Digital Equity

Running head: Digital Age Grand Canyon University: With the expansion of web utilization and the utilization of the computerized innovation customers have affected the manner in which we see wellbeing administrations and the human services conveyance framework. Since customers are looking for wellbeing data online it causes use to reconsider the manner in which we think about the clinical data we get from our essential consideration supplier and the connection between that supplier and his patients. Numerous shoppers look for data for themselves, for companions and family.Consumers look for wellbeing data by means of the web, telephone, fax, email framework, conversation sheets, informal communities, discussions, and announcement sheets. The foreseen moves in administration are optional to the absence of training, proficiency abilities, and question of suppliers, destitution, and the absence of wellbeing inclusion. â€Å"Consumers over all classifications old enough, instruction, pa y, race, ethnicity and wellbeing status expanded their data looking for altogether, yet training level remained the key factor in clarifying how likely individuals are to look for wellbeing information† (Tu, Cohen, 2008).A second purpose behind an adjustment in administration use is the significant expense of clinical treatment and the protection premiums that patients must compensation. With the expansion of monetary duty patients have an increment inspiration to get wellbeing data and say something regarding their choices for treatment and installment. By utilizing the web purchasers have an important apparatus that engages them, diminishes social seclusion, and assists buyers with distinguishing clinical issues. One of the most basic manners by which the intensity of data can impact customers is by discovering approaches to help the buyer emotionally.The District of Columbia and their central government has discharged another local wellbeing data association (RHIO) intended to improve the manner in which medicinal services is conveyed. By empowering the utilization of the Health data innovation (HIT) they are improving consideration. The strategic the District of Columbia Primary Care Association (DCPCA) is to advance human services change. The DCPCA achieves its strategic advancing the wellbeing value of poor people, uninsured, and the underserved inhabitants of the network. Through the mplementation of wellbeing change the District of Columbia has attempted to improve social insurance benefits through patient shared records, and clinical results over the association. â€Å"In 2009 human services change requested that we complete three things: (1) Improve the soundness of the populace everywhere; (2) upgrade the patient experience; and (3) lessen the per capita cost of care† (Baskerville ,S, 2011). With the ongoing improvement and developing patterns of cutting edge advanced innovation our more established patients can investigate wellbeing da ta by means of the web and online technology.The web itself has changed the manner in which our old populace sees illnesses and conditions optional to the manner in which the data is shown. By expanding what we view and how we see it, we as buyers go to three significant sites to look for clinical data, Medline Plus, Health Finder, CAPHIS. Patients look for trust commendable wellbeing data for arrangements and furnishing them with extra information in which to ask their clinical supplier. Clinical sites are intended to upgrade the capacity of the incapacitated and the older through correspondence, social passionate help, and improving the patient supplier relationship.The similitudes of network wellbeing data arrange (CHIN) and wellbeing data organize (HIN) is that they focus on helping administrations for a solitary network, while (RHIN) local wellbeing data arrange focuses on the social network. Jaw hopes to improve productivity, decrease care cost and upgrade medicinal services c onveyance. RHIN is viewed as a multi-partner association. RHINO comprise of emergency clinics, bosses and payers, and little facilities. RHINO’s intention is to support the reception of wellbeing data technology.RHINOS’s principle objective in the wellbeing organization is to improve nature of conveyance tolerant consideration, arrange wellbeing data, quiet client assistance and lessen conveyance care cost. References McGarth, N. (2010). Under tension: The changing job of social insurance CIO. Recovered from http://www. necelevateperformance. com/pdf/Healthcare/EIU_NEC_Whitepaper. pdf Tan, J. (2010). Versatile wellbeing the board information framework. (third ed. ). Sudbury MA: Jones and Bartlett. Baskerville, S. (2011). Status of Health Care Reform Implementation in the District of Columbia. Recovered May 13, 2012 from online article source:

Brain Structures Essay

What general cerebrum structures are associated with inspiration and feeling? What job do these structures play in inspiration and feeling? Â â â â â â â â â â â In the field of mental and anatomical science, the social qualities of the human brain research are basically identified with the exercises and procedures in the various areas and structure of the human mind. Physiologically, the cerebrum controls the diverse conduct, temperament, and other individual attributes of the individual through the capacities and hormonal changes in the included mind regions.â Included in these mental qualities are inspiration and feeling wherein the turn of events and detailing of these standards of conduct are established n the psychobiological structure of the cerebrum. Â â â â â â â â â â â The part of inspiration is predominantly guided by two prevailing ideas in particular the prize framework (appetitive inspiration) and the battle or request framework (aversive inspiration). Both of these mental frameworks are guided by the hormonal changes and exercises in the included cerebrum locale. Specifically, inspiration in the human conduct is guided by the joy and prize system of the cerebrum wherein the human responds towards the accomplishment of the advantage of their activity. In this point of view, the job of the subcortical structure made out of the limbic framework, thalamus, nerve center, basal ganglia, and midbrain gets noteworthy as the turn of events and guideline of inspiration in the human conduct. These structures produce inspiration through the control of hormonal emission, for example, dopamine and other joy sensors subsequently, making the prize framework and intrigue factor of the individual conduct framework. Â â â â â â â â â â â Emotion then again, is deductively identified with the limbic framework, the basal ganglia, thalamus, nerve center, and in like manner the subcortical framework in the human mind as the cerebrum locale controlling the turn of events and definition of feeling in the human conduct. In the psychobiological point of view, feeling turns into the consequence of the fight in the physiological conduct of the human body as the aftereffect of the hormonal emission constrained by the human cerebrum. In this idea, the included locale of the mind captures the incitement from the tangible districts and controls the physiological arrangement of the human body, for example, heartbeat, breathing rate, sweat discharge, and others making the general passionate response of the human body. Â â â â â â â â â â â as a rule, the physiological response of the human body making the conduct normal for the individual turns into the result of the control of the human cerebrum. The conduct normal for the human individual, for example, inspiration and feeling are directed and are controlled in the mind locale. Â Bibliography Westen, Drew (1998). Brain research: Mind, Brain and Culture. John Wiley and Sons Inc. second Edition. ISBN-10: 0471240494.

50 Reflections on 50 Things

50 Reflections on 50 Things Dear Class of 2022, 12 years ago, Ben Jones, aka The Blogfather, shared 50 pieces of wisdom with the Class of 2010, which became 50 Things, the most-read blog on MIT Admissions. As a member of the Class of 2018, I have often referred to The Blogfathers advice, and some of his words, such as Things #1, #35, and #50, have gotten me through hard times. As I get ready to graduate, I wanted to share how I experienced Ben Jones 50 Things as a student. I recommend you keep his post open while you read my responses. Friends change, it’s true, though I resisted the idea at first. When you come to MIT, you will often find your people right away, and it might feel like nothing could go wrong. But in college, some “friend turnover” is unavoidable. We’re all here for a limited number of years. Still, you will always remember your upperclassmen mentors from your freshman year, and the first class on your hall that you welcomed, and the freshmen you met in your last year and were able to mentor to complete the cycle. It’s the college circle of life. You will also get to build and solidify connections that will last way past graduation. Once you’ve stayed up with someone till 7am, multiple times, just talking, you’ll never quite forget them. And that’s the beautiful thing about collegeâ€"every connection you make, no matter how brief, will leave a mark that lasts a lifetime. Your relationships with your family and friends from home will change, but don’t let the excitement of college relationships reduce their value. Call your parents, grandparents, and siblings. Meet your high school friends over break. Oh, and brace yourself for an adult relationship with your parentsâ€"it’s an inevitable shift. I will never forget the music I listened to on my UROP trip to Washington, DC. I played Some Nights by fun. over and over on that first independent work trip, walking past the Department of Transportation and the Smithsonian museums at the time of the night when few tourists were out and the city got beautifully silent. Find music to connect music to good memories, and come back to it in darker times. Words of caution: beware of connecting your favorite music to bad times, and never set your favorite song as your alarm. Yes, take naps! But make sure you can wake up from them. That becomes more of a struggle as you move up class years. Old age dawns quickly in college. Try not to become nocturnal, despite The Blogfather’s advice. You’ll miss classes with some of the most respected people in the world, such as, for example, 10am biology lectures with Erik Lander, the Biology God himself (sad true story). Most nocturnal people I know, including myself, actually look forward to a respectable 9-5 job, so they can finally live on a non-vampire schedule. Don’t be like us. It is only ok to be nocturnal the night before paper, projects, or psets are due (otherwise known as pulling an all-nighter). I have been awful at starting assignments early, but I discovered that my brain works much better in emergency conditions. That’s also why I study for exams the night before, and try to avoid practice examsâ€"the emergency brain kicks in when the exam is right in front of me. It’s a risky technique, so I won’t advise it here, but if it works, what else can you do? Like The Blogfather said, the “fun and irresponsible” activities in lieu of studying are the best. That 1am burger adventure, or the midnight McDonald’s outing (burgers are really a theme here), or just a random nerdy conversation in the lounge, those are the times you will miss the most because they can only happen here. Plus, you’ll likely learn even more from your friend who loves math or physics than you would reading a textbook. Make sure you have a respectful, if not friendly, relationship with at least one professor, plus hopefully your faculty advisor. If anything, you’ll need a recommendation letter at some point. But really, do it because it’s the best way to learn about your favorite subject. The first time I went to office hours, my mind was blown. I still tell my friends about that conversation. I can still use it in debates about AI. Learning to be alone is difficult. It’s tempting to surround yourself with friends and romantic partners, but please learn to entertain and take care of yourself. Relatedly, I recommend enjoying being single for at least a period of time in college. Take yourself out. It’s cheaper and a lot less awkward than you thinkâ€"and it’s an essential skill. Yes, go on dates! It’s easier than ever now with Tinder and Bumble. And no, those are not just hook-up apps (Bumble especially is pretty classy). Online dating apps are a great way to expand your social circle beyond the MIT bubble. So make an account, meet people, and learn from them. Don’t get stuck in the bubble, please. I learned the hard way that MIT is a pretty unique place, and people do things differently on the outside. Ask them about that. True.   True. Thank-you notes, especially when mailed, feel wonderful for all parties involved. Also, send snail mail to your family and friends back home, for no specific reason. I promise it’s super fun, and there are mailboxes all over campus to make it easy. It is so important to learn from your peers rather than compare yourself to your peers. Everyone at MIT has something to offer (you do too!), and it’s a great privilege and an amazing opportunity you mustn’t miss. I can’t stress this point enough. All-nighters can work (see #6). But, beware of the ageing processâ€"most seniors I know can no longer pull them off. As I said, old age comes early in college. True. Learning to communicate appropriately with peers in difficult situations has been the best skill I learned in college. To acquire it, join a student group like Pleasure or Peer Ears,  take WGS.228 or WGS.229, or find the right UROP (I got to make a guide to difficult conversations for mine). Take academic risks. I wish I’d learned more outside my academic comfort zone. Your GPA will probably not matter after five years, but your understanding of the world will. Co-ed bathrooms are entirely not a big deal. Tell your parents that too, if they’re concerned. Plus, there’s usually a single-occupancy bathroom available nearby as well. Interesting concept, though I prefer to celebrate on Fridays, not Wednesdays. It’s why MIT is so intense: we stay up all night on Thursday to finish psets, then all night on Friday to celebrate finishing psets. This is, of course, not required, but I love it. Also, if your psets are not due on Friday, take any day you can to celebrate being done, even if it’s a Monday. As much of a cliche as this statement has become, failure is a great learning experience. And at MIT, where a 59 on an exam can be a B, the feeling of failure at some point is kind of inescapable. And perfectly ok. MIT actually  requires  you to take electives beyond your required classes, and there are even special grading arrangements for experimentation (Junior/Senior P/D/F or Sophomore Exploratory or all of freshman year). It’s all to take the pressure off trying, say, Quantum Physics, because why not? Or a theatre class when you’ve never acted because, when else could you? TRUE. In the age of streaming and YouTube, this item has aged the most. People watch TV together in lounges, but also in their rooms to unwind. What matters is we can all discuss the shows together. And nowadays, there are so many shows to discuss that you kinda have to watch some on your own. That said, movie nights have not lost their magic. And now we have video game nights too. As a wise friend once said, you’re only allowed to disappear from your social circle for a week when you start dating someone. So fall in love, and enjoy the initial “cupcake phase,” but don’t neglect your college experience. You might not feel like you have time to read for pleasure, but make sure to attend the numerous events for book lovers around campus because Boston is a special place. And don’t miss out on MIT Reads, the MIT Libraries program that encourages reading and sometimes author interactions. From a neuroscience standpoint, your frontal lobe starts maturing between 20-25 years of age, and it mediates reactions to your most embarrassing experiences. That’s why teenagers and young adults are considered more dramaticâ€"they have the perfect neurological excuse. So just wait till senior year or beyond and you’ll be surprised how differently you feel. TRUE. “No matter what your political or religious beliefs, be open-minded. Youre going to be challenged over the next four years in ways you cant imagine, across all fronts. You cant learn if youre closed off.” ? This statement is more salient now than twelve years ago, but I’d like to add a caveat. Over your time here, you will hopefully learn how to communicate with a variety of people, but you will also learn how the world works. Learning social and other sciences, as well as the concepts of causality and confounders, has closed me off to ideas that are popular but objectively disprovable: that climate change is a hoax, that vaccines cause autism, that institutional racism isn’t real, that trickle-down economics works, or a plethora of other popular policies and beliefs that, at this point, do not merit a debate. Because sometimes, there aren’t two valid sides. And not all beliefs are to be equally respected. As you navigate debates on- and off-campus, remember that. And, most importantly, ask a lot of questionsâ€"questions are the only way you can truly change someone’s mind. On a different note, MIT will expose you to a variety of experiences through people of different races, economic classes, genders, and sexualitiesâ€"be prepared to accept them and, please, listen. You may never understand someone’s experience, and in fact empathy may be the worst reaction to someone sharing a painful experience associated with their identity (I can talk about the neuroscience of this for hours, so I’ll stop here). My job is a blogger, and it is the best job on campus. My other jobs have been my UROPs, and I believe they were also the best UROPs. You can find your favorite UROP too, but it is also ok to defer to a convenient position like desk worker, which will allow you to do school work while you do paid work. True. “Take a lot of pictures. One of my major regrets in life is that I didnt take more pictures in college. My excuse was the cost of film and processing. Digital cameras are cheap and you have plenty of hard drive space, so you have no excuse.” ? a blast from the past in the age of smartphones and unlimited Dropbox storage space for all MIT undergraduates. Nothing else to add here. Health, safety, and, I’ll add, self-care are more important than anything. Most mentors and healthcare professionals I’ve talked to have reminded me of the old plane safety rule: put your oxygen mask on before helping others. So remember to take care of yourself before helping others. You simply cannot be a good helper if you don’t. Trust me. It’s science. Ask for help from your peers because you’ll probably help someone at some point as well. Ask for help from all the MIT resources availableâ€"S^3, MIT Mental Health, Ombuds, GRTs and the rest of the House Team, your advisor, Student Disability Services, professors, TAs, UROP mentors, VPR, peer supporters such as Peer Ears, Pleasure educators, or Lean On Me, and so many others. If you’re not sure your problem is “serious enough” to approach these resources, remember: you paid for it in your tuition, so might as well make the most of the deal. And the peer supporters volunteer because they want to help you. Just as you shouldn’t compare yourself to others academically, don’t compare your problems to others. I can attest as a Peer Ear and Pleasure educator that I am always happy to help and I am here for you. “Half of you will be in the bottom half of your class at any given moment. Way more than half of you will be in the bottom half of your class at some point in the next four years. Get used to it.” ? I had to post the full quote here because this statement has helped me so much during my time here. And I’ve quoted it multiple times to others too. Memorize it now. I promise it’ll help. True? While it’s mostly true that where you go to college is ultimately not the most important thing in your life, nowadays MIT helps a lot more on the job market than it did 12 years ago. Even though you can ultimately end up where you want starting at any college, MIT propels you so much farther at the start. Some “prestigious” employers won’t even accept applications from graduates of colleges not in their selected list, and MIT almost always makes the list. It’s a heart-breaking reality. And it’s important to remember just how much privilege being here affords you. Never forget that. It might be the most important lesson from these reflections. Please don’t try to do everything. You can try a little bit freshman year while on Pass/No Record, but slow down after. Besides, you’ll overwhelm your resume and won’t have a cohesive narrative to share with potential employers. Let your experiences tell a story of curiosity and growth, not randomness. One of the main advantages of going to a diverse place like MIT is that you will find plenty of people who can give you different perspectives on situations in your life. So start a creatively-titled group chat and ask people what they think. Burgers and pizza. Eat so many burgers and pizza. Order Domino’s with friends at 2am. Do a burger run at 1am. Drink a milkshake at midnight. But try to do it with friendsâ€"food in college is a social experience. In my main college essay, I wrote that “weird” is the greatest compliment. Although much of that essay has aged poorly, that statement remains mostly true. Do embarrassing things with reckless abandon, and, in the most cliche way possible, “dance like no one is watching.” College is the time to do it (just think of all the popular movies about college). Wash your sheets and your comforters and blankets. It’s a long process, but do it. Also, do laundry more than 2.5 times a semester. It’s easy to accumulate enough socks and underwear to get away with that, but try to have a routine. I wish I had followed my own advice. TRUE. Try some weird foods, true, but don’t feel the pressure to try weird pizza toppings specifically. Don’t feel pressured to be adventurous just because you’re young and in college. True. Take it from a person who added a minor her senior year of college, The Blogfather is right: “life is too short to stick with a course of study that youre no longer excited about.” Plenty of people switch majors midway. It is perfectly ok to take an extra year or semester to graduate. It is much better than realizing you hate your major when you have a diploma in hand. Tattoos and piercings are permanent, but they are also very cool. Hair dye and side shaves are also pretty permanent, but also cool. I worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Harvard Med School with blue hair, a side shave, and multiple ear piercings. And I was fine. In fact, it helped me with the awkwardness of meeting new people: people automatically assumed that I’m kinda cool. So don’t be afraid to customize your look. It can change your life in the best of ways. “Dont make fun of prefrosh. That was you like 2 hours ago.” ? ok, you can make a little fun of the prefrosh. But really, you’re making fun of yourself like 2 hours ago. And that can be a learning experience. MIT can feel like a long trip through academic hell but also like a quick run through a nerd paradise. As The Blogfather says, “enjoy every second.” “This is the only time in your lives when your only real responsibility is to learn. Try to remember how lucky you are every day.” ? I have remembered this statement many times during my time here. And yes, I have remembered how lucky I am to be here every day. Including today, and tomorrow, and until June 8, when I walk onstage to receive my MIT diploma. -Yul Post Tagged #50 Things #Lean on Me #MIT Mental Health #MIT Reads #Peer Ears #[emailprotected] #S^3 #WGS - Women's and Gender Studies

Definition And Discussion On Romances - 961 Words

DEFINITION AND DISCUSSION ON â€Å"ROMANCES† AND SUMMARY ON â€Å"THE TEMPEST† DEFINITION In present English the word â€Å"romance† are derivative from Old French romanz can mean moreover a medieval story structure or a love affair, or, yet again, another story about a love affair, usually one of a rather idealized or idyllic type, from time to time marked by unexpected or strange incidents and progresses; and â€Å"to romance† has derive to mean â€Å"to create up a story that has no link with reality.† (Encyclopedia Britannica) DISCUSSION ON â€Å"ROMANCES† Romance was not a general classification in Shakespeare s period. Since romances combine both comic and tragic elements. Romance is a normal step in telling human understanding afterward tragedy. Tragedy includes irretrievable varieties made in a sphere where time leads inevitably to the tragic end. In Romance, time looks to be alterable; there are additional chances and new starts. As a consequence, categories such affect and cause, start and finish, are moved by a sense of harmony and simultaneity. Tragedy is ruled by a sense of Fortune or Fate. Tragedy portrays isolation and destruction, in the other hand Romance depict, settlement and re-establishment. In tragedies, characters are demolished as an outcome of their own choices and actions; in Romance, characters reply to events and situations rather than irritating them. Tragedy tends to be apprehensive with Romance, revenge with forgiveness. The happy ending of aShow MoreRelatedExploring The Concepts Of Love And Romance980 Words   |  4 Pageslarge group discussions amongst the guys and girls of my social circle trying to understand the current state of romance. These discussions, or more often debates, have enabled us to share our ideas about dating, relationships, and hookup culture in ways that many haven’t thought to consider. What had initially appeared to be nothing more then friendly gossip and chatting has quickly developed into an insightful and thought-provoking open forum. Exploring the concepts of love and romance through theRead MoreWomen And The Feminist Movement1677 Words   |  7 Pagesdifference must be fraught with guilt† (Lorde 118). I am sure I have not been guiltless. I confess this so that I may emphasize how disconnected the feminist movement is. After all, claim that all women are part of a universal â€Å"sisterhood† erases discussion of differences. Intersectional feminism, necessary and empowering, compensates for that erasure while also deemphasizes that which shared between women. Indeed, â€Å"†¦intersections mark not just our differences but our connections as well. In feminismRead MoreThe Role Of Attraction On Cross Sex Friendships964 Words   |  4 Pagesrelationships and whether attraction hinders being friends with someone you like. 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This understanding allows for the possibility of sexual attraction, but not romantic attraction. Other definitions prohibit all forms of sexuality, passion, and romance, while still others allow them. In cross-sex friendships where sexual and/or romantic attraction exists, what roleRead MoreRomance Essay2051 Words   |  9 PagesRomance is something that should never end. Romance brings love, happiness, and a joyful life. One of the true definitions of romance is, â€Å"an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity† (Romance, n.d.). However, when som eone thinks of romance they can see how much of a concept it is. It could be different for everyone because not everyone’s definition of romance or romantic activity is the same. 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Sexuality can affect us throughout our lives through a better early understanding of ourselves sexually and our ability to relate well in a sexual relationship (Crooks Baur 2). Preston suggests that sexuality is related to the discussion of bodies, desires and needsRead MoreAt The Heart Of Kellman’S Argument, He Attributes Three1582 Words   |  7 Pagespaper Thinking Backward and Forward: Narrative Order and the Beginnings of Romance, Whitman describes a tale from the late 12th century. Yet as Chrà ©tien begins to depict the Arthurian past in detail, he concentrates on an episode of talking, as an Arthurian knight named Calogrenant tells other knights an elaborate tale for hundreds of lines about an adventure he had some seven years earlier. In effect, Chretien s romance scarcely slips from present to past before slipping into a still deeper past

Suspense in Jekyll and Hyde Essay - 1572 Words

How suspense is built up in ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson was born on the 13th November 1850. He wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886, with that 40,000 copies of the book were sold in the first six months. This was designed to mirror the Victorian secret and based on good and evil. Stevenson later died in 1894 in Samoa. Stevenson used the contemporary setting of Victorian London to write his gothic horror novel. The streets with the gas lamps were the perfect setting following the true horrific stories of Jack the Ripper. He refers to Mr Hyde well as he wanders the streets of London not knowing who he’s going to meet. The elements in gothic horror include irony, movement, time, senses, horrific†¦show more content†¦More clues are revealed to everyone over the book for example, Dr Lanyon’s letter tells people some shocking facts about Dr Jekyll and that is when people start to suspect things. At the end of the book, Dr Jekyll retells the whole story in a narrative style which explains everything about Jekyll and Hyde and that Jekyll would kill himself after he wrote the letter. That is when the book ends. This shows how suspense is built up. Stevenson sets the scene and creates the mood in the book, from the very beginning; he does this by using the devices of gothic horror. He uses zoom lens a lot in the third to last chapter. ‘The last night’; it goes into heavy detail about the Laboratory and the surroundings of it. ‘The candle was set upon the nearest table’ creates a picture in the readers mind about all the visual aids in the area. He describes it so well; you could almost go into the Laboratory and navigate yourself around it with great ease. This shows how suspense is built up. ‘That evening’ refers to time phrases. I think is what makes the book so well and so popular. This also makes the book flow so well, so the reader can understand the book well enough to keep reading without getting lost. It also helps the reader visualise the time of day it is, so that refers to zoom lens again. This shows how suspense is built up. At the very beginning of the book Utterson is introduced as this sort of boring, quiet man â€Å"cold,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Suspense and Horror in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde2192 Words   |  9 PagesHow does Stevenson create an atmosphere of suspense and horror in Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Why was this so significant at the time it was written? In the book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson truly proves himself as a wonderful writer. Throughout the story he keeps a huge sense of suspense and horror, capturing the reader’s interest and making them want to read on. From just the first paragraph he has gained the readers interest and pulled them into the plot of the story.Read MoreEssay about Tension and Suspense in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde2269 Words   |  10 PagesHow effective is the setting in creating tension and suspense in Stevenson’s works? Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a novella about a scientist who experiments with the morals of good and evil. He then decides to try to separate these elements and difficulties arise with this. This novella concerns how one individual has conflicting emotions that are both good and evil. Dr Jekyll tries to make one-person ‘wholly’ good and another ‘wholly’ evil, but his experiments become quite dangerous. ‘TheRead MoreAn Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1352 Words   |  6 PagesAn Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde During the Nineteenth century, horror stories were getting more popular than ever. Several distinctive horror stories, like Dracula, Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are still known today. These stories were not set in busy countries, but written as happening in Transylvania, Switzerland, the Arctic, and other far away and little known countries. The setting links to some peculiarRead More How Stevenson Builds Suspense and Tension in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1137 Words   |  5 PagesHow Stevenson Builds Suspense and Tension in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde After thoroughly examining the question at hand. I have understood that I should comment on at least three episodes of the novel and clearly stress out how the writer built up the suspense and tension of the story. However I am going to look at techniques such as using shot quotations and not being to repetitive. The episodes l am going to be explaining are the incident of the letter, the remarkable incident of Dr LanyonRead MoreHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde1109 Words   |  5 PagesHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886 after waking from a dream in which he recalled a fine bogy tale. The book was published in the same year and its likes had never been seen before. It gave a chilling insight into the murky depths of both experimental science and the duality of the human mind. These two fields of study were both in their infancyRead MoreHow does R. L. Stevenson create suspense in The Last Night chapter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?2039 Words   |  9 PagesRobert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a gothic novel in many of its aspects, but one of the most important reasons is that there is constant building of suspense. There are many ways that this is done: through his characters, through his vocabulary, the setting and even through the origins of the character of Hyde. Stevenson created the character of Utterson as a neutral base for the whole story; much like the table on which the dinner is served. But in the chapter of The Last NightRead MoreDr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde Essay722 Words   |  3 PagesEnglish Essay (Prompt 3) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, created by famous writer R. L. Stevenson, can be considered one of the most famous 19th century novella in the whole world. The author used quite a lot of diversified skills to create an ambience of suspense and mystery. The perspective of narrative used from Mr. Utterson is one of them. First of all, the usage of the perspective of Mr. Utterson draws out the ‘suspense’ element because he is not actually omniscient. The readers can only decipherRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1035 Words   |  5 PagesHyde-ing In Plain Sight: The Duality of Dr. Jekyll Robert Louis Stevenson s initial notoriety came as an avatar of expansive adventure fiction, most famously through 1883 s Treasure Island. Just three years later, however, he would cement his status as one of the 19th century s most popular and versatile writers by releasing the horror suspense novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It s a testament to Stevenson s concept of the duality of man-- the pious intellectual and the wantonRead MoreDr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1019 Words   |  5 PagesDr. Jekyll and Mary Reilly Robert Louis Stevenson established himself as one of the masters of adventure novels in English literature. His skills as a suspenseful storyteller can be seen in his 1886 novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson tells the story of the Dr. Jekyll and his murderous alter ego Mr. Hyde, through the eyes of Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer Mr. Utterson. Valerie Martin’s Mary Reilly tells the story of Jekyll and Hyde, but through a very different set of eyes. Martin’sRead MoreHow Does the Use of Setting and Imagery Affect the Readers Understanding of Dr. Jekll and Mr Hide?1190 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Robert Louis Stephensons masterpiece, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) symbolizes Hyde as a representative of the specific Victorian anxieties. He is seen as the ugly, deformed, apelike, but also reflecting Victorian fears about Darwinian evolution theories of humanitys deform from ape, and fears the newly enfranchised working classes. This essay will explore the function of the narrative which helps the readers to perceive the meaning of the narrative. It will do so in terms

Currency Crisis Inflation in Argentina Free Essays

Inflation is the increase in the prices of goods and services. Simply, inflation means continuously fall in the value of money due to too much supply of money in the market. Inflation affects a nation’s domestic (internal) market by repelling consumers to buy goods and services therefore this effects businesses as they are not getting money so they close down. We will write a custom essay sample on Currency Crisis Inflation in Argentina or any similar topic only for you Order Now This leads to unemployment. Inflation affects a nation’s exchange rate as it usually will depreciate their currency in relation to the currencies of their trading partners. 2. The Argentinean government adopted the Keynesian approach as their economic policy in the 1880-1886 period. This is clear because the Keynesian approach adopts an active government influence on the economy which is similar to the Argentinean approach. It says â€Å"funds were used to construct railroads and public works†, this shows the Keynesian approach the Argentinean’s were implementing. 3. The political stability affects the economic activity in a country. Political stability means a government that can be relied on by the people from now until next year. A fraudulent election† signals that political parties were in strong conflict with each other in the election of Roca’s brother-in-law. This would mean that there would be conflict when it would come to decision making and policy changes. This damaged the economy as it could not implement the best policies which would have helped recover their economy. 4. Firstly, fiscal policy is the way in which a g overnment adjusts its levels of spending in order to monitor and influence a nation’s economy. It is linked with monetary policy where a central bank influences a nation’s money supply. These combined are very important in achieving an economy’s goals. 5. When a country’s debt crisis spreads to other countries the other countries governments have to come up with a rescue package that will rescue their financial institutions. This is seen when the British central bank had to step in with a bailout fund for the House of Baring which protected not only Britain but the European markets. 6. The pros of defaulting are that the country won’t have to go into a deeper hole of debt by getting other countries or the ECB to bail them out with their funds which will help the country get back on track. For investors, this is good news. They get to purchase property at bargain prices. The cons of defaulting are that the country’s credit rating is destroyed. Lenders have to raise their interest rates and become less generous to new borrowers in order to make up for the fact that they are losing money. This means that a default rate affects anyone who wants to get a loan by making it more expensive or even impossible. How to cite Currency Crisis Inflation in Argentina, Papers

Art, What The Hell Is It Essay Example For Students

Art, What The Hell Is It? Essay What is art you ask? Art is described by Leo Tolstoy as any work that causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with he who produced, or is producing the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously, or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression. Tolstoy believed that the activity of art is based upon the capacity of man to receive another mans expression of feeling and the ability to experience those feelings himself. He also insisted that art has to be beautiful. I agree with certain elements of Tolstoys very bold statement of art and also understand where he is coming from; however, I also feel that certain aspects need to be added or modified to his interpretation to better fit my definition of art. Art is created from deep within ones soul, sometimes based on something as simple as a gut impulse. I believe that art is as Tolstoy said a connection between the performer and the recipient, in which both can connect emotionally to each other. Art does not have to be beautiful because I feel beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and I cannot imagine that any two people in this world will ever see exactly eye to eye because we are all born with our own opinions. Art can succeed only if it has support from the person who created it. One must truly believe in the impression that they are preparing, or else that work cannot truly be art. An example of a successful demonstration of emotion is spoken word presentations. Spoken word is the equivalent to expressions created in music, but with a specific focus on the speaker. This system is a magnificent combination of both musical and literary manifestation, that rather than songs, emphasizes the true meaning of the song or poem and not the sounds that are being produced. Spoken word creators are not only able to express their many different passions and feelings on paper, but aloud by adding their physical emotions and spirit. The portrayers put so much of themselves into their presentations, that a connection is formed between the audience and the speaker. This connection allows the audience to personally understand the feelings of the presenter, and to take a slight tour of one element of their amazing minds. This form of art is very successful because it accomplishes what it sets itself out for; to open up and deliver a message emotionally and physically to its audience. Art can also be unsuccessful in the eye of the beholder, as the Lyon Opera Ballet Production exemplifies. This ballet was full of expression, meaning, passion, and spirit; however, in no way whatsoever was I ever once able to connect with the dancers on stage. The presentation was still art because someone had to have put many ounces of their soul into this production as a showcase of their emotions that they wanted to deliver through the field of dance. Having attended a few other ballets in life, taking note of the beauty portrayed through both the dance itself, as well as other physical attributes such as costumes and makeup, I did not feel that same beauty from the Lyon Opera Ballet presentation. Art does not have to be beautiful however, as long as an impression of some sort is received and this ballet unarguably left quite an impression. Art is an overall expression. This expression is meaningless without the foundation of emotion, which is the heart. Art can only be created from deep within ones soul, it cannot be forced, or else that art does not stand for anything, which makes it impossible for anybody to connect to it. Art is different to everybody, but as long as a connection exists, no matter how small or simple that connection may be, there is significance. I think that is what we all look for in life, because nothing interests us unless it is considerable to life.

The Alibaba Company Strategy

Introduction A strategy direction is an overall plan for deploying organizational resources with a view of establishing a favorable business position. It shows a company’s awareness of its competitors. Attracting and retaining customers is the ultimate goal of strategic management in the achievement of economies of scale.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Alibaba Company’s Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A number of factors that include the company’s structure, competitive position of the organization, current policies, and functional processes play a crucial role in determining the viability of strategies that need to be implemented in the business. However, such factors have to be evaluated profoundly according to the recommendations for execution of the strategies. The Alibaba Company is an online marketing business that bridges wholesalers and retailers all over the world. A r obust online marketing strategy is the sole determinant of the company’s success. Innovation requires establishment of a stable and competitive position in the ever-dynamic online business. This essay critically discusses the interplay of the abovementioned factors with a view of highlighting apt ways implementing the strategic recommendations. Recommendations for the Management of the Alibaba Company To remain abreast with modern business activities that are driven by unpredictable technology, the Alibaba Company is recommended to invest in innovation, web-based customer services, employee training, and electronic human resource (EHR) systems. A vast application of information technology in present-day business has become a norm in modern organizations. The Alibaba Company is faced with a challenge of handling a million inquiries from its enormous customer pool worldwide. Establishment of a web-based customer support forum will not only handle common customer questions at a time but will also minimize communication costs that are incurred by the company and its customers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Frequent questions that pertain to the location of the business, working hours and types of services and products will be answered via the web easily rather than making calls to the individual customers. Secondly, the Alibaba Company has an enormous employee population. Workforce issues form an integral part of human resource roles. With this high number of employees in different countries globally, it has become an enormous problem for the human resource managers to handle individual cases. Therefore, there is a need to establish electronic human resource services in the company to handle cases that arise from the infinite number of employees. The implementation of a web-based human resource site that allows employees to report working hours, t ax withholding options, and beneficiary services, among other responsibilities will be an efficient method of minimizing the operational costs of the company. At the Alibaba Company, employees have to send a request for change through the central human resource office and remain hopeful that it will be considered. This situation has created an obstacle to the employees since most of them do not understand the manipulation of taxes and payrolls. Therefore, designing a user-friendly tool that allows individual employees to input most of the information in a computer interface creates an immense workload relief to the human resource staff. This situation creates more time for the HR department to provide a quality response to the customer needs; hence, the employees remain motivated. There is also a need to train employees on self-management skills to minimize unnecessary consultations that can lead to time wastage within the organization. This situation will also reduce instances of a uthorizations that direct report managers have to approve. As a result, redundancy of the HR activities will be lightened.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Alibaba Company’s Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Changing the office of the HR manager to a portal is the primary objective of this strategic recommendation. Today, many firms provide universal access to HR services using technology and web-based applications. This situation has radically changed the practice of human resource management. These changes often result from the need to cut costs, expand, and improve services. Organizations that adopt refined HR technology tools outperform those that do not. Therefore, implementation of this recommendation is paramount to the success the Alibaba Company. It will help the HR to change the business operations of the company. It will also cut unnecessary costs. Moreover, the Alibaba Company shoul d document transaction records using various means such as hand-written books, physical storage vaults, electronic, and/or online data recording avenues. These methods of storage will result in increased savings since the time for reviewing and approving manual records will be reduced significantly. For instance, in case operators make mistakes during data entry, electronic systems will prompt them to make real-time corrections to prevent adverse effects on company data. Functional Policies that Favor Implementation of Strategic Recommendations Functional policies are a set of standardized guidelines or procedures meant to guide an organization’s workforce on proper ways to provide products and services. It is the sole responsibility of management to outline these procedures, especially for an international business and ensure their strict adherence for the business to remain competitive and operational. Standardization ensures stability of the company’s capital activi ties and fosters productive relationships of employees. A careful study of the Alibaba Company reveals that there is a need for the management to redefine its structure to keep its workforce abreast with the dynamic environmental and technological changes in the modern regardless of the functional rules in place.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The management will need to standardize its processes by preparing precise instructions for the employees to ensure efficiency and proper organization of the business. Some of these directions include proper analysis of all business operations of the Alibaba Company, preparing the company for change, process monitoring, developing a plan for streamlining and formalizing the company processes, and identifying the company’s weaknesses in effectiveness and performance. Change management is necessary as it handles human behavior and attitudes, some of which hamper the success of projects due to a tendency to resist change. On the other hand, process management involves specific tasks executed by the company’s workforce and systems in a guided way to attain specified objectives or results. The marketing strategy recommendation forms an integral part of the Alibaba Company. Senior managers in the company need to understand the importance of inculcating an innovative culture. This situation can be achieved by engaging key decision-makers, marketing managers in fundamental marketing functions of the company, such as strategy formulation. It is important to engage managers in strategy formulation to ensure smooth implementation of changes in the organization. This situation reduces chances of resistance. There is a need to ensure respectable personal interactions between senior managers and departmental managers. Therefore, removing organizational communication hurdles can fruitfully encourage mutual consultations among management. In the prevalence of technological dynamism, creating a room for rapid and timely flow of information is inevitably important. As an online-based business, the Alibaba Company must ensure fast communication processes. It is also important for the company to delegate authority to marketing managers as this move enhances flexibility to adapt to changes. The senior management should create a favorable atmosphere of innovativeness, responsiveness, and openness. The strategy of empowering the marketing manager is very effective. It ensures the development of personal values and interpersonal relationships. This situation encourages them to engage other stakeholder firms actively. The ultimate goal of authority delegation to marketing managers is provision of support to innovative practices in the organization. Fostering interactions amongst different management levels fosters commitment and trust. The marketing department of this company will explore ways of remaining knowledgeable of the latest market trends through conducting a market survey over the internet. The information gathered will be weighed against the current position of the organization. This survey will entail new trends such as social media marketing and advertising, brand recognition, and company’s growth rate against competitors, among other market-related variables. The company will also look into its current position concerning techn ological changes. In the advent of online marketing, which has been adopted by many business organizations, the management cannot relent on keeping abreast with the latest online marketing practices. The management of the Alibaba Company has recommended training its Information Technology (IT) department to keep pace with technological advancement. This responsibility is crucial to positioning the company competitively up-to-datee technologically. Some key roles of the IT department would include prompt updating of information on websites regarding products descriptions and their prices. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure availability of promotional services and products to attract more customers. The strategic role of top management is to provide the necessary support to the IT managers to ensure that plans to keep pace with technological changes are implemented in time. Evaluating the Organizational Structure of the Alibaba Company Organizational structure influences informati on flow, coordination of work, and decision making as part of strategy implementation. A company’s structure is based on some proportions, which determine the successful implementation of top managerial strategic directions. The directions include formalization, centralization, and specialization. A formal structure is the one governed by rules and procedures that provide a means for defining appropriate work practices. The Alibaba Company currently adopts an organic structure. Horizontal and vertical communication models characterize this structure. Although this structure enhances flexibility of roles, it cannot be the best for the company. To encourage a collaborative and innovation supported culture, the organization can do better with a structure that removes superiority. Since the Alibaba Company is an online business that primarily depends on dynamic market changes, it should adopt a centralized structure. To achieve innovation and achieve strategic marketing direction s the company will adopt the specialization structure. This structure allows specialist to tackle tasks that they are best suited. This phenomenon will ensure that within the departments only the specialists handle the relevant tasks. For instance, the marketing department can focus on cooperative promotions and advertising, pricing, distributor relations and proper identification of market segments. E-marketing forms the basis of the company. Specialization in the marketing department will contribute significantly to the company’s success. The Company’s Culture Organizations culture comprises shared beliefs, norms, and values in an organization. It is the basis for strategic directions as its influences formulation and successful implementation. Culture influences strategy implementation in various ways. A flexible and stable culture brings about partnerships, togetherness, teamwork, and cooperation among the company’s workforce. On the other hand, a culture of resistance will derail success of the business. As an online business, the Alibaba Company will create and sustain a collaborative culture that will ensure active interdependent interactions among department managers and the top management. This situation will create an amicable environment for creative consultations besides encouraging support for new ideas. The Alibaba Company will focus on cultural alignment. When the culture sides with strategy implementation, the company positions itself efficiently in the international market. Culture allows staff to practice dedication and honesty when working individually or in a team. For technological innovation to be successfully implemented the company will need to encourage an innovation culture through the provision of necessary support. This support can be based on managerial, financial, or labor aspects. This situation calls for the entire company workforce to be well aware of the importance of innovation. Next, each person will see the need to support new ideas. The ultimate achievement is success of the company. Adaptability to the rapid change in the modern-day business calls for a culture that allows employees to switch to new ways of doing business. Proposed Functional Tactics, Cultural, and Structural Changes for the Alibaba Company The company will need to address functional policies, culture, and the current structure if successful implementation is to be realized. Change and process management procedures will be properly executed to keep the employees and departmental managers focused on the goal and processes of the company. The top management of the Alibaba Company has to outline rules and procedures to avoid duplication of processes and deviations. These policies should be enforced in each department. Proper training is also required for the employees to understand the importance of adherence. Successful implementation of the marketing strategies will require delegation of authority to managers. It is advisable for the company to discard the formalized structure and embrace specialization as the latter ensures that activities are not generalized. Only specialists in the particular departments handle them. This move avoids unnecessary costs by eliminating incompetent decisions that result in losses and poor performance. It also ensures time efficiency because experts formulate the implementation decisions. Cultural alignment is paramount to fruitful strategy implementation. It ensures that the company to encourages adaptability and stability. Employees should be thoroughly educated on the importance of the vital cultural practices. The management can achieve this through goal definition and goal unification. Managers should define culture in terms of performance, development, customer orientation, goal orientation, and administration to take care of the overall objectives of the organization. Obstacles/Constraints and Management Solutions The management can face a number of ob stacles during implementation of strategies. Such obstacles include financial constraints to fund market surveys and research. In addition, the company can face employee resistance in cases where change has to be implemented. Insufficient guidelines can result in poor execution of business strategies. Inexperienced employees lack adequate knowledge about implementation of new strategies in the business. To improve the application of new strategies, some elements need to be tackled. The management should be in a position to ensure availability of important resources, communication channels, and distinct action plans. Failure to empower people in the organization creates an inferiority complex. This state of affairs hinders the motivation among employees. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is evident that strategy implementation is not an easy task. It is the duty of the management to outline functional policies. It should also adopt an appropriate structure that aligns with the organizational culture. Coupled with the involvement of the management, innovation, and technological competency, this situation will ultimately lead to the overall success of the Alibaba Company. The key strategy of online marketing requires a specialization structure that calls for recruitment of competent specialists in various departments in the organization. This essay on The Alibaba Company’s Strategy was written and submitted by user Alaya Bruce to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Vietnam Economic Issues In the New Stage

Vietnam Economic Issues In the New Stage Free Online Research Papers During the past years, Vietnam economy has made a number of significant achievements. Since the beginning of the cause of renovation (Doi Moi) initiated by the Communist Party, the country’s state has changed substantially compared to the period of pre-renovation. The economy has recorded high growth rates for several years in a row. People’s living standards have been considerably improved. Since the market opening-up, the number of foreign investors rushing to Vietnam has risen surprisingly, resulting in a huge increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In 2006, Vietnam has successfully fulfilled and exceeded almost all development targets set by the National Assembly. The economic growth rate is 8.17%; that of industry is 17%; the service sector has posted a high development rate, especially retail industry; high export value has been maintained, reaching $ 39.6 billion; there has been a reduction in trade deficit in terms of net value and proportion of import and export. FDI and ODA attraction remains strong. Vietnam’s accession to WTO and hosting of APEC demonstrate successful diplomatic and economic activities. The approval of the Permanent Normal Trade Relation by the US Congress is an evidence of Vietnam’s increasing importance in the world stage. The development of Vietnam’s Stock Exchange with its vibrant activities in recent months is also a positive sign to some extent. All of those accomplishments prove that the country is initially integrating into the world economy successfully. However, Vietnam’s continuous high growth rates for many years raise a question over the viability of the development. Could the economy maintain such a vigorous development in the coming years ? Or heating development will be followed by a severe collapse due to implicit problems ? This document is to be divided into three sections to discuss the economic issues of Vietnam economy in the stage of integration and globalization. Part 1: Vietnam economy at a glance. Part 2: Vietnam economic issues assessment. Part 3: Solutions to the issues. TABLE OF CONTENT A. OVERVIEW OF VIETNAM ECONOMY OVER THE PAST YEARS. 3 1. Domestic policy. 3 2. Foreign trade and international economic integration: 5 3. Foreign Direct Investment: 6 B. ASSESSMENT OF VIETNAM ECONOMIC ISSUES IN THE NEW STAGE. 7 1. Corruption and bureaucracy. 7 2. Economic structure. 10 a. By sectors. 10 b. By ownership ( Equitization process ). 11 3. Human resources 13 4. Environment. 14 a. Natural Environment. 14 b. Business Environment. 16 5. Income disparity. 18 C. SOLUTIONS 19 1. Corruption and business environment. 19 2. Economic structure. 20 a. By sectors. 20 b. By ownership 21 3. Human resources. 22 4. Natural Environment. 22 5. Income disparity. 23 CONTENT A. OVERVIEW OF VIETNAM ECONOMY OVER THE PAST YEARS. 1. Domestic policy. Viet Nam embarked on the Doi Moi policy in 1986. Since then, the country has seen dramatic changes, first and foremost in the economic thinking. The centrally-planned economy was replaced by the socialist-oriented market economy; national industrialization and modernization were initiated together with the policy of multilateralization and diversification of external economic relations, opening-up and international integration. The 1987 Foreign Investment Law was the first legal document that helped form the legal framework for the Vietnamese market economy. In 1991, the Private Enterprise Law and Corporate Law were introduced. The amended 1992 Constitution affirmed the existence and development of a multi-sector economy under a market mechanism, including the foreign-invested sector. This was followed by the promulgation of a number of laws essential for the formation of the market economy, including Land Law, Tax Law, Bankruptcy Law, Environment Law, and Labour Code etc. Hundreds of ordinances and decrees were enacted by the Government to guide the implementation of these laws, which help ensure national socio-economic development. Along with the law-making process, market economy institutions have also been established. Government policy advocates the elimination the central planning mechanism, the emphasis on monetary market relations, the focus on economic management measures and the establishment of a wide range of financial institutions, banks and basic markets for money, labour, goods and land, etc. The administrative reform was also promoted by the authorities. Overall, tremendous economic reforms taking place over nearly two decades of Doi Moi have yielded encouraging results. External economic relations have been expanded and the flow of foreign direct investment has increased. Export of goods and labour, tourism industry and remittances from overseas Vietnamese have been strongly promoted to generate increasing foreign earnings for Vietnam. During 20 years of Doi Moi, GDP of Vietnam saw a sustained growth, which stood at 8.2% in 1991-1995 as compared to 3.9% in 1986-1990. This rate dropped to 7.5% in 1996-2000 due to the impacts of the Asian financial crisis. Since 2001, GDP growth recovered on a year-on-year basis, reaching 6.9%, 7%, 7.3% and 7.7% for 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 respectively. The figure for 2005 was 8.4%. Vietnam has now succeeded in gradually replacing the centrally-planned economy, bureaucracy and a subsidy mechanism by a socialist-oriented market economy with growing dynamism. The GDP growth rate of 7 to 8% has been sustained, along with stronger industrialization and expanded integration with the world and regional economy. Vietnam has enjoyed a sharp rise in trade volume, especially exports, and an increase of foreign investment and income. The ratio of the industry and construction rose from 38.13% in 2001 to 41.03% in 2005; the service from 36.63% up to 38.08%; and only the agriculture, forestry and fishery from 23.24% to respectively. The economic structure has also witnessed significant changes. From 1990 to 2005, the contribution of agriculture sector dropped from 38.7% to 20.89% , while that of the industry and construction was up from 22.7% to 41.03% . The service sector relatively stabilized, 38.6% in 1990 and 38.08% in 2005. In each sector, the structure has also positively shifted. The agriculture sector has seen a decline in the role of agriculture and forestry from 84.4% to 77.7% during the period 1990-2003, while fishery gained a higher share. In the industrial sector, the proportion of the processing industry was up from 12.3% in 1990 to 20.8% in 2003 with improved product quality. In the service sector, the share of high-quality services such as finance, banking, insurance and tourism, etc. is increasing rapidly. Upon the amendment of the Enterprise Law in 2000, private businesses have enjoyed strong encouragement for development. This Law institutionalized the freedom of all individuals to do business in areas not prohibited by law. In the 2000-2004 period, 73,000 private enterprises were registered, up by 3.75 times against the period of 1991-1999. By 2004, the total number of private enterprises operating under the Enterprise Law amounted to 150,000 with the total capital of VND 182 billion. From 1991 to 2003, the private sector’s share in GDP was up from 3.1% to 4.1%; other non-state sectors increased from 4.4% to 4.5%; and foreign-invested sector from 6.4% to 14%; and the household sector was down from 35.9% to 31.2%. As the multi-sector economy has further developed, the proportion of SOEs (State Owned Enterprises) in GDP decreased from 40.1% in 1991 to 38.3% in 2003. The collective sector dropped from 10.2% to 7.9% during the same period. In 2002 and 2003, 1,655 SOEs were listed for reorganization and reform. The figure for 2004 and 2005 were 882 and 413 respectively. Economic growth is combined with the improvement of life quality and development of health care and education. The Human Development Index of Vietnam increased from 0.583 in 1994 with a rank of 120/174 to 108/177 in 2005. The average life expectancy was raised from around 50 in the 1960s to 70.5 at present. The poor household ratio dropped from 70% in 1980 to below 7% in 2005s. 2. Foreign trade and international economic integration: With the policy of openness and industrializtion, the country has been expoiting its inherent advatages such as abundant natural resources, low labour cost and so on, which generate an increasing flow of foreign income. Over the years of the Doi Moi process, Vietnams export growth has averaged 20%. From around US$ half a million before the introduction of the Doi Moi policy, the total export volume of Vietnam reached US$ 26 billion in 2004 and US$32.23 billion in 2005. The structure of exports has also seen a positive change. During the 1991-1995 period, major exports of Vietnam were crude oil, fishery products, rice, textiles, coffee, forestry products, rubber, peanut and cashew nuts. By 2005, apart from crude oil, textiles, rice and coffee, Vietnam was mainly exporting garment and textile, footwear, seafood, woodwork, electronics appliances, and rice. This structure reflects an increase in processing and manufactured products and a decline in unprocessed products, including agricultural, fishery, forestry products and minerals. The policy of multilateralization and diversification of international relations has helped Vietnam integrate more deeply into the world and regional economy. Before 1990, Vietnam had trade relations with only 40 partners. Now with the foreign policy of openness, which is to be friend and cooperate with all countries in the world on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 167 countries, and has signed multilateral and bilateral trade agreements with over 80 nations. The country has been granted MFN (Most Favored Nation) status by more than 70 countries and territories, including countries and regions with large capital resources, high technologies and vast markets, such as the United States, Japan, the EU and newly industrialized countries in East Asia. Following the introduction of Doi Moi, Vietnam signed an economic and trade cooperation agreement with the EU in 1992, joined ASEAN in 1995, AFTA in 1996 and APEC in 1998. Vietnam also signed the Bilateral Trade Agreement with the United States in 2000. Vietnam started negotiations for WTO accession in 1995 and has just got the full membership of this organization by the end of 2006. 3. Foreign Direct Investment: In December 1987, the Foreign Direct Investment Law of Vietnam was introduced to help form the basic legal framework for foreign investment activities in Vietnam. To better respond to business requirements and feedback from foreign investors, this Law was amended and supplemented several times, notably in 1996 and 2002, which created a more open and attractive environment to draw foreign investors into crucial industries such as export-oriented processing and manufacturing, and key economic zones of the country. In recent years and especially in 2005, the Vietnamese Government made a number of adjustments and conducted reforms to create more incentives for foreign investors. They are now supported in tackling business obstacles. The Law on Personal Income Tax has been amended in favour of the tax payers. The one-stop-shop policy has been promoted, telecommunication tariffs lowered to gain competitiveness over other countries in the region. Infrastructure has been improved. More areas, including those previously closed to foreign investors, such as telecommunication, insurance and supermarkets, etc. are now open to investment. As such, Vietnam has become an attractive destination for foreign investment. The above measures resulted in recovery and rapid increase of the FDI inflows in 2005. The sharp rise of FDI is also attributed to political, economic and security stability, high economic growth rate, continuation of economic reform in accordance with market economy principles, improved living standards leading to higher domestic demand, greater international integration and the emergence in the international market of Vietnamese trademarks and Vietnam’s growing reputation. Over the past years, Vietnam has drawn increasing inflows of FDI. From a negligible figure of 1986, FDI into Vietnam reached US$ 3.2 billion in 1997. Due to the negative impacts of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the FDI flow then saw a drop during 1998-2000 period, with only US$ 1.58 billion in 1999. In the past few years, Vietnam has enjoyed a recovery of FDI, from US$ 2.6 billion in 2001 to US$ 4.1 billion in 2004. FDI not only generates profits for foreign investors but also represents a significant capital source which comes along with technology transfer as well as advanced managerial and professional skills B. ASSESSMENT OF VIETNAM ECONOMIC ISSUES IN THE NEW STAGE. Although Vietnam has seen a surge in economic development for many years, the economy still contains a number of potential unstable factors which, if not resolved in time, could lead to serious consequences in terms of not only economy but also society. Within the scope of this essay, only some prominent points are to be made as follows. ( Due to the seriousness of corruption, this issue is stripped from the investment climate one ) 1. Corruption and bureaucracy. Corruption is generally viewed as a serious problem in Vietnam. This view is shared by senior government and party officials, local and international business leaders, citizens and donors. Corruption is thought to play a significant role in the waste and inefficiency that characterize public expenditure in this still nascent transition economy. Such inefficiencies are in many cases a legacy of the former centrally planned economic system practiced prior to 1986. Centralized state management is still the norm throughout much of the economy and state owned enterprises still dominate commercial activity. Laws and regulations are often ambiguous, criminal and civil law are not separated, and considerable authority for the interpretation of laws rests with designated authorities. Both domestic and foreign businesses find that the complex and detailed nature ofpermit requirements, the opaque nature of decision-making, and the prevalent need to pay commissions and â€Å"give envelopes† are barriers to doing business. Paying commissions to influence company and administrative decisions is thought to be commonplace, including in tendering processes. Many foreign businesses which were attracted by the early reforms of the Doi Moi period (perhaps unrealistically) have now become disillusioned and are reassessing their presence in Vietnam, citing corruption and an unpredictable business environment as majorfactors. The Global Competitiveness Survey found that unclear procedures, lack of public information, bureaucratic discretion on the part of middle-level officials, and long delays were the factors which caused Vietnam to be viewed by the private sector as near last in competitiveness compared to other countries. Similarly, Transparency International ranks Vietnam as 111th in its list of 163 countries. A number of recurrent problems in the operation of the National Integrity System (NIS) can be observed across nearly all pillars. These include the following: * The government has a generally piecemeal approach to tackling corruption. Where government plans or strategies exist, it is not clear that they are being pursued systematically from one institution to the next. Moreover, few institutions featured in the NIS are adopting a systematic approach to tackling corruption in their own ranks even if they are tasked with fighting corruption elsewhere. * Whether corruption is uncovered, investigated or prosecuted – and whether it is not – is often politically motivated. That is, the politically powerful are able to escape investigation and prosecution, while allegations of corruption are often used to fight political battles. The Communist Party and government have pledged to root out corruption regardless of who is involved, but few believe that this is what happens in practice. * Institutional rivalry and jurisdictional disputes are considerable between institutions tasked with the fight against corruption. The 2005 Anti-Corruption Law allows for the creation of a National Anti-Corruption Steering Committee under the prime minister, but it remains to be seen how successful it will be in coordinating the different organisations involved in the fight against corruption. * Nepotism is commonplace across all state institutions involved in the NIS despite the formal existence of merit-based appointment systems. Codes of conduct, where they exist, are poorly enforced. This is especially the case where they deal with conflicts of interest. Access to off-the-books funds is the norm. * Despite a relatively strong tradition of public consultation through mass organisations, consultation is actually quite formalistic and narrowly based. State institutions are more at home with secrecy than openness. * While internal and public complaint mechanisms exist, there is a general reluctance to use them for fear of the potential repercussions for the people who complain. There has been a small increase in formal citizen complaints directed at lower-level public officials, but the increase is marginal. Anonymity or protection for whistleblowers cannot be guaranteed. There is a sense in which the media, civil society and international organisations are potentially pushing in the same direction in terms of an increased willingness to focus on corruption and a greater commitment to government transparency. However, there is no clear alliance between them, and the role of civil society – because it is still weak – is relatively piecemeal and uncoordinated in terms of the fight against corruption. There is a wide gap between the formal rules governing the NIS and actual practices on the ground. This is commonplace across all areas of political, economic and social life in Vietnam. The reasons for the disagreements in relation to corruption have to do with the fact that political power often operates outside the law, that nepotism is widespread and that officials can be bribed relatively easily. Overlapping jurisdictions, unclear rules and weak state capacity are part of the problem, but there is a sense in which these problems are secon dary to the political and attitudinal problems cited above. The government’s existing anti-corruption strategy as reflected in the new Anti-Corruption Law is highly ambitious. Even to make limited progress in implementing the law would be for the state to significantly up its game in the fight against corruption. However, given the way in which the NIS is currently operating, it is likely to be some years before the Anti-Corruption Law is properly enforced. In the meantime, what is actually happening on the ground in terms of anti-corruption activities is much more limited but is what one would expect given the real nature of the NIS. Clearly, corruption has really become an evil which has it root deeply grafted in the society. Not only does this evil cause troubles for people in their daily lives but it also sets up obstacles for foreign investors. Just imagine that a Korean investor spent years trying to get his investment license approved but still failed. Some donors, including Sweden, Denmark and ADB, have had to bring in specialist consultants to guide them on the most strategic interventions. The World Bank even published a handbook guiding investors to cope with this fact in Vietnam. In short, maybe it is a long-lasting and daunting task, Vietnam still has to have determination to radically eradicate the evil in the new stage of integration. Otherwise, who knows ? Perhaps Vietnam economy could be hollowed to the point of a collapse. 2. Economic structure. a. By sectors. In the economy structure, agriculture sector represents a major proportion. The sector employs more than a half of Vietnam’s labor force and contributes nearly one fourth of the country’s GDP and a third of exports earnings. Despite the progress made in agricultural production and export growth, and in liberalizing commodity, land, and credit markets in recent years, rural poverty remains high (estimated at 45%), and the role of the private sector in marketing remains small. Growth in the past was the result of (i) reliance on higher input use (labor, land, fertilizer, tractors, and irrigation); (ii) policy reforms in land, markets, and trade; and (iii) high public investment, mainly in the forms of irrigation and roads. It is unlikely, however, that this strategy will be able to sustain growth in the future because (i) the potential for expansion of the rural labor force and land under cultivation is limited; (ii) new investment in irrigation exhibits decreasing marginal returns, as the stock of irrigation capital is already very high and requires increased operation and maintenance expenditure rather than new expansion; and (iii) rice export revenues are declining. Major agricultural exports of the cou ntry are generally unprocessed or semi-processed materials and low-quality produce with trivial value added. Future agricultural growth will have to come from the increasing demand for high value and value-added products. This will require a new policy environment with greater diversification of crops and value addition through processing, and shifting the focus from production volume to value. Policy reforms that promote competition, diversification, and more effective use of science and technology are required. Some of the major factors contributing to low agricultural diversification include (i) low investment in and poor effectiveness of research and extension, (ii) limited access to high quality genetic material, and (iii) limited access to financial services and market information. Although Vietnam has recently tried a lot to reduce the ratio of agriculture in the economy, the sector still accounts for quite a large part at 20.1% ( 2006 est.), employs as much as 56.8% labor force and will continue to be at the core of the economy in the next decade. Therefore, intensification and diversification to enhance the competitiveness of the industry has become a pressing task in the new stage of integration. Besides, other industries of the country are of relatively weak competitiveness with restraints in terms of technology and quality as well. Many of the must rely on unstable factors with low value added. In 2006, Vietnam’s steel industry must import as much as 70 percent of steel ingot. Meanwhile, steel ingot accounts for the major part in the value of steel. Other industries are in the same condition as well. They must import most of their semi-processed or processed production materials abroad at a high price while export their products into other countries with quite low value-added. As depending to much on the world’s market, they’re easily affected by negative changes. That’s not to mention the fact that due to obsolete technologies, their products could hardly compete with others from developed countries in some highly profitable industries. In addition, Vietnam products usually have difficulties with non-tariff barriers in these areas, for example, hygiene standard, products quality or safety, etc†¦In short, to successfully penetrating the markets of that kind is a fearful obstacles to Vietnam’s economic sectors. However, that is the inevitable trend of the economy that Vietnam must take. If the country want to survive to further develop, it has to overcome all of these barriers to integrate into the world’s economy, accepting its rules and regulations. Otherwise, it is not difficult to predict where the economy would head for. b. By ownership ( Equitization process ). Although the equitization program has been successful in transforming a large number of SOEs into more efficient enterprises, there are still many shortcomings. The pace of equitization has been slow. By early 2005, only 80% of the government target has been met; total capital of equitized SOEs accounts for only 8.2% of total state-owned capital in the economy. The remaining 92% of state-owned capital is still held by state general corporations ( SGCs 90 and 91 ) and other large SOEs that yield significant monopoly power. Furthermore, equitization process has lacked transparency and benefited political elites (i.e., government and insiders hold large chunks of the equitized firms). As a result, equitization has failed to attract investment from domestic investors and improve the management structure of equitized enterprises. There is also anecdotal evidence that public assets in equitized firms are quietly and legally transferred to private ownership because of internal and underpr iced equitization. It is reported that in 12 years of equitization (1992-2004), the total investment raised from nonstate sources is VND 12,411 billion ( US$ 0.8 billion). This amount is small when compared with the investment contributed by the domestic private sector during the same period. The Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM) reports that between 1992 and 2003, around VND 190,000 billion (est. US$ 12 billion) was invested in newly registered private enterprises; US$ 9.5 billion was raised between 2000 and 2003 following the implementation of the [Private] Enterprise Law effective January 1st , 2000. Equitization has been partial. The fact that the state maintains large number of shares in equitized firms has posed several serious problems to the corporate governance of these companies and the government regulations. Similar to the situation prior to equitization, there is no clear separation between the controlling and ownership rights with respect to the state being legally defined as shareholder and, at the same time, regulator. Ownership of large blocks of shares also gives the state veto power in most important management and investment decisions, resulting in frequent particular interventions in the governance of equitized firms. At the macro level, the dual role of the state as the owner of SOEs and equitized firms and as the only regulator creates a real possibility of ( Regulatory capture is a phenomenon in which a government regulatory agency which is supposed to be acting in the public interest becomes dominated by the vested interests of the existing incumbents in th e industry that it oversees). Another serious problem is that the institutional capacity of the state agency responsible for managing state capital is very limited as it is in charge of a vast number of equitized firms. As a result, despite being a large (if not the largest) shareholder in many firms, the state is unable to exert proper management oversight. Coupled with the fact that workers usually have a very weak voice in running the company implies that managers enjoy great discretionary power, which can be easily abused to pursue private benefits. Another notable feature of Vietnamese equitization is that it has been a highly internal process. The largest chunks of shares have been held by the state and insiders (managers and workers); on average only about 15% of shares have been sold to outside investors. Out of 2224 equitized firms (as of 2005), 860 firms never sold any shares to the public. Indeed, there is a problem of information asymmetry between insiders and outsiders with respect to real and future value of equitized firms. Faced with this information asymmetry and the legal system that does not afford proper protection to minority shareholders, most people do not want to take the risk. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many equitized SOEs, especially profitable ones, have been underpriced ( as in the case of Vinamilk and Phu gia ). There are some possible explanation for this situation. For example, the value of land use rights has not been properly accounted for, valuation of equitized enterprises is the result of negotiation between the managers and the evaluation committee or the auditing firm etc†¦ Equitization has had a modest effect on the ownership structure of the economy. The overall structure of ownership in Vietnam, however, has not been substantially changed by equitization. It is projected that equitization will be completed by 2008. Meanwhile, as of February 2005, SGCs alone accounted for nearly 80% of total state capital. Three SGCs, namely Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam), Vietnam National Post and Telecommunication Corporation (VNPT), and Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), account for 66% of all SGC fixed assets. This fact, reinforced by the government policy to retain control in large and strategically important equitized firms, implies that without significant improvement in the private sector, public ownership will still be the dominant form of ownership in the economy by 2008. Despite its remaining persistent shortcomings, equitization has also improved the enterprise performance. However, if Vietnam wants to take full use of its potential to further develop after the accession to WTO, it will have to improve the SOEs’ equitization process soon. 3. Human resources. For many years, it has been said that Vietnam’s â€Å"cheap labor force† is a competitive advantage. Yet, in the new stage of integration, as the country is facing the fierce competition from other country and simultaneously, becoming more developed, this advantage doesn’t bring about significant benefit as it was any more. Conversely, this fact is gradually showing weaknesses of Vietnam’s labor force in the process of industrialization and modernization. According to a survey of labor trends in 2006 in Southeast Asia by the Japan External Trade Organization, the shortage of senior managers and other qualified personnel is more acute in Vietnam than in any other ASEAN country. In fact, a shortage of engineers and managers, particularly in design and development, is common throughout the region, in stark contrast to China and India. Half of the Japanese companies in Vietnam cannot find suitably qualified engineers from the local populace and nearly 60% have only managed to recruit one or two apiece, well under the proportion in other ASEAN nations. In information technology, for instance, Vietnam has a clear advantage over the other countries in one respect – low pay – but their software writers and engineers know little or no Japanese and their technical qualifications are often below par. The same situation is a common thing in other industries which require employees who are well-trained and good at professional expertise. Another problem is the rising pay in the ASEAN countries, India and China, a trend that looks likely to continue. The problem is that the pressure for higher wages could get out of control and out an end to the advantage of low labor costs compared to the rest of the world. As it is, the advantage of inexpensive labor of the country is to substantially decline in the coming years. On the contrary, With ever more foreign companies coming to Vietnam to invest, the shortcomings of its workforce are being clearly exposed. Although an abundant supply of cheap labor can temporarily compensate for t hese shortcomings, in the long term Vietnamese employees will have to face competition from China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and such. Even in agricultural sector, the sector employs as much as 57% of the country’s labor force, productivity is still depends much on manual labor. Therefore, the efficiency is greatly constrained with low productivity. Hence, it’s reasonable that most of the poor comes from the sector. In short, in the future, the current comparative strength can’t be maintained very long any more. Instead, only skilled laborers with high productivity will become the source of stable development of the country. In conclusion, even if a country owned the most advanced technologies and abundant natural resources, without the good human resource, it couldn’t effectively tap its own potential to develop. In contrast, despite difficulties of all kind, with the capable and developed human resources, the economy could overcome any obstacles in order to sustainably progress. As for Vietnam, to reform the country’s labor force is a must so that it would successfully integrate into the world’s economy and become an Asian tiger, as many analysts note. 4. Environment. a. Natural Environment. Vietnam’s environment is under considerable stress from rapid economic growth, urbanization and rising human pressure on relatively scarce natural resources. While it has gradually improved its environmental regulatory framework, Vietnam has very limited capacity for implementation. Therefore, future rapid economic growth (an expected doubling of GDP in the next 10 years) and substantial investments in infrastructure may significantly threaten the environmental sustainability of the country’s development. Progress has been made in reforestation programs and tightening the control of illegal wildlife trade. Mechanisms for integrated river basin management are being established under the Law on Water Resources. Ministry of Natural Resource is now drafting amendments to the Law on Environmental Protection to enable new policy tools and remedies for pollution prevention and cleanup and adjustments to cover environmental management in the private sector. Despite these signs of progress, there is need for substantial improvements in the policy framework for environmental sustainability and the institutional arrangements to achieve them. Progress has been slow due to weak commitment by sectoral agencies, low awareness in local departments and officials, and capacity challenges at all levels. There is a lack of environmental integration at planning and programmatic levels, especially in the public investment planning process and in regional plans for land and resource use. In addition, awareness on the expected, negative environmental impacts of sustained economic growth, and the mechanisms for stakeholders to hold government agencies accountable for their performance is weak. Industrial production grew from 15 percent per year between 1995 and 2004, with some of the fastest growth generated by state-owned enterprises (e.g., oil and gas, electricity, and cement). These enterprises have poor environmental records due to old equipment, lack of adequate controls, and inadequate treatment of wastewater and air emissions. Many industrial pollutants have a high environmental health cost. The Government has implemented fees on wastewater pollution and introduced a Prime Ministerial Decision to reallocate, close down or adapt cleaner technologies, but these policies need to be enforced effectively. Land degradation is also a major problem, particularly in upland areas. Its major causes are insecure land tenure, poor logging practices, drought, salinization and acidification. Degraded steep slopes and deforested landscapes, especially in the northwest region, are now very susceptible to soil erosion during heavy rains. Despite recent increases in forest area, forest quality remains a concern. Closed canopy forests still make up only 13 percent of the total forest area, while poor/regenerating forests account for 55 percent. Fisheries output, which more than doubled from 1990 to 2005, is now experiencing declining rates of catch per unit effort. Rapid expansion in aquaculture activities has caused a substantial decline in mangroves and wetlands, raising concern about coastal fish yields. Coral reefs are under pressure, and more of Vietnam’s reefs are classified as at â€Å"very high risk† than in any of the eleven other countries in the Southeast Asia region. Vietnam’s surface, ground and coastal waters are threatened by pollution. Although the quality of upstream river waters is generally good, downstream sections of major rivers reveal poor water quality and most of the lakes and canals in urban areas are rapidly becoming sewage sinks. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in coastal areas, expansion in coastal tourism, and an increase in the number of oil spills are all contributing to the deterioration of coastal water quality. World Bank assistance focuses on expanding access to sanitation and wastewater treatment. Wastewater and run-off from urban areas, industrial centers, and agricultural land, pollute surface, ground, and coastal waters. Water bodies such as lakes, streams, and canals increasingly serve as sinks for domestic sewage and industrial wastes. Air quality in nearly all urban and industrial areas is affected by various pollutants, such as particulates, lead and nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted by sources including vehicles, factories, power plants, and households. Sulfur dioxide levels near some factories occasionally exceed national standards by several times. Household waste collection efficiencies remain low, and there is no separate treatment for hazardous wastes. The development sustainability of a country depends largely on the environmental conditions. As the impacts of environmental pollution on the country has becoming more and more serious, it’s high time Vietnam radically carried out all possible activities on a large scale to preserve its invaluable resources for the development of next generations. If not, the wealth that the country has been proud of will definitely deplete. Then, nothing will be able to save it any more. b. Business Environment. Since the 1999 Enterprise Law took effect, the Vietnamese business environment has become more favourable. This was a breakthrough in administrative reform, which has improved the transparency and equality of the legal framework for business activities in Vietnam. Procedures for business establishment have been simplified with the removal of hundreds of unnecessary licences and legal documents, and the establishment of new legal documents, providing guidelines for business activities. The 1999 Enterprises Law and its enforcement have encouraged the development of business activities of Vietnamese and foreign individuals and organisations. The number of enterprises increased from 62,000 in 2002 to 200,000 in 2006 The Vietnamese legal systems strength is the seriousness and urgency with which it is trying to meet the development demands of the economy and match the WTO system. It is possible to say that State management has caught up with economic development. While intellectual property rights became a hot issue in Vietnam and the world, the Law on Intellectual Property was issued as a guideline for settling copyright issues. When the Vietnamese people adapted themselves to e-commerce and the stock market, the Law on E-commerce and the Law on Securities were issued. More importantly, however, two laws, which cost much strength and effort, the Unified Enterprise Law and the Common Investment Law were issued. Yet, a number of innate and serious problems do still exist in the system, making Vietnam’s business environment less attractive in the eye of many foreign investors. Despite significant improvements, problems remain in the legal environment in Vietnam, especially the existing business licence system, to which the Government is paying great attention. In 2006, many improvements in the business environment were seen. Apart from the Enterprise Law and the Investment Law which took effect, the Prime Minister took tough measures, asking relevant agencies to reform administrative procedures and apply the one-stop mechanism for transactions with people and enterprises. In fact, some localities have seen a significant progress. However, when the laws took effect, issues relating to business licences emerged. In fact, the system of licences has cost enterprises more. Therefore, it is necessary to review and remove unnecessary licences. Specifically, since the 2005 Enterprise Law was issued, issues relating to licences have heated up because under the law, business fields have conditions stipulated by other laws, ordinances and decrees. In fact, concrete c onditions are stipulated in circulars, decisions by ministries and people’scommittees at all levels with unclear conditions and times. The Vietnamese Government and relevant agencies are making efforts to filter the system of business licences to facilitate investment and business activities of enterprises in Vietnam. However, many inherent problems seems take quite a long time to resolve since their efforts are working sluggishly. Law enforcement and the tribunal system are rated very low by foreign businesses due to complicated formalities and high fees. Law enforcement takes longer time and causes delays to project implementation in Vietnam. As a result, few businesses seek dispute settlement by law and official procedures, in most cases they negotiated among themselves. Vietnam law is often without guidance for implementation. For instance, Decree 72 issued in July 2006 allowing the establishment of commercial branches. However, until now, there is no guidance for the establishment of commercial branches. No one knows for sure whether they can be established or how far they can operate. WTO protocol approved by Vietnam contains no commitment on commercial branches though Decree 72 mentions it in clear term. In spite of Vietnam’s accession to WTO several months ago, businesses are not very optimistic about the prospect of the business environment in the coming years. With WTO membership, many new laws will be promulgated and law enforcement will be slow as often happened. Furthermore, new laws will not be immediately understood and implemented causing misunderstanding and confusion. For instance, new Investment Law and Enterprise Law were approved in late 2005 and effective in July 2006, decrees for the implementation of those laws have not been issued causing some controversy. In the process of integration and globalization, no country can stay out of the trend and live well in its own niche. Since the internal resources are limited, all countries should looking for external ones to help them soundly develop. Therefore, the more investors rush to the country to do business, it means, the more capital is poured into the country, the better. Hence, efforts should be further promoted so that the business environment could be more and more favorable and attractive. This is one of the tasks requesting to be done immediately for the sake of the country’s development. 5. Income disparity. Over the last two decades Vietnam has undergone strong economic development as a result of cautious political reforms. Many people claim that Vietnam is winning the battle against poverty via a high rate of economic growth. During the past years, Vietnam government has also launched a number of programs aimed at hunger elimination and poverty alleviation and obtained significant achievements. According to statistics of World Bank, 67% of Vietnams population lived under the poverty line in 1993, but the rate dropped to 24% last year. Yet, at the same time, the gap between rich and poor has increased. In Vietnam, although the gap between the rich and the poor is not as big as in many other countries in the world, it has been going up over the time. The results of many researches also show that inequality of living standard (the rich-poor gap) in Vietnam is shown most prominently in the inequality between the various geo-economic regions and inequality between the rural and urban areas. This inequality originates from several factors among which there are educational qualification and occupation. 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 199319982002 bottom 10% top 10% top 1% Per capita expenditure of top 1% and top/bottom 10% of households, 1993-2002 The widening labor productivity growth gap between the primary sector and the industry and services sectors of the country helps to explain the growing urban-rural gap documented in the Vietnam Living Standard surveys. According to the survey findings, while the overall incidence of poverty declined significantly, from 58.1% in 1995 to 37.4% in 1998, and to 18.1% in 2004, the reduction in poverty was much greater in urban areas, where it declined from 25.1% to 9.2% and to 8.3% respectively. Rural areas experienced a smaller decline, from 66.4% to 45.5% and to 23.2% correspondently. Moreover, real per capita expenditure in urban areas grew twice as fast, recording a 60% increase, relative to rural areas, which recorded a 30% increase (World Bank 2004). Source: VLSS calculations 14% 22% 17% 86% 83% 78% 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 1992/931997/982002 Inequality within each region Inequality between Regions 21% 32% 65% 79% 68% 65% 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 1992/931997/982002 within Urban-Rural area BetweenUrban-Rural area Theil decompositions of inequality by region and rural/urban The evidence from the Living Standard surveys leaves little doubt that, while per capita income has risen and most Vietnamese are better off, the gains from the first phase of reform and external liberalization have largely favored urban, educated, white-collar, and relatively well-off households. Inequality increased by all measures, recording the greatest change. The disparity between richer and poorer households also was apparent when comparing real per capita expenditure between the poorest and richest. From 1999 to 2004, reflecting their higher income growth, the richest 10% of the population increased their spending by 53.3% compared to a 23.3% spending increase by the poorest 10%. The inequality in terms of income, as a consequence, also leads to a number of impacts on life between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural people. People living in rural areas enjoy fewer opportunities and poorer education as well as other utilities such as clean consuming water, sanitation facilities, electricity, communications and so on in their lives. Meanwhile as for a number of people, mostly in urban areas, studying abroad, traveling by luxurious private vehicles, consuming expensive goods etc†¦ is a common thing. This trend is more and more widening in the country, causing discontent among some groups. That can result in social disorder, compromising the ultimate goal of socialism, harming the country’s institution. Therefore, tackling this issue has become one of the most important issues in order to ensure the stable development of the country. C. SOLUTIONS Dealing with all of the above issues is a time, effort, and funds consuming task. Therefore, the country must have enough determination to pursue this very long way. And foremost, it can’t be finished solely by the government but need the joint efforts between the State and people. On that people, a number of solutions is to be proposed as follows: 1. Corruption and business environment. * Minimizing red-tape and arbitrary discretion: reducing to a minimum activities for which government permission is required and the number of steps required to acquire necessary permits. This includes codifying wide ranging areas of permitted activity (not needing approval) and defining more precisely activities requiring licenses or permits, to curtail opportunity for corruption arising from officials’ scope for interpretation and delay. * Disclosure: greatly increasing the volume of official information that is in the public domain, including more detailed budget information and successful bids in procurement operations; requiring top officials and high elected officers to declare their assets on assuming office and at intervals thereafter (making this information public); and permitting increased independence of the media. * Strengthen judiciary and judicial processes: ensuring full independence, integrity and efficiency of the judicial system in dealing with matters of corruption; minimum ambiguity in laws and regulations; better public dissemination of laws and legal opinions; fair and efficient procedures for bringing corruption charges, with just, consistent and transparent penalties. Judicial and legal reform programs should identify changes in procedures and institutional arrangements which would help anti-corruption goals and promote integrity in public life. * Strengthening human resource management: developing a modern, performance-based personnel system for civil service recruitment and promotion (to ensure a true meritocracy); reviewing civil servants salaries to ensure a living wage; providing training in ethics and integrity; requiring civil servants who routinely meet the public to wear name tags; and displaying prominently to the public instructions to staff concerning customer service standards. * Reforming procurement: already much progress has been made, but further steps could be taken including: (i) publishing in the national press information about winning tenders for government procurement contracts above a given size; and (ii) strengthening procurement laws, possibly adopting the UNCITRAL ( United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ) model law on procurement (which has proved highly effective elsewhere) to the Vietnam context. * Other elements of Public Administration Reform including strengthening: (i) expenditure management, particularly prioritizing allocations among and within sectors, (ii) revenue management, especially revenue collection enforcement, and (iii) decentralization, including establishing clear intergovernmental fiscal transfer system. 2. ECONOMIC STRUCTURE. a. By sectors. * Carry out economic structure transformation with focus on agriculture and rural industrialization and modernization to meet the requirements of the market and minimize the proportion of agriculture production in GDP; * Intensively develop industries boasting competitive advantages; selectively establish a number of heavy industrial establishments; strongly develop hi-tech and export-oriented industries. * Focus on developing small and medium-sized industries and infrastructure and service industries; develop three major economic zones in the Northern, Central and Southern regions together with those in midland, mountainous and coastal regions. b. By ownership * The political will to equitize must be nurtured: This condition is critical to sustain progress of equitization and to keep equitization on the right track. Evidence shows that political will, expressed in terms of pragmatic and timely policies, can overcome obstacles to equitization, even when the process grinds to a virtual standstill (e.g., during the 1992-1998 period.) The political will in Vietnam, accompanied by sound economic analyses, must support the view that the government should limit its reach in areas where people or markets can do a good job. * Equitization authorities require organizational capacity proportionate to the scale of their task. There are at least two alternatives. The first is to build up the capacity of this organization quickly so that public assets in remaining SOEs and equitized enterprises are properly managed, and bad debts before equitization (which is one of main reasons for slow equitization) are handled effectively. Second, the state could decisively and selectively shorten the list of SOEs that need to be kept under public ownership, and at the same time, gradually reduce public ownership in equitized firms to a minimal level. * Equitization must be transparent: When the decision to equitize an SOE has been made, the process must be transparent. To reduce management’s information advantage, all relevant information about a firm targeted for equitization should be published well in advance. This measure then reduces the possibility of underpricing and internal dealing, which may result in corruption and economic inequality. * SOEs should be evaluated by the market: This is again a measure to limit the possibility and extent of underpricing and self dealing, thereby recovering public assets and reducing the extent of economic inequality created by internal equitization. This proposal also speeds up equitization process. Market measures such as public biddings via stock exchanges and independent audits should be employed in the evaluation of SOEs. The recent case of the Vinamilk initial public offering provides an excellent example for this. * Trade and regulatory reforms should be promoted: These reforms create additional pressures to accelerate equitization. The protection enjoyed by SOEs which produce tradable and nontradable goods will be significantly reduced as Vietnam’s commitments under AFTA, BTA, and WTO. For tradable goods, lower tariffs intensify competition, which consequently drives SOE reform forward. For non-tradable goods, Vietnam needs a sound competition law and an effective regulation reform to create a healthy competitive environment to force SOEs to become more accountable. 3. Human resources. For the readiness of the country’s labor force for the new stage of development, particularly post-WTO accession, the following measures need to be taken. * The regulatory framework for labor has to be continuously improved and renewed to catch up with international standards and practices and respond to the specific conditions of Vietnam. Particularly, special attention should be paid to antidiscrimination, transparency and predictability – the basic principles of the WTO in the labor law and management system. In the long run, labor, employment and wage have to observe market rules and the macro-management of the State toward the goal of creating a level playing field for all economic sectors in this area. * Quality of labor has to be improved. It not only relies on skills but also workers’education, sense of discipline and respect of business etiquette. A skilled, disciplined and educated labor force will become a competitive strength of the economy, attracting more foreign investment. With regards to human resource development strategy, on one hand, the country needs to continue training of labor for labor-intensive industries, on the other hand, it should invest into the development of labor for high-tech industries so as to diversify the labor and economic structure. The Vietnamese government and the relevant agencies need to work more closely with the business community and the vocational schools to create enough suitably skilled people for the requirements of industry, and the factory owners themselves should train more employees on the job. Human resource development strategy should always be closely linked to and complement to the socio-economic development strategy. 4. Natural Environment. * The problems can only be solved through a comprehensive approach to environmental management. It will be most important to raise public awareness and support for environmental conservation. With a literacy rate of more than 90% of the population, with the television network available to all districts since the end of 1995, and with inexpensive radios in even the most remote areas, environmental protection messages can be effectively communicated throughout the country. * At a macro level, the government must work to enforce Vietnams existing environmental legislative regulations. This can only be done through an increase in the effectiveness of two-way information on environmental issues, both from the bottom up and the top down. * At the same time, the government should strengthen the capacity for environmental development planning and investment decision-making. It is crucial to improve awareness on environmental management among those who make planning and investment decisions. * Finally, environmental protection can be indirectly achieved through the poverty alleviation process. Efforts at reducing population growth by improving the awareness and knowledge of reproductive health and the access to family planning services could assist in this effort. 5. Income disparity. * To address this concern, the country should focus on pro-poor measures (improved governance including strengthening of grassroots democracy to ensure better accountability, infrastructure investment in the poorest communities, better health and education for the poor, greater emphasis on agriculture and rural development, improving the environment for small and medium enterprises, and so on) to narrow the social development gap between different regions and population groups and to reduce the vulnerabilities of the poor and disadvantaged groups. CONCLUSION Although the country has obtained a number of substantial achievements during the past years in the cause of renovation, it’s impossible not to take into account the above issues. Red tape, corruption, low-quality labor force, uncompetitive economic structure, unfavorable investment climate, natural environment degrading, widening income inequality and so on may both lead to painful and long-lasting consequences if neglected. In the process of integration and globalization, more than ever before, they’re in dire need of being done away with so that the country could successfully penetrate into the world economy and further develop. However, they can’t be dealt with overnight. Instead, to radically solve those problems, it is necessary to take step-by-step measures under a certain schedule . Besides, this work requires the joint efforts between the State and the public rather than unilateral ones. Clearly, it is a long-term and daunting task, but not impossible t o do provided the country is united and determined enough. Furthermore, the outlook of the country is still quite bright. According to a number of world’s analysts, Vietnam will be able to keep its sustainable growth in the coming years. Some even suppose that Vietnam will soon join the group of Asian Tigers, emphasizing its increasingly sound economy. Post-WTO accession period will be a difficult time for the country with significant impacts on both economy and society. It is a milestone marking a crucial turning point of the development of the nation. Gaining WTO membership is similar to participating in a speed race. If we failed to compete with other players, we would be out of the race and would fall behind them without any opportunities to re-emerge. On the contrary, if we can overcome these challenges, we would embark on a new phase of development and prosperity. Under the wise leadership of the Communist Party, with the unity of the whole nation, no doubt that after all, we would realize the ultimate goal of building a Vietnam with rich people, powerful country, equal, democratic and civilized society. References: Vietnam Inequality Report 2005: Assessment and Policy Choices, Mekong Economics Ltd. Vietnam: Economic Update 2006 and Prospects to 2010, Dr. Adam McCarty. Vietnam: External Liberalization, Structural Change, Economic Growth and Income Distribution, Tu Packard. Vietnam Development Report 2006. Labor and social issues emerging from Vietnam’s accession to the WTO, Ministry of Labor, Invalid and Social Affairs. Vietnam, The Long March to Equitization, Vu Thanh Tu Anh, the William Davidson Institute, University of Michigan, April 2005. State Owned Enterprises and Equitization in Vietnam, Fredrik Sjà ¶holm, August 2006. Accelerating Vietnam’s Rural Development: Growth, Equity and Diversification, World Bank, November 2005. National Integrity Systems Transparency International Country Study Report -Vietnam 2006, Transparency International. Fighting Corruption in Vietnam: Anti-corruption Handbook, World Bank. Opportunities and Challenges for Vietnam in WTO accession, Prof. Dr. Do Hoai Nam, Director, National Center for Social Science Humanity, December 2006. Trade and Sustainable Development in Vietnam, By Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh Director General of National Environmental Agency, Hanoi. Mr.Peter Sutcliffe, Chief Adviser of SEMA Project Ms. Phung Thi Thanh Van National Environment Agency,1999. Viet Nams Economic Growth to Hold with Pro-Private Sector Reforms, ADB, April 2006. Legal Corridor for Perfected Business Environment, Vietnam Business Forum, February 2007. Skill shortage causes Vietnam to lose out, Vietnam Net Bridge, October 2006. Vietnam Environment, World Bank. Vietnam Business Forum 2006: More Improvement Needed, Vietnam Business Forum, December 2006. 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