Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Corporate social responsibility, though very important, may rarely come without serious concern for better financial performance or increased market share. In other words, studies reveal that managers are more likely to opt for investment in social ventures if they are certain of monetary gains. Since in most cases social responsibility is closely linked with better financial performance, thus managers are willing to invest in ventures for the public good. Lydenberg et al. (1986) maintain that "Companies fight hard for even a small percentage gain in market share for their products. If and when corporate managers become convinced that their company's social record affects market share, they will be forced to take social initiatives seriously." Social responsibility has also become a buzzword because of the availability of a large variety of similar goods. When a product comes into the market, it has to fight very hard for consumer's attention because there are several other rival goods competing for the same. A marketing and design consultant (Neuborne, 1991) states: "There was a time when you bought a product just for its price or performance...but with the number of products available, it is increasingly difficult to differentiate one product from another." In this situation, a consumer may base his buying decision on a company's image and its commitment to public good. This is clearly indicated by a book, 'Shopping for a Better World' that has been selling millions of copies since it first came out in the market. the book rates and ranks companies according to their social responsibility performance. As a result of this in 1989 alone, 78% of buyers switched brands. (Davids1990). World Bank defines CSR as: "Corporate So cial Responsibility is a term describing a company's obligations to be accountable to all of its stakeholders in all its operations and activities." While it is now true that corporate social responsibility is highly desired, it has not always been the accepted practice for corporations. In 2004, for example, Henry Miller in The Miami Herald, Henry Miller wrote, "Businesses do not have social responsibilities; only people do." (Miller, 2004). Similarly 'The Economist' failed to see why corporations must be forced to adopt a socially responsible framework. Thus in its 2005, issue The Economist skeptically reviewed the firms that were contributing to tsunami relief effort: "All things considered, there is much to be said for leaving social and economic policy to governments."(The Economist) Milton Friedman was probably the first theorist and economic expert to reject the theory of "social conscience of business" when in 1970 essay, he declared: "There is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits."

Risks and Benefits of Children Using the Internet

Risks and Benefits of Children Using the Internet INTRODUCTION Technology tools such as radio, television, telephones, computers, and the Internet can provide access to knowledge in sectors such as entertainment, education and human rights, offering a new realm of choices that enable the person to improve their knowledge for future needs. The curiosity of the Internet makes children and young people to try to know or learn as much as possible about new things to be more advanced than adults in using the Internet. Optimists view the emergence of the Internet as a chance for democratic and community-based participation, for creativity, self-expression and play, and to enhance the expansion of knowledge, whereas pessimists lament the end of childhood, innocence, traditional values and authority (Livingstone, 2002) Children are being described as the ICT generation or the computer generation in information and communication with this technology. Now, many children know more than or as much as their parents or teachers know about these technologies. This scenario shows that internet can be one of the tools to develop the children knowledge in this new urban life. When a child has a project or homework to do, the internet is a portal to extensive amounts of information, a superb resource for children nowadays. There are many useful sources to be found, such as libraries, bookstores, news room and even virtual school. While the Internet is an amazing resource, parents have reasonable concerns about how they can secure a wholly beneficial Internet experience for the children. There are few risks for children who use online services such as internet. Children are particularly at risk because they often use the computer unsupervised and because they are more likely than young people to participate in online discussions regarding companionship, relationships, or social activities. In another survey, it was disclosed that 9 out of 10 children and teenagers between 8-16 years old had seen pornographic websites accidentally while searching for information for their school home-works (Utusan Malaysia, 2005) Maximizing the benefit of the internet for children may require more than just controlling what they have access to but to monitor how much time their child spends online, whom the child come in contact with online, and what is viewed. In a newspaper column, a journalist relates the flow of harmful information in the Internet with escalating numbers of murder and rape by young juveniles in the year 2003 in Malaysia (Abdul Malek, 2004). Some solution can be implemented to balance the abundant educational value with the need for security and protection. Something entirely new is the idea of a web browser with filtering because children are anxious to explore cyberspace, so parents need to supervise their children and give them guidance about using the Internet. Filters can give parents and guardians a false sense of security to believe that children are protected when they are not around. However, did the use of this web filters provide more benefits in the development of knowledge or it just constrain for children learning process through internet. For these such of reasons, the aim of this study is to examine the kind of monitor the children that participate in the activities by using web filter software and to know how the use give a significant or effect to development of children knowledge in learning process through internet. The underlying of these reasons also, there are several questions that need to be resolved in order to answer some questions that may arise in this paper: Can be internet be beneficial to development of children knowledge? Can we allowing the children to make full use of internet outweigh the risks of exposing to harmful or inappropriate content to them? How dangerous exactly is the internet for unsupervised children? Do the benefits of using web filter in controlling children activities through internet? Is it practical/ necessary to monitor the availability of internet content to children? Who should responsible for this? Method In this study also involved a survey aimed at obtaining a general view of the concern about the development of childrens knowledge through the Internet. Target respondents for this paper is in an area of housing in urban areas of the Taman Bukit Kemuning, Section 32 Shah Alam that most residents here have the internet as a tool as one way of living. The survey involved responses via questionnaire to be answered by the parents of 20 families who have children under the age of 6 to 17 years and have Internet service at home. This range of ages had been chose because most of children at these ages are fascinating in using internet seeking materials or information for homework while they currently still study in school. Of the total respondents, 12 of which are made up by mothers and the rest are among fathers. From the survey results will conclude a few questions and the actual scenario happens and also about topics discussed through the feedback given by them. Development of Children Knowledge through Internet The participation of children and young people in the Internet is considered a positive development towards enhancing their educational skills and knowledge. This type of skills is more than accessing an online encyclopedia and looking up a subject. It is making use of sites that are designed specifically to help them with their homework. Some online services provide specific areas to assist with homework given by teachers, including the ability to send questions or homework problems through e-mail to the experts in that subject area and receive responses within seconds. In Malaysia, the full support and encouragement from the Malaysian government to the use of ICT in schools can be seen from the development of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and other programs related to ICT such as provide and increase the number of computer laboratories to facilitate schools in Malaysia whether in urban or rural areas(Syahirah, 2006). A total of 70% of respondents said they provide Internet service at home is to facilities for their children to develop their learning process. Only 25% said it was for equipment for their own work and 5% were said to provide Internet services because it is considered a mandatory tool in every home today. This shows that parents today are also aware of the importance of the Internet as a learning tool for children in exploring their knowledge to be more advance than others. Many of people communicate through e-mail with family and friends around the world and use the social network website and chat engine to make new friends who share common interests and children are not excluded. The Potential Risks of the Internet on Children The Internet has changed the way we communicate, learn and live by opening up our world to endless possibilities. The Internet has an amazing potential as a learning and communication tool, but it also contains hidden threats to the safety and well-being of children, including online gaming sites that can result in unhealthy addiction, cyber bullying and victimization through mobile phones that can bring about severe consequences to a childs self-confidence and personal development, as well as exploitative marketing that may have financial consequences on the child and his parents. Another threat that may not be immediately obvious but is of great concern is the potential for children to be exposed to sexual harassment, exploitation and pornography through online chats and social networking sites. Children are also vulnerable as targets of fraudsters who try to gain knowledge about them to abuse, terrorize, blackmail, steal or even kidnap them. Besides, they also expose to inappropriate and potentially dangerous contact. The predators may use the Internet to befriend vulnerable children and teens by pretending to be another child or a trustworthy adult, or by playing on teens desire for romance and adventure, and then trying to persuade kids to meet them in person. The children are also potential risk by the cyber bullies. Most people play nice online, but some use the Internet to harass, belittle, or try to intimidate others. Attacks may range from name calling to physical threats and are rarely seen by parents. Furthermore, the children are also invasion of their privacy and online fraud. Children may innocently share photographs or personal information about themselves or their families on personal Web pages, when playing games, or in registration forms. Such information could put children at risk from Internet thieves or child predators. To counter these threats, parents and caregivers are primarily responsible for protecting their charges, by supervising their access to cyberspace, coaching children in personal safety and installing parental control software. Schools, public authorities, community groups, Internet service providers, media industries and regulatory bodies also have a responsibility to ensure that children are properly advised on the benefits and perils of cyberspace and equipped with the skills to safeguard themselves. Web Filter to Monitor Child Safety on Internet A Web filter is a program that can screen an incoming Web page to determine whether some or all of it should not be displayed to the user. The filter checks the origin or content of a Web page against a set of rules provided by company or person who has installed the Web filter. A Web filter allows an enterprise or individual user to block out pages from Web sites that are likely to include objectionable advertising, pornographic content, spyware, viruses, and other objectionable content. Vendors of Web filters claim that their products will reduce recreational Internet surfing among employees and secure networks from Web-based threats. Web filters have been around since the early days of the Web and they can play an important role in preventing young children from accessing inappropriate content. But theyre not a replacement for parental involvements. Before installing and configuring a filter, parents need to decide if their child needs to have software controlling how they can use the Internet and, if so, how the filter should be configured. Filters can be a convenient way to keep young children from stumbling onto material that might gross them out or disturb them. Young children generally seek out a limited number of sites, but its certainly possible for them to stumble onto inappropriate ones. The Responsible Party of these Issues Keeping children safe on the Internet is everyones job. Parents need to stay in close touch with their kids as they explore the Internet. Teachers need to help students use the Internet appropriately and safely. Community groups, including libraries, after-school programs, and others should help educate the public about safe surfing. Kids and teens need to learn to take responsibility for their own behavior with guidance from their families and communities. Its not at all uncommon for kids to know more about the Internet and computers than their parents or teachers. If thats the case in your home or classroom, dont despair. You can use this as an opportunity to turn the tables by having your child teach you a thing or two about the Internet. Ask her where she likes to go on the Internet and what she thinks you might enjoy on the Net. Get your child to talk with you about whats good and not so good about his Internet experience. Also, no matter how Web-literate your kid is, you shoul d still provide guidance. You cant automate good parenting. Just as adults need to help kids stay safe, they also need to learn not to overreact when they find out a child or teenager has been exposed to inappropriate material or strayed from a rule. Whatever you do, dont blame or punish your child if he tells you about an uncomfortable online encounter. Your best strategy is to work with him, so you both can learn from what happened and figure out how to keep it from happening again. The challenges posed by the Internet can be positive. Learning to make good choices on the Internet can serve young people well by helping them to think critically about the choices they will face. Today its the Internet; tomorrow it may be deciding whether its safe to get into the car of someone a teen meets at a party. Later it will be deciding whether a commercial offer really is too good to be true or whether it really makes sense to vote for a certain candidate or follow a spiritual guru. Learning how to make good choices is a skill that will last a lifetime. References: N.a. (2005) 90% sekolah layari laman lucah. Utusan Malaysia. 27th July Livingstone, S. (2002). Young People and New Media, Childhood and the changing media environment, London: SAGE Publications,p 2. Abdul Malek, Yusri. (2004). Laman Web-Rogol-Boleh pengaruhi remaja jadikan kanak-kanak mangsa seks ganas. Op cit., n. 12. Syahirah Abdul Shukor (2006). Protecting Children s Rights in the Internet: Challenges A Preliminary Study Based on the Malaysian Experience, UK: Keele University, Staffordshire. Educational Cyber Playground (1997), Internet Safety Rules For Parents learn how to keep children safe on the Internet.

Canada: The Quiet Revolution in Quebec :: Canadian Canada History

Canada: The Quiet Revolution in Quebec The English-French relations have not always been easy. Each is always arguing and accusing the other of wrong doings. All this hatred and differences started in the past, and this Quiet revolution, right after a new Liberal government led by Jean Lesage came in 1960. Thus was the beginning of the Quiet Revolution. Lesage had an excellent team of cabinet ministers which included Rene Levesque. The Liberals promised to do two things during the Quiet Revolution; one was to improve economic and social standards for the people of Quebec, and the other was to win greater respect and recognition for all the French people of Canada. The Liberals started a program to take control of hydro-electric power companies. French-Canadian engineers from all over Canada returned to Quebec to work on the project. Slogans during these times were "we can do it" and "masters in our own homes". The government also started to replace programs the Church previously ran, which included hospital insurance, pension schemes and the beginning of Medi-Care. For these programs, the Quebec Liberals had to struggle with Ottawa for a larger share of the tax dollars. One of the greatest reforms was the modernization of the entire school system. The Church used to own the schools of Quebec. Most of the teachers were Priests, Nuns and Brothers. They provided a good education but Quebec needed more in business and technology. Lesage wanted a government-run school system that would provide Quebec with people in engineering, science, business and commerce. With the new freedom of expression, lots of books, plays and music about French culture were all developed in Quebec. French contemporary playwrights were very famous during that time. However, not all was going well in Quebec. The French-English relation was going bad. Many studies showed that French-Canadian Quebecers were earning the lowest wage in all of the ethnic groups in Canada. Other complaints were that the top jobs in Quebec were given to English speaking Canadians. Canada was going through the worst crisis in its history, and unless equal partnership was found a break-up would likely happen. Some Quebecers thought that separation was the only solution. They thought that as long as Quebec was associated with the rest of Canada, French-Canadians would never be treated equal. The FLQ (Front De Libà ©ration Du Quà ©bec) was founded in 1963. It was a smaller, more forceful group of separatists. They were a collection of groups of young people whose idea was to use terrorism to

Western Civilization before the Thirty Year War

Roman Emperor, Father of Europe, or the Chief Bishop Larry Ray December 15, 2013 Charlemagne was one of the greatest European rulers of medieval times. He was both part warrior and part scholar. He was also know to many as Charles the Great or Just Charles in his inner circle. He lived from 747 to 814. Charlemagne was a Frank. Franks' were German tribes who controlled the area of northwestern Europe that is now western Germany and northern France.Not much is known about Charlemagne's childhood, however her grew up to be a very religious righteous man. He boasted with Christian spirit and it is with that spirit that he wanted to rule. He believed in education and in virtuous work. Even his own children would be tasked with menial work. Charlemagne was known for his â€Å"greatness of spirit† and steadfast determination. L His autobiographer, Inward wrote many times of the fact that Charlemagne recognized and lived by traditional Roman Virtues. He single handedly battled to exte nd the area on all sides of his kingdom.Eventually he went from being King of the Franks to Emperor of the West. However, â€Å"According to this title, Charlemagne as not the Roman emperor crowned by the pope but rather God's emperor, who governed the Roman Empire along with his many other duties. † 2 By the time Charlemagne had died, his Freakish Empire was as big as the Byzantine Empire. 3 Charlemagne was a lover of the Liberal Arts. He was never satisfied with his own language so he went on to learn several others, most of all Latin. He could understand Greek but he never learned to speak it well.In the Kings spare time he studied rhetoric, astronomy, and dialectics. It wasn't until later in his life that he started to write in Journals documenting his wisdom and ideas about religion and owe the stars and the planets existed. In one of the most accomplished endeavors that Charlemagne took on, was the education of children. He was truly a visionary of his time. He himself was quite educated verbally and in reading but he never mastered the art of writing. He thought that every child should have a chance to go to school, even commoners.He felt with education that he could lead his people to eternal salvation. What better way to spread the word of God, and then teach it along side general education? In Charlemagne's conquests there were several newly conquered lands and or people hat needed saving, so he took upon himself to build school and fill them with the most educated of educators. He vowed to have the teachers teach grammar, psalms, math, and reading. Charlemagne would offer free schooling to anyone ages six years and up that would offer there children to the Church, attaching them to the monastic life permanently.He would task the nuns and monks to educate these children with little or no down time. If the child successfully completed the first series of education they would then be allowed to continue in his educational program, which would in clude subjects such as, geometry, music, astronomy, and math. 4 The end result of Charlemagne's school curriculum well surpassed anything he could have imagined. â€Å"It led too kind of literacy renaissance†. Scholars from all over Europe would come and teach different subject.These scholars from Italy, Spain, Ireland, and England influenced the regions culture not only raising questions about religion and social issues but they also influenced the way Charlemagne's own children were being raised. Charlemagne married at his mother's request the daughter of Desirous, the King of the Lombardi. However it is said she was sent away a year later because she could not have children. 6 He later took a Sabina woman as his partner and had four sons and five daughters. Charlemagne was unlike other rules with children.His autobiographer would often say that he bonded with his children, always making time for them. He would eat dinner with them, and he never would travel without them. T hey were educated Just as other children, first in the Liberal Arts, with emphasis in math and grammar and then on to the higher level, which included music and geometry. After a certain age the boys were taught how to ride horses ND carry a sword. The girls were taught how to work wool, so they would value hard work. 7 He never did marry off any of his daughters.It is speculated that he was too worried about having to give up land by the request of their suitors, so he never strove to marry them off. Each went on to have several illegitimate children. 8 One thing is for sure; Charlemagne was a visionary and a skilled warrior. He knew that education was the key and he also knew it should be available to anyone who wanted it. His successors would continue on his legacy of learning by educating their officials and by spreading the word of God throughout the lands.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn Acknowledgments

As always, an ocean of thanks to; My awesome family, for all their incomparable love and support. My talented and hawt publicist, Elizabeth Eulberg, for creating STEPHENIE MEYER out of the raw clay that was once just a mousy Steph. The whole team at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for five years of enthusiasm, faith, support, and incredibly hard work. All the amazing site creators and administrators in the Twilight Saga online fandom; you people astound me with your coolness. My brilliant, beautiful fans, with your unparalleled good taste in books, music, and movies, for continuing to love me more than I deserve. The bookstores who have made this series a hit with their recommendations; all authors are indebted to you for your love of and passion for literature. The many bands and musicians that keep me motivated; did I mention Muse already? I did? Too bad. Muse, Muse, Muse†¦ New gratitude to: The best band-that-never-was: Nic and the Jens, featuring Shelly C. (Nicole Driggs, Jennifer Hancock, Jennifer Longman, and Shelly Colvin). Thanks for taking me under your collective wing, guys. I would be a shut-in without you. My long-distance pals and fonts of sanity, Cool Meghan Hibbett and Kimberly â€Å"Shazzer† Suchy. My peer support, Shannon Hale, for understanding everything, and for feeding my love of zombie humor. Makenna Jewell Lewis for the use of her name, and her mother, Heather, for her support of the Arizona Ballet. The new guys on my â€Å"writing inspiration† playlist: Interpol, Motion City Soundtrack, and Spoon. The phenomenon continues. . . . STEPHENIE MEYER

Intellectual Property Notes Essays

Intellectual Property Notes Essays Intellectual Property Notes Essay Intellectual Property Notes Essay One of the most valuable and neglected property of yours! OR You might be neglecting one of your most valuable properties! OR One of the most valuable properties of yours! If you ask someone walking down the street and ask him â€Å"What is a property? † Brand  is a name, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one sellers good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. What is a brand? * Brand  is a name, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one sellers good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.Example: Coca Cola  is a brand which is the intellectual property of The Coca-Cola Company. Apple is a brand which is the intellectual property of Apple Inc. * It is the most valuable fixed asset of any corporation. * Branding is a concept where consumers buy ‘the brand’ instead of the product. * Brand name, logo, design and any other attributes associated with it, are part of the brand and eventually part of intell ectual property. * Brand is a part of intellectual property. What is Intellectual Property (IP)? It is a legal concept, which refers to the creations of mind for which exclusive rights are recognized. * Creations of mind include: * inventions * literary and artistic works * formulas * symbols * names * images * designs used in commerce. * IP involves patents, copyright, trademarks, designs, brands etc. * It can also be defined as â€Å"information with a commercial value†. Types of intellectual property * Trademarks, including service marks * Copyright and related rights * Geographical indications * Industrial designs * Patents * Layout-designs (topographies) of integrated circuits Undisclosed information, including trade secrets Categories of Intellectual Property (IP) * IP is divided into two categories: 1. Industrial property: * inventions (patents) * trademarks * industrial designs * geographic indications of source 2. Copyrights Rights: a. Copyrights: i. literary works * novels * poems * plays * films * musical works ii. artistic works * drawings * paintings * photographs * sculptures * architectural designs b. Rights related to copyright: iii. performances of performing artists, iv. producers of phonograms in their recordings, . Broadcasters in their radio and television programs. Copyright  © * It is the â€Å"right to copy†, a form of â€Å"intellectual property† applicable to any expressible form of an idea or information that is distinct and applicable. * A legal concept in which a set of exclusive rights are granted to the creator/owner of an original work for a limited period of time to protect the originality of work piece. * They do not extend beyond the territory of a specific state unless that state is a party to the international agreement of ‘Copyright’. It is moral and economic right of authors, writers, publishers, performers and producers of sound recordings (phonograms). * The duration of copyright pro tection is life time of the author plus 50 years thereafter. The Exclusive Rights of Copyright  © * Only the copyright holder is free to exercise exclusive rights while others are prohibited from using the work without the copyright holder’s permission. * Major exclusive rights include: * To produce copies or reproductions of the work and to sell those copies (including electronic copies) * To import or export the work To create derivative works (adaptation from original work) * To perform or display the work publicly * To sell or assign copyrights to others * To transmit or display by radio or video Categories of Copyright Work/Registration Intellectual Property Organization (IPO), Pakistan has categorized the Copyright work/registration into following: Part-I:  Literary works * Books, * Magazines, * Journals, * Lectures, * Sermons, * Dramas, * Novels, * Computer Programs and * Compilation of Data Part-II:  Artistic works * Paintings, * Photographs, * Maps, * Charts, C alligraphies, * Sculptures, * Architectural Works, * Drawings, * Label Designs, * Logos, * Monograms etc. Part-III:  Cinematographic works * Motion Pictures, * Video Cassettes, * VCD’s, * DVD’s  Ã‚   etc. Part-IV:  Records Works * Audio Cassettes * CDs What is Copyright Infringement/Piracy? * It is the unauthorized and illegitimate use of materials held by copyright. * Infringing the copyright holder’s â€Å"exclusive rights†. * The copying of â€Å"intellectual property† without written permission from the copyright holder. What are Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)? IPR are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. * They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time. * IPR are customarily divided into two main areas: c. Copyright and rights related to copyright: The rights of authors of literary and artistic works (such as books and other writings, musical co mpositions, paintings, sculpture, computer programs and films) are protected by copyright, for a minimum period of 50  years after the death of the author. . Industrial property: Industrial property can usefully be divided into two main areas: vi. Protection of distinctive signs, in particular trademarks and geographical indications to ensure fair competition and to protect consumers, by enabling them to make informed choices. vii. Other types of industrial property are protected primarily to stimulate innovation, design and the creation of technology such as inventions (protected by patents), industrial designs and trade secrets.The protection is usually given for a finite term (typically 20 years in the case of patents). What is WIPO? * WIPO was established in 1967 and stands for World Intellectual Property Organization. * In 1974, WIPO joined the system of United Nations, becoming one of 15 specialized UN agencies dedicated to the use of intellectual property to encourage innov ation and creativity. * WIPO has currently 185 member states, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the countries of the world. These member states determine the strategic direction and activities of the Organization by meeting in the assemblies, committees and working groups which are WIPO decision-making bodies. What does WIPO do? * WIPO is to promote innovation and creativity for the economic, social and cultural development of all countries, through a balanced and effective international intellectual property system through: * Services systems which make it easier to obtain protection internationally for patents, trademarks, designs and labels of origin; and to resolve IP related disputes. Laws helping in developing the international legal IP framework in line with society’s evolving needs. * Infrastructure by building collaborative networks and technical platforms to share knowledge and simplify IP transactions, including free databases and tools for exchanging info rmation. * Development by building capacity in the use of IP to support economic development. How WIPO Works? * The WIPO Convention sets out terms governing WIPO’s mandate, functions, finances and procedures. * WIPO works with a wide spectrum of takeholders, including other inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, representatives of civil society and industry groups. * Some 250 NGOs and IGOs currently have official observer status at WIPO meetings. * WIPO has 185 member states which collectively determine the direction, budget and activities of the Organization through the decision-making bodies. WTO-WIPO cooperation agreement 1995 * The WTO and WIPO cooperation agreement was signed in 1995 and share a mutually supportive relationship.What is Geographic Indication (GI)? * According to the TRIPS Agreement, a GI identifies a good as originating in a particular territory where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin (Article 22. 1). * GI does not only say where the product was made, it identifies the products special characteristics, which are the result of the product’s origins. * Well-known examples include â€Å"Champagne†, â€Å"Scotch†, â€Å"Tequila†, and â€Å"Roquefort† cheese. Wine and spirits makers are particularly concerned about the use of place names to identify products, and the TRIPS Agreement contains special provisions for these products. But the issue is also important for other types of goods. * Using the place name when the product was made elsewhere or when it does not have the usual characteristics can mislead consumers, and it can lead to unfair competition. * The TRIPS Agreement says countries have to prevent this misuse of place names. Some exceptions are allowed, for example if the name is already protected as a trademark or if it has become a generic term. * For example, â€Å"cheddar† now refers to a particular type of cheese not necessarily made in Cheddar, in the UK. But any country wanting to make an exception for these reasons must be willing to negotiate with the country which wants to protect the geographical indication in question. Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) * WTO negotiated an agreement with WIPO by introducing intellectual property rules into the trading system, known as TRIPS. The policies to protect intellectual property include granting of patents, trademarks and copyrights. * TRIPS contains requirements that nations laws must meet for copyright rights, including the rights of performers, producers of sound recordings and broadcasting organizations; geographical indications, industrial designs; integrated circuit layout-designs; patents; monopolies for the developers of new plant varieties; trademarks; trade dress; and undisclosed or confidential information. TRIPS also specifies enforcement procedures, remedies, an d dispute resolution procedures. * It establishes minimum levels of protection that each government has to give to the intellectual property of fellow WTO members. * It strikes a balance between the long term benefits and possible short term costs to society. * Society benefits in the long term when intellectual property protection encourages creation and invention, especially when the period of protection expires and the creations and inventions enter the public domain. The TRIPS agreement covers five broad issues: * Application of basic principles of the trading system and other international intellectual property agreements. * Giving adequate protection to intellectual property rights. * Enforcement by countries of these rights adequately in their own territories * Procedure to settle disputes on intellectual property between members of the WTO * Special transitional arrangements during the period when the new system is being introduced. TRIPS requires member states to provide st rong protection for intellectual property rights. * Under TRIPS: * Copyright terms must extend at least 50 years, unless based on the life of the author. (Art. 12 and 14) * Copyright must be granted automatically. (Art. 9) * Computer programs must be regarded as literary works under copyright law and receive the same terms of protection. * Patents must be granted for inventions in all fields of technology provided they meet all other patentability requirements and must be enforceable for at least 20 years (Art 33). Exceptions to exclusive rights must be limited (Art. 13 Art  30) * Legitimate interests of third parties have to be taken into account by patent rights (Art  30). What is WTO? * WTO stands for World Trade Organization, which was established on 1st January, 1995 with its head-quarters located at Geneva, Switzerland. As on 24 August, 2012, WTO has 157 countries as members. What does WTO do? * WTO operates and deals with a system of trade rules between nations on a glob al or near-global level. * It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements, to settle trade disputes with aims for liberalizing trade. * It is a place where member governments try to sort out their trade problems with each other. Functions of WTO * Administering WTO trade agreements * Forum for trade negotiations * Handling trade disputes * Monitoring national trade policies * Technical assistance and training for developing countries * Cooperation with other international organizations WTO- Purpose * WTO settles trade related disputes among countries involving conflict of interests. WTO is all about negotiations and everything done by WTO is the result of negotiations, which are signed by the bulk of world’s trading nations. * These documents provide the legal ground rules for international commerce and are essentially contracts, which bind governments to keep their trade policies within agreed limits. * The goal of such c ontractual bindings is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers to conduct their business, while allowing governments to meet social and environmental objectives. WTO helps trade flow as freely as possible, as long as there are no undesirable side-effects. * It ensures that individuals, companies and governments know what the trade rules are around the world while giving them confidence that there will be no sudden changes of policy as the rules have to be â€Å"transparent† and â€Å"predictable†. WTO Trade Barriers * Trade liberalization or free trade involves the removal of trade restrictions or barriers on the free exchange of goods between nations. * Trade barriers include custom duties or tariffs and non-tariffs barriers, such as import bans or quotas restrictions. WTO negotiations have helped to liberalize trade by lowering these trade barriers especially for countries which have faced them and wanted them lowered. * However, WTO rules support maintaining trade barriers in some circumstances such as consumer protection, environment protection and disease prevention. WTO Agreements * WTO agreements cover principles of liberalization such as: * Transparent trade policies * Procedures in place for settling disputes * Lowering tariffs and barriers etc. * Any change in policies would have to be notified to WTO.WTO- Basic Trading Rules or Principles * Non-Discrimination: e. This rule has two major components which are incorporated in major WTO rules on goods, services and intellectual property. viii. The Most Favored Nation (MFN) Rule: A WTO member countries cannot discriminate between their trading partners e. g. if a country grants special favor to another country, the same will have to be granted to all other WTO members. ix. National Treatment Policy: Imported and locally-produced goods should be treated equally. * Freer Trade: f.To liberalize trade, lowering trade barriers including custom duties, tariffs, import bans or quotas restricting quantities selectively gradually through negotiations. g. It also discourage the use of quotas used to set limits on quantities of imports as it can lead to more accusations of unfair play or non-tariff barriers such as red tape, which involves agreements dealing with various bureaucratic or legal issues causing hindrances to trade such as import licensing, rules for the valuation of goods at customs, pre-shipment inspection involving further checks on imports, investment measures and rules of origin such as made in where? tc. * Predictability through binding transparency: h. WTO’s multilateral trading system is an attempt to make the business environment more stable and predictable while making countries’ trade rules as clear and public (â€Å"transparent†) as possible. * Promoting Fair Competition: WTO agreements support fair competition especially in agriculture, intellectual property, services, etc. Encouraging development and ec onomic reform: WTO system contributes to development by allowing countries to implement trade liberalization programs with flexibility of time. WTO Pakistan * Pakistan has been a WTO member since its inception and is one of the founder Members of the WTO since its inception. * Pakistan has been following an export led growth strategy since market access is of vital importance for its businesses.

Dr. Tram and the Vietnam Conflict

Dr. Tram and the Vietnam Conflict Dr. Tram wrote a definitive book about the Vietnam War from around April 1968 when she worked as the chief medical officer in a field hospital in central Vietnams mountains (Tram 2). She volunteered to offer medical services to the soldiers in the war torn areas, and mostly she wrote down her experiences in her diary.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dr. Tram and the Vietnam Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this diary she described her daily encounters with soldiers, her feelings about their pain, and feelings about the American soldiers among others. Dr. Tram made a difficult decision to stay with the soldiers in the war fields, I say this because despite her rich background, she took great risks unexpected of women in her times, and I believe if she were alive today she would have earned a place in the Vietnamese history books. Dr. Tram’s gives us different view of the Vietnam War, it gives a vict ims view of the war and the perpetrators. Being a North Vietnamese she made a very bold decision to go to the war torn South Vietnam, since at that time North Vietnam was a different country from the south (Mydans 34). She specifically went to Quang Ngai province to work as a doctor in the hospitals and clinics in the areas of the Duc Pho areas mostly controlled by the National Liberation Front or the Viet Cong. Unfortunately she was ambushed and killed at her twenty-seventh age when she was returning to her hospital from one of the clinical visits. From her perspective we learn of how the locals felt about the American involvement in the war, we learn that she hated the Americans with a passion for the killings and bombings they did to their country, for maiming her country men and in general were of the pain they underwent in such periods. The abrupt stop in her work shows us how life can be cruel and unfriendly and the war never cares about any one. We also realize that in these times she missed her mothers love and she was weary and always longing for her mothers caring arms (Tram 2). Despite the American soldiers being perceived by the rest of the world to be hard fighting, hard loving and hard living; we realize they were brutal as it is relieved in the book. It seems as if she was driven by an inner desire to love and care that made her risk her life in the war fields. Dr. Tram was driven by love and passion for her country men and a desire to see them liberated. She would often stay in Hanoi to attend to the patients and soldiers and every weekend visit her family in the evacuation sites (Mydans 35). She felt the pain, the insecurities and the fear the soldiers experienced and in most cases she would criticize herself for never rising to occasion or being weak while the rest sacrificed their youth for the sake of liberation.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF L earn More Due to this passion and love she operated on the wounded soldier in unimaginable primitive conditions and was often without drugs that could save their lives. She was always at pain when she saw them die in her hands when she could nothing to save them. She sacrificed her life for the sake of the soldiers and for the sake of her country. Due to this sacrifice she has entered into the official pantheon of wartime heroes that is inclusive of a number of brave young women who also risked their lives. A hospital has been built and a stature erected in memory of her at the remote site of her clinic in Quang Ngai Province. I believe if she was alive she would a living testimony and icon of many, and probably she would scold the current selfish regime in which people are mindful of themselves more than their fellow countrymen. She would greatly oppose the trend where the people do not sacrifice for their fellows but sacrifice their fellows instead. She also might probably not agree with the much honor bestowed upon her at the expense of the very many that died in the war. In conclusion Dr. Tram’s diary gives us the real picture of the war, by describing the situations the soldiers encountered, the longings for their loved ones, and the harsh conditions they were in. It also shows how love for one’s country can make him make a big sacrifice for its benefit. Dr. Tram, Dang Thuy. Last Night I Dreamed of Peace. Trans. Pham, Andrew. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press. 2007. Print. Mydans, Seth. â€Å"Diary of North Vietnam Doctor Killed in U.S. Attack Makes War Real.† New York Times 26 Jun. 2006: 34-35. Print. I would like to thank the following person for helping me put this paper together: Chen Xu, worked with me 4 hours.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dr. Tram and the Vietnam Conflict specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More De Liang Liang, worked with me 4 hours.