Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 - Essay Example According to JSTOR (1950), this approach has been rendered urgent by the fall in value of money, which has made the present financial limits of the Poor Person's Procedure totally inadequate, and the satisfactory arrangements for legal advice for the forces during the late war, have focused attention on the need for similar arrangements for civilians. (p. 81-87) Legal aid or legal help is the act of providing initial assistance and advice to any legal problem. The idea is that the state meets the cost of the case. Legal aid and advice is an initiative designed to enable the people of England who would not normally have access to the legal services the rare opportunity to bring a case into a court of law. According to Article 6 of Human Rights, everybody should be given a fair public hearing while determining his obligations and civil rights. This should be done by an impartial and independent tribunal which is set up by law. The judgment should also be pronounced through the press to the public. Most important point mentioned here is that everyone is innocent until he is proven guilty. The following rights are also available to anyone that is charged with a criminal offense; the first right is that, the person should be informed on time in a language that he can speak the type and cause of crime that he is accused of. The second point is that he should be given enough time to prepare for his defense. Thirdly, he should be allowed to defend himself in person or through legal assistance and to be given legal assistance for free when he is not able to afford it. The fourth right is that, he should be allowed to examine witnesses against him. The last right in this article is that, he s hould have free assistance of an interpreter in times when he cannot speak a language. A report by one Rushcliffe of 1949 hinted that equal opportunity of right to representation in a court of law was a fundamental instrument to a just society. Rushcliffe in his 1945 report did recommend the establishment for the first time of legal aid scheme in the Legal Aid and Legal Advice Act 1949. Until 1970, legal aid was just confined to civil disputes (divorce and matrimonial problems). Lord Chancellor in 1970 called for auxiliary legal services through tribunals. The responsibility of legal aid then lay with the Law Society. In 1888, a new system was mooted and it brought legal aid services under the control of central government, which then established the Legal Aid Board. This board, unlike the previous one, acquired a new role and responsibility. For instance, the Legal Aid Board was responsible for the financing of all state paid legal work. However still the poor could not access legal services and obtain justice and something had to be done to address their problems. In 1999, the Access to Justice Act did pass in parliament and it made a fundamental move with respect to justice accessibility by the less fortunate in the society. The Access to Justice Act was quite radical in its proposals. It proposed immediate abolishment of the defunct Legal Aid Board and instead established an independent body the Legal Service Commission (LSC) under the Ministry of Justice and did redraw the entire mode of funding and controlling the legal aid. LSC was provided with a lot of powers to enable it

Social Responsibility in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Responsibility in Business - Essay Example It is, however, underlined that all definitions of Social Responsibility focus on interrelationship between the economic, social as well as environmental and social aspects plus impacts of the organization’s activities. The following definition of Social Responsibility is advised to be used: â€Å"Social Responsibility means a balanced approach for certain companies to address and look for solutions to resolve economic, environmental and personal problems so that it benefits people, as well as whole communities and society in general† (International Institute of Sustainable Development, 2004). Social responsibility, therefore, underlies the ethical way of running any type of business. It, however, should not be confused with business ethics even if sometimes these two terms are used interchangeably. Social responsibility, according to William & Ferrell, is a broader concept which describes the impact of all business’s activities on our society while business ethi cs refers to decisions made by an individual or a group (Ferrell & Fraedlich, 2012, p. 39). In her turn, Jennings observes that social responsibility is just another layer of business ethics which describes the ways of considering the interests of all stakeholders and general public while resolving the ethical problems it encounters (Jennings, 2012, p. 48) The term â€Å"social responsibility† is referred to differently across the globe. Specifically, in the United Kingdom the term â€Å"corporate social responsibility† is common, in India this is â€Å"corporate citizenship†, in Chile – â€Å"Enterpreneurial Social Responsibility† , and in South Africa either â€Å"corporate social responsibility† (CSR) or â€Å"corporate social investment†, or â€Å"sustainable development†, etc (International Institute of Sustainable Development, 2004). While the social responsibility of business has been emphasized by the efforts of the gen eral public and its outcries, as well as by government regulation, social responsibility depends on the management’s attitude. The latter depends on which of two contrasting philosophies (models) has been chosen as dominant. Specifically, the economic model of social responsibility maintains that society gets the biggest benefit when the enterprises is left alone with its production and marketing of profitable goods needed by the society. It is based on traditional understanding of business as a venture that exists only to produce goods and services of high quality, earn nice profits, and give job opportunities (Pride, Hughes, Kapoor, 2012, p.52). In contrast, the socioeconomic model is based on recognition that the business has a responsibility not just to its stakeholders but to the general public, its employees, consumers, and suppliers. To illustrate, may firms today not merely accept social responsibility, but take pride in their social responsibility records winning awa rds in a variety areas, e.g. community involvement, environment, etc. These are such companies as Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Hewlett-Packard, and Starbucks Coffee (Pride, Hughes, Kapoor, 2012, p.52). Despite obvious advantages of the second model, its benefit has been debated. Similarly, the viability of the economic model has been debated throughout years. Major arguments for enhanced social responsibility are as follows: 1) Since business is a part of a society, it should not neglect social issues; 2) Business possess necessary

An Introduction to Entrepreneurship Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

An Introduction to Entrepreneurship - Coursework Example Understanding the different aspects which are a part of the entrepreneurial behaviors and expectations defines the associations and roles that pertain to business with the individual. Skills, Abilities and Behaviors The generalized concept of being an entrepreneur is based on working independently while moving into business endeavors. However, the business ventures which are created differ from other forms of business. The first difference is noted with an enterprise, which is created through a board of directors or sector of leaders with a hierarchical expectation that is established. While this particular venture may have been established by an entrepreneur, it is expected that the team collaboration and hierarchy separates the individual behaviors from the group modifications which take place. The intrapreneur is another form of leadership which many attribute to the same concept. While there are several similar skills in terms of leadership, this differs because the position is u sually based on management as opposed to starting a new venture without the use of a corporation or other entity. The entrepreneur is then defined as one which differs because of the independent nature and the characteristics of leadership used for innovation and creativity outside of other types of business ventures (Ucbasaran, Westhead, Wright, 2009: p. 99). The main difference in character with entrepreneurs is what leads to the different skills, abilities and behaviors among these business leaders. There are five known personal characteristics which create a difference between entrepreneurs and other types of leaders. This includes being open to experience, being conscious and aware of surroundings, being flexible, being agreeable and carrying a vision based on these determinants. The concept that is associated with these skills is reflective of the psychological expectations that lead to leadership skills, innovation and the ability to create and portray different ideologies in relation to the surrounding environment (Zhao, Seibert, 2006: p. 259). These psychological behaviors then lead to expectations of skills and abilities. Creativity, capability to find opportunities and performing several tasks are some of the skills expected. Entrepreneurs are known for switching skills easily while a business grows while moving in between positions and working with initiatives while creating the necessary ventures (Silva, 2007: p. 118). Creative Thinking The ability to work with leadership skills, behaviors that initiate new ventures and skills that are able to move between various positions then leads to the concepts of creative thinking which are developed by entrepreneurs. The structure that is developed with entrepreneurs is based on the intention of an individual first. This is what initiates the endeavor and allows the entrepreneur to grow, either in response to the environment or because of a vision that is related to the entrepreneur. This is combined with creative thinking to lead to the initiative of the new idea and to find ways to construct the idea into a reality. The creative thinking is furthered by evaluating the business idea to define the probability of success as well as looking into solutions that will help to launch the business into a successful endeavor. The personality of the

Islamic Politics and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Islamic Politics and Culture - Essay Example In fact Islamic dictatorship is prevailing in majority of the Arab countries. However, the recent revolutions in Libya and Egypt have forced many of the Arabs to think about a democratic political system in their country. However, the fundamentalists in those countries are against this idea. The concept of political Islam has been evolved out under the above context. According to Mohammed Ayoob, â€Å"Political Islam is a product of modernity as much as a response to it†(Rajesekhar). However, westerners are watching the dawn of Political Islam suspiciously. â€Å"In April 2014 Tony Blair urged the West to set aside its differences with Russia and China to focus on the growing threat from radical Islam† (Veerman). Westerners believe that Political Islamic movements are trying to destroy modernization and civilizations in the name of religion. This paper analyses the impact of the encounter between Western expansionism and Muslim-majority societies on the rise of politica l Islam. A crucial factor generating tensions in the West is the presence of ‘Islamism’ or ‘political Islam’, in all of its different manifestations, within Muslim communities. Islamism can be defined as "forms of political theory and practice that have as their goal the establishment of an Islamic political order in the sense of a state whose governmental principles, institutions and legal system derive directly from the shari’ah" (Veerman). The interference of religion in politics is unacceptable to westerners. They believe that religion should be separated from politics in order to create a stable and advanced society in a country. They have many examples to prove their arguments. For example, in countries such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, women get less freedom and power in politics and social life. Westerners believe that the over involvement of religion in politics is the major reason behind these problems. They try to empower

Insurance and Hedging Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Insurance and Hedging Processes - Essay Example The role of insurance management in regards to risk transfer is influentially great, and this is in regards to risk management in particular; risk management is basically considered as being defined as the executive decisions that surround the management of pure risks, and "As such, risk management is a much broader concept than insurance management because insurance is only one of several methods for dealing with risk. Risk management attempts to identify the pure risks faced by the firm or organization, and uses a wide variety of methods, including insurance, for handling these risks" (Goto, 1997). Insurance in incredibly important and in fact critical in regards to this particular situation, and it is a basically statistics-based type of pooling instrument which is used for risk management based on the law of that of especially large numbers; furthermore, it has a certain essence which, if used appropriately, seems to be rather similar to that of an option contract. Then there is hedging, which, in finance, is "an investment that is taken out specifically to reduce or cancel out the risk in another investment. Hedging is a strategy designed to minimize exposure to an unwanted business risk, while still allowing the business to profit from an investment activity" (Wikipedia, 2007). Hedging basically allows for the control of risk, as although risk is basically inherent to any type or form of business activity, much of this risk is unwanted and it cannot be avoided without hedging. "Someone who has a shop, for example, can take care of natural risks such as the risk of competition, of poor or unpopular products, and so on. The risk of the shopkeeper's inventory being destroyed by fire... Hedging basically allows for the control of risk, as although risk is basically inherent to any type or form of business activity, much of this risk is unwanted and it cannot be avoided without hedging. â€Å"Someone who has a shop, for example, can take care of natural risks such as the risk of competition, of poor or unpopular products, and so on. The risk of the shopkeeper’s inventory being destroyed by fire is unwanted, however, and can be hedged via a fire insurance contract† (Wikipedia, 2007). From this example we can quite clearly see the difference between wanted risk or risk that can be handled, and unwanted risk, and thus the importance for a process such as hedging. Catastrophic risks are very important to take into consideration here, and these types of losses in particular are considered as being in the upper layer, in that they occur rarely for the most part and yet they are the most devastating, and the severity overall is of such a scale that the viabili ty of the entire enterprise is actually threatened. â€Å"The reason why catastrophic risks are considered to be unavoidable insurable risks lies in their nature, which tends to make the pooling technique break down and become unworkable. Catastrophic risks, such as hurricanes or earthquakes, are classified as unknown risks and are characterized by a fundamentally non-linear phenomenon in which chaotic patters emerge easily, and it is also very easy to predict the probability of the expected loss† (Goto, 1997).

National Security Council Essay Example for Free

National Security Council Essay The recent trend characterizing the US security policy is the gradual strengthening of the National Security Council. Under G. Bush administration this body gained significant power and influence. In this paper I’m going to investigate the reasons for this trend as well its advantages and disadvantages. In the international practice, National Security Council is generally defined as an executive body coordinating national security issues. National Security Council consists of the heads of departments involved in diplomacy and defense with a relatively small number of staff members. The US National Security Council was established in 1947 and substantially amended in 1949; the same year it was placed in the Executive Office of the President. The powers and influence of the US NSC has been gradually increasing during the second half of the 20th centuries; this trend is evident presently, too. As for the structure of the council, it is chaired by the President and encompasses Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the statutory military advisor to the Council, the Director of Central Intelligence as the intelligence advisor. The Chief of Staff to the President, Counsel to the President, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy have a right to be present at any meeting of the Council; others can be invited to attend NSC meeting if appropriate. The functions of the NSC are â€Å"considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials. † (National Security Council official website, http://www. whitehouse. gov/nsc/) Every President made major or minor change in the powers and functions of the NSC in order to adjust it to his own management style. The ultimate goal of the NSC under Bush administration is to ensure collegiality among different departments coordinating military and diplomatic issues. But the functions of the NSC nowadays are much wider. The expert report that â€Å"the NSC today conducts ongoing relations with the media, Congress, the American public, and foreign governments. † (Daalder Destler, 2000, A New NSC for a New Administration, http://www. brookings. edu/comm/policybriefs/pb68. htm) Even the official sources define the Council as â€Å"as a means of controlling and managing competing departments† and it’s functioning â€Å"depended in no small degree upon the interpersonal chemistry between the President and his principal advisers and department heads. † (Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, History of the National Security Council, http://www. fas. org/irp/offdocs/NSChistory. htm) The NSC is refered to as the â€Å"key foreign policy player in every administration since John F. Kennedys. † (Daalder Destler†¦) I strongly deem that the trend of NSC becoming more influential reflects the general trend of Presidential power becoming more authoritative. The fact that Condoleeza Rice rivals Colin Powell in influence is to a certain extent causes to the relations between Condoleeza Rice and the President. Another reason is that she had been an influential public figure in academic and political circles before joining the NSC. Karl Inderfurth and Loch Johnson (2004, p. 180) in their book Fateful Decisions: Inside the National Security Council states that â€Å"Rice perhaps most closely resembles McGeorge Bundy, of the Kennedy Administration, who was the first non-invisible national-security adviser†¦Ã¢â‚¬  George Bush in the first National Security Presidential Directive stated that â€Å"The NSC shall meet at my direction. † (National Security Presidential Directive, 2001, http://www. fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspd/nspd-1. htm) The positive side of it is that the President can quickly obtain a qualified advice when needed. The negative side is that the NSC is an easy tool for controlling and redefining diplomatic and military policy of the county without consulting other major defense bodies. The same Directive states: â€Å"Except for those established by statute, other existing NSC interagency groups, ad hoc bodies, and executive committees are also abolished as of March 1, 2001, unless they are specifically reestablished as subordinate working groups within the new NSC system as of that date. † George Bush adjusted the Council to his own needs approximately after a year in the office. This is one more important reason why the President relies more on the NSC than on traditional bureaucracy. The structure of the NSC is relatively transparent and clear; it includes a limited number of members, although it has grown in size recently and resembles a governmental agency rather than an advisory committee. I would like to elaborate on another factor that contributes to the situation with the NSC. After the tragic events of 9/11 George Bush established the Office of Homeland Security under the governance of Tom Ridge, the President’s close friend. The functions of the NSC and the OHS often overlap; the possibility of the NSC becoming hegemonic in the sphere of homeland security decreased. Still, its role in the national security is hard to overestimate. Daalder Destler (2000) propose a clear list of reasons why the NSC evolved in the key agent in defence and foreign policy. They state that it was caused by â€Å"the half-century development and legitimization of the NSC as presidential coordinator for mainstream national security issues†¦[and]†¦the post-cold war expansion of the foreign policy agenda, with more issues that require coordination across more agencies†¦[and]†¦the deepening of partisanship in Washington, particularly over the last decade. † It’s hard to give a solely positive or negative evaluation of this trend. From one angle, the NSC is flexible and is able to react rapidly to any security threat. It may seem rational to grant excessive powers to the NSC. There would be no need to employ the bureaucratic machine of numerous agencies dealing with diplomacy, military aspects and homeland security. The NSC should be organized in such a way so that â€Å"the president can make clear foreign policy choices in a timely manner. † (Daalder Destler ) Daalder Destler study emphasises that the NSC major task is integrating the US foreign and defence policy, and it’s of high importance in the era of global terrorism. From another angle, the NSC is powered by the President, and there exists much space for manipulation. Recently, the NSC doesn’t manage efficiently with coordinating the national security bodies. For instance, some tension exists in relations between the NSC and the agencies like CIA. Now let me proceed with drawing the final conclusion of the paper. There exists a clear trend of the National Security Council becoming more influential and powerful under the George Bush administration; this happens for compelling reasons. The positive or negative evaluation of his trend largely depends on the degree of efficiency of the NSC organization and functioning. References 1. The White House, National Security Council http://www. whitehouse. gov/nsc/ Last accessed: 15 Oct 2004 2. Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, United States Department of State, History of the National Security Council, 1947-1997 http://www. fas. org/irp/offdocs/NSChistory. htm Last accessed: 15 Oct 2004 3.National Security Presidential Directive, February 13, 2001 http://www. fas. org/irp/offdocs/nspd/nspd-1. htm Last accessed: 15 Oct 2004 4. The Brookings Institution, Foreign Policy Studies, Daalder, I. H. , Destler, I. M. , A New NSC for a New Administration, Nov 2000 http://www. brookings. edu/comm/policybriefs/pb68. htm Last accessed: 15 Oct 2004 5. Inderfurth, K. F. , Johnson, L. K. 2004. Fateful Decisions: Inside the National Security Council. Oxford University Press.

Acupuncture: Treatment for Stress :: Medicine Research Medical Essays

Acupuncture: Treatment for Stress Acupuncture involves the insertion of tiny needles into "acupuncture points," specific nerve endings under the skin. These needles are extremely small, so small in fact that ten to fifteen acupuncture needles can fit in a regular hypodermic needle (http.//www.acupuncture.com/Acup/Acupuncture.htm). There are three claims for why acupuncture is effective: reflexes, hormones, and energy transfer. When the needle is inserted into the skin, the nerves send signals that travel up the spinal cord, into the brain, and block the pain center in the brain. This prevents pain and other signals from entering and exiting the brain and severity of the symptoms is suppressed. This allows the body to heal itself while the individual is unaware of any pain or other distress (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/Works.htm). After the needle is inserted into the skin, the surrounding area becomes red. This may be a result of the release of hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones may be the body's natural pain killers, which stimulate blood circulation as well reduce pain (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/Works.htm). The third explanation is the ancient Chinese explanation that the acupuncture points are doors to energy channels and that by inserting the needles into these points, one can open and close these doors. This brings about energy circulation and harbors energy balance, resulting in improved health (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/Works.htm). Acupuncture is believed to be highly effective. In a nation-wide survey of acupuncture users, conducted by Dr. Claire M. Cassidy, 91.5% reported "disappearance" or "improvement" of symptoms after their treatment, 84% see their MDs less often, 79% use fewer prescription drugs, and 70% were able to avoid previously recommended surgery (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/AcuStats.htm). Said one man from San Francisco: Acupuncture had immediate effects on my levels of stress. I simply was not the same person at work. Co-workers could not believe the difference in my disposition. Clients continually comment on my relaxed nature given the stressful environment I have put myself in (CPA, working with taxes). I believe it has helped me stay healthy over the last 9 years... (http://www.acupuncture.com/Acup/AcuStats.htm). Acupuncture is a treatment with few, if any, reported side effects. The most common side effect is deep relaxation and a slight, temporary heaviness. In the treatment of stress, the side effect of deep relaxation is often a desired result. In these cases, very few side effects are noticed. Most of the information on acupuncture is circulated by acupuncture therapists and clinics, with one such therapist being Dr.