Stress in athletics Essay Example For Students

Stress in athletics Essay Stress In AthleticsIn the Journal article by Mark H. Anshel, entitled Qualitative Validation of a Model For Coping With Acute Stress In Sports. Explains how stress affects athletes, and how they can go about to deal with the problem, or cope with the problem. The author breaks this down into four categories. First, they want to perceive a stimulus or experiencing an event, secondly, appraising that event as stressful, thirdly, using either approach or avoidance coping strategies each consisting of either cognitive or behavioral strategies, and finally enacting post-coping activity that consists of either remaining on task, reappraising the stressful situation, examining the effectiveness of the coping strategy, or disengaging from further sport participation. Stress itself is a widely studied characteristic; it is defined as an interaction between an individual and the surrounding environment. Most research on stress is just new, but has been a topic for the last 20 years. But most n ew studies on stress have to deal more with the coping process. Coping is the persons conscious attempt at reducing or managing the demands of a stressful event or expanding the persons resources to deal with the event (Anshel, 2001). Previous research by Gottlieb (1997) explained how coping strategies related to acute forms of stress differ from chronic stress, and that many contexts of chronic stress do not end themselves to an event-centered strategy of measuring coping (pg, 12). While coping research is a more popular study, qualitative research is disregarded. With knowing qualitative research on stress, you can discover the factors causing coping efforts. In one study done by Patton (1990), he took the responses of college athletes about drug behavior among teammates, and why these student athletes would take them (competitive, control weight, overcome boredom) and used these statements to compare to original interview transcripts. There are many studies and views on this topi c and with these studies comes new hypothesis and new information, which can be used to explain a persons reaction to a stressful situation in a sport. We will write a custom essay on Stress in athletics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now To prove their point, a simultaneously qualitative research study was used. A sport psychology consultant was sent to a Pro Rugby Team in Australia. He was to become the mental skills coach and stay with the team for 2.5 years. He would interview 28 players 3 days of the previous game. Each athlete was interviewed by disclosing two stressful events that happened in the previous game. The data was recorded on 4 tables. The dependant variable was how much stress occurred in the game and the independent variable was how well the coped with that stress. The interview averaged 43 minutes, and the athletes were asked questions that identified their thoughts and actions immediately following the stressful event (Anshel, 2001). Only 5 questions were thought to be necessary, each had two elaboration and probing questions, which would ask for clarification, examples, or other information. 1. To identify two game stressors; reflect back to a particular game and think of a situation that was stressful? And then rate them on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest, 10 the highest). 2. To assess the appraisal. 3. To identify use of coping strategies. 4. To assess the post-coping process. 5. If a coping strategy was used, was it effective or ineffective?The results of this study showed, in Table 1, was the athletes thought of acute stress, this was ranked (2 questions, 56 stressors total) and showed which event the majority thought was more stressful. While Table 2 tested Lazarus and Folkman (1984) appraisal model of 3 categories, harm/loss, Threat and Challenge. The results were harm/loss (34% appraisal), Threat (48% appraisal) and Challenge (18% appraisal). Table 3, studied coping strategies split into categories, approach and avoidance, each including cognitive and behavioral sub-categories. The last table, or Table 4, asked the athletes to answer questions after they had implemented the coping strategy. They discovered that the most stressful objective (55%) was staying on task. .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .postImageUrl , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:hover , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:visited , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:active { border:0!important; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:active , .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9 .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1d51d4ed6c81ac7a3edb5102df53c1e9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Aromatherapy EssayThey believed that coping in sports consists of a group of thoughts, emotions and actions that can be described by the stressed person. Basically what happens to the individual in a game, win/loss, injury can cause acute stress. They also believe that coping is a conscious process, not an automatic

5 Errors in Treating Quotations

5 Errors in Treating Quotations 5 Errors in Treating Quotations 5 Errors in Treating Quotations By Mark Nichol When you quote another person, be sure to avoid these pitfalls of quotation format. 1. Sometimes, LaPierre said, The only thing to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.† In this sentence, the writer has inserted the word sometimes, though the speaker did not utter it verbatim, into the sentence because the speaker intimated it in other words. Because it wasn’t actually spoken, however, it is placed outside the quotation marks. But the sentiment begins with sometimes, not the, so the quotation becomes a partial one and the is not capitalized: â€Å"Sometimes, LaPierre said, ‘the only thing to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.’† 2. Alfred North Whitehead wrote that The best education is to be found in gaining the utmost information from the simplest apparatus.† A similar rule applies to an attribution (â€Å"so and so said/wrote/agreed†) that leads into the quotation without intervening punctuation; the quotation becomes part of a framing sentence, and the first word of the original quotation is not capitalized: â€Å"Alfred North Whitehead wrote that ‘the best education is to be found in gaining the utmost information from the simplest apparatus.’† 3. We knew, Jones says, that the company would eventually become a major competitor, but, without a relationship, we thought we were in danger of not achieving ubiquity.† In this sentence, the writer interjects the attribution into the midst of the quotation, which is standard procedure. However, the attribution should be delayed until a break between two clauses: â€Å"‘We knew that the company would eventually become a major competitor,’ Jones says, ‘but, without a relationship, we thought we were in danger of not achieving ubiquity.’† 4. Schools may be the last place,' Smith said, where the government is funding us to gather together into public forums to have conversations. We have got to protect that.† This sentence, like the previous example, suffers from premature attribution. Because there is no natural break in the sentence, the attribution should be inserted between the two sentences: â€Å"‘Schools may be the last place where the government is funding us to gather together into public forums to have conversations,’ Smith said. ‘We have got to protect that.’† 5. â€Å"In many ways, it’s like the cowboys against the Indians. But the cowboys are fully backed by the state, he said of the current situation. In this case, the attribution is delayed too long. In a quotation of two or more sentences, as in the previous example, place it between the first and second sentences: â€Å"‘In many ways, it’s like the cowboys against the Indians,’ he said of the current situation. ‘But the cowboys are fully backed by the state.’† (Note, too, how this arrangement strengthens the sentence because it ends with a serious punchline rather than a dry attribution.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Words with More Than One SpellingUsed To vs. Use ToCapitalizing Titles of People and Groups

Academic Integrity & Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Integrity & Plagiarism - Essay Example Plagiarism becomes unintentional when another human’s ideas as well as statements are portrayed without the aim of representing them as own statements and ideas and failing to properly credit the original source for the ideas and the statements. There is a lot of information available all over the internet and due to lack of restriction on copying and presenting someone else’s work as own has resulted in increased incidents of both accidental and intentional plagiarism. Individuals may even fall for the myth that since the information is so easily available and so widely used, it does not need to be credited to the original source or to the source from which the information has been obtained. Information can be available in various forms, it can be available in form of texts, pictures, print and audio form and all this information needs to be documented in a proper manner to ensure that one does not ends up being held responsible for the act of plagiarism. As stated earlier, there are two forms of plagiarism, the unintentional and the deliberate one. There is no way of avoiding the plagiarism which is deliberate one as it is conducted knowingly. Certain steps are available through which plagiarism which is accidental in nature can be avoided. If an individual is utilizing obtaining and using secondary source of information or information that is already available, an individual has to make sure that he/she uses proper documentation procedure in order to avoid causing plagiarism which is intentional in nature. If an individual utilizes statements directly from someone else’s work, the user of this information has an ethical duty of properly documenting the used statements with the assistance of quotation marks followed by in text citation to provide information regarding the source from which the information was obtained along with the page number of the source. On the other hand if an individual uses some one else’s†™

Western Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Western Civilization - Essay Example Karl Marx was known for his theories on the following: economic interest; class struggle; industrial capitalism, and; socialist society. According to Marx, it is economic interest which is the universal motivator and dictates political, religious and cultural trends. Everything will eventually end up in a class struggle between the haves and the have-nots. The former dictates how the state is run and what ideas circulate around society. On industrial capitalism, Marx believed that capitalists are locked in competition with one another, and newer and bigger machineries are being built everyday to outdo each other. Eventually, everything will spin out of control and the periodic crises and competition will diminish the bourgeoisie while the working class grows, who would then institute a revolt and take over all machineries of capitalism. This will result into a classless society and the abolition of the state and a totally free society. After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1814, conservatism became predominant in France, the German states, Italy, Russia, and Great Britain. In France, the successive rules of Louis XVIII and Charles X saw the predominance of conservative policies; the former imposing a mild militaristic style and the latter favoring the old aristocracy. In the German states, which included Austria and Prussia, conservative policies likewise prevailed.

How the Internet has changed my Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How the Internet has changed my Life - Essay Example 329). I, for a fact, had once never thought that in an instant I could have build friendships with people from different parts of the globe without even spending much money and without fearing that I might be rejected. The Internet has really changed my life and me to something I never thought it could be. Through Internet, I learned to communicate with other people; even with those, I was once afraid due to my cultural biases, which in turn has also drastically changed my negative views. I could say that this has broadened me almost in all ways. If before I only considered myself as an American citizen, now, I became a citizen of the world, because through the Internet, I was also exposed to world realities. Although it might be true that just like in the news, not everything written is true, still these provide me with a broader view of the bigger world where I live. It, in fact, helped me become analytical with events, driving me to search more until I could find explanations to information that I found confusing. This in the process aroused my hunger for truth and knowledge, which I believed helped me become wiser and sharper. Although I did also have some unpleasing experiences in the Interne t, these did not bother me at all, instead taught me how to be more responsible and careful in interacting through the

Analysis of Global Economic Growth

Analysis of Global Economic Growth World economic growth 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 World Economic Outlook: According to the World Bank, world economic growth accelerated sharply in 2004. In aggregate, the year 2004 has been the healthiest year for developing countries since the last three decades. East Asian countries have come out of the 1997 crisis and are now performing well. The ongoing economic boom in China as well as the surge in activities registered in Japan were major factors in promoting growth in the region. Latin American countries and Sub-Saharan Africa also had a better year. This performance reflects a fortuitous combination of long-term secular trends built on a foundation of better macroeconomic management and an improved domestic investment climate converging with a cyclical recovery of the global economy. There were however some lingering imbalances in the global economy associated with the rising twin deficits in the United States, a delayed recovery in Europe, coupled with high and volatile oil prices, and questions about the path of Chinas economy that might constitute risks to the pace of growth in developing countries over the medium term. Worlds economic growth is likely to slow down in 2005 with a projected rate of 3.2%. Several factors are likely to contribute to the slower growth. It is believed that the investment cycle in the US has peaked, therefore resulting in a slowdown in growth. Furthermore, world demand has far exceeded world supply, resulting in a substantial increase in oil and other commodity prices, therefore reducing demand in other countries. Also, increases in interest rates are likely to slow the investment growth. The US is likely to finance its large budget deficits through tighter fiscal policies and in Europe countries will tighten their budgetary control to remain within the realm of Maastricht limits. Table 1: World economic outlook Real Growth Rate (%) 2002 2003 2004 2005* World 1.7 2.7 4.0 3.2 High Income Countries 1.3 2.1 3.5 2.7 Euro Zone 0.9 0.5 1.8 2.1 USA 1.9 3.0 4.3 3.2 Japan -0.3 2.4 4.3 1.8 Developing Countries 3.4 5.2 6.1 5.4 East Asia and Pacific 6.7 7.9 7.8 7.1 Latin America and Caribbean -0.6 1.6 4.7 3.7 Sub Saharan Africa 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.6 *projected figures Source: Global Economic Prospects 2005, World Bank. 1.2 Mauritian Economic Outlook: Mauritian economic growth in 2004 was positive and stabilised at 4.2%, slightly lower than the 4.4% recorded in 2003. On the one hand, internal demand constituted an important dragging factor, with a 6.3% growth in consumption expenditure compared to 4.5% in 2003. On the other hand, lingering uncertainties linked to the wave of change in the international economic order, uninterrupted trade liberalisation and the gradual loss of our long-standing preferences had a dampening effect on growth. The recent run-up in oil prices was also a constraining factor on economic buoyancy. Business confidence appeared to be quite timid in 2004. However, in spite of an overall deceleration in the rate of investment, which grew by 5.5%, compared to 10.0% in 2003, private sector investment grew by a high 13.2% as opposed to a negative 2.2% in 2003. Moreover, international perception about Mauritius remained positive, and foreign investments in hotels and ICT projects were at a relatively high level. Despite the stable growth rate, several macroeconomic and sectoral performances were relatively unfavourable. Savings rate was lower, registering 23.3% of GDP in 2004 against 25.4% in 2003. Inflation rate was higher in 2004, reaching 5.5%, as opposed to 3.9% in 2003. Overall external trade worsened, from a surplus of Rs. 2 billion in 2003 to a deficit on Rs. 3.9 billion in 2004, as a result of a very large increase in the merchandise trade deficit, from Rs. 8.4 billion to Rs. 15.7 billion. On a sectoral basis, industries were faced with a restricted margin of manoeuvre as a result of increasing international competition from lower-cost producers. Repercussions were felt in the EPZ sector, which registered a negative growth rate of 5% in 2004, following the deceleration of 6% in 2003. The tourism sector, in spite of its apparent dynamism, recorded a growth rate of only 2.6%, compared to 3.0% in 2003. Financial services experienced some inertia, with a low expansion of 1.0%, compared to a high 7.2% in 2004. However, the agricultural sector expanded by 5.1% in 2004, in contrast to the low 1.9% recorded in 2003 and the non-EPZ sector grew by 5.0% in spite of the gradual reduction of tariff protection. 2.0 ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE FOR 2004 2.1 National Accounts: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by a moderate 4.2% in 2004, compared to 4.4% in 2003. At current basic prices, GDP increased from Rs. 137.9 billion in 2003 to Rs. 151.7 billion. GDP per capita at current basic prices increased by 10.1%, to attain Rs. 122,984 in 2004. In US dollar terms, GDP per capita reached US$ 4,477, 11.7% higher than the previous year, when it reached US$4,010. It is worth noting also that at Purchasing Power Parity, GDP per capita in dollars was estimated at US$ 11,400 in 2003. For the second consecutive year, net income from the rest of the world was negative, with Rs. – 415 million in 2004, compared to Rs. – 833 million in 2003. Table 2: Output at current basic prices: Unit 2001 2002 2003 2004 Real GDP growth rate % +5.6 +1.8 +4.4 +4.2 GDP Rs. Million 117,720 125,260 137,868 151,725 Net income from abroad Rs. Million 393 396 833 415 GNI Rs. Million 118,113 125,656 137,035 151,310 GDP/capita Rs. 98,086 103,479 112,720 122,984 US$ US$ (PPP)* 3,380.9 9,609 3,462.2 10,810 4,010.0 11,400 4,477.4 n/a Exchange Rate, annual av. mid-rate Rs/$ 29.012 29.888 28.11 27.468 * GDP at Purchasing Power Parity provides a more reasonable international GDP comparison among nations.Source: CIA Fact Book 2004 While the EPZ sector continued to register negative growth rates for the third consecutive year, almost all other sectors recorded positive growth rates in 2004.   Non-EPZ grew by +5.0% in 2004, slightly lower than in 2003, when the growth rate was +5.8%. After high growth rates registered in 2002 (+7.6%) and 2003 (+11.1%) mainly due to high investment in building and construction works by the public sector, Construction grew by 3.1% in 2004. The distributive trade sector grew by 3.2%, slightly higher than the 3.1% recorded in the previous year. Transport and Communications activities expanded by 6.5% in 2004 as opposed to 6.1% in 2003. During the same period real estate, renting and business activities grew by 6.9% compared to 6.5% in 2003. Education, including services provided by public and private operators grew by 7.2% in 2004, compared to 5.3% in 2003, while health and social work expanded by 8.8% compared to 7.0% in 2003. Electricity, gas and water supply registered a growth of 4.2% as opposed to 4.6% in 2003. 2.2 Consumption Last years economic performance was once again influenced by internal demand. Total final contribution of consumption to GDP at market price was estimated at 77.3%, compared to 75.1% in 2003. Real final consumption expenditure, increased by 6.3% in 2004, compared to a 4.5% rise in 2003. This expansion in the consumption rate, which is much higher than the GDP growth rate, is clearly inflationary and has a negative direct impact on trade balance and budget deficit. It must be noted that private consumption represented 83.1% of total consumption in 2004, as opposed to 82.8% in 2003. A growth of 6.7% was observed in the consumption of households in 2004, against 4.9% in 2003. This is the highest growth rate recorded since 1989. On the other hand, the share of public sector consumption amounted to 16.9% of total consumption in 2004, showing a slight drop from the 17.2% observed in 2003. Public consumption grew by 4.4% compared to an increase of 2.6% in 2003. In 2004, the continued growth observed in total consumption has been largely sustained by the significant increase in average monthly income earnings of households. The average monthly earnings in large establishments grew by 12.8% between March 2003 and March 2004, to reach Rs. 11, 084. A general upward trend was observed in all industrial groups. The largest increase (+24%) was noted in public administration, following the implementation of the PRB in July 2004. Table 3: Consumption 2001 2002 2003 2004 Aggregate Final Consumption Household Central Government Rs b Rs. b Rs. b 97.0 80.2 16.8 106.6 88.3 18.3 118.3 98.1 20.2 135.1 112.2 22.9 Consumption as a % of GDP at MP % 73.4 75.0 75.1 77.3 Real Agg. Final Consumption growth o Household o Central Government % % % 3.3 3.0 4.7 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.5 4.9 2.6 6.3 6.7 4.4 Average monthly earnings (March) Rs. 8,701 9,159 9,826 11,084 Change in monthly earnings, Nominal % 6.4 5.3 7.3 12.8 2.3 Savings Investment Gross national savings, measured by the difference between Gross National Disposable Income and Total Consumption, increased in nominal terms by 1.8% to reach Rs 40.7 billion in 2004 from Rs 40.0 billion in 2003. Consequently, the saving rate, calculated as the ratio of GNS to GDP at market prices, showed a decline from 25.4% in 2003 to 23.3% in 2004. This decline results from an increase in both public and private expenditure. Table 4: Savings and investment 2001 2002 2003 2004 Gross National Savings (Rs. Billion) 37.6 38.7 40.0 40.7 Nominal Change (%) +2.8 +3.4 +1.8 GNS as a % of GDP at MP (%) 28.4 27.3 25.4 23.3 GDFCF (Rs. billion) Private Sector Public Sector 29.8 20.5 9.3 31.4 21.6 9.8 35.7 21.8 13.8 38.9 25.6 13.4 Real Change in GDFCF (incl aircrafts and vessels) , % +2.7 +1.9 +10.0 +5.5 Real Change in GDFCF (Excl. aircraft and vessels), % -2.6 +6.1 +7.9 +8.2 GDFCF as a % of GDP at MP 22.5 22.0 22.6 22.3 Investment, measured by the Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation (GDFCF), increased to Rs 38.9 billion in 2004 from Rs 35.7 billion in 2003. In real terms, including the purchase of aircrafts and marine vessels, total investment has followed an upward trend of 5.5% in 2004, but lower than the 10.0% growth recorded in 2003. It is interesting to note that net of the purchase of aircrafts and vessels, real investment grew by 8.2% in 2004, representing a better performance than in 2003, when it grew by 7.9%. Investment rate, measured as the ratio of GDFCF to GDP at market prices, has however gone down by 0.3%, to reach 22.3% in 2004 from 22.6% in 2003. Private sector investment continued to make up the bulk of GDFCF in 2004. It accounted for 65.6% of total investment in 2004, compared to 61.2% in 2003. This represented a real growth of 13.2% in 2004, after a negative growth rate of -2.2% in 2003. Higher private sector investment was accounted for by new hotels projects, where investment increased by 55.8% in 2004, as opposed to a negative growth of 21.8% in the preceding year. Moreover, there were additional investments in spinning mills and other projects in the EPZ sector, with an increase of 45.0% in 2004 as opposed to a negative 7.7% in 2003.Inversely, the share of public sector investment fell from 38.8% in 2003 to 34.4% in real terms in 2004. In fact, real public sector investment dropped by 6.6% in 2004, after a high 37.0% real growth in 2003, resulting from a record increase of 133.3% in investment in the construction sector in 2003. The resource gap, given by the difference between savings and investment, was again positive in 2004. However, there has been a significant contraction of 59.7%, from Rs. 4.3 billion in 2003 to reach Rs 1.7 billion in 2004, since investment increased more than savings. The direct consequence of this contraction is a further deterioration of the external account of goods and services. 2.4 Foreign Direct Investment In 2004, FDI inflow fell by 8.6% to reach Rs 1.79 billion against Rs 1.96 billion in 2003. A sharp contraction was observed in the banking sector, where only Rs. 121 million were invested in 2004, as opposed to a high Rs. 1.3 billion in 2003. In contrast, higher investments were recorded in the telecommunications sector in the wake of further liberalisation. Similarly, a total of Rs. 1.08 billion were invested in 2004 in other sectors of the economy, including IT, compared to only Rs. 485 million in 2003. The EPZ sector also attracted more FDI in 2004, with Rs. 248 million, compared to Rs. 77 million in 2003. The same upward trend was observed in the tourism sector, from Rs. 103 million in 2003 to Rs. 121 million in 2004. Table 5: Foreign Investment, Rs million 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Foreign Direct Investment 7,265* 936 979 1966 1,796 EPZ 8 3 41 77 248 Tourism 10 0 100 103 121 Banking 0 600 316 1301 310 Telecoms 7204 0 0 0 38 Others 43 333 522 485 1079 Direct Investment Abroad 333 83 278 1166 909 Net Foreign Direct Investment 6,932 853 701 800 887 * Includes receipts from the sales of Mauritius Telecom shares to France Telecom of Rs 7.2 billion 1 Revised Estimates Concerning outward investment, a high figure of Rs. 1.2 billion was recorded in 2003. However, in 2004, it fell to Rs. 887 million. 2.5   Balance of Payments The overall balance of payments in 2004, measured as a change in foreign reserve assets excluding valuation changes of the Bank of Mauritius, showed a surplus of Rs. 4.2 billion, compared to a surplus of Rs. 6.2 billion in the preceding year. In the first three quarters of 2004, the current account recorded a deficit of Rs. 2.3 billion, compared to a surplus of Rs. 1.8 billion in the corresponding period in 2003, reflecting a deterioration in the visible trade account. The balance of trade worsened from a surplus of Rs. 988 million in the first three quarters of 2003 to a deficit of Rs. 3.0 billion in the corresponding period of 2004. The capital and financial account, inclusive of reserves, recorded a net outflow of Rs. 163 million in the first three quarters of 2004 as opposed to a net outflow of Rs. 1.6 billion in the same period in 2003. At the end of December 2004, Net International Reserves amounted to Rs. 52.8 billion, 8% higher than in December 2003, when it reached Rs. 48.9 billion. Based on the value of the import bill, exclusive of the purchase of aircrafts and vessels, the level of net international reserves represented 39.6 weeks on imports at the end of December 2004. For the corresponding figure in 2003, it represented 36.6 weeks of imports. 2.6 External Trade Table 6: External Trade, Rs Billion 2001 2002 2003 2004 Trade in goods: Exports of goods – excl freeport activities (f.o.b) 47.5 47.3 46.2 48.9 Export of goods – freeport activities 7.3 6.6 6.8 6.8 Imports of goods – excl freeport activities (f.o.b) 53.8 56.0 57.5 67.6 Imports of goods – Freeport activities 5.2 4.2 3.9 3.8 Merchandise trade balance* 4.2 6.3 8.4 15.7 Trade in services Exports of services 35.6 34.4 35.7 39.8 Imports of services 23.6 23.7 25.3 30.0 Balance of trade in services 12.0 10.7 10.4 11.8 Overall trade balance 7.8 4.3 2.0 3.9 * Both Exports and imports are calculated on an f.o.b basis The overall balance of trade in goods and services marked a significant deterioration in 2004. In fact, there was a shift from a trade surplus of Rs. 2 billion in 2003 to a trade deficit of Rs. 3.9 billion in 2004. There was a sharp increase in the deficit in visible trade, which worsened by 87.1% in 2004. Trade in goods was largely biased against imports, therefore resulting in a faster growth in imports, which soared by 14.6% compared to a low 3.3% in 2003. Exports however grew at 7.6% in 2004 as opposed a meagre 0.5% in the preceding year.   On the other hand, trade in services fared well, registering a surplus of Rs. 11.8 billion in 2004, representing 13.5% more than in the previous year. Much of the increase in merchandise imports in 2004 was associated with investment projects, both in the public and private sector. For instance, appreciable increases were noted in the c.i.f value of cement (+57.6%), machinery and transport equipment (+25.9%), crude materials including textile fibres (+46.2%), and telecommunications equipment (+80.3%). Others are linked to an increasing food bill, with surge in the c.i.f value of food items (+14.9%) and of road vehicles (+53.1%). In fact, it is worth noting that in the fourth quarter of 2004, additional projects and events continued to contribute to boost the import bill. There were also new investment projects in EPZ and in energy production and the significant rise in the international price of petroleum products. Finally, the appreciation of the Rand (+13.2%), the Pound Sterling (+9.1%), the Australian Dollar (+9.2%) and the Euro (+7.1%) also contributed to the escalating visible trade deficit. Box: 1 Exports lack dynamics: Although the Mauritian rupee continued to depreciate against major currencies, including the Euro, exports growth remained relatively static over the past few years. A combination of factors resulted in such a situation. Our markets remained relatively undiversified, with a high concentration in Europe. In the past few years, especially since the advent of the Euro in 2000, the Euro Zone has been relatively less dynamic than other countries like China and the US. Our exports to the most dynamic zones have remained however low. Some of the factors responsible for this lack of dynamism include erosion of our long-standing preferences, rising costs of production and the mismatch of skills on the labour market. Trade in services on the other hand, recorded a surplus of Rs. 11.8 billion, 13.5% higher than in the previous year. This is in part, due to higher earnings from the travel industry benefiting from the windfall gains of a strong euro and a strong pound sterling. Exports of services surged by 11.4% in 2004, from Rs. 35.7 billion in 2003 to Rs. 39.8 billion in 2004, whereas there was a 10.6% increase in the imports of services during the same period of time, from Rs. 25.3 billion to Rs. 30.0 billion. 2.7 Inflation Table 7: Inflation Rate, % Calendar Yr Inflation rate (%) Fiscal Yr Inflation rate (%) 2001 5.4 01/02 6.3 2002 6.4 02/03 5.1 2003 3.9 03/04 3.9 2004 4.7 04/05 5.5 The inflation rate, as measured by the percentage change in the yearly average consumer price index reached 4.7% for calendar year 2004 compared to 3.9% in 2003.   This was mainly the result of a combination of domestic and external factors. There were significant increases in the price of subsidised flour (+17%) and rice (+40%). The rise in the price of flour led to an increase in the price of bread by 12%. The price of other food items, such as chicken (+8.8%), fish (+8.5%) , beef (+9.7%), and frozen mutton (+15.2%)   also went up in 2004. In addition, the rise in international oil prices had spill over effects on the domestic economy. There were three successive increases in the price of gasoline and diesel oil. The price of gasoline increased by a total of 27.9% and the price of diesel oil rose by 45.0%, therefore causing subsequent surges in electricity tariffs (+5.1%), bus fares (+13.3%), taxi fares (+15.4%) and air fares (+16.0%). Finally, the prevailing high budget deficit and the sustained level of public investment also contributed to inflationary pressures. 2.8 Employment/ Unemployment Until 2003, labour force statistics were estimated on the basis of the Population census or Labour Force Sample Survey. A new methodology, named the Continuous Multi Purpose Household Survey   (CMPHS) was introduced in March 2004 to estimate the labour force, employment and unemployment rate. It is based on a sample of households that presently covers a total 8,640 households for the whole of 2004. Estimates are conducted on a quarterly basis, on 2,160 households per quarter. In the new CMPHS, the lower age cut-off point to estimate the labour force was brought to 15 years instead of 12 years used previously. A few inconsistencies with regard to the results of the survey have been noted, which probably indicate some weaknesses in the new methodology. The table below gives the estimated figures for the 3 quarters of 2004: Table 8: March 2004 – Estimates June 2004 – Estimates September 2004 – Estimates Labour force Male Female 541,100 348,700 192,400 540,700 347,500 193,200 527,800 349,400 178,400 Employment Male Female 494,100 328,400 165,700 491,200 324,600 166,600 483,500 329,800 153,700 Unemployment Male Female 47,000 20,300 26,700 49,500 22,900 26,600 44,300 19,600 24,700 Unemployment Rate (%) 8.7 9.2 8.4 Contrary to what one would logically expect, the CMPHS estimates indicate a downward trend in the labour force over the three quarters. From March to June, there was a fall of 400 people in the labour force. However, a larger fall was observed, with a contraction of 12,900 jobs from June to September Analysis of Global Economic Growth Analysis of Global Economic Growth World economic growth 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 World Economic Outlook: According to the World Bank, world economic growth accelerated sharply in 2004. In aggregate, the year 2004 has been the healthiest year for developing countries since the last three decades. East Asian countries have come out of the 1997 crisis and are now performing well. The ongoing economic boom in China as well as the surge in activities registered in Japan were major factors in promoting growth in the region. Latin American countries and Sub-Saharan Africa also had a better year. This performance reflects a fortuitous combination of long-term secular trends built on a foundation of better macroeconomic management and an improved domestic investment climate converging with a cyclical recovery of the global economy. There were however some lingering imbalances in the global economy associated with the rising twin deficits in the United States, a delayed recovery in Europe, coupled with high and volatile oil prices, and questions about the path of Chinas economy that might constitute risks to the pace of growth in developing countries over the medium term. Worlds economic growth is likely to slow down in 2005 with a projected rate of 3.2%. Several factors are likely to contribute to the slower growth. It is believed that the investment cycle in the US has peaked, therefore resulting in a slowdown in growth. Furthermore, world demand has far exceeded world supply, resulting in a substantial increase in oil and other commodity prices, therefore reducing demand in other countries. Also, increases in interest rates are likely to slow the investment growth. The US is likely to finance its large budget deficits through tighter fiscal policies and in Europe countries will tighten their budgetary control to remain within the realm of Maastricht limits. Table 1: World economic outlook Real Growth Rate (%) 2002 2003 2004 2005* World 1.7 2.7 4.0 3.2 High Income Countries 1.3 2.1 3.5 2.7 Euro Zone 0.9 0.5 1.8 2.1 USA 1.9 3.0 4.3 3.2 Japan -0.3 2.4 4.3 1.8 Developing Countries 3.4 5.2 6.1 5.4 East Asia and Pacific 6.7 7.9 7.8 7.1 Latin America and Caribbean -0.6 1.6 4.7 3.7 Sub Saharan Africa 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.6 *projected figures Source: Global Economic Prospects 2005, World Bank. 1.2 Mauritian Economic Outlook: Mauritian economic growth in 2004 was positive and stabilised at 4.2%, slightly lower than the 4.4% recorded in 2003. On the one hand, internal demand constituted an important dragging factor, with a 6.3% growth in consumption expenditure compared to 4.5% in 2003. On the other hand, lingering uncertainties linked to the wave of change in the international economic order, uninterrupted trade liberalisation and the gradual loss of our long-standing preferences had a dampening effect on growth. The recent run-up in oil prices was also a constraining factor on economic buoyancy. Business confidence appeared to be quite timid in 2004. However, in spite of an overall deceleration in the rate of investment, which grew by 5.5%, compared to 10.0% in 2003, private sector investment grew by a high 13.2% as opposed to a negative 2.2% in 2003. Moreover, international perception about Mauritius remained positive, and foreign investments in hotels and ICT projects were at a relatively high level. Despite the stable growth rate, several macroeconomic and sectoral performances were relatively unfavourable. Savings rate was lower, registering 23.3% of GDP in 2004 against 25.4% in 2003. Inflation rate was higher in 2004, reaching 5.5%, as opposed to 3.9% in 2003. Overall external trade worsened, from a surplus of Rs. 2 billion in 2003 to a deficit on Rs. 3.9 billion in 2004, as a result of a very large increase in the merchandise trade deficit, from Rs. 8.4 billion to Rs. 15.7 billion. On a sectoral basis, industries were faced with a restricted margin of manoeuvre as a result of increasing international competition from lower-cost producers. Repercussions were felt in the EPZ sector, which registered a negative growth rate of 5% in 2004, following the deceleration of 6% in 2003. The tourism sector, in spite of its apparent dynamism, recorded a growth rate of only 2.6%, compared to 3.0% in 2003. Financial services experienced some inertia, with a low expansion of 1.0%, compared to a high 7.2% in 2004. However, the agricultural sector expanded by 5.1% in 2004, in contrast to the low 1.9% recorded in 2003 and the non-EPZ sector grew by 5.0% in spite of the gradual reduction of tariff protection. 2.0 ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE FOR 2004 2.1 National Accounts: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by a moderate 4.2% in 2004, compared to 4.4% in 2003. At current basic prices, GDP increased from Rs. 137.9 billion in 2003 to Rs. 151.7 billion. GDP per capita at current basic prices increased by 10.1%, to attain Rs. 122,984 in 2004. In US dollar terms, GDP per capita reached US$ 4,477, 11.7% higher than the previous year, when it reached US$4,010. It is worth noting also that at Purchasing Power Parity, GDP per capita in dollars was estimated at US$ 11,400 in 2003. For the second consecutive year, net income from the rest of the world was negative, with Rs. – 415 million in 2004, compared to Rs. – 833 million in 2003. Table 2: Output at current basic prices: Unit 2001 2002 2003 2004 Real GDP growth rate % +5.6 +1.8 +4.4 +4.2 GDP Rs. Million 117,720 125,260 137,868 151,725 Net income from abroad Rs. Million 393 396 833 415 GNI Rs. Million 118,113 125,656 137,035 151,310 GDP/capita Rs. 98,086 103,479 112,720 122,984 US$ US$ (PPP)* 3,380.9 9,609 3,462.2 10,810 4,010.0 11,400 4,477.4 n/a Exchange Rate, annual av. mid-rate Rs/$ 29.012 29.888 28.11 27.468 * GDP at Purchasing Power Parity provides a more reasonable international GDP comparison among nations.Source: CIA Fact Book 2004 While the EPZ sector continued to register negative growth rates for the third consecutive year, almost all other sectors recorded positive growth rates in 2004.   Non-EPZ grew by +5.0% in 2004, slightly lower than in 2003, when the growth rate was +5.8%. After high growth rates registered in 2002 (+7.6%) and 2003 (+11.1%) mainly due to high investment in building and construction works by the public sector, Construction grew by 3.1% in 2004. The distributive trade sector grew by 3.2%, slightly higher than the 3.1% recorded in the previous year. Transport and Communications activities expanded by 6.5% in 2004 as opposed to 6.1% in 2003. During the same period real estate, renting and business activities grew by 6.9% compared to 6.5% in 2003. Education, including services provided by public and private operators grew by 7.2% in 2004, compared to 5.3% in 2003, while health and social work expanded by 8.8% compared to 7.0% in 2003. Electricity, gas and water supply registered a growth of 4.2% as opposed to 4.6% in 2003. 2.2 Consumption Last years economic performance was once again influenced by internal demand. Total final contribution of consumption to GDP at market price was estimated at 77.3%, compared to 75.1% in 2003. Real final consumption expenditure, increased by 6.3% in 2004, compared to a 4.5% rise in 2003. This expansion in the consumption rate, which is much higher than the GDP growth rate, is clearly inflationary and has a negative direct impact on trade balance and budget deficit. It must be noted that private consumption represented 83.1% of total consumption in 2004, as opposed to 82.8% in 2003. A growth of 6.7% was observed in the consumption of households in 2004, against 4.9% in 2003. This is the highest growth rate recorded since 1989. On the other hand, the share of public sector consumption amounted to 16.9% of total consumption in 2004, showing a slight drop from the 17.2% observed in 2003. Public consumption grew by 4.4% compared to an increase of 2.6% in 2003. In 2004, the continued growth observed in total consumption has been largely sustained by the significant increase in average monthly income earnings of households. The average monthly earnings in large establishments grew by 12.8% between March 2003 and March 2004, to reach Rs. 11, 084. A general upward trend was observed in all industrial groups. The largest increase (+24%) was noted in public administration, following the implementation of the PRB in July 2004. Table 3: Consumption 2001 2002 2003 2004 Aggregate Final Consumption Household Central Government Rs b Rs. b Rs. b 97.0 80.2 16.8 106.6 88.3 18.3 118.3 98.1 20.2 135.1 112.2 22.9 Consumption as a % of GDP at MP % 73.4 75.0 75.1 77.3 Real Agg. Final Consumption growth o Household o Central Government % % % 3.3 3.0 4.7 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.5 4.9 2.6 6.3 6.7 4.4 Average monthly earnings (March) Rs. 8,701 9,159 9,826 11,084 Change in monthly earnings, Nominal % 6.4 5.3 7.3 12.8 2.3 Savings Investment Gross national savings, measured by the difference between Gross National Disposable Income and Total Consumption, increased in nominal terms by 1.8% to reach Rs 40.7 billion in 2004 from Rs 40.0 billion in 2003. Consequently, the saving rate, calculated as the ratio of GNS to GDP at market prices, showed a decline from 25.4% in 2003 to 23.3% in 2004. This decline results from an increase in both public and private expenditure. Table 4: Savings and investment 2001 2002 2003 2004 Gross National Savings (Rs. Billion) 37.6 38.7 40.0 40.7 Nominal Change (%) +2.8 +3.4 +1.8 GNS as a % of GDP at MP (%) 28.4 27.3 25.4 23.3 GDFCF (Rs. billion) Private Sector Public Sector 29.8 20.5 9.3 31.4 21.6 9.8 35.7 21.8 13.8 38.9 25.6 13.4 Real Change in GDFCF (incl aircrafts and vessels) , % +2.7 +1.9 +10.0 +5.5 Real Change in GDFCF (Excl. aircraft and vessels), % -2.6 +6.1 +7.9 +8.2 GDFCF as a % of GDP at MP 22.5 22.0 22.6 22.3 Investment, measured by the Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation (GDFCF), increased to Rs 38.9 billion in 2004 from Rs 35.7 billion in 2003. In real terms, including the purchase of aircrafts and marine vessels, total investment has followed an upward trend of 5.5% in 2004, but lower than the 10.0% growth recorded in 2003. It is interesting to note that net of the purchase of aircrafts and vessels, real investment grew by 8.2% in 2004, representing a better performance than in 2003, when it grew by 7.9%. Investment rate, measured as the ratio of GDFCF to GDP at market prices, has however gone down by 0.3%, to reach 22.3% in 2004 from 22.6% in 2003. Private sector investment continued to make up the bulk of GDFCF in 2004. It accounted for 65.6% of total investment in 2004, compared to 61.2% in 2003. This represented a real growth of 13.2% in 2004, after a negative growth rate of -2.2% in 2003. Higher private sector investment was accounted for by new hotels projects, where investment increased by 55.8% in 2004, as opposed to a negative growth of 21.8% in the preceding year. Moreover, there were additional investments in spinning mills and other projects in the EPZ sector, with an increase of 45.0% in 2004 as opposed to a negative 7.7% in 2003.Inversely, the share of public sector investment fell from 38.8% in 2003 to 34.4% in real terms in 2004. In fact, real public sector investment dropped by 6.6% in 2004, after a high 37.0% real growth in 2003, resulting from a record increase of 133.3% in investment in the construction sector in 2003. The resource gap, given by the difference between savings and investment, was again positive in 2004. However, there has been a significant contraction of 59.7%, from Rs. 4.3 billion in 2003 to reach Rs 1.7 billion in 2004, since investment increased more than savings. The direct consequence of this contraction is a further deterioration of the external account of goods and services. 2.4 Foreign Direct Investment In 2004, FDI inflow fell by 8.6% to reach Rs 1.79 billion against Rs 1.96 billion in 2003. A sharp contraction was observed in the banking sector, where only Rs. 121 million were invested in 2004, as opposed to a high Rs. 1.3 billion in 2003. In contrast, higher investments were recorded in the telecommunications sector in the wake of further liberalisation. Similarly, a total of Rs. 1.08 billion were invested in 2004 in other sectors of the economy, including IT, compared to only Rs. 485 million in 2003. The EPZ sector also attracted more FDI in 2004, with Rs. 248 million, compared to Rs. 77 million in 2003. The same upward trend was observed in the tourism sector, from Rs. 103 million in 2003 to Rs. 121 million in 2004. Table 5: Foreign Investment, Rs million 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Foreign Direct Investment 7,265* 936 979 1966 1,796 EPZ 8 3 41 77 248 Tourism 10 0 100 103 121 Banking 0 600 316 1301 310 Telecoms 7204 0 0 0 38 Others 43 333 522 485 1079 Direct Investment Abroad 333 83 278 1166 909 Net Foreign Direct Investment 6,932 853 701 800 887 * Includes receipts from the sales of Mauritius Telecom shares to France Telecom of Rs 7.2 billion 1 Revised Estimates Concerning outward investment, a high figure of Rs. 1.2 billion was recorded in 2003. However, in 2004, it fell to Rs. 887 million. 2.5   Balance of Payments The overall balance of payments in 2004, measured as a change in foreign reserve assets excluding valuation changes of the Bank of Mauritius, showed a surplus of Rs. 4.2 billion, compared to a surplus of Rs. 6.2 billion in the preceding year. In the first three quarters of 2004, the current account recorded a deficit of Rs. 2.3 billion, compared to a surplus of Rs. 1.8 billion in the corresponding period in 2003, reflecting a deterioration in the visible trade account. The balance of trade worsened from a surplus of Rs. 988 million in the first three quarters of 2003 to a deficit of Rs. 3.0 billion in the corresponding period of 2004. The capital and financial account, inclusive of reserves, recorded a net outflow of Rs. 163 million in the first three quarters of 2004 as opposed to a net outflow of Rs. 1.6 billion in the same period in 2003. At the end of December 2004, Net International Reserves amounted to Rs. 52.8 billion, 8% higher than in December 2003, when it reached Rs. 48.9 billion. Based on the value of the import bill, exclusive of the purchase of aircrafts and vessels, the level of net international reserves represented 39.6 weeks on imports at the end of December 2004. For the corresponding figure in 2003, it represented 36.6 weeks of imports. 2.6 External Trade Table 6: External Trade, Rs Billion 2001 2002 2003 2004 Trade in goods: Exports of goods – excl freeport activities (f.o.b) 47.5 47.3 46.2 48.9 Export of goods – freeport activities 7.3 6.6 6.8 6.8 Imports of goods – excl freeport activities (f.o.b) 53.8 56.0 57.5 67.6 Imports of goods – Freeport activities 5.2 4.2 3.9 3.8 Merchandise trade balance* 4.2 6.3 8.4 15.7 Trade in services Exports of services 35.6 34.4 35.7 39.8 Imports of services 23.6 23.7 25.3 30.0 Balance of trade in services 12.0 10.7 10.4 11.8 Overall trade balance 7.8 4.3 2.0 3.9 * Both Exports and imports are calculated on an f.o.b basis The overall balance of trade in goods and services marked a significant deterioration in 2004. In fact, there was a shift from a trade surplus of Rs. 2 billion in 2003 to a trade deficit of Rs. 3.9 billion in 2004. There was a sharp increase in the deficit in visible trade, which worsened by 87.1% in 2004. Trade in goods was largely biased against imports, therefore resulting in a faster growth in imports, which soared by 14.6% compared to a low 3.3% in 2003. Exports however grew at 7.6% in 2004 as opposed a meagre 0.5% in the preceding year.   On the other hand, trade in services fared well, registering a surplus of Rs. 11.8 billion in 2004, representing 13.5% more than in the previous year. Much of the increase in merchandise imports in 2004 was associated with investment projects, both in the public and private sector. For instance, appreciable increases were noted in the c.i.f value of cement (+57.6%), machinery and transport equipment (+25.9%), crude materials including textile fibres (+46.2%), and telecommunications equipment (+80.3%). Others are linked to an increasing food bill, with surge in the c.i.f value of food items (+14.9%) and of road vehicles (+53.1%). In fact, it is worth noting that in the fourth quarter of 2004, additional projects and events continued to contribute to boost the import bill. There were also new investment projects in EPZ and in energy production and the significant rise in the international price of petroleum products. Finally, the appreciation of the Rand (+13.2%), the Pound Sterling (+9.1%), the Australian Dollar (+9.2%) and the Euro (+7.1%) also contributed to the escalating visible trade deficit. Box: 1 Exports lack dynamics: Although the Mauritian rupee continued to depreciate against major currencies, including the Euro, exports growth remained relatively static over the past few years. A combination of factors resulted in such a situation. Our markets remained relatively undiversified, with a high concentration in Europe. In the past few years, especially since the advent of the Euro in 2000, the Euro Zone has been relatively less dynamic than other countries like China and the US. Our exports to the most dynamic zones have remained however low. Some of the factors responsible for this lack of dynamism include erosion of our long-standing preferences, rising costs of production and the mismatch of skills on the labour market. Trade in services on the other hand, recorded a surplus of Rs. 11.8 billion, 13.5% higher than in the previous year. This is in part, due to higher earnings from the travel industry benefiting from the windfall gains of a strong euro and a strong pound sterling. Exports of services surged by 11.4% in 2004, from Rs. 35.7 billion in 2003 to Rs. 39.8 billion in 2004, whereas there was a 10.6% increase in the imports of services during the same period of time, from Rs. 25.3 billion to Rs. 30.0 billion. 2.7 Inflation Table 7: Inflation Rate, % Calendar Yr Inflation rate (%) Fiscal Yr Inflation rate (%) 2001 5.4 01/02 6.3 2002 6.4 02/03 5.1 2003 3.9 03/04 3.9 2004 4.7 04/05 5.5 The inflation rate, as measured by the percentage change in the yearly average consumer price index reached 4.7% for calendar year 2004 compared to 3.9% in 2003.   This was mainly the result of a combination of domestic and external factors. There were significant increases in the price of subsidised flour (+17%) and rice (+40%). The rise in the price of flour led to an increase in the price of bread by 12%. The price of other food items, such as chicken (+8.8%), fish (+8.5%) , beef (+9.7%), and frozen mutton (+15.2%)   also went up in 2004. In addition, the rise in international oil prices had spill over effects on the domestic economy. There were three successive increases in the price of gasoline and diesel oil. The price of gasoline increased by a total of 27.9% and the price of diesel oil rose by 45.0%, therefore causing subsequent surges in electricity tariffs (+5.1%), bus fares (+13.3%), taxi fares (+15.4%) and air fares (+16.0%). Finally, the prevailing high budget deficit and the sustained level of public investment also contributed to inflationary pressures. 2.8 Employment/ Unemployment Until 2003, labour force statistics were estimated on the basis of the Population census or Labour Force Sample Survey. A new methodology, named the Continuous Multi Purpose Household Survey   (CMPHS) was introduced in March 2004 to estimate the labour force, employment and unemployment rate. It is based on a sample of households that presently covers a total 8,640 households for the whole of 2004. Estimates are conducted on a quarterly basis, on 2,160 households per quarter. In the new CMPHS, the lower age cut-off point to estimate the labour force was brought to 15 years instead of 12 years used previously. A few inconsistencies with regard to the results of the survey have been noted, which probably indicate some weaknesses in the new methodology. The table below gives the estimated figures for the 3 quarters of 2004: Table 8: March 2004 – Estimates June 2004 – Estimates September 2004 – Estimates Labour force Male Female 541,100 348,700 192,400 540,700 347,500 193,200 527,800 349,400 178,400 Employment Male Female 494,100 328,400 165,700 491,200 324,600 166,600 483,500 329,800 153,700 Unemployment Male Female 47,000 20,300 26,700 49,500 22,900 26,600 44,300 19,600 24,700 Unemployment Rate (%) 8.7 9.2 8.4 Contrary to what one would logically expect, the CMPHS estimates indicate a downward trend in the labour force over the three quarters. From March to June, there was a fall of 400 people in the labour force. However, a larger fall was observed, with a contraction of 12,900 jobs from June to September

Capital Punishment Essay: Criminals Can Think Twice or Die Once

Capital punishment has been in effect since the 1600's (Cole 451). However, in 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment, which was unconstitutional according to the Eighth amendment. It was public opinion that the current methods of execution, hanging, electrocution, and facing a firing squad, were too slow and painful upon the person to be executed (Cole 451). The U.S. Supreme Court reversed this decision when a "cleaner" way to bring about death was found in 1976. This "cleaner" way is death by lethal injection, which is quick and painless if administered right (Cole 450). Since capital punishment has been reinstituted many people have argued for and against capital punishment. Some say the death penalty is what the criminal deserves while others object to it because death is irreversible. I feel the death penalty is a good form of justice because only about 250 people a year get the death penalty and they are guilty beyond a doubt a nd don't deserve living with the possibility of parole. The sentencing judge or jury are ordered by the Supreme Court to look for "specific aggravating and mitigating factors in deciding which convicted murderers should be sentenced to death" (Cole 451). Some of these mitigating factors are the defendant's motivation, character, personal history, and most of all remorse (Costanzo). Every year approximately 250 new offenders are added to death row. In 1994 there were 2,850 persons awaiting execution. Yet no more than thirty-eight people have been executed a year since 1976. This is a ridiculously low number compared to 199 persons executed in 1935 (all from Cole 451). The reason for this slow execution rate is the process of appeals, from sentencin... ... is a punishment that will remain active for a long time in the future, even with all the criticism. It is an ancient way of dealing with extremely serious offences that plague our country today. Hopefully the appeals process will be shortened, but remain effective, so more criminals can be executed, making prospective criminals think twice. Works Cited Bailey, William C., "Murder, Capital Punishment, and Deterrence" 1994. Journal of Social Issues. Cole, George F., The American System fo Criminal Justice 1995, New York. Costanzo, Mark "Attorney Persuasion in the Capital Penalty Phase" 1994. Journal of Social Issues. Death Penalty Discussion, Sept. 12, 1994. Search on Turbogopher under "Execution". Death Penalty, May 12, 1994. American Civil Liberties Union. Search on Turbogopher under "Execution". The Electric Chair, Aug 13, 1993.

Parenting In Pride and Prejudice Essay

The novel Pride and Prejudice involves many topics and symbolizes different aspects of life and behavior of people. In this essay I am going to analyze and discuss the theme of parenthood. I will only comment on the characters that are parents or come over as parents, namely, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. The last character mentioned may not come over as a parent but she acts like one. To begin with, I will start talking about the Bennet family. If we look at the Bennets with modern eyes, we could say that their behavior towards their daughters is very different from how parents get along with their children nowadays. In modern society parents do not marry of their children, we could see this as old fashioned. But in the 19th century the wealthy families wanted that their descendants married other wealthy families in order to save their property. The happiness and feelings of the children did not matter to the parents as we can see in Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Bennet loves his family but he detaches from them in order not to get involved with their lives. He gets on really well with Elizabeth because they both are the most intelligent members of the Bennet family. But as the novel evolves he turns into a father that is weak and in critical moments he fails his family. For instance, he fails his family when Lydia runs off with Wickham. [†¦] â€Å"My dear Mr. Bennet,† said his lady to him one day, â€Å"have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?† Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. â€Å"But it is,† returned she; â€Å"for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.† Mr. Bennet made no answer. â€Å"Do not you want to know who has taken it?† cried his wife impatiently. â€Å"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.† [†¦] (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Volume I, Chapter I, page 5) In this short extract of the novel Pride and Prejudice a lot is shown about Mr. Bennet and his wife. In the first six lines it is seen that Mr. Bennet does not care that someone has come to live to Netherfield Park. Instead his wife insists on telling him everything she knows about it. Mr. Bennet, to me, does not care and in a way teases his wife by being so uninterested. He knows that this behavior makes his wife very nervous but the last line takes all the tension away. You expect a huge quarrel but instead you read this line and, at least I was, a little bit astonished because I did not expect that answer, reality from him. Going back to the topic of parenting this extract is quite interesting. It shows that Mr. Bennet is passive about everything that has to do with his daughters but, on the other hand, Mrs. Bennet wants to know everything that is going on because she wants to marry off her daughters to a wealthy gentleman. She can only think of that. She does not care at all about the feeling of her daughters. [†¦] â€Å"Dining out,† said Mrs. Bennet, â€Å"that is very unlucky.† â€Å"Can I have the carriage,† said Jane. â€Å"No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.† â€Å"That would be a good scheme,† said Elizabeth, â€Å"if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home.† â€Å"Oh! But the gentleman will have Mr. Bingley’s chaise to go to Meryton; and Hursts have no horses theirs.† â€Å"I much rather go in the coach.† â€Å"But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are they not?† (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Volume I, Chapter 7, page 31) Here we can see the clear interest of Mrs. Bennet towards Jane, the oldest daughter. She wants her daughter to go to the lunch and to stay over there because it probably will rain. Even though there is a chance that Jane gets ill, Mrs. Bennet insists on Jane going over to the lunch. This behavior shows the readers that she cares about her daughter but, she only wants to be sure that the property and everything that they posses will not end up with Mr. Bennet’s cousin. Mrs. Bennet continues to behave in this way during whole the novel. At no point, the reader can see affection from Mrs. Bennet towards her daughters. Certainly, we can see no motherly behavior; she never gets involved with the daily chores of the house or with the personal hygiene of her daughters. Something that mothers nowadays do a lot, getting involved with her children’s life. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are very different from Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. The Gardiners do care about the feeling of their children. In this case they get along very well with Jane and Elizabeth and help them with the struggle they have with Bingley and Darcy. We can see that Mrs. Gardiner cares for her nieces because she does things to protect the girls, so as to prevent them to do certain things they might regret in the future. She protects them as a mother should do, she gives them advice, and she listens to the girls. Mrs. Gardiner is the opposite of Mrs. Bennet. The former involves more in the lives of the girls and guides them through it while the latter just wants that her daughters to marry some rich man in order not to lose their possessions they have at Longbourn. In the next extract the readers can see what kind of a woman Mrs. Gardiner is: [†¦] Her aunt assured her that she was; and Elizabeth having thanked her for the kindness of her hinds, they parted; a wonderful instance of advice being given on such a point, without being resented. [†¦] (Austen, Volume II, Chapter III, page 143) Austen describes Mr. Gardiner in the following way: â€Å"Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister as well by nature as education.†(Austen, Volume II, Chapter 2, page 137) Although Mr. Gardiner does not appear much in the novel he is present every time his carrying wife appears. Frankly, every time Mrs. Gardiner appears I imagine that her husband is involved in the conversation and thought of his wife. Lady Catherine De Bourgh is Darcy’s aunt and she does not want that some girl, especially not with lower social wealth marries her nephew. Lady De Bourgh is a very wealthy woman and with this she thinks that she has to tell other people how, why and when they should do things or not. When she finds out that Elizabeth is very fond of Darcy she asks Elizabeth many questions; on the one hand, to let Elizabeth know that she is more intelligent and from a higher social class; on the other hand, to maybe scare Elizabeth off. If we analyze this behavior taking in consideration parenthood, we could say that she is protective and cares about her family. After all, the reader knows who and what kind of woman she is and that all those questions are just for personal interest and not to help her nephew Darcy. To conclude, I would like to say that many different manners of being a parent appear in the novel. We have seen the Bennet family, the Gardiner family and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. We could say that the Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are cold people; they do not care about the feelings of their children and they only care about their reputation and social wealth. On the other hand the Gardiners are protective towards the Bennet girls. They try to help them by giving them advice and to talk to other people to find out in what situation the girls are putting themselves into. Last but not least, Lady Catherine De Bourgh. She is from a wealthy social class and does everything she can so that no one with a lower social wealth comes into her family. Finally she has to accept that Elizabeth and Darcy get married. In the end I could say that different types of parenthood appear in the novel. To me, parents should get involved in the life of their children, to protect them and prevent them of making mistakes they will regret. Being a good parent involves being there for your children and not to act in your personal interest. The only family that is honest, to me, is the Gardiner family.

Fred Page essays

Fred Page essays Fred Page was born on a 3,000-acre farm in Louisiana. He lived there for most of his teenage years. He then moved to Mississippi where he has lived for 52 years. Overall, Mr. Page has had a very long and interesting life. In Louisiana, Freds family was one of the most well off black families of its time. He lived in a great big house and his father worked for many rich people. They raised hogs and cows which was rare for some plantations. When Fred was 12 years old, he was hired to pick cotton. He could pick about a couple hundred pounds of cotton by two oclock. During the picking he would hardly see a white person, unless the overseer was white. When he moved to Mississippi, he began working at the Melrose Plantation at the age of 18. His owner, Mrs. Kelly was very high cultured. She taught him the rich culture ways like they would use in New York, so he would know how the white people would talk to him. Fred was very sophisticated for a young black teenage. When he started working in the State of Mississippi he wasnt quite used to the way a black person was supposed to speak. Everyone you talked to is yas em and no em and yas em giving that high honor, you know. And I started saying yes and no, but I soon got out of that. In a couple of weeks I blended back down to Yas and nosm, that sort of thing. This is very similar to the character Grant in A Lesson Before Dying. Grant was smarter than most of the white people he knew, but sometimes had to act more dumb to give them pleasure or acted smarter to piss them off. He began only giving tours to blacks and everyone gave Freds tours high reviews. When he started giving tours to whites, they asked Mrs. Kelly if he could handle it and they would say, I dont want him talking to my children, while Fre ...

Sonia Frederick Emily Cabrera Monia Alderete Eric Essays - Politics

Sonia Frederick Emily Cabrera Monia Alderete Eric Essays - Politics Sonia Frederick Emily Cabrera Monia Alderete Eric Kenedy Sami Chaar Fernando Caranza The Marshall Plan Europe ' s economic and social structure was completely devastated and unstable as a result of World War II. This extreme economic turmoil heightened the sense of crisis.This chaotic aftermath included widespread anarchy, famine, crime, pestilence and violent conflict, with millions of uprooted people wandering the ruined lands throughout Europe. After a meeting with Stalin, Secretary of State George Marshall tediously analyzed the situation. He came to the conclusion that a plan needed to be put in place to provide financial aid to Europe. This was needed in order to prevent the spread of communism in Europe as Stalin would use the continent ' s vulnerable conditions to his advantage. The Marshall Plan is a perfect example on the extreme measure the United States is willing to take in order to stand by its fo reign policy. John Marshall stated in his speech at Harvard university " Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos Any government that is willing to assist in the task of recovery will find full cooperation, I am sure, on the part of the United States government. " This plan was instilled for a period of four years. Over sixteen European nations received nearly $13 billion in aid, which included the shipments of food , clothing, fuel and machinery from the United States . This act provided an overall sense of optimism throughout Europe in the attempts to contain the spread of communism.

The American Red Cross Humanitarian Organization Essay

The American Red Cross Humanitarian Organization - Essay Example In 2005, the American Red Cross played a critical role in providing humanitarian assistance to thousands of Americans who were affected by the Hurricane Katrina. Jones (2012) indicate the Red Cross assisted in the evacuation of the affected families as well as proving first aid services to the injured, as well as food and temporary shelters to those who were affected by the disaster. The American Red Cross also assisted greatly during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, where the organization provided emergency assistance to the affected people. In fact, the American Red Cross is currently synonymous with humanitarian assistance. This document will conduct a review of the Red Cross business model, lobbying efforts, leadership profile of CEO, SWOT analysis, strategic planning, administration, and operations. The American Red Cross is the largest humanitarian organization in the country. The organization was founded in 1881 to assist those who were injured during the Civil War. The American Red Cross main areas of operation are the provision of humanitarian assistance to those affected by disasters and emergencies. The first major area of Red Cross operation is the provision of disaster response services. America is one of the countries that are prone to natural and manmade disasters most of which are devastating. However, the American Red Cross has always played a key role in providing disaster response services. In fact, the American Red Cross has provided many response services, which has helped save lives of thousands of people affected by disasters. Some of the disaster incidences where the Red Cross has provided effective response services include Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 terrorist attacks, Comair Flight 5191, the Kansan tornadoes, and the Florida tornadoes just to name but a few (Am erican Red Cross, 2006). In all these incidences, the Red Cross responded by assisting in the provision of evacuation services, first aid to the injured, food, temporary shelter, clothes and bedding.American Red Cross also provides blood services in the form of donations to hospitals in need of blood. The Red Cross works closely with community centers that help in the donation of blood. The Red Cross then supplies the blood to hospitals and health facilities that require blood.  

Computer Networking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Computer Networking - Research Paper Example The discussion further analyses the importance of backup as an operation security strategy that helps avail the data stored in the database in case of an external damage. Security is one of the most fundamental factors in the installation and maintenance of a computer network. This follows the understanding that the information shared on such computer networks is a key asset to the institutions that develop the information system. Computer networks refer to telecommunication networks that permit computers and other similar media to transfer data thus enabling communication. The interconnection of computers among other appliances such as telephones, fax machines and printers thus creates an information network that facilitates communication either within the organization or on a larger context with third parties outside the organization. The integrity of the data flowing within the information system relies on the security features employed by the information technology department in the organization (Wood, 2010). Security of a computer network requires the incorporation of various technologies as essay below elaborates. Among the various security features used in a network is end-to-end encryption, which is arguably the most effective security tool. While not often considered a security feature, end-to-end encryption is a paradigm that permits data protection through a series of encoding and decoding through appropriate platforms only. This allows for selective access to the information communicated through the network thus maintaining a degree of integrity in the entire communication process. The party that originates the data encrypts to an appropriate format conveyable through the network while the receiving party decrypts the data thereby obtaining the intended message. The process is simple but requires an effective utilization of appropriate resources in order to maintain the fidelity of the data communicated in any network. Furthermore, while end-to-end