the provision of e-banking services that can span geographic borders and potentially call into question existing jurisdictional authorization requirements and the regulatory processes; †¢ Supervisors need to recognize the implications of taking a restrictive approach toward currently regulated banks without an even-handed treatment of foreign organizations that may conduct identical or nearly identical activities via the Internet in the local jurisdiction. Supervisors should ensure that banks appropriately manage the legal uncertainty during the period while the legal infrastructure for cross-border e-banking remains under construction. 5. 1. 4. Its policy implications †¢ Policy goal: The objective of both the host and home supervisors should be to avoid or minimize legal risks stemming from jurisdictional ambiguities, and to ensure that e-banking activities are adequately supervised with clearly defined supervisory responsibilities. †¢Basic principle: Focus attention on the need for effective home country supervision of cross-border e-banking activities on a consolidated basis as well as continued international cooperation between home and local banking supervisors regardi ng such activities given the possible absence of a physical banking presence in local jurisdiction. Such as focus is essential to promote safe and sound cross-border e- 9 banking without creating undue regulatory burden or impediments to banks’ use of the internet delivery channel to meet customer needs. Complementary principle : Home supervisors should provide host supervisors with clear information on how they oversee a bank’s e-banking activities on a consolidated level. Host supervisor would generally rely on the home supervisor to effectively carry out its supervisory program. Where there are concerns about the effectiveness of a home supervisor’s oversight program, the host would approach the home supervisor on a bilateral basis. The host supervisor will need to consider what actions may be appropriate to protect local residents and their banking system. Cooperation among national supervisors . Rapid pace of development of e-banking and the associated risk s will require supervisory agility, resources and, in the crossborder context, cooperation between home and host supervisors. 5. 2. From the society’s perspective 5. 2. 1. Challenges 1. Theft of personal identity 2. Privacy issues 3. Who take the responsibility in case of fraud 5. 2. 2. Policy implications 1. Essential are efforts to define the privacy framework and to use technology to solve contract enforcement problems. . 3. From bank’s perspectives 5. 3. 1. Risk management challenges †¢ Adaptation to Technology issues: The speed of change relating to technological and customer service innovation in e-banking is unprecedented. This intensifies challenges to the management to ensure that adequate strategic assessment, risk 10 analysis and securities reviews are conducted prior to implementing new e-banking applications. †¢ Outsourcing issue: E-banking increase banks’ ependence on information technology, thereby increasing the technical complexity of many operational and security issues and furthering a trend towards more partnerships, alliances and outsourcing arrangements with third parties, many of whom are unregulated. †¢ †¢ Increased legal and reputational risks E-security issue: The internet is ubiquitous and global by nature. It is an open network accessible from anywhere in the world by unknown parties, with routing of messages through unknown locations and via fast evolving wireless devices.Therefore, it raises significant challenges on security controls, customer authentication techniques, data protection, audit trail procedures, and customer privacy standards.  § While companies have been keen to embrace the potential offered by these technologies, few understand the inherent vulnerability and risks associated with e- finance. Since 1999, Brazil has seen a 418% increase in electronic security incidents; Korea has seen a 932% increase and Japan has seen over 1000% increase in malicious electronic security i ncidents (Tom Glaessner et al, 2003).  § Over 57% of all hack attacks in 2002 were initiated against the financial sector (Tom Glaessner et al, 2003). Identity Theft has exploded and incidents are expected to reach almost 2 million per year by 2005 wit a cost of almost US$10 billion. †¢ Outsourcing issue: E-banking increase banks’ dependence on information technology, thereby increasing the technical complexity of many operational and security issues and furthering a trend towards more partnerships, alliances and outsourcing arrangements with third parties, many of whom are unregulated. †¢ Increased legal and reputational risks 11 5. 3. 2. Policy implications/recommendations . Establish a comprehensive security control process. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Authentication of e-banking customers Appropriate measures to ensure segregation of duties Establishment of clear audit trails for e-banking transactions Non-repudiation and accountability for e-banking trans actions 2. Centralized-back office to free staff time in sales and services areas and to consolidate process consistently across the organization. 3. Develop automated credit authorization system by developing appropriate credit scoring system and cash- flow scoring system to reduce operating costs, improve asset quality, and increase client profitability.One of the major benefits of credit scoring system is that lenders can make credit decisions without necessarily obtaining financial statement, credit reports, or other time-consuming and hard-to-get information. In particular, the financial statements of SMEs are often not complete and difficult to get. Banks can more closely align their specific credit policies and marketing strategies with the analytics, making the decision process more costefficient. (I. e. , Fair, Isaac has developed a credit scoring system specialized in SME finance—SBSS 5. (small business scoring services), which has been increasingly used by many ban ks as their SME credit decision making model. ) 4. Comprehensive due diligence and management oversight process for outsourcing relationships and other third-party dependencies. 5. Integrate cross-border e-banking risks into the bank’s overall risk management framework. 6. Legal and reputational risk management †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Appropriate disclosures for e-banking services Privacy of customer information Capacity, business continuity and contingency planning to ensure availability of e-banking systems and services Incident response planning.Segregation of duties 12 †¢ Due diligence on risk assessment 5. 4. From the authorities’ perspective (banking supervisor, central bank, related government depts. ) 5. 4. 1. Challenges from e-banking 1. Oversight of outsourcing and partnership arrangements, and the oversight of security and data integrity and controls and safeguards, especially when the supporting operations are located in another jurisdi ction . 2.The ability to adopt global technology to the local requirements: A adequate level of infrastructure and human capacity building are required before developing countries can adopt the global technology for their local requirements. 3. The ability to create the necessary level of regulatory and institutional frameworks: The lack of regulatory frameworks, trust, security and privacy standards, high trade barriers, customer and investor protections impede progress in many developing countries to implement e- finance projects. 4. E-security challenges 5. 4. 2.Policy implications/recommendations 1. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Improve system infrastructure environment for e-banking business Strengthen payment system (including RTGS, bulk/low value payment system). Improve the settlement system (e. g. , for credit cards and other forms of electronic transactions). Build-up transaction reporting/reconciliation services. Establish credit information registry and disseminating s ystem. Credit information registries, commonly known as credit bureaus in many countries, can reduce the extent of asymmetric information by making a borrower’s credit history available to 3 potential lenders. Lenders armed with this data can avoid making loans to high risk customers, with poor repayment histories, defaults, or bankruptcies. Once a lender makes a loan, the borrower knows that their performance will be reported to the credit bureau. The information contained in a credit registry becomes part of the borrower’s â€Å"reputation collateral†; late payments or defaults reduce the value of this â€Å"collateral† providing an additional incentive for timely repayment. At the same time, by reducing the information monopoly that banks have over their existing borrowers,

Bank of China †Survey of products and services provided Essay

Personal Banking. In the personal banking segment one of the principal products and services include deposit products. The Bank of China provides a variety of deposit products including foreign currency deposits. It has also included multifunctional debit card which can assist financial planning. (Deposits, 2006). It has also got a facility for deposit collections at different places which facilitate those with transferable jobs or changing residences frequently to follow up their deposits without any geographical constraints (Deposits, 2006). Deposit Certificates are being issued by the Bank for people’s needs for studying abroad, visiting relatives or for domestic requirements. (Deposits, 2006). The bank also provides facilities for payment of fees, providing pay to employees, stock fund transfer service and handling of securities trading services. (Deposits, 2006). In addition Personal Checks are provided for high value account holders for making large purchases which are beyond the credit card limits allotted. (Personal Check, 2006). In the loans segment, Bank of China is providing a variety of loans to its personal customers. The primary loans include educational loans which can be commercial or state. The latter are at discounted interests by the central financial authorities in China, while commercial loans are for financing tuition and other fees which is supported privately. (Loans, 2006). Auto loans include financing for purchase of cars. In addition there are travel loans to facilitate in board as well as out board travel which however has to be only through approved travel company services as per bank norms. (Loans, 2006). There are petty consumer credit loans which are provided for facilitating normal consumption needs of customers such as labor service and fee payments. (Loans, 2006). For such purposes the client is required to be credit worthy. A normal service provided by the Bank is renting of safe deposit box. (Loans, 2006). Another important service provided by the bank is that of Bancassurance, which involves a tie up with the insurance companies, providing the client a full range of services to include insurance, premiums on policy and preservation at a savings outlet in BOC. (Bancassurance, 2006). Corporate Banking. In the corporate banking sector, the Bank of China has a strong presence with a global profile. Its experience and expertise is seen to be of particular benefit to the Chinese businessman seeking to do business globally. (Corporate, 2006) The bank claims to provide unique services based on its ability to assess market sensitivity. The various corporate services provided by the bank include financing for trade, risk controls, protection of risk of debt and is extending even further to management of ledger and collection. (Corporate, 2006). In the loans segment the various types of loans include providing working capital to the companies, for financing projects, real estate businesses, fixed assets and loans on foreign currency. (Corporate, 2006) Business is provided finance in various forms of credit such as a normal credit line, credit for export buyers, finance lease guarantees, credit for export sellers, accounts receivable purchases and labor service contracts. (Corporate, 2006). For international businesses, the services provided include both inward and outward remittance, collection of letters of credit for both imports and exports, bill discounting, packing loan and guarantees for businesses and shipping. (Corporate, 2006). The investment banking services include a financial advisory service, cash management, loan trusts and agent bank business. The bank has also developed extensive e banking services to include i-banking, telephone banking and mobile phone banking. These services are seen to be highly effective in providing the corporate a variety of mediums of interaction on the World Wide Web. (Corporate, 2006). In the segment of foreign exchange and settlement, it is the lead bank in China and hence enjoys considerable leverage in the Chinese banking industry. This caters for individual and personal foreign exchange needs. (Forex, 2006). It has also facilities for forward transactions in foreign exchange Global business facilities include same day facility of funds transfer with the GLOBAL NICS programme in place which enables transactions across 581 overseas branches in 26 countries and regions on a single computer network. (Global, 2006). Linked to SWIFT communications, it enables a safe and speedy transaction for business persons. This is particularly significant with the extensive network of the Bank within China comprising of over 12,000 branches. It also facilitates international clients to transfer money within China speedily. (Global, 2006). Overseas Presence. The Banks overseas presence has been consistently growing after the China Development Finance Company (HK) was established in 1979, followed by Bank of China Groups Securities Limited in 1983, Bank of China International UK Ltd 1996 and Bank of China International in Hong Kong in 1998. (BOCI, 2006). The subsequent entry of BOCI into mainland has provided it added opportunity to establish close links with stable Chinese corporations to include China National Petroleum Corporation, State Development & Investment Corporation, China General Technology (Group) Holdings Limited and so on. (BOCI, 2006) This enables strengthening of the financial link of the Bank providing it greater stability in the international as well as national banking domains. (BOCI, 2006). Banking Facilitation. The BOC is also an agent bank for a large number of other banks providing them the services of consignment banking to manage loans between borrowers and the agent bank. The consignment banks include China Import and Export Bank and the State Development Bank. (Agent, 2006). This provides the client bank the advantage of drawing upon the experience, expertise and network of a larger bank with an international presence as the BOC. A relatively high quality of service is said to be provided to the agent bank by BOC. Generally a tripartite agreement is signed between the BOC, the client bank and the borrower. (Agent, 2006).

My one Point Presentation Essay

What are the three strongest reasons to support your point of view? 1. Media Habits – Aggressive Attitudes and Behaviors 2. Impact on media violence on kids and young adults on the rise 3. Children and adults alike have become additive I. Introduction Video games have been in existed since the 1970’s, but it was not until the 1990’s that violent games came of age. Due to the numerous school shootings since the 1990’s, it attracted the attention of nation. Over the years, violent video games used both by children and adults have increased. II. Body: 1. Media Habits – Aggressive Attitudes and Behaviors Expert finding a. Youth violence resulting in deaths and injuries has direct and indirect costs in excess of $158 billion each year. b. Video game habits are significantly related to children’s hostile attribution scores, the frequency with which they get into arguments with teachers (by self-report), their grades, and their levels of hostility. 2. Impact on media violence on kids and young adults on the rise? Statistics a. 90% of U.S. youth aged eight to 18 play video games, with boys averaging about 19 hours a week and girls 5 hours a week. b. 70% of fourth to 12th graders report playing â€Å"Mature†-rated games (suitable for those 17 and older), which contain the most graphic violence of all. c. Children & College students who had played the violent children’s game displayed a 40% higher aggression rate than those who had played a nonviolent game. 3. Children and adults alike have become addictive. Testimony a. 10 percent to 15 percent of gamers meet the World Health Organization’s criteria for addiction. b. 88% of young people in the U.S. play video games, indicating that up to three million could be showing signs of addiction c. Nationwide survey – ages 8 to 18; found that 1 in 12 teens show signs of behavioral addiction to video games. III. Conclusion After 50 years of studying video games and trying to figure out what the cause that violent video games have on kids and young adult. We are still no closer to knowing the exact answer. With games today being more realistic and bloodier than ever; yet it is not at all clear whether, over longer periods, such a habit increases the likelihood that a person will commit a violent crime, like murder, rape, or assault, much less a Newtown or Columbine massacres. It is our responsibility to know our limits with  anything in life, bottom line we will be held accountable for our actions.

Operations & Quality Management (Singapore Airlines) Essay

Operations & Quality Management (Singapore Airlines) - Essay Example Singapore Airlines is quite an absurdity. It is the state-run airline for a country that is basically just a city; a nation that has residents of no more than 3 million; and a country that is just 250 kms across with no domestic routes to take over. Regardless of this it has managed to regularly post profits in one of the globe's mainly returning industries. According to higher executives, SIA evidently understands the high directive placed on it by discriminating and increasingly challenging customers. This causes a severe challenge internally in terms of being the finest in all aspect and places massive stress on the leading edge staff. Such high orders and anticipations result in a need to frequently alter and evaluate everything the airline carries out. Leading management is also faced with a continuous effort to form an unvarying service that is also extremely custom-made. SIA strategies all its procedures and sub-procedures in whole, with each getting unremitting concentration for enhancement and interrupted redesign (Heracleous, Wirtz, Johnston, 2004, pp.33-38). With such an international status for service quality, bringing terrific service is a most important challenge for SIA. The key is the company's entire approach - it knows that customers are buying a total bundle of service and that all its components have to do extremely well in every way. Introduction To persist as a service leader in the airline industry SIA makes it targets to create a "wow outcome" and to often blow customers. It does this by paying attention deeply to its customers and continually making out "wow" opportunities, such as not so heavy and more nutritious and hygienic food and an e-mail service within flight. Such new plans are also designed by feedback from staff, information about several other airlines, study of complaints, claims and compliments, and main traveler surveys. SIA's detailed feedback mechanisms gather information from different sources, all of which is analyzed then. Difficulties and faults are publicized internally to the extent that is possible. Quality Customer Service Singapore Airlines (SAI) is a model of constancy. The airline can possess 3 decades of continuing achievement, even affluent during times when the industry as a totality struggled. Its assets of awards include a confounding 67 international honors in 2002 only. How has this height of success been maintained for such a long period By implanting a customer-oriented culture that permeates all the airline's dissimilar operations. Significantly, though, an understanding of the want for cost usefulness grounds client service quality. All workers share this attentiveness. Holistic teaching techniques compel the message home, as does the reality that extra benefits and other incentives are very much reliant upon earnings produced. Not astonishingly, staff at all levels negate of resources being misused. Evidently you don't remain at the peak for 30 years by standing motionless. Modernization is a must and SIA is a sharp operator where this is noticed. The company considers that all improvements have some degree of shelf life and is not scared to break up with those

What Are The Laws Of Directors Remuneration In Australia Are They Research Paper

What Are The Laws Of Directors Remuneration In Australia Are They Adequate, Effective And Efficient To Protect The Interests Of The Shareholders - Research Paper Example It is simply regarded as the salary of the directors that is paid by a particular company to the director. A director is viewed to be an administrative officer of a business entity and acts as a principal agent of a concern. The remuneration of the directors is not only provided in the form of salary but also in the form of bonuses, incentives and stock payments and other benefits. Different laws are applicable concerning director’s remuneration in diverse nations.It has been viewed that the remuneration reforms which formed by the Federal government of Australia attracted the response of various organizations as well as their respective directors and also made them to respond to make any sort of change in stakeholder engagement. However, the shareholders and the constitution frames by a company play a major part in determining the laws of director’s remuneration in Australia.1 In this discussion, the different laws concerning director’s remuneration in Australia will be taken into concern. Moreover, the laws are adequate, effective and efficient or not in order to protect the interests of the shareholders will also be portrayed in the discussion. Legal Issues Relevant To the Laws of Directors’ Remuneration in Australia The legal issues relevant to the laws of director’s remuneration in Australia can be processed under the recognition of Chartered Secretaries Australia (CSA). It has been apparently observed that the issue relating to directors remuneration received much attention in the year 2011. In this similar regard, this regulatory reform issue ranked third in the year 2012.2 Section 9 of the Corporations Act defines remuneration as any benefit that is provided to an employee or an officer belonging to a particular corporation. Moreover, the Act also described remuneration as compensation that comprises all employee benefits such as salaries, bonuses and wages among others. According to Chartered Secretaries Australia (20 09), the Australian Government newly released the Corporations Amendment Bill 2009 for public consultation. Under the guidelines of this law, it has been proposed that the termination benefits especially for the directors as well as the senior management officials will need approval from the shareholders. This practice would ultimately ensure higher remuneration scrutiny that includes greater responsibility and termination payments.1 The different legal issues that can be correlated with the laws of director’s remuneration in Australia are the ‘two-strikes’ rule, proxy voting, no vacancy rule, remuneration consultants and voting by key management personnel.3 The detailed analysis of the aforementioned issues has been described hereunder. The ‘Two-Strikes’ Rule According to the Corporations Act 2001, every listed company is required to make a remuneration report that should be submitted to a non- binding vote of shareholders at the Annual General Meet ing (AGM) of a company. The Act proposes to empower this requirement by forming ‘two strikes’ and re-election procedure. In this connection, the first strike would take place at the time when remuneration report of a company receives a ‘no’ vote of near about 25% or more. If certain situation arises, then it is the responsibility of the management officials of a company to convey the matter related to the board in order to take necessary steps or action. If a company does not convey any message relating to the matter, then the board would be liable to take necessary actions. The second strike would happen when the remuneration repo

Role of Inflammation in the Development of Atherosclerosis Essay - 1

Role of Inflammation in the Development of Atherosclerosis - Essay Example Normal endothelium does not allow binding of white blood cells. It is only after the damage of endothelium, that a series of events is initiated which ensues in inflammation. In this essay, the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis will be discussed through the review of the suitable literature.  Atherosclerosis is a condition in which the wall of the artery thickens due to the accumulation of fatty substances like cholesterol and triglycerides (Binder & Witztum, 2011). The condition affects arterial blood vessels secondary to chronic inflammation of the innermost wall of the arteries and is mainly caused due to the accumulation of macrophages. Accumulation of macrophages is promoted by low-density lipoproteins. Stiffening of arteries occurs due to the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries. There are basically 3 groups of atherosclerotic lesions and they are progressive atherosclerotic lesions, nonatherosclerotic intimal lesions and healed atherosclerotic plaques (Lib by et al, 2011). Certain preexisting intimal lesions have intimal thickening and fatty streaks and adult lesions can arise from these Intimal thickening mainly involves the smooth muscles cells which lie in a proteoglycan-rich matrix. In early lesions, moderate cell replication can occur, but in adult lesions, they are mainly clonal. Fatty streaks are basically intimal xanthomata in which there is the accumulation of fat-laden macrophages. These lesions have lesser number of smooth muscle cells and the lesser number of T-lymphocytes. These are nonatherosclerotic lesions. In progressive atherosclerosis lesions, there can be stable or non-stable plaques. The plaques have intimal thickening with deposition of lipid. But there is no evidence of necrosis (Binder & Witztum, 2011). Smooth muscle cells and proteoglycans overly the area of plaques along with T-lymphocytes and macrophages. Healed atherosclerotic plaques are those which have had thrombotic lesions but have recovered.

Christian Bale Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christian Bale - Movie Review Example It was no wonder hen, that Bale himself soon followed in the family footsteps. His father was fond of travelling, and the family moved excessively form place to place during bale's childhood (Tiscali 2008). This gave Bale exposure to many different interests and opportunities that developed his passion about acting. His first major break was Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun in 1987 when he was still a child actor (Tiscali 2008). This was followed by a little rough career patch before becoming a hit in Little Women (Tiscali 2008). As a child, his initial screen and stage appearances include "a part in a Pac-Man cereal commercial, a Lenor ad, and a West End stage debut" (Tiscali 2008). He was also a part of a theatre group at Reading (Tiscali 2008). The focus film for my presentation is the The Machinist, which would be discussed in a greater detail than the other two films under discussion, to examine the extremes to which Christian Bale pushes himself, "both physically and mentally" (LA Weekly 2007), in order to completely lose himself in the character (LA Weekly 2007) and bring... He was also a part of a theatre group at Reading (Tiscali 2008). The Machinist The focus film for my presentation is the The Machinist, which would be discussed in a greater detail than the other two films under discussion, to examine the extremes to which Christian Bale pushes himself, "both physically and mentally" (LA Weekly 2007), in order to completely lose himself in the character (LA Weekly 2007) and bring belief and life to his roles. Background: Ever since he was a child, Bale loved role-playing (LA Weekly 2007). More importantly, he was keen on taking his roles and make-belief games very seriously and was insistent that others do the same; not take fantasy as fantasy, but take it as fiction (LA Weekly 2007). This is the attitude that has kept him going in the filed of acting, where he his dedication to his roles and his extreme impersonation of the script characters has etched a glowing mark for him with the critics and the audiences alike. His father was a traveler and an adventurer (LA Weekly 2007), and this has instilled in him a sense of adventure and self-exploration that he brings to his acting and his roles, and pushes his limits beyond what other people would dare to go to achieve that level of satisfaction and excitement that is a major part of his career as well as his personal life. Discussion: The Machinist was directed by Brad Anderson (The Independent Online Edition- CB.net 2005). It was released in 2005

Leadership Definitions and The Successful Global Leader Essay

Leadership Definitions and The Successful Global Leader - Essay Example His own definition is hereby presented as â€Å"the ability of developing and communicating a vision to a group of people that will make that vision true† (Kenneth Valenzuela, 2007). Authors Lussier & Achua (2004) define leadership as â€Å"the influencing process of leaders and followers to achieve organizational objectives through changes†. (Lussier & Achua, 2004) My own personal definition of leadership is similar to Martires & Fule, Northouse and Lussier & Achua in presenting it as a process. All authors share the same conviction except Valenzuela who perceived leadership as an ability. Further, all authors conform to the following factors as relevant components of the leadership process: (1) influencing people; (2) towards the achievement of a goal. Valenzuela was just different in the use of words for goals, where he replaced it with ‘vision’. But still, there is the component of influence by exerting the ability to develop and communicate that vision to a group of people who would make that vision come true. I also believe that leadership entails some talent to convince a group of individuals towards the attainment of a specifically defined objective. It is a process for me because in order to achieve a goal, a series of actions should be undertaken gradually. One of the most successful and famous entrepreneurs of contemporary times is Bill Gates, owner of Microsoft. Gilgenbach (2006), in his article, â€Å"What made Bill Gates so successful and why Microsoft won’t be the same without him†, contended that â€Å"if I had to choose one word to describe Bill Gates, it wouldn’t be any of the usual suspects. It wouldn’t be rich, although he is the wealthiest man in the world. It wouldn’t be powerful, although he has shaped the future of computing. It wouldn’t be nerdy, but some may describe him as such. It definitely wouldn’t be evil, although many people think that is the case, and in my Mac loving days, that thought probably

Smoking and Youth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Smoking and Youth - Essay Example This paper will provide the factors leading to excessive smoking addiction during adolescence, and various approaches that will help diminish this obsession. Adolescence is attracted to smoking owing to various factors.  Ã‚  One of the most prominent reasons why people start smoking at a very young age is the influence of their friends. In other words, peer pressure is the number one cause why teens would smoke.   Secondly, when a child grows up in an environment surrounded by smokers like if a father, uncle, aunt or cousins, smoke, chances of smoking is higher because smoking will appear as a normal activity to him.     In addition, youth today is exposed to television, beauty magazines where they see beautiful images of their favorite celebrities and models smoking, as a result, giving them the impression that it is something advisable, and enhances ones personality. However, once an individual starts tobacco consumption their reasons for smoking keep changing. It is a fact that once a child initiates smoking it becomes an addiction and it is not possible to quit that easily. When asked, the reason youth gave for smoking was either boredom or to relieve stress. Anxiety and stress is related to low self-esteem. Hence, one can say that low- self-respect could be one of the major reasons why youth smoke. Likewise, depression in youth is another important issue that should be considered when it comes to smoking, depressive symptoms seems evident in divorced parents or increased abusive behavior towards the child. In such circumstances, a child would be more inclined to smoking cigarettes to hide the pain and trauma. Hence, research shows the most important factors associated with under- age tobacco consumption is peer pressure, family environment that includes parents and siblings and most importantly low self-esteem.  Studies show that â€Å"each day, between 82,000 and 99,000 young people around the world start smoking†

Jessica Banks Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jessica Banks Case - Essay Example ame, it has to be understood that Haywards has not said that Banks cannot have access to the data she had generated, and she can still try to get a copy with his consent if she approaches this issue in a more mature way. Secondly, it has to be discussed whether Bank has a right to continue with the research which she has been working on in Haywards lab even after she quit that job and joined in another institution (Bebeau 24). In that case, the contribution of the student and the mentor have to be assessed regarding the generation of the data before a decision is made (Bebeau 24). Also, the spirit of research has always been that of a collective effort (Bebeau 24). Thirdly, it has to be decided how she could maintain her independence and at the same time, her collegiality and her personal integrity regarding this issue (Bebeau 25). Both these interests seem to be mutually conflicting in this particular context Bebeau 25). Here, the major thing is that usually the mentors role has the risk of being undervalued by beginner researchers (Bebeau 25). And also, a researcher needs to have the support of the mentor to pursue a successful career on a long term basis (Bebeau 25-26). Finally, in this part of solving the problem, Banks is faced with another conflict in which she has to decide whether she should fulfill her obligation to respect her mentor at the cost of loosing her research data generated so far or whether she should refuse to obey her mentor and fulfill her perceived obligation to warn other students who have a possibility to be in a similar situation (Bebeau 26). As far as this question is concerned, the basic premise has to be that the mentor should clearly communicate to the students, the legal obligations regarding the research work and the student should also try to learn such matters in the beginning of the research itself (Bebeau 26). In Bebeaus four-part approach, the second aspect of the problem lies in determining who the interested

COMMUNITY AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

COMMUNITY AND THE VIRTUAL WORLD - Research Paper Example world, virtual communities are known to begin their life cycles as visitors or lurkers who by and by break existing communication barriers to become participating novices. Community visitors basically do not actively contribute for reasons among which include: seeking to learn about the community first, inability to use existing computer software, and dislike of observed group dynamics. Some simply relax as they receive all the information they need without having to actively participate while others may also nature the thought that by not contributing, they are being helpful to the group. After the novice participates for a sustained period he/she becomes a regular member then later graduates to become a leader. Later, leaders become elders and may leave the community due to new outlooks, new positions or new relationships. Interaction of members of the virtual community is primarily accomplished via communication media which include email, telephone, newsletters, and instant messages as well as online social networks and not face to face for professional, educational, social, and other purposes. Virtual communication also supplements the more traditional forms of communication between persons who primarily know one another in real life. The proliferation of social internet-based networks has undoubtedly changed the socio-technical environment in diverse ways. Virtual communities can share ideas, jokes, play games, share professional information, advertise products and even seal business deals. Professionals such as journalists, environmentalists, human rights activists, medical practitioners, scientists and researchers in all fields have for example found online communication convenient and indispensable for the successful performance of their activities. Rheingold notes that because sometimes in cyberspace people are not visible to one another, factors such as age, gender, and physical appearance do not really affect or come to play in the form or manner

Early Retirement Plan Essay Example for Free

Early Retirement Plan Essay This paper presents early retirement plan, one classical and very popular case which takes place internationally and a part of the business and financial strategy of different kind of enterprises, especially the very large ones. This project entails a detailed discussion and financial or accounting application on the proposed alternative strategies and the data derived by the financial statements. As a reply to the Chairmans memorandum, bearing in mind the academic content of the program of Financial Reporting Management Accounting, the early retirement plan issue in the financial and accounting function of the organization blends with the theoretical aspects with the practical situation that the organization is currently facing. It is said that â€Å"a country, which is unable to develop its people and utilize them effectively in the national economy, would be unable to develop anything else† (Dosi, Winter, 2002). As a new labor economist, let me first define what a human resource is. This refers to the number of people and their level of skills. Human capital is related to this which is defined as the productive investments embodied in human persons, and it includes the abilities, skills, ideals, and health resulting from expenditures on education, training, attitude towards work, among others. In matching employers and employees, employees will try to get to the highest levels of utility possible (Blanchard Katz, 1997, p. 3). They will choose that indifference curve that gives them the maximum level of utility. However, they are constrained by what employers are willing to offer. The less risk the lower the wage and the higher the risk the greater the wage rate. Firms on the other hand try to maximize profits. On the other hand given that the labor market is economical they can not present higher than market rates for the reason that their expenditures will be collegial and they will be driven out of commerce by near to the ground asking price of manufacturers. If they offer to low a wage then they will not be able to attract any workers. Thus their profits are usually normal because of the competitive nature of the market. The net effects for wage increase are the following: if substitution effect is greater than income effect, then hours of work rise, and if substitution effect is less than income effect, then hours of work fall (Aoki Yoshikawa, 2003, p. 39). If a worker is enthusiastic about his or her job, this represents that an increase in the wage rate will cause a person to work more which involves substitution effect. In spite of this, if extended work time turns out to be the custom in a community, these periods in all probability are not intentional and it stands for a lack of spare time. Even though specific people may reduce their hours of work as the market wage rises, labor supply curves of specific labor markets generally are positively sloped over realistic wage ranges. Higher relative wages attract workers away from either household production, leisure, or other labor markets and toward the labor market in which the wage increased. While there are people who have positive relationship of wage rate and work hours and some have inverse relationship of the two, there are also people who have backward-bending labor supply curves. It occurs when the labor supply curve is positively sloped in some ranges of the wage and negatively sloped in other ranges. If the replacement upshot is larger than the revenue consequence, the work supply curve will incline rising to the right side. This person will persist to add to his supply of work services as the pay rate rises up to a position where he is functioning definite hours. Further than this spot he will begin to decrease the quantity of work time he provides. Where the supply curve is sloping upwards to the right, the affirmative salary elasticity of work supply, the changeover outcome is larger than the returns result as stated by Belot and Ours, 2000, p. 76). The opposite upshot occurs when it slopes upwards to the left. The track of incline may alter more than once for a quantity of persons, and the work supply curve is to be expected to be dissimilar for diverse persons. Other factors that have an effect on this choice take in dues, wellbeing or interests, and labor milieu. An example is a student working more, since more work hours means more income or higher wage. A low wage rate means smaller quantity of work chances for young people, who are apt to take part-time jobs to have less of a connection to the work market. Quite the reverse, the result on low-wage elders, who almost certainly have a robust regard to the personnel, chiefly crops up through a decrease in labor time. Either means, nevertheless, the ending of most interest-earned revenue is alike, with off-putting upshots of least amount of pays apparent for those originally were at the smallest amount or salaries just above it. From the strategic market planning, firms may come up with good marketing study. Consumer examination responds to principal inquiries concerning every definite item for consumption or service offered in the market. Crucial contender investigation and SWOT analysis may be applied. By this SWOT study, it characterizes the classification and taking the full advantage of the strengths, curtailing the weaknesses, making the most out of opportunities, and offsetting the threats (Julien, Kennes, King, 2000, p. 619). The yield of a firm SWOT examination will help various business ventures in forming their marketing ideas and purposes. At this instant with the strategic planning tools at hand, primarily, business enterprises can now set up, design, and prepare long term aspects for multi-trained communication and dealings core and project back-office settings or situations; building up most favorable conscription procedures that reduce outlay while coming to get certain objectives and offering supervisors with the facts they must have to go through and hastily consent financial plans, labor force personnel running, optimization, and quality monitoring. Secondly, the firms can now measure or gauge the outfitted and pecuniary paybacks and effects of diverse circumstances ahead of constructing resolutions. Third is that they can already enhance forecasting precision with advanced scrutiny of historical information. They can eventually plan their wherewithal ahead to replicate anticipated client demands and plan their allocation of resources in venturing for other projects in the future. With this, firms can turn out this preparation development a group endeavor. They can now request everybody concerned in putting into practice the strategy for proposition. Strategic market arrangement must be an existing method to occasionally make another study of firms’ standing. They may keep each and every team associates informed of the marketing and administration advancement in and amend the strategy as challenging prospects become apparent to improve the profitability of various business entities. Setting up promptly will very much make better the pecuniary future of the company. It will offer a practical vision of the retirement prospect in respect of how currency and investments will function. The company will realize entirely at what time it is best to displace people or on the other side when an employee must retire. Early retirement plan is not in relation to what time will displace or one will give up work but how the company will displace or the employee will stop working. With some companies becoming less dependable and their retirement’s procedures less advantageous, a firm retirement arrangement is considered necessary at the present more than ever. No one can forecast the future, nevertheless planning can be of great use so either the company or the member of staff will know when to leave and most significantly, will the portfolio last the projected existence. The secret of pragmatic retirement planning relies on the following set of statements. The solution is to be actually transparent regarding the association between the profits supplies, operating costs, price increases rates, and what pertinent individual would like to achieve in retirement. Early retirement planning bids aspects in explicit retirement objectives and requirements, together with a lot of other factors of existence. Early-retirement encouragement agendas are currently the most accepted process which business enterprises employ to attain a diminution in the personnel. And for corporations in the middle of unions, conquests, or cutting back, they have been a method to decrease discharges. When times become shoddier, businesses economize. Early-retirement diplomacies are typically the system that they attempt to accomplish so in as humanitarian an approach as probable. The pros and cons of the strategies are extremely unambiguous and quantifiable for owners or managers. Early-retirement motivation campaigns may appear to be chiefly engaging if times are hard-hitting and people involved sense that there are no assurances that they will be able to maintain the occupation if they do not acknowledge the proposal (Card Hyslop, 1996, p. 5538). The tactics are quite convincing, however then again, several of them proffer a great deal which less than comes across the eye. Crafting subjects worse, odds are that if people are challenged with an early-retirement inducement arrangement, people will have no more than a month or so to appraise the proposition. Even a beefed-up early-retirement annuity is expected to be noticeably lesser than the allowance that could be anticipated if people sustained to labor. That is for the reason that the annuity is almost certainly based on the standard of what is received in the last few periods the people went to work. Even if the early-retirement enticement plot appends bonus periods of service and extra time of age to the allowance method, it would not be adept to build up the discrepancy between the standard pay for the last periods and the probably elevated typical wage for the last years if people were to keep on working. If the additional periods of vacation are worth the abridged reimbursements, in that case the critical matter is not how the early-retirement packet measures up to the usual retirement alternatives but whether the parcel is adequate to come to get the retirement-income requirements. To resolve that, people will have to cast the retirement returns and everyday expenditures. As a fulltime research administrator to direct a study agenda for the next segment in the company, he must take into account the evolution of improvement or restructuring strategy. According to Tesfatsion, (2001), the responsibilities are to envisage, set up, supervise, and accomplish research and logical schemes that speak to business transformation task and take forward line up goals, put up a system of progressive investigation and support associations and persons to prop up business amendment plan, head an alliance study group composed of associate human resources and important followers or allies, back allies with enhanced information to engage in early retirement plan and venture modifications at the federation and local degrees, assist to organize mechanical backing to countrywide, state and district cronies, point and sort out study actions to guarantee that the project of early retirement plan is in advancement: on timetable and within financial statement, act with other business personnel to recognize, expand, and create market suggestions for novel undertaking prospects and financial support, correspond to business in a line of investigation, promoti on, guiding principle, media, and fundraising actions in relation with the early retirement plan (p. 419). Time managing and clerical proficiency are also necessary to maintain equilibrium of the manifold endeavors, associates, at the same time as the aptitude to arrange requests, ranges of job, study blueprints for regulars, cronies, and funders, with know-how in running multifaceted investigation schemes and workforce and familiarity in business or metropolitan guidelines and arrangement, or connected areas such as ecological rules and economic progress. Early retirement plans typically appears to be unsuccessful for three reasons. First is retiring before persons kept an adequate amount of currency to be money-wise self-sufficient. Second is unsatisfactory diversification of the withdrawal assets. Last is undervaluing the yearly livelihood operating costs in departure. With reference to insufficient savings, most individuals who have considered the issue characterize pecuniary autonomy as containing 25 times of the yearly livelihood fixed costs, several fairly more or less. In other terms, a person who will retire with $40,000 in twelve-monthly livelihood everyday expenditures will require a $1 million collection of assets to be regarded as monetarily self-supporting (Flaschel, Kauermann Semmler, 2003). If one is mature enough to meet the criteria for a retirement fund or Societal Safety, that certainly trims down the quantity of currency one requests to obtain from the investments and makes available for fiscal self-determination on a lesser portfolio, he or she may do take the early retirement so. In assets diversification, practically the entire main part of labor on giving up work and speculation preparation puts forward that people who give up work safekeepings in their collection. A small number of market forecasters even recommend toting up supplementary out of the ordinary portfolio types to the assortment for instance independently-possessed authentic land, merchandises, hedge resources, or business enterprise funds collections. There can be found no believable advisors who advice placing each and every part of the investments merely into a single venture whether it be a Reserves bond, a solitary stockpile with a due long-term confirmation of operation. Other investment oversights that can head to an ineffective withdrawal to work consist of dynamic changing of a set of assets, making an effort to phase the market by selecting high points and troughs, and disbursing disproportionate charges and add ons to a consultant. Appearing in the employee’s side, various human resources who leave their jobs under company-sponsored early-retirement policies time and again find out after the event that they would not have an adequate amount of earnings to provide for themselves. Lots of early retirees finish up arranging to cross the threshold again of the labor force in the nick of time. If one would desire to stop working early in life, he ir she ought to seize a firm glimpse at how he or she will be proficient to come to get his or her living fixed costs, not simply the time one leaves, but ten or additional periods from then on. If one seeks to procure premature retirement, price increases is even more of a concern in deciding whether one’s annuity and investments are satisfactory to provide for the person than it would be if he or she gave up work at 65; in view of the fact that he or she will be using up further periods in withdrawal, one will for that reason be more profoundly distressed by inflation. The following description presents a notion of how much extra price increases have an effect on initial person who gives up work. A lot of before time individuals who stop working, typified as the retirees below the age of 65 years old, who overlook to have an account for inflation in their departure preparation are taken precedence for a distasteful bolt from the blue (Fitoussi, Jestaz, Phelps, Zoega , 2000, p. 237). Scores of individuals incorrectly assume that their levy load will make less burdensome considerably at retirement. They as well contemplated that they can keep away from a number of monies, however in contrast, duties could ascend once more and have an asking price on a person more than they perform at the present. One point that an individual can be certain of is that revenue levy charges will by no means be reduced than they are at this instant. â€Å"Development and displacement† by Robinson and company (2002) depicts several growing challenges to the philosophies and practices of progress in the modern-day world, linked with kinds of displacement (156). The general idea of the volume and the technique in which it expands the thoughts about displacement and development is excellent. This work tries to scrutinize the whole extent of topics and other concerns comprising socio-economic and psychosomatic troubles in the progression induced displacement regions. It concentrates on comprehensive prototypes of observable facts such as border line colonization, desertification, environmental discords on poverty, military divergence and populace passages. It is moral to displace individuals for growth of societies; vast statistics of individuals are relocated from their abodes for setting up improvement schemes. These advancement missions head to trade and industry growth, on the contrary it repeatedly debases the socio-economic and living of other subgroups. Despite the fact that one cannot refute the necessity of progress, displacement cannot be defensible on moral ground. As consequences of displacement, fabrication coordination is taken apart, cohesive affinity clusters are strewn, long created dealings are ruined, and customary sources of employment are mislaid. Impression of belongingness and rooted association in a locale that offers the refuge of attachment is habitually dislodged by separation and estrangement in the new place. References: Aoki, M. and H. Yoshikawa (2003) A Simple Quantity Adjustment Model of Economic Fluctuations and Growth, Heterogeneous Agents, Interaction and Economic Performance. Berlin, Springer, p. 39. Belot, M. and J. V. Ours (2000) Does the Recent Success of Some OECD Countries in Lowering their Unemployment Rates Lie in the Clever Design of their Labour Market Reforms? , Discussion paper no. 147, IZA, Bonn, Germany, p. 76. Blanchard, O. and L. Katz (1997) Shifts in the Beveridge Curve, Job Matching, and Labor Market Dynamics, New England Economic Review, p. 3. Card, D. and D. Hyslop (1996), Does Inflation Grease the Wheels of the Labor Market Working paper, NBER, p. 5538. Dosi, G. and S. Winter (2002), Interpreting Economic Change: Evolution, Structures and Games. The Economics of Choice, Change, and Organizations. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishers. Fitoussi, J. -P. , D. Jestaz, E. Phelps and G. Zoega (2000) Roots of the Recent Recoveries: Labor Reforms or Provate Secto Forces?. Brooking Papers on Economic Activities, (1), p. 237. Flaschel, P. , G. Kauermann and W. Semmler (2003) Testing Wage and Price Phillips Curves for the United States. Unpublished manuscript, Bielefeld University, Faculty of Economics. Julien, B. , J. Kennes and I. King (2000) Bidding for Labor. Review of Economic Dynamics, (3) p. 619. Tesfatsion, L. (2001) Structure, Behavior, and Market Power in an Evolutionary Labor Market with Adaptive Search. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control (25) p. 419. Robinson, Jenny, Turton, David, Mohan, Giles and Yanacopulos, Helen. Development and Displacement. Oxford University Press, USA 2002, p. 156.

Mechanisms in the Cardiovascular System

Mechanisms in the Cardiovascular System The mechanism of the pumping action of the heart can be categorized in three phases- the generation of an action potential, conduction of the action potential and cardiac muscle contraction (action potential-contraction coupling). The action potential is generated the specialized autorythmic myocardial cells located at the Sino atria (SA) node. The potential spreads to the atria and enters the ventricles through the atria ventricular (AV) node from where it is conducted throughout the ventricles by the bundle of His and the purkinje fiber. The action potential triggers muscle contraction as it sweeps around the heart1. As the cardiac muscles contract and relax the heart beats repeatedly, in the process receiving and pumping blood, first to the lungs then to the rest of the body. As it leaves the heart, the blood carries with it oxygen and nutrients to the body and brings back metabolic wastes from the body cells 1, 2. However, much as it supplies blood to the rest of the body, the heart itself needs blood to support its metabolic activity. The heart is thus supplied by the coronary arteries which branch off from the aorta. Reduction in the volume of this coronary flow can greatly impair the pumping action of the heart and if not treated, can cause heart failure. A number of treatment options ranging from surgical to drugs are available2b. THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM The cardiovascular system is an organ system responsible for distribution of nutrients and oxygen to the bodys cells and removal of metabolic byproducts from the cells. It consists of the following: Blood which carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells and metabolic byproducts away from the cells The blood vessels which are the pathways through which blood flows The heart which receives and pumps blood. Embedded in the heart are valves that control blood flow and ensure that blood flows in a specified direction3,8. THE HEART In brief, the heart is a muscular organ enclosed in a double walled sack called the pericardium. It is about the size of a fist and weighs between 250 grams and 350 grams. It is located within the medial cavity of the thorax between the second and fifth intercostal space, just on the superior surface of the diaphragm, anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the sternum7. The heart is divided in four chambers, the right and left atria, the right and left ventricle. The circulation process is such that the right atrium receives blood from the rest of the body through the venacavea and feeds it to the right ventricle which pumps it to the lungs through the pulmonary artery to be oxygenated. Blood from the lungs comes back to the left atrium through the pulmonary vein and finally to the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body though the aorta and arteries7,1. The Mechanism of Heart function The most important function of the heart is to pump blood. The mechanism by which the heart pumps blood can be understood by examining the events that lead to cardiac muscle contraction. The contraction process starts with the generation of an action potential from the sinoatrial (SA) node giving rise to a depolarization wave. The wave spreads through the atria, entering the ventricles through the atrioventricular (AV) node and is conducted throughout the ventricles by the bundle of His and the purkinje fibers1. Generation of action potential. The heart is composed of two kinds of cardiac muscle cells- the contractile and autorythmic cells. The contractile cells are responsible for the mechanical work of pumping and therefore form the bulk of the cardiac muscles. However, these cells need to be excited before they can contract. Highly specialized autorythmic cells are responsible for generation and conduction of the excitation signal-the action potential1,3. These autorythmic cells are found in specific regions of the heart that include: The SA node. This is a small region located at the upper wall of the right atrium. The AV node. This is a bundle of the autorythmic cells found at the lower wall of the right atrium, near the septum that separates the atria from the ventricles. The bundle of His. This is a bundle of specialized conductive cells that originate from the AV node and runs down the septum between the ventricles. It separates into the right and left bundles serving the respective ventricles. The purkinje fiber. These can be regarded as terminations of the bundle of His. They spread over the base of the ventricles.The locations of the autorythmic cells are the origin and pathways of the action potential3. The cardiac action potential The SA node is the pace maker of the heart. It sets the frequency at which the heart beats. Looking at the cardiac cell, the action potential starts by the reorganization of the intracellular and extracellular concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride and calcium ions due to changes in the cell membrane permeability. A graph showing a typical myocardial cell action potential is shown in figure 1 below. Figure 1: Cardiac cell action potential. Source4: As in the graph, the different phases represent different stages of depolarization of the cardiac cell. Phase 4: In this phase, the cell is at rest. In the resting state, the cell membrane is more permeable to potassium and therefore the resting potential is more or less equal to the potassium equilibrium potential (-90mV). Phase 0: As the potential slowly rises, the voltage-gated sodium channels open leading to a rapid influx of potassium into the cell causing rapid depolarization. At the same time, the membrane permeability to potassium slowly reduces as the potassium channels close. This process takes the membrane potential to around +20Mv before the sodium channels suddenly close. Phase 1: On inactivation of the sodium channels, potassium continues to leak out of the cell and chloride ions go into the cell causing a small downward deflection of the action potential. Phase 2: At this stage, there is increased permeability of the membrane to calcium ions. The inward calcium movement is balanced by an outward movement of potassium ions accounting for the relatively flat phase 2. Phase 3: An increase in the permeability of potassium outweighs the inward calcium current and eventually tips the potential of the cell. This is the repolarization phase and the cell goes back to its resting potential, phase 43,4. Excitation-contraction coupling As described in muscle contraction, the action potential-contraction coupling is due to the release of calcium from the cells sarcoplasmic reticulum. The calcium combines with troponin which regulates the tropomyosin, removing it from the binding site. This allows myosin to bind to actin thus making the muscle to contract3. The cardiac cycle The depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac cell described above triggers the contraction and relaxation to the atria and ventricles of the cell. The cardiac cycle is divided in two main phases, diastole which is the period of relaxation and systole which is the period of contraction. Systole. During this phase, the depolarization wave starts from the SA node, spreading first through the atria and causing the atria to contact first. This forces blood from the atria to the ventricles. At this time, the atrioventricular valves are open while the pulmonary and aortic valves are closed. The depolarization wave then enters the ventricles through the AV node, spreading over all the ventricles via the specialized conductive bundle of His and the purkinje network. This causes the ventricles to contract forcing the blood to the lungs through the pulmonary vein and the rest of the body through the aorta. Here the atrioventricular valves close while the pulmonary and aortic valves open5,3. Diastole. After contraction of the atria, the cells are repolarized. This allows the atria to relax thus allowing blood to flow into them through the vena cavea. After the ventricular contraction, the ventricles also relax awaiting to be filled with blood from the atria5. THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM The circulatory system is part of the cardiovascular system and is divided into the pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation. The pulmonary circulation transports deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart9. The systemic circulation transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body and brings back deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart9. Deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium from the vena cava and flows through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. It is pumped from the right ventricle through the  pulmonary semilunar valve  into the pulmonary arteries which go to the lungs. Oxygenated blood returns via the pulmonary veins and enters the left ventricle through the mitral valve. It is the pumped through the aortic valve, to the aorta then through the arteries to the rest of the body. It is evident that oxygen is very important in metabolic activity of the body cells 3,9. Transport of oxygen by the cardiovascular system The red blood cells. One of the functions of the cardiovascular system is to distribute oxygen around the body. Oxygen is carried in blood by the red blood cells. Understanding the structure of the red blood cells will help us to understand how it is able to carry oxygen. The molecule of a red blood cell is composed of four polypeptide chains with each polypeptide chain having an iron-containing heme group. Each of the four iron atoms can combine reversibly with oxygen according to the equation: O2+Hbà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬ HbO2. It is therefore possible that each molecule of hemoglobin can carry up to four molecules of oxygen1b,2b. Oxygen uptake Blood is pumped from the right ventricle to the lungs to be oxygenated. In the alveoli, the partial pressure of oxygen is higher than that in the blood and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the alveoli is lower than that in the blood. The pressure differences make it possible for oxygen to diffuse from the alveoli to the blood, thus binding to the iron in the hemoglobin. Carbon dioxide on the other hand diffuses from the blood to the lungs. Carrying oxygen, blood is returned to the left atria then to the left ventricle which pumps it to the rest of the body2c. Oxygen release: In the tissues and organs, the cells are undergoing metabolism, continually consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. This means that the intracellular partial pressure of oxygen is lower than that in the blood and the intracellular partial pressure of carbon dioxide is higher than that in the blood. Again the pressure differences make it possible for oxygen to diffuse from the blood to the cells and carbon dioxide from the cells to the blood, binding again with the iron in the hemoglobin. Therefore, as blood flows around the body, it continually distributes oxygen2c,6. BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE HEART Coronary flow In order to perform its functions, the heart an abundant supply of oxygen and nutrients and therefore needs a dedicated supply of blood. Coronary circulation is that part of the systemic circulation that provides blood supply to the heart. Just as the aorta leaves the left ventricle, it gives of the right and left coronary arteries9. The left coronary artery divides into smaller braches supplying blood to the apex and the posterior side of the heart, the ventricles and part of the anterior interventricular septum, the left atrium and posterior wall of the left ventricle. The right coronary artery supplies the lateral aspect of the right atrium and ventricle, the posterior wall of both ventricles and the SA node9,10. Effect of reduced coronary flow on cardiac function The energy demand of the cardiac muscle is so crucial that an interruption of blood supply to any part of the myocardium can cause necrosis within minutes9. A decrease in coronary flow to levels below normal is called myocardial ischemia. The ischemia can be caused by vascular spasms of the coronary arteries, atherosclerosis or increased activity of the heart beyond levels that the coronary arteries can supply10. Temporary or reversible obstruction of coronary blood flow can cause chest pain known as angina pectoris9. Chronic myocardial ischemia can lead to myocardial infarction where myocardial cells die and are replaced by scar tissue. Reduced coronary flow therefore can affect cardiac function in several ways. If the heart is not able to meet its metabolic demand, it can be understood that it will not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Reduced blood flow to the rest of the body can result in serious physiological and pathological conditions which are beyond the scope of this essay. With the death of some cardiac cells as in the case of chronic ischemia, several other life threatening conditions can arise which affect cardiac function. One of such dangerous conditions is ventricular fibrillation which is an abnormal pulse generation triggered by the damaged myocardial cells. The heart will not be able to pump blood but will just quiver around without any net output. Death can occur within minutes2b,6. Treatment of reduced coronary flow Other immediate effects like ventricular fibrillation caused by reduced coronary flow can be treated by defibrillation. However, the main cause of reduced coronary flow is coronary artery occlusion or restriction and the following treatment options are available: Coronary bypass: This is a surgical technique where the occluded coronary artery is cut and replaced by a new blood vessel, usually a vein taken from somewhere in the patients body2b. Coronary balloon angiography (cardiac catheterization): This is another surgical procedure where a catheter containing a balloon at its tip is passed into the occluded artery. The balloon is enlarged thus stretching the artery and opening it in the process2b. The use vasodilator drugs such as nitroglycerine: These drugs dilate the coronary artery thereby lowering the total peripheral resistance. This reduces the work the heart must do in ejecting blood. This is usually given to people who have already suffered myocardial infarction to reduce the risk of another occurance2b,10. A person at risk of myocardial infarction can be put a low cholesterol, low fat diet to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and takes aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clot formation. Conclusion The cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems of the body. All the other systems and organs of the body depend on it for supply of oxygen and nutrients and removal of metabolic wastes. The heart acts as a pump to make sure blood is circulated to all parts of the body through pulmonary and systemic circulations9. However, the heart itself needs supply of blood in order to perform its main function of pumping blood and the heart is supplied by the coronary circulation. Reduction in coronary flow means the heart will not be able to meet it metabolic needs and therefore cannot pump enough blood. This can adversely affect normal activity of the body and cause death10. References Sherwood L. Fundamentals of physiology a human perspective. St. Paul Minn: West publishing company; 1991.190-199 1b. Sherwood L. Fundamentals of physiology a human perspective. St. Paul Minn: West publishing company; 1991.263-266 Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 387-389. 2b. Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 374-377. 2c. Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 479-483. Koeppen M B, Stanton A B. Berne and Levy physiology, sixth edition. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby/Elsevier; 2008. 289-303 Serguei Semenov (2009): Lecture notes. Physiological measurements, ecg/pacemakers/defibrillators. Cohen J B, Wood L D. Structure and function of the human body, seventh edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000. 195-204. Vandegriff K.D, Benazzi L, Ripamonti M, Perrella M, Tellier Le Y.C, Zegna A, Winslow R M. Determination of the rate and equilibrium constants for oxygen and carbon monoxide binding to R-state human Hemoglobin,199: The journal of Biological Chemistry ; 266 (26): 17049-17059 Elaine N M, Katja H. Human anatomy and physiology, seventh edition. Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings; 2007.674-681 Sherwood L. Human physiology: from cells to systems, sixth edition. Belmont, CA: homson/Brooks/Cole; 2007.300-304 Saladin K S. Anatomy and physiology: The unity of form and function, fifth edition. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Higher Education; 2009.683-755 Stanfield C L, Germann W J, Niles J N, Cannon J G. Principles of human physiology, third edition. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings; 2009. 361-366 Skeletal Muscle Question: Describe the structure of skeletal muscle and how it contracts (90) and discuss a disease that may arise from this system (10) The structure of skeletal muscle and the mechanism of muscle contraction including muscle disease (1553 Words) 1.0 ABSTRACT Skeletal Muscle is a form of fibrous tissue with the fibers arranged parallel to each other. A muscle fiber (cell) is surrounded by the endomysium. A group of these cells is wrapped by fascicles. Bundles of fascicles are covered by the perimysium and bundles of the perimysium are wrapped by the epimysium to form a muscle. The muscle fibers have contractile properties which enable them to move bony levers in order to produce skeletal movement1. The functional unit of the muscle fiber is the sacomere which consists of most importantly, actin and myosin. The actin and myosin are arranged such that during contraction, they can slide over each other thus shortening the muscle2. Muscles suffer from many diseases, one of which is polymyositis. This is an inflammatory myopathy that affects mainly the muscles of the thorax and those around the torso. It affects all age groups but has been noticed mainly in late childhood and early adulthood. The sypmtomps are nonspecific but results in general muscle weakness and the cause, though believed to be an invasion by the white blood cells, is not very clear10. 2.0 The Structure of Skeletal Muscle. In daily life, structures and arrangements of designs are dictated, to a large extent by the purpose and function for which the design is meant for. Knowing that skeletal muscle is made up mainly of fibrous tissues, the arrangement of these tissues and how they are bound together to maintain a particular shape in order to accomplish different purposes (mainly to generate force and produce movement) may to a large extent, define the structure of the muscle4. At a macro level, the skeletal muscle is composed of bundles of individual muscle fibers, the supporting structure called the basal lamina, and the connective tissue sheaths as shown in figure 1. These connective tissues bind the cells together giving them strength and partly providing mechanical protection2. We can examine these connective tissues and their functions as follows: 2.1 The basal lamina. This is an extracellular matrix that acts as a scaffold on which a cell sits. It has been realized that apart from providing structural support, the basal lamina can orient and constrain cell during the process of regeneartion3. 2.2 The endomysium. This is a fine sheath of connective tissue that surrounds each individual muscle cell. The endomysium consist of loosely interlacing fibers composed mainly of collagen4. 2.3 The perimysium and fascilces. The individual muscle fibers wrapped by the endomysium, are grouped together in what is called fascicles. A layer of fibrous tissue called the perimysium wraps each fascicle4. 2.4 The epimysium. This is the outside layer that finally wraps the whole muscle. It is composed of dense irregular connective tissue4. Figure 1 Source: http://www.web-books.com/eLibrary/Medicine/Physiology/Muscular/muscle_structure.jpg 3.0 The muscle cell Having described how individual muscle cells are organized into a muscle, it is imperative that we look at the structural composition of the cell itself. Just like many other cells in the body are specialized according to their functions, skeletal muscle cells are specialized to produce force and movement5. The skeletal muscle fiber is thus composed of mainly three structural elements:-the myofibrils, the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria, each contributing a unique aspect of muscle function. The entire function of the muscle can be attributed to the shifts in proportions of these three structures6. 3.1 The Myofibrills. These are cylindrical specialized sub-units within the muscle fiber. They consist of two types of contractile protein filaments-the thin filaments referred to as actin and the thick filaments referred to as myosin. The two most important parameters of the myofibrils are their diameter which determines its strength and the fiber length which determines it contraction velocity and distance over which the fiber can contract. The myofibril consist of two filaments-actin and myosin6,2. 3.1.1 Actin (thin filament). Actin filaments are responsible for regulation of contraction. The actin filament is formed by a helical arranged of actin monomers which is an ambiguous protein2 (figure 2). Because of the helical nature, a long grove is formed along the filament and the protein troponin is located at intervals along the length of the actin filament. It is troponin which is responsible for turning on contraction2,7. Figure 2.The actin molecule. Source: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~sjjgsca/Muscleslidingfilament1.gif 3.1.2 The Myosin (thick filament). Myosin filament is about 150nm long. It has a tail and two heads. The tail is formed by two helical shaped fibers that coil around each other. A collection of several of these helical tails together form a myosin filament (figure 3)4b. Figure 3. The myosin molecule. Source: http://webanatomy.net/anatomy/myosin.jpg. 3.2 The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Groups of about 200 thick and thin filaments constitute a myofibril. Each myofibril is thus enclosed in a membrane called the sarcoplasmic reticulum8. The SR membrane stores and releases calcium during muscle contraction and relaxation. The SR can therefore be thought of as the functional unit of the myofibril9. 3.3 The mitochondria. Found within the cell cytoplasm, the mitochondria are responsible for generation of most of the cells energy by the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). There are several mitochondria distributed along the length of a myofibril4. 4.0 The mechanism of muscle contraction Muscle contraction can largely be attributed to the structure of actin and myosin, their arrangement within the SR and the interaction between them in order to produce force (Figure 4). This type of arrangement allows the thin actin filaments to slide in and out by the action pull of the myosin heads8b. Figure 4. Actin and myosin arrangement: Source: http://www.exrx.net/Images/ActinMyosin.gif Muscles are composed of a number of actin and myosin filaments arranged in series in a basic unit called the sacomere. The sacomere consists of a thick filament in the meddle and two thin filaments, one overlapping on each side. The heads of the thick filament attach to the thin filament at the overlap and these heads allow movement in only one direction. When activated, each thick filament head rachets repeatedly along the actin, pulling the two actins closer together. Since the actin are attached to the Z line (The distance between two Z lines form the sacomere), ends of the sacomere (Z lines) are pulled in and the sacomere shortens. The sacomeres are arranged in series so that when the muscle fiber contracts, all the sacomeres contract simultaneously transmitting the force to the end of the muscle. The whole process of contraction described above occurs when the muscle is electrically stimulated2b. 5.0 Muscle stimulation. Skeletal muscle cells are stimulated by the motor neurons of the somatic nervous system. The reception of the motor stimulus (action potential) opens the calcium channels allowing calcium which is stored in the SR to be released. The release of calcium causes the release of acetylcholine-Ach (neurotransmitter). The calcium binds to the troponin on the actin filament. Troponin then regulates the tropomyosin which obstructs binding sites for myosin. This allows the tropomyosin to move, unblocking the bonding site. Myosin then binds to the unblocked site on the actin and applies a pull. This will pull the Z bands towards each other thus shortening the sacomere, causing muscle contraction2b. However, as calcium is released, the ATP-dependent calcium pump is activated and it continuously pumps calcium back to the SR to be stored again. This leads to a drop in calcium level within the cytoplasm. When the calcium level is too low, the calcium binding action to troponin is terminated, releasing tropomyosin which again blocks the binding site. This stops the interaction between actin and myosin thus relaxing the muscle2b. 6.0 Muscle Diseases There are a number of muscular diseases and disorders ranging from acquired, familial to congenital. Limiting ourselves to one of the acquired disorders of the muscles, lets look at polymyositis. 6.1 Polymyositis (PM). PM is a type of muscle inflammatory myopathy. Just like the name suggests, this disease causes inflammation of the muscle fiber. Although the causes of the disease are not well understood, it is believed that PM begins when white blood cells, spontaneously invade muscles. This can result in severe muscle weakness. Polymyositis is a persistent disease characterized by periods of increased and reduced or no symptoms. PM affects mainly the muscles of the thorax and is more common in women than men. It is said to affect all age groups although is it commonly noted in early childhood or 20s10. Key pathologic and diagnostic features of the disease. Endomysial inflammation. This is the inflammation of the outer connective tissue that surrounds the muscle fiber. This is done by the white blood cells that leave the blood and enter the tissue, somehow confirming the earlier assertion that the PM begins when white blood cells invade muscles. Invasion of myofibers by autoaggressive lymphocytes. This is when the T lymphocytes begin to attack the intact myofibers. Unlike in muscle dystrophy where inflammation is associated with degenerating myofibers, the invasion of T lymphocytes causes inflammation of health myofibers in PM.This causes inflammation of healthy myofibers. Other diagnostic features that may not be exactly specific to PM include myofiber necrosis, myophagocytosis, myofiber atrophy and fibrosis, a feature of chronic PM10,11. 7.0 Conclusion Human movement is only possible because of the action of muscle contraction. Voluntary contraction of muscle is made possible by the somatic nervous system which sends out an action potential activating the contraction process. The process is accomplished by the sliding of myosin and actin over each other. Many diseases and disorders affect muscles, prominent among them is muscular polymyosis which causes inflammation of the muscles mainly around the torso. Its believed to be caused by the unwanted action of the white blood cells and the symptoms include muscle weakness.

Criminal Liability Case Study

Criminal Liability Case Study This assignment will explore many interesting questions considering criminal liability of Jane, Francine, Sam and Allan, actus reus, mens rea and the circumstances when a person is liable for the criminal acts of another. Every criminal offense has two components: one of these is objective, the other is subjective; one is physical, the other is mental; one is the actus reus, the other is the mens rea. The actus reus generally differs from crime to crime. In murder it is homicide; in burglary it is the nocturnal breaking into the dwelling of another; in uttering a forged instrument it is the act of offering as good an instrument which is actually false. In like manner the mens rea differs from crime to crime. In murder it is malice aforethought; in burglary it is the intent to commit a felony; in uttering a forged instrument it is knowledge that the instrument is false plus an intent to defraud. Perkins Boyce Criminal Law 830-831 (3rd ed. 1982). [1]The actus reus must be causally related to the mens rea for a crime to occur: An evil intention and an unlawful action must concur in order to constitute a crime. 93 N. E. 249. Although it is frequently said that no mens rea is required for a strict liab ility offense, the actus reus alone being sufficient (see e. g. , 361 U. S. 147, 150 and 342 U. S. 246, 256), it is more useful to identify a special mens rea for the civil offense that recognizes the low level of culpability connected with a strict or civil offense. As to the act being sufficient even in the strict liability setting, a guilty act (as opposed to a coerced act for example) would seem required. Hall, General Principles of Criminal Law 222-27 (2d ed. 1960)[2]. corpus delicti. http://www. answers. com/topic/actus-reus#Notes Latin: a mind to be accused; a guilty mind. In many systems of law, criminal guilt requires not  only that an act was performed (actus reus) but also that it was performed with an appropriate  mind-set. Having the intention to perform a crime is sufficient, but not necessary to mens rea. Foreseeing a side-effect such as a death could count, even if the death is not intended, and  reckless negligence could also constitute mens rea. As an element of criminal responsibility, a  guilty mind; a guilty or wrongful purpose; a criminal intent. Guilty knowledge and willfulness. A fundamental principle of criminal law is that a crime consists of both a mental and a physical  element. Mens rea, a persons awareness of the fact that his or her conduct is criminal, is the  mental element, and actus reus, the act itself, is the physical element  mostly crimes, including common-law crimes, are defined by statutes that usually contain a  word or phrase indicating the mens rea requirement. A typical statute, for example, may require  that a person act knowingly, purposely, or recklessly. Sometimes a statute creates criminal liability for the commission or omission of a particular act  without designating a mens rea. These are called strict liability statutes. If such a statute is  construed to purposely omit criminal intent, a person who commits the crime may be guilty even  though he or she had no knowledge that his or her act was criminal and had no thought of  committing a crime. All that is required under such statutes is that the act itself is voluntary,  since involuntary acts are not criminal. http://www. answers. com/topic/mens-rea Janes criminal liability for the injuries lina An examination of Janes liability of he harm caused Lina must start by considering the harm done. The expression badly Burt is suggestive grievous harm bodily harm , so opening up the possibility of offences contrary to both s. 18 and s. 20 of Offences Against the Person Act 1861. [3] Under s. 18 there would have to be proof that Jane had caused grievous bodily harm, which these purpose would be satisfied by evidence that the burns constituted serious harm Rv sanderts 1985 crime Lr230)[4] there are no causation issues. The throwing of fireworks causes the harm in fact and there is no evidence of any novus acuts intervenient. The problem for prosecution would be regarded as the mens rea, did Jane intend to cause grievous bodily harm to any person? Unless there is evidence that Jane foresaw such harm as virtually certain Rv wolling(1998)A ALL ER103) [5]. There will no basis for a s. 18 charge. Proof of such forsight seems unlikely, especially if the throwing of the firework was meant as a prank, further problems would arise under s18 in respect of Janes alcohol consumption. The offence is one of specific intent so Jane was intoxicated therefore she cannot be guilty of the s 18 offence see DPPv Majewski (1976) All ER42, [6]. Whether or not Jane was intoxicated will be question of fact for the jury. Above mentioned points in a mind a charge under is s20 of the Offence Against the Person Act 1861 would seen more promising. The prosecution will have to prove that Jane maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harms on the lina. The harm will be made out as can be regarded as synonymous with causing Rv Burstow Rv Ireland 1997AC 147[7]. The mental element here requires proof that Jane farsaw the possibility of some Diolock LJ in mowatt (1967) 3 ALLER 47[8]. On the fact is it possible that Jane did not foresee any physical harm, especially if she gave no thought to the possibility of there being anyone on the other side of the hedge. If Jane was intoxicated she could still incur liability unders s20. a (basic intent crime) if there is evidence that she was reckless in becoming intoxicated and, as a result, was unaware of a risk of physical harm being caused that she would have been aware of had she been sober. DPPV Majewski [9] and subsequent decisions such as Rv Rivhardson and Irwin (19 99) [10] crime LR 494 and Rv hardie (1984) 3 ALL ER 848. [11][12] If the harm done does not amount to grievous bodily harm, or the mens rea for s 20. cannot be established, Jane may be charged under s47 of the Offence Against the Person Act 1961 the she assaulted lina and thereby occasional actual bodily harm The burns would undoubtedly satisfy the definition of actual bodily harm Rv Miller (1954)) 2. QB 282[13]. The only mens rea required would be intension to assault or reckless, but the subjective recklessness Rv cunninghum (1957). 2 QB 396[14][15]. Jane must therefore, be proved to have been aware if risk that another person might be assaulted or battered by her actions, so there would be no need to show that she foresaw any actual bodily harm Rv savage. Rv parameter (1992) 1 AC 699 [16]again s 47 is basic intend crime that comments regarding the significance of intoxication in relation to s 20 apply here. Francines criminal liability accomplice Jane. Francine encourage Jane to throw the fire work and can be described as someone who a betted to offence by Jane. Francine was the scene of the crime and spurred Jane on Francine will argue that she did not think that anyone would be avail her. Accomplice will be party to all the unforeseen or accidental consequences of the agreed course of conduct carried out by the principal offender. In the present cane Jane dose precisely what Francine tells . she should do, so Francine will be a party to resulting offences Rv Betts and Ridley (1930) 22 Cr App R148 and Rv Baldessare (1930) 22 Cr App R 70[17]. It is possible that Francine as an accomplice may be charged with and found guilty of a more serious offence than that which Jane is charged with. Note of the Francine is sober so she may be capable of greater foresight of harm occurring to another. There is nothing in principle to prevent Francine being charged with a more serious offences than that charged against Jane. Sams criminal liability against regarding the milk Sam may be guilty of theft milk. It is clearly property belonging to another s. 4(1) and s. 5(1) of the Theft Act 1968. He appropriates the milk by hiding it s. 3(1) of the 1968 Act. Any assumption of any right of the owner can amount an appropriation of property. It is hard to see any argument by which he could claim not to dishonest. The only issue is intension to permanently deprive. Sam will argue that he had no such intension, but s 6(1) of the Theft Act 1968 provides that even if he did not actually intend Jane to permanently lose the milk, his dealing with it can be regarded as evidence id his having the intension of permanently depriving her of it. Because sam chose to treat the milk as his own to dispose of regardless of Janes right. Rv cahill (1993) Crime LR141[18], suggest the removing anothers property to another palce as a prank falls outside s. 6(1) but the courts are likely to fallow DPP v Lavender (1993) Crime LR 297,[19] which suggests that such action can be theft. The perishable nature of the commodity will strengthen the prosecution case on this point in the event. Milk could also provide the basis for criminal damage charge contrary s 1(1) of the Criminal Damages Act 1971. Sams criminal liability regarding the deflated tyres Deliberately deflating the tyres could be criminal damage to s 1(1) of the Criminal Damages Act 1971 the point to note here is that the tyres can be damaged simply by being altered. The mens rea is evident. A charge of aggravated criminal damage contrary to s. 1(2) might also be considered, but if the car cannot be driven because the tyres are flat it would be difficult for the prosecution to prove that sam intended to endanger life or was reckless as to whether his action would have that effect. Tempering with the brakes, by contrast, would support as s. (2) offence. It should be noted that, following Rv G (2003) 4 ALL ER 765, [20]the recklessness involved in the offence of criminal damages is subjective so assuming his intension to damage property can be taken as evident from the fact. The prosecution would have to prove that sam was aware of the risk that like would be endangered as result of the damage to the property, and that the circumstances known to him, it had been unreason able for him to take risk. Allans liability regarding the telephone calls. Lord steyen in R v burtow , R v Ireland (1998) AC 147, held that both grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm could take the form of neurotic disorder induced by a defendants conduct. It was also accepted in that case that such harm could be caused without any direct assault on the victim by the defended. Whether a case involved grievous bodily harm or actual bodily harm would simply be a matter of degree. The House of Lords also held in that case that although in s. 47 actual bodily harm cases as assault had to proven, it could be committed by the use of words alone, by a telephone call, even by silent telephone call. The prosecution would have to prove however, that the victim apprehended immediate physical violence as result the telephone calls. On the basis Allan could be charged s. 47 in respect of the harm he causes to Pauline. There is no problem in relation to causation. As to mens rea , the fact that telephones the wrong victim by accident is irrelevant. The principle of transferred malice would apply, the identity of the victim being irrelevant. Rv Latimer (1886) 17 QBD 359. [21]Problems might arise under s20. in establishing that Allen acted maliciously Rv Mowatt) as above mentioned. He might not have foreseen the risk of any physical harm occurring to anyone . On the basis of s. 47charge seems more likely. The only mens rea required would be evidence that Allen foresaw the risk of another person apprehending immediate physical violence as result of his telephone calls. Whether or not this could be establish would depend to a large extent on the evidence of that he said when making the calls. The statement ‘I am coming to fire bomb your house in tow min would be an example of a threat the required intent would probably be made out. Sam liability as an accomplice to Allen Sams  counsels Allen in the commission of the offences against Pauline in the sense that persuades him to make calls, there is a connection between sams requests and the actions of Allen. Allen acted within the scope of the authority given by Sam Rv Calhaem(1985) 2 ALL ER 266[22]. That Allen hurts Pauline. Not Jane, is irrelevant. Only if Allen had deliberately chosen a different victim would sam have escaped liability as an accomplice Rv saunders and Archer(1573) 2 plowed 473[23], as an applied in Rv Leaby (1985)Crim LR99[24]. Sam has the mens rea to be accomplice. There is no deliberate departure from the common design by Allan. The issue in above question is with regards to criminal liabilities of Jane, Francine, Sam, Allan  the likelihood of they will be charged for Offences Against Person Act 1861, Theft Act .s18, s20, Jane throw fire on linas garden which causes badly burnt, grievous badly harm, Thus the Offences contrary comes under s18 or s20, Francine was the scene of the crime and spurred Jane on, Francine accomplice will be a party to all the unforeseen or accidental consequences of the of the agreed course of conduct carried by the principal offender. Sams liability comes under Theft Act 1968 he appropriates the milk by hiding it by assumption of property even if he did not actually intend Jane to permanently depraving her of it, also deflating the tyres could be Criminal Damages Act (1971). A charge of aggravated criminal damage contrary to s. 1(2), if the car cannot be driven, intended to endangered, like same way Allan foresaw the risk of another person apprehending immediate physical violence as a result of his telephone calls Thus Allan could be change under s 20 s 47 in respect of the harm he causes to Pauline even if the principal of transfer malice would apply and even If sam console in the commission of the offence against Pauline that he persuades him to make the cause. The men rea required would be the intension to assault or subjective recklessness. Sources Used [1] Perkins Boyce Criminal Law 830-831 (3rd ed. 1982). [2] Hall, General Principles of Criminal Law 222-27 (2d ed. 1960) [3] Offences Against the Person Act 1861. [4] Rv sanderts 1985 crime Lr230) [5] Rv wolling(1998)A ALL ER103) [6] DPPv Majewski (1976) All ER42, [7] Rv Burstow Rv Ireland 1997AC 147 [8] Diolock LJ in mowatt (1967) 3 ALLER 47 [9]  Diolock LJ in mowatt (1967) 3 ALLER 47 [10] Rv Rivhardson and Irwin (1999) [11] Rv Rivhardson and Irwin (1999) [12] Rv Rivhardson and Irwin (1999) [13] Rv Rivhardson and Irwin (1999) 14 Rv cunninghum (1957). 2 QB 396[15] 15 Rv savage. Rv parameter (1992) 1 AC 699 [17] Rv Betts and Ridley (1930) 22 Cr App R148 and Rv Baldessare (1930) 22 Cr App R 70 [18] Rv cahill (1993) Crime LR141 [19] fallow DPP v Lavender (1993) Crime LR 297, [20] Rv G (2003) 4 ALL ER 765, [21] Rv Latimer (1886) 17 QBD 359. [22] Rv Calhaem(1985) 2 ALL ER 266 [23] Rv saunders and Archer(1573) 2 plowed 473 [24] Rv Leaby (1985)Crim LR99