What is the Future of Internet Radio?

Since the days when the family radio was a focal point of the home, where everyone gathered as the main source of news and entertainment to the present day of Internet, satellite and digital radio content, the basic concept of radio has not only survived, but thrived. With all of the new options in radio, however, the question of the future of Internet radio has generated many ideas, controversy and discussion over the past several years. This essay will take a balanced approach to discussing both the pros and cons of Internet versus traditional radio in an effort to ultimately answer this question in an intelligent way. Will Internet Radio Replace Traditional Radio? The knee-jerk tendency when considering whether or not Internet radio will replace traditional radio would be to assume that this would be the case if for no other reason than due to the natural progression of technology, much like the compact disc eventually replaced the vinyl record and the like. However, a closer look at the question requires that a more thorough review of source material take place before jumping to conclusions. In less than a decade, Internet radio has gained the same status as a mass media source as radio has over approximately the last century-clearly a force with which to be reckoned (VanHorn). This begs the question of how this was able to take place so rapidly and whether it is due to the faddish nature of some new technologies or because of distinct advantages that Internet has over conventional radio. Few would argue that the massive increase in the availability of Internet access over the past several years has added to the power of the medium- this includes not only the fact that most every workplace in America has some level of Internet access for most employees, but also that Internet access has been made available to the vast majority of households across a range of economic classes, races and cultures. With this, a new group of media consumers has evolved. Called â€Å"streamies†, these individuals are those who use the Internet for shopping, communication, work, and media/entertainment access (VanHorn). The streamies are now beginning their second, and in some cases third generation, with children gaining access to the Internet as soon as they are able to point and click a computer mouse. So, we see a well established and growing audience for Internet radio. Internet radio producers have not been blind to the fact that they are looking at a seemingly endless supply of listeners and that the future potential is all but endless. Knowing that this audience is technologically savvy, and harnessing the power of the Internet, there have been many enhancements to the Internet radio experience that in fairness are hard for conventional radio to compete with, including interactive broadcasts that allow listeners to provide feedback to broadcasters, blogs that allow for the audience to communicate with each other, and additional Websites which could give a listener access to other materials of interest. Evidence suggests that this type of multimedia experience is very well suited to the modern person, who not only wishes to hear a media source, but also wishes to have something to watch or that will give the chance for one’s intellect to be exercised (Crisell). While Internet radio seems to have quite an assortment of options to offer to the modern audience member, traditional radio should not be counted out just yet. From the advent of Internet radio, traditional radio has attempted to slow down the proliferation of competing Internet radio, first through lawsuits which alleged that Internet broadcasters were taking unfair advantage of the broadcasting system because of the fact that they were exempt from many of the regulations which at times saddle the traditional radio broadcaster and represent a huge expense for them (Mckibben). Failing that, the traditionalists have in recent years likewise gotten involved in Internet broadcasting, using online technology to reach a wider audience with the content that was popular with conventional listeners for years in the past (Crisell). It would appear that in the present stalemate between Internet and conventional radio, the future for both seems cloudy. However, as we will see in a later portion of this essay, there is a very viable future that remains to be seen. Should Internet Radio Pay the Same Royalties as Traditional Radio? The point was made earlier that conventional radio has long argued that Internet radio has unfair advantage in areas such as regulation, technological requirements, etc. Another consideration that has financial implications is the question of whether or not Internet radio should pay the same royalties as traditional radio if the two media sources are different but fundamentally similar. Ironically, when discussing royalties, Internet broadcasters have a disadvantage over conventional broadcasters, at least on the surface. Conventional broadcasters pay a set royalty into order to broadcast copyrighted materials such as songs, whereas Web-based broadcasters are charged a fee per download. Therefore, given the huge size of online audiences that do not have the limitations like those who receive broadcasts on regular radios, royalty fees can quite literally be without limit (Harwood). On the other hand, the possibility of endlessly large audiences, if properly marketed, can result in substantially larger advertising revenue if advertisers can be convinced of the value of such large target audiences for their message. With the evidence that exists, it would seem that the answer would be not to arbitrarily assess higher royalty fees to Internet broadcasters, or to lower fees to traditional broadcasters to try to give them some sort of competitive edge over the massive power of online broadcasters, but to find a way to create a percentage-based royalty fee for both media sources. For example, Internet broadcasters who are mostly content-based and do not emphasize a large amount of advertising would not be held responsible for massive royalty payments since the content they are utilizing is not being used for the purposes of driving massive revenues in the first place. Conversely, when Internet content results in massive advertising revenue, it would only make sense that royalties be fairly paid for the content that made the profits possible. Careful auditing and a process of verification for the numbers that are used to determine the royalty rates would alleviate any possible errors and disputes from the outset. What Does the Future Hold? The point was earlier made that the destruction of traditional radio in favor of Internet radio may not be what the future holds, and there are compelling reasons for making that assumption, for as cutting-edge and attractive as Internet radio may be, there is something to be said for the grass roots way that traditional radio operates, serves and entertains. In times of emergency and local interest, people will always look to the traditional, local radio station for what they crave-something that computer servers and satellites from around the globe simply cannot provide, as if they are too big and cumbersome to be as nimble and versatile as the smaller broadcasters in the traditional sense tend to be (Armstrong). Also, as was said earlier, traditional broadcasters can likewise participate in Internet broadcasting while still retaining their local ties and flavor. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to predict that the future will save a place for the traditional, and cutting edge broadcasting worlds. Conclusion At the risk of sounding outrageous, there are surely new applications of broadcasting technology that currently exist only in the minds of those trying to make them a reality. Therefore, in closing, the point should also be made that radio, to paraphrase a line from a classic song, has only just begun.

Meralco’s Pricing: an Assessment

I. Introduction Meralco is a natural monopoly. Natural monopoly exists when a firm is able to supply the total market demand more efficiently because of economies of scale that allow the firm to lower its cost as it expands capacity. However, like any firm in a market situation where there is imperfect competition or in a less-than-competitive market, a natural-monopoly firm, when left to its own, tends to limit its output to a point where its marginal cost equals its marginal revenue but charge a much higher price than what would have prevailed when there is a highly-competitive market.In a highly-competitive market, the output tends to settle at a point where marginal cost equals marginal revenue, which also equals its price and where the unit cost of production is the lowest possible because of competition. When the price is greater than unit cost and profits are high, more firms will come to compete in the market and drive down the price back to where it is just equal to unit cos t. When the price is below unit cost, the resulting losses will drive out some of the firm from the market, thus raising the price back again to where it is just equal to the unit cost of producing the product concerned.Because a natural monopoly, like any firm in an imperfect market, charges a price way above the equality of marginal cost and marginal revenue, it also produces at a certain level of output that is less than what would have prevailed when the market is highly competitive. These twin evils (higher price than necessary and lower output than possible), which arise from the presence of a monopoly, make for a very strong case for government intervention. In line with this, the researchers ought to know if Meralco has really an absolute control over the output produced and therefore charge the highest price to increase their profit.They also want to know the basis of pricing per kilowatt hour (kWh) and how do they implemented this to their consumer. II. Methodology The des criptive research method was used in this research, as it points out conditions and relationships that exist or do not exist. Furthermore, this method emphasizes more on descriptions rather than on judgments or interpretations. Descriptive research is thus a type of research that is primarily concerned with describing the nature or conditions and degree in detail of the present situation. (Landman, 1998:59)Descriptive data for research are collected by using different methods. It may be presented qualitatively or in verbal forms or symbols, or quantitatively in mathematical symbols, depending upon the nature of the material and the purposes for which one is doing research. III. Respondents of the study The respondents of this study consisted of Meralco consumers and some people from the Department of Energy (DOE). The above-mentioned respondents qualified to the most needed criteria of the researchers, who were currently situated at the survey site. IV.Discussion A. Overview of Mono poly A. 1 Definition of monopoly Pure monopoly exists when a single firm is the sole producer of a product for which there are no close substitutes. A. 2 Characteristics of Monopoly Here are the main characteristics of pure monopoly: a. Single seller. A pure, or absolute, monopoly is an industryin which a single firm is the sole producer of aspecific good or the sole supplier of a service; thefirm and the industry are synonymous. b. No close substitutes. A pure monopoly’s product isunique in that there are no close substitutes.Theconsumer who chooses not to buy the monopolized product must do without it. c. Price maker. The pure monopolist controls the totalquantity supplied and thus has considerable controlover price; it is a price maker (unlike a pure competitor,which has no such control and therefore is a pricetaker). The pure monopolist confronts the usualdownward-sloping product demand curve. It canchange its product price by changing the quantity ofthe product it produc es. The monopolist will use thispower whenever it is advantageous to do so. d. Blocked entry.A pure monopolist has no immediatecompetitors because certain barriers keep potentialcompetitors from entering the industry. Those barriers may be economic, technological, legal, or ofsome other type. But entry is totally blocked in puremonopoly. e. Nonprice competition. The product produced by a puremonopolist may be either standardized (as with naturalgas and electricity)or differentiated (aswith Windows orFrisbees). Monopolists that have standardized products engage mainly in public relationsadvertising, whereas those with differentiated productssometimes advertise their products’ attributes.B. Meralco and Pricing The  Manila Electric Company  ,also known as  MERALCO  , is the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power. The word MERALCO, is an  acronym  for  Manila  Electric  Railroad  And  Light  Company, which was the company's original name from 1903 to 1919. MERALCO is the  Metro Manila's only electric power distributor and holds the power distribution franchise for some 22 cities and 89 municipalities, including the whole of  Metro Manila  and  Mega Manila  region. B. 1 Retail price compositionIEC confirmed that the main component or 65 percent of the average of Meralco’s retail pricing is the generation charge. Charges by independent power producers comprised 44 percent, National Power Corp. ’s transmission billing was 35 percent, spot market pricing was 13 percent, and the ancillary service charge was 8 percent. The table below shows the composition of the total of retail price charged to consumers: IEC also estimated that the embedded fuel costs comprised approximately 50 percent of the total generation charge, while the transmission charge comprised 9 percent of the average tariff.VAT and other taxes and statutory charges comprised 10 percent. Lastly, the distribution charge, which is the only part of electricity billing that goes to Meralco, comprised 16 percent of the average tariff. All other charges were thus collected by Meralco on behalf of third parties. B. 2 Price as Compared to other Countries IEC conducted a detailed survey and analysis of retail electricity tariffs and costs in 13 countries and two U. S. states, as well as a supplementary, less comprehensive â€Å"meta-analysis â€Å" of 27 countries in the Euro area and the 50 remaining U. S. states.The 15 core markets in the survey included Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan (Kansai), Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia (WA), Sri Lanka, NZ, California (PG;E), Hawaii, Canada (Ontario) and South Africa. For each of the core markets, retail tariffs were calculated for residential, commercial and industrial customers. IEC enumerated seven factors behind Meralco’s pricing as compared to other countries: subsidies, high intrinsic cost of supply, import-parity fuel, grid size/plant mix, higher financing cost, geographical challenges and cross-subsidy in transmission rates.Surprisingly, a number of countries in the study like Korea and Taiwan have electricity prices that are lower than Meralco’s because of government policies that provide subsidies of up to 50 percent. The subsidies come in the varied form of frozen tariffs, sale of fuel to utilities at below market rates, and utility losses shouldered by the government. IEC noted that Meralco’s estimated cost of supply was in the top quintile (9th highest and 19 percent above the average) among the 44 markets surveyed.The cost of producing and delivering electricity in Luzon (and in the Philippines, more generally), it seems, was intrinsically high largely because of the high price of imported fossil fuel. Interestingly, IEC also pointed to the relatively small grid size, geographic challenges of transmission and higher cost of financing costs as reasons for high intrinsic cost of electricity that Mer alco sells. If fact, IEC noted that eight of the 10 highest cost markets in the survey are island nation/states, and this factor may be a fundamental cost multiplier.Because 80 percent of power generation in Luzon was fuelled with imported fuels, electricity prices are expected to remain high. This is the reality of a country that is dependent on imported fuels. Also, the Luzon grid size is smaller and therefore had a high dependence on hydro which requires a higher reserve margin requirement. The weighted average cost of capital in the Philippine power sector is higher than most countries in the region. Debt cost is relatively high and loan tenors are shorter. Transmission costs are also inherently high as power has to be transmitted across several islands.Lastly, the higher cost of transmission to consumers in the Visayas is subsidized by consumers in the Luzon grid. A study conducted by the company and commissioned by Meralco found that at the beginning of 2012 the Philippines ha d the 2nd highest electricity rates in the region and the 9th highest out of 44 international markets. In the study, which was standardized for type of customer, time period, currency price and resource rates, he came to a number of conclusions about why consumer electricity rates in the Philippines are relatively high for the region and internationally.Several of the issues don't seem to have a near term solution in sight. 1. The government doesn't subsidize energy. The main reason prices are likely to stay high is the Philippines can't afford to subsidize its electricity as other countries in the region do,3/4 of the reason energy costs are high is because the government doesn't apply subsidies to keep tariffs artificially low. Several neighboring countries — Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan — all have lower tariffs because of government subsidies.He said up to and sometimes over 50% of costs in these countries are subsidized since government policies freeze tariffs, sell fuel at below market rates and make government shoulder business losses. 2. It's expensive to produce energy in the Philippines. Philippine power generation relies largely on imported fuel pegged to high international fuel prices, The country is making efforts to explore more of its own natural gas resources, but finding deposits and setting up production facilities will take years. In the meantime, the country is reliant on high cost international fuel. 3. Challenging geography.Because the Philippines is made up of thousands of islands, it does not have a unified electricity grid and there are several providers. â€Å"In principle,† said Morris, â€Å"the bigger the grid the cheaper the cost† which can be spread out among more customers. However he thought that creating a unified grid in the Philippines would be problematic given the terrain. He noted that transmission costs are more expensive because power has to be sent across several islands. I EC found that 8 of the 10 highest cost markets in the survey were island nations or states, which could be a â€Å"fundamental cost multiplier. He said, â€Å"It is expensive to make electricity, transmit it and distribute it in this country†¦ I can't see that problem changing in the next 20 years. † 4. Ineffective plants. He pointed out that when some plants don't work well, it is necessary to have a reserve plant, which means additional costs. â€Å"The higher your reserve margin the higher the total cost of supply,† he said. He added that the reserve margin of the Philippines was probably around 20% but should actually be between 33% to 35% since the country has had brownouts in the last year, which he said â€Å"means you don't have enough capacity to meet reliable demand.C. Government’s Intervention to Pricing Natural monopolies traditionally have been subject to rate regulation (price regulation), although the recent trend has been to deregulate whe rever competition seems possible. For example, long-distance telephone calls, natural gas distribution, wireless communications, cable television, and long-distance electricity transmission have been, to one degree or another, deregulated over the past several decades. And regulators in some states are beginning to allow new entrants to compete with existing local telephone and electricity providers.Nevertheless, state and local regulatory commissions still regulate the prices that most local natural gas distributors, regional telephone companies, and local electricity suppliers can charge. These locally regulated monopolies are commonly called â€Å"public utilities. † Meralco as Regulated Monopoly Meralco is a publicly owned and listed company, meaning that anyone can share in the potential price appreciation of its shares and can receive a portion of company profits when dividends are declared. This company is a public utility, which means it has a monopoly in the delivery of service to the public.In return for the benefits of not having any competition, the government regulates how much profit the company can make. Normally, the regulated price that it sells its services to the public depends on the rate of return or profit the company will make and that is controlled by the government. In theory, without government regulation, Meralco could charge whatever price it wanted and the public would have no choice but to pay or not have electric service. But Meralco prices are under government control.Therefore, the government has an obligation to keep the price charged as low as possible to serve the best public interests while, at the same time, allow enough return to keep the company financially sound, able to expand and enhance company business interests and allow the shareholders to make money on their investment. V. Conclusion A public utility must serve both the public interest and the interest of its investors. However, because of the government c ontrol of pricing, it is the absolute obligation of government regulators to protect and serve the public interest.It is not the job of the Meralco management to protect the public. That is the government’s job. It is not the job of government to protect the Meralco shareholders. That is the management’s job. Then, after the regulations are set, it is management’s responsibility to protect shareholder interests within the boundaries that the regulators establish. If we were the shareholder of Meralco, we want the company to charge P50 per kilowatt-hour so my company can make a lot of profit. As a consumer, we want the government to keep electricity prices as low as possible while insuring reliable service.Any reasonable person can see that there can be an inherent conflict of interest in those two positions. That is why public utilities function best when privately owned and operated and regulated by the government. VI. References 1. http://rp1. abs-cbnnews. com /views-and-analysis/05/29/08/meralco-what-issue-really-john-mangun 2. http://www. rappler. com/business/10737-electricity-prices-in-ph-likely-to-stay-high-in-the-short-term 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Meralco 4. http://www. bizlinksphilippines. net/102312. htmlPolytechnic University of the Philippines College of Accountancy Sta. Mesa, Manila Meralco’s Pricing: An Assessment ECON 2023 Submitted to: Submitted By: Janine Simbulan Christian Derrick Villafranca Ma. Margarita Matawaran Jemilyn Milan Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Methodology III. Discussion A. Overview of the Monopoly a. 1 Definition of the Monopoly a. 2 Characteristics of Monopoly B. Meralco and Pricing b. 1 Retail price composition b. 2 Price as compared to other countries D. Government’s intervention to Pricing IV. Refenrences

Olympic Village Project Management Essay

On July 6 2005, the International Olympic Committee announced the designation of London as the host of the 2012 Olympic Games. 8 days later, the Olympic Bill was introduced to the Parliament, allowing the launch of lottery scratch cards in order to fund the Games. In the preparation of the reception of the Games, the city of London started a big renovation plan that came with the construction of several infrastructures. Among them was the Olympic Village. Before Execution Presentation The Olympic Village had the most spacious accommodation in the history of the Games, with ample room to house the 16,000 athletes and NOC team officials in 17,320 beds, and with the capacity to add more if required. The Olympic Village was conveniently located in the midst of most sports venues. The great majority of competitors (80% of Olympic athletes and over 95% of Paralympic athletes) will be within 20 minutes of their venues. Though unified in design, the Olympic Village had distinct residential and international zones in strict accord with IOC Olympic Village guidelines. The international zone, located north of Stratford International station, comprises athletes’ entertainment and leisure facilities, the visitors’ welcome centre, the media sub-centre, meeting rooms and conference facilities and areas for the Welcome Ceremonies and flag displays. The residential zone contains the apartments, the main dining facility and the polyclinic. Adjacent buildings houses various services including athlete accreditation, sports information, the NOC centre, the Olympic Village operations and service area (VOSA), the athletes’ disco and the Chef de Mission meeting hall. The transport mall was split into two main areas. One served the Olympic Park and the other provided transit to other London competition venues. As the Games progressed, bus services operated from here to London’s key tourist venues. Transport within the Olympic Village itself was provided by a zero-emission continuous bus shuttle to connect apartment blocks with all the main facilities, including the transport mall and dining facilities. This service ran on a continuous 24-hour basis, although on a reduced basis during the early hours of the morning (01.00hrs to 05.00hrs). The Olympic Village’s main entrance is at the southern end of the complex, close to Stratford International station and the main vehicle pickup/drop off facility. Secure car parking for accredited guests and visiting officials will be nearby. Schedule Given the size and the nature of the project, the LOCOG (London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games) and the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) did not wait for the IOC decision to begin the project of the construction of an Olympic Village. As we can see on the table below, the organizations started, since 2003, the groundwork for the athletes’ accommodation. By the time the IOC gave its verdict, the location was chosen and the designing details were already on their way. As the soon as the decision was made public, the tendering for the main contractor began. Shortly after, the construction on-site started with the demolition phase. The construction of the Village was completed in early 2012 for a total duration on-site of almost 6 years. Location The area chosen as the construction site was located in east London, seven minutes from all of the attractions of the city centre and in the heart of the Olympic Park. This location is part of the development project of Stratford City. Stratford City will bring almost 5 000 homes and 30 000 jobs to Stratford and has been given outline planning consent. The project, once completed, will be one of the largest mixed use developments in the UK for many years. It is the brainchild of development partners Chelsfield plc, Stanhope plc and London and Continental Railways. The plans include 465,000 square meters of offices, 4,850 new homes for approximately 11,000 people, 150,500 square meters of retail space and up to 2,000 hotel bedrooms. Work began in 2006 and is expected to take 20 years to complete. Environmental In early 2003, the governmental organizations carried a full environmental impact assessment as part of the Olympic masterplan planning applications. This environmental assessment considered existing site conditions, potential impacts of Olympic developments on the site and its surroundings, as well as opportunities for environmental management, awareness-raising and cultural activities. The studies and mitigation proposals have formed the basis for a detailed environmental brief for the Olympic Village. It includes: †¢ Application of the highest recognized UK standards for sustainable construction to meet carbon emission and waste minimization targets †¢ Climate-proofing to take account of predicted climate changes in the decades ahead †¢ An integrated approach to resource management and infrastructure development for energy, water and waste †¢ Emphasis on access, mobility and community services infrastructure to reduce car dependency and promote healthier lifestyles †¢ High soundscape quality and a legacy of exemplary noise management practices with supportive soundscapes for people with visual and hearing impairments †¢ Incorporation of green space and biodiversity into the design to provide ecological, water management, air quality and visual amenity benefits. Paralympic considerations Because the Village also welcomed the athletes participating in the Paralympic Games, the service providers were asked to make necessary adjustments to the physical features of their premises to allow equal access for all in accordance with the UK’s Building Regulations. The LOCOG will ensure that the Paralympic Village will meet any new standards agreed with the IPC, such as single room accommodation for every athlete with a severe disability (such as those who use an electric wheelchair for daily living). Every apartment will benefit from spacious bathrooms and shower rooms. Because the Paralympic Village will be specifically designed to be accessible, the IPC and the NPCs will – for the first time – be able to indicate in advance where any special aids and facilities should be located. Costs planning The construction costs were planned to reach $ 1 101 million for a 5 years project (from June 2007 to May 2012). As we can see on the table below, almost the total of that sum has been used for the main construction work of the site. The LOCOG financed the temporary works for an amount of  £ 61 million. Those temporary workers, employed in early 2012, were given the task to tune up the Village (equipping it with furnitures). The financing of the permanent workers for an amount of more than a billion pounds will be discussed in the next point.

HR Proposal -Edit Chapter 2& 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

HR Proposal -Edit Chapter 2& 3 - Essay Example This section comprises of mainly four basic steps which are involved in the process of data collection. In most cases, the type of methodology used in a study is determined by the particular type of research being undertaken. The availability of relevant resources and time also play a contributory role to the methodology used. Methodology helps to organize, represent, and analyze data and information in a bid to answer the research questions of the study. The following are the basic steps involved in this section of methodology: A research design is a conceptual structure, outline or blueprint of what the researcher would do in the study by following proper guidelines that are meant to obtain data that can be used to solve the research problem or answer the research question. Research design represents the entire structure and working framework of the research which makes it possible and valid to draw more general conclusions from the study (Oppenheim, 1992). It works as the bonding element that holds other elements and parts of research together to give a perfect blend of conclusions and consequences of research. The researcher used mainly primary data collection method in order to provide reliable results. The research has been designed in a descriptive manner which is meant to count representative samples and make inferences about the whole population. The method used in the study involves gathering data from the selected participants using questionnaires and an analysis of this data is descriptive in na ture since it shows the subjective views of an individual. This design would certainly reach the desired goals in that the participants would be employees in HR related departments but working for organisations that deal with IT. Quantitative data collection techniques will be employed in this study and it will include mainly primary data through the use of questionnaires. Basically, quantitative data is any

Journal for my Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal for my Presentation - Essay Example Avatar is a 2009 science fiction film by James Cameron. Putting aside the terrific story, plot, and concept, the movie is a visual treat. It is a next generation film using the most innovative forms of technology. The movie was delayed since 1990 as Cameron was waiting for the techniques to advance so that he could use the best ones to portray his vision. Thus, in 2009 Cameron released his masterpiece using technologies that were never seen before. He used the photorealistic computer-generated characters which were created with the motion-capture animation technique. Other innovations included the advanced structure of lighting for areas as huge as Pandora’s jungle. There was also a motion-capture stage used which was about six times bigger than any other previously used volume. There was also a technology used which captured facial expressions in an improved way that enabled full performance capture. This technology involved face capturing of the actors who wore skull caps which were made for them according to their facial structure. These skull caps were fitted along with a small camera positioned in the front of the actor’s faces. These skull caps captured information about the facial expressions of the actors and were transmitted to the computers. Through this technique, the filmmakers were able to capture and transfer all the actor’s expressions and performances to their digital devices. This enabled the filmmakers to use the actual physical performance and expressions of the actors making the film extremely attractive and essential for the visual effects. Besides this technique, there were several reference cameras which gave multiple angles to the digital artists for each of their performance (Bimber 15). The film was not only made using new and innovative technologies, but it was also released in 3D which was a whole different experience for the viewers. Another example of the ways digital effects have entered our mass media

STRATEGIC PLANNING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

STRATEGIC PLANNING - Essay Example It was incorporated in 1985 (served only 5,000 passengers with 51 employees) to cater travelers from Waterford to London Gatwick, and since then it has experienced phenomenal business growth and expansion (now serving over 60 million passengers and have employees over 6,000) because of its highly effective low-priced business strategy. The company today enjoys the status of ‘World’s favorite airline’, has 41 bases and more than 1,100 routes across 26 nations and now has a fleet of more than 220 aircrafts of one kind (preferably Boeing 737-800 to minimize operational costs). As part of its expansion policy, the company will induct more than 100 new Boeing aircrafts in its fleet to cater the pool of over 65 million customers (expected) in near future. (Internet: Ryanair.com) Strategy of governments to maximize their revenue by bolstering the Tourism Industry and attracting more people from other countries would create demand of traveling services of Ryan Air. However, Ryan Air could be affected by various political factors such as the adoption of ‘protectionism of domestic industry’ approach by various nations across Europe and America. This is aimed to protect domestic jobs and employment opportunities by imposition of tariffs, taxes, anti-dumping duties etc. on operations of foreign airlines. This approach by different nations to secure their domestic airline(s) might increase the operational costs of Ryan Air, thereby resulting in reduction of demand. Changes in ‘licensing laws’ and increase in barriers to entry in new markets may also affect the airline’s growth strategy. Also, European Union has ‘abolished the duty-free access’ to airlines that would definitely increase the operational costs of Ryan air . Also, the European Business article (2007) pinpointed the fact that European Commission impeded the expansion of Ryan Air across

Tourism Marketing Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism Marketing - Research Proposal Example The research is thus undertaken to understand the different dimensions of tourism marketing and ho this elates to marketing of tourist spots and what are the approaches involved in marketing such tourist places or locations. The concepts of brands and creativity or innovation are also highlighted in the discussion. There are several research questions in this study and based on these research questions, some of the research articles and analysis published in journals will be examined and a comparison of the research approach with the already published research viewpoints will be sought. The main research question is whether or how the approach to tourism marketing and management should change or differ in case of architectural landmark as against tourism marketing of regular destination or location. Are there special approaches to promoting a particular tourist spot and how is it possible to differentiate between destination and location and tourist sites such as architectural landmarks in tourism marketing and management Considering the approaches to tourism marketing in promoting destinations and tourist or architectural sites as brands, several research studies and published papers could be used to substantiate the background of the study. The research study is to be focused on destination marketing and tourist destination as brands as it is important to develop branding approaches for any successful marketing venture. As Kerr (2006) has indicated, destination marketing organizations with government support have been responsible for promoting certain locations and tourist spots and there is suggestion to review such responsibilities and approaches. However there are downsides to destination marketing as this sort of marketing is solely tourism focused and tend to overlook stakeholder prospects or investments in these locations so may not be completely productive for the overall development of a location. Brand management of any particular location deals with the holistic approach of actually changing the potential of a location from an ordinary location to a tourist friendly destination. However according to Kerr there is a need to reform destination marketing practices as it is important to address brand management of locations. Kerr draws out a distinction between destination brand and location brand with the potentially relevant research areas as in the study of brand management of locations. In another related paper, Perivoliotis and Margaret (2007) studied local tourist producers and businesses involved in artifacts and textiles. The paper focuses on how tourism marketing could bank in on the strengths of the local markets and cultural heritage of any product and also brings out the importance of creativity, innovation, productivity, education in any tourism marketing and management initiative. New technology is primarily important in tourism marketing as it could be used to select participating tourist producers and marketers or managers and basic design education and computer training as also basic management and marketing

Victorian Equity Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Victorian Equity Law - Essay Example This position arises in case of relationships between solicitor and client, parent and child, wife and husband which is known as fiduciary relationship, where trust and confidence exists. In this case, undue influence is presumed by law unless until it is proved contrary2. The presumption of undue influence is recognised by court of law basically where fiduciary relationship exists believing that in fiduciary relationship one party succeeds in exerting unfair influence or undue influence over the other. The court of law recognises relationship between employer and junior employee, doctor and patient also to bring into the ambit of presumption of undue influence3. In fiduciary relationship between wife and husband the creditor has a bounden duty before obtaining guarantee from the wife where wife is not a benficiary, is that a) to take reasonable steps to establish that her consent had been properly obtained, b) to discuss the facts with her c) to warn her of the consequences d) to suggest to take independent legal advise. Failing which, the transaction could be set aside by court of law4. Equity law protects innocent persons from undue influence by giving an opportunity to rescind the contract executed under undue influence. Defence available to opposite party if the fact of non existance of undue influence is rebutted with evidence5. Undue influence: Undue influence is classified into three types, a) actual undue influence, b) presumptive undue influence and c) proven undue influence. Actual undue influence is to be proved. Presumptive undue influence exists where trust and confidence is placed upon a strong party, especially in fiduciary relationships such as solicitor and client, religious adviser and disciple, physicians and patients, and parent and child. Proven Undue influence is similar to presumed undue influence except that in proven undue influence the trust and confidence is to be proved unlike in case of presumptive undue influence. Special Wives Equity: The law provides special equity for wives to protect their interest from the undue influence of their husbands, who take advantage of the weaker position of their wives. Under this equity if the transaction is clouded by actual undue influence and the creditor has the knowledge of existence of marriage between the surety and the borrower the transaction will be set aside. The law further provides that even there is no actual undue influence the transaction is subject to be set aside at the option of the surety unless the creditor has taken sufficient measures to bring to her notice and inform her suitably the effect of the transaction. The law says in special wives equity constructive notice of undue influence or relationship of influence is immaterial, mere knowledge of existence of marriage is sufficient. In Garcia case, which is relied on Yerkey v Jones8 the High Court has discussed elaborately on the principles based on the doctrine of Special Wives Equity. Clear and thorough study of the judgment in Garcia case shows how the different principle adopted in case of Wives in setting aside of security of wife is justified when compared to the non-wives security to third party, duly following the law of equity6. Garcia vNnational Australia Bank ltd7: National Australian Bank

Sustainability in global business-Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Essay

Sustainability in global business-Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Business - Essay Example The human interactions that are pre-industrial with the natural system and the social system usually cause changes to the short-term and local scale. The present socio-ecological interactions are generating a wide spread in the global changes with changes that are temporary and far into the future. The harmful consequences that we face because of human forcing on the ecological and social systems may never find the solution required through single issues like solving the global poverty or resource efficiency (Blowfield, 2012, p. 18). The current processes and the societal structures are structured in a manner that they contribute systematically to the current directions that are unsustainable and causing the people to face the difficulty to inspire global unity around safeguarding the probabilities of the future options. The development of sustainability signifies the increase of the people’s room for maneuver. This requires an approach that is systematic in solving of problems and the strategic planning by identifying control for restoration in both ecological and human (Stoner and Wankel, 2010, p. 32). Many organizations are adopting policies and practices that are sustainable and they integrate them with the strategies in their organizations for the purpose of organization development (Schmidheiny, 1992, p. 214). Research has indicated that that most of the changes in the organizations efforts plateau after the initial period Research has of passion and was not able to become an integrated and sustained approach to the planning strategies and development. It is determined that changes that are unstained can be related to the current disclosure on the developments that are sustainable and focuses on the establishment of the evolving technology and instrumental policies such as what to do (Blowfield, 2012, p. 58). A complementary research

Compassion and the Individual by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dali Essay

Compassion and the Individual by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dali Lama - Essay Example There is a citing in the article of a surging number of mental illnesses in the United States making up about 12% of the general population. A closer assessment showed that the main cause of these conditions were not lack of material possessions as many may think, but ‘deprivation of the affection of the others.’ Although the intent of life may be viewed as happiness, compassion is one of the key ways this is achieved. The term compassion is used depict a variety of other nouns such as love. The view in this case is that everyone tries to be happy ever since they are born. Every action that is undertaken such as playing with toys, socializing, and so forth are done to fulfil the urge to be happy. It is an expression of human will, and possibly one of the purpose of life. The problem nonetheless is that people are not always happy despite striving their best to be. Despite all the actions that humans undertake and the illusion that they might all bring about, Gyatso contends that the hidden objective is to be happy. However, Gyatso goes an extra mile to expound how this happiness can be attained. He initially clusters happiness into two, mental and physical happiness. Mind happiness in this case is taken to be of greater significance as compared to physical happiness. Mental happiness can be attained by devoting out most serious efforts to bringing mental peace, which would help us live in happiness. Mental tranquility according to Gyatso is best derived from the development of love and compassion. Each individual is viewed as a crucial part of society where the happiness of others dictates the happiness of one self. It is hence ones obligation to care for the happiness of others since it influence inner tranquility. Inner tranquility of the mind plays the role of embracing happiness in one’s life, particularly by overcoming problems that are ever present in life. Gyatso states that these problems may be viewed by

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS - Essay Example More effort needs to be plugged in this area of language. The Piraha people have a very different distinct language. Their language has no history, neither does it have any descriptive words or sub-ordinate clauses. This is what makes their language a strange affair and has attracted eyeballs of many linguists round the globe. Linguistics center around what most idioms round the world have in common. But Piraha language stands out from the other languages where it’s main features are concerned. Their language is extremely spare and comprises of only 3 pronouns. There is no concept of tense in their language. There is barely any use of past tense verb conjugation and colors are not that important to Piranhas either. The biggest dilemma of their language is the fact that this is the only language in the world that does not use any subordinate clauses. For instance if they were to tell someone that they were done eating and can talk they would use the following statement â€Å"I finish eating, I speak with you.† Pirahas are just as surprising in their daily lives. They don’t normally need numbers and make use of words like all, every, more all the time. It is said that they use a word called â€Å"hoi† and it comes close to the numeral 1. However it can also be referred to as something small or which is in a relatively less amount. For example it could be two small fish compared to one big fish. Another strange thing about their language and culture stems from their inability to count on fingers. For instance they would not count on fingers to determine the number of pieces of meat that need to be grilled for villagers or how much they demand from Brazilian traders. Thus Pirahas use of language is very weird and perplexing. References: CORBETT, GREVILLE G. 2000. Number. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. CRAIN, S., AND D. LILLO-MARTIN. 1999. An introduction to linguistic theory and language acquisition. Oxford: DAVIDSON, DONALD. 200 1 (1997). "The emergence of thought," in Subjective, intersubjective, objective. Edited by Donald Davidson. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DESALLES, JEAN-LOUIS. 2004. About the adaptiveness of syntactic recursion. http://www.interdisciplines.org/coevolution/papers/3/5/1. DESCOLA, PHILIPPE. 1994. In the society of nature: A native ecology in Amazonia. Translated by N. Scott. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [AS] DE VALOIS R., H. C. MORGAN, M. C. POLSON, W. R. MEAD, AND E. M. HULL. 1974. Psychophysical studies of monkey vision. 1. Macaque luminosity and color vision tests. Vision Research 14:53 67. DIESSEL, H. 1999. Demonstratives: Form, function, and grammaticalization. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DIXON, R. M. W. 1995. "Complement clauses and complementation strategies," in Grammar and meaning. Edited by F. Palmer, pp. 175 220. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . 2002 Australian languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ENFIELD, NICK. Editor. 2002. Ethnosyntax: Ex plorations in grammar and culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. EVERETT, DANIEL L. 1979. Aspectos da fonologia do Piraha. M.A. thesis, Universidade Estadual de Campinas,Campinas, Brazil. . 1983. A lingua piraha e a teoria da sintaxe. Sc.D. diss., Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. . 1985. "Syllable weight, sloppy phonemes, and channels in Piraha discourse," in Proceedings of the Berkeley Linguistics Society 11. Edited by Mary Niepokuj et al., pp. 408 16.

Politics and Hierarchy in Shakespeares As You like It Essay Example for Free

Politics and Hierarchy in Shakespeares As You like It Essay In William Shakespeare’s play, As you Like It, there are lots of interesting themes which both drive the action and speak to the culture that the author lived in. Among those interesting themes are the classic Shakespearean ideal of love, issues dealing with family relationships, and perhaps more importantly, politics and hierarchy. In this comedy, the dichotomy between certain characters becomes evident early on and continues for the entirety of the work. Over time, the reader comes to understand that many of the decisions made by Orlando and Oliver in their conflict are due to the perceived hierarchy of the society and the politics that would result from the decisions. In addition, the relationship between Duke Frederick and Duke Senior is one that explores lots of hierarchical themes associated with living in England at the time. These pertinent examples and more are explored in a light, intellectual way throughout the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Politics and hierarchy are primarily relevant when one considers the relationships between the various characters. One important plot aspect is the relationship between Orlando and Oliver. Orlando is a victim of circumstance and he is fully aware of his plight. In a way, he is a sympathetic character that has no recourse in trying to make his situation better. In his relationship with his older brother, Orlando is constantly under emotional torment from Oliver. Their conflict is at the heart of the story and it is an important theme throughout. Where does this conflict come from? Ultimately, it is the result of a decision that was made by the father of the two boys. Oliver received the inheritance from the father and took advantage of the land in his father’s estate. From that, there exists a hierarchical battle between the two brothers for the rest of their life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The stark contrast in the hierarchy is best represented by these two brothers because the example is so pure. Oliver is different from Orlando not only because he owns the estate, but also because he has other advantages that put him above Orlando in social status. During the comedy, there are many times when Orlando can be found telling his servant Adam that Oliver refuses to educate him and provide anything for him. Though the reader does not know much about the relationship of the brothers before their father died, one can reasonably infer that they had a decent relationship. Once Oliver elevated himself to a greater status in the hierarchy, he not only abandoned Orlando, but even took the initiative to make his brother’s life harder. This even comes to a violent head when the two brothers engage in a fight when Oliver comes to see Orlando. Orlando gets the better of that conflict and makes sure that Oliver understands that. Since this is a comedy, Shakespeare makes sure that the conflict between the brothers is presented in a sarcastic nature that the readers can enjoy. Clearly, Orlando makes light of his own plight and even makes a comment about his relatively low status in comparison to his brother. In the play, Orlando remarks to Oliver, â€Å"I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor, unworthy brother of yours, with idleness† (Shakespeare). This sarcasm is put into the play to provide a light moment, but it also represents the fact that Oliver looks upon his brother as being something of a joke.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is another hierarchical aspect of their relationship that must be considered. During that time, there was a huge gap in education for the wealthy and the poor. As such, those with money could go to the few schools that existed, while people without money had to learn skills in order to survive. From this, a certain perception began to exist that colored uneducated people as being somewhat barbaric. This interesting dichotomy is presented well by Shakespeare, as he attempts to inform the reader that Orlando is both a better fighter and a more vindictive person, while his brother Oliver was much more cultured. This was one of the many ways that people were separated by class during that time. It was all based upon money, wealth, and power, but other things came as a result of that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As only Orlando’s brother, Oliver should have never taken a role of sovereignty over him. Instead, their relationship should have still existed like a normal one during that time. However, William Shakespeare uses the relationship between the two brothers in this play as a means of displaying his own political thoughts during the time. A Paul Yachnin article published in the HighBeam Encyclopedia indicates the fact that Shakespeare did this in many of his plays. In that article, Yachnin writes, â€Å"In the play, the political and social relations between masters and their subjects places loyalty at the center of the system of relations devoted to instituting a regime of absolutist politics† (Yachnin). The loyalty between the brothers is at the center of their conflict, as Orlando feels that his brother has not been loyal to him because of social status. On the flip side of that, Oliver feels that Orlando should look up to him as something of a master, when in fact, they are just brothers. This is an interest dichotomy between the two characters that plays itself out in a series of fights, both physical and verbal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to the aforementioned hierarchy in Shakespeare’s play, politics also play a huge role in driving the action. Though politics are not a major player in the relationship between Orlando and Oliver, they do power the relationship between Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. In fact, this is one of the primary plot sequences that is very important to the storyline. Duke Frederick oversteps his bounds in this comedy, as he is not supposed to move to the top of the political latter over his brother. In English society at the time, people were locked into their roles in society. This was true even among the rich people. Though they were clearly above poor people in society, they had to worry about staying put in their position in the upper crust of the political scene. When Duke Frederick supplants Duke Senior in the political scene, a huge conflict is born. Interestingly, Shakespeare finds a creative way to intertwine the two separate stories, drawing connections between the social roles of the various characters in the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Politics play a substantial role in the plight of the two dukes because they cause Duke Senior to have to live somewhere else. When Duke Frederick takes the place of his older brother, there is no option that allows both of them to just live in harmony in the same area. Instead, Duke Senior is banished from the duchy and has to live with plain nobles in a wooded area. Though he did not get banished to living with the peasants who were living completely off of the land and good graces of the upper crust, Duke Senior did not get to take advantage of the life with which he had become accustomed. That is a very important theme for the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Alan Bloom book, Shakespeare’s Politics, has an interesting take on the inner workings of how the author thought. There is lots of speculation about what sort of political thinker William Shakespeare was and the majority of that can be seen in his works. In As You Like It, it is clear that Shakespeare both searched for and figured out the answers to many of the most important questions of his day. According to Bloom, the author tosses harsh criticism on some of the systems that existed during his day (Bloom). Some examples of this include Shakespeare’s constant criticism of the class system, which he believed was bad for English society. While Shakespeare may have taken harder political stances in some of his other works like Julius Caesar, he certainly addresses the current landscape in each of his works. When dealing with the two Dukes in As you Like It, Shakespeare makes light of how their folly makes both of their lives more difficult. It was an interesting approach to take because most of the political thought during the time was breaking down the class distinctions between the reach and the poor. Very few authors or thinkers had even considered the politics that existed among the distinct groups. Shakespeare had the progressive vision to try his best to understand what sort of political motives drove advancement within certain social castes. In this comedy, he finds that even the rich jockey for position, as Duke Frederick used â€Å"creative† means to get rid of his older brother and take control of the power in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Robin Headlam Wells wrote a book about how Shakespeare used politics as a major theme in his work. In the book, Shakespeare, Politics, and the State, Wells writes about how Shakespeare constantly uses the voices of his characters to present problems within the political and hierarchical system (Wells). In this particular comedy, the beauty of the work is that each of the characters has their own role in the madness that existed within the English political system at the time. He uses all of the characters to make it well known that no one individual person or individual group was affected less or more by the makeshift caste system that England used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare himself was one of the people who understood how the political system could impact just about everyone. In order to understand the uses in his book, one has to understand Shakespeare’s political opinions and his experiences with politics. One website indicated that, â€Å"Shakespeare knew people who had been arrested and tortured friends and family members† (William-Shakespeare.org). This is interesting to consider in that he knew that people who did not have affluence had a hard time surviving in the current political system. As such, his criticisms of the current political system had to be somewhat hushed by the constant fear that he might be prosecuted for such comments. Given the fact that Shakespeare had family that had been the victim of political happenstance, it is interesting to consider his take on the dynamic of Orlando and Oliver. The author understood the plight of Orlando more so than he did the situation of Oliver, so in many ways, he favors Orlando in his writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As you Like It is an interesting play by William Shakespeare that addresses many different themes that were prevalent in English society during the time of the author. Among those are the common themes of politics and hierarchy. In his breakdown of the various relationship of individuals within the comedy, Shakespeare actually sheds a little bit of light on what it might have been like to live in England during that time.   Works Cited Alexander, Catherine. Shakespeare and Politics. 13 September 2004.   Cambridge University Press. Bloom, Allan. Shakespeare’s Politics. 1 December 1996. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. Wells, Robin Headlam. Shakespeare Politics and State. December 1986. Palgrave McMillan Publishing. William Shakespeare and Elizabethan Politics. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/william-shakespeare-politics.htm Yachnin, Paul. High Beam Encyclopedia. Shakespeare’s Politics and Loyalty. 22 March 1993. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-14363559.html

Use of Atomic Spectrometry in Pharmaceutical Analysis

Use of Atomic Spectrometry in Pharmaceutical Analysis Jie Pan Introduction Pharmaceutical analysis is a critical issue for human beings, not only to verify the effectiveness of drugs, but also for the safety issues. The toxicity of various elements has been well studied and documented for many years. There are many ways to prove effective elements or compounds in drugs. For more than 100 years, the main focus on standard for testing pharmaceuticals elements has been the Heavy Elements.[1] However, there is no clear definition of heavy elements has showed authority. Most of the concern regarding elements in pharmaceuticals was associated with following elements such as: antimony(Sb), arsenic(As), Cadmium(Cd), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), lead(Pb) and zinc(Zn). The purpose in detecting pharmaceutical materials is not just for drug products, the active pharmaceutical ingredients(API’s), raw material and intermediates for metals and metalloids also very important for analysis of drugs. For these reasons, atomic spectroscopy has been developed as one of the most powerful tool for detecting metals and metalloids in drugs.[2] Atomic Spectroscopy techniques Atomic spectroscopy involving the measurements of the optical properties of free atoms. An atomization source is a system for generating atomic vapor from a sample. Classification of atomic method is depends on the source: flame atomic absorption spectroscopy(FAAS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy(GFAAS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP-AES), direct-current argon plasma, electric arc and electric spark and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy(ICP-MS). Most common techniques of atomic spectroscopy are FAAS and GFAAS, which based on the Beer-Lambert Law. FAAS is considered to be less sensitive technique than GFAAS, with FAAS the sensitivities in the range of low parts per million(ppm, w/w), requiring milliliter quantities, while GFAAS is capable of low parts per billion(ppb. w/w) with requiring microliter quantities of sample. FAAS is considered the one with less-expensive and also easier skill level for an analyst as well as less time consuming when compared with GFAAS. Regardless of the technique, both FAAS and GFAAS require the use of a hollow cathode (HCL) or electrodeless discharge lamp (EDC) for each radiation source.[3] ICP-AES and ICP-MS have seen greater use within the pharmaceutical industry in more recent years. Both of the techniques can be applied for variety of sample types and capable of rapid, multi-element analyses. ICP-MS offering much greater sensitivity, which down to parts per trillion(ppt) than ICP-AES-pm to ppb, however, has more potential spectral interferences. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is based on absorption of radiation by atoms. Main components included for AAS are: light source, sample holder, wavelength selector and detector. HCL (hollow cathode lamp) is the most common source, which applied for atomic absorption measurement.[4] Daryoush Afzali et. al. applied this technique on the detecting of palladium. Palladium is attracting a lot of attention in various fields including industry, technology and medicine. However, the long-term exposure to palladium may affect the human health. Therefore, it is our task to trace the residue of palladium, which is quite meaningful. A method for preconcentration of palladium on modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes columns has been developed. Palladium analysis requires analytical methods of high sensitivity, selectivity, and the control of interference effects. Previous research used GFAAS and ICP-MS to detect palladium, however, the mainly drawback is solvent extraction methods such as emulsion formation, different extracting efficiencies, and low sensitivity. Daryoush Afzali et. al. focused on repairing conventional solvent extraction methods for isolating environmental pollutants with solid phase extraction (SPE) techniques, which applied prior to spectrometric determination. Compared with liquid–liquid extraction, SPE utilizing solid so rbents are simpler and faster, reduce organic solvent consumption and yield higher enrichment factors. Different solid phase extractors such as Amberlite XAD resins, polyurethane foam, activated carbon, and silica gel with chelating groups have been the most widely used collectors. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been chosen as solid phase extractor because of its unique thermal, mechanical, electronic, and chemical properties. The extremely large surface area and the unique tubular structure make CNTs a promising adsorbent material. The modified method using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were oxidized with concentrated HNO3 and then modified with 5-(40-dimethylamino benzyliden)-rhodanine. Following with using as a solid sorbent for preconcentration of Pd(II) ions. The effects of experimental parameters, including pH of the sample solution, sample flow rate, eluent flow rate, and eluent concentration were investigated. The procedure offers a useful, rapid, and reliable enrich ment technique for preconcentration of Pd(II) in various samples. Under the optimum condition, palladium in aqueous samples was concentrated to about 200-fold.[5] ICP-AES and ICP-MS Inductively coupled plasma utilizes an argon plasma to excite and ionize elemental species, which is the most important feature of argon ICP plasma is the temperature can be achieved around 6000-10000 K. The ions formed by the ICP discharge are typically positive ions, M+ or M2+, therefore, elements that prefer to form negative ions such as Cl, I, F, etc., are very difficult to determine via ICP-AES. Samples are aspirated into the plasma by means of a nebulizer, which generates small droplets that pass through a spray chamber and then through the center tube of a concentric torch. Desolvation, vaporization, atomization and ionization of the sample occur in the high temperatures of the plasma, and the collisions of the ions and electrons of the argon plasma ionize and excite the analyte atoms. As the ions generated within the plasma pass into the mass spectrometer, the ions are separated in the magnetic field according to their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). Due to the heat of the plasma , the ionic components is reduced, the mass range for ICP-MS typically covers from 6 to 240 atomic mass units (amu). Therefore, offers an advantage over ICP-AESà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ The nature of interferences in ICP-MS is typically due to the formation of multiply charged ions, oxides and polyatomic isobaric interferences formed in the plasma.[2] Multi-elements detection in pharmaceutical analysis helps improve efficiency on analyzing and also reduce the sample amount. Its not only save our time, but also increase accuracy and explore more mechanism details in pharmacy. In a series of papers, by using ICP-AES to study the effects of aging. Tohno et al. measured multi-elements Ca, Mg, P and S in the four human cardiac valves showed that Ca and P accumulated most in the aortic valve, about 12–19 fold higher than in the tricuspid valve, which showed the least accumulation.[6-7] Lin and Jiang et. al. used slurry sampling of hypertensive drug tablets to introduce a dry aerosol for ETV-ICP-MS measurement of Cd, Cr, Mo, Pb, Pd and Pt. Electrothermal vaporization (ETV) is one of alternative technique to solution nebulization, which is coupled with ICP-MS. This new combination allows the possibility to perform direct analysis of solids. Most of the traditional techniques require sample pretreatment, such as acid digestion and d ry ashing. These pretreatment procedures bring issues such as time consuming, with the consequent risk of sample contamination and analyte loss. In this situation, Lin and Jiang et. al. proposed USS-ETV-ICP-MS as an alternative technique for the direct determination of Cr, Mo, Pd, Cd, Pt and Pb in three antihypertensive tablets (Cozaar, Norvasc and Bisoprolol). The innovative method by coupling electrothermal vaporization with ICP-MS provides a simple way to determine Cr, Mo, Pd, Cd, Pt and Pb in drug tablets without complicated sample pretreatment. By these means, the method precision was increased to 5% RSD (25% for Pt). Moreover, It has been demonstrated to be effective in alleviating various spectral interferences in ICP-MS analysis.[8] Conclusion For the patient safety perspectives, the need for the analysis of elements in pharmaceuticals to qualify product is becoming more important. Nowadays, since the variety of instrumental techniques, such as flame and graphite furnace AA, which is mature and traditional to newer technologies, ICP-AES and ICP-MS, make it possible to monitor multi-elements at same time with the concentration from sub-ppb’s to percent’s.[9-10] As we mentioned above, the selection of sample pretreatment is the key to the success of an analysis. The elimination of pretreatment of sample can be achieved now, which avoid risk of sample contamination and analyte loss. In the future, there is no doubt that detection limit will be reduced and the sensitivity of instrument will be increase. More sensitive technique such as ICP-MS and also modified ICP-MS will play an important role. Easier skill and low expenses of this technique should be developed. Only various techniques which can deal with diffic ult sample matrices and low limits of detection can help us to meet the challenges to address both product safety and product quality issues.[2, 11] References [1] A. Taylor, S. Branch, D. Halls, M. Patriarca, M. White, Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2002, 17, 414-455. [2] N. Lewen, Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 2011, 55, 653-661. [3] M. Ahmed, M. A. Qadir, M. Q. Hussain, American Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2014, 05, 674-680. [4] J. S, V. K, A. S, Int. J. Res. Pharm. Chem. 2012, 2, 146-163. [5] D. Afzali, R. Jamshidi, S. Ghaseminezhad, Z. Afzali, Arabian Journal of Chemistry 2012, 5, 461-466. [6] Y. Tohno, S. Tohno, T. Minami, Y. Moriwake, F. Nishiwaki, K. Hashimoto, H. Yamamoto, Biological Trace Element Research 2000, 77, 107. [7] Y. Tohno, Y. Takano, S. Tohno, Y. Moriwake, T. Minami, F. Nishiwaki, M. Yamada, M. Utsumi, K. Yuri, Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 2000, 77, 119. [8] M.-L. Lin, S.-J. Jiang, Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2011, 26, 1813. [9] A. Taylor, M. P. Day, S. Hill, J. Marshall, M. Patriarca, M. White, Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2013, 28, 425. [10] A. Taylor, M. P. Day, J. Marshall, M. Patriarca, M. White, Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2012, 27, 537. [11] N. H. Bings, J. O. Orlandini von Niessen, J. N. Schaper, Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy 2014, 100, 14-37.

Foreign Policies For The Malaysian Systems

Foreign Policies For The Malaysian Systems Malaysias foreign policy is premised on establishing close and friendly relations with countries in the community of nations. Tun Razak had embarked on a series of dazzling initiatives in foreign policy largely to move Malaysia from its pro-western, anti communist stance, which had been adopted since independence under the tunkus leadership. This is achieved through upholding the countrys sovereignty and promoting universal peace; fostering friendly relations with foreign countries and protecting Malaysias interests in the regional and international arena. In other words, Malaysia will continue to consolidate its relations with other countries and international organisations, both at the regional and international level. Tunku razak felt this was necessitated by its national security needs, which required Malaysia to live in peaceful co existence with all countries, communist or non communist. In 1971, the year he took over as Prime Minister, he had to face the problem of britains wi thdrawal of its armed forces in Malaysia. Even earlier Britain had given similar commitments to Malaya since 1957 and both Sarawak and Sabah, its former colonies, until they joined Malaysia in 1963. In the superpower race, Britain was no longer capable of maintaining itself as aglobal power due to the dismantling of its colonial empire, and a slow-down in its economy. Although Britain indicated it might participate in a five power commonwealth defence force, it would not provide anything like its former number of troops. In line with our objectives of promoting and protecting Malaysian national interest abroad, the Ministry has established a total of 105 missions in 83 countries and appointed 53 Honorary Consuls who provide support and assistance in promoting Malaysias interest abroad. Since the independence of Malaya in 1957, the nations foreign policy has gone through several phases of significant transition with different emphases under five previous premierships. The policy has been largely determined by the established national characteristics and succession of political leadership as well as by the dynamic regional and international environment. A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea by Vietnam. During the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir in 1981, Malaysia began relations with more nations and became a symbol of a rising developing country. Under Tun Mahathirs tenure, the nations foreign policy began adopting a much greater economic orientation in the countrys external relations while championing the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries. Malaysia became the voice of the developing world and was a role model for many developing countries as it become well known for its active stance at the UN and other international conferences. Malaysias participation in peacekeeping missions under the UN is also a testimony of the nations seriousness in instilling the will of the international community. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continued to ensure that Malaysia was active in the international arena. During his tenure, Malaysia played an instrumental role in the formulation and adoption of the ASEAN Charter which has been ratified by all ASEAN member states and subsequently entered into force on 15th December 2008. During this period, Malaysia was also active in expanding the focus of OIC from being an organisation focused solely on political issues into one which focuses on the socio-economic development of Islamic countries. Among the key elements of the 1Malaysia concept is in realising the strength of Malaysia lies in its diversity. This concept bodes well with the main vision of Malaysias Foreign Policy that is to protect and promote interests abroad and at the same time responsibly and effectively contribute towards the building of a fair and just world. Dato Sri Najib believes that the interconnectedness of nations in the world means that Malaysia would benefit in applying 1Malaysia in its efforts in diplomacy and foreign relations. Malaysia will maintain close relations with all countries in the world and will work with like-minded nations in pursuing national interest. Malaysias foreign policy is structured upon a framework of bilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism where. ASEAN forms the core priority of Malaysias current foreign policy. Looking further a field, as a country with a strong Muslim majority, Malaysia also gives importance to the solidarity of the Ummah and the spirit of cooperation among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). Malaysias status as a developing nation makes it imperative for the country to engage actively in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Malaysia plays a significant role in the various multilateral issues that affect our interests. These issues include disarmament, counter terrorism, trafficking in persons, climate change and environmental issues. As a member of the UN, Malaysia is a firm believer of international peace and security and an upholder of international law. Malaysias election as the President of United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2010 and the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were a further testimony of Malaysias positive international image. The fundamental principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect for territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual benefit in relations are the guiding principles that would continue to guide Malaysias relations with other countries. These principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia a credible image in the eyes of the international community. REVOLUTION AND EVOLUTION OF MALAYSIAN FOREIGN POLICY The domestic challenge of religious extremism is however importantly shaped by the perception that, as one manifestation of contemporary global religious revivalism, it is also a product of international muslim contact and exchange. The threat of religious radicalism is thus perceived as being determined, to some extent at least, by an impinging Islamic world which in some instances provides moral and inspirational support and in others, active influence over UMNOs political competitors specifically, and its malay muslim population generally. The expression of extremism has, however, been shaped less by inter state relations than through channels which lend themselves less easily to conventional state regulation. As such, the Malaysian governments efforts at countering wrong islam have involved an intense interaction between domestic and foreign policy. The determination of wrong islam and its easy association with extremism is also increasingly linked to the federal governments attempt to institute an orthodoxy of belief if not of ortho- practic behavior as a means of rationalizing islam towards a particular socio-economic but also political agenda. As attempts at curbing extremism have gradually involved questions of religious authority and the toleration of divergent interpretation, they have ultimately also had a significant bearing on intra-malay rivalry. Frequently then, foreign policy has been employed precisely towards the management of domestic politics. The diversity of views regarding the perception and explanation of foreign policy, no foreign policy can be formulated in a vacuum. It must serve to function in a dynamic environment. Throughout its tenure, the Mahathir Administration has not always enjoyed even relations with those states in the Islamic world which have displayed a more distinctively radical character and approach to international relations. Various geographical, historical, social and political determinants contributed to shaping the nature of Malaysias foreign policy and the conduct of the countrys international relations. Our foreign policy seeks to promote mutual tolerance and cooperation amongst all countries that make up the fabric of international community. Government has frequently publicized its long standing relationships with more conservative regimes in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, its relations with countries like Iran and Libya have been less well documented. Overall, Malaysias diplomatic exchange with these countries since the 1980s has tended to remain cautious, explained in part by their expression of a more radical political agenda frequently channelled through religion. While Malaysia has often supported the official foreign policy attitudes expressed by these states toward the needs for fundamental change within the international system, alarm and objection have also been articulated over the chosen methods of their capacity to directly influence the domestic political process in Malaysia has necessitated the employment of less conventional strategies in foreign policy by the administration. The Iranian revolution clearly helped intensify debate in Malaysia over the revival of islam and the viability of an Islamic state in Malaysia. A more worrying domestic repercussion for the government was the revolutions indirect promotion of islams legitimacy in political contestation and the boost that its success provided to parties and organizations claiming islam as their base. The governments initial non-commitment on the subject, however, contrasted dramatically with the clear and early articulation of support for the revolution by ABIM and PAS. Nevertheless, the establishment of diplomatic relations with the emergent Islamic republic of Iran in 1981, came within the new administration general strategy of publicizing its foreign Islamic friendships. Iranian officials had in fact made some attempt to explain the Islamic revolution and to express its non opposition to moderate intellectuals in muslim countries. The Mahathir administration was therefore at pains to stress the pragmatic aspects of relations with the new Iranian government, even while locating them within the spirit of a shared religion. Indeed the government received some acknowledgement for its pro-islam efforts from the Iranians. Malaysia pursues an independent, principled and pragmatic foreign policy which rests on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality. Malaysias foreign policy is also premised on the principles of respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the affairs of other nations, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit in relations. Official relations were also important towards neutralizing what was perceived as real or potential revolutionary Iranian influence over Islamic movements. Intra and inter party dynamics were to underline the continuing threat that UMNO and the administration perceived from the revolutions impact on malay politics and on the role og islam in Malaysian society. Foreign policy is not static. Its formulation is essentially a dynamic process. Hence, over the years, our foreign policy has evolved, taking account of the change in leadership as well as developments in the ever-changing global political and economic landscapes. Moreover, the advent of globalization and the transformation of interstate relations brought about by new and rapid changes in information technologies necessarily means that our foreign policy has to be adjusted and fine tuned to meet new challenges in a globalised world. The evolution of the countrys foreign policy under successive prime ministers reflects a pragmatic response to the geopolitical and economic changes of their times. To be continually relevant to the countrys needs, foreign policy cannot remain static. But whilst changes in emphasis have become a general feature of Malaysian foreign policy, continuity has also been evident. Both the change and continuity mark a higher level of confidence and maturing of th e country in the conduct of its international affairs. Indeed, in many ways Malaysias leadership role has been recognised on several issues of deep interest to the developing world. As a trading nation, we are very much dependent on a peaceful international environment for our well being. Malaysian foreign policy has to be oriented to allow for a greater focus on economic diplomacy. In the past, when we were producing mainly raw materials for the world, Malaysia had to compete with only a handful of countries. But now, when we have become an industrialized trading nation, we have no choice but to work harder, to compete better and to find new markets for our goods and services. We must find better ways to do business with the outside world. We need to find niches in which we have a competitive edge. ASEAN IN MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY Malaysia was able through the vehicle of ASEAN diplomacy to maintain a balancing act in its relations with the indo-china states which remained in a state of conflict at the point of time of ASEANs formation. We have already alluded to the chaos caused by the boat refugees after the end of the Vietnam war and Malaysias pivotal role in repairing some 80,000 persons to third countries. Through ASEAN, the geneva conference of 1979 was called to deal with the practical aspects of the Vietnamese refugees. Then came the Cambodia crisis and here again Malaysia played a pivotal role in setting up the coalition government of democratic Kampuchea (CGDK). Heng samrin regime, ASEAN diplomacy kept in check the various political players in the Cambodian conflict by securing the U.N. seat for the CGDK for the most part of the 1980s. This arguably put all the political players of the Cambodian conflict in contention until the peace process took root in the early 1990s. here again ASEAN played a crucial role in sponsoring the Jakarta informal meetings. Throughout this period, Malaysias stances and policies vis-a-vis the indo-china issue followed the tempo and thrust of ASEAN diplomacy. It was clear that ASEAN had become central to Malaysian foreign policy for its regional and global relations, even under the feisty tenure of Mahathir. The Abdullah government had also followed through the motions of its predecessors in placing ASEAN at the centre of regional politics and foreign relations. The ASEAN push for the construction of three forms of communities- security, economic, and socio-cultural- has also been wholeheartedly taken on board by the Malaysian government along with the ASEAN charter signed in November 2007 at the 13th ASEAN in Singapore. It is important to see ASEAN as a crucial instrumental of Malaysias attempt to use a countervailing and counterpoising foreign policy to handle new issues that have surfaced regionally and globally. Not less of all was the question of Myanmar or Burma, which continued to be the bugbear of the ASEAN states well into the late 2000s. At the regional level, Malaysia will continue to push for the strengthening of ASEAN as a regional grouping. This includes support for a whole range of functional co-operation on a sub-regional or on an ASEAN-wide basis, the phasing in of AFTA and the implementation of the ASEAN investment area. ASEAN has developed and refined various mechanisms and arrangements to promote trade, investment and other collaborative activities. Much of ASEANs attractiveness to the outside world is built on the economic success of its member states and their potential for greater growth. As ASEAN confronted the various challenges such as international terrorism, economic slowdown, in the face of current economic and financial crises, it is ASEANs common effort that accounted for our success. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES Five Power Defense Arrangement, 1971 Ministers of the government of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and United Kingdom met in London on 15th and 16th April 1971. In order to consider matters of common interest to all five governments relating to the external defense of Malaysia and Singapore. The minister of the five governments affirmed, as the basic principles of their discussion, their continuing determination to work together for peace and stability their respect for the sovereignty political independence and territorial integrity of all countries and their belief in the settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means in accordance with the principles of the united nations charter. In the context of their governments determination to continue to co-operate closely in defense arrangements which are based on the need to regard the defense of Malaysia and Singapore as indivisible, the ministers noted with gratification on the development of the defense capability of Malaysia and Singapore, to which the other three governments had given assistance, and the decisions of the governments of Australia, new Zealand and the united kingdom, which had been welcomed by the other two governments to continue to station forces there after the end of 1971. In discussion the contribution which each of the five governments would make defense arrangements in Malaysia and Singapore, the ministers noted the view of the united kingdom government that the nature of its commitment under the anglo-malaysian defense agreement required review and that the agreement should be replaced by new political arrangements. They declared that their government would continue to co-operate, in accord ance with their respective policies, in the field of defense after the termination of the agreement on its 1st November 1971. The ministers also declared, in relation to external defense of Malaysia and Singapore thet in the event of any form of armed attack externally organized or supported or the threat of such attack against Malaysia and Singapore, their governments would immediately consult together for the purpose of deciding what measures should be taken jointly or separately in relation to such attack or threat. The ministers reviewed the progress made regarding the establishment of the new defense arrangements. The ministers agreed that from time it might be appropriate for them to discuss their common interest. It would also be open to any of them, participating governments to request at any time, with due notice, meeting to review these defense arrangements. METHODS AND RESPONSES TOWARDS MALAYSIAN POLICY With its dedicated Plans of Actions and Protocols, ASEAN will move closer towards its goal of building the ASEAN Community, characterized by greater political and security interaction and engagement, a single market and production base, with free flow of goods, services, capital investment and skilled labour and a caring society, focusing on social development, education and human resources development, public health, culture and information, and environmental protection. Improvement of the invisible trade of developing countries, particularly by reducing their payments for freight and insurance, and the burden of their debt charges. The foreign policy of Malaysia continues to emphasise on the relevance and importance of ASEAN as the forum and catalyst for regional dialogue. ASEAN Dialogue Partnerships, ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit have allowed its members to engage leading powers. Improvement of institutional arrangements, including if necessary, the establishment of new machinery and methods for implementing the decisions made at UNCTAD. It is sometimes difficult to understand why even though the government is so generous in providing assistance to so many other developing countries, it yet seems reluctant to give forthright and substantial aid to Malaysia. In most cases, no open tender processes were resorted to. Privatization further fed into this policy. Many of the joint ventures were achieved on a government to government basis involving tit for tat negotiation methods. An example was the case of Antah Biwater. Fifty one percent of its equity was controlled by its local malay partner while the remaining was held by a Biwater Ltd, a british water supply and treatment company with strong political connection to the thatcher government. Another example found in Indah Water Konsortium, a joint venture with british water treatment company northwest water ltd. IWK was awarded a $6 billion sewerage contract under the regimes privatization policy. ROLES OF POLICY MAKERS WHEN INTRODUCING CHANGES Having policy space and flexibility is important is important to a developing country. The Malaysian experience also shows that if a country is able to avoid turning to the IMF, it can also avoid the straightjacket of the IMFs mainly one size fits all policies and can choose its own policies as well as change them if they are found to be unsuitable. Malaysia initially took on several elements of the IMF fiscal and monetary policies but when these damaged the real economy, the country was able to switch to a different approach. A coherent anti- crisis strategy should be seen as an integrated package of its elements and policies. Policymakers often (even constantly) grapple with difficult policy decision s since the goals of policy are multiple. A policy instrument meant to achieve one goal may negatively affect other goals. In a situation where there are many complex trade offs, its useful to think outside the box and seek other policy tools. In the Malaysian case, it is useful to analyze and appreciate the various policy elements as parts of an integrated approach and as parts of a whole policy package. Thus, each elements should be considered not only on its own merits or for its own role in achieving a particular goal but also for its function of having an effect on another element or on another goal. A particular element or policy may not have the same successful intended effect, unless accompanied by or done in conjuction with some other element of policy. Thus, the interrelationship of the elements and the interaction with one another should be appreciated. For example lowering the interest rate was important for rescuing the microeconomy and reviving the real economy but doing so would have brought down the ringgits exchange rate. A new policy instrument, fixing the exchange rate was thus introduced. This alone would have been insufficient. Besides fixing the exchange rate to the dollar, stabilization of the currency also required two additional policy instruments. If we start with even one major policy goal(reviving rate reduction), we end up with several other policy tools and goals. All diplomatic missions may apply to the MFA through diplomatic note attaching the details as prescribed. For incoming visits by Head of States/Governments to Malaysia, the delegation will normally also include their countrys official media. On other occasions, official media from foreign countries may also undertake assignments in Malaysia to cover specific activities such as the Malaysian Governments socio-economic programmes, general elections, etc. To this effect, the official media from the country concerned would need to be accorded with some assistance in facilitating their assignment in Malaysia. Media accreditation for official media agencies/delegations undertaking assignments in Malaysia for the purposes of Head of State/Government visits, coverage for international conferences and filming. For media agencies accompanying Head of State/Government Visits, the MFA processes and approves media accreditation requests. Applications should be made via diplomatic note attaching t he prescribed details. Under regional security matters, Policy Planning Division is involved in handling issues related to ASEAN Regional Forum as well as bilateral security dialogue between Malaysia and Australia. On political and security cooperation, Policy Planning Division is responsible among others in the implementation of the ASEAN Security Community Plan of Action, Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, broadening the support for ASEAN instruments such as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and the Southeast Asia. Financial openness poses serious dangers to developing countries and can be avoided. Too much openness in the financial sector can make a developing country vulnerable to financial speculation, to sudden or large movements of foreign capital, and to volatile movements in the exchange rate. If a country were to maintain an open financial policy, it risks losing the ability to determine its own macroeconomic policies. Thus the country may find it desirable not to have such an open financial policy. CONCLUSION The greatest challenge would be to extract the best from the process of globalization and to give our best to the system. And in return to contribute towards making the world a much more peaceful and equitable place to live in, to provide leadership within our region and to demonstrate exemplary and responsible membership of the international community. The economic dimension of globalization has been even more disappointing. The financial crisis that descended upon East Asia in 1997 brought about not only social misery and economic disaster but political instability as well. Massive Unemployment, negative growth, stock market crashes and severe currency devaluation have pulled down millions of people below the poverty lines. And now, we are anxiously watching the effects of the possible economic meltdown following the global financial crisis. Fundamental principles governing interstate relations would continue to guide Malaysias relations with other countries. These refer to sovereign equality and mutual respect for territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non ­-interference in each others internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual benefit in relations and peaceful co-existence. The so-called constructive intervention policy advocated by some, involving loud criticism, adversarial posturing and grand standing would only bring more harm than good to the promotion of neighbourly relations. We do make exceptions to the policy of non-interference in certain extreme situations. The bloody cruelty, genocide and atrocities perpetrated by some struck our conscience. Such peculiar situation calls for pragmatism on our part in the interest of humanity whilst recognizing the central role of the UN in resolving the problem. Malaysias activism at the international front has of course attracted attention and reaction from various quarters. Malaysia had been the target for criticism for being too vocal. But this is something that we need to take in our own stride if Malaysia is to be proactive at the global level. Our foreign policy principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia certain credibility in the eyes of the international community. The years ahead therefore would see our foreign policy specially oriented towards not only ensuring Malaysias domestic success but also internationally, as a geopolitical and economic player at the global level.