Market Structure And Competition In The Banking Sector Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3090 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? The rapid economic convergence of Spain in the European Union in the last decade has been mirrored by an equally rapid expansion of its banking industry the Spanish banking sectors total assets over GDP expanded from 70 to 80 percent of the EU average. At the end of 2007, total assets held by the banking sector amounted to 280 percent of GDP; 110 percentage points higher than in 1997. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Market Structure And Competition In The Banking Sector Finance Essay" essay for you Create order The Spanish banking sector comprises four types of institutions: (Bank of Spain, data available at 13 April 2010) ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Commercial banks 154 entities, accounting for 54 percent of total credit institutions assets, of which 53 are Spanish-owned, 17 are subsidiaries and 80 are branches of foreign institutions. Domestic banks are generally market-traded entities mostly engaged in retail banking; ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Savings banks (Cajas) -46 entities, with a market share of 40 percent. They are not for profit foundations with strong local government and/or autonomous communities participation. They are not listed or traded in the stock market. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Cooperative banks 83 entities, with a market share of 4 percent. They are organized under the umbrella of Banco Cooperativo Espaol. They provide services based on membership, but can also offer some financial services to third parties as do other credit institutions. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Specialized credit institutions (SCIs) 69 entitites, with a market share of 2 percent. Although carrying out most of the activities of credit institutions, they are prohibited from receiving repayable funds from the public in the form of deposits, loans, temporary assignment of financial assets, or other comparable instruments. Mergers of savings banks, or cajas, are subject to respective regional governments approval. Cajas cannot be purchased by private individuals or institutions due to their legal nature, but they can acquire other companies and credit institutions. Nevertheless, cajas assets and branches can be purchased by individuals, private companies and commercial banks. For more details, see FSAP (2006) Technical Note on Regulation, Supervision, and Governance of Spanish Cajas, (IMF Country Report No. 06/215). September 2010 European central bank Market structure indicators, such as the Herfindahl Index or the share of total assets of the five largest institutions, indicate that the d concentration in Spain, albeit increasing, has remained one of the lowest in the EU (Table ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦.). A number of studies have investigated banking competition in Spain and results tend to indicate that, on average, banking competition in Spain is intense, including in comparison with that in peer countries. 51. Alongside commercial banks, savings banks have been a major force in extending services and in fostering competition. Since reforms in late 1970s, savings banks have gradually reduced their regional specificity and expanded their range of activities.53 Many medium-sized savings banks have strengthened their national presence becoming solid competitors to commercial banks. Their market share has steadily increased from 35 percent in 1999 to 40 percent in 2007. 52. With the exception of the two largest players, the Spanish banking system remains essentially domestic (Table 3). After building up franchises in Latin America, Santander and BBVA have expanded in other markets as well. Santander is now a significant player in the U.K. (Abbey National PLC and Alliance Leicester PLC),54 in pan-European consumer finance, and a smaller participant in the US (Sovereign Bank). BBVA has a non-negligible presence in the U.S., mainly through Compass Bankshare. Foreign activities are estimated to account for nearly half of both institutions earnings in 2008. Other banks have small subsidiaries outside Spain, such as Banco Popular (Portugal and Florida), Caja Madrid (Mexico), and Banco de Sabadell S.A. (Mexico and Florida), while La Caixa (caja from Catalonia) has expanded internationally with acquisitions of Mexicos Grupo Financiero Inbursa and Hong-Kong based Bank of East Asia. B. Main Trends 53. Convergence associated with EMU entry spurred a credit boom that abruptly ended with the outbreak of the global financial crisis in mid-2007. Interest rate convergence, both in anticipation of and since EMU membership, fueled domestic credit growth (Figure 4). Over the period 1997-2007, credit to the non-financial private sector has increased at an average of 17 percent; about two-and-half times nominal GDP growth. 54. Credit expansion was especially pronounced in the construction and real estate market. Bank activity has gradually shifted away from interbank lending and lending to the government and the manufacturing sector, to financing construction and real estate activities (Figure 5). As of end-June 2008 exposure to real estate financing amounted to 60 percent of total credit to the nonfinancial private sector, compared to 40 percent in 1997. While savings banks have the highest exposure, commercial banks are those that most significantly reoriented their domestic activity. Increased competition for lending to real estate developers has led some institutions to take on added risks by forming joint ventures with real estate developers-banks granting loans and sometimes taking an equity stake. It is estimated that this type of lending exceeds the equivalent of 5 percent of Tier 1 capital on average, and can reach as high as 80 percent of Tier 1 in specific cases.55 53 As part of the deregulation process, savings banks were allowed to carry out universal banking activities starting in 1977. 54 Amid the U.K. banking crisis, Santander also bought the branches and deposits of Bradford Bingley. 39 55. Since growth in customer deposits has not kept pace with domestic credit expansion, banks have increasingly tapped international capital markets. Between 1997 and end-2007, domestic deposits grew at an average rate of 12 percent, thus financing only part of the credit expansion of 17 percent. As a result, the loan-to-deposit ratio climbed well above the Euro-area average. Securitization facilitated access by credit institutions to foreign savings (Figure 6). Credit institutions have established securitization funds, which in turn have issued their own securitization bonds, mainly covered mortgage bonds (cdulas hipotecarias, CH). Given the soundness of the issuer, the quality and size of the mortgage portfolio, and the level of over-collateralization, resulting from sound regulation, these securities were attractive to foreign investors.56 Outstanding balances of Spanish 55 Moodys April 2008. 56 The new Mortgage Law (Law 41/2007) further strengthens the regulatory framework of CH; in particular: (1) it creates a special register for all mortgage loans and credits forming the collateral; (2) it reduces the loan-to-value ratio for commercial mortgage loans from 70 to 60 percent while keeping the one for housing loans at 80 percent (both ceilings may rise respectively to 80 and 95 percent if there are appropriate and sufficient additional guarantees); (3) it increases the minimum legally required over-collateralization from 11 to 25 percent; and (4) it provides for the possibility of including specific liquid and low-risk assets in the pool of collateral underlying the CH issue (up to 5 percent). from ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬18 billion (3 percent of GDP) in 2000 to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬350 billion (33 percent of GDP) in 2007.57 Spanish CHs currently represent the second biggest Jumbo segment in European covered bonds after the German pfandbriefe.58 56. In recent years, the Spanish banking industry has enjoyed significantly higher profitability than EU peers, despite lower leverage (Figure 7). While high volumes of intermediation have contributed to this result, higher trading and fee income as well as enduring cuts in operating costs have been important drivers. 57 It is important to note that the Bank of Spain has adopted stringent criteria regarding risk transfer and control of special purpose entities. Both steps have reduced drastically the incentives for off-balance sheet securitization and the resulting capital relief opportunities. 58 Jumbo issues amount to at least a billion euros. 57. To gauge the contribution of different factors, an algebraic breakdown of banks return on equity (ROE) has been undertaken (Box 2, Figure 8). The results indicate that while savings banks financial strength (net income over net operating income) has remained broadly unchanged, commercial banks and cooperatives have experienced some decline in this indicator in the last years, mainly reflecting provisioning expenses and write-downs. In the case of commercial banks, this development has been partially compensated by continuous improvements in cost efficiency whereas savings banks and cooperatives have witnessed some increase in the burden of their administrative expenses, consistent with the expansion of their branch networks. While increasing leverage ratios may have weighed on credit institutions vulnerability to shocks, improving (or undiminished) risk-adjusted asset productivity, more prudent risk strategies (as indicated by declining risk-weighted to total the impact of the ongoing global financial turmoil 59. The outbreak of the financial crisis in summer 2007 has severely affected the operating model of the Spanish banks. With wholesale funding drying up, Spanish banks have started restructuring their balance sheets. On the asset side, credit institutions have slowed lending growth and tightened credit standards. On the liability side, they have tapped more extensively ECB refinancing facilities by doubling access from ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬22 billion in the pre-crisis period to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬49 billion recently. Since other banking systems also expanded their recourse to the ECB, Spain access has remained broadly in line with that of Euro-area total assets (Figure 11). Banks have also competed fiercely for customer deposits, largely at the cost of redemptions from mutual funds. 60. Banks operating environment has deteriorated more rapidly and severely than expected. Given their retail-oriented nature, Spanish banks have not been directly affected by the US subprime crisis and its ramifications.60 Nevertheless, they have to face with the bleak economic situation. Domestic economic slowdown and banks deleveraging have been mutually reinforcing. Households and the corporate sector are highly indebted. Unemployment is rising. The housing market is rapidly cooling off. The corporate sector is facing increasing cash-flow and liquidity problems. Several large real estate developers have filed for bankruptcy. Against this environment, NPLs have increased rapidly but from a very 60 Spanish banks total direct gross exposure to Lehman was estimated at US$700 million, with BBVA having the largest exposure with US$100 million. However, both Santander and BBVA were caught off guard by the Madoff fraud scandal. While Santanders direct exposure was reportedly minimal (ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬17 million), Santanders clients who invested in the banks Optimal Strategic hedge fund, had an exposure of ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬2.3 billion. BBVA reported ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 300 million losses from its activities related to Madoff Investment Securities. low base.61 Loans to the construction and real estate sectors have witnessed the most marked deterioration (Figure 12). As a result, savings banks have been most affected owing to their large exposure to the real estate sector. While banks provisions are still at a comfortable level, the extra cushion provided by dynamic provisioning is falling rapidly. 61. As a consequence, and despite broadly positive results in 2008, market sentiment on Spanish banks has turned mixed. While Santander and BBVA continued to record high net income in line with market expectations, their stock prices have declined significantly, reflecting generalized market risk aversion and in anticipation of very difficult market conditions yet to come (Figure 13). When the financial turmoil heightened in the autumn, their CDS spreads trended above those of (retail) peers (investment banks fared much worse), 61 As of end-2007, NPLs amounted to less than 1 percent of total loans; half of the EU average. mainly owing to the sharp deterioration in the Spanish economic outlook and their large exposures to emerging markets, especially in Latin America. Since then, however, CDS spreads have returned in line with those of retail peers, in part helped by the two institutions successful market-based capital increases.62 Small banks and savings banks have been 62. Like other European countries, the Spanish government has taken a number of exceptional measures to shore up confidence in the financial system (Box 3). As part of the package, the Spanish government established a ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬30 billion fund (which may be raised to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬50 billion)-Fondo para la Adquisicin de Activos Financieros (FAAF)-to provide liquidity to the banking sector by purchasing, on an outright or temporary basis, high quality bank liabilities (asset-backed securities with 3-5 year maturity). Box 3. Spanish Government Assistance to Banks Following the common framework agreed by euro-area countries, the Spanish government has taken the following exceptional measures: ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ The limit of the deposit guarantee was raised from ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 20,000 to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 100,000.1/ ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ A ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 30 billion fund (which may be raised to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 50 billion) was established to purchase high quality asset-backed securities issued by credit institutions: the FAAF.2/ The operations can take the form of outright purchases or long-term swap operations (12 months or longer). Asset eligibility is slightly different in the two cases. In particular, outright purchases can be carried out for CHs and securities backed by CHs issued before October 10, 2008, traded (or in the process of being traded) in a regulated market, carrying a triple-A rating, and with a maturity no longer than the one specified in the auction. In the case of swap operations eligible assets comprise CHs and securities backed by CHs, or credit to individuals or non-financial companies and institutions provided that these securities have been issued after August 1, 2007, meet the ECBs eligibility requirements, and carry at least a rating of double-A. The FAAF consists of two separate portfolios; one for each type of operations. To safeguard a sufficient diversification, the FAAF cannot allocate more than 10 percent of its resources in each portfolio to a single entity. The FAAFs operations are conducted through an American-Type Auction; a fraction may also be allocated through non-competitive auctions. In each auction, individual allotments cannot exceed the lowest between the above-mentioned 10 percent limit of FAAFs portfolio and the result of the product between 2.5 times a credit institutions share in total credit to the domestic non-financial private sector and the amount offered. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Government guarantee may be provided for credit institutions new debt issues. The amount of the scheme approved in 2008 is ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 100 billion to be used by mid-December 2009.3/ A possible additional ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 100 billion might be allotted in 2009 if market conditions do not improve. As agreed within the EU, the pricing depends on debt maturity, CDS spreads, and rating of the originators: Table 4. Spain: Pricing of the Government Guarantee Maturity Commission Fee Less or equal to 1 year Flat fee of 50 bp. Greater than 1 year Flat fee of 50 bp plus: ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ For beneficiary institutions with CDS data; the lowest between: 1) the median of the 5 year CDS spreads calculated over the period January 1,2007 August 31, 2008; 2) 36.5 bp for institutions with AA rating; 3) 44.8 bp for institutions with A rating. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ For beneficiary institutions without CDS data, or without representative CDS data, but with a credit rating: 1) 36.5 bp for institutions with AA rating; 2) 44.8 bp for institutions with A rating. For beneficiary institutions that are not comprised in the previous two categories, 44.8 bp plus a supplementary annual fee of 10 bp. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ If necessary, credit institutions re-capitalization may be carried out through the governments acquisition of non-diluting instruments such as preference shares.3/ - 1/ Royal Decree 1642/2008, October 10, 2008. 2/ Royal Decree Law 6/2008, October 10, 2008. 3/ Royal Decree Law 7/2008, October 13, 2008. The impact of the credit system The real estate crisis has had an inevitable impact on the banking system. At the end of 2009, loans to this sector were classified as a bad debt of 9.6% of loans (ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 43 billion), but still far from a high incidence reached 13% in 1993. A special investigation by the Central Bank, however, stressed that to have a complete picture of the situation must also add to the suffering of ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 59 billion of other loans uncertain recovery, ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 60 billion of real estate acquired by banks in payment for loans in the past and ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 4 billion of loans already written off entirely (write-offs). In short, the downturn in the property sector is thus weigh on the banking sector to ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 165 billion, 37% of total loans to this sector. Although this is a significant amount, it should not result in system-wide problems of stability since the specific provisions cove ring these loans to 26%, rising to 35% if you add the general provisions available. The Bank of Spain also estimated that the overall coverage may be increased to 70% if the operating income in 2010 was only equal to that of the previous year. With the exception of finance companies in the real estate sector (about 18% of the loan portfolio), the quality of the portfolio of Spanish banks as a whole appears reasonable given the severity of the economic situation. A crisis manageable According to the research department of BNL, the situation of Spanish banks is attracting too much attention, perhaps especially when compared with the weakness shown by other European banking systems, such as is the case of Germany. Despite an increase of 65% of provisions, the Spanish banking system ended 2009 with net profits (nearly ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 20 billion) in limited flexion (-20%), achieving a non-marginal increase of the two main indicators patrimonalizzazione (tier 1 to 9.7% an increase of 1.3 percentage points to 8.1% core tier 1 an increase of 1 percentage point). Detail is not secondary, the increase of these two reports is due entirely to increase the number (net worth +13%) compared to a denominator (risk-weighted assets) remains unchanged. Even the effect of this increase, ROE (Return on Equity) fell by almost three percentage points, ranking still 9%, the highest level in Europe (3.6% in the case of Italy). crisi edilizia Le ripercussioni sul sistema creditizio La crisi del settore immobiliare ha avuto un inevitabile impatto sul sistema creditizio. A fine 2009 i prestiti a questo settore classificati in sofferenza risultavano pari al 9,6% dei prestiti erogati (ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 43 mld), unincidenza elevata ma comunque lontana dal 13% toccato nel 1993. Una apposita indagine della Banca Centrale, tuttavia, ha messo in rilievo che per avere una completa rappresentazione della situazione bisogna aggiungere alle sofferenze anche ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 59 mld di altri prestiti di incerto recupero, ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 60 mld di propriet immobiliari acquisite dalle banche in pagamento per prestiti concessi in passato e ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 4 mld di prestiti gi interamente svalutati (write-offs). In definitiva, la sfavorevole congiuntura del settore immobiliare risulta cos pesare sul settore bancario per ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 165 mld, il 37% del totale dei finanziamenti a questo settore. S eppure si tratti di un importo rilevante, non ne dovrebbero derivare a livello di sistema problemi di stabilit considerato che gli accantonamenti specifici coprono questi prestiti al 26%, percentuale che sale al 35% se si aggiungono gli accantonamenti generici a disposizione. La Banca di Spagna, inoltre, calcola che la copertura complessiva potrebbe essere portata al 70% se nel 2010 il risultato operativo fosse solo pari a quello dellanno precedente. Se si escludono i finanziamenti alle societ del settore immobiliare (il 18% circa del portafoglio prestiti), la qualit del portafoglio delle banche spagnole appare nel complesso discreta considerata la gravit dellattuale congiuntura economica. Una crisi gestibile Secondo lufficio studi di Bnl la situazione delle banche spagnole sta attirando unattenzione forse eccessiva soprattutto se confrontata con la fragilit evidenziata da altri sistemi bancari europei, come ad esempio il caso della Germania. Malgrado una crescita del 65% degli accantonamenti, il sistema bancario spagnolo ha chiuso il 2009 con un utile netto (quasi ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 20 mld) in limitata flessione (-20%), conseguendo anche un aumento non marginale dei due principali indicatori di patrimonalizzazione (tier 1 al 9,7% in aumento di 1,3 punti percentuali e core tier 1 a 8,1% in aumento di 1 punto percentuale). Dettaglio non secondario, laumento di questi due rapporti dovuto interamente allaumento del numeratore (risorse patrimoniali +13%) a fronte di un denominatore (attivit ponderate per il rischio) rimasto sostanzialmente invariato. Anche per effetto di questo incremento, il RoE (Return on Equity) sceso di quasi tre punti percentuali, posizionandosi comunque al 9%, livello tra i pi alti in Europa (3,6% nel caso dellItalia).

Daylight As A Healing Element - 1304 Words

Chapter Four Daylight as a healing element It has been established that a healing environment has a positive effect on the human being given the information mentioned above. In addition, healing architecture suggests that the incorporation of natural elements during the design process of the building is essential. The investigation on the themes of healing architecture lead to the conclusion that â€Å"the luminous environment plays an important role and an integral part of the hospital’s healing environment (Aripin, 2006).However, it was noticed that â€Å"many studies on the subject of daylight focus on schools, offices and commercial buildings but few on hospitals† (Aripin, 2006).Therefore ,a decision was made in investigating how daylight can be used efficiently in a hospital setting in order to promote an effective healing environment. In recent literature, a number of studies have been conducted in order to showcase how daylight could be beneficial on the human being in both physiological and physical aspects. As a matter fact, Richard J. Wurtman suggested that â€Å"light is the most environmental input, after food and water, in controlling bodily functions† (Hattie Anderman , 2013). In addition, The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) published a report which proposed that light could have a positive impact during the recovery process of the patient. Moreover, Roger S.Ulrich carried out a trial in order to see if indeed natural light has any sort ofShow MoreRelatedDesign Of A Sustainable Design1251 Words   |  6 Pagestoday as sustainable architectural design began in the early 20th century; born and evolved from principles and theories of architects in addition to physical devices all which precursor those in today sustainable architecture. 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Evaluation Report MacVilless Employee Assistance Program

Question: Discuss about the Evaluation Reportfor MacVilless Employee Assistance Program. Answer: Introduction The purpose of this report is to develop and evaluation of the provide case study that is on the MacVilless employee assistance program that is for 12 months in an organization. the aim of the program is to promote health, well-being and nutrition survey of the employees in which some medical test would be done like cholesterol test, BMI, blood pressure, etc. in this current report, the discussions will be on the result of the program like its modification, objectives, feedback of the employees as well as the employers, progress of the program, relevant recommendations and at last conclusion of the overall report. The program is placed for 12 months to improve the health of the employees and to bring a work life balance in the lives of the same (Raup, 2008). The program has shows positive results and feedback at some place and also negative result at some. The main aim is to identify and evaluate the relevant information provided in the case study given and also to develop an effective evaluative and management report related to the improvements of the program (Metters, Marucheck, 2007). Objectives The Objectives of the Program that has been Implemented in the Case Study are The objectives of the program are to bring the employees as a point where they can have opportunity to concentrate on their health. in this fast moving world, it has become difficult to take care of the health, so keeping such things in the mind the company MacVilles has decide to initiate a program named as the MacVilles employee assistance program that aims to promote health, well-being and nutrition survey of the employees in which some medical test would be done like cholesterol test, BMI, blood pressure, etc.( Bakker, Schaufeli, 2008) Progress The progress of the program is very good at some stages but it is also showing slow movements in some workshops like morning walk at the employees are unable to attend the early morning workshops. This is dues to the fact that they have lot of routine work to be performed before going to the office. The progress will be shown in the feedback part in a detailed way but still the program is running good as in many sessions, there is a presence of more than 50 % of the employees which is such a good number (Lemon et al. 2009). Though, there was absenteeism in some sessions like early morning sessions. If the company makes changes and brings modifications in the same than in future they would be able to have more than 75 % of the employees presence in the sessions related to the health (Giacalone, Rosenfeld, 2013). Feedback The feedback of the program and the employees surveys reveled that the program has some valuable impact on the company. However, the company came to know that the biggest reason due to which the employees were unable to participate in the program is due to the early morning group for the walk. Due to this, the employees avoided such programs as they have to take showers and breakfast before going to their work (Cohen, 2007). The other non-participants were there who prepared for the event before the Sunday night. Some employees said that due to travel times, they want to change the time for the event as they also want to take participate and grab the opportunity so that they can also improve their health. The company got success in the stress management workshops as many employees took participate which help twice in the year. As 20% employee took part in the first session, 30 % took part in second series and in total 50 % of the employees took the session of stress management (Damschroder et al. 2009). The other target was obesity which showed the most remarkable results that is 42 % of the MacVilles employees. The feedback from this program is 8 % of the employees are obese, and 12 % are to be considered related to the result of BMI (Emrouznejad, Parker, Tavares, 2008). Modifications There must be some modification in the programs held by MacVilles as there are many employees who want to attend the program but due to office hours, travelling hours, and other work load, etc they are unable to attends the workshops and sessions. So it is very relevant to change and to bring modification in the program scheduled by MacVilles (Alvesson, Sandberg, 2013). These modifications will help the company and the event managers to have more employees in the program and to grab opportunities form the same. Recommendations The recommendations for the managers of MacVilles are that they have to change and modify the program according to the convenience of the employees. It is the fact that this program is only for the employees and if they are unable to participate than the program is not worth for any one of the organization. In this way, it is highly recommended to change the timings and schedules for the same. Conclusion At last the conclusion of the present report is that the company MacVilles is trying hard to take care of the health of the employees working with them. The program is placed for 12 months to improve the health of the employees and to bring a work life balance in the lives of the same. The program has shows positive results and feedback at some place and also negative result at some. But this can be improved if company brings changes according to the ease of the employees. The company has spent a huge investment so that the program can become successful so they want to have positive feedback out of the same. References Alvesson, M., Sandberg, J. (2013). Has management studies lost its way? Ideas for more imaginative and innovative research.Journal of Management Studies,50(1), 128-152. Bakker, A. B., Schaufeli, W. B. (2008). Positive organizational behavior: Engaged employees in flourishing organizations.Journal of Organizational Behavior,29(2), 147-154. Cohen, D. J. (2007). The very separate worlds of academic and practitioner publications in human resource management: Reasons for the divide and concrete solutions for bridging the gap.Academy of Management Journal,50(5), 1013-1019. Damschroder, L. J., Aron, D. C., Keith, R. E., Kirsh, S. R., Alexander, J. A., Lowery, J. C. (2009). Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice: a consolidated framework for advancing implementation science.Implementation science,4(1), 50. Emrouznejad, A., Parker, B. R., Tavares, G. (2008). Evaluation of research in efficiency and productivity: A survey and analysis of the first 30 years of scholarly literature in DEA.Socio-economic planning sciences,42(3), 151-157. Giacalone, R. A., Rosenfeld, P. (2013).Impression management in the organization. Psychology Press. Metters, R., Marucheck, A. (2007). Service managementacademic issues and scholarly reflections from operations management researchers.Decision Sciences,38(2), 195-214. Raup, G. H. (2008). The impact of ED nurse manager leadership style on staff nurse turnover and patient satisfaction in academic health center hospitals.Journal of Emergency Nursing,34(5), 403-409. Verhoef, P. C., Lemon, K. N., Parasuraman, A., Roggeveen, A., Tsiros, M., Schlesinger, L. A. (2009). Customer experience creation: Determinants, dynamics and management strategies.Journal of retailing,85(1), 31-41.

Wilfred Owen romanticised and tender poetry

Introduction Wilfred Owen was a renowned war poet who lived between 1893 and 1918. Besides his poetry career, Wilfred was also an English soldier. Most of Owen’s work traces their roots to Owen’s war experiences as a soldier. Therefore, most of his work related to war poetry. It is therefore unsurprising that most of his poetic descriptions related to horror, terror, grief, and sorrow.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Wilfred Owen: romanticised and tender poetry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Owen’s works were unique from the works of other war poets because his literary narrations were very emotionally charged and tender. In some respects, it is correct to say many of Owen’s works were romantically themed. Similarly, a significant difference about Owen’s work was his heavy use of rhymes and assonance. Other war poets also used these techniques, but they did not practi ce them extensively as Owen did. Siegfried Sassoon was one of Owen’s greatest mentors who influenced his poetic style. This paper posits that even though Owen tried to follow Sassoon’s style, he found a niche for himself by writing â€Å"romanticised† and tender poetry (Hoffpauir 161). Therefore, albeit Owens’s poetry works are war related, he focused on the pity of war, thereby making his works uniquely distinctive from other war poets. This paper demonstrates Owen’s tender poetic style by focusing on two of Owens’s greatest works, Futility and Anthem for Doomed Youth. Both poems show that Owen had a special style of writing that set him above other poets. However, this paper demonstrates that even though Owen was a successful poet, most of his works are not significant in today’s modern world. Anthem for Doomed Youth Most of Owen’s poems exhibit some unique sense of â€Å"tendency† that makes the readers experience an overburdened type of narration, which enacts the devastating nature of war in their minds (Patrick 167). This thematic and stylistic approach manifests in many of Owen’s poems, including, Anthem for Doomed Youth. For example, in the poem, Owen associates the death of soldiers to the death of cattle (Poetry Foundation 1). He strategically uses the word â€Å"cattle† in his narration to show that the soldiers lacked a human identity in the war. The use of this word also erodes any form of individuality to the soldiers’ plight in the war because he portrayed how people saw the soldiers as irrational creatures that should die (more like animals). In the same narration, Owen says, â€Å"Only the monstrous anger of the guns can patter out their hasty orisons† (Poetry Foundation 1). Here, Owen uses the adjective, monstrous, to refer to the nature of the war that caused the death of thousands of soldiers. Owen also says, â€Å"Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle can patter out their hasty orisons† (Poetry Foundation 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this narration, Owen carefully chooses the word, stuttering rifles to show the discontinuity of life (caused by war). Moreover, Owen uses the word â€Å"rattle† to show the use violence to fight a broader social or political mission. Symbolically, Owen portrays violence as a tool that most people used to fight innocence. Owen also uses the word â€Å"Orison† to show the limited time that the soldiers had to stay alive. â€Å"Neither prayers nor bells could save them† (Poetry Foundation 1). Owen used this statement to show the state of hopelessness that often characterises war. In the context of his poem, he used this narration to show that neither the state nor the church could save the soldiers from death. Coincidentally, when Owen di ed, in 1918, his parents received the news when the church bells were ringing. The coincidental and deliberate remarks by Owen show how tenderly his poems tried to symbolise some of war’s greatest horrors. Church bells for example, provided a â€Å"romantic† narration of death, at least symbolically. Interestingly, in the same understanding, Owen uses the church bells to not only symbolise death, but also to show the state of hopelessness that the soldiers faced during war. For example, he said, â€Å"No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells – Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs – The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells† (Poetry Foundation 1). Owen used these statements to show the state of despair and agony that characterised war. Through the symbolism of tender objects of worship, Owen detested the fact that the church/state could not provide the dead soldiers with a decent funeral to commemorate their service to the state. For example, he says, â€Å"What candles may be held to speed them all† (Poetry Foundation 1). Here, Owen uses candles as a tender object of worship to express his frustrations regarding why the soldiers could not get a decent funeral. This statement shows Owen’s disappointment that the world paid little respect for the lost lives, as few people could light candles to commemorate the lives of the lost soldiers. Certainly, Owen carefully used candle lighting because of its symbolism of departed souls. In respect to this understanding, Owen says that unfortunately, the society does not treat soldiers to this important ceremony (commemoration).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Wilfred Owen: romanticised and tender poetry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, people do not light any candles for the departed souls, â€Å"only the glimmers in their dead eyes show their last communication to t he living† (Poetry Foundation 1). He also says, â€Å"the dead soldiers would also not get a pall (white sheet) for their coffins, as the only respect that they will get will be the recognition of the paleness of their beloved friends and family† (Hammond 42). Besides candles, Owen uses flowers to explain the sorrow that characterises death. He dreads that the dead soldiers will not receive flowers for their funeral; instead, only the few people who loved them would cherish their memories as a tribute to their departed friends and family (Jochimsen 56). Comprehensively, Owen uses carefully chosen words that express a very tender undertone to his narration. The use of flowers, choir, and candles to express horror and death only affirm this point. Futility Futility is one of Owen’s most celebrated works. The poem questions the point of living if one is going to die anyway. Owen’s insights especially focus on the Second World War era where he participated as a soldier. Surrounded by death (from his colleagues, of his enemies, and his possible death), Owen questions the point of living because he did not see the point of being born and dying only a few years later. This was an existential crisis (Baker 125). True to his tender and romantically themed style, in the poem, futility, Owen uses the sun as a motherly personification of care. The first line of his poem says, â€Å"Move him to the sun† (All Poetry 1). Owen uses the sun as a giver of life by giving it a motherly and nurturing attribute to the wounded and dead soldiers. Relative to this view, Owen says, â€Å"Always it woke him, even in France, until this morning and this snow, if anything will rouse him now, the kind old sun will know† (All Poetry 1). Owen uses the sun and the snow to show the extreme sides of life – life and death. He uses the sun to symbolise the â€Å"warmth and life,† while he uses the snow to symbolise â€Å"cold and death.† Concerning the role of the sun as the giver of life, Owen says, â€Å"Think how it wakes the seeds, woke once the clays of a cold star† (All Poetry 1). Therefore, Owen draws the comparison between the sun and life by saying that if the sun gives life to the seeds, it may also give life to the soldiers.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, if we carefully analyse Owens’s narration, it is easy to point out the tender relationship that Owen draws between nature and humanity. Slawek (314) also says it is easy to see how Owen sensationalises the dysfunctional part of the human body with the wholesomeness of life. In other words, as he explains â€Å"dead† parts of the human body (like eyes); he tries to show how they fail the overall goal of life – to live. Essentially, Owen does not understand how the sun gives life to the seeds, but through his tender connection between nature and humanity, he believes that the sun can give life to the warm body of a soldier. He says this because he believes that man is a product of clay, which comes from the ground. Therefore, just as the seeds emerge from the ground (through the help of the sun), the sun should also give life to man. Concerning this assertion, Owen says â€Å"full-nerved, still warm, too hard to stir, was it for this the clay grew tall † (All Poetry 1). The narrative that the clay grew tall stems from biblical excerpts, which show that God made man from the ground, and from dust, man, grew tall and conquered the earth. In this narration, Owen shows that clay symbolises man. However, since man dies, Owen wonders, is life pointless? Albeit Owen sticks to his emotionally charged poetic style in futility, Cordery (50) says that futility is overly rhetoric and lacks authentic emotion. His over-reliance on far-fetched thoughts provide the basis for this criticism Discussion Futility and Anthem for Doomed Youth are two of Owens’s greatest works. These works both show Owen’s unique tender and romantically themed style because they are highly sensitised to appeal to the audience’s consciousness. The use of candles, the church, and choir to explain death demonstrate one way that Owen uses emotions to romanticise his work, through the expressions of ideas in an emotionally charged context. This ana logy is especially true for the poem, Anthem for Doomed Youth. Futility shares the same style because Owen uses a lot of symbolic language to explain the futility of war. His development of the tender relationship between nature and humanity provides one such evidence of his unique style. For example, when Owen uses the sun to symbolise life and the snow to symbolise death, he draws an unusual and tender comparison of nature and war. These unique stylistic approaches distinguished Owen from other literary poets. From his unique literary style and the critical acclaim that followed his works, it is correct to say that Owen was largely successful in his poetic life. This success also explains why people regard Owen to be among the most successful war poets that ever lived (Johnson 41). Indeed, it is unsurprising that even though there were many publications of war poems; few got the high level of patronage that Owen’s poems received. Similarly, from Owens’s powerful infl uence in war poetry, many modern pieces of art have been re-enacted from Owen’s works. For example, Benjamin Britten, a modern war poet, used nine of Owens’s works to develop his poetry collection (Johnson 41). Songs have also been made of Owens’s works. For example, in 1982, a New York musical group made a rendition of the Poem, Anthem for Doomed Youth, and performed it in Fredonia, New York. In the same year, Virginia Astely, a singer, composed a song titled, futility (based on Owen’s poem, futility). Conclusion Owen’s works have lived through many decades, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries, when war was a common part of the civilised world. Today, these works do not have the same significance as they did a century ago. Indeed, writing from a background of conflict and despair, Owen spoke of the agony and the anguish that befell most of his colleagues in the war. His work still has some significant importance in today’s modern worl d, but this significance cannot compare to the earlier centuries when many nations rose against one another in war. Indeed, today, there are fewer dramatic wars as there were in the 18th, 19th, or 20th centuries. Owen’s works will therefore lose their significance in today’s modern world. However, Kerr (295) differs with this view because he says Owen’s lyrical compassion still has the power to command modern day’s war injustices and provide the determination that should motivate soldiers to undertake their duties today. Nonetheless, the relevance of his work only applies to a war context. Works Cited All Poetry 2013, Futility. Web. https://allpoetry.com/poem/8456361-Futility-by-Wilfred-Owen. Baker, Ahmad 2012, The Theme of ‘Futility’ in War Poetry. PDF File. 8 July. 2013. http://www.nobleworld.biz/images/Abu_Baker2.pdf. Cordery, Gareth. â€Å"Owen’s Futility.† Explicator 45.1 (1986): 50 – 54. Print. Hammond, Gerald. â₠¬Å"Owen’s anthem for doomed youth.† Explicator 40.3 (1982): 41 – 43. Print. Hoffpauir, Richard. â€Å"An Assessment of Wilfred Owen.† English Literature In  Transition 28.1 (1985): 41-55. Print. Jochimsen, Marieke. Expression of War in Strange Meeting, Anthem for a Doomed  Youth, Futility and Mental Cases by Wilfred Owen, New York: GRIN Verlag, 2011. Print. Johnson, George. â€Å"Purgatorial Passions. The Ghost (A.K.A. Wilfred Owen) In Owen’s Poetry.† Midwest Quarterly 51.2 (2010): 152-168. Print. Kerr, Douglas. â€Å"The Disciplines Of The Wars: Army Training And The Language Of Wilfred Owen.† Modern Language Review 87.2 (1992): 286-299. Print. Patrick, Jackson. â€Å"Wilfred Owen and the Sublimity of Warfare.† ANQ 24.3 (2011): 167-174. Print. Poetry Foundation 2012, Anthem for Doomed Youth. Web. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47393/anthem-for-doomed-youth. Slawek, Tadeusz. â€Å"Dark Pits of War: Wilfred Owen†™s Poetry and the Hermeneutics of War.† Boundary 14.2 (1986): 309-331. Print. This research paper on Wilfred Owen: romanticised and tender poetry was written and submitted by user Jaylee Francis to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Midsummer Nights Dream Essays (1259 words) - Fiction, Literature

Midsummer Night's Dream The Elements of Fantasy vs. Reality The elements of fantasy in a Midsummer Night's Dream are apparent throughout the movie and there are many examples of this that relate to the real world. In the play the fantasy world and real world exist apart from each other, never meeting at any point. The inhabitants of the fairy world are unreal in the sense that they lack feelings and intelligence. The dream world, beyond mortal's comprehension, strongly influences the entire realm of ordinary life. By nature of their humanity, Oberon's power causes vulnerability in the human world. This fairy kingdom is essentially a dream, which appears whenever reason goes to sleep, and during this time Oberon controls all things. Such illusions and dreams, created by Oberon, can be dangerous if they block out human's perception of reality. As the play proves, these dreams perform an important function in life. The fairies never think and love, which explains all of the deceit and odd events that go on during the play. This is acceptable in their world, because all the laws that govern the world of reality have no existence in the dream world. The lover's fall between these two worlds and are affected by both. The fairies make fools of the lovers, because humans are not accustomed to the fairy's realm. In the real world, Hermia is sensible and Lysander is reasonable. They want to be together even against Egeus' commands, which is reasonable thinking. As soon as the two are alone, imagination takes control of them and they are blinded as to the misfortunes that are bound to cross the course of true love. This causes them to run away. Shakespeare's imagination is vast enough to house fairy realms and the world of reality, including all the peculiar manifestations of either place. Also the ability to describe the separate and often quite dissimilar regions of the play's universe by drawing on the rich resources of poetry. The words moon and water dominate the poetry of the play. Four happy days bring in another moon: but, O, me thinks, how slow. This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires. As a result of their enormous allusive potential, these images engender am entire network of interlocking symbols that greatly enrich the text. The moon, water, and wet flowers conspire to extend the world of the play until it is as large as all imaginable life. The mood and water also explain the play's mystery and naturality. The pattern of the play is controlled and ordered by a series of vital contrasts: the conflict of the sleeping and waking states, the interchange of reality and illusion, reason and imagination, and the disparate spheres of the influence of Theseus and Oberon. All is related to the portrayal of the dream state. In this dramatic world where dreams are a reliable source of vision and insight, consistently truer than reality, they seek to interpret and transform. The imagery establishes the dream world in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The night creates a mysterious mood. At night, the fairy realm takes control. These fairies are brainless and deceitful, which leads to controversy between the mortals. The two worlds, united by moonlight, are active during their respectable times of the day. In the play, the fairy world is dominant, because there is only one scene containing daylight. In Bierce's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge there is a lot of absurd dream logic at the end of the story both in Fahrquhar's reflections and his situation: the noose about his neck was already suffocating him and kept the water from his lungs, and so is some kind of protection. This ignores the other effect of strangulation. The description Whenever I see a literary classic turned into a movie with its author's name as part of the already well-known title, I regard it as a danger sign. Remember Bram Stoker's Dracula, Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, and the overextended music video known as William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? Given the less-than-likely prospect of anyone supposing that Dracula, Anna Karenina, and Romeo and Juliet might be written by anyone but their respective illustrious authors, the tacking on of their names seems

Addictions and Social Connections Essays

Addictions and Social Connections Essays Addictions and Social Connections Essay Addictions and Social Connections Essay Essay Topic: The Social Contract Drug and alcohol addiction is part of todays culture. Many people have engaged in drug addiction due to various factors which include developmental, environmental and biological (Kuhar, 2012). Many people, however, perceive those who use drugs as people who do not have the willpower or moral principles and that they have the option of stopping their behavior by simply making a choice. Such people lack knowledge on how drug abuse is because it is a complex illness and takes up more than the drug users strong will or good intentions. They change their brains in various ways thus making them have hard times when trying to quit the act even when one is more than willing to do so. Alcohol is the most addictive substance used all over the world (Goodman, 2013). There are other drugs commonly abused as well and their include marijuana, tobacco, cocaine, and heroin. Social workers have played a huge role in the treatment of drug users and their post-intervention treat ment. Canada marijuana legalization There are legalized drugs and those that are considered illegal. Alcohol and tobacco are the main legalized drugs. People who use the drugs are embraced as citizens in good standing however when they cause public inebriation; they could be arrested and incarcerated for their actions (Nasr Phillips, 2014). Alcoholism has been regarded as a social acceptance in the society, and few people are punished for indulging in alcohol. Tobacco has lost its importance of social acceptance over the recent years, and it has been restricted to indoors or designated smoking area zones in Canada. The tobacco industry has fought the restrictions but the health ministry with the public health administration have argued with the effects tobacco causes to users and passive users as well unlike alcohol. Marijuana has been illegal in most states in America. In Canada, illicit drugs are present in the high-risk population such as street youth, natives, injectors and the inner-city poor. The illegal drugs i nclude marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Cannabis is however preferred areas such as Canada. It is still used regularly despite it being an illegal drug as there are cartels undertaking illegal drugs trade in the nation. Its usage among adults aged 25+ has been constant from 2004 to 2015 (Leyton, 2016). The government as well as the citizens have argued that it is similar to most drugs especially the legalized ones such as alcohol. Others have argued that it even has better effects to a user than alcohol. In a study by Pearson Janz Ali (2013), alcohol users were 21.6% while cannabis users were 6.8% in Canada. Alcohol has been found to be more addictive than marijuana in the nation. Many marijuana users in Canada are not regular users, and few of them become dependent on the drug. Those taking alcohol, on the other hand, become addicted to it after using it for some time and quite a number end up becoming alcohol users. Alcohol has been found to be more damaging to the body as well than marijuana. Alcohol causes liver disease among various kidney problems while cannabis is only linked to lung cancer when a user smokes it. In the society, alcoholism causes violence and reckless behavior, unlike marijuana. Most marijuana users are conscious after taking it. Hence they can realize when they are acting wrongly in public, unlike a person who has taken alcohol and does not know the acts he or she did after becoming drunk (Payne, 2014). The Canadian government has advocated for regulation an d legalization of marijuana for entertaining use. The legislation is in place to allow the drug to be sold in a similar way as alcohol in various shops in Canada using different provincial alcohol control boards retail shops. Some of the large pharmaceutical sellers have begun applying for retail licenses to trade medical marijuana also. Drug addiction treatment Addiction is regarded as a chronic illness described with the drug use and seeking which is difficult to control, compulsive, and with detrimental consequences. Most people begin taking drugs voluntarily. They, however, make it a habit that leads to changes in the brain which make the drug user have difficulty in self-control thus interfering with his or her capability to resist acute urge to depend on the drugs (Romach, Schoedel Sellers, 2014). When the brain changes become persistent, it leads to addiction. It has been found to be a reversing illness and it evident where people who are rehabilitated from drug use still go back to the behavior some few months or years of not taking the substances. Reverting to drug abuse is common to many previous drug users, and it should not bring a worry to families who have used a lot of finance in the rehabilitation of a loved one, but no change seems to be visible. The treatment process is an ongoing process that may take many years based on how fast the user responds to the treatment (Vaughn Perron, 2014). The plans of the treatment, therefore, need to be reviewed as the treatment process goes on to fit the users changing needs. Drug addiction effects In 2012, 10.1% of the Canadians had substance use disorders (Kuhar, 2012). The reward circuit of the brain is the major part likely to be affected by many drugs. The part controls a persons power to have the desire and encourage the person to iterate behaviors required to make him or her happy such as visiting new places. When the person overstimulates the reward circuit, it makes him or her extremely pleasurable which can make a person who loves taking drugs as a form of finding satisfaction taken them persistently (Goodman,2013). The brain adapts and adjusts to the high production of dopamine when the person goes on taking the drugs by minimizing the power of the reward circuits cells in the response. Tolerance occurs where the high feeling one gets normally reduces compared to the feeling one has when he or she takes drugs making the person to rely on the drug to attain the same high levels of dopamine. Drug intake helps these people to focus on the other activities that made them have pleasure as the drugs offer enough comfort. Substance abuse makes the liver function harder which accelerates the rate at which it becomes damaged or suffers from liver failure. Drug users have abdominal pains, vomiting, and nausea (Nasr Phillips, 2014). They also have a weak immune system which increases ones susceptibility to contracting infections. Drug and alcohol abuse have led to stroke, seizures and brain damage as well and it leads to memory lapse, decision-making, and attention issues among the drug users. They have encountered permanent brain damage or mental confusion. Other effects include cardiovascular conditions that include heart attacks and abnormal heart rate. Those who use injections may in the long term have collapsed veins, heart valves, and blood vessels infections (Leyton, 2016). users encounter appetite fluctuations and increase of body temperatures. Some have inflamed kidneys while others encounter gastric distress and muscle wasting.

Variation of Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Variation of Contract - Essay Example This is the command of the doctrine of consideration. Thus courts sometimes apparently are prepared to take up consideration instead of questioning its needs.1 Exchange thus makes up the terra cognita of contractual responsibilities. Presented promises are often passed on to the private sphere of influence2. Their breach is made good with only a moral sanction. But in the laws of employment immediately post decision of Taylor v Secretary of State for Scotland,3 this conventional dissimilarity is under stress.4 With regard to Re Selectmove [1995] 1 WLR 474 the case was for payment of a debt which the company Selectmove owed to the crown. In order to escape payment of the debt the company was wound up. The question to be discussed is whether the debt was a disputed one or not For this the law of estoppel has to be understood. "Where by his words or conduct one party to a transaction makes to the other a clear and unequivocal promise or assurance which is intended to affect the legal relations between them (whether contractual or otherwise), or was reasonably understood by the other party to have that effect, and, before it is withdrawn, the other party acts upon it, altering his or her position so that it would be inequitable to permit the first party to withdraw the promise, the party making the promise or assurance will not be permi... Meanwhile the other party will most likely continue with the performance of the contract.When there is a counter offer then silence on the part of the creative offeror will not normally form an acceptance. But it will be considered as an acceptance in case of an offer without time limit. It may be construed as acceptance if the original offeror had objected to some of the extra terms which the counter offer may contain. In cases of ambiguous offer where the offeree communicates to the offeror about his understanding of the offer then such a communication will almost certainly result in a counter-offer. Under such circumstances silence will make up acceptance on the part of the offeror6. Some of the recent cases manifest the dampening, or elimination, of a quiet a lot of the uncertain philosophies or maxims which have conventionally confined the functioning of the doctrines of estoppel. This has actually limited an open challenge to the importance of the agreement meant to produce legal relations and confirmed by circumstance as the means of imposing promissory responsibilities. In Walton's Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher,7 the majority8 in the High Court agreed that Maher, a constructor, who was negotiating a contract with the appellant, Walton's. Under the agreement it was decided that Maher would destroy buildings on the ground which he possessed and then build and rent to Walton's a building to its stipulation. This brought reliance on the doctrine of promissory estoppel when Maher destroyed the old buildings accepting that a contract between the parties would be arrived at.9 The majority were not stressed by the alleged convention that such rules of evidence do not find a reason for action, or by the obligation of

What were the motivations of war in Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

What were the motivations of war in Iraq - Essay Example The motivation of the war on Iraq includes political, economic and social factors. Nonetheless, it is notable that later, the war faced a lot of resistance and opposition even from the Americans themselves. This is due to the negative consequences or implications of the war on the Iraq people, Americans and the two economies. This essay gives a critical analysis and discussion on US war on Iraq with a view of arguing that the motivation for the war was not justified. In 2003, the Bush administration argued that Iraq was a security threat to the US. This was based on assertions that Iraq had links with Al Qaeda terrorist group. This was translated to mean that Iraq was a terrorist threat to the American people (Sirin 254). On the other hand it is argued that Bush failed to prove the link between terrorists and Iraq (McHugh 458). In justifying the war, the Bush administration pointed out that there was a connection between the masterminds of the September 11 terror attacks and Saddam H ussein, the then Iraqi leader (Coe 307). Nonetheless it is further argued that there is no evidence to support this connection (McHugh 459). The connection was related to postulates that Saddam was actively manufacturing weapons of mass murder. It was further predicted that there was a likelihood that these weapons would fall into the hands of the Al Qaeda group of terrorists (Fisher and Nigel 688). ... Analysis of these assertions only act to disclose that the issue of nuclear threat from Iraq was not an honest justification for the war. Moreover, it has been argued that the US administration was aware that military action was not the best strategy of fighting terror and yet went ahead to declare war against Iraq (Miller 53). The risks that the Iraq war was associated with such as recruitment of terrorists and nuclear weapons falling in the hands of terrorists act to further demonstrate that the justification of the Bush government were not adequate to lead into war (Biggar 30). America’s commitment to fight terrorism was revealed by the Bush administration which budgeted for $1 billion for the sake of funding the operations of CIA within Iraq (Miller 57). A story published by Newsweek titles â€Å"The Salvador Option† described the plans of the pentagon to legitimate death squads that were aimed at countering any resistance to the US’s occupation in Iraq (Blan ka 287). The publication disclosed that the Bush administration deemed the Sunni population as supports of terrorists and as a result they had to pay a price (Coe 320). It is because of this that the US invasion of Iraq has been described as a dirty war which was not based on unreliable evidence that the Sunni population had any support for terrorist groups (Davies 438). Opponents of the Iraq war point out that the Bush administration targeted Iraq civilians rather than the actual terrorists and resistance fighters (Biggar 34). It is in this sense therefore that the war against Iraq was not justified. The connection that was said to exist between Saddam and terrorists includes Abu Nidal and terrorist organizations (Blanka 280). The Bush administration asserted

Jack Welshs Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jack Welshs Leadership - Essay Example He set up a priority of getting GE to occupy the #1 or #2 spot. Hence, he worked on massive changes to be implemented. Firstly, he sold almost 200 businesses of GE. He disposed off, the non-working, plagued businesses and acquired 370 acquisitions. He made the staffing 'lean and agile'. He also scrapped the strategic planning system and made it much simpler and focused. Besides this, he also took down massive downsizing, by removing employees who did not play an important role or contribution. He thus, retained only those employees who added value to the company. He also deleted the eight-level hierarchal system, reducing it to just half of it. 2. What is Welch's objective in the series of initiatives he launches in the late 1980's and early 1990s What is he trying to achieve in the round of changes he put in motion in that period Is there a logic or rationale supporting the change process Welsh clearly defined his objectives in the second phase of changes initiated. All the changes and activities he undertook had the underlying goal of creating a specific workplace culture. His intention was to create a culture that would be reflective of the company's brand image. More than this, the culture would give every employee the freedom to voice his opinion. His aim was to motivate a close-knit culture, where everyone could interact and work in cooperation and coordination for the best interest of the company. He also steered clear of the unnecessary bureaucratic pressure, in order to bring about a more focused work approach. He aimed at a decentralized method of work, with the building of small teams. However, he also believed in accountability. Welsh also took up the aspect of building a global business, as against a global company, in the wake of globalisation. This he did by strengthening and base and then moving across . Strenthening the quality of leadership in the organization was important, since teams had to function properly, for a collective overall work procedure. Every team was the micro unit of the whole macro company. In addition to this, a boundaryless functioning across the globe, with a collective and unified work culture was his vision. Hence, evidently, Welsh's strategies were aimed at changing with the changing times, especially in the wake of globalisation, without compromising on the company's culture and policies. 3. How does such a large, complex diversified conglomerate, defy the critics and continue to grow so profitably Have Welch's various initiatives added value If so, how GE has been a surprise spinner for many an on-looker. The critics continue to be surprised by its progress and innovation. Welsh's initiatives have always been towards

The Legacy Of Ottoman Empire And Turkey Politics Essay

The Legacy Of Ottoman Empire And Turkey Politics Essay The study aims to summarize and analyze the recent developments in the Middle East particularly after the Arab spring process in terms of the Turkish foreign policy and its roots dated back to Ottoman Empire. Beginning the legacy of Ottoman Empire, the study also attempts to highlight main milestones for the current Turkish Foreign policy under the light of 20th century international system and its changing atmosphere such as cold war situations and later period in this region. Emphasizing the state formation period of Turkish Republic, it should be mentioned that secularist formation and westernization of new state created new mentality as a nation based and defensive and mostly introvert nation due to strengthen the structure of state and nation building target after the demolition of World War I. At the same period, The Middle East faced lots of transformation and rooted changes it has never seen before such as mandate system, independence of new states, oil based strategies of western states, establishment of Israel, World War II and redistribution of power among the global powers as well as regional ones. This study also prioritizes the main principles and characteristics of Turkish foreign policy towards the Middle Eastern States during the cold war and later on. In doing so, secularist structure, idealist and peaceful approaches, transformative and pragmatic aspects of Turkish foreign policy are examined in the light of main alliances and treaties in the Middle East. Particularly, relations with USA, European States, Israel and Iran were mentioned in order to demonstrate big picture including the reaction of Arab States to Turkey for long time. Iran revolution became a new checkpoint for durability and endurance of Turkish secular system with the regime exporting concern by Iran during the 1980 s and 1990s. During 1990s, focusing on terrorist attacks, Turkey established strong military connections with Israel which increased the concern of Arab States on Turkey and historical prejudices were revitalized in the Middle Eastern States. After the AKP came into power in Turkey, gradually relations with Iran and Arab States growth both economically and politically. Arab spring became a new turning point partially in terms of foreign policy of Turkey. While Turkey was exerting new initiatives in the Middle East, at the same some concerns on new interventionism and neo-Ottomanism were propagated among the Arab States. Concurrently, while recent developments give advantages to Turkey, some visible and long term invisible disadvantages also occurred. Among these disadvantages, increasing terrorist attacks, tension between Iran and Turkey on Syrian conflict, political intervention and new prejudices of Arab States on Turkeys foreign policy and also its proactive approach for Palestine. This study finally gives short suggestion as alternative Turkish foreign policy using soft power more than military and political pressure in the region which has more influential than others. THE LEGACY OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND TURKEY By the end of the 18th century, great scientific and technological developments had been increased in western world. Ottoman Empire could no longer compete against the increasing European powers. As a military power, after Russian invasion to the Crimea which was the part of Ottoman Empire, Russia started to dominate the northern territories of the Ottomans, particularly black sea regions (Ucuzsatar, 2002). Additionally, Napoleans invasion of Egypt in 1798 and British invasion of Egypt in 1882, increasing of Russian influence in Balkans due to nationalist slavish movements at the beginning of the 18th century, Ottoman Empire lost great part of territories in mentioned parts irreversibly (Quataert, 2000). After the long imperial background based on pax-ottoman in most cases, with the eruption of World War I Ottoman territories became a playground of European Powers for regulating the international system and particularly the Middle East. However, for this region, treaties, double prom ises and strategies formulated by colonial powers could not bring temporary and stable system; moreover it created endless conflict potentials and seeds of enemy like a peace to end all peace (Fromkin, 1989). Although establishing a modern, western, secular and nation based state, new Turkish Republic, mostly Turkish citizens could not ignore the Ottoman reality and its long history. Understanding contemporary Turkish politics and foreign policy particularly toward the Middle East is one of the strong arguments for analyzing recent development in this region due to its historical background and legacy of Ottoman Empire. As an emerging regional power, that exemplifies a synthesis between a Muslim-majority population in the Middle East and a functioning democratic ally of the West, by the new millennia the proactive foreign policy of Turkey has been on the rise. Understanding the recent development, in many academic researches, the focus of attention typically shifts from the present to the past. As the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey claims the mantle for the imperial rule inherited from the former Roman and Byzantine Empires that made the Ottomans the center of Eastern and Western wor ld interactions for over six hundred years (Walker, 2009). As a result, there is a growing interest in the Ottoman legacy for modern Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East as well as in Balkans and Caucasus. Addressing the empire history of great powers, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, China, Turkey, and Japan are all direct descendants and successor states of their former empires. In the same way that not all nations share the same power capabilities, ideology, or history, these post-imperial nations inherited a different type of legacy (Walker, 2009). The legacy that these former empires have bequeathed to their respective successor states vary on a number of important areas ranging from collective memories, institutions, ethnicities, boundaries, and historical disputes. Therefore, the way in which these states deal with and interpret their imperial legacies varies widely and is an important yet under theorized and understudied field in international relations. In order to solve puzzle properly, nations traditions, values, attitudes, patterns of behavior, habits, customs, achievement and particular ways of adapting to the environment and solving problems with respect to the threat or use of force should be underlined for evaluating the imperial legacy. Collective memory is also vital point in this regard. Having been the heart of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks look back on their history with a mixed sense of pride and ambivalence (Walker, 2009). Collective memory is central to the concept of imperial legacy. It is, after all, the intense memory of the transformative historical empire that informs national beliefs and ensures the continuation of the legacy. While Turks view Ottoman history versus what Arabs call the Ottoman yoke, the same facts may be interpreted by two parties in distinctly different manners. Collective memory is also naturally subjective and constructed during centuries. As a result, a legacy is drawn from the stock of stor ies that exist in socio-cultural context and its function is to provide a usable past (Walker, 2009). The imperial reputation of the Ottoman Empire and the historical memory of modern Turkey have been always considered and prioritized on the back of Turks mind. In order to comprehend the history of 20th century in the Middle East and recent developments, Ottoman rule based on millet system, foreign policy of Turkey as successor state, Turkeys desire toward Middle East as Ottoman legacy and unnaturally formulated borders based on western strategies rather than regional realities should be analyzed accurately. Foundation of Turkish Republic and Developments in the Middle East According to the most historians, the history of modern Turkey can be divided into two phases, which are independence period from 1918 to 1923 and the era of reformist and modernization of the Turkish Republic. During the first era, as a downfall of Ottoman Empire and escalation of European powers and Russian invasion of Anatolia, in the more than 10 fronts from Balkans to North Africa, from Iraq to Caucasus and Hedjaz, Ottoman armies were within the wars against Arabs, local tribes, British, French, Italian, Russian and moreover Australian and Indian troops. At the end of these wars, Ottoman frontlines withdrew to Anatolian border which is called later as misak-i milli describing mostly nation state borders which is almost similar with todays borders. In eastern part of Anatolia, Turco-Russian treaty named The treaty of Moscow and then Kars Treaty finalized eastern border problem with Russia in 1921. After the withdrawal of British and French forces from Istanbul in 1922 in the ligh t of related resolutions of Sevres Treaty, Greece forces occupied temporarily the western part of Anatolia (Ucuzsatar, 2002). This occupation triggered the independence struggle for war of Turks as a mass defense throughout the Anatolia. In 1921 Sakarya battle which was the great defeat of Greece initiated the talks with the other imperial European powers and it was ended with Ankara Treaty. During first period of foundation, with the painful background about lost territories in the Middle East, Balkans and Caucasus, Turks defended only Anatolian land by aiming at fully independence in their Turkish heartland instead of defending large Ottoman territories due to the weakened military capacity and concluded confrontations with Greece and European powers with the Lausanne Agreement in 1923 prior to declaration of the foundation of new Turkish Republic. In second part of foundation, briefly, Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Ataturk), founder of new secular, modern, western and nation state, launched several political, cultural, educational, social and economic revolutions internally while he was formulating a new foreign policy based on principle peace at home, peace in the world (Ucuzsatar, 2002). This national security policy was based on territorial integrity and full sovereignty and the modernization of Turkish society after Ottoman traditional and religious social structure. All these revolutionary efforts in a nation coming from Ottoman history were not easily adaptable at that time. Beyond the internal transformative effects, these changes created a new mentality and new foreign policy strategies which prioritize the western alliance and cultures. Among the revolutionary strategies of Ataturk, abolishing of Caliphate in 1934, changing education system, new Latin alphabet as parts of secular state and society were the giant diversificatio ns from Middle Eastern communities. In transforming of region, during the independence period of Turkey, several tremendous changes in the Middle East, never seen in history, occurred in terms of emerging new states, drawing unnatural borders, creating new conflicts among states, increasing the influence of oil based strategies and mandate system which dominated the first half of century in the region. With regard to the foreign policy of Turkey and its new allies at first decades of Republic, Turkish foreign policy between the two world wars was formulated by Ataturks vision and his personality. That is why most writers called this period The Turkey of Ataturk. (Gol, 1992) According to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkeys foreign policy objectives were based on sovereign entity, and full benefits of peace which might be called non-irredentist approach with the exception of the Montreux Convention, Mosul province and the Hatay Issue. According to Turkey, Mosul was within the National Pact boundaries. On the other hand the Treaty of Lausanne left the undetermined frontier with Iraq to be settled directly with Britain as trustee for Iraq. Talks started in May 1924, but reached no definite conclusion. The Treaty of Lausanne envisaged that if the parties failed to find a solution within nine months, the issue would be referred to the League of Nations. By 6 August 1924 Britain had decided to make a unilateral application to the League of Nations and had the item Iraqi Frontier put on the agenda of the Council of the League. Finally, the Council decided that the Brussels Line become the permanent border, thereby awarding Mosul to Iraq in December 1925 (Gol, 1992). Despite the reactions in Turkey, the government decided to abide this decision. Beyond the bilateral relations and some agreements and diplomatic visits with neighboring countries, in 1937 Turkey participated to the Saadabad Pact with Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. It was Turkeys attempt to be a bridge between Asia and Europe. Having witnessed that the abolishing of the caliphate and the secularization of the state caused bitterness in Arab countries, Ataturks westernization policies indirectly separated Arabs and Turks. The treaty of brotherhood between Turkey and Afghanistan was signed during the independence war of Turkey. Moreover, Turkey started to lead an Eastern Pact and signed two agreements with Iran and Iraq. In addition to the pact of friendship with Iran, the visit of Shah Pehlavi served to open a new era in Turca- Iranian relations. Turkey and Iraq solved the border problem with the Mosul Agreement. The Saadabad Pact was not a military alliance, but a pact of friendship and solidarity. The pact called for non-aggression, consultation among the signatory states in case of a threat (Gol, 1992). As a regional treaty, it was a seed of cooperative approach, but prior to the World War II, it could not be active and behind the expected level as a multinational organization. Although Ataturk transformed Turkey in the 1920s and 1930s from Ottoman Empire to secular republic led Turkey toward West culturally, economically and politically, its population never left its religious beliefs, traditional values and heritage. After the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1938, the Turks showed a marked determination to preserve their Islamic identity and develop good relations with neighboring Muslim nations. In reality, unfortunately the Arabs could not forget the harsh oppression of the nascent Arab national movements, and Turks did not readily forget how Arabs had betrayed them during World War I. Actually the relations between Arab Countries and Turkey did not become as expected level due to Turkish Foreign policy priorities and the independence period of Arab countries except Iraq during 1930s and 1940s. After WWII, no close relationship developed with Arab Countries for long time II due to Turkeys whole engagement with West such as Truman Doctrine with USA in 1947 and joining NATO. After the WW II, in most Arab Countries nationalist blocs were launched and led by Egypt and Syria which was based on supporting the Soviet position in the international arena and opposing Turkeys regional policies. Another important development was also Turkeys recognition to Israel which affected Arab countries foreign policies remarkably against Turkey. Even though not a common known, independence struggle of Algeria against France was also milestone that Turkey did not show willingness as expected level for recognizing the independence of Algeria and not directly supported this independency due to its western relations. Under the cold war situation and transformation of Arab countries, Turkish foreign policy was based on its interest with western allies during 1960s and 1970s. Even though some positive developments internally occurred in terms of religious rights and emotional contacts with Arab communities, several military coups prevented these kinds of growing relations with r egion. In 1980s, Turkeys relationship with the Muslim oil producing countries was a complete transformation in the balance of power that prevailed during the 1970s. Oil import strategies basically affected Turkeys relations with Iraq, Iran and Libya. Moreover, in Turkish public arena, Arab-Israel wars and Palestine drama, invasion of Afghanistan increased public sensibility as Muslim community. Turkey was also deeply affected by Iran revolution in terms of secular regime structure and western relations. Both developing relations with Israel and terrorist actions hosted by Iraq and Syria were dominant points on Turkeys foreign relations with Arab Countries while economic relations was going on certain level. Turkeys exertions on the membership for European Union also showed its willingness toward westernization and controlled and balanced relations with neighboring countries, particularly against Iran in internal politics. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s cold war situations and internally several coups with the support of western countries in Turkey played key role on foreign policy formulation. Dilemma of Turkey : Turkish Secularism and its image in Arab States The Arabs were one of the important nations during the Ottoman Empire. Although there has been close cultural and religious common sense between Turks and Arabs, the conflicts during the last period of Ottoman Empire fed the distance between Turks and Arabs till 2000s. During the independence period of Arab Countries and cold war period, both Turkey and Arab States have not been in common strategic allies and close relations. Despite the reactions of Arab states, Turkey was one of the states which recognized Israel initially. During the cold war Turkey preferred to develop its relations with western countries dominantly, and Turkey could not strengthen its relation with Middle Eastern Countries particularly with Egypt and Syria. Ironically, when Turkey faced serious problems with Israel such as in 1956 and after 1967 and 1973 wars, its relations with Arab Countries increased remarkably. In this period Turkey several times associated with Arab States against Israel in UN resolutions a nd OIC appeals which included common reactions and some sanctions against Israel (Armaoglu, 1995). It should be also mentioned that water sharing problem between Syria, Turkey and Iraq triggered the problems which was based on sharing of Euphrates water. In this issue, Syria with the support of Arab League started to support and host terrorist groups within the Syria and Bekaa Valley in Lebanon which weakened the relations with Syria and Iraq. Beyond the political and economic setbacks among regional states, there are several effects and understandings which feed prejudice and blames reciprocally between Turkey and Arab States. First of all, even though during the Ottoman Empire there were no crucial problems, in declining period, perceptions among the Arab nations against Turkey have been changed by nationalist approaches, movements, policies of colonial western states, priorities and new foreign policy formulation of new Turkish Republic. Secondly, the structure of western style state, abolishing Caliphate and Arab alphabet and also secularist state formation in Turkey increased the confused feelings of Arab nations against Turkey. Thirdly, the assumption about Ottoman period as Ottoman yoke in Arab region which was imposed by western mandatory states is also influential dimension in relations between Turkey and Arab States during the 20th century (Gol, 1992). The negative attitude of Turkey sometimes during the independ ence period of Arab States fostered the feelings against Turkey. Last but not least, Turkeys close relation with Israel was one of the important arguments of Arab reaction towards Turkey. Additionally, Turkeys formally unwillingness on development of relations with Arab States also played partially role due to its regime protection reflex until 2000. Dramatically, this picture changed with the changing the generation structure and increasing the Islamic values in Turkey and also with transformation in Arab States recently. The improvement of the Turkish image in the Arab world over the past decade is due to a number of reasons. The rise of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2002 changed the anti-Islamic secularism gradually in terms of politically and socially. Importantly, zero-problems and win-win strategy in regional foreign policy opened up Turkey to the Arab and Muslim world. The democratic structure of Turkey and its growing economic model and export-led growth in a region dazzled the rentier economies based on one export good. Moreover, the success of the Turkish balance between religion, secularism and public freedoms in a region was attracted by regional states. Growing familiarity with Turkish culture and society through its popular television programs, documentaries, movies and TV series also played significant role on image transformation (TESEV, 2012). Politically, Turkeys strong stand against American use of its territory and bases in the 2003 for invasion of Iraq, Prime Minister Erdogans unexpected reactions to Israel during the Gaza war of December-January 2008-2009 and Turkeys stand against Israel after the Gaza Flotilla incident in May of 2010 increased positive feelings of Arab nations. Most recently, with the increasing its positive image among the Arab States, this picture not only offers Turkey great opportunity, but also calls tremendous challenges in this Pandora box for coming period. In this vein, as a direct effect on Turkish-Arab relations, Turkish-Israeli relations should be examined for proper consideration of regional development (Onis, 2012). Turkey- Israel Relations and the Reactions from Muslim States in the Middle East Having thought the historical background during Ottoman Empire, good relations between the Jews and the Turks have played a remarkable role in development of Turkey-Israel relations in 20th century. Israels location in the heart of a hostile Arab world triggered itself to create new allies to escape isolation by establishing relations with some states in the Middle East. Of all these countries, Turkey and Iran had more in common with Israel than others. As a historical dimension, Ottoman rulers and Turkeys attitude toward the Jews helped smooth the way to normal relations between the two countries. Turkey had been among the first states to recognize the establishment of Israel on May 14th 1948 (Abadi, 1995). However Arabs did not accept Turkish foreign policy and demonstrated their disappointment on this issue. In 1951, for example Turkey agreed with the West in protesting Egypts decision which inhibits Israeli ships passage through the Suez Canal. This caused a serious crisis in Tur key-Egypt relations. However, these developments have occurred several times because of Israels aggressive attitudes. Although Turkey developed its relations with Israel, it incorporated Iraq into the Baghdad Pact in terms of anti-Israeli resolutions and measures. Consequently, its policy toward Israel became more confused and it has been difficult to understand at first look. With regard to the Suez crisis, Israel, in collaboration with England and France, started to occupy the Sinai Peninsula. Upon this, based on the Baghdad Pact decisions, Turkey lowered its level of diplomatic representation. Similarly, Israeli declaring Jerusalem as the countrys eternal capital caused a new crisis for Turkey-Israel relations. On the other hand, during 1950s and 1960s, clearly Turkey-Israeli relations were determined more pragmatic approach rather by ideological. Having said Israels desire to escape isolation in the region, relations between Israel and Turkey expanded to include non-security matters and for example Turkey initiated to share agricultural expertise from Israel (Cetinsaya, 2005). In Turkey-Israel relations, 1967 War and the provocation on burning Al Aqsa Mosque in 1969, which is one of the most holy places of Islam, caused to establishment of Organization of Islamic Conference that have been milestone to withdraw diplomatic relations to the low level and serious condemnation towards Israel. In this period, there was a growing threat for Turkey which was the new regime in Syria and its foreign policy arguments against Turkey within the cold war situations. Therefore, Turkeys policy toward Israel was determined not only by fear of pan-Arabism and Nassers ambition, but also by Syrias aggressive behavior. During 1970s and 1980s Syria gave important facilities such as shelter and encouragement to terrorist groups of Kurds and to political movements, such as the Armenian Marxist terrorist organization ASALA. This Syrian policy identified the relations between two countries during last three decades. In the early 1990s the audience of the diplomatic arena changed an d Israel gained new dynamism in international relations. Asias most populated countries, such as India and China, established diplomatic relations with Israel, and others followed these actions. At last, in December 1991, the political climate seemed appropriate and the Turkish government decided to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. 1990s was the honeymoon for Turkey-Israel relations that several important and close relations has been founded such as military defense agreement, transportation of the Manavgat Spring water to Israel, know-how sharing on military technologies, agricultural trade on different kinds of seeds. The more Syrian threats emerged towards Turkey, the stronger ties between Turkey and Israel was established. Thus, the amount of Israeli tourist rapidly increased in Turkey (Bengio, 2005). On the other hand, Turkeys economic needs dictated reliance on the Arab markets, especially for oil. In addition, Turkey needed more commercial relations with Arab states. In the political sphere Turkey sought to obtain Arab support during the Cyprus crisis. Increasing the relations with Israel, Turkey faced to loss of support from the numerous Muslim members in the UN. In the context of Arab public opinion on Turkey, feelings have been always fluctuated in accordance with political development, alliances, military agreements and Palestine issue. (Nachmani, 2005) Beyond the recent development at the end of 1990s, Turkey-Israel relations lost impetus in the 2000s as a consequence of the change of government  in Israel. With the Ariel Sharon administration coming to power, violence towards the Palestinian people increased. Following the Al-Aqsa intifada and Israels proliferating operations on the Palestinian occupied lands, in April 2002, widespread protests against Israel took place in many provinces throughout Turkey. Turkey accused Israel of carrying out genocide, thereby worsening bilateral relations. On the contrary to common knowledge, Turkey-Israel relations have not worsened till 2009 even though there were several important developments occurred in that period. More obviously, with the AKP (Justice and Development Party) administration coming to power in Turkey in November 2002, mutual economic and political relations have been maintained. After the Iraqi war, officially and non-officially, various news sources stated that there was Israeli presence in northern Iraq and the (Israeli secret service) Mossad agents were training Kurdish Peshmargas which meant the direct support the separation of Iraq and terrorist PKK groups. This has resulted in mistrust towards Israel  in  bilateral relations. At the same time, in addition to the development in relations with Arab States particularly with Syria after Hafez Al-Assad, Turkeys facilitative role in Turkey-Syria relations started to improve again as of March 2007. This time, Turkey led the Syria-Israel negotiations and the hopes of settling dispute between these countries have risen (TESEV, 2012). Last but not least, the breakpoint in Turkey-Israel relations has been erupted with namely Marmara flotilla issue that aimed to humanitarian assistance to the Gaza strip, unfortunately 9 Turks were killed by Israeli army. Although Turkey declared its conditions against this military intervention, the current Israeli government declined Turkeys demands which were suggested for the improvement of the bilateral relations. This rejection by Israel shows that the political relations between the two countries will continue at low-level. In recent period, mostly Turkey-Israel relations are going under the shadow of Palestinian conflict. Even though some politicians use this foreign policy leverage for increasing domestic credibility in Turkey, as long as Turkey continues to support Palestine and condemn Israel for its attacks, virtually credible image of Turkey may go on. Turkey- Iran Relations After Islamic  Revolution  in Iran Iran and Turkey are two regional powers and main regional actors which have played significant role during history and they founded two empires and civilizations. Foreign policies and strategies of these two states always designate the developments in the Middle East. Describing the recent and current situation in the Middle East, especially, after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Turkey and Iran relations gained importance in terms of their influences in the region. With the end of the Shahs regime, Irans foreign policy took a significant turn. This shift in Iran has redefined its relations with Turkey. In addition to the Sunni-Shia sectarian issue and historical contingences between Turkey and Iran which was deemed particularly, foreign-policy orientation of the two countries also diverged completely. While Iran has maintained contentious policies toward America and even Europe, Turkey continued to be part of the Western alliance, NATO and Europe. The revolution led America to redef ine its alliances in the region and maintain even closer relations with Turkey. During the Iran-Iraq War, as first decade of Turkish-Iranian relations after the revolution, Turkey and Iran have had willingness to cooperate in trade and economic relations. In this period, the volume of trade between the two countries exceeded $2 billion, consisting mainly of oil sales by Iran in return for Turkish goods and technical assistance.   During the Iran-Iraq War, Turkey tried to maintain neutrality and improved its economic relations with both neighbors, especially with Iran (Armaoglu, 1995). Generally, Turkeys neutrality was welcomed in both Iran and the Arab world. However, when Turkey attempted to mediate the conflict, it did not succeed. Despite developments in trade relations, problems arose between Ankara and Tehran in the mid-1980s over PKK terrorism in Turkey and Irans efforts to spread the Islamic Revolution in the region (Sander, 1990). After the first half of the 1980s, Turkish-Iranian relations mostly focused on problems related to ideological differences. Iran repeatedly protested the secularist policies in Turkey which was understood as an intervention and regime exportation to Turkey. The United States also reacted to the Islamic Revolution by improving its relations with Turkey. As Iranian-U.S. relations worsened, Turkey appeared to be the most important ally of NATO and the United States in the region.  Significant developments toward the end of the 1980s changed the regional dynamics as well as the course of Iran-Turkey relations. In 1988, after eight years of fighting, the Iraq-Iran War ended. Moreover, the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the USSR were the most important systemic changes affecting Turkey-Iran relations (Armaoglu, 1995). In addition to the challenges caused by the Islamic Revolution, the constants of Turkey-Iran relations, in the form of cultural, political and ideological rivalrie s, rose to the surface. Turkey and Iran found themselves in competition for their influence over Central Asia and the South Caucasus. During the Azeri-Armenia war in Nagorno Karabag, Iran and Turkey positioned in different sides, while Iran was supporting Armenia, Turkey supported Azerbaijans claims. Additionally, Central Asian newly emerging States became playground and political challenge scene invisibly between Turkey and Iran as well as the Saudi Wahhabism and Western ideologies. The first Gulf War in 1990-91 also changed the dynamics in the region. Iran and Turkey approac