Queer And Feminist Theories Of Sexuality And The Erotic

The erotic has been a source of major discussion within queer and feminist theories. Indeed, much of the discussions surrounding homosexuality or queerness in general focus on ideas of sexuality and the erotic. It has been recognized as of late as a major force in people’s lives, something that permeates nearly every aspect of their lives. However, with the rise of discussions surrounding the erotic, the concept of the nonerotic has been left by the wayside, so to speak. There are many discussions surrounding the erotic that give no space for those who may not identify with the erotic in any way. This is seen in a variety of theories concerning the erotic. This work will identify some groups which may not embrace or experience the†¦show more content†¦Although asexual as a term has been used previously to mean that a person is simply nonsexual, as it is in Jon Binnie’s essay, it should be noted that this is not the intended use of the term in this work. Further , within the asexual community, using asexual and nonsexual as interchangeable words is strongly disapproved of, as they are taken to mean two different things. Asexual, as stated above, describes a sexual orientation and a lack of attraction. Nonsexual is the term that is often used instead to refer to a person who does not engage in sexual activities, or is not seen to be sexual in any way. Not all asexual people are nonsexual, and not all nonsexual people may identify with the label asexual, although there could certainly be some overlap of the two terms. There is potential for yet further overlap when one takes into account sex repulsion or indifference, as sex-repulsed or sex-indifferent people may or may not also be nonsexual. While considering overlapping of terms, one should also note the potential for overlap of the labels asexual and sex-repulsed or sex-indifferent. Just as someone who is sex-repulsed may also be nonsexual, this person could also identify as asexual. The s ame holds true for sex-indifferent people, but by no means should this be taken to mean that every sex-repulsed or sex-indifferent personShow MoreRelatedBlack Feminism s Speech At The Ohio Women s Rights Convention Essay1442 Words   |  6 Pagestogether ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again.† This is from abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth’s speech at the Ohio Women s Rights Convention in 1851. This is probably the most relevant messages that feminist everywhere can follow behind. Feminism is simply the advocacy of equality of sexes social, political, and economic, but until this can happen you have to address race and class oppression among other inequalities. This is the reason why the ideaRead MoreLiterature Review of Queer Theory Essay3042 Words   |  13 Pagesstudies and even American pragmatist theory (Parker,2001; Seidman,1997), queer theory has become one of the most important theories, which contributes to the research of sociology, arts and organizations. On the one hand, queer theory has been used to study the relations between the sexuality, gender and workplace. On the other hand, by utilizing denaturalized, deconstructive and performative methods to queer the presumptions of the taken-for-granted norms, queer theorists question and disprove theRead MoreThe Theme Of Homo Eroticism Within The Play As You Like It And How It Differs From Various Other3688 Words   |  15 PagesBefore exploring homoeroticism, it is important to determine an understanding of what the term is. As defined by Oxford English Dictionary, Homoeroticism is; ‘pertaining to or characterized by a tendency for erotic emotions to be centred on a person of the same sex; of or pertaining to a homo-erotic person’. It is crucial to not mistake homo-eroticism as merely a synonym of homosexuality, because it is an entirely different concept. Homo-eroticism refers to the desire itself, which can be temp orary,Read MoreHow Queer Theory Destabilises Traditional Ideas Of Gender1798 Words   |  8 PagesWith Reference to Post-Structural Theory, Discuss How Queer Theory Destabilises Traditional Ideas of Gender. In regards to gender, Freud used the term ‘Oedipal Complex’ which hints to the myth of Oedipus who murdered his father and married his mother. This occurs in the phallic stage and refers to one of his more controversial ideas which states a boy’s erotic affection for his mother and conflict with the father as he desires to replace him. To resolve this conflict, the boy must identify withRead MoreCalculus Oaper13589 Words   |  55 Pagestheir heads: If the first erotic bond is to the mother, she asks, could not the natural sexual orientation of both men and women be toward women? Rich s radical questioning has been a major intellectual force in the general feminist reorientation to sexual matters in recent years, and her conception of a lesbian continuum sparked especially intense debate. Does lesbianism incorporate all support systems and intense interactions among women, or is it a specifically erotic choice? What is gainedRead MoreThe Sexuality Of Female Sexuality1974 Words   |  8 Pagesready to accept and be tolerant to homosexual or bisexual people, but the issue over the female sexuality is still unsettled. The question how it differs from the male sexuality and why exactly the attitude to female sexuality is different compared to the male one is discussed by lots of psychologists, sociologists and philosophers. However, there is no coherent and competent explanation yet. â€Å"Sexuality is messy, passionate, unclear, tentative, anxiety-producing, liberating, frightening, embarrassingRead MoreBanning Of A College Campus1845 Words   |  8 Pagesmanipulation of first amendment can be used in a college setting. The fact remains that there is a substantial difference between a corporation and a university. Universities are meant to be a place of learning and just like science is able to accept new theories, we should be willing to accept new ideas. Building tolerance as a community allows us to embrace unpopular ideas. That being said, there is very good reasons to protect offensive or unpopular speech. During the 1950’s, minority groups didn’t haveRead MoreObscenity Laws Texts Schools And Public Libraries2132 Words   |  9 Pagesobscene? Certain fiction writers do not consider the use of euphemisms in their works and at certain times cause intentional ambiguity that attracts diverse reactions from their readers. This phenomenon comes about from what is termed as the reception theory. The mind tends to develop in accordance with the exposure (Cossman 50). It is evident that these scenes tend to be more attractive to the unsuspecting persons, mostly teenagers; therefore, developing strategies to protect them is essential. The CanadianRead MoreBanning Speech Codes On Campuses1811 Words   |  8 Pagescan be used or freedom of expression in a college setting. The fact remains that there is a substantial difference between a corporation and a university. Universities are meant to be a place of learning and just like science is able to accept new theories, we should be willing to accept new ideas. Building tolerance as a community allows us to embraces unpopular ideas. That being said, there is very good reasons to protect offensive or unpopular speech. During the 1950’s, minority groups didn’t haveRead MoreHistory of Transgender9448 Words   |  38 Pagesand the complete invert (transsexual). The last category suffering from seeliches transsexualismus (Hirshfeld 1912). Part II describes the second fifty years of psychiatry (1910-1960), when psychoanalysis turned the table between gender and sexuality. To Freud gender was a simple matter of genital fact, and transgender practice (like cross-dressing or expressing transsexual longing) a mere denial of homosexuality. Transgender operations came to a standstill. Part III shows how, after the absolute

Bullying Is A Major Problem That Has Gradually Gotten...

Bullying is a major problem that has gradually gotten worser over the years. With technology evolving teens have taken bullying to a new level, by cyberbullying. Bullying is a way of verbally or physically harming someone else to try and seem superior. People who bully are very insecure about themselves so they chose to bully others in order to make themselves feel better. There are others ways that teens may use to bully such as cyberbullying. Cyber bulling is a form of harassment online through social media, email, and text messages. Cyberbullying presents a challenge because it can be done anouomusly so it may be hard to catch the person. In America, bullying is one of the greatest issues that we face and technology has only added to the problem by opening up other opportunities for bullying. As many as 25% of teenagers have experienced cyberbullying according to Justin W . Patchin, who studies the phenomenon at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.(Justin). He and colleagues have conducted formal surveys of 15,000 middle and high school students throughout the United States and found that about 10% of teens have been victims of cyberbullying in the last 30 days.’’(cnn.com). A study conducted at two schools in Philadelphia assessed the prevalence of bullying over cyberbullying. The findings of the study were that the percentage of bullying was 17.3 percent while the percentage for cyberbullying was only 9.3% The main question is why is it that people choose to bully ?

I Break Things free essay sample

I break things. On purpose. Old toys, computers, motor scooters- anything that falls under my indiscriminate screwdriver quickly spreads out over my workbench. Inspired by the hidden anatomy of these devices, I spend hours disassembling, examining, tinkering, and sometimes repairing, other people’s technological trash. Driven by sheer curiosity, I have explored the fields of electronics, mechanics, and computer science. I break. I repair. And most of all, I feed my insatiable appetite for practical knowledge. I am fascinated by everyday technology. For instance, a computer disc drive (the familiar plastic tray that slides out to receive CDs) entertains me with its possibilities. I press the button over and over again, merely because the clever design and the smooth motion amuse me. During my most recent button-pushing spree, however, I began to wish for more functionality from this dearly undervalued piece of hardware. Predictably, that night found me taking apart a dysfunctional computer; finally, I extracted the disc drive. We will write a custom essay sample on I Break Things or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During the following weeks, I began constructing a robot- built entirely around my salvaged disc drive. The robot, now nearing completion, rolls around on tank tracks and avoids obstacles and, my favorite feature of all, can pick up objects using a metal claw I built from an old Erector set. All of the electronics are housed inside the metal case of the disc drive- and the claw moves using the original mechanism. Another transformation complete, I will continue my exploration of modern technology- from the inside out. I am uncertain as to when I first began breaking things, but I have never stopped. And my hands-on experience has paid dividends- these days, I fix almost as much as I break. I am ever more inventive and curious. My current pursuits satisfy my personal interests- but someday I may be a scientist, an engineer, or a designer. And although I have not yet decided how to bridge the gap between my present creative deconstruction and my future career, I know the bridge will be unique. Innovative. And, though I can only guess at its composition, made entirely by hand.

Essential Element of Contract System †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Essential Element of Contract System. Answer: Introduction: In the case of Esso Petroleum Co Ltd v Mardon [1976] Q.B. 801 the plaintiff had suffered losses because of the misinformation provided by the claimant. In this case the misinformation was not provided deliberately but reasonable steps could have been taken by the defendant to avoid the misinformation being provided. The court held that the actions of the defendant accounts to negligent misrepresentation. The court further ruled that in situation of a negligent misrepresentation the aggrieved party may claim any consequential damages and also has the right to recession. A consideration is an essential element of a contract. There are certain rules which are provide by precedent case laws to determine that a consideration is lawful or not. One of such rules had been used in the case of Foakes v Beer (1884) 9 App Cas 605. In this case Mr Foakes has been provided an order to get payments from Mrs Beer. She told Mr Foakes that she will accept 500 now and rest later and would not take any interest. However the court held that Mrs Beer is entitled to the interest as no additional consideration has been provided by the defendant to forgive the interest. However where a promise changes the position of the party not may be enforced though the equitable promissory estoppels doctrine even without a consideration as per the case of Alan v El Nasr [1972] 2 WLR 800 . The doctrine forces the person making a promise to comply with it if it would be inequitable otherwise. In the landmark case of Hyde v Wrench [1840] EWHC Ch J90 the issue of counter offers and their effects on the first initial offer had been discussed by the court. It had been ruled by Lord Langdale in the cases that the initial offer is cancelled by a counter offer. Wrench had made an offer to Hyde to sell his farm at 1000. Hyde stated that he will purchase the farm at a price of 950. However Wrench did not accept the offer. Hyde then decided to purchase the farm at 1000 which was the original offer. However Wrench did not agree and Hyde claimed a contract. The court held that there was no contract as the counter offer of 950 canceled the initial offer. In contract law, general a past consideration is not considered to be valid and thus does not have any legal significance. In the case of Roscorla v Thomas [1842] EWHC J74 it had been ruled by the court that past consideration cannot be considered for the purpose of claiming damages under the provisions of contract law. However in the case of Pao On v Lau Yiu Long [1979] UKPC 17 it had been ruled by the court that where the action has been done on the requires of the promisor and there was an understanding that the act is to be compensated then past consideration is valid. Richard has approached with Shocks Are Us to purchase new shock observers for his jeep. He has been informed by their agent that the most suitable shock observers which could function on rough ground are that of D200. However D200 were not suitable for rough ground and as a result the Jeep crashed and suffered damages of $2000. The representation provided by the agent was therefore false. She has provided the wrong information negligently which was used by Richard to get into the contract. Thus there is negligent misrepresentation and Richard can rescind the contract and claim consequential damages as per Esso Petroleum Co Ltd v Mardon. There was an already existing contractual obligation which Richard owed to George according to which the rent of the lease was to be increased every year at a rate of 10%. However the George agreed with Richard that he will forgive the additional rent for the present year. Based on the promise of George, Richard invested the money he had to purchase extra tools for his business. Although if the Foakes v Beer case is applied there will be no way in which Richard can avoid paying the additional rent to George as past consideration is not valid consideration. However as there has been an actual change in position of Richard because of the promise of George, as per the case of Alan v El Nasr the promise will be enforceable. The initial offer made by Tom to purchase the car which had been valued at $20000 by Richard was at a price of $18500. The offer was not accepted by Richard as a counter offer has been made by him to sell the car at a price of $19000. This means that as per the principles provided by Lord Langdale in the case of Hyde v Wrench the offer of $18500 made by Tom has been cancelled by the counter offer of $19000 by Richard Thus Richard cannot make accept the initial offer of Tom.It has been discussed as per the above case of Roscorla v Thomas that past consideration is not a valid consideration. Past consideration means an act which has been done prior to an offer being made. Martin used to take care of Richards garage without any consideration or promise of payment. Richard promise Martin that he would provide him with his car which he gives for rent at $50 to be used for free as he had been taking care of his garage. However this is a past consideration and does not fall within the exception of the Pao On v Lau Yiu Long case. Thus no contract is formed. Conclusion Negligent misrepresentation has been made by agent of Shocks Are Us and Richard can thus get damages and rescind the contract Richard is not liable to pay George for the rent he had forgiven No contract exists between Tom and Richard Past consideration was not valid thus agreement is not enforceable between Martin and Richard. References Alan v El Nasr [1972] 2 WLR 800 Esso Petroleum Co Ltd v Mardon [1976] Q.B. 801 Foakes v Beer (1884) 9 App Cas 605 Hyde v Wrench [1840] EWHC Ch J90 Pao On v Lau Yiu Long [1979] UKPC 17 Roscorla v Thomas [1842] EWHC J74

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Essays - Cinema Of The United States

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof English Literature - 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams. Describe the relationship between Maggie and Brick. When the play opens, we are introduced to a pretty young woman who is shouting. This woman, goes by the name of Margaret, and lets the audience know right from the beginning that if ever she has a problem, she'll let you know about it. As we read through the first Act of this three Act play, we learn very quickly that the relationship between Margaret, and her husband Brick is one sided - with all the effort coming from Maggie. It is clear their relationship wouldn't be considered 'normal' because of their attitudes towards each other, or rather, Brick's attitude towards his wife. The first few pages indicate that Maggie is extremely talkative, with Brick hardly being able to get a sentence in edgeways, however, it later becomes apparent that Brick isn't all too bothered about getting his view across to his loquacious wife. The first conversation we see take place between Brick and Maggie - well, conversation in that Maggie went on and on and Brick would occasionally answer. The conversation concerns Brick's sister's children, or the no-neck monsters as Maggie so eloquently calls them. She moans about her nieces and nephews for quite a while with Brick asking 'without interest', What are they up to, Maggie? This conversation drags on for a while, with Maggie complaining about the children running around and screaming their heads off. However, what is most interesting about the entire, long-winded conversation is that Brick shows no interest in either Maggie, or what she has to say. He almost seems fed up and indifferent to anything she mentions. When it comes to discussing the children's parents - Brick's sister and brother-in-law, Mae and Gooper, we learn Maggie's feelings on this particular subject, as Maggie likes to make her views known. She thinks they've simply brought the kids round to show off to Brick's father, Big Daddy and to show up the fact that Maggie and Brick are totally childless and therefore totally useless! She lets us know her thoughts by telling Brick it's so obvious what they're up to! and when he finally appears from out of the bathroom he says to Maggie No, I don't know what they're up to. as if he couldn't care less either. She finally lets us all know what she thinks Mae and Gooper are plotting, she tells Brick, they're up to cutting you out of your father's estate and then drops the bombshell -Now we know Big Daddy's dyin' of - cancer? As an audience, we expect Brick to take to the news badly, however, his only reaction is to ask Do we?Know Big Daddy's dyin' of cancer? When Maggie tell him that they received the report just that day, he simply says Oh? This now only leaves us to believe that Brick doesn't care who benefits from the inheritance money, but more importantly, isn't all that bothered about his father's inevitable death. We can only assume that if he does care, and is upset about it, he doesn't want to let Maggie know, even though she is his wife. This gives off a huge sense of distance between them. Maggie continues to talk and talk for another page at least, with Brick laying down on his bed, and then rolling over carefully on his side. This laid back attitude gives off a strong sense of not caring at all. He seems to dismiss everything his wife says, only asking Did you say something, Maggie? Brick's absent remarks are always lacking of any attention whatsoever. In this relationship, the only one who seems to have any problems with silences is Maggie. It is almost as if the silences are so deafening for her that she has to fill them, even if it is with her own voice. Her non- responsive husband never seems to notice how much she talks because he's never paying any attention to her. It is as if he's living in his own world, and she just happens to be there. There are even times when Brick will be looking straight through Maggie,

Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability

Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability Introduction Citizens’ participation in the budgetary and financial processes is aimed at ensuring good governance, provision of public goods and general accountability1. There are three fundamental reasons behind the attempts to increase citizens’ participation in the matters of governance and policy-making.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More First, civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) are increasingly calling for the participation of the stakeholders in political matters and policy-making decisions. Citizens are clamouring for access to information and the right to participate in local and national matters. In addition, the current democratic processes demand for open governance, transparency in policy decisions and open budgetary processes2. Second, reformist lawmakers and government officia ls, seeking to approve the authenticity and capability of the civil society in solving social-political and economic challenges, are increasingly supporting citizens’ participation. This is driven by both political and policy incentives. Direct subject support can give extra authenticity to help reformist governments modify budgetary needs3. Besides, coordinate investment guarantees a steady stream of data between the state agencies, natives and common society, hence lessens the cost of exchanging data.4. Reformist governments also advance participatory venues in light of the fact that this helps them to assemble a political base that may be actuated amid constituent procedures5. Last but not least, direct participation can help the policymakers monitor strategy execution at the local level, consequently improving the probability that governments strategy changes are actualized accurately.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get y our first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By involving citizens in the budgetary processes both at the local and national level, the government can enhance its capacity due to extra mechanism to improve accountability6. Third, global organizations, for instance, the IMF and World Bank have been advocating for increased participation of citizens in policy decisions and budgetary processes. The main reason for this is to enhance the government’s capacity, which is progressively perceived to be essential in achieving long term goals and objectives. Direct citizen participation enhances state capacity by improving the quality of inputs at the same time letting citizens to play the role of a watchdog. Worldwide associations also support direct native investment as a method of engaging the common man and creating a compact social capital. The global organizations believe that citizens and civil societies can hold the government accountable for the use of public resour ces, hence ensuring that donor funds are used for the intended purpose7. An ongoing concept that cuts across these organizations is that they are looking for ways of designing institutions that can bring the citizens together in order to take part in solving key policy issues and governance challenges. Institutional planners have made an expansive scope of rules and strategies that address an array of societal and policy issues. In each case, they are trying everything possible to ensure that the government and citizens work together for a common good8. The citizen’s participation is highly regarded not because there are benefits linked to their full participation in the local and national matters, but it is supported because their increased participation can enhance the nature of governance and the general welfare of the people.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability specifically for you for only $16. 05 $11/page Learn More For that reason, direct engagement of citizens is the best way of solving key policy issues and governance challenges9. Enhancing the quality of engagement is progressively entangled with attempts to advance straightforwardness in the working of governments and private sector. Transparency call for public officials to give prompt and relevant information that can be utilized by citizens and civil society10. In any case, transparency endeavours need to be connected to participation on the ground since the release of information is simply the initial step11. Direct participation is crucial since it guarantees a high level of transparency. In addition, it ensures that the criteria of choosing pertinent data and the schedule of its release are not left to the discretion of public officers. More extensively, collaboration is imperative so that the accessible data can be used to make elective arrangements and strategies. After all, lack of access to vital information in the context of disinterested or detached citizens and civil society will not bring about progressed government approaches and policy solutions12. Natives and common society represent the interest side of policy deliberation. Hence, they give elective answers to approach issues. The other side is represented by policies initiated by the government and international donors aimed at solving policy challenges. The demand and supply sides are models that were adapted to fit into the field of socioeconomic development. Therefore, in the wider scope of this essay, transparency will be conceptualized as what the regime needs to provide or avail to improve accountability.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, participation will be conceptualized as the activities that the citizens and civil society need to take part in so as to improve accountability13. Improved accountability calls for greater collaboration between state agencies, government officials, civil society and the general public. State authorities must be ready to permit their activities to be investigated by non-governmental organizations and civil society. Correspondingly, citizens and civil society must be prepared to dedicate their time and vitality to meticulously inspect the exercises of state.14. Accountability can be established when state departments and agencies are ready to be investigated to win public trust or gain a political mileage. In addition, governments may be ready to support transparency in those ranges where they accept that accountability would be politically beneficial, which implies that the public and civil society should put more pressure on the government to avail all the necessa ry information15. This essay will have two fundamental objectives. The first objective is to introduce a framework that can help to understand how citizens and civil society can participate in the budgetary process and other financial initiatives. The explanation behind presenting this framework is that it will explore diverse courses through which citizens and civil societies are integrated into key government decisions. The second objective is to apply it on the two countries to show how and why they have embraced diverse establishments and strategies. The second objective will attempt to establish the reasons and objectives behind the initiatives. Citizen Participation Citizens participate in a mixed bag of institutions. In law based administrations, citizens vote to choose delegates at neighbourhood, territorial, and national levels. Citizens might likewise vote in unique decisions, for example, submissions, plebiscites or reviews. In addition, citizens may influence elected lea ders by operating within certain establishments or engaging in activities such as campaigns, arranging appeal drives, and coming up with certain policy propositions. Therefore, participation is a progressing action in which residents work together to advance their interests16. As a matter of fact, there are numerous ways through which citizens can influence formal arrangements. They can make use of the institutions, court procedures and public protests to place their case on government officials. Petulant legislative issues have a tendency to be utilized more regularly by citizens who need access to open establishments or lack political representatives17. There are four principal aspects of the citizen participation process, namely: voice, scrutiny, voting and rescission. Besides the mentioned participatory venues, citizens can also utilize other venues such as, opinion through the ballot, controversial politics, campaigns and neighbourhood initiatives18. However, our emphasis will be on the ways through which citizens take part in budgetary accountability. This is represented by the four principal aspects of citizens’ participation. Voice refers to the capacity of citizens to communicate their thoughts, inclinations, and sentiments within and outside the institutions sanctioned by the government. At the highest level, citizens and civil societies can use this facet of participation to extend the scope of issues that are being tended to by the existing institutions. The issue can touch on specific policy problem. Public debates are some of the venues that can be used by citizens to express their voice. The formal gatherings permit citizens and civil societies to fortify their arrangements, as well as be incorporated in the prescribed networks19. On the other hand, scrutiny is the capacity of citizens to audit archives and data given by government institutions and agencies. These archives may incorporate policy proposals, contract negotiations, income ac cumulation, progressive execution of open work tasks, and project conclusion20. Citizens are required to have fundamental skills necessary for analysing and reporting the data provided by the government. When the citizens have the necessary skills to dissect government policies, their voice may be more focused and agenda-driven. The scrutiny procedure enables citizens to link up with the government and its partners on specific issues touching on government recommendations21. In some cases, citizens are given liberty to vote for government policy proposals. The votes can either be binding or consultative. A binding vote can either rebuff or approve policy proposals and, therefore, is the most powerful form of vote. A binding vote provides execution powers. On the contrary, a consultative vote is simply an opinion over the general proposed policy. It does not warrant a direct action. However, it can have a considerable impact on policy decisions, especially when the voting process is sanctioned by the government. Both binding and consultative vote calls for an establishment that can help in building residents voice and verifying techniques. Citizens and civil societies can be able to practice more robust, and informed voting only when the aforementioned condition is met22. Citizens and civil society can have the power to rescind government proposals, annual reports and audit reports. This power is a kind of vote, yet is different on the grounds that citizens and civil society are not voting in favour of particular strategy recommendations, but are dismissing government projects and operations. This is like the presidential veto, where the head of state can rebuff enactment of particular laws or policies. This kind of power clearly expands on voice and scrutiny. Citizens and civil society can make more use of this power to comprehend government policy proposals or activities. Veto power and voice can be useful in generating support both within and outside the pub lic domain23. In entirety, the four aspects of participation offer a means to evaluate how public institutions engage citizens and civil societies in the budgetary and fiscal processes. Citizens and civil societies have different powers in these institutions. Sometimes, citizens have the power to articulate their views and concerns, which is a vital development. In other cases, citizens are more involved in the implementation and monitoring process, which is likewise an imperative development. The four aspects of participation are the best examples of how the government, citizens and civil society interact or engage each other in matters of public interest24. The Civil Society The civil society is normally comprised of ordinary citizens, community heads, institutions that represent the people, professionals from different fields, socio-political movements, and non-administrative associations among others. These groups are very different from government officials. They have diverse f orms of authority, which is associated with their expertise and moral basis of their claims25. A standout amongst the most widely recognized political inquiries in participatory foundations is who are the genuine representatives of civil society?†. There is no simple answer to this question due to the diverse nature of civil society. Governments planning to create new institutions for engaging citizens need to place this question at the beginning of every dialogue as they create new establishments. As the administration tries to fabricate new establishments, it must address the following issues that have been with us since time immemorial: Should choices be in light of the tenet of the lions share? In what manner can the enthusiasm of the minorities, be dealt with? Should engagement be in light of individual or gathering premise? What are the essential skills required in order to participate in the decision-making process? When should the participating institutions concede to the opinions of experts or leaders? Do citizens have the power to sanction or reject government initiatives? Assuming this is the case, do these powers have a limit? Common citizens are most likely to be included in decisions made at local or sub-national level due to their broad knowledge of local affairs, but limited skills. They can help public officials make informed decisions when allocating local resources. Some of the initiatives sanctioned by the government to expand citizen participation include annual budget conference and communal projects. The mobilization can be done by community heads26. At the national level, more emphasis is placed on individuals with legal or technical expertise. As a result, these individuals are always involved directly in the budget implementation and monitoring process. They can participate in the budgetary process in two ways. First, they can take part in the local discussions, but their proposals and interests are transferred to the national s ummit. Second, they can articulate their ideas and interests in extremely wide terms, enabling them to be supportive of the general arrangement. Nevertheless, there can be a huge difference in the sort of voice exercised by citizens, from voting on the choice of particular items to general items that are of priority. The civil society and organizations representing the will and interests of the people normally take part directly in national-level policies and budget talks. Individual citizens are less likely to take part in national-level debates, but can take part in countrywide processes27. Case Studies Many regimes now engage nationals in policy decisions. To understand how governments engage their citizens in policy decisions, we will carry out a case study of two countries. In this case, the two nations are Brazil and Philippines. The selection of the two cases has turned out to be very fruitful since the two nations are currently using a wide range of programs to enhance trans parency, involvement and accountability. It is important to note that Brazil and Philippines are on the excellent path of reform, and this will help in comprehending the conceivable outcomes and parameters of progress. There are a number of significant similarities among the two nations that will be of great help in explaining why the two governments are increasing citizen participation and encouraging transparency. Each of them had a tyrant administration from 1960s to 1980s. They swung to law based governance in the late 1980s and have remained so until now. Moreover, the two nations have seen the resurrection of non-state actors, proclamation of the new constitution and advancement of devolution. Brazil: Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability Major reforms in Brazil started with President Cradoso who expanded Brazil’s capacity to promote transparency and accountability through mass participation. He began by building institutions, privatising state-owned com panies and demanding a thorough clean up in the public sector. He also introduced the fiscal responsibility law, which provided a framework of spending government resources and mechanism for guaranteeing budgetary transparency28. In the past three decades, the country has expanded a number of participatory venues, which allows citizens to take part in an array of policymaking decisions. There are four fundamental institutions that permit citizens to take part in the budgetary process. These institutions include Public Policy Management Councils (PPMCs), Public Policy Conferences (PPC), Pluriannual Budget Planning (PBP), and Participatory Budgeting (PB). PPMC, PPC and PBP are embraced from the local to national level. However, PB is only adopted at the municipal level29. Participatory budgeting is a year-long process that brings together municipal official and citizens to decide over capital spending on the current and future projects. PB has been adopted by numerous municipalities a nd participants are mainly volunteers. The table below demonstrates PB programs between 1989 and 2012 in municipalities with over 50 thousand inhabitants. Over 50 percent of the PB cases were managed by workers unions, which highlight the role of politics in the adoption of PB. As a matter of fact, PB has attracted very many youths into political positions30. As already been mentioned, PPMCs are established at all levels of the government. Currently, the country has approximately 70000 councils at the district level. Generally, the council’s top seats are shared equally between the state and non-state actors. The council has the power to sanction or reject the budgetary process through a vote and, therefore, it has the veto power. Truth be told, PPMCs is being utilized as a condition by the administration for disbursing national resources. 31. The table below shows the explosion of PPMCS in the last decades. The increase in the number of councils is mainly attributed to the federal government that had made it mandatory for all public institutions and organizations to have a management council. However, some public institutions and organizations adopted it voluntarily32. Pluriannual Budget Planning (PBP) is a national level budgetary planning process introduced by President Lula da Silva. This was after a number of reports showed that the country had heavily invested in sub-national level programs and was lacking in national-level programs. Pluriannual Budget Planning, which is conducted yearly, was premised on the PPMCs’ model. The ministry of planning is tasked with the responsibility of providing all the pertinent data. It comprises of representatives from different sectors, including the civil society, private sector and state officials. The participants are directly involved in the budgetary process. However, there is no information accessible to recommend that the arrangements are actualized by the government33. Public Policy Conferences ( PPC) also known as the national policy conferences attract millions of participants. In the last 75 conferences, it has attracted more than 8 million participants. These conferences have given millions of Brazilians a platform to participate in the policymaking decisions. These conferences focus on a wide range of subjects, including transparency and social control, federal budgetary processes, human rights and many more. Nevertheless, the country’s expansive federal states make it very hard to establish the level of transparency and accountability in the public sector. However, the country‘s emphasis is to incorporate as many citizens in the budgetary accountability and transparency programs34. Philippines: Citizen Participation in the Budgetary Accountability Philippine is one of the countries with the greatest devotion in advancing citizen participation and transparency. The current president’s campaign platform was to stop corruption and destitution. By assoc iating corruption to all the problems facing the country, he drew attention to all the fundamental subjects of governance. Therefore, the core agenda of the current regime is tackling corruption, especially in the public sector. Importantly, the core elements of enhancing the quality of governance include direct engagement and giving more power to the citizens. Besides eliminating corruption in the public sector, the country’s reform agenda include establishments of new institutions that will generate new prospects to alter the pattern of public expenditure and ensure transparency and accountability35. Due to lack of high level state capacity and pervasive civil society as witnessed in Brazil, the Philippines used a diverse participatory strategy. They are less likely to adopt citizen-based strategies used in Brazil due to the disintegration of its social fabric and low capacity of its citizens. As a result, they are mixing citizen-based strategies, usually at the sub-nationa l level, with extensive engagement of civil societies36. The deliberate efforts of the Philippines government to increase citizens’ participation in the budgetary process and ensure accountability in the public sector include National Fund for Participatory Governance, Base-Up Budgeting, Budget Partnership Accord, Complete Disclosure Strategy, and Citizen Engagement Review37. Base-Up Budgeting was borrowed from Latin America. It involves engaging rural community movements and individual citizens in determining funds to be allocated at the local level. This leads to the creation of a local poverty reduction team to implement and monitor funded projects. The team comprises of the communal chiefs, state representatives and common organizations. Base-Up approach targets poor communities. As of 2013, more than 1100 poor municipal communities had adopted the approach with the government allocating in excess of $190 million for the projects38. Budget Partnership Accord brings togeth er agencies and the civil society in the preparation of the budget. This allows the government and the civil society to work closely in identifying priority projects. The civil society is also involved in the implementation process. Base-Up Budgeting and Budget Partnership Accord have been commended by the international community as the best methods of empowering citizens39. National Fund is a stipend given by the Treasury to non-state actors to bolster cooperation of subjects and the administration in national matters. As a result, the civil society acts as intermediate finance managers40. On the other hand, Complete Disclosure Strategy is a reward system exemplifying all facets of accountability and transparency at the local government units. It requires full disclosure of information to the public. In order to advance this, the administration has dispatched an online entry where all the administrative data can be accessed by the citizens. 41. To wrap things up, the Citizen Engage ment Review is an institutional body that unites intrigued nationals and state authorities. This body enhances access to government information necessary for the implementation and evaluation of the budget process42. Comparing and evaluating the two cases The programs aimed at increasing citizens’ participation in governance and accountability in the Philippines have created two changes. First, more citizens are joining state-approved institutions to play some part in governance and decision making. Second, the government has increased the number participatory institutions to promote citizen’s participation in the local and national affairs, particularly in the budgeting and fiscal processes. However, in comparison to Brazil, Philippine is still lagging behind with respect to structural foundations that support citizens’ participation and accountability. This means the country is more likely to make significant policy changes in the near future. The disparity is attributed to the fact that the Brazil’s reform process started like three decades ago, whereas the Philippines process has only lasted a decade. In addition, Philippines lack high level state capacity and pervasive civil society. Lastly, the country is less reliant on experts owing to the fact that the government’s main agenda is citizen empowerment. As a result, it employs mixed strategies that incorporate citizens at the sub-national level and civil societies at the highest level. Conclusion From the analysis of the two countries, it is apparent that four facets affect citizen’s participation in the budgetary process. The first factor is the political will of the existing regime. The second factor is the organization of the civil society. The third factor is the state’s capacity. The last factor is the path of policy reforms. Citizens and the civil society can either support or challenge government decisions. As a result, citizens and civil society ca n work together with the government, but also hold it to account for public resources. The citizen participation process is based on four principal aspects, namely: voice, scrutiny, voting and rescission. The Brazilian process incorporates all the four aspects. However, the Philippines do not have the veto power. Nevertheless, whatever the methodology utilized, the fundamental target is to expand resident support and enhance straightforwardness and responsibility. The participatory initiatives in Brazil and Philippines are mainly driven by politics and reform agenda. Even though non-state actors have played a role in pushing the two governments to expand citizen participation, there is no evidence to suggest that they have been pushed by international organizations. Bibliography Alt, J. E. Lassen, D., ‘Transparency, Political Polarization, and Political Budget Cycles in OECD Countries’, American Journal of Political Science, vol. 50, no. 3, 2006, pp. 530–50. Avr itzer, L., Democracy and the Public Space in Latin America, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2002. Carltz, R., Improving Transparency and Accountability in the Budget Process: An Assessment of Recent Initiatives, University of California, Los Angeles, 2013. de Renzio, P. Masud, H., ‘Measuring and Promoting Budget Transparency: The Open Budget Index as a Research and Advocacy Tool’, Governance, vol. 24, no. 3, 2011, pp. 607–16. de Renzio, P. Angemi, D., ‘Comrades or Culprits? Donor Engagement and Budget Transparency in Aid-Dependent Countries’, Public Administration and Development, vol. 32, no. 2, 2011, pp.167–80. Ferraz, C. Finan, F., ‘Exposing Corrupt Politicians: The Effects of Brazil’s Publicly Released Audits on Electoral Outcomes’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol.123, no. 2, 2012, pp. 703–45. Fung, A., Mary, G. David, W., Full Disclosure: The Perils and Promise of Transparency, Cambridge Universit y Press, 2007. Gianpaolo, B., Heller, P. Silva, M., Bootstrapping Democracy: Transforming Local Governance and Civil Society in Brazil, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 2011. Hunter, W., ‘The Normalization of an Anomaly: The Workers’ Party in Brazil’,  World Politics, vol. 59, 2007, pp.440–75. IMF, Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency, International Monetary Fund, Washington, 2007. Magno, F., Country Report: The Philippines, Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, 2013. McNulty, S., Voice and Vote: Decentralization and Participation in Post-Fujimori Peru, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 2011. Montero, A. P. David, J.S., Decentralization and Democracy in Latin America, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, 2004. Wampler, B., Participatory Budgeting in Brazil: Contestation, Cooperation, and Accountability, Pennsylvania State University Press, Pennsylvania, 2007. Wampler, B., Participation, Transparency and Accountability, Globa l Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, 2013. Footnotes 1 J. E. Alt D. Lassen, ‘Transparency, Political Polarization, and Political Budget Cycles in OECD Countries’, American Journal of Political Science, vol. 50, no. 3, 2006, p. 531. 2 B. Gianpaolo, P. Heller M. Silva, Bootstrapping Democracy: Transforming Local Governance and Civil Society in Brazil, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 2011, p. 5. 3 R. Carltz, Improving Transparency and Accountability in the Budget Process: An Assessment of Recent Initiatives, University of California, Los Angeles, 2013, p. 28. 4 Carltz, p. 32. 5 Alt Lassen, p. 541. 6 P. de Renzio H. Masud, ‘Measuring and Promoting Budget Transparency: The Open Budget Index as a Research and Advocacy Tool’, Governance, vol. 24, no. 3, 2011, p. 609. 7 P. de Renzio D. Angemi, ‘Comrades or Culprits? Donor Engagement and Budget Transparency in Aid-Dependent Countries’, Public Administration and Development, vol. 32, no. 2, 20 12, pp.170. 8 IMF, Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency, International Monetary Fund, Washington, 2007, p. 13. 9 B. Wampler, Participation, Transparency and Accountability, Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, 2013, p. 98. 10 L. Avritzer, Democracy and the Public Space in Latin America, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2002, p.11. 11 Ibid. 12 Carltz, p. 35. 13 Ibid. 14C. Ferraz F. Finan, Exposing Corrupt Politicians: The Effects of Brazil’s Publicly Released Audits on Electoral Outcomes’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol.123, no. 2, 2008, p. 707. 15 W. Hunter, ‘The Normalization of an Anomaly: The Workers’ Party in Brazil’, World Politics, vol. 59, 2007, p.453. 16 A.P. Montero J.S. David, Decentralization and Democracy in Latin America, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Press, 2004, p.7. 17 B. Wampler, Participation, Transparency and Accountability, Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, 2013, p. 102. 18 S. McNulty, Voice and Vote: Decentralization and Participation in Post-Fujimori Peru, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 2011, p.6. 19 McNulty, p. 8. 20 Ibid. 21 McNulty, p. 9. 22 Ibid. 23 B.Wampler, Participatory Budgeting in Brazil: Contestation, Cooperation, and Accountability, State University Press, Pennsylvania, 2007, p. 28. 24 Wampler, p.30. 25 Gianpaolo, Heller Silva, p. 7. 26 Ibid. 27 Gianpaolo, Heller Silva, p. 10. 28 B. Wampler, Participatory Budgeting in Brazil: Contestation, Cooperation, and Accountability, State University Press, Pennsylvania, 2007, p. 19. 29 Wampler, p. 20. 30 Wampler, p. 21. 31 Gianpaolo, Heller Silva, p. 65. 32 Gianpaolo, Heller Silva, p. 67. 33 Wampler, p. 106. 34 Wampler, p. 107. 35 F. Magno, Country Report: The Philippines, Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, 2013, p. 3. 36 Magno, p. 4. 37 Wampler, p. 113. 38 Wampler, p. 114. 39 Magno, p. 4. 40 Wampler, p. 115. 41 A. Fung, Mary David, Full Disclosure: The Perils and Promise of Transparency, Ca mbridge University Press, 2007, p. 7. 42 Wampler, p. 116.

Technology Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Technology Management - Research Paper Example Too much automation and aggressive strategy can damage the performance of the organization when the decisions do not support the corporate directions. This aggressive automation can expose the organization to several unmanaged risk factors due to the lack of effective knowledge about the balanced approach. Short term thinking and lack of expertise can damage the business operation management of the organization. This report will determine the bottom-line impact of unmanaged technology on the business performance of the organizations. Analysis It is discussed earlier that too much automation can affect the business operation of a corporation. In terms of industrial fluid disposal and usage, list of poor fluid maintenance practices combined with several in adequate fluid choice can result loss of goodwill and significant operational cost. However, inadequate cost management due to the lack of effective knowledge can erode the bottom line on the daily basis that can impact the long term viability and competitiveness of several strategies and operational facilities (Hunt & Weintraub, 2007). The corporations are exposing themselves to excessive business operation cost and unmanaged risks due to seven key reasons. These reasons are discussed below. Poor Process Control Majority of the organizational facilities utilize more fluid than are required. It exposes the corporations to critical risks due to lack of establishment of robust and control strategy for all the fluid applications. However, this fluid condition can be changed dramatically. An effective and specific control plan needs to be undertaken by the organization management. An effective management programme can enhance the significant process control that is important for the productivity and cost control. In several cases, the acceptable range of the fluid condition can be extended as it may not result in the fluid related events. A strict and tightly management control plan can eliminate excessive use of f luids. Decisions based on data vs. Feelings Every manufacturer knows that, analytical data is quite important when addressing a particular manufacturing issue, responding to a specific quality concern or developing plan for the next step. It is true that, most of the facilities are effective at collecting quality, financial and production related data, but fluid analysis data is rarely collected, correlated, compiled and interpreted due to the specific specialized nature of the interpretation (Haneberg, 2012). Fluid management generally tends to non-core expertise in a particular manufacturing environment. Major characteristic of this fluid management is non-core focus. Several organizations consider that the fluid condition can effectively impact manufacturing, quality and availability, but major significance of this aspects to drive daily decision making process. It is the corrective action executed on daily basis based on the information and data that result in risk management an d cost minimization. Hesitance to change Management risk and direct costs are associated with the product change. This relation is quite significant. Due to this, the organization hesitates to implement product change management process on the floor of several manufacturing plants. Recently, the product vendors are making various critical claims about the significance and benefits of greatest and modern developed